So here I am in Mae Sot, or Mae Sod, depending on which sign you read, that is if you can find a sign in English!
I arrived here yesterday and had a look about, settled blah blah blah. This place really feels like a frontier town, and I feel like the only white guy here. I am dressing conservativly to attract as little attention as possible, but I think my blonde hair and pale skin is giving me away all the same - I may be tanned, but not that tanned. Still, after Vietnam and the other places I have been getting stared at seems to be the norm!
Today I walked to the Myanmar/Thai border to get some more time on my visa here. So much for it not costing anything... but that wasn't a problem, cost the same as if I had've tried for an extension at the immigration office, and at least I was certain to get the amount of time I wanted!
Anyway, the information at the guest house said that it was 'a quick 10 minute walk to the border' - MY ARSE IT IS! It took me well over an hour to get there, it rained on the way and luckily as it started to really piss down a Saamlaew stopped an gave me a lift the rest of the way - for free. Which was really nice, even though it was only about another 1km.
So I got there, passed through border control/passport control and headed off over the friendship bridge to Myanmar. Not much to say about it, another border town, much the same as Mae Sot. Had lunch there and a smoke and then headed back across the bridge to Thailand again! That took most of the day... or the better part of it anyway.
By the time I got back to Thailand it was raining in earnest, and I decided to catch a Saamlaew back to Mae Sot instead of attempting the long distance trek back on foot. Got here ok, not much to say about that....
Heading to the wildlife sancuary tomorrow, then possibly to Chiang Mai or Kanchaniburi... dunno yet and probably wont until I get on the bus!
Friday, August 13, 2004
What a trip! I left on the train very early on Tuesday morning, bound for Sukothai, 3rd class sitting with all the other Thai people. Don't think there was another westerner on my carriage, but what the hell, why not travel as the people do when you're in their country??
The train ride was going to be a bit of a hard one from the start. I was supposed to meet with a guy I had met at the travel agents when booking my ticket, that night for a few beers, but he didn't show, so I went to the pub alone. Still like I said when travelling alone, you're never alone for too long. I met a few guys, one English (love an English accent), and the other an Israelli, fresh outta Aus! Chatted with them for who knows how long, the Israelli left after a while and I sat chatting to Simon the English guy until the wee hours of the morning - not a good idea considering I had to be up at 5.30am to finish packing and catch my train.
The actual train ride though was pretty good, I hardly slept as there was too much to look at and too much to think about - what would Sukothai be like, would I be able to find my way there from Phuksanulok? What was I gonna have to eat? Blah blah blah - your mind just keeps going sometimes doesn't it?
We past a few enormous golden buddahs set into mountainsides, the question of food resolved itself as a little thai guy came up the isle offering shrink wrapped packages of rice and something else. I chose the one that LOOKED like it had bacon and something else with the rice. The stuff that looked like crumbled up nuts turned out to be spicey something with chillies, and the 'bacon' turned out to be SWEET SAUSAGE - YUCK!!, but the rice, thankfully was still rice! I ate the most of it, under the scrutiny of the other Thai pasasengers, and when I put aside the 'sausage/bacon' they pointed and with hand signals asked why. I said it didn't taste good, they didn't understand and asked if it smelt bad, I said no it tasted funny, and screwed up my nose. I think they gave up on me then, coz they all went back to their conversations, with the occasional glance at me.
So here I am in Sukothai. What a lovely place the old city was. I was there yesterday, and cycled around - without the use of my map which I couldn't read - for about 2 hours. Yep, me on a bike, I can tell you that it was a white knuckled ride with memories of my last stack clearly in my mind. But thankfully these ruined cities don't have too much traffic and I was able to get about with barely an obstacle!
So I rode around, quite a pleasant day. Saw all of the main city, and then decided to check out the other parts, outside of the city walls. I got hopelessly lost! I rode around in circles - found an operating monastry, another temple that I didn't know existed, and I don't think was on my map, and also found the old kiln sites - which was a bit of a windfall as I was wanting to see those before I became really frustrated about not knowing where I was.
Anyway, there is one temple, the main Oooh La La temple, that I couldn't find. Wat Si Cham, or something like that. I gave up in the end, content to find my way home again.
So I did actually make it back to New Sukothai in one piece, rested for the rest of the afternoon, met my new room mate a Japanese guy - and played solitare, obviously by myself. Also met a French guy, who restored my faith in the french people, he being the first that I have met that was really nice, and not at all arrogant.... Maybe he wasn't REALLY french - Ha ha, just kiddin'.
Today I took myself off to Kamphaeng Phet, which is another ruined city, but I liked this one much better. Sukothai is a ruined city that has been spruced up and fixed here and there, so you don't need to much imagination to see what it WAS like, but then there is no feeling of being lost in time, or that you are looking in on another place far removed from today.
Anyway this place today (Kamphaeng Phet) had all that - and more! It was like stepping into another world - completely quiet, and almost part of nature again. The paths were being reclaimed by the creeping fingers of vines that were crawling across the ground, the temples, chedis, and buddahs all had such a feeling of peace, and felt as though they were still in the era that they were built. All you could hear when you were walking around was the thwack thwack of your own flip-flops, accompanied by the soft sound of the insects (which I might ad have had an absolute feed on me, I have bites EVERYWHERE, and I do mean - EVERYWHERE!) It was absolutely amazing - loved it - SUWAI MAK!
So that took the best part of today. After here I need to go back to my guesthouse and start with the dreaded tasks - washing (by hand of course!) and packing the ol' back pack yet again. Whoever invents the self packing pack is bound to make a mint!
The train ride was going to be a bit of a hard one from the start. I was supposed to meet with a guy I had met at the travel agents when booking my ticket, that night for a few beers, but he didn't show, so I went to the pub alone. Still like I said when travelling alone, you're never alone for too long. I met a few guys, one English (love an English accent), and the other an Israelli, fresh outta Aus! Chatted with them for who knows how long, the Israelli left after a while and I sat chatting to Simon the English guy until the wee hours of the morning - not a good idea considering I had to be up at 5.30am to finish packing and catch my train.
The actual train ride though was pretty good, I hardly slept as there was too much to look at and too much to think about - what would Sukothai be like, would I be able to find my way there from Phuksanulok? What was I gonna have to eat? Blah blah blah - your mind just keeps going sometimes doesn't it?
We past a few enormous golden buddahs set into mountainsides, the question of food resolved itself as a little thai guy came up the isle offering shrink wrapped packages of rice and something else. I chose the one that LOOKED like it had bacon and something else with the rice. The stuff that looked like crumbled up nuts turned out to be spicey something with chillies, and the 'bacon' turned out to be SWEET SAUSAGE - YUCK!!, but the rice, thankfully was still rice! I ate the most of it, under the scrutiny of the other Thai pasasengers, and when I put aside the 'sausage/bacon' they pointed and with hand signals asked why. I said it didn't taste good, they didn't understand and asked if it smelt bad, I said no it tasted funny, and screwed up my nose. I think they gave up on me then, coz they all went back to their conversations, with the occasional glance at me.
So here I am in Sukothai. What a lovely place the old city was. I was there yesterday, and cycled around - without the use of my map which I couldn't read - for about 2 hours. Yep, me on a bike, I can tell you that it was a white knuckled ride with memories of my last stack clearly in my mind. But thankfully these ruined cities don't have too much traffic and I was able to get about with barely an obstacle!
So I rode around, quite a pleasant day. Saw all of the main city, and then decided to check out the other parts, outside of the city walls. I got hopelessly lost! I rode around in circles - found an operating monastry, another temple that I didn't know existed, and I don't think was on my map, and also found the old kiln sites - which was a bit of a windfall as I was wanting to see those before I became really frustrated about not knowing where I was.
Anyway, there is one temple, the main Oooh La La temple, that I couldn't find. Wat Si Cham, or something like that. I gave up in the end, content to find my way home again.
So I did actually make it back to New Sukothai in one piece, rested for the rest of the afternoon, met my new room mate a Japanese guy - and played solitare, obviously by myself. Also met a French guy, who restored my faith in the french people, he being the first that I have met that was really nice, and not at all arrogant.... Maybe he wasn't REALLY french - Ha ha, just kiddin'.
Today I took myself off to Kamphaeng Phet, which is another ruined city, but I liked this one much better. Sukothai is a ruined city that has been spruced up and fixed here and there, so you don't need to much imagination to see what it WAS like, but then there is no feeling of being lost in time, or that you are looking in on another place far removed from today.
Anyway this place today (Kamphaeng Phet) had all that - and more! It was like stepping into another world - completely quiet, and almost part of nature again. The paths were being reclaimed by the creeping fingers of vines that were crawling across the ground, the temples, chedis, and buddahs all had such a feeling of peace, and felt as though they were still in the era that they were built. All you could hear when you were walking around was the thwack thwack of your own flip-flops, accompanied by the soft sound of the insects (which I might ad have had an absolute feed on me, I have bites EVERYWHERE, and I do mean - EVERYWHERE!) It was absolutely amazing - loved it - SUWAI MAK!
So that took the best part of today. After here I need to go back to my guesthouse and start with the dreaded tasks - washing (by hand of course!) and packing the ol' back pack yet again. Whoever invents the self packing pack is bound to make a mint!
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Thailand, Thailand, Thailand....
The country where I want to be!
Either trekking or camping, or just watching TV
Thailand, Thailand, Thailand....
Thailand is for me
OK Enough Monty Python eh? But still it is soo nice to be back. Here it's so much easier to get around than compared to Vietnam. Still Vietnam did have some beautiful, amazing and wonderful points. But I do like it here - and Cambodia - a lot better!
So what've I been up to since my arrival? Finding a place to stay was a bit of a chase, I got a taxi from the airport (I know I know, extravigant, and possibly unnecessary) and told them I wanted to stay at Bonny's guesthouse - somewhere I picked from the lonely plonker due to the dorm rooms and cheaper rates than My House. We drove around for about 2 hours - at lead\st the air con was on and working though.... Looking, looking, looking, could not find it anywhere. In the end I ended up getting outta the taxi, giving him my Krup Kum Ma Ka, and heading off down the Ko San Rd in search of diggs. Found a cheapish single room at Prakorbs House - sounds like an indian owned place, but nup! All Thais.
After checking in there I decided to go in search of the elusive Bonny's Guesthouse, just incase it was tucked away somewhere you couldn't get to by taxi, or with a rucksack on your back. But still no luck, maybe it's like a magic shop in a Terry pratchet novel? Who know's? All I know is if you can't find it they mustn't do very good business..
The first full day here I got all my boring stuff outta the way. Posted a load of stuff home - I am going to have soo many presents for me, from me, when I get back to Aus - another reason to go back at some stage, plus I've got all my family Christmas shopping done and it should arrive in time. Checked out visas, and was quoted by one TAT 7050 for an Indian and epal visa - that works out at about 250 Aussioe dollars! So I said 'Bang Bang!' and left. Since then I have found out I can get my nepal visa at the airport in kathmandu for about US$15, and I will organise my India one from there.
On Tuesday I plan to head north to Sukothai - the original capital, from the 13th centuray. Will spend a little over a week there as there are also a few national parks and sanctuaries in the area as well that I want to take a squiz at. Also seeing that i will be knoda close to Mae Sot, I will cross the boarder into Myanmar, or not quite, and back to Thailand in order to get my visa for here extended. That means I don't need to fill out any forms, I only cross over and then straight back, don't need to go all the way into Myanmar, and it costs me nadda radda than 500baht. Easy peasy! Japanesey, lemon squeezy, dirty kneesy, have a sneezy!
Today I checked out the National museum, which is bloody enormous. Heaps of interesting things from artifacts that date back about 4500 years ago, art works like sculpture, paintings, decorative plates 'n' stuff. Also there are a few theories on where the Thai people come from, only to be concluded that they come from Thailand, always have and always will.... Kinda strange that they questioned it... Ha ha. Still good to know that they know where they're at! he buildings - about 5 in all, are surrounded by lovely gardens, manicured trees and lawns, and sweet smelling flowers.
Am quite enjoying travelling by myself - the first time since I stepped off the plan in Bangkok all the way back in June. Took a bit of getting used to after Sinead left for Aus, but now I am enjoying the extra freedom. Still travelling with Sinead was good to, I have made a close friend - in really such a short space of time, and will definitely catch up with her again in the future somwehere.
Met a cool german chick the other night, who told me all about Sukothai, which she'd just gotten back from. Chatted with her for hours over a few beers, talked about everything from travel to politics to the meaning of life, destiny and everything. She headed up to Kanchaniburri the next day, hopefully she won't be eaten by tigers. But before we parted ways, did the old email swap, and I will definitely go visit her if I am ever in Dusseldorf! So although I am on my own, there is always someone around to share a beer with and have a chat and a laugh!
Life is all good!
The country where I want to be!
Either trekking or camping, or just watching TV
Thailand, Thailand, Thailand....
Thailand is for me
OK Enough Monty Python eh? But still it is soo nice to be back. Here it's so much easier to get around than compared to Vietnam. Still Vietnam did have some beautiful, amazing and wonderful points. But I do like it here - and Cambodia - a lot better!
So what've I been up to since my arrival? Finding a place to stay was a bit of a chase, I got a taxi from the airport (I know I know, extravigant, and possibly unnecessary) and told them I wanted to stay at Bonny's guesthouse - somewhere I picked from the lonely plonker due to the dorm rooms and cheaper rates than My House. We drove around for about 2 hours - at lead\st the air con was on and working though.... Looking, looking, looking, could not find it anywhere. In the end I ended up getting outta the taxi, giving him my Krup Kum Ma Ka, and heading off down the Ko San Rd in search of diggs. Found a cheapish single room at Prakorbs House - sounds like an indian owned place, but nup! All Thais.
After checking in there I decided to go in search of the elusive Bonny's Guesthouse, just incase it was tucked away somewhere you couldn't get to by taxi, or with a rucksack on your back. But still no luck, maybe it's like a magic shop in a Terry pratchet novel? Who know's? All I know is if you can't find it they mustn't do very good business..
The first full day here I got all my boring stuff outta the way. Posted a load of stuff home - I am going to have soo many presents for me, from me, when I get back to Aus - another reason to go back at some stage, plus I've got all my family Christmas shopping done and it should arrive in time. Checked out visas, and was quoted by one TAT 7050 for an Indian and epal visa - that works out at about 250 Aussioe dollars! So I said 'Bang Bang!' and left. Since then I have found out I can get my nepal visa at the airport in kathmandu for about US$15, and I will organise my India one from there.
On Tuesday I plan to head north to Sukothai - the original capital, from the 13th centuray. Will spend a little over a week there as there are also a few national parks and sanctuaries in the area as well that I want to take a squiz at. Also seeing that i will be knoda close to Mae Sot, I will cross the boarder into Myanmar, or not quite, and back to Thailand in order to get my visa for here extended. That means I don't need to fill out any forms, I only cross over and then straight back, don't need to go all the way into Myanmar, and it costs me nadda radda than 500baht. Easy peasy! Japanesey, lemon squeezy, dirty kneesy, have a sneezy!
Today I checked out the National museum, which is bloody enormous. Heaps of interesting things from artifacts that date back about 4500 years ago, art works like sculpture, paintings, decorative plates 'n' stuff. Also there are a few theories on where the Thai people come from, only to be concluded that they come from Thailand, always have and always will.... Kinda strange that they questioned it... Ha ha. Still good to know that they know where they're at! he buildings - about 5 in all, are surrounded by lovely gardens, manicured trees and lawns, and sweet smelling flowers.
Am quite enjoying travelling by myself - the first time since I stepped off the plan in Bangkok all the way back in June. Took a bit of getting used to after Sinead left for Aus, but now I am enjoying the extra freedom. Still travelling with Sinead was good to, I have made a close friend - in really such a short space of time, and will definitely catch up with her again in the future somwehere.
Met a cool german chick the other night, who told me all about Sukothai, which she'd just gotten back from. Chatted with her for hours over a few beers, talked about everything from travel to politics to the meaning of life, destiny and everything. She headed up to Kanchaniburri the next day, hopefully she won't be eaten by tigers. But before we parted ways, did the old email swap, and I will definitely go visit her if I am ever in Dusseldorf! So although I am on my own, there is always someone around to share a beer with and have a chat and a laugh!
Life is all good!
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Where was I up to? I think I have blogged about the lovely Ha Long Bay - where the dragon went down to help fight the enemy...
So it's only the last few days that I need to catch you up on. Let me see... Sinead left for Bangkok on Monday morning and it was a little sadder to see her go that I'd expected. Still it looks like I will be meeting her again shortly as I am off back to Bangkok on Thursday morning - thank goodness I have had enough of Vietnam. Plus she left her new shoes in my bag so I need to get them back to her.
The Monday was reasonably quiet, I changed hotels to a place that has dorm rooms - my first dorm experience so far, and it's not that bad - pretty much as I expected really. Although it's a shared sex dorm... But that doesn't really make a hell of a lot of difference, it's not as though you're about to walk around naked either way.
I booked my ticket to Bangkok, sorted out my cash, had a walk around the lake and generally chilled by myself. Am starting to appreciate the time to myself.
Still after saying that I did catch up with Sebatian the German guy we met in Nha Trang for dinner, and made plans with him for today to do some touristy things together. Plus he owed me a beer and wanted a haircut as he doesn't trust the Vietnamese to do it the way he wants...
So I went around to his this morning and trimmed him up - sweat my arse off the whole time as it is baking here, not as humid as some places but still damn hot. We were out on the porch right in the sun... Urrgh very warm and sweaty.
After that we took a moto to the Fine Arts museum in Hanoi - really nice sculpture, so glad I went. Wasn't as impressed with the paintings, although there were a few good'uns that stood out to me. Spent a good few hours there looking around. They had stuff dating back over 3000 years, pottery, weapons etc. And of course things right up to this modern day. Really enjoyed that, the sculpture especially.
After that we walked to the botanical gardens here, which I'm sorry to say, are a bit naff. The small forest was pretty good, but there wasn't really much to them and I dunno, maybe I expect too much sometimes?
After that it was lunch and a lie down.
More people have moved into the dorm today, noisy boys! But after tomorrow night I will be outta there, and Vietnam. Wish I could be sooner, but due to visas etc, and meeting up with Mark, was better for me to stay an extra few days. Won't have much to write for a while as have to go about the boring things - develop film, get batteries, pack etc... Nothing really worth writing about.
So it's only the last few days that I need to catch you up on. Let me see... Sinead left for Bangkok on Monday morning and it was a little sadder to see her go that I'd expected. Still it looks like I will be meeting her again shortly as I am off back to Bangkok on Thursday morning - thank goodness I have had enough of Vietnam. Plus she left her new shoes in my bag so I need to get them back to her.
The Monday was reasonably quiet, I changed hotels to a place that has dorm rooms - my first dorm experience so far, and it's not that bad - pretty much as I expected really. Although it's a shared sex dorm... But that doesn't really make a hell of a lot of difference, it's not as though you're about to walk around naked either way.
I booked my ticket to Bangkok, sorted out my cash, had a walk around the lake and generally chilled by myself. Am starting to appreciate the time to myself.
Still after saying that I did catch up with Sebatian the German guy we met in Nha Trang for dinner, and made plans with him for today to do some touristy things together. Plus he owed me a beer and wanted a haircut as he doesn't trust the Vietnamese to do it the way he wants...
So I went around to his this morning and trimmed him up - sweat my arse off the whole time as it is baking here, not as humid as some places but still damn hot. We were out on the porch right in the sun... Urrgh very warm and sweaty.
After that we took a moto to the Fine Arts museum in Hanoi - really nice sculpture, so glad I went. Wasn't as impressed with the paintings, although there were a few good'uns that stood out to me. Spent a good few hours there looking around. They had stuff dating back over 3000 years, pottery, weapons etc. And of course things right up to this modern day. Really enjoyed that, the sculpture especially.
After that we walked to the botanical gardens here, which I'm sorry to say, are a bit naff. The small forest was pretty good, but there wasn't really much to them and I dunno, maybe I expect too much sometimes?
After that it was lunch and a lie down.
More people have moved into the dorm today, noisy boys! But after tomorrow night I will be outta there, and Vietnam. Wish I could be sooner, but due to visas etc, and meeting up with Mark, was better for me to stay an extra few days. Won't have much to write for a while as have to go about the boring things - develop film, get batteries, pack etc... Nothing really worth writing about.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Ha Long bay was gorgeous, and aside from the rain we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! The bus trip there was pretty much like all other bus trips have been on - couldn't sleep, or get comfortable, and prayed for it to be over about an hour after boarding. But we arrived safely, and unlike some other people we've met, arrived crash free!!
After having our lunch at a crazy little Vietnamese restaurant in Ha Long city we were off to the pier, on foot. A 40 minute walk while everyone else passed us by on the air con busses!! Ah well, free exercise, and a chance to have a look along the beach there.
We finally got to the pier and waited another 1/2 hour for the guide to get our tickets and board the boat.... People were getting shitty everywhere, and to make matters worse, we were surrounded by god damn Americans!! Ha ha. Still we did actually get to the boat, and we may have been 2 hours behind schedule, and it looking like rain, but we were finally on our way!! Yay for us. The whole way through the walk to the pier I had some Mexican guy - Omar - trying to pick me up. I mentioned that I was meeting a boyfriend in a few weeks to get him off my case, by as Sinead says - 'God loves a tryer!'
The bay is gorgeous, dotted with over 2000 islets that stand out of the water like the tops of mountains. The boat weaves it's way through the islands and after a few hours you arrive at some caves. Can't remember the names of them, but they're pretty. We jumped off the boat onto a rickety pier, and proceeded down the path to steps going up the side of one of the islands.
After climbing to the top, the stairs entered the island so that you were actually inside there, surrounded by stalactites and mites. We walked through a number of different caves. Two of the American girls freaked out because of claustrophobia and shouted at the guide and then left... Ha ha, was good for a laugh.
After the caves we got back on the boat and I fell asleep reasonably soon after. We'd been woken up REALLY early that morning (Saturday morning mind you!!) by Section 4 government radio. Which starts at about quarter to 6, and goes until about 7 or so. It was some Vietnamese guy reading communist propaganda and playing music for the people who start work early, and for those that don't??? Well why aren't we out there working for the rise of communism? Huh, what's with us wanting to sleep in on a Saturday morning??!
So I missed a lot of the islands that we sailed past as I was snoozing on deck. We arrived at Cat Ba island and let off the people that had elected to sleep in a hotel there, we had decided to sleep on the boat. The we sailed to a little bay around the corner and put down the anchor for the night. Then it was time for dinner, more rice and stuff, and a few beers as we watched the moon rise overhead.
After dinner we went night swimming, and yes it was a quiet night, but a lotta fun. At about 11or so I was completely shagged and went onto the deck of the other boat to sleep. Omar was still doing his best, but thankfully he was sleeping on the other boat - thank God for small mercies!! After dozing for a while Sinead came by and said I should head to the cabin to avoid being eaten alive by the mozzies. I took her advice, and am glad that I did as it pissed with rain in the early hours of the morning.
Next morning it was back to the pier for lunch and then back on the bus to Hanoi. Wasn't a bad time, glad I went, but wish the sun had've come with us, and not the Mexican.
After having our lunch at a crazy little Vietnamese restaurant in Ha Long city we were off to the pier, on foot. A 40 minute walk while everyone else passed us by on the air con busses!! Ah well, free exercise, and a chance to have a look along the beach there.
We finally got to the pier and waited another 1/2 hour for the guide to get our tickets and board the boat.... People were getting shitty everywhere, and to make matters worse, we were surrounded by god damn Americans!! Ha ha. Still we did actually get to the boat, and we may have been 2 hours behind schedule, and it looking like rain, but we were finally on our way!! Yay for us. The whole way through the walk to the pier I had some Mexican guy - Omar - trying to pick me up. I mentioned that I was meeting a boyfriend in a few weeks to get him off my case, by as Sinead says - 'God loves a tryer!'
The bay is gorgeous, dotted with over 2000 islets that stand out of the water like the tops of mountains. The boat weaves it's way through the islands and after a few hours you arrive at some caves. Can't remember the names of them, but they're pretty. We jumped off the boat onto a rickety pier, and proceeded down the path to steps going up the side of one of the islands.
After climbing to the top, the stairs entered the island so that you were actually inside there, surrounded by stalactites and mites. We walked through a number of different caves. Two of the American girls freaked out because of claustrophobia and shouted at the guide and then left... Ha ha, was good for a laugh.
After the caves we got back on the boat and I fell asleep reasonably soon after. We'd been woken up REALLY early that morning (Saturday morning mind you!!) by Section 4 government radio. Which starts at about quarter to 6, and goes until about 7 or so. It was some Vietnamese guy reading communist propaganda and playing music for the people who start work early, and for those that don't??? Well why aren't we out there working for the rise of communism? Huh, what's with us wanting to sleep in on a Saturday morning??!
So I missed a lot of the islands that we sailed past as I was snoozing on deck. We arrived at Cat Ba island and let off the people that had elected to sleep in a hotel there, we had decided to sleep on the boat. The we sailed to a little bay around the corner and put down the anchor for the night. Then it was time for dinner, more rice and stuff, and a few beers as we watched the moon rise overhead.
After dinner we went night swimming, and yes it was a quiet night, but a lotta fun. At about 11or so I was completely shagged and went onto the deck of the other boat to sleep. Omar was still doing his best, but thankfully he was sleeping on the other boat - thank God for small mercies!! After dozing for a while Sinead came by and said I should head to the cabin to avoid being eaten alive by the mozzies. I took her advice, and am glad that I did as it pissed with rain in the early hours of the morning.
Next morning it was back to the pier for lunch and then back on the bus to Hanoi. Wasn't a bad time, glad I went, but wish the sun had've come with us, and not the Mexican.
Friday, July 30, 2004
So Hanoi, still here and haven't been run over just yet, although I have come close a few times. The streets are mad, and each time you need to get to the other side of the road you are taking your life into your own hands.
On the first day here I was walking around like a zombie, so tired from the bus ride. But still I managed to get my arse to the Ngoc Son Temple that sits in the middle of a lake, and as legend says, is where fairies and spirits come to sing and dance.
After that though and grabbing something recognizable to eat, it was back to the hotel and sleep - glorious sleep.
Yesterday we walked about the city and found ourselves CD shopping. Got 6 of the little buggers for only $4.50. Not bad - especially if they all work! Also found a good place for dinner which we're off to tonight in order to celebrate my oldness (28 today!!) and to try out our new fancy pants (and other clothes).
After tiring ourselves out with the hard work of walking around the city and having lunch, we went back to the hotel for a quick costume change for the evenings entertainment - WATER PUPPETS!! We went to the early showing at 6.30pm. It was one of the best things I have done so far in Vietnam. The show was excellent, although we couldn't understand a word of what was going on, it didn't matter. Sinead, Sebastian and I sat there full of wonder for well over an hour like children at their first pantomime. The puppets, the puppeteers, and the traditional musicians were soo damn good. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed it.
On our way out Sinead - god bless her kind heart - bought me a water puppet (a fairy one) for my birthday!! It's a night that I will remember well after I have forgotten my own name.
For dinner we went top a place called the cyclo bar. Not bad, but not that great though. We'd caught up with some other guys - Ramon and Gareth who we'd met on the Mekong Delta tour and bumped into a few times since then as we've traveled north. After dinner we decided to start birthday celebrations early and head off to the funky monkey, which is the only place in town open after 12 at night. It wasn't bad there, good laughs with our new friends and a few pints of Carlsberg always makes things a bit happier.
At midnight Ramona, Gareth, Sebastian and Sinead decided to try and embarrass me by singing happy birthday in the middle of the bar. Didn't work, but it did bring over a group of young English public school kids. They were holidaying on Daddy's money with their school and supposed to be seeing the world on a set bugget. But they had extra cash from their family so that they could also get in some under age drinking, and general wankery. I have never met such arrogant arseholes in my life. The attitudes they had towards the people here, the 12 year old prostitutes in Cambodia, the utter disregard for anyone, including themselves made me so god damn angry that I had to leave. I ranted to Sinead the whole wat home about it, and all she could do was agree.... Ahh, still makes my blood boil to think of it.
Today we've had a bit of a lazy day hanging about the city, and the lake. Tomorrow we are off to Ha Long Bay for two days, spend the night on a boat swim at midnight, and then back to Hanoi the following evening.
Sinead flys back to Bangkok on Monday, and I will hang about here until Thursday or Friday, get in some sight seeing and stuff on my own. Am looking forward to the solitude, but it's been great traveling with her, and we will definitely catch up when I too get to Bangkok again.
On the first day here I was walking around like a zombie, so tired from the bus ride. But still I managed to get my arse to the Ngoc Son Temple that sits in the middle of a lake, and as legend says, is where fairies and spirits come to sing and dance.
After that though and grabbing something recognizable to eat, it was back to the hotel and sleep - glorious sleep.
Yesterday we walked about the city and found ourselves CD shopping. Got 6 of the little buggers for only $4.50. Not bad - especially if they all work! Also found a good place for dinner which we're off to tonight in order to celebrate my oldness (28 today!!) and to try out our new fancy pants (and other clothes).
After tiring ourselves out with the hard work of walking around the city and having lunch, we went back to the hotel for a quick costume change for the evenings entertainment - WATER PUPPETS!! We went to the early showing at 6.30pm. It was one of the best things I have done so far in Vietnam. The show was excellent, although we couldn't understand a word of what was going on, it didn't matter. Sinead, Sebastian and I sat there full of wonder for well over an hour like children at their first pantomime. The puppets, the puppeteers, and the traditional musicians were soo damn good. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed it.
On our way out Sinead - god bless her kind heart - bought me a water puppet (a fairy one) for my birthday!! It's a night that I will remember well after I have forgotten my own name.
For dinner we went top a place called the cyclo bar. Not bad, but not that great though. We'd caught up with some other guys - Ramon and Gareth who we'd met on the Mekong Delta tour and bumped into a few times since then as we've traveled north. After dinner we decided to start birthday celebrations early and head off to the funky monkey, which is the only place in town open after 12 at night. It wasn't bad there, good laughs with our new friends and a few pints of Carlsberg always makes things a bit happier.
At midnight Ramona, Gareth, Sebastian and Sinead decided to try and embarrass me by singing happy birthday in the middle of the bar. Didn't work, but it did bring over a group of young English public school kids. They were holidaying on Daddy's money with their school and supposed to be seeing the world on a set bugget. But they had extra cash from their family so that they could also get in some under age drinking, and general wankery. I have never met such arrogant arseholes in my life. The attitudes they had towards the people here, the 12 year old prostitutes in Cambodia, the utter disregard for anyone, including themselves made me so god damn angry that I had to leave. I ranted to Sinead the whole wat home about it, and all she could do was agree.... Ahh, still makes my blood boil to think of it.
Today we've had a bit of a lazy day hanging about the city, and the lake. Tomorrow we are off to Ha Long Bay for two days, spend the night on a boat swim at midnight, and then back to Hanoi the following evening.
Sinead flys back to Bangkok on Monday, and I will hang about here until Thursday or Friday, get in some sight seeing and stuff on my own. Am looking forward to the solitude, but it's been great traveling with her, and we will definitely catch up when I too get to Bangkok again.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Hanoi.... Beautiful - I think although I've only been here for about 3 or so hours, and two of that has been spent arguing with our bus driver...
What a ride! We left Hoian yesterday at about 2pm, another overnight bus - but at least this one had reclining seats. After 4 hours we arrived in Hue, a pretty city, but there was no time to stop. It was off that bus and onto another one that was to take us to here. We had the whole of the back seat to ourselves which was lerverly! Then we stopped for dinner at this roadside cafe/ Asian restaurant. I had my usual Noodle soup with beef - delicious and less than a buck!
Then it was back onto the bus... However it was back onto the bus with an extra 12 people. All the seats were filled, and then they took out deck chairs from the luggage racks so people could sit in the isles!! Fair enough we thought, we're going the same way as them, why not let than on? Only seems fair and right.
Less than an hour down the road and we stopped again. We thought there wasn't room, but these Asians are ingenious! Yet more people got on, we were well past full there were people sat everywhere and anywhere... And the roads although not anywhere near as bad as Cambodia, aren't that hot either.
I don't think we stopped again, but we may have, I finally fell asleep at some stage and then this morning saw the most beautiful sunrise at about 5.30ish am. I looked out the window and it was like someone had painted the sky with the most delicate colours of pink, blue and yellow. With the silhouette of the mountains and trees it was perfect, almost enough to make you cry. (or maybe that was just my reaction to being awake so early?)
I was dozing in and out of sleep for the next 3 hours as we slowly made our way to Hanoi, dropping off the Vietnamese we had picked up around at their various destinations near Hanoi. We pulled up next to a manky lake at about 8am (2 hours later than expected) and the bus driver got out and told us this was the end of the line. Now our tickets are sold to us with the proviso that we get picked up and dropped off at the hotel of our choice in the city we leave from and go to. No one knew where we were, and no one could tell us due to the language barrier. No one could believe that they were going to leave us in the middle of nowhere, by a manky little lake on a dirt road. So we got back into the bus and refused to budge, some people threatened to call the police, others the tour company, and others just that they weren't moving.
So eventually the people from CAMEL TOURS got back on the bus, and we thought we had won. They were finally going to take us to the lake district in the old city so we could finally go to a guest house, have a shower and a sleep. However I don't think we westerners fully understand the concept of 'face'. For them to bend even slightly to us meant they were losing face by giving into us lower class travelers.
The bus drove around for all of 5 minutes and we found ourselves outside a petrol station, still not in the vicinity of the lake district. We may be in a different country, we may not speak the language, but we CAN still read addresses of places and maps!! So we spoke with the police, who - quite handy really - were also at the petrol station filling up their patrol car. Would have been even more handy though had they spoken even one word of English, French or even Spanish!!! So no luck there.It got to a point where it was a stand off. We were wanting to get to a hotel, and the tour people were wanting us to just go and get fucked.
Eventually we realized that we weren't getting anywhere. I said to Sinead, lets just grab our bags and share a taxi with someone else who is willing to give in so that we can get to a hotel, shower and relax. She agreed and so we started to get off. It seemed to lead to a bit of a mass exodus, as everyone else also got off, and then started to aske Sinead and I what to do next....??? Like we knew!
So we ended up getting a cab after about 1&1/2 hours, maybe a little less, of this bus driver VS tourist debacle. Cost us 10,000 each, which is a rip, but at least we were off the fuckin' bus and on our way to somewhere cool, where we could gather our wits, calm down and shower. So that's my first experience of Hanoi. Not the best, but surely not the worst that could've happened to us either.
Vietnam has been a little like this all the way through, just little niggly things. So I think I will leave here around the 1st of the month and head back to Thailand for about 6 weeks before going to Nepal.
It's all good, all an experience, and that's one of the reasons you travel isn't it??
What a ride! We left Hoian yesterday at about 2pm, another overnight bus - but at least this one had reclining seats. After 4 hours we arrived in Hue, a pretty city, but there was no time to stop. It was off that bus and onto another one that was to take us to here. We had the whole of the back seat to ourselves which was lerverly! Then we stopped for dinner at this roadside cafe/ Asian restaurant. I had my usual Noodle soup with beef - delicious and less than a buck!
Then it was back onto the bus... However it was back onto the bus with an extra 12 people. All the seats were filled, and then they took out deck chairs from the luggage racks so people could sit in the isles!! Fair enough we thought, we're going the same way as them, why not let than on? Only seems fair and right.
Less than an hour down the road and we stopped again. We thought there wasn't room, but these Asians are ingenious! Yet more people got on, we were well past full there were people sat everywhere and anywhere... And the roads although not anywhere near as bad as Cambodia, aren't that hot either.
I don't think we stopped again, but we may have, I finally fell asleep at some stage and then this morning saw the most beautiful sunrise at about 5.30ish am. I looked out the window and it was like someone had painted the sky with the most delicate colours of pink, blue and yellow. With the silhouette of the mountains and trees it was perfect, almost enough to make you cry. (or maybe that was just my reaction to being awake so early?)
I was dozing in and out of sleep for the next 3 hours as we slowly made our way to Hanoi, dropping off the Vietnamese we had picked up around at their various destinations near Hanoi. We pulled up next to a manky lake at about 8am (2 hours later than expected) and the bus driver got out and told us this was the end of the line. Now our tickets are sold to us with the proviso that we get picked up and dropped off at the hotel of our choice in the city we leave from and go to. No one knew where we were, and no one could tell us due to the language barrier. No one could believe that they were going to leave us in the middle of nowhere, by a manky little lake on a dirt road. So we got back into the bus and refused to budge, some people threatened to call the police, others the tour company, and others just that they weren't moving.
So eventually the people from CAMEL TOURS got back on the bus, and we thought we had won. They were finally going to take us to the lake district in the old city so we could finally go to a guest house, have a shower and a sleep. However I don't think we westerners fully understand the concept of 'face'. For them to bend even slightly to us meant they were losing face by giving into us lower class travelers.
The bus drove around for all of 5 minutes and we found ourselves outside a petrol station, still not in the vicinity of the lake district. We may be in a different country, we may not speak the language, but we CAN still read addresses of places and maps!! So we spoke with the police, who - quite handy really - were also at the petrol station filling up their patrol car. Would have been even more handy though had they spoken even one word of English, French or even Spanish!!! So no luck there.It got to a point where it was a stand off. We were wanting to get to a hotel, and the tour people were wanting us to just go and get fucked.
Eventually we realized that we weren't getting anywhere. I said to Sinead, lets just grab our bags and share a taxi with someone else who is willing to give in so that we can get to a hotel, shower and relax. She agreed and so we started to get off. It seemed to lead to a bit of a mass exodus, as everyone else also got off, and then started to aske Sinead and I what to do next....??? Like we knew!
So we ended up getting a cab after about 1&1/2 hours, maybe a little less, of this bus driver VS tourist debacle. Cost us 10,000 each, which is a rip, but at least we were off the fuckin' bus and on our way to somewhere cool, where we could gather our wits, calm down and shower. So that's my first experience of Hanoi. Not the best, but surely not the worst that could've happened to us either.
Vietnam has been a little like this all the way through, just little niggly things. So I think I will leave here around the 1st of the month and head back to Thailand for about 6 weeks before going to Nepal.
It's all good, all an experience, and that's one of the reasons you travel isn't it??
Monday, July 26, 2004
Plans are made to be broken, aren't they? We stopped in Hoian, 12 hours on a bus with no sleep, kinda meant we had to. But it was only going to be for a few days. Still, it was just a thought, and we didn't know how much we'd like this town until we stopped here.
It's soo much quieter than anywhere else we've been in Vietnam, and that's a welcome state after the madness we have seen.
I got some clothes made here, almost by accident. I went into a shop, intending to buy a apir of shorts, hopefully straight of the rack. 3 hours later I walked out after having ordered a pair of shorts (mission accomplished) a pair of jeans, a skirt, shirt and two other tops.... They were ready the next day!!! I couldn't believe it, in fact the shirt was ready for me about 2 hours after I ordered it.... I hope I was trading fairly, they got a good price from me, I didn't try to barter them down at all.
After there we took a stroll down the street looking for an ATM as we'd almost emptied our pockets at the cloth shop. In between there and the ATM, I also obtained a new pair of thongs, a pair of shoes (also made to order) and stopped for something to eat. This town just makes me want to spend!! Not good, but also kinda good. I have pretty much finished my Christmas shopping for my family, bought soo many things for myself, and still have enough cash left over to be going out on the piss....
Which brings me to last nights antics. Sinead, Damian and I decided to go out for some drinks, and possibly try the snake wine that we had seen everywhere in Vietnam - Basically it's about 5 snakes stuffed into a bottle with near to pure home made alcohol. Looks disgusting, but when in Vietnam, do as the Vietnamese do! Sinead doesn't drink, so she just came along for the entertainment.
We got ourselves a few gin and tonics, having not brought our insect repellent along, and this being the tastier option, and then discussed the possiblility of the snake wine.... After not much quibbling, Damian went out and got a medium bottle of the stuff, for a whole 50,000 dong, which I think translates to about $4.50. It sat there on the table for a while as we worked up the courage to actually drink it. Damian had tried a bigger bottle before when staying with a family in the Mekong Delta, and assured me that it was 'just like very strong tequila'..... Yeah right.
So we poured ourselves some, maybe 2 shots worth in a scotch glass, and knocked it back as quickly as we could. Uuuurrrrrgh! it was the most disgusting thing I have every tried, and I deserve a huge pat on the back for not hurling on the spot. The alcohol was soo strong, but that wasn't the bad bit. You could taste the preserved snake, which was like MUSTY RABBIT, and the smell and taste lingered behind your nasal cavity for ages. I immediately downed the rest of my beer, lit a cigarette half expecting that I'd blow up from the alcohol fumes, all in the hope that I'd be able to get the taste outta my mouth and nose.
It was rank, Sinead almost chucked just from the smell when we downed it and the fact that there was 5 snakes staring at her from a bottle.... Damian attempted to have some more with coke, but it TURNED THE COKE GREEN, and we convinced him it wasn't a good idea unless he wanted to spend the night speaking with Huey.
After that place closed, Sinead went back to the hotel, but Damian and I kicked on to the full moon bar, which is in the middle of nowhere. We were there first westerners to arrive, and it being so far away from town, we were more than a little worried that we'd been coerced into going somewhere that we really shouldn't have. But after about an hour more people arrived, I was asked to work behind the bar for free drinks - so I did - and the night passed reasonably quickly and uneventfully for the most part. I did have a local guy trying to pick me up telling me that he loved me and I was very beautiful. Ha ha... But I told him Damian was my husband, and he played along with that for all of 15 minutes and then tried to sell me to him for a $100. Cheers mate!
By the time we left there we'd spent nearly all our cash on booze, so had to walk home. We got nearly 1/2 way which was the point when the cash we did have left was enough to pay for a moto for the rest of the way home. Arrived home at 4am with an empty purse, and collapsed in my bed. Sleep at last!
It's soo much quieter than anywhere else we've been in Vietnam, and that's a welcome state after the madness we have seen.
I got some clothes made here, almost by accident. I went into a shop, intending to buy a apir of shorts, hopefully straight of the rack. 3 hours later I walked out after having ordered a pair of shorts (mission accomplished) a pair of jeans, a skirt, shirt and two other tops.... They were ready the next day!!! I couldn't believe it, in fact the shirt was ready for me about 2 hours after I ordered it.... I hope I was trading fairly, they got a good price from me, I didn't try to barter them down at all.
After there we took a stroll down the street looking for an ATM as we'd almost emptied our pockets at the cloth shop. In between there and the ATM, I also obtained a new pair of thongs, a pair of shoes (also made to order) and stopped for something to eat. This town just makes me want to spend!! Not good, but also kinda good. I have pretty much finished my Christmas shopping for my family, bought soo many things for myself, and still have enough cash left over to be going out on the piss....
Which brings me to last nights antics. Sinead, Damian and I decided to go out for some drinks, and possibly try the snake wine that we had seen everywhere in Vietnam - Basically it's about 5 snakes stuffed into a bottle with near to pure home made alcohol. Looks disgusting, but when in Vietnam, do as the Vietnamese do! Sinead doesn't drink, so she just came along for the entertainment.
We got ourselves a few gin and tonics, having not brought our insect repellent along, and this being the tastier option, and then discussed the possiblility of the snake wine.... After not much quibbling, Damian went out and got a medium bottle of the stuff, for a whole 50,000 dong, which I think translates to about $4.50. It sat there on the table for a while as we worked up the courage to actually drink it. Damian had tried a bigger bottle before when staying with a family in the Mekong Delta, and assured me that it was 'just like very strong tequila'..... Yeah right.
So we poured ourselves some, maybe 2 shots worth in a scotch glass, and knocked it back as quickly as we could. Uuuurrrrrgh! it was the most disgusting thing I have every tried, and I deserve a huge pat on the back for not hurling on the spot. The alcohol was soo strong, but that wasn't the bad bit. You could taste the preserved snake, which was like MUSTY RABBIT, and the smell and taste lingered behind your nasal cavity for ages. I immediately downed the rest of my beer, lit a cigarette half expecting that I'd blow up from the alcohol fumes, all in the hope that I'd be able to get the taste outta my mouth and nose.
It was rank, Sinead almost chucked just from the smell when we downed it and the fact that there was 5 snakes staring at her from a bottle.... Damian attempted to have some more with coke, but it TURNED THE COKE GREEN, and we convinced him it wasn't a good idea unless he wanted to spend the night speaking with Huey.
After that place closed, Sinead went back to the hotel, but Damian and I kicked on to the full moon bar, which is in the middle of nowhere. We were there first westerners to arrive, and it being so far away from town, we were more than a little worried that we'd been coerced into going somewhere that we really shouldn't have. But after about an hour more people arrived, I was asked to work behind the bar for free drinks - so I did - and the night passed reasonably quickly and uneventfully for the most part. I did have a local guy trying to pick me up telling me that he loved me and I was very beautiful. Ha ha... But I told him Damian was my husband, and he played along with that for all of 15 minutes and then tried to sell me to him for a $100. Cheers mate!
By the time we left there we'd spent nearly all our cash on booze, so had to walk home. We got nearly 1/2 way which was the point when the cash we did have left was enough to pay for a moto for the rest of the way home. Arrived home at 4am with an empty purse, and collapsed in my bed. Sleep at last!
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Point to remember - when catching a night bus, ensure that the seats recline!!
The trip here to Hoian was hard - harder than travelling in Cambodia, harder than the trip from Ko Phangan to Siem Reap, HARDER THAN STONE!! I slept for all of 1/2 an hour for the whole of the 13 hour journey. And watching the driver and the roads at night is even worse than during the day. Driving here is like playing chicken where ever you go. You have one hand almost constantly on the horn, and it seems that small has to give way to big, when at intersections, passing on tight corners, or even on the straight freeway when you can see for miles ahead.
I think if your horn broke here you'd have to take your car off the road, or certain death would be waiting for you.
We're staying here for a few days. Apparently the beach is better than Nha Trag, the clothes shopping brilliant and there is a national park that I want to have a look at as well. First port of call for today though is to find a nice bar and a good cheap restaurant. Not too much of a mission, but a worthwhile one all the same.
Hope everyone is well, and if you've been reading this and not emailed me yet, press the 'contact me NOW' link at the top right hand corner of you screen and give me a hello!! You lazy bastards!!
The trip here to Hoian was hard - harder than travelling in Cambodia, harder than the trip from Ko Phangan to Siem Reap, HARDER THAN STONE!! I slept for all of 1/2 an hour for the whole of the 13 hour journey. And watching the driver and the roads at night is even worse than during the day. Driving here is like playing chicken where ever you go. You have one hand almost constantly on the horn, and it seems that small has to give way to big, when at intersections, passing on tight corners, or even on the straight freeway when you can see for miles ahead.
I think if your horn broke here you'd have to take your car off the road, or certain death would be waiting for you.
We're staying here for a few days. Apparently the beach is better than Nha Trag, the clothes shopping brilliant and there is a national park that I want to have a look at as well. First port of call for today though is to find a nice bar and a good cheap restaurant. Not too much of a mission, but a worthwhile one all the same.
Hope everyone is well, and if you've been reading this and not emailed me yet, press the 'contact me NOW' link at the top right hand corner of you screen and give me a hello!! You lazy bastards!!
Friday, July 23, 2004
Ahhh... Maybe, possibly, too many buckets? Let me go backwards from here. It's been over 4 days since I tried to check email or even get onto a computer, so excuse my tardiness if you have emailed me.
Tonight we went for dinner at 'same same, but different'. A good cheap restaurant, even by Vietnamese standards. Good food, lovely people and well worth the 15 minute walk. Then it was on to Crazy Kim's bar, where I taught English to street kids earlier today. But the buckets - vodka, rum, red bull and coke in a bucket - are for sharing, not to be having on your own!!
But still all is good.
Toaday Sinead and I went to the mud baths in Nha Trang. Bloody well worth the effort. Although you are covering yourself in mud, by the time you leave you feel the cleanest you have been in your whole life!! Ahh, now my skin is so smooth - aside form the mozzy bites - and I'm all fresh and clean, ready for tomorrow's bus ride to Hanoi - over 30 hours I think... But I can't be arsed stopping in Hoian, or Hue, and Sinead is not about to complain - so it's 'ever onwards' - cheers St Pauls!!
Yesterday we took a boat tour around the bay, snorkelling, sun bathing and just generally lazing about like wine-os!! The boat tour was great. The first stop was at an island about an hour away by boat. Very, very noice!! We stopped for an hour of snorkelling and swimming, and then it was back on the boat to a different, but just as beautiful bay for some more swimming (with a twist) and lunch. The spread for lunch was amazing!! It was every kind of seafood you could imagine, rice (of course) noodles, and veggies. We ate our fill and then were entertained by the 'boy band' on the boat. They were more like a geriatric band, but still they knew their stuff and everyone was dancing on the tables and having a laugh. "Everyone clap hands, join in, much big fun!!"
After the entertainment and the eating it was time for a swim - with a floating bar, and as much as you could drink without drowning!! You could/would swim up to the bar, grab your glass of red, sit on a life bouy and once finished that, go back to the bar for a re-fill. By the time we left there I was 3 parts pissed, but enjoying myself and quite pleased with everything. The sunshine, the sea and the swimming.
The next stop was at an island where it cost 5000 dong - less than $1 - to get off and then more to sit, and etc etc. I stayed on the boat and watched the Vitnamese guys play cards, although I had no idea about the rules, or the betting or anything. After about 1 hour I had the general gist of it and decided to go up to the top deck for some sun bathing - like I am not black enough already!! I ended up falling asleep, but due to me already being 'tanned' didn't get as burnt, or even burnt at all, like I did the last time I was in the sun.
So then it was back to the boat and a visit to the fishing villiage - we stopped for all of 2 minutes - and then back to the docks and our hotels. It was a whole day out on the ocean, much appreciated. I could spend the rest of my life quite happily being a beach bum!
So that was yesterday, where am I??? Ahh, ok day before that was spent getting to Nha Trang by bus - a good bus and good roads - much apreciated after our stint in Cambodia. Although I do wish I had spent more time there as it is a lovely country... ahh so beautiful, but soo sooo poor.
So I think I am up to date, aside from telling about the people I have met while here. The first night we arrived we met up with Aine and Cait again, so it was out on the piss with them. Gawd!!! I don't think I have been that drunk since Ian and Ricci's wedding - thankfully though I didn't get naked, and I didn't huck.
Was a good night, dancing chatting with people we'd met on the way to here and other newies. I behaved myself, and caught a cylco home with the girls. I do remember getting out of the cyclo and paying him, but have no recolection of gettin' up the 4 flights of stairs to my room and passing out on my bed.... I promise though that I woun't be getting in that state unless with friends I can trust, and people that I know. I know what you're thinking Aaron, 'Oh, my little sister, what is she doing??!!' but honestly I am ok, well, and having the time of my life.
Sinead was up early the next morning, noticed I was home and safe and left for her diving course. I spent that next day bikini shopping and laying on the beach. I must say that I have a lovely new bikini now, and smelt like a brewery the whole of the next day.
Last night when there was a black out we made our way via cyclo to Jacks bar and met two guys there - Sebastian, and Damian. A german and a bitsa (Canadian/Irish/Australian). We've been hanging out with them for the past few days, nice blokes, someone to drink with (as Sinead doesn't) and some good Craic! We'll be catching up with them again when we get to Hanoi - to celebrate my birthday!! And then it's a plane back to Bangkok and some more lazing on the beach!!
Am looking forward to meeting up with Mark - if he doesn't pike. And again lazing on the beach!! So long from the lazy traveller!!
Tonight we went for dinner at 'same same, but different'. A good cheap restaurant, even by Vietnamese standards. Good food, lovely people and well worth the 15 minute walk. Then it was on to Crazy Kim's bar, where I taught English to street kids earlier today. But the buckets - vodka, rum, red bull and coke in a bucket - are for sharing, not to be having on your own!!
But still all is good.
Toaday Sinead and I went to the mud baths in Nha Trang. Bloody well worth the effort. Although you are covering yourself in mud, by the time you leave you feel the cleanest you have been in your whole life!! Ahh, now my skin is so smooth - aside form the mozzy bites - and I'm all fresh and clean, ready for tomorrow's bus ride to Hanoi - over 30 hours I think... But I can't be arsed stopping in Hoian, or Hue, and Sinead is not about to complain - so it's 'ever onwards' - cheers St Pauls!!
Yesterday we took a boat tour around the bay, snorkelling, sun bathing and just generally lazing about like wine-os!! The boat tour was great. The first stop was at an island about an hour away by boat. Very, very noice!! We stopped for an hour of snorkelling and swimming, and then it was back on the boat to a different, but just as beautiful bay for some more swimming (with a twist) and lunch. The spread for lunch was amazing!! It was every kind of seafood you could imagine, rice (of course) noodles, and veggies. We ate our fill and then were entertained by the 'boy band' on the boat. They were more like a geriatric band, but still they knew their stuff and everyone was dancing on the tables and having a laugh. "Everyone clap hands, join in, much big fun!!"
After the entertainment and the eating it was time for a swim - with a floating bar, and as much as you could drink without drowning!! You could/would swim up to the bar, grab your glass of red, sit on a life bouy and once finished that, go back to the bar for a re-fill. By the time we left there I was 3 parts pissed, but enjoying myself and quite pleased with everything. The sunshine, the sea and the swimming.
The next stop was at an island where it cost 5000 dong - less than $1 - to get off and then more to sit, and etc etc. I stayed on the boat and watched the Vitnamese guys play cards, although I had no idea about the rules, or the betting or anything. After about 1 hour I had the general gist of it and decided to go up to the top deck for some sun bathing - like I am not black enough already!! I ended up falling asleep, but due to me already being 'tanned' didn't get as burnt, or even burnt at all, like I did the last time I was in the sun.
So then it was back to the boat and a visit to the fishing villiage - we stopped for all of 2 minutes - and then back to the docks and our hotels. It was a whole day out on the ocean, much appreciated. I could spend the rest of my life quite happily being a beach bum!
So that was yesterday, where am I??? Ahh, ok day before that was spent getting to Nha Trang by bus - a good bus and good roads - much apreciated after our stint in Cambodia. Although I do wish I had spent more time there as it is a lovely country... ahh so beautiful, but soo sooo poor.
So I think I am up to date, aside from telling about the people I have met while here. The first night we arrived we met up with Aine and Cait again, so it was out on the piss with them. Gawd!!! I don't think I have been that drunk since Ian and Ricci's wedding - thankfully though I didn't get naked, and I didn't huck.
Was a good night, dancing chatting with people we'd met on the way to here and other newies. I behaved myself, and caught a cylco home with the girls. I do remember getting out of the cyclo and paying him, but have no recolection of gettin' up the 4 flights of stairs to my room and passing out on my bed.... I promise though that I woun't be getting in that state unless with friends I can trust, and people that I know. I know what you're thinking Aaron, 'Oh, my little sister, what is she doing??!!' but honestly I am ok, well, and having the time of my life.
Sinead was up early the next morning, noticed I was home and safe and left for her diving course. I spent that next day bikini shopping and laying on the beach. I must say that I have a lovely new bikini now, and smelt like a brewery the whole of the next day.
Last night when there was a black out we made our way via cyclo to Jacks bar and met two guys there - Sebastian, and Damian. A german and a bitsa (Canadian/Irish/Australian). We've been hanging out with them for the past few days, nice blokes, someone to drink with (as Sinead doesn't) and some good Craic! We'll be catching up with them again when we get to Hanoi - to celebrate my birthday!! And then it's a plane back to Bangkok and some more lazing on the beach!!
Am looking forward to meeting up with Mark - if he doesn't pike. And again lazing on the beach!! So long from the lazy traveller!!
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Well Dalat is lovely, but as with the rest of Asia, it never stops here.
Yesterday we took an 'easy rider tour' around town and the surrounding mountains. It's so god damn pretty here! We visited various of the local industries - a coffee farm, mushroom farm and a minority villiage where I found myself buying yet more silk.
After the villiage it started to piss with rain, so where do you go in such weather but a waterfall?! It was lovely too, but we were soaked when we got there. Still my camera was ok and I got a few good snaps.
The rest of the day was back at the hotel trying to get warm again, sort out my back pack and what was to be sent home. I have finally relieved myself of the extra luggage and sent a box of things home. Should arrive there in about 3 months. It goes via Bangkok, so the things I send from there will probably arrive about the same time.
Tomorrow we are off to the beach again - Nha Trang, which looks and sounds beautiful. It'll be lazing about and snorkelling for at least 3 days, maybe longer, shall see how we go.
Well I can't be arsed writing more. Am still having fun, but am in need of a nap after all the touring and running about. Am looking forward to going back to Thailand, as it is a lot nicer than Vietnam, and I think Cambodia is too.
Anyway bye bye for now!
Yesterday we took an 'easy rider tour' around town and the surrounding mountains. It's so god damn pretty here! We visited various of the local industries - a coffee farm, mushroom farm and a minority villiage where I found myself buying yet more silk.
After the villiage it started to piss with rain, so where do you go in such weather but a waterfall?! It was lovely too, but we were soaked when we got there. Still my camera was ok and I got a few good snaps.
The rest of the day was back at the hotel trying to get warm again, sort out my back pack and what was to be sent home. I have finally relieved myself of the extra luggage and sent a box of things home. Should arrive there in about 3 months. It goes via Bangkok, so the things I send from there will probably arrive about the same time.
Tomorrow we are off to the beach again - Nha Trang, which looks and sounds beautiful. It'll be lazing about and snorkelling for at least 3 days, maybe longer, shall see how we go.
Well I can't be arsed writing more. Am still having fun, but am in need of a nap after all the touring and running about. Am looking forward to going back to Thailand, as it is a lot nicer than Vietnam, and I think Cambodia is too.
Anyway bye bye for now!
Friday, July 16, 2004
Well Vietnam is a lot different from Cambodia or Thailand, but still it's been good to me so far. I've been here about 4 or 5 days, it's hard to keep track of time.
I have made my way to Dalat - still with the Irish chick Sinead, and only just arrived and checked into what will be home for the next 3 days or so, maybe longer, we'll see. It's a bloody nice room $6 per night split between the two of us - and I have the audacity to think that's expensive after paying $4 a night in Phnom Penh... Ahh how quickly our expectations change! But still I can't complain I have my own double bed - what bliss - and the facilities are excellent.
It's a lot cooler up here in the highlands than it has been anywhere else I have been so far. It's a welcome change and I am actually enjoying the fact that I can wear long pants and tops with sleeves. But at the same time as saying that I am looking forward to our next stop too - Nha Trang, the beach again! Lots of lazing about and much less hectic-ness.
While in Ho Chi Minh I had a look around town, and got all the boring stuff out of the way on the first day. Although it wasn't all boring, we booked a 2 day tour of the Mekong Delta (which I will get into in a sec) and did some (more) shopping. My back pack is now too full to fit everything I have got, but it's to the post office tomorrow to off load a few things back to Aus. There's a few pressies in there for some of you, but I figure you'll have to wait till I get back as I am sending them to my brothers house. I did get myself a few good things as well. A traditional Vietnamese outfit (the long dress/top with the pants) and matching shoes, made especially for me for a whole $25, which I thought was pretty good, and have prided myself in the fact that I bartered down from $30. It all seems to be a bit of a game to them with the pricing of things.
The Mekong Delta tour was bloody good. One the first day we took a bus to Ben Tren (think I spelt that right) and then got on a boat to Phoenix Island where we walked through papaya and mango orchards, checked out the local craft wear and stopped for some Vietnamese tea and sing a long. Well we didn't sing along, not knowing the language or words made that a little hard. But still it was very good, and the fruits that were growing all around us were delicious - dragon fruit, papaya, pineapple, mango and something else..... Can't remember what though and doubt that it really matters.
After eating our fill, and watching one of the girls on our tour also fill her pockets, it was off to another smaller boat which we paddled down a canal on. Each side of it over hung with ferns, bamboo trees and other flora that I don't know the name of. Very very pretty.
Then it was on another boat and to a different Island, I think it was tortoise island, but I could have that wrong too. It was time for lunch and we walked through yet another orchard and to a crafts stall with lots of things made out of coconut wood and embroidered everything, from tablecloths to handkerchiefs. After lunch it was back on another boat to visit a coconut farm and 'factory' there (using the phrase factory loosely here, it was more like a big open shed) and saw how they made coconut toffee. We got to try some of that along with the coconut liquor, which was pretty strong. The girls in the factory wrapping the sweets and making the toffee worked so quick. I've never seen the like of it before.
After that it was - as you guessed it - back onto another boat, and off to see the bee farm. That was pretty cool, we got to touch the bees, taste honey straight from the hive, drink honey tea and honey wine. At this stage I was wondering if they were trying to get us pissed. As we were sat down for the wine they brought out a snake - python to be exact. Sinead shat herself as soon as she saw it and ran. I tell you I haven't seen her move that quick the whole time we've been traveling together. Was kinda funny, but she was really scared and it took her a while to get over it. I guess I'm just not a very sympathetic person.
We all got a chance to hold the python (Sinead of course declined) but I had a hold, it was so smooth, not at all cold and kinda had an oily feel to it. Very cool, and I have a photo to prove that I did actually do it - that's if the person who was working my 60's camera followed my destructions properly.
After there it was the end of the day, so back on the boat and back to the mini bus. I was completely knackered, but wait there was still more! When we got back to the bus we split up. Those on the one day tour got on one bus and us two dayers onto another. We were then taken to a bonsai garden which was gorgeous aside from the caged monkeys. Fortunately I didn't burst into tears, but I couldn't hang around there long and ended up waiting out the front for everyone else while having a fag. Which mind you are very cheap, around $1 a pack here, but in Cambodia only 25 cents.... Makes you want to take up smoking all you non-smokers doesn't it?
After the bonsai garden we went to our hotel, by bus then boat. It took about 2 & 1/2 hours or so, but it was lovely to see the sun set over the Delta and watch everyone going about their daily tasks along the river. We got to the hotel - finally - and then changed for dinner. We could've had snake for dinner but after the earlier experience sinead wasn't game, and although I am eating mainly as the people here do, I don't want to stretch that to cover snakes, spiders and other insect's or dogs.
Day two was a bit less hectic. We went to a floating market in the morning, which wasn't as colourful as I expected but still fun, then we sailed/floated around the canals for a few hours just enjoying the scenery and sun. After that it was to a rice noodle making place which smelt really yum until we got to the end where the pig pens here. It was here also that I somehow found myself in conversation with a Vietnamese guy about different meats in Australia and Vietnam. He was telling me the virtues of insects, and dog meat. Apparently it's very tasty, but he said to me (and this is no word of a lie) 'If you have a pet dog at home don't eat dog in Vietnam, it is very delicious, and when you get home again you will want to eat your pet" - Yeah right mate. Don't think I will be trying it anyway, Summah or no Summah. Cat is hard to cook, so not too many people eat it here, and there is a very expensive restaurant in Hanoi that specializes in all sorts of insects... Think I'll save my cash there too. Not sounding very adventurous in the culinary stakes, but I value my health and sanity a little more highly than that.
So that was the Mekong delta, it was back to ho Chi Minh after that, pick up my newly made clothes, bought a wicked wedding present for my little brother, and then nighty night as it was another early bus trip this morning to here.
As we've only just arrived there ain't a lot to say about this place, except it's hilly (der it's the highlands Victoria) and really pretty. Lotsa trees, forest, and cooler which I am liking the reprieve from the heat further south - although that won't last. We plan to stay here maybe till about Monday or so and then off to the beach. But I think I said that already. So if I am repeating myself it's more than time to sign off!
I have made my way to Dalat - still with the Irish chick Sinead, and only just arrived and checked into what will be home for the next 3 days or so, maybe longer, we'll see. It's a bloody nice room $6 per night split between the two of us - and I have the audacity to think that's expensive after paying $4 a night in Phnom Penh... Ahh how quickly our expectations change! But still I can't complain I have my own double bed - what bliss - and the facilities are excellent.
It's a lot cooler up here in the highlands than it has been anywhere else I have been so far. It's a welcome change and I am actually enjoying the fact that I can wear long pants and tops with sleeves. But at the same time as saying that I am looking forward to our next stop too - Nha Trang, the beach again! Lots of lazing about and much less hectic-ness.
While in Ho Chi Minh I had a look around town, and got all the boring stuff out of the way on the first day. Although it wasn't all boring, we booked a 2 day tour of the Mekong Delta (which I will get into in a sec) and did some (more) shopping. My back pack is now too full to fit everything I have got, but it's to the post office tomorrow to off load a few things back to Aus. There's a few pressies in there for some of you, but I figure you'll have to wait till I get back as I am sending them to my brothers house. I did get myself a few good things as well. A traditional Vietnamese outfit (the long dress/top with the pants) and matching shoes, made especially for me for a whole $25, which I thought was pretty good, and have prided myself in the fact that I bartered down from $30. It all seems to be a bit of a game to them with the pricing of things.
The Mekong Delta tour was bloody good. One the first day we took a bus to Ben Tren (think I spelt that right) and then got on a boat to Phoenix Island where we walked through papaya and mango orchards, checked out the local craft wear and stopped for some Vietnamese tea and sing a long. Well we didn't sing along, not knowing the language or words made that a little hard. But still it was very good, and the fruits that were growing all around us were delicious - dragon fruit, papaya, pineapple, mango and something else..... Can't remember what though and doubt that it really matters.
After eating our fill, and watching one of the girls on our tour also fill her pockets, it was off to another smaller boat which we paddled down a canal on. Each side of it over hung with ferns, bamboo trees and other flora that I don't know the name of. Very very pretty.
Then it was on another boat and to a different Island, I think it was tortoise island, but I could have that wrong too. It was time for lunch and we walked through yet another orchard and to a crafts stall with lots of things made out of coconut wood and embroidered everything, from tablecloths to handkerchiefs. After lunch it was back on another boat to visit a coconut farm and 'factory' there (using the phrase factory loosely here, it was more like a big open shed) and saw how they made coconut toffee. We got to try some of that along with the coconut liquor, which was pretty strong. The girls in the factory wrapping the sweets and making the toffee worked so quick. I've never seen the like of it before.
After that it was - as you guessed it - back onto another boat, and off to see the bee farm. That was pretty cool, we got to touch the bees, taste honey straight from the hive, drink honey tea and honey wine. At this stage I was wondering if they were trying to get us pissed. As we were sat down for the wine they brought out a snake - python to be exact. Sinead shat herself as soon as she saw it and ran. I tell you I haven't seen her move that quick the whole time we've been traveling together. Was kinda funny, but she was really scared and it took her a while to get over it. I guess I'm just not a very sympathetic person.
We all got a chance to hold the python (Sinead of course declined) but I had a hold, it was so smooth, not at all cold and kinda had an oily feel to it. Very cool, and I have a photo to prove that I did actually do it - that's if the person who was working my 60's camera followed my destructions properly.
After there it was the end of the day, so back on the boat and back to the mini bus. I was completely knackered, but wait there was still more! When we got back to the bus we split up. Those on the one day tour got on one bus and us two dayers onto another. We were then taken to a bonsai garden which was gorgeous aside from the caged monkeys. Fortunately I didn't burst into tears, but I couldn't hang around there long and ended up waiting out the front for everyone else while having a fag. Which mind you are very cheap, around $1 a pack here, but in Cambodia only 25 cents.... Makes you want to take up smoking all you non-smokers doesn't it?
After the bonsai garden we went to our hotel, by bus then boat. It took about 2 & 1/2 hours or so, but it was lovely to see the sun set over the Delta and watch everyone going about their daily tasks along the river. We got to the hotel - finally - and then changed for dinner. We could've had snake for dinner but after the earlier experience sinead wasn't game, and although I am eating mainly as the people here do, I don't want to stretch that to cover snakes, spiders and other insect's or dogs.
Day two was a bit less hectic. We went to a floating market in the morning, which wasn't as colourful as I expected but still fun, then we sailed/floated around the canals for a few hours just enjoying the scenery and sun. After that it was to a rice noodle making place which smelt really yum until we got to the end where the pig pens here. It was here also that I somehow found myself in conversation with a Vietnamese guy about different meats in Australia and Vietnam. He was telling me the virtues of insects, and dog meat. Apparently it's very tasty, but he said to me (and this is no word of a lie) 'If you have a pet dog at home don't eat dog in Vietnam, it is very delicious, and when you get home again you will want to eat your pet" - Yeah right mate. Don't think I will be trying it anyway, Summah or no Summah. Cat is hard to cook, so not too many people eat it here, and there is a very expensive restaurant in Hanoi that specializes in all sorts of insects... Think I'll save my cash there too. Not sounding very adventurous in the culinary stakes, but I value my health and sanity a little more highly than that.
So that was the Mekong delta, it was back to ho Chi Minh after that, pick up my newly made clothes, bought a wicked wedding present for my little brother, and then nighty night as it was another early bus trip this morning to here.
As we've only just arrived there ain't a lot to say about this place, except it's hilly (der it's the highlands Victoria) and really pretty. Lotsa trees, forest, and cooler which I am liking the reprieve from the heat further south - although that won't last. We plan to stay here maybe till about Monday or so and then off to the beach. But I think I said that already. So if I am repeating myself it's more than time to sign off!
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Good morning Vietnam! Please excuse the pathetic attempt at humour there, but seeing that the Vietnamese tour guide said it to us yesterday AFTERNOON when we boarded our bus I thought I should try it too.
We took a bus rather than a boat to Ho Chi Minh, and only arrived yesterday. It was much cheaper - a whole US$3.50 to get all the way here. But there isn't much to say about this place yet, so I will revise what we did in Phnom Penh, sorry if I repeat myself.
After getting back from the project visits and spending the night out on the piss, I was completely shagged (no, not literally) and damn hot with the beginnings of a hangover the next morning. We managed to get it together enough to head for the water park in Phnom Penh, about a 15 minute tuk tuk journey from where we stayed. Sooo glad we went, it was the first completely cool and relaxed day I'd had in Cambodia since arriving - not that the other days weren't fun - they were excellent - but it was nice just to play on slides and spend the day floating around on a tube in the lazy river and perving at the beautiful Irish guys floating along behind me...
At least I think they were Irish. I have found that I am completely crap at picking accents. I have met two French guys at various places. The first one that I said hello to replied that he didn't speak much English, in what I thought to be a German accent, so I spoke to him in German with no result. I knew my German wasn't that bad as I had been conversing with a native Deutch in Ko Phangan and he could understand what I was saying. So I repeated myself maybe 3 times, to no avail, and then he finally told me he was French... How dumb am I???
Same with the guy at the Guest house in Phnom Penh (apparently on the bad side of town!!) I asked him if he wanted to play pool with us and he said yes but his English wasn't that great. I didn't make the same mistake of trying my German out, but asked instead. He was French, but my saving grace is that the Irish girls I am with thought he was too.
The day after the water park we went along to the Kirirum National Park. Took about two hours to get there and US$40, not bad for a car with a driver. Was a beautiful place - I wish I could download some photos of it, but I don't even have them developed yet. I was there in my loose long pants and my 'DANGER! MINES! Cambodia' singlet on. We decided to go and see the waterfall, a 10 minutes round trip by foot. Sounded pretty good, we checked out the map and off we went. 1 hour later we still hadn't found these damn waterfalls, and we seemed to have walked over many hills, and hadn't seen one sign. The track we were on was well defined, obviously used quite a bit, but also obviously not the right one to take us to the waterfalls. So we turned back and made our was to the picnic area. On the way back whilst walking through a patch of long grass, I got a leech attached to me. (This is one of my worst fears - I hate leeches despite the fact that when swimming in our dam as a kid you were almost guaranteed to get one or two on you, but we just took salt with us in those days.) Anyway I felt a bite or something on my leg and thought nothing of it until we'd walked further to higher ground and out of the grass. When I finally lifted my trouser leg and looked at what was there and saw the leech I went into hysterics. Jumping around saying "I've got a fucking leech on me get it off, get it off" over and over again. Two of the girls I was with ran off back down the hill thinking it was going to attack them. But Cait was surprisingly calm. She said to Sinead "Get a cigarette" and to Aine "Get a lighter" and to me "CALM DOWN, I'll burn it off" My yelps subsided to whimpers and the jumping to a mere shaking. She successfully burnt it off after accidentally burning my leg just the once. Everyone was pretty shaken, and we had to stop for about 15 minutes so I could recollect myself and try to stem the flow of blood. Cigarettes were handed around while we all tried to calm ourselves. I still have a mark on my leg from where it was, but thankfully no leech.
The day after that we caught our bus to here and like I said, we've only just arrived, had a little look around town, posted some past cards and booked our Mekong Delta tour and open ended bus ticket to Hanoi. So once I've actually got something to write about from here I will blog again.
We took a bus rather than a boat to Ho Chi Minh, and only arrived yesterday. It was much cheaper - a whole US$3.50 to get all the way here. But there isn't much to say about this place yet, so I will revise what we did in Phnom Penh, sorry if I repeat myself.
After getting back from the project visits and spending the night out on the piss, I was completely shagged (no, not literally) and damn hot with the beginnings of a hangover the next morning. We managed to get it together enough to head for the water park in Phnom Penh, about a 15 minute tuk tuk journey from where we stayed. Sooo glad we went, it was the first completely cool and relaxed day I'd had in Cambodia since arriving - not that the other days weren't fun - they were excellent - but it was nice just to play on slides and spend the day floating around on a tube in the lazy river and perving at the beautiful Irish guys floating along behind me...
At least I think they were Irish. I have found that I am completely crap at picking accents. I have met two French guys at various places. The first one that I said hello to replied that he didn't speak much English, in what I thought to be a German accent, so I spoke to him in German with no result. I knew my German wasn't that bad as I had been conversing with a native Deutch in Ko Phangan and he could understand what I was saying. So I repeated myself maybe 3 times, to no avail, and then he finally told me he was French... How dumb am I???
Same with the guy at the Guest house in Phnom Penh (apparently on the bad side of town!!) I asked him if he wanted to play pool with us and he said yes but his English wasn't that great. I didn't make the same mistake of trying my German out, but asked instead. He was French, but my saving grace is that the Irish girls I am with thought he was too.
The day after the water park we went along to the Kirirum National Park. Took about two hours to get there and US$40, not bad for a car with a driver. Was a beautiful place - I wish I could download some photos of it, but I don't even have them developed yet. I was there in my loose long pants and my 'DANGER! MINES! Cambodia' singlet on. We decided to go and see the waterfall, a 10 minutes round trip by foot. Sounded pretty good, we checked out the map and off we went. 1 hour later we still hadn't found these damn waterfalls, and we seemed to have walked over many hills, and hadn't seen one sign. The track we were on was well defined, obviously used quite a bit, but also obviously not the right one to take us to the waterfalls. So we turned back and made our was to the picnic area. On the way back whilst walking through a patch of long grass, I got a leech attached to me. (This is one of my worst fears - I hate leeches despite the fact that when swimming in our dam as a kid you were almost guaranteed to get one or two on you, but we just took salt with us in those days.) Anyway I felt a bite or something on my leg and thought nothing of it until we'd walked further to higher ground and out of the grass. When I finally lifted my trouser leg and looked at what was there and saw the leech I went into hysterics. Jumping around saying "I've got a fucking leech on me get it off, get it off" over and over again. Two of the girls I was with ran off back down the hill thinking it was going to attack them. But Cait was surprisingly calm. She said to Sinead "Get a cigarette" and to Aine "Get a lighter" and to me "CALM DOWN, I'll burn it off" My yelps subsided to whimpers and the jumping to a mere shaking. She successfully burnt it off after accidentally burning my leg just the once. Everyone was pretty shaken, and we had to stop for about 15 minutes so I could recollect myself and try to stem the flow of blood. Cigarettes were handed around while we all tried to calm ourselves. I still have a mark on my leg from where it was, but thankfully no leech.
The day after that we caught our bus to here and like I said, we've only just arrived, had a little look around town, posted some past cards and booked our Mekong Delta tour and open ended bus ticket to Hanoi. So once I've actually got something to write about from here I will blog again.
Saturday, July 10, 2004
Phnom Penh is lovely - as far as these Asian cities are so far anyway... It's heaps smaller than Bangkok and has some 'choice' gardens and parks. Nowhere near as polluted as Bangkok, but the traffic is still madness.
The day we got here on the bus from Siem Reap was insane. It was about 5 hours on the bus and we stopped maybe 3 times...? Each time the bus stopped they'd water down the tyers and the radiator - not the most confidence building thing you could see. Also the bus would be surrounded by beggars and people (kids and adults) selling all sorts of food, from pineapple to fried cockroaches, locusts and SPIDERS! Thought about having one, but didn't get as far as actually going ahead with that.
When we arrived the bus was again surrounded by beggars and people touting for different guest houses. We had to wade through a crowd to get our packs, and then fight people off to cross the road in the hope that we could leave them for a while and sort out what we were going to do - but the followed. By the time we finally decided which place we were going to stay and got there I was shagged (unfortunately not literally).
The next day I spent the morning sorting out different things - Vietnam Visa, post office - boring stuff like that. But in our walk around town we found an excellent park - Wat Phnom - the highest temple in the city. We didn't go to the temple, quite frankly I've had enough of them. Since being here I've had the most religion of any kind for some time. Enough is enough! But the park surrounding it was gorgeous - Monkeys and baby monkeys playing on the hill and swinging in trees, an elephant that you could take a ride on. Semon was her name - 45 years of age, and sooo sweet. We fed her, but didn't ride her though (so no luck there either) as I couldn't bring myself to after seeing the way the elephants in Angkor Wat were treated.
Did I say anything about that? They were giving people lifts up and down this hill on elephants. We didn't get on one, but on the way down followed the elephant trail instead of going straight down the hill - a little steep. One of them stopped to take a pee, and the guy riding and steering it hit it on the head with this big club type thing that had a huge spike in the end of it. Needless to say the elephant roared and started backing up - looked like it was going to rear, if they can do that? Or rampage back up the hill. Anyway, I figured I'd be pretty peeved if someone stuck a fuckin big spike in my head just coz I needed to pee half way down a hill. So since then I don't want a part in the elephant thing.
Anyway, getting off the track here.
In the afternoon I was picked up by some of the Cambodian Field office crew to go in and do my presentation thing. It went really well, they seemed to understand and take a bit from it. I left it with Vanna, and he said that it will be passed onto the Laos and Cambodian smaller field offices to give the people there a better understanding of the other facet of Oxfam.
When I walked in I bumped into none other than Mark Thomas! So he sat in on the presentation and also came out to the projects we visited the day after and yesterday.
It was brilliant - the people are wonderful, and seeing it for yourself is indescribable... Although I will try.
Before going out though, La and Vikram gave us a short presentation on how they choose the villages they work with, and decide what to do in them. It seems to be a process of interviewing many different communities in a poorer area. Speaking with the village chiefs and elders, and finding out what their needs and wants are. They do this with a number of different communities and then go back to the office to priorities the villages according to the information they have gained, the funds that they have available and the expertise that would be needed to go ahead with whatever it is that they want to do.
Then they choose a number of villages - all in all they have 14 they are currently working with - that are considered the poorest of the poor, or POP.
The first place we went to was Thanada in the Takeo province. When we arrived it seemed as though 1/2 the people were expecting and waiting for us. We were introduced to the committee members who ran the rice bank there, along with the government counter part - who works with the Oxfam guys, but only to facilitate when needed - not in a monetary way (surprise surprise), and also the village chief. Then we introduced ourselves, asked them questions about village life, the running of the rice banks and the benefits it has brought them. They had increased the rice bank amount since it's beginning 3 years ago from 16 ton to 20 ton. Not bad eh? They asked us questions mainly about ourselves. Mark had burnt himself on the exhaust of a moto, and fallen off a moto, so both his legs have sores on them. They asked him about how he hurt himself an then roared with laughter when he told his story.
They asked me if I was married, and when I said no asked why I had a ring in my lip. I explained, and they wanted to know if I could still eat, and if it came out. After a little demonstration of that they seemed to understand, but didn't really like it - none of them said they would get it done themselves.
After that we took a walk around 'town' saw the field, farms and more of the people, and then it was a trolley type/raft thing on the train tracks - powered by a small engine-ish thing to the next town about 5 kms away. I think it was the only way to get there although I can't be absolutely sure.
The next town had the same name, and a similar project set up. It was the same kind of format there with the questions and answers thing. We asked them about the split of labor in the village between men and women, and just general sorts of questions about life there. They asked us about Marks accident, and me about my piercing. Somehow skin colour came up... Can't remember why, but they were commenting on how nice our pale skin was, and touching our legs. I said that theirs was lovely and that darker skin is admired at home - people sunbathing and using tanning lotion etc to go darker. They looked amazed, and one woman said that black was ugly and white was beautiful. I said no and so did Mark, and an old lady replied that if we though she was beautiful that we should come and live with her in Cambodia.
After the discussion we went for a 3 - 4km walk around their fields and canals to see the new irrigation system that had been put in about 2 or 3 years ago. They were all so eager to be of help, and try to explain what was happening in their small part of the world, even though none of them spoke any English - although I did learn a little more Khmer while down that way.
That ended our day then it was back on the little train type thing to the car and into town for dinner and bed. Mark and I were both pretty tired, it was (is) damn hot here and spending the day walking around and even just talking tires you out a little, plus it'd been an early start.
Next day we went to the Prey Kabass district to a town called Prabung, or something like that. (I will be sending back some info when I get a chance for you guys there in DST, so that will probably have village names, if not province names)
Again it was a similar set up. Chatted and learnt about the rice bank there. Spoke with the people as best we could (we did have both La and Vikram translating for us most of the time) and then off around the village. When we were talking a whole lotta food was brought out for us all - watermelons, sugar palm fruit, and sliced cucumbers in coconut milk with sugar. Really yummy, and it just kept coming, it was like we were royalty!
The fruit is grown by the villagers themselves, in the fields that they grow rice, but when it isn't the season for rice. I hope that makes sense?
After that we went to a near by town that weaves silk - not an Oxfam project, but very interesting and worthwhile all the same. I saw a lady weaving on a loom, helped crush up some of the sap/spider web stuff they use to make red dye, and ended up buying a piece of green silk, about 3 metres long and apparently the best you can get in Cambodia, for only US$20. Not bad, will think of something to make it into when I get home again - I'll be sending that back with most of the other things I have bought here so far. My pack is so full already it's not funny!
So that was the project visits. Like I said I will be sending you guys some information along with photos - I took a heap, so it shouldn't be too hard to find a few good'uns!
Last night I went out on the tear with Anie (pronounced Onya) and Cait (pronounced Cotch) two of the Irish girls I've been hanging out with. Was a lot of fun - I don't know where I found the energy for it, but glad I did! Some little Cambodian dude that gets officially engaged tomorrow was trying to pick me up and kept asking me where I was sleeping that night and if I liked him... Kinda weird considering that I am about twice his height and weight. I also had someone try and pick pocket me in the club we went to, but luckily felt it and nothing was stolen. We went to the club by moto, and not wanting to travel by ourselves, we all piled onto the one bike - 4 on a bike, true Cambodian style!
Today it was bloody hot again so we went to the Phnom Penh water park - lots of fun, a good way to spend the day!
Well that's about it for me for now. I will be getting film developed tomorrow (I hope) and I am off to the Kirirum National park. Should be fun! Am still getting even more tanned as well, but thankfully no more burning.
The day we got here on the bus from Siem Reap was insane. It was about 5 hours on the bus and we stopped maybe 3 times...? Each time the bus stopped they'd water down the tyers and the radiator - not the most confidence building thing you could see. Also the bus would be surrounded by beggars and people (kids and adults) selling all sorts of food, from pineapple to fried cockroaches, locusts and SPIDERS! Thought about having one, but didn't get as far as actually going ahead with that.
When we arrived the bus was again surrounded by beggars and people touting for different guest houses. We had to wade through a crowd to get our packs, and then fight people off to cross the road in the hope that we could leave them for a while and sort out what we were going to do - but the followed. By the time we finally decided which place we were going to stay and got there I was shagged (unfortunately not literally).
The next day I spent the morning sorting out different things - Vietnam Visa, post office - boring stuff like that. But in our walk around town we found an excellent park - Wat Phnom - the highest temple in the city. We didn't go to the temple, quite frankly I've had enough of them. Since being here I've had the most religion of any kind for some time. Enough is enough! But the park surrounding it was gorgeous - Monkeys and baby monkeys playing on the hill and swinging in trees, an elephant that you could take a ride on. Semon was her name - 45 years of age, and sooo sweet. We fed her, but didn't ride her though (so no luck there either) as I couldn't bring myself to after seeing the way the elephants in Angkor Wat were treated.
Did I say anything about that? They were giving people lifts up and down this hill on elephants. We didn't get on one, but on the way down followed the elephant trail instead of going straight down the hill - a little steep. One of them stopped to take a pee, and the guy riding and steering it hit it on the head with this big club type thing that had a huge spike in the end of it. Needless to say the elephant roared and started backing up - looked like it was going to rear, if they can do that? Or rampage back up the hill. Anyway, I figured I'd be pretty peeved if someone stuck a fuckin big spike in my head just coz I needed to pee half way down a hill. So since then I don't want a part in the elephant thing.
Anyway, getting off the track here.
In the afternoon I was picked up by some of the Cambodian Field office crew to go in and do my presentation thing. It went really well, they seemed to understand and take a bit from it. I left it with Vanna, and he said that it will be passed onto the Laos and Cambodian smaller field offices to give the people there a better understanding of the other facet of Oxfam.
When I walked in I bumped into none other than Mark Thomas! So he sat in on the presentation and also came out to the projects we visited the day after and yesterday.
It was brilliant - the people are wonderful, and seeing it for yourself is indescribable... Although I will try.
Before going out though, La and Vikram gave us a short presentation on how they choose the villages they work with, and decide what to do in them. It seems to be a process of interviewing many different communities in a poorer area. Speaking with the village chiefs and elders, and finding out what their needs and wants are. They do this with a number of different communities and then go back to the office to priorities the villages according to the information they have gained, the funds that they have available and the expertise that would be needed to go ahead with whatever it is that they want to do.
Then they choose a number of villages - all in all they have 14 they are currently working with - that are considered the poorest of the poor, or POP.
The first place we went to was Thanada in the Takeo province. When we arrived it seemed as though 1/2 the people were expecting and waiting for us. We were introduced to the committee members who ran the rice bank there, along with the government counter part - who works with the Oxfam guys, but only to facilitate when needed - not in a monetary way (surprise surprise), and also the village chief. Then we introduced ourselves, asked them questions about village life, the running of the rice banks and the benefits it has brought them. They had increased the rice bank amount since it's beginning 3 years ago from 16 ton to 20 ton. Not bad eh? They asked us questions mainly about ourselves. Mark had burnt himself on the exhaust of a moto, and fallen off a moto, so both his legs have sores on them. They asked him about how he hurt himself an then roared with laughter when he told his story.
They asked me if I was married, and when I said no asked why I had a ring in my lip. I explained, and they wanted to know if I could still eat, and if it came out. After a little demonstration of that they seemed to understand, but didn't really like it - none of them said they would get it done themselves.
After that we took a walk around 'town' saw the field, farms and more of the people, and then it was a trolley type/raft thing on the train tracks - powered by a small engine-ish thing to the next town about 5 kms away. I think it was the only way to get there although I can't be absolutely sure.
The next town had the same name, and a similar project set up. It was the same kind of format there with the questions and answers thing. We asked them about the split of labor in the village between men and women, and just general sorts of questions about life there. They asked us about Marks accident, and me about my piercing. Somehow skin colour came up... Can't remember why, but they were commenting on how nice our pale skin was, and touching our legs. I said that theirs was lovely and that darker skin is admired at home - people sunbathing and using tanning lotion etc to go darker. They looked amazed, and one woman said that black was ugly and white was beautiful. I said no and so did Mark, and an old lady replied that if we though she was beautiful that we should come and live with her in Cambodia.
After the discussion we went for a 3 - 4km walk around their fields and canals to see the new irrigation system that had been put in about 2 or 3 years ago. They were all so eager to be of help, and try to explain what was happening in their small part of the world, even though none of them spoke any English - although I did learn a little more Khmer while down that way.
That ended our day then it was back on the little train type thing to the car and into town for dinner and bed. Mark and I were both pretty tired, it was (is) damn hot here and spending the day walking around and even just talking tires you out a little, plus it'd been an early start.
Next day we went to the Prey Kabass district to a town called Prabung, or something like that. (I will be sending back some info when I get a chance for you guys there in DST, so that will probably have village names, if not province names)
Again it was a similar set up. Chatted and learnt about the rice bank there. Spoke with the people as best we could (we did have both La and Vikram translating for us most of the time) and then off around the village. When we were talking a whole lotta food was brought out for us all - watermelons, sugar palm fruit, and sliced cucumbers in coconut milk with sugar. Really yummy, and it just kept coming, it was like we were royalty!
The fruit is grown by the villagers themselves, in the fields that they grow rice, but when it isn't the season for rice. I hope that makes sense?
After that we went to a near by town that weaves silk - not an Oxfam project, but very interesting and worthwhile all the same. I saw a lady weaving on a loom, helped crush up some of the sap/spider web stuff they use to make red dye, and ended up buying a piece of green silk, about 3 metres long and apparently the best you can get in Cambodia, for only US$20. Not bad, will think of something to make it into when I get home again - I'll be sending that back with most of the other things I have bought here so far. My pack is so full already it's not funny!
So that was the project visits. Like I said I will be sending you guys some information along with photos - I took a heap, so it shouldn't be too hard to find a few good'uns!
Last night I went out on the tear with Anie (pronounced Onya) and Cait (pronounced Cotch) two of the Irish girls I've been hanging out with. Was a lot of fun - I don't know where I found the energy for it, but glad I did! Some little Cambodian dude that gets officially engaged tomorrow was trying to pick me up and kept asking me where I was sleeping that night and if I liked him... Kinda weird considering that I am about twice his height and weight. I also had someone try and pick pocket me in the club we went to, but luckily felt it and nothing was stolen. We went to the club by moto, and not wanting to travel by ourselves, we all piled onto the one bike - 4 on a bike, true Cambodian style!
Today it was bloody hot again so we went to the Phnom Penh water park - lots of fun, a good way to spend the day!
Well that's about it for me for now. I will be getting film developed tomorrow (I hope) and I am off to the Kirirum National park. Should be fun! Am still getting even more tanned as well, but thankfully no more burning.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Cambodia is lovely! Did the temple thing around Siem Reap, Angkor Wat, The Bayon, and a few lesser temples. Took some rubbings, which I was told by one guard would be ok. So I toddled around the temples with my paper and crayons, having a chat and a laugh with the Irish girls I'm currently travelling with. When we were in the main part of Angkor Wat I was 1/2 way through taking one of the tree of life and a guard marched up to me and snatched it out of my hand - almost with the crayon I had. Scared the shit outta me and I thought I was about to be arrested or something as he was shouting at me in Khmer.... Still I got a few ones that weren't confiscated, and took a load of photos as well, so hopefully a few of them will turn out to be good'uns!
We met (what we thought to be) a monk at the top of Angkor Wat, and chatted to him for about 1/2 an hour as well,then he gave us 'his announcement' as he put it. Told us he'd become a monk because he was very sad.... then asked us for cold hard US$ so that he could continue his monkdom.... So many beggars here compared to Thailand, but it's much cheaper here, and the city is a lot nicer than Bangkok. Have done a bit of shopping for different things, and will be having to send back a box shortly as now I can bearly close my pack.... Knew this would happen!! But am sure I will be posting back more than just one small box. A few things for me and presents for those at home.
Saw a huge centepede, a snake and numerous bugs, which are all enormous. Sinead {the girl I am travelling with through Vietnam and back to Bangkok}, won't go near them. We had a cockroach in our room last night, so I had to grab it and put it outside to stop the squealling, and so we could both go to bed. Otherwise she wouldn't go in the room... Dunno how she'll handle Australia.
The bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh was like playing chicken with every other vehicle on the road for about 6 hours... We did stop a few times for drinks, toilet, whatever. At both of the stops there were people selling fruits and the usuual asian fair, along with what looked to be fried locusts and cockroaches, and then the second stop they had what seemed to be honey coated fried spiders. A little different to a truck stop at home and whats on offer for food there, that's for damn sure!! Not a relaxing ride at all, and when we did arrive in the city our bus was completely surrounded by beggars, tuk tuk drivers and people touting for different guest houses here, before we'd even stopped. We had to wade through the people all shouting at you to get our back packs, and then fight people off who were grabbing at you, trying to take you to some guest house, or beg so that we could sit down and decide what we wanted to do and where to stay.
Finally they left us alone, and we got ourselves something to eat (none of us had filled up on the spiders) and then went to a guest house right on the lake. The rooms are reaasonable, it's a gorgeous setting and it's $3 per night. Certainly not going to break the bank!
Well I am off to do my presentation this afternoon, and then project visits tomorrow and the day after. Looking forward to it, and definitely need another showere and to get changed before I get picked up. Wish me luck!
We met (what we thought to be) a monk at the top of Angkor Wat, and chatted to him for about 1/2 an hour as well,then he gave us 'his announcement' as he put it. Told us he'd become a monk because he was very sad.... then asked us for cold hard US$ so that he could continue his monkdom.... So many beggars here compared to Thailand, but it's much cheaper here, and the city is a lot nicer than Bangkok. Have done a bit of shopping for different things, and will be having to send back a box shortly as now I can bearly close my pack.... Knew this would happen!! But am sure I will be posting back more than just one small box. A few things for me and presents for those at home.
Saw a huge centepede, a snake and numerous bugs, which are all enormous. Sinead {the girl I am travelling with through Vietnam and back to Bangkok}, won't go near them. We had a cockroach in our room last night, so I had to grab it and put it outside to stop the squealling, and so we could both go to bed. Otherwise she wouldn't go in the room... Dunno how she'll handle Australia.
The bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh was like playing chicken with every other vehicle on the road for about 6 hours... We did stop a few times for drinks, toilet, whatever. At both of the stops there were people selling fruits and the usuual asian fair, along with what looked to be fried locusts and cockroaches, and then the second stop they had what seemed to be honey coated fried spiders. A little different to a truck stop at home and whats on offer for food there, that's for damn sure!! Not a relaxing ride at all, and when we did arrive in the city our bus was completely surrounded by beggars, tuk tuk drivers and people touting for different guest houses here, before we'd even stopped. We had to wade through the people all shouting at you to get our back packs, and then fight people off who were grabbing at you, trying to take you to some guest house, or beg so that we could sit down and decide what we wanted to do and where to stay.
Finally they left us alone, and we got ourselves something to eat (none of us had filled up on the spiders) and then went to a guest house right on the lake. The rooms are reaasonable, it's a gorgeous setting and it's $3 per night. Certainly not going to break the bank!
Well I am off to do my presentation this afternoon, and then project visits tomorrow and the day after. Looking forward to it, and definitely need another showere and to get changed before I get picked up. Wish me luck!
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Oh what a trip - from beautiful Koh Phangan to Siem Reap - about 30 hours on boat and bus! I was completely knackered by the time we arrived, but the guest house we are at is absolutely fantastic. More like a 5 star hotel than a backpacker joint!
Today we're off having a look around town, and then this evening to Angkor Wat to see the sun set over the temples. Then a really early start on Sunday to see the sun rise, and have a look around the temples before it gets too hot.
Coming in to Cambodia was an experience and a half! Crossing the border, being accosted by beggars, small children, one girl in our group had her bag stolen. Thankfully I still have all my things and nothing was nicked. The change in housing and conditions was extreme to that of Thailand, I thought some parts of there were poor, but my goodness, Cambodia made me want to cry. Shanties and small huts that look like they're about to collapse. Dust, and grime everywhere, and just the people looking sad and poor. All of this surrounded by the lush green of the country side. I said that Bangkok and Thailand was a contradiction, and this is even more so. All of this poverty and then out of the blue the most ornate, gold and silver covered temples, grand scale government buildings, and of course the over the top guest houses.
The people here are wonderful, friendly doesn't even begin to describe them. They are the most hospitable of all we have met so far, honest, and happy to do anything for you. You get far less hassle here than in Thailand, these people understand 'no thanks'and let you go on your way. And yet if you need to go somewhere, organise a tour of the temples as we have, they will give you the information, don't want to take your money but tell you to pay when you get there. In Thailand it seems as though everyone works on a commission of some sort.
We are planning on stopping here for another 3 days or so, and then to catch a boat down the river to Phnom Penh. A day there to get sorted and then on Wednesday I go to the Oxfam field office to do my presentation, then the two days after that will be spent looking at the projects in the Takeo province & Prey Kabass district. Should be interesting.
So far I have only learnt one Khmer phrase - thank you - but it seems most people speak English, which makes it easy. Still I want to learn a little more as we will be here for a while and it only seems right that I should try to communicate in their tongue. Shall be studying my phrase book of a night as there doesn't seem to be much night life. Although that's a complete assumption, I haven't looked as last night I just crashed out after arriving at our guest house.
Vicky the girl I was traveling with has stayed in Thailand down on the Islands, and now I am traveling with an Irish lass - Sinead. She's pretty nice and has the same sort of travel plans as I - that being none! So we will toddle our way around together until she has to go or we get sick of each other, Going wherever our fancy takes us!
Today we're off having a look around town, and then this evening to Angkor Wat to see the sun set over the temples. Then a really early start on Sunday to see the sun rise, and have a look around the temples before it gets too hot.
Coming in to Cambodia was an experience and a half! Crossing the border, being accosted by beggars, small children, one girl in our group had her bag stolen. Thankfully I still have all my things and nothing was nicked. The change in housing and conditions was extreme to that of Thailand, I thought some parts of there were poor, but my goodness, Cambodia made me want to cry. Shanties and small huts that look like they're about to collapse. Dust, and grime everywhere, and just the people looking sad and poor. All of this surrounded by the lush green of the country side. I said that Bangkok and Thailand was a contradiction, and this is even more so. All of this poverty and then out of the blue the most ornate, gold and silver covered temples, grand scale government buildings, and of course the over the top guest houses.
The people here are wonderful, friendly doesn't even begin to describe them. They are the most hospitable of all we have met so far, honest, and happy to do anything for you. You get far less hassle here than in Thailand, these people understand 'no thanks'and let you go on your way. And yet if you need to go somewhere, organise a tour of the temples as we have, they will give you the information, don't want to take your money but tell you to pay when you get there. In Thailand it seems as though everyone works on a commission of some sort.
We are planning on stopping here for another 3 days or so, and then to catch a boat down the river to Phnom Penh. A day there to get sorted and then on Wednesday I go to the Oxfam field office to do my presentation, then the two days after that will be spent looking at the projects in the Takeo province & Prey Kabass district. Should be interesting.
So far I have only learnt one Khmer phrase - thank you - but it seems most people speak English, which makes it easy. Still I want to learn a little more as we will be here for a while and it only seems right that I should try to communicate in their tongue. Shall be studying my phrase book of a night as there doesn't seem to be much night life. Although that's a complete assumption, I haven't looked as last night I just crashed out after arriving at our guest house.
Vicky the girl I was traveling with has stayed in Thailand down on the Islands, and now I am traveling with an Irish lass - Sinead. She's pretty nice and has the same sort of travel plans as I - that being none! So we will toddle our way around together until she has to go or we get sick of each other, Going wherever our fancy takes us!
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Ahhh! After being prodded and pulled, massaged for an hour - I feel like a rag doll! But a very happy rag doll! After an hour of bliss, I'm now contemplating going snorkelling somewhere further up the beach - if I can find a snorkle and mask for rent that is!
It's another hot day - prefect for swimming - again. I'm starting to turn black from so much sun! But, I have been remembering the sun cream, so thankfully no further painful burning!
Yesterday we went into town for some shopping and a look around, had the yummiest Bruschetta ever at a little cafe there. Bought a few sarongs & things, and then back to the bungalows and down the beach for a swim.
I've been incredibly lazy whilst here, but that's what holidays are about hey? Have written a few postcards that I am yet to post, eventually I will walk past a post box and remember to pop them in!
Am not feeling at all home sick - how could I when it's so cold there and everything here is so beautiful? The people, the island, and of course the weather. Moving bungalows was definitely a good idea - more people to talk to in English!!
Still I am missing Mark a little - which is kinda weird, as I didn't so much when I was at home... Maybe because there was so much else to do and think about, and friends around? Who knows, but as everything else, it'll pass....?
It's another hot day - prefect for swimming - again. I'm starting to turn black from so much sun! But, I have been remembering the sun cream, so thankfully no further painful burning!
Yesterday we went into town for some shopping and a look around, had the yummiest Bruschetta ever at a little cafe there. Bought a few sarongs & things, and then back to the bungalows and down the beach for a swim.
I've been incredibly lazy whilst here, but that's what holidays are about hey? Have written a few postcards that I am yet to post, eventually I will walk past a post box and remember to pop them in!
Am not feeling at all home sick - how could I when it's so cold there and everything here is so beautiful? The people, the island, and of course the weather. Moving bungalows was definitely a good idea - more people to talk to in English!!
Still I am missing Mark a little - which is kinda weird, as I didn't so much when I was at home... Maybe because there was so much else to do and think about, and friends around? Who knows, but as everything else, it'll pass....?
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Ahhh, so much relaxing can't be good for you but what the hell - I'm damn well enjoying it anyway! My sunburn has almost all faded to a nice brown, and hopefully next time I go lazing on the beach I will remember to reapply & reapply again!
Today we moved out of our bungalow at Laem Son - to a nicer and cheaper one further up the beach - Sun View. Found that we were wrong about the date for the full moon party, it being on the 2nd not the 1st. So I have cut my losses and will be leaving here on the 1st to go to Angkor Wat a little early, gives me more time to look around there before I have to be in Phnom Penh for the Oxfam presentation and projects visits.
So all is still going along reasonably smoothly. I'm thinking I may come back here after Cambodia and Vietnam and check out the full moon party then - if I can get my timing right. If not though there is plenty else to do, and I'm still having a ball!
It's so warm - nice, but am still not used to the layer of sweat covering my whole body - mmm sounds good doesn't it??
Vicky is talking about staying here until she flies back to the UK - so you can imagine just how gorgeous this place is for her to have decided not to travel north to Chaing Mai. But we've exchanged email addresses and will be in contact I think - someone else for me to catch up with when I am in England!
Well I would write more, but can't be arsed!
Today we moved out of our bungalow at Laem Son - to a nicer and cheaper one further up the beach - Sun View. Found that we were wrong about the date for the full moon party, it being on the 2nd not the 1st. So I have cut my losses and will be leaving here on the 1st to go to Angkor Wat a little early, gives me more time to look around there before I have to be in Phnom Penh for the Oxfam presentation and projects visits.
So all is still going along reasonably smoothly. I'm thinking I may come back here after Cambodia and Vietnam and check out the full moon party then - if I can get my timing right. If not though there is plenty else to do, and I'm still having a ball!
It's so warm - nice, but am still not used to the layer of sweat covering my whole body - mmm sounds good doesn't it??
Vicky is talking about staying here until she flies back to the UK - so you can imagine just how gorgeous this place is for her to have decided not to travel north to Chaing Mai. But we've exchanged email addresses and will be in contact I think - someone else for me to catch up with when I am in England!
Well I would write more, but can't be arsed!
Friday, June 25, 2004
Picture long white beaches of powder like sand, bungalows right on the beach, and little Thai people walking by to offer you a massage as you sun yourself on your towel after getting back from having a dip in the turquoise waters of the island....
Well that's where I am! Ko Phangan, island of gorgeous scenery and warm seas. Pitty that most of the people here are tossers, but you can't have everything now can you?
Am loving being down here, the place where we are staying is beautiful, but we'll be moving further west later this weekend to somewhere just as good but a bit cheaper with a few more travellers. Am missing talking to strangers...
Got a little burnt today - serves me right I guess, I should know by now to re-apply ye ol' sunscreen... But was so warm, with a slight breeze, that I just lay there til I could feel myself sizzling! Naughty, and now a little uncomfortable. Still as we had the whole beach to ourselves no one was there to laugh at my glowing red legs!
The full moon party is in about a week - apparently about 10,000 people turn up for that one, to party on the beach to whatever music you may be into. Sounds like a bit of fun and maybe that'll be my chance to talk to some strangers and not just strange people... Sorry Dad!
But so far I have been good, and he'd be proud of me. It's been a bit of a detox period - lotsa rice, and water so I'm feeling reasonably healthy. It must be all the clean air here on the island after the pollution overload in Bangkok - you sweat all the time, and then the pollution just sticks to you! My fingernails were permanently black from scratching the od itch. But now they're all clean and white - I tell you I look like a Sydney supporter with that and my red skin! Ha ha.
Well seeing that I have been doing little other than laying on the beach and drinking beer there ain't much more to say. Haven't spoken to many of the people where we are saying - they're either German, French, or having tantric sex in the common area - YUCH!! Still each to their own, and I would've said go find a room, but they obviously already had one as they are staying at the same resort, but just didn't want to use it... How rude!!
Well that's where I am! Ko Phangan, island of gorgeous scenery and warm seas. Pitty that most of the people here are tossers, but you can't have everything now can you?
Am loving being down here, the place where we are staying is beautiful, but we'll be moving further west later this weekend to somewhere just as good but a bit cheaper with a few more travellers. Am missing talking to strangers...
Got a little burnt today - serves me right I guess, I should know by now to re-apply ye ol' sunscreen... But was so warm, with a slight breeze, that I just lay there til I could feel myself sizzling! Naughty, and now a little uncomfortable. Still as we had the whole beach to ourselves no one was there to laugh at my glowing red legs!
The full moon party is in about a week - apparently about 10,000 people turn up for that one, to party on the beach to whatever music you may be into. Sounds like a bit of fun and maybe that'll be my chance to talk to some strangers and not just strange people... Sorry Dad!
But so far I have been good, and he'd be proud of me. It's been a bit of a detox period - lotsa rice, and water so I'm feeling reasonably healthy. It must be all the clean air here on the island after the pollution overload in Bangkok - you sweat all the time, and then the pollution just sticks to you! My fingernails were permanently black from scratching the od itch. But now they're all clean and white - I tell you I look like a Sydney supporter with that and my red skin! Ha ha.
Well seeing that I have been doing little other than laying on the beach and drinking beer there ain't much more to say. Haven't spoken to many of the people where we are saying - they're either German, French, or having tantric sex in the common area - YUCH!! Still each to their own, and I would've said go find a room, but they obviously already had one as they are staying at the same resort, but just didn't want to use it... How rude!!
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
What an amazing place this is, full of contradictions, lovely friendly people, and wonderful sights and smells.
Yesterday we went and did the temple tour along with a visit to the Grand Palace - Grand is certainly right! Everything is covered in gilt and mirrors so it sparkles and shines from any side you look at it, and it's all so colourful. There are statues of demons, priests, plenty of Buddhas and almost any deity you'd have heard of, and then some!
To see that and then go on a boat tour through parts of residential Bangkok and notice that along side all this opulence and grandeur is such poverty.... It's a huge contrast to say the least and something that will take me a while to get my head around, if I do at all.
Have done a little more shopping - can't seem to stop! Everything is so cheap, and it's all stuff that I've always wanted.... Ha Ha, not really... Have to stop though as I'm spending money like water and have to have something left for the next 4 months I am here. Although I was offered a part as an extra in an ad about football for 1,000 baht... Didn't take it, or go, am still a little skeptical about all of these strangers in this strange land!! Ha ha - I could've just missed my opportunity at fame and fortune!!
Still everyone is so friendly, and all smile etc when they see you. I had a few people follow me around today, which was a bit strange - Vicki reckons it's because I am blonde, but there are plenty of other blondes around - I think it must be because I'm so beautiful!! Ha ha.
A lot of the Thai's have asked me about my piercing, which they say is nice and then piss themselves laughing... Along with that and the spiky bracelet that Liz gave me for Christmas they must think I'm some sort of crazy westerner punk chick... HA Ha HA! Couldn't really be much further from the truth... Then again who knows what they are thinking - or anyone for that matter?
Well I'm off to the islands tomorrow, a full moon party in about a week and a half and then from there back to Bangkok & across to Cambodia... Am looking forward to chilling out on the beach and lazing around in the sun. It's about time I got out my bikini and tried to do something about my fluro white legs! Still red doesn't really suit me, so I'll have to take it slow...
Yesterday we went and did the temple tour along with a visit to the Grand Palace - Grand is certainly right! Everything is covered in gilt and mirrors so it sparkles and shines from any side you look at it, and it's all so colourful. There are statues of demons, priests, plenty of Buddhas and almost any deity you'd have heard of, and then some!
To see that and then go on a boat tour through parts of residential Bangkok and notice that along side all this opulence and grandeur is such poverty.... It's a huge contrast to say the least and something that will take me a while to get my head around, if I do at all.
Have done a little more shopping - can't seem to stop! Everything is so cheap, and it's all stuff that I've always wanted.... Ha Ha, not really... Have to stop though as I'm spending money like water and have to have something left for the next 4 months I am here. Although I was offered a part as an extra in an ad about football for 1,000 baht... Didn't take it, or go, am still a little skeptical about all of these strangers in this strange land!! Ha ha - I could've just missed my opportunity at fame and fortune!!
Still everyone is so friendly, and all smile etc when they see you. I had a few people follow me around today, which was a bit strange - Vicki reckons it's because I am blonde, but there are plenty of other blondes around - I think it must be because I'm so beautiful!! Ha ha.
A lot of the Thai's have asked me about my piercing, which they say is nice and then piss themselves laughing... Along with that and the spiky bracelet that Liz gave me for Christmas they must think I'm some sort of crazy westerner punk chick... HA Ha HA! Couldn't really be much further from the truth... Then again who knows what they are thinking - or anyone for that matter?
Well I'm off to the islands tomorrow, a full moon party in about a week and a half and then from there back to Bangkok & across to Cambodia... Am looking forward to chilling out on the beach and lazing around in the sun. It's about time I got out my bikini and tried to do something about my fluro white legs! Still red doesn't really suit me, so I'll have to take it slow...
Sunday, June 20, 2004
At last I have arrived to the heat and unusual smells of Thailand! What a long trip, but so far well worth it! I was fortunate enough not to be sat next to a screaming child on the way here, or a smelly rude american - so things are going well!!
I had a little trouble at the Melbourne airport - for a moment or two it didn't look like they were going to let me board the plane - something to do with me not having a return ticket or visas for every country I am going to - I figured I'd sort it out as I go, which in the end is ok - they let me board the plane and there was no trouble getting through customs at this end - PHEW!!
I met a girl who shares my name just after clearing customs and we've been hanging out today - shared a taxi to the city, are staying at the same guest house and have egged each other on with our first shopping expedition down Khoa San Rd. I keep wanting to call her Amanda though as she looks pretty much the same as Mamanda at Oxfam. Still I haven't done it yet - just almost! It's good to have someone to hang out with - she flys back to the UK in about 3 weeks, but I doubt we'll spend the whole time together - especially seeing that she's talking of doing a trek and I don't think I have the energy for that kinda thing yet! She's from Hull so there you go Liz - those people from home do get out and about ocassionally! Ha ha
Well apart from shopping and finding somewhere to sleep for the next few days, I haven't done that much and am planning more of the same for most of the week - maybe head off down to the beach, dependant on what happens with the Cambodia thing and when I need to be there, plus how long it'd take to get there via train or bus. So think of me, sitting back, sinking a few beers and probably having a massage on a beach somewhere warm!
Ha ha!!!!
I had a little trouble at the Melbourne airport - for a moment or two it didn't look like they were going to let me board the plane - something to do with me not having a return ticket or visas for every country I am going to - I figured I'd sort it out as I go, which in the end is ok - they let me board the plane and there was no trouble getting through customs at this end - PHEW!!
I met a girl who shares my name just after clearing customs and we've been hanging out today - shared a taxi to the city, are staying at the same guest house and have egged each other on with our first shopping expedition down Khoa San Rd. I keep wanting to call her Amanda though as she looks pretty much the same as Mamanda at Oxfam. Still I haven't done it yet - just almost! It's good to have someone to hang out with - she flys back to the UK in about 3 weeks, but I doubt we'll spend the whole time together - especially seeing that she's talking of doing a trek and I don't think I have the energy for that kinda thing yet! She's from Hull so there you go Liz - those people from home do get out and about ocassionally! Ha ha
Well apart from shopping and finding somewhere to sleep for the next few days, I haven't done that much and am planning more of the same for most of the week - maybe head off down to the beach, dependant on what happens with the Cambodia thing and when I need to be there, plus how long it'd take to get there via train or bus. So think of me, sitting back, sinking a few beers and probably having a massage on a beach somewhere warm!
Ha ha!!!!
Friday, June 11, 2004
It's my last day at work!!! YAY!! 8 more sleeps til I get on the plane! Ahhh so much waiting and now it's nearly time! Can't wait to go!
Looking forward to catching up with everyone one last time for a few (or more) beers... and then it's off and away to who knows what?
It'll be soo much fun, definitely an adventure of sorts.
I still haven't had confirmation of the project visits I'd planned, but hopefully that'll be confirmed next week at the latest, and if it doesn't end up going ahead well it's too late to get worried about it, and I'm sure there'll be plenty else to see and do.
So this will be my last blog until I get to an internet cafe O.S
Will try to keep in contact with everyone, and I hope that everything here remains cheery and good while I am gone. Am looking forward to catching up with a few mates in Europe on their 'home turf', and just generally traveling around and enjoying myself.
So it's good bye for now - until I blog from Bangkok! Ready or not, here I come!
Looking forward to catching up with everyone one last time for a few (or more) beers... and then it's off and away to who knows what?
It'll be soo much fun, definitely an adventure of sorts.
I still haven't had confirmation of the project visits I'd planned, but hopefully that'll be confirmed next week at the latest, and if it doesn't end up going ahead well it's too late to get worried about it, and I'm sure there'll be plenty else to see and do.
So this will be my last blog until I get to an internet cafe O.S
Will try to keep in contact with everyone, and I hope that everything here remains cheery and good while I am gone. Am looking forward to catching up with a few mates in Europe on their 'home turf', and just generally traveling around and enjoying myself.
So it's good bye for now - until I blog from Bangkok! Ready or not, here I come!
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Leo July 24 - Aug 23
Thu June 10, 2004
Steady on Leo, and take a deep breath. You're trying to do too much and if you carry on like this you're liable to fall flat on your face. There's nothing wrong with trying to cram so much activity into your busy schedule, unless you've set yourself an impossible task. Try not to make promises that you can't deliver or which will end up being very expensive.
Ha ha - How true, but a little late now... The trains already left the station....
Thu June 10, 2004
Steady on Leo, and take a deep breath. You're trying to do too much and if you carry on like this you're liable to fall flat on your face. There's nothing wrong with trying to cram so much activity into your busy schedule, unless you've set yourself an impossible task. Try not to make promises that you can't deliver or which will end up being very expensive.
Ha ha - How true, but a little late now... The trains already left the station....
Monday, June 07, 2004
What kind of WEIRD and FUCKED UP world are we living in???
Yep I'm off on another rant...
I heard this morning that Jahe the Terrible has been saying that I killed his dog. I must be a bloody super hero, or God, considering I wasn't around the weekend that she died.
But that's not the bad bit - in fact that bit is kinda funny compared to the next bit.
He's GETTING ANOTHER PUPPY. I can't believe it! It's not enough to ruin one dogs life, and kill it in some sort of psychotic rage, but he has to go through it all again with another innocent being. Makes me so angry I feel sick!!
Worst thing is that there is nothing I can do about it. RSPCA couldn't do anything to save Wunja's life, and I have little faith thaty they will be able to do anything in regards to stopping him get another dog, or to make sure this one is treated well.
I just can't believe it's about to happen all over again.
Aside from that, I'm about to leave, getting my shit together and about on my way. Still staying with different friends, although not moving around so much this week I hope,I feel like I need a little stability before I go. Julianne is kind enough to offer her place to me until I fly out, so I think that I'll be taking her up on that for the most part of this and next weeks.
Wish I was outta here.
Yep I'm off on another rant...
I heard this morning that Jahe the Terrible has been saying that I killed his dog. I must be a bloody super hero, or God, considering I wasn't around the weekend that she died.
But that's not the bad bit - in fact that bit is kinda funny compared to the next bit.
He's GETTING ANOTHER PUPPY. I can't believe it! It's not enough to ruin one dogs life, and kill it in some sort of psychotic rage, but he has to go through it all again with another innocent being. Makes me so angry I feel sick!!
Worst thing is that there is nothing I can do about it. RSPCA couldn't do anything to save Wunja's life, and I have little faith thaty they will be able to do anything in regards to stopping him get another dog, or to make sure this one is treated well.
I just can't believe it's about to happen all over again.
Aside from that, I'm about to leave, getting my shit together and about on my way. Still staying with different friends, although not moving around so much this week I hope,I feel like I need a little stability before I go. Julianne is kind enough to offer her place to me until I fly out, so I think that I'll be taking her up on that for the most part of this and next weeks.
Wish I was outta here.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Only 6 more days of work! If you don't count this one that is.... And only 17 days till I go! Wish I was on the plane already, this waiting is killing me!! Still I am slowly handing over my work, and clearing the final things that I have to. Not much left to do directly in regards to getting ready to go away - which is good. Basically I'm just hanging around waiting for my plane!
Life has all gone a bit strange with some friends. I was put in a position by one friend, of keeping a secret from another friend. And then asked directly by that other friend about the thing I wasn't supposed to tell. I'm not so good at lying about things, especially if I think the person asking has a right to know about what I know. So I told... I think whether or not I had of said anything I would still be in trouble with either one or the other.
Ahh well, it's too late now. I feel bad about telling, but also think that the friend I told is better off for knowing, but unfortunately it's not the same for the first friend... It's all a bit wrong from start to finish, and maybe I have lost a group connection that I was building, but that's the way things go sometimes, and there's no point in worrying over 'spilt milk' or in this case spilt words.
Shall see what happens, like I said to begin with I have 17 days left in Aus, so that's 17 days to see how things will turn out. If it turns out opposite to the way I would like it to, then the bright side is that there are less people I need to keep in contact with and miss while I am away... Not such a bright side, but you have to look for the silver linings somewhere don’t you?
I guess in one way it will be interesting to see how it all pans out…. I hope it doesn't leave everyone in disarray, and don't see why it should unless people want to make it into a huge drama... Ah well, it's a wait and see situation now.
Aside from that though, life has been pretty peachy! I went and visited my best friend on the weekend just gone. She's doing really well and her two kids are such sweethearts! We had a good laugh and a chat. I did some cards while I was there which were really helpful - one about the issue above and another reading just generally about the short-term future.
The one about the short term future was strange in that it brought up the issue of my dreams, which has been on my mind for the last few weeks or so. I’ve been trying to remember them more clearly and understand what they are telling me. So I took that on board and have been trying different dream exercises I know to try and jog my memory about my night-time travels. The weird thing was though that the day after doing the cards with Jen, we went to a market and I found a book, pretty much straight away on how to dream – and remember them. So that was a bit of serendipity/synchronicity for me.
On the Sunday night I could up with my sister and her family for the last time until who knows when? That was pretty good too, she’s pregnant at the moment, and by the time I get back – if I get back when I plan too – it’ll be over 2 years old…. It’s kinda strange leaving as things are about to change in a reasonably dramatic way… And it’s not just with family.
All this week I’ve been buzzing from one friend’s place to another – but it’s working out as an excellent way to catch up with everyone before I go. At least this way I get to see everyone and have a ‘proper natter’ before we go to the pub to celebrate with drinks my imminent departure!
Life has all gone a bit strange with some friends. I was put in a position by one friend, of keeping a secret from another friend. And then asked directly by that other friend about the thing I wasn't supposed to tell. I'm not so good at lying about things, especially if I think the person asking has a right to know about what I know. So I told... I think whether or not I had of said anything I would still be in trouble with either one or the other.
Ahh well, it's too late now. I feel bad about telling, but also think that the friend I told is better off for knowing, but unfortunately it's not the same for the first friend... It's all a bit wrong from start to finish, and maybe I have lost a group connection that I was building, but that's the way things go sometimes, and there's no point in worrying over 'spilt milk' or in this case spilt words.
Shall see what happens, like I said to begin with I have 17 days left in Aus, so that's 17 days to see how things will turn out. If it turns out opposite to the way I would like it to, then the bright side is that there are less people I need to keep in contact with and miss while I am away... Not such a bright side, but you have to look for the silver linings somewhere don’t you?
I guess in one way it will be interesting to see how it all pans out…. I hope it doesn't leave everyone in disarray, and don't see why it should unless people want to make it into a huge drama... Ah well, it's a wait and see situation now.
Aside from that though, life has been pretty peachy! I went and visited my best friend on the weekend just gone. She's doing really well and her two kids are such sweethearts! We had a good laugh and a chat. I did some cards while I was there which were really helpful - one about the issue above and another reading just generally about the short-term future.
The one about the short term future was strange in that it brought up the issue of my dreams, which has been on my mind for the last few weeks or so. I’ve been trying to remember them more clearly and understand what they are telling me. So I took that on board and have been trying different dream exercises I know to try and jog my memory about my night-time travels. The weird thing was though that the day after doing the cards with Jen, we went to a market and I found a book, pretty much straight away on how to dream – and remember them. So that was a bit of serendipity/synchronicity for me.
On the Sunday night I could up with my sister and her family for the last time until who knows when? That was pretty good too, she’s pregnant at the moment, and by the time I get back – if I get back when I plan too – it’ll be over 2 years old…. It’s kinda strange leaving as things are about to change in a reasonably dramatic way… And it’s not just with family.
All this week I’ve been buzzing from one friend’s place to another – but it’s working out as an excellent way to catch up with everyone before I go. At least this way I get to see everyone and have a ‘proper natter’ before we go to the pub to celebrate with drinks my imminent departure!
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Leo July 24 - Aug 23
Wed May 26, 2004
Try not to be hypersensitive or over-react to other people's comments. Sometimes you can get yourself worked up about things that are not that important. Try to give yourself some space to just wind down and be a bit more at peace if you possibly can. Your attitude to lovers or family members is rather intense at the moment. If you have started a new romance recently check that the person really is good for you in all the ways that count.
Hmm.... interesting that it says this as that is pretty exact as to what I have been doing... Very very interesting.
No answers as yet though, these things take time.
Wed May 26, 2004
Try not to be hypersensitive or over-react to other people's comments. Sometimes you can get yourself worked up about things that are not that important. Try to give yourself some space to just wind down and be a bit more at peace if you possibly can. Your attitude to lovers or family members is rather intense at the moment. If you have started a new romance recently check that the person really is good for you in all the ways that count.
Hmm.... interesting that it says this as that is pretty exact as to what I have been doing... Very very interesting.
No answers as yet though, these things take time.
Monday, May 24, 2004
Leo July 24 - Aug 23
Mon May 24, 2004
You're not particularly self- disciplined at the moment and you just want to stand back and enjoy watching life unfold. It seems like a lucky period, but actually you are coming up with some good ideas and acting on intuitive hunches which turn out to your advantage. Money will be fairly easy come, easy go. You are spending as extravagantly as you acquire it. Try to be more disciplined and save a little so you can be more financially secure in the future.
It's probably right too... Hopefully I'll be gone soon though and the credit will be paid off, and tickets. Then there's no need to worry - I hope!!
My hands are so sore today. My dermatitis has flared up again - I have no idea why. Obviously I've come into contact with something which doesn't like me, but I can't think what.... Ah well hopefully the dermatologist will be able to give me something to make it go away... Either that or I'll have to get my hands amputated!
So the weekend was at Melton. Which was like having a flashback to my teenage years - urrgh - but it was funny. Certainly needed to be pissed at the pub, which fortunately I realised early on & tucked into the beer... only pots, no pints available, so it took a little longer than I would've liked. But anyway, it was a funny and interesting night. I ended up getting up to dance with Trish (only one song) which was kinda weird as it definitely wasn't my sorta music. But anyway I decided to take the piss and did some 'leg guitar' on the dance floor. It went down so well the first time that I did it again, but the second time I kicked this girl, spilt her drink all down her front, and possibly offended her. I was so embarrassed! But after buying her another (fruity white wine - YUK!)she was happy enough and said I was a really nice person... Weird Melton people.
Some guy gave me his business card (ha ha) which is really good roach material - not too thick or too thin - but I wasn't really interested even though he worked for cadbury and there probably would've been some free chocolate in it for me... Anyway I told him I wasn't, and asked if I could still get chocolate for free... But he said to give him a call when I was interested... Ah well. I tried.
Before Melton though I got to catch up with Simon, which was excellent. I satyed there on Friday night and stayed up til 4 in the morning chatting and drinking, didn't realise how late it had gotten until I started ywaning and checked my watch only to find it was 4 IN THE MORNING!
We both went down to Aarons on the bike the next day, which was heaps of fun, both the ride down there, time with Aaron and Marie, and the ride back. I miss being pillion on the bike.
So all in all it's been a good weekend. Lots done, saw a few of my friends and family. Definitely time well spent.
Mon May 24, 2004
You're not particularly self- disciplined at the moment and you just want to stand back and enjoy watching life unfold. It seems like a lucky period, but actually you are coming up with some good ideas and acting on intuitive hunches which turn out to your advantage. Money will be fairly easy come, easy go. You are spending as extravagantly as you acquire it. Try to be more disciplined and save a little so you can be more financially secure in the future.
It's probably right too... Hopefully I'll be gone soon though and the credit will be paid off, and tickets. Then there's no need to worry - I hope!!
My hands are so sore today. My dermatitis has flared up again - I have no idea why. Obviously I've come into contact with something which doesn't like me, but I can't think what.... Ah well hopefully the dermatologist will be able to give me something to make it go away... Either that or I'll have to get my hands amputated!
So the weekend was at Melton. Which was like having a flashback to my teenage years - urrgh - but it was funny. Certainly needed to be pissed at the pub, which fortunately I realised early on & tucked into the beer... only pots, no pints available, so it took a little longer than I would've liked. But anyway, it was a funny and interesting night. I ended up getting up to dance with Trish (only one song) which was kinda weird as it definitely wasn't my sorta music. But anyway I decided to take the piss and did some 'leg guitar' on the dance floor. It went down so well the first time that I did it again, but the second time I kicked this girl, spilt her drink all down her front, and possibly offended her. I was so embarrassed! But after buying her another (fruity white wine - YUK!)she was happy enough and said I was a really nice person... Weird Melton people.
Some guy gave me his business card (ha ha) which is really good roach material - not too thick or too thin - but I wasn't really interested even though he worked for cadbury and there probably would've been some free chocolate in it for me... Anyway I told him I wasn't, and asked if I could still get chocolate for free... But he said to give him a call when I was interested... Ah well. I tried.
Before Melton though I got to catch up with Simon, which was excellent. I satyed there on Friday night and stayed up til 4 in the morning chatting and drinking, didn't realise how late it had gotten until I started ywaning and checked my watch only to find it was 4 IN THE MORNING!
We both went down to Aarons on the bike the next day, which was heaps of fun, both the ride down there, time with Aaron and Marie, and the ride back. I miss being pillion on the bike.
So all in all it's been a good weekend. Lots done, saw a few of my friends and family. Definitely time well spent.
Friday, May 21, 2004
I love autumn! All that colour and all those leaves that you can kick around and play in as you walk down the street... Ah, the smell of peoples wood fires, it's just so vibrant and crisp, but at the same time makes you want to snuggle somewhere with a good book... Winter, I could easily skip - and this year I am! Or at least will be delaying it for a little while. Still that has it's good points too - especially if you live near the coast.
I'm off to the country this weekend - Aarons out east on Saturday, and then to Tricia's on Saturday night and for the rest of the weekend. Should be interesting if nothing else.
Aaron and Marie recently bought my Dad's house - the house I grew up in, so it will be fun to see what it looks like now that my older brother is in charge of the decoration. I hope they've gotten rid of all those frills and flounces. Anne may be Irish, but it's no excuse for that kinda decor! Ha ha.
Tricia's place will be like going back in time to when I lived in Warragul and it was the commercial pub every weekend and then onto the only club in town when that closed - a place with an imaginative name - "The Club" Ha ha. So that'll be a bit of strange fun too. Looking forward to it all. It's like I am on holidays already! Feels that way anyway, probably because I have moved outta my place.
I stayed at Ang's last night - I love her and her place. It's just so relaxed and laid back. Their lounge room is full of books on practically everything that you could possibly be interested in. I spend so much time there flicking through one book or another on building self sustainable housing to Japanese style to crystals and what they mean, how they're formed etc etc. Love it. Will have to be going back to visit again before I go - if I have enough spare time. Such gorgeous, interesting people.
So much to do though - well not really but it still feels like it, and so many people saying that I 'have to catch up with them before I leave'. But then when I have spare time they don't and vice versa. I guess you can't help missing some people, but hey, it's not like I'm dying and will never return, or be unable to write or call while I am away.
Ah I'm so looking forward to actually getting out of here!
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
I had the strangest dream last night... Although when you're dreaming it, it doesn't seem strange does it?
I dreamt I was on a beach that stretched out into the ocean on a type of sand bar - I've been there before in my dreams. This time I had a pet dog with me, she was ginger coloured with a shaggy type coat. Lovely and happy she was. We played on the beach and then she jumped into the ocean and was playing in the water. So happy swimming and diving and somersaulting in the water. I looked around at the shore, and there was my Summah dog! Except she'd turned into a piglet! She was so small and sweet, and she wanted to join me in the water, but being a pig she couldn't swim (she can't as a dog either) so she was playing at the waters edge. She was so sweet and cute I went and picked her up. She was covered in a soft blonde down, with big brown doggy eyes.... She looked at me with such tender love, I hugged her and made to put her down but she squirmed closer to me. The dream ended there with Summah waking me by squirming on my bed, wanting to get up and bark at something outside.
I have no idea what it all means, but it was a good dream, made me feel happy on waking, and still does.
Mark went back to the UK on Monday, this time an even bigger mark shaped hole has been left. But in just 6 months I will be seeing him again, maybe less if he decides he can come and meet me in Cambodia. Still I miss him soo much. I'll have to get that international calling card tomorrow and call. Hopefully that will relieve some of the missing you 'pain'.
And it's JUST 4 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS UNTIL I LEAVE... Can't wait, will buy the final leg of my ticket this week and then it's only a few other things I need to get done before I am completely ready to go.
I have finally and completely moved out of my place and am staying with a friend of mine - Julianne. I left my key on the bench and said 'See Ya', dunno if he knew it was my final good bye - probably not, but I'm gone - free as a bird. I'm using Julianne's place as a 'base' until I go. Which is excellent, she makes me so welcome and really has looked after me. Plus she's given Summah such a good home, & she's so happy! Ahh.... What more could I want??
Ah life is good, soon I will be on my way. The only little bit of sadness is Mark going back to the UK, but we both have to follow our own adventures & dreams that are taking us in different directions for a while, and hopefully we shall meet again soon.
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Ahh, things seem to go from bad to worse at this place I have been living at, as you know from past entries, Jahe is a freak, and not a very nice one to say the least. But I don't think I have mentioned anything about the puppy that he owned. Gorgeous dog - similar looking to the one in the picture, although hugely timid, affraid of people, and Jahe it would've seemed as well....
Anyway things were happening that weren't so good, and the treatment of her by him that I had seen & heard, coupled with her behaviour, led me to believe that he was beating his dog - usually when him and I had a confrontation of one sort or another, or when he was upset about something else... A way to release anger maybe, but whatever the reason, it's never right to beat a being - be it animal or person - especially one that relies on you for everything, trusts and loves you unconditionally. A being that by taking to live with you, you've made a promise to give it a good safe home and be sure that it grows well and is happy.
So not knowing what else to do, and knowing that I couldn't live with myself if I ignored what seemed to be going on, I called the RSPCA. They came around and saw Wunja (the puppy that is) and she didn't seem to be injured as she was running around the back yard, seemingly footlose and fancy free. They didn't get the chance to have a close look at her, or speak with Jahe, but assumed that she was ok, and the report I made was finalised.
Until I called this morning and asked them to re-investigate, as Wunja is now dead. How could you do that? How could you even think of doing something like that?
I suppose that making another report leaves my living situation in a bit of a precarious position, but as of Monday I will be gone... Maybe I should stay away as much as possible until then.
It's just a sorry state of affairs all round in that place. If only I'd have been a better judge of character I wouldn't be in this situation. Maybe if I had've handled it differently she would still be alive now. Too many ifs and buts, and now it's all a bit late. I can't wait to get away from here and just leave everything behind. This trip wasn't supposed to be a running away from something, but now it seems a little like it is.
Monday, May 10, 2004
I can't wait to be on that damn plane, with those nice thai air hosts. Oooh to be away from here and have everything done already.... Soon my precious, soon.
What a bloody pain in the arse the weekend has been! But at least the major work of putting things into storage is done! I've been packing all of mine that I want to take and can still find. It's been a little hard to do seeing that Jahe the Terrible has moved most of my things around at one stage of me living there or another. But what the most annoying and upsetting thing this weekend was..... Was the fact that the digeridoo that was given me when I went north to see our fair land, has walked out of my bedroom. I'm pretty sure it was the terrible one, but couldn't find it in his room (Mark had a quick squiz when he went out yesterday). Ah well, what can you do other than write it off as gone? At least I found my clay tools and the chopsticks turned up mysteriously after I had pulled everything out of the cupboards 3 times, and then asked the terrible one if he knew where they were. Apparently I hadn't looked hard enough. Hmmm. No comment was made by me, although my head was spinning with insults I could have given. Really I'm rather proud of myself for not smacking him in the mouth.
It was also my nephews 4th birthday on Sunday. Seeing that mothers day is a non event in my family - it's hard to celebrate without a mother - ha ha - it was good to do the kiddie birthday instead. Luckily we got there a little late and most of the kids had gone home. But of course Brodie was still there, so I spent most of my time playing in the sand-pit, pretending to be a car, playing cars, and then finally I was nominated to give him his bath so it was playtime in the bath as well. - How many stories can you make up about a plastic turtle and a duck? Still it was a load of fun, but there is no way I would have the energy to do it every day. Yvette and Paul are champions!
Mark goes back to the UK in a week. It's been nice having him here, but it will also be good to be able to focus more on what I need to do when he goes. It has been great having him here - I can't express that enough, but it will also be good to have my own head space back. I don't think that I am cut out for living with people...no matter how close they are to me.
So I move outta my place the same day that Mark goes, and will be dossing with friends for the final 4 or so weeks that I am here. It'll be good to get away from the stress of my place, and also get me used to living out of my backpack while I still have the opportunity to have an extra bag or two! Next week I will be at the place where Summah is now living, and it'll be damn fine to be able to say good bye properly to my hound... Well she's not mine anymore, but you know what I mean! Plus - of course - stay with Julianne and make her even more jealous about my travels!! Ha ha.
It'll be pretty much the same with most people I stay with -my final chance to say Adios! Unless I have a going away party, but I dunno yet, have to ask a mate if he'd be willing to have it as his seeing that I'll be homeless shortly!
Ah well not much else to write, other than the weekend, life has been pretty good, counting down the days, and things I have to do before I go. All I can say is BRING IT ON!!
Thursday, May 06, 2004
All systems GO! This week has involved a whole lotta packin, spiced up with some housemate aggravation, and nicely topped off with a little more Mark.
I suppose I should explain all that... The packin' bit is easy - I've been sorting through all my life?s mementos, and have been dutifully packing them away for storage. Aaron is kindly going to pick them up for me this weekend and store it all at his until my return - or until I settle somewhere and ask him to send them to me. The second option being a little more remote, but still in the realms of possibility.
The housemate aggravation has been an ongoing thing since that house-warming party. Oh deary me! He hasn't spoken to me - excepting the occasional grunt - since then, and has instead chosen to leave me nasty notes when he feels the need to communicate. Apparently I am a despicable & disgusting person. Maybe I am, but I'd prefer he told me that rather than writing me a note and leaving it for me to find on my return from work. Anyway, it would seem that me selling my stuff rather than giving it to him free of charge, and not putting meat in the compost bin, amongst other similar things, has caused most of the discord in the house.
In addition to the notes though I have begun to find that a few boxes of my things - namely my clay tools and a few personal nik-naks have gone missing. I'm beginning to think that Jahe has snaffled them, as he did with a few of Very's things. Reason being I knew exactly where they were, and they've walked from there. Seemingly on their own. I have asked Jahe, but he says he has no idea whilst desperately avoiding eye contact with me... Suspicious. I also asked Very if he had accidentally picked them up when he moved the last of his things, but they're not there either. Tonight I'll make my final search with a torch and going through every box I can see, if they don't turn up I'll have to write them off as lost even though I know for sure I moved them into the shed. It's a couple of hundred dollars worth of tools and things...
It's gotten to a point that I'm going to have to move out, well before my expected travel date and stay with mates for those last few weeks before my departure. Se La Vie! At least it will give me the chance to say a proper good bye to every one before I head off into the wild blue yonder for who knows how long?
And the Mark thing - well that's pretty self explanatory I would think, but anyhoo... He extended his ticket again, for another two weeks and now leaves on the 17th. Yay in that I get to have even more time with him. But at the same time it's a little concerning as he needs to get back to the UK to complete his college application and have it in in time. If he doesn't get into college, I may not see him again for years to come! And then these two weeks would be a complete let down... With a past view of course, as I do love having him around. So we shall see what happens with that. Reason I may not see him if he doesn't get into this teaching course is that he may come back to Australia to a sponsored work placement with Moose, or go travelling around Canada for a year or so, returning to the UK when I have to leave!
Ah well, either it's meant to be or it isn't. No use fretting over it now.
I suppose I should explain all that... The packin' bit is easy - I've been sorting through all my life?s mementos, and have been dutifully packing them away for storage. Aaron is kindly going to pick them up for me this weekend and store it all at his until my return - or until I settle somewhere and ask him to send them to me. The second option being a little more remote, but still in the realms of possibility.
The housemate aggravation has been an ongoing thing since that house-warming party. Oh deary me! He hasn't spoken to me - excepting the occasional grunt - since then, and has instead chosen to leave me nasty notes when he feels the need to communicate. Apparently I am a despicable & disgusting person. Maybe I am, but I'd prefer he told me that rather than writing me a note and leaving it for me to find on my return from work. Anyway, it would seem that me selling my stuff rather than giving it to him free of charge, and not putting meat in the compost bin, amongst other similar things, has caused most of the discord in the house.
In addition to the notes though I have begun to find that a few boxes of my things - namely my clay tools and a few personal nik-naks have gone missing. I'm beginning to think that Jahe has snaffled them, as he did with a few of Very's things. Reason being I knew exactly where they were, and they've walked from there. Seemingly on their own. I have asked Jahe, but he says he has no idea whilst desperately avoiding eye contact with me... Suspicious. I also asked Very if he had accidentally picked them up when he moved the last of his things, but they're not there either. Tonight I'll make my final search with a torch and going through every box I can see, if they don't turn up I'll have to write them off as lost even though I know for sure I moved them into the shed. It's a couple of hundred dollars worth of tools and things...
It's gotten to a point that I'm going to have to move out, well before my expected travel date and stay with mates for those last few weeks before my departure. Se La Vie! At least it will give me the chance to say a proper good bye to every one before I head off into the wild blue yonder for who knows how long?
And the Mark thing - well that's pretty self explanatory I would think, but anyhoo... He extended his ticket again, for another two weeks and now leaves on the 17th. Yay in that I get to have even more time with him. But at the same time it's a little concerning as he needs to get back to the UK to complete his college application and have it in in time. If he doesn't get into college, I may not see him again for years to come! And then these two weeks would be a complete let down... With a past view of course, as I do love having him around. So we shall see what happens with that. Reason I may not see him if he doesn't get into this teaching course is that he may come back to Australia to a sponsored work placement with Moose, or go travelling around Canada for a year or so, returning to the UK when I have to leave!
Ah well, either it's meant to be or it isn't. No use fretting over it now.