Well I wasn't going to write again so soon...but then I was poo'ed on by a wild dolphin, and, well, if that is not a good reason to write then blow me down I don't know what is?!
Understandably after my crazy death defying day I felt rather in need of a rest so it was up the Coromandel Peninsula for a good old fashioned Kiwi retreat to a beach side batch I managed to scout out from my bible (ah the Lonely Planet Guide I salute you). A batch is a real original holiday home, where people went before they got all fashionable, high tech and glass fronted, when just a shed and some shells would do. This batch was beautiful. In a town...well...road along a natural harbour, set back in the hill side with views out over the harbour right to the sand bank that led to the sea. There was no TV, but the beauty of it was there was no need. I would quite happily spend hours staring out at the sea and the sky watching the sun set and the moon rise (and yes, rather uncharacteristically I did spot the sun rise, not once but twice!!). Reading a book, doing a crossword...or making up a few answers, then a few words, then getting annoyed as even that didn't work, and going back to my book. The ceiling was covered in shell and drift wood mobiles and the room below the living quarters was full of kayaks. There is nothing nicer after going to sleep under the astronomer's map that was the night sky and waking in the warm glow of the sun than to go for a brunch time sea kayak...unless of course you plan it with the military precision I tend to plan things with...end up hitting low tide and quickly re-evaluating your trip...sand kayaking is terribly underrated though.
I found my self lost in this idyllic little world for a week or so, exploring the peninsula's stunning scenery, walking through mystic coves and deserted bays, eating the freshest of fish and chips- served in news paper and everything! No TV, no WIFI, barley any mobile reception, just me and my little world. Wonderful. I discovered ancient enchanted trees (which I'm sure were rife with fairies) which grow out of nowhere/cliff edges into the (still suspiciously) blue sea waters, roads which look like foot paths leading no where, which take you to secret hideouts where you feel like you can see the edge of the world, stunning views surround you, bay after bay, green upon green gently tumbling into the sea, which is an explosion of light as the sun dances upon its surface. Though few and far between, even here the people were so friendly and I ended up getting terribly hammer happy and helping out with a local revamp...rather amusing...again I was the victim of many a girlie, blonde, nail breaker joke...until I started getting a little too into my being hammer happy...I looked like I'd been back at work the number of bruises I came away with (no I wasn't THAT hammer happy, just enthusiastic, working with gusto, and my usual level of clumsiness).
With little time to dwell on the new career as a builder ahead me, or the sudden lack of fog lights on my car (ah a little bit of home in that there vandalism) it was up off to the northern tip of New Zealand, home of the Bay of Islands and 90 Mile beach- to name but a few of its wonders..the few I had time to visit actually! It was in the Bay of Islands that I was able to sample the FRESHEST of sea food- by freshest I mean thrown from the rocks into the hotpot and swim with (and be poo'ed on by) wild dolphins. This was quite possibly the most bizarrely amazing experience of my life, manikly paddling through the water to try and keep up with these great majestic bests (bottle nosed, 2-3m minimum length) who were gliding with such grace and poise, so calm against my flayling splashing madness. When you catch up and they surround you, dipping and diving under and around you, you don't know whether to gaze on in terror or excitement, I settled on just pure paralysing awe. Still they are little teases, know exactly what they're doing (the penguin conspiracy again I fear); swimming right up to the boat when it's moving, flipping around the bow then darting off as soon as we start to swim. (You sit in a net attached to the boat and get dragged along the side while they try and catch up with the dolphins and ascertain if it is a swimmer friendly environment. Cosy. It was in this net, head in the water oohing and ahhing and gazing and gasping, that our little friend really made his presence known, before, of course, darting off. We didn't follow with such haste on that occasion)
90 mile beach (or 62 if you're going to be pedantic..which I was...much to the guide's joy no doubt...well he did offer me a job...?!??!) is the main "Highway" down from Cape Reinga- though I don't know why I'm surprised, if a B road- C road even by our standards can serve as the main motor way, why shouldn't a beach?! 63 miles of pure uninterrupted beach, forest on one side, sea on the other, not a single building, and barely any traffic (hardly surprising given some of the horror stories we heard, and saw the remains of, about getting stuck and loosing the argument between car and tide). The only blot on forest/sea land scape is to the north, where you will find 90m high sand dunes, which of course to a kiwi is just something else to jump off...which of course I did!!
If the trek up a big 90m pile of sand doesn't terrify you (it should) the ride down, on a boogie board certainly will! This is the closest thing I can think that the flight or flee response must feel like. Pure terror as you see nothing but white rushing past you and you feel your speed gaining and your muscles seizing up, and you think for a minute it would be better if you just fell off and made it all stop, then you realise that that's exactly what will happen if you don't relax slightly, then before you know it you've stopped, you can feel your limbs again, you can hear again (non of that wind gushing past you) and you should really stop screaming again! Fabulous!
But alas that was it. Mammabear's birthday was fast approaching and it was time to go home. the fun was over and the real world was fast approaching- there was that fight or flee response kicking in again! But this time I made the sensible decision to flee. Yes I have decided, rather than returning to Earth with a bang, to do it with more of a bounce! So after a week at home on mummy duty and moon lighting as Cilla Black from her Surprise Surprise era (horrifying and terrorising my nearest and dearest, turning up unannounced whilst all the while I'd been insisting I was still safely locked away on the other side of the world) I took off again with my friend Katie to Rome for three days! But I'm back now...for now...
But you deserve another break before I go into all that.
Do you think I'll make it another week before I'm off again...
C x
Some pictures from New Zealand: (I use the word some fairly loosely here I'm afraid)...
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033103&l=50e89&id=200901546
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2035066&l=fdf8e&id=200901546
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2036638&l=70797&id=200901546
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
200 days...
I have written this email 3 times now and each time I write it the computer crashes and erases it. I figured I should take this as a sign, the email was clearly too boring to subject you all to, something had to be done, the anti needed to be upped, and that's just what I did....
I believe I last left you as I clambered onto...and promptly fell off...a surf board, accompanied, of course, by my trusty Terrier, "Gov"...who had a phobia of water and yet was better with the board than me...yes by terrier I mean small yappy dog. Who knew repeatedly falling off a board into water could be so tiring, two hours later, i did!! In my defence I did manage to stand up 2 1/2 times!! Well, 3 half times and once properly, but I was generally so girlie and surprised and excited by it all that I squealed and promptly jumped off, much to the instructor, and his dog's despair- he was not charging nearly enough to deal with 2 hours of that!!
Perturbed slightly, and in A LOT of pain, I decided to give the sea a miss for a while and take to the skies instead-by helicopter no less!! Well surfing isn't very Surrey is it?! So off I flew, all Top Gun, sunglasses, head sets and...gas masks?!!? Well I wouldn't just take any old flight now would I? I flew to the volcanic White Island...or, as I suspect, the set from the latest Star Wars. This place was eerie-not least because it was a sulphur mine until a Lahar washed all the minors into a never to be found oblivion, leaving skeletal rusted remains of the works behind; but it is untouched in every way, no pathways, no chains or signs and is surrounded by the usual suspiciously blue waters-except for one patch where the sulphur meets the sea forming a mustard yellow smear. Walking around looking into craters that weren't there last week, feeling the steam on your face and the heat of the ground in your shoes is a mind blowing experience-especially when you arrive by a helicopter...which is doing 90' doughnuts above the main crater! (That is a very bizarre experience, you don't really realise you're sitting in parallel with the ground until you look out the window and wonder where it's gone, and why your stomach is complaining so...)
It hasn't all been extravagance though, I haven't forgotten that I am but a lowly traveller sent to be rugged and experience all, I have been rather cultural to. In fact I spent the day chilling out with a Maori Chief no less, who showed me around Whakatane, all the ancient Pa sites (original landing sights for the ancient Wacca's- Maori canoes) and all the wonderful things us Palangi have done to them in the interim...er...such as blowing up sacred rocks to build shingle beach walls, or building monuments to the Maoris on them...mmm...interesting logic we have...
Then it was off to Tauraga to meet friends and swim with dolphins...or...ride on a freezing boat for 5 hours being told how rare it is not to see dolphins, how perfect the conditions were, how we may even see orca, how penguins were very rare so not to bother looking for them, but to keep your eyes peeled for ALL the dolphins we were just about to see-after all there'd been so many around recently...all the while dodging penguin after sodding penguin, and how many dolphins...?! I swear they work in cahoot's, a conspiracy I tell you! My friend luckily was not so elusive and showed me a lovely day, touring the best walks, eateries and ye oldy villages (of course!)
I was very pleased when I woke up the next day to be greeted by a flat car battery...and with only 30 min to get to my white water rafting trip. Normally this I'm sure would've been no cause for stress, but this river is only raftable on 26 days of the year...guess which day my car decided to have a break on...yup...Calamity Carys' Car dies on day 26! Luckily the AA was not on a break...even more lucky is the fact I was not in England where I would still be waiting for their arrival! They got me started and on my way in plenty of time to wheel spin into the car park. Having already survived one high adrenaline white knuckle ride that day the river would be easy peasy right...mmm....I'll let the picture's explain...
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2039005&l=864e5&id=200901546
...(though please while looking at them consider the fact that I was the only girl in the raft. Thus I was the only target for all the wimp jokes in the raft....but...unless my eyes deceive me...am I not the only one smiling in the raft? While all about me scream in terror, flexing their "big-strong-brave" boy muscles only to hold on for dear life...mmm...lets not underestimate the powers of the little blonde girlie girl next time eh?!)
Obviously by this time I was on quite the adrenaline kick and figured why not cap off the day with a small detour to Rotorua. Ah yes I hear you say, to see the beautiful thermal parks, or sample some of the wonder that is the mineral mud baths...er...no...to go ZORBING!!!! Well in my defence I'd seen all the proper stuff before (and yes it is stunning and fascinating and I highly recommend it) but travelling is all about rebirth and finding yourself surely? Well you wont be reborn in a bath tub will you?!? No no, its all about squeezing yourself in to the small rubbery sphere, full of warm water that is a zorb ball. Seriously it practically induces flash backs as you plummet down the side of a hill with no idea where you are going, how fast and which way up, before you, and all the water spill out of a teeny gap in the sphere at the bottom. But when in Rome (which ironically enough, I'll get to...) and when in the home of the zorb (the aerodrome) you have to also try a spot of stunt jet boating and bungy swinging...rude not to so off I pop... The bungy swing is incredible, closest I'll ever become to being wonder woman- you're practically flying! You get winched up 200m in a sleeping bag no less (OK I said closest to wonder woman, not exact match) before you're forced to pull your own release chord and plummet (apparently the day's theme) until the chord catches and swings you back up again at incredible speeds, flying! The stunt jet boating was pretty much the same, but in a boat...who knew they actually could do hand break turns...let me tell you it is lucky they can!
Well I think 5 extreme sports is probably the medical limit for one day (those of you who've been in my car/booked me for penalty points will know that a drive with a panicked, late, me does fully qualify as an adrenaline sport) and certainly for one email so I'll give you all a wee tea break before round two....
C x
I believe I last left you as I clambered onto...and promptly fell off...a surf board, accompanied, of course, by my trusty Terrier, "Gov"...who had a phobia of water and yet was better with the board than me...yes by terrier I mean small yappy dog. Who knew repeatedly falling off a board into water could be so tiring, two hours later, i did!! In my defence I did manage to stand up 2 1/2 times!! Well, 3 half times and once properly, but I was generally so girlie and surprised and excited by it all that I squealed and promptly jumped off, much to the instructor, and his dog's despair- he was not charging nearly enough to deal with 2 hours of that!!
Perturbed slightly, and in A LOT of pain, I decided to give the sea a miss for a while and take to the skies instead-by helicopter no less!! Well surfing isn't very Surrey is it?! So off I flew, all Top Gun, sunglasses, head sets and...gas masks?!!? Well I wouldn't just take any old flight now would I? I flew to the volcanic White Island...or, as I suspect, the set from the latest Star Wars. This place was eerie-not least because it was a sulphur mine until a Lahar washed all the minors into a never to be found oblivion, leaving skeletal rusted remains of the works behind; but it is untouched in every way, no pathways, no chains or signs and is surrounded by the usual suspiciously blue waters-except for one patch where the sulphur meets the sea forming a mustard yellow smear. Walking around looking into craters that weren't there last week, feeling the steam on your face and the heat of the ground in your shoes is a mind blowing experience-especially when you arrive by a helicopter...which is doing 90' doughnuts above the main crater! (That is a very bizarre experience, you don't really realise you're sitting in parallel with the ground until you look out the window and wonder where it's gone, and why your stomach is complaining so...)
It hasn't all been extravagance though, I haven't forgotten that I am but a lowly traveller sent to be rugged and experience all, I have been rather cultural to. In fact I spent the day chilling out with a Maori Chief no less, who showed me around Whakatane, all the ancient Pa sites (original landing sights for the ancient Wacca's- Maori canoes) and all the wonderful things us Palangi have done to them in the interim...er...such as blowing up sacred rocks to build shingle beach walls, or building monuments to the Maoris on them...mmm...interesting logic we have...
Then it was off to Tauraga to meet friends and swim with dolphins...or...ride on a freezing boat for 5 hours being told how rare it is not to see dolphins, how perfect the conditions were, how we may even see orca, how penguins were very rare so not to bother looking for them, but to keep your eyes peeled for ALL the dolphins we were just about to see-after all there'd been so many around recently...all the while dodging penguin after sodding penguin, and how many dolphins...?! I swear they work in cahoot's, a conspiracy I tell you! My friend luckily was not so elusive and showed me a lovely day, touring the best walks, eateries and ye oldy villages (of course!)
I was very pleased when I woke up the next day to be greeted by a flat car battery...and with only 30 min to get to my white water rafting trip. Normally this I'm sure would've been no cause for stress, but this river is only raftable on 26 days of the year...guess which day my car decided to have a break on...yup...Calamity Carys' Car dies on day 26! Luckily the AA was not on a break...even more lucky is the fact I was not in England where I would still be waiting for their arrival! They got me started and on my way in plenty of time to wheel spin into the car park. Having already survived one high adrenaline white knuckle ride that day the river would be easy peasy right...mmm....I'll let the picture's explain...
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2039005&l=864e5&id=200901546
...(though please while looking at them consider the fact that I was the only girl in the raft. Thus I was the only target for all the wimp jokes in the raft....but...unless my eyes deceive me...am I not the only one smiling in the raft? While all about me scream in terror, flexing their "big-strong-brave" boy muscles only to hold on for dear life...mmm...lets not underestimate the powers of the little blonde girlie girl next time eh?!)
Obviously by this time I was on quite the adrenaline kick and figured why not cap off the day with a small detour to Rotorua. Ah yes I hear you say, to see the beautiful thermal parks, or sample some of the wonder that is the mineral mud baths...er...no...to go ZORBING!!!! Well in my defence I'd seen all the proper stuff before (and yes it is stunning and fascinating and I highly recommend it) but travelling is all about rebirth and finding yourself surely? Well you wont be reborn in a bath tub will you?!? No no, its all about squeezing yourself in to the small rubbery sphere, full of warm water that is a zorb ball. Seriously it practically induces flash backs as you plummet down the side of a hill with no idea where you are going, how fast and which way up, before you, and all the water spill out of a teeny gap in the sphere at the bottom. But when in Rome (which ironically enough, I'll get to...) and when in the home of the zorb (the aerodrome) you have to also try a spot of stunt jet boating and bungy swinging...rude not to so off I pop... The bungy swing is incredible, closest I'll ever become to being wonder woman- you're practically flying! You get winched up 200m in a sleeping bag no less (OK I said closest to wonder woman, not exact match) before you're forced to pull your own release chord and plummet (apparently the day's theme) until the chord catches and swings you back up again at incredible speeds, flying! The stunt jet boating was pretty much the same, but in a boat...who knew they actually could do hand break turns...let me tell you it is lucky they can!
Well I think 5 extreme sports is probably the medical limit for one day (those of you who've been in my car/booked me for penalty points will know that a drive with a panicked, late, me does fully qualify as an adrenaline sport) and certainly for one email so I'll give you all a wee tea break before round two....
C x
Monday, April 30, 2007
The wonderful world of the concrete jungle-very upsetting!
In a (perhaps not so) rare moment of ultinamate geekdome I got a little googlearth happy (actually I was trying to spy on you all-you've been warned!) and made this rather upsetting comparison between Wellington and London, two capital cities, and Nz is know as the UK of the south....
Ah Little London my home, my concrete covered home! Gotta love it though.
Till you see Wellington's non too shabby efforts... Whatever is that strange green stuff where the rest of London would be- and as for the blue....in a Capital City, surely not!! Ahhhhh Wonderful Welly, windy or not you can't but love it (oh I already said that...think I mean it more this time though-GASP, HORROR!!!).
I should get comission!
Ah Little London my home, my concrete covered home! Gotta love it though.
Till you see Wellington's non too shabby efforts... Whatever is that strange green stuff where the rest of London would be- and as for the blue....in a Capital City, surely not!! Ahhhhh Wonderful Welly, windy or not you can't but love it (oh I already said that...think I mean it more this time though-GASP, HORROR!!!).I should get comission!
Wandering to Wellington and away via....Wales...?!? Oh and home!
Well, I have just spent the day chilling out on a beach, which I think I may very well have discovered!! Ok, that’s silly, I clearly did not discover it because the sheep were already there, but they kindly let me join them for my chill out sesh- sheep, seclusion and I, mmm but of course! Who’d have thought, sun, sea sand and…SHEEP!?!? Well there are over 60million of our furry friends here so I guess with seclusion comes sheep, in fact with cities come sheep- they’re everywhere!! As you can imagine, being a good little wool loving Welsh/Kiwi gal, I was just so thrilled I had to write!!
Speaking of Wales, that’s how I’d describe this place, it is just like Wales….on a heavy dose of steroids! Everything is bigger, everything is more colourful, there are more sheep, the magpies are the size of hawks, of which there are also plenty-hell they even have a place with a longer name than Llanfairpwllgwyngllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the catchily titled, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. Tell me how to say it, I’ll tell you what it means! Since arriving on the East coast though I have rethought my theories about Wales on steroids, I am now convinced that I have somehow submerged myself in an artist’s palate-on steroids!
Yes I know it’s beginning to sound more like I am the one on drugs here but I just don’t know how to describe this place, I have never seen the colours I’m surrounded by here. I swear they don’t have grass on their hills, more little blades of emeralds, and don’t get me started on the ocean- even when the sky is grey they water is made purely of paua shells. Bird sing at dusk, the most beautiful song-even in the middle of Wellington city, and hawks and kingfishers are nearly as common as the (white and black, not black and white?!?) magpies.
As well as all this beauty inspiring a good old bragging sesh, I realized I’m over due an email as I appear to have acquired another passport stamp- well that seems to be the way it goes right, another country and other story?! This time I’m afraid you need to catch up with two, because, though I’m safely back in New Zealand now, it has been a bank holiday no, and what does everyone like to do on a bank holiday? That’s right, weekend breaks! So, not one to be out of fashion (er…I’d like to think) I booked myself a little jolly…home. Yes, I flew around the world for 3 nights- well I would wouldn’t I!?!?! From the beginning…?
Well the road trip has been going swimmingly, frightened a few locals when my rental car turned into my radio wailing tour bus (ah it’s good to be back!!), in fact the owners of the first place I stayed were so keen to keep me away from the car and it’s radio I think they tried to kid nap me! Clearly my banshee impression has been brewing & fermenting nicely all those months in Asia, as they kept lowering my room rate and doing my laundry for me, and when I mentioned in passing that I really fancied just a nice jacket potato (as high maintenance & sophistication as ever!) they demanded I come round for dinner-stuffed and baked potatoes! This was a rather handy turn of events as I loved the place…despite living in a room called swap, and being made to dress in grossly large white rubber boots with grooosely small full body wet suit and just gross shorts. No they’re not kinky with their friendliness here, they black water raft here, and yeah I don’t get the room name either!
That’s right, I’ve been seeking adrenaline kicks aside from dodging kidnappings dontchya know! Some have been more successful than others, unfortunately travelling alone can be a pain in that it limits what you can do when activities and tours have minimum numbers etc, but persevere I will, and that I have. So far Action Carys (more commonly, and aptly known as Calamity Carys) has indulged in everything from bush walks to swimming with sharks-yet to sky dive though…which is how I explain the trip home actually.
Well mum asked me not to jump out of the plane, and being the obedient little thing that I am stayed on it! Well she’d not been well, what else could I do, mum’s need hugging to you know! It was really nice to be back, but also thoroughly depressing. I’d been saying for months that I’d like to pop home for the weekend, see people, hug people, and then run away from that real world of yours again, far far away. Despite not seeing nearly enough of you it all went according to plan, except I felt like I’d never been away!!! I even got to see and fall in love with my house again…what’s left of it! I must say I got me some tenant’s with good time management skills; knowing they weren’t there long they only took or wrecked the expensive stuff-hats off to that for forward thinking!
As for the other stuff I went diving in a shark tank in the deco fabulous Napier the other day! (Ok, first Napier, this place is amazing, like what I imagine old-school Hollywood looked like. The drive in is lined with tall ferns that look like palm trees and everything was rebuilt in the 30’s after an earthquake, and, as usual, the sea is stupidly blue!! And now for the sharks-) Funny they didn’t explain that it would be during feeding time until after they took the payment…or maybe the payment wouldn’t take and that’s what the problem was…?! Either way, luckily the sharks weren’t so hungry and they wouldn’t take the food, which pleased me as, the ironic thing is, YOU have to chase THEM around the tank and PUT the food IN their mouths…mmm maybe I should phone my bank and check my credit card…Apart from the extreme terror it was just awesome, I was like a big kid as they took me around the aquarium before hand-I got to explore through all the NO ENTRY, STAFF ONLY doors to which made me feel very important and cool. The best bit was that I got to be reunited with the full body wet suit again, clearly a bonus for everyone involved, as it meant the sharks didn’t eat!!! The tank I was in was the main tank; you know the one with the plastic tube you walk through, were all the big fish and rays live? It was very weird watching the people watching me, watch the fish, feed the fish, chase the sharks, oh yeah, and swim into the glass. Of course I swam into the window, it’s me, jeeze, and where else do you expect me to swim, smoothly around the tank, through the seaweed, amongst the fish? Er no, splat, straight into the window! Nice. Enjoy my work, it gets better…
I’ve been trying to play it cool in a plethora of situations actually, pony trekking through the bush (I’m sure all real cowgirls have to hang on and pray they don’t bounce right off when they reach a gallop-actually I’ve read it’s the only way to ride; though as for the week of being unable to walk which followed, I’m afraid I cant explain that.), slipping and sliding through the caves when black water rafting, as well as slipping and sliding through both bush and beach on foot and in the car as I made many a fascinating and stunning discoveries- it seems that I often find myself being the only person on the planet in many of these amazing places, and the discoveries you can make when that is the case are just breath taking- just yesterday I found a waterfall which I think was stolen straight from Thailand! I’ve travelled by jet boat around movie sets no less- well I had to do something to top the speed boat experience in Thailand and get me in the mood for my jet setting weekend!
In actual fact the film is called “River Queen” and was filmed in a reserve so remote that you can only access it by river, after a drive to the local village that was so terrifying it could have been the adrenaline sport itself! We took the boat 40km up the river before trekking through the bush to the “Bridge to Nowhere.” A bridge that had been put in place early in the century when they were attempting to cultivate that land for farming, amazingly the last farmers had only left about 20 years previously and already the jungle is remarkably well established. Another movie location I’ve visited is that of “Whale Rider” and the beautiful Maori village Whangara, just north of Gisborne, where I will be attempting to surf “The Pipe” tomorrow-just wait for the email that’ll inspire eh?!
I’ve sailed on a lake larger than Singapore, over 13 volcanic (and active) craters, to visit ancient Maori carvings (er, only to discover that, while they are stunning, there are neither ancient nor Maori! In fact they are partially anti-Maori!! One of the carvings is of a large lizard, an extremely bad omen in Maori culture…so you can imagine the reaction of the locals when they woke up and found that cosying up on their water front!), I’ve visited geothermal water gardens, caves and waterfalls, the natural bridge and it’s muscle fossil lined walls, driven from snowy mountains through desert roads, I’ve cart wheeled along beaches-well I can’t cartwheel so I bullied my cousin into doing it for me (but must confess that when I found myself on a secluded beach side cliff covered in spongy grass the craving over took me again and I couldn’t resist the urge to try. Great idea right, learn to cartwheel on a cliff top!), and spent a glorious 3 weeks catching up with family in the beautiful city of Wellington-and meeting our two newest members! I love Wellington, it is so eclectic, bustling city one minute, beach side the next, huge bird sanctuary the next, mountain top two minutes later, it’s just perfect. On top of this the houses are beautiful wooden Southern American looking cottages and often such bright colours that Vietnam’d be jealous. It is no surprise then that I am seriously considering living here for a year or two…but then I’ve been saying that for a year or two (and it’s REALLY hilly, whole lotta up involved) so we’ll see!
Must dash, busy schedule ahead of surfing, rafting, helicopter rides, the usual!
C x
Speaking of Wales, that’s how I’d describe this place, it is just like Wales….on a heavy dose of steroids! Everything is bigger, everything is more colourful, there are more sheep, the magpies are the size of hawks, of which there are also plenty-hell they even have a place with a longer name than Llanfairpwllgwyngllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the catchily titled, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. Tell me how to say it, I’ll tell you what it means! Since arriving on the East coast though I have rethought my theories about Wales on steroids, I am now convinced that I have somehow submerged myself in an artist’s palate-on steroids!
Yes I know it’s beginning to sound more like I am the one on drugs here but I just don’t know how to describe this place, I have never seen the colours I’m surrounded by here. I swear they don’t have grass on their hills, more little blades of emeralds, and don’t get me started on the ocean- even when the sky is grey they water is made purely of paua shells. Bird sing at dusk, the most beautiful song-even in the middle of Wellington city, and hawks and kingfishers are nearly as common as the (white and black, not black and white?!?) magpies.
As well as all this beauty inspiring a good old bragging sesh, I realized I’m over due an email as I appear to have acquired another passport stamp- well that seems to be the way it goes right, another country and other story?! This time I’m afraid you need to catch up with two, because, though I’m safely back in New Zealand now, it has been a bank holiday no, and what does everyone like to do on a bank holiday? That’s right, weekend breaks! So, not one to be out of fashion (er…I’d like to think) I booked myself a little jolly…home. Yes, I flew around the world for 3 nights- well I would wouldn’t I!?!?! From the beginning…?
Well the road trip has been going swimmingly, frightened a few locals when my rental car turned into my radio wailing tour bus (ah it’s good to be back!!), in fact the owners of the first place I stayed were so keen to keep me away from the car and it’s radio I think they tried to kid nap me! Clearly my banshee impression has been brewing & fermenting nicely all those months in Asia, as they kept lowering my room rate and doing my laundry for me, and when I mentioned in passing that I really fancied just a nice jacket potato (as high maintenance & sophistication as ever!) they demanded I come round for dinner-stuffed and baked potatoes! This was a rather handy turn of events as I loved the place…despite living in a room called swap, and being made to dress in grossly large white rubber boots with grooosely small full body wet suit and just gross shorts. No they’re not kinky with their friendliness here, they black water raft here, and yeah I don’t get the room name either!
That’s right, I’ve been seeking adrenaline kicks aside from dodging kidnappings dontchya know! Some have been more successful than others, unfortunately travelling alone can be a pain in that it limits what you can do when activities and tours have minimum numbers etc, but persevere I will, and that I have. So far Action Carys (more commonly, and aptly known as Calamity Carys) has indulged in everything from bush walks to swimming with sharks-yet to sky dive though…which is how I explain the trip home actually.
Well mum asked me not to jump out of the plane, and being the obedient little thing that I am stayed on it! Well she’d not been well, what else could I do, mum’s need hugging to you know! It was really nice to be back, but also thoroughly depressing. I’d been saying for months that I’d like to pop home for the weekend, see people, hug people, and then run away from that real world of yours again, far far away. Despite not seeing nearly enough of you it all went according to plan, except I felt like I’d never been away!!! I even got to see and fall in love with my house again…what’s left of it! I must say I got me some tenant’s with good time management skills; knowing they weren’t there long they only took or wrecked the expensive stuff-hats off to that for forward thinking!
As for the other stuff I went diving in a shark tank in the deco fabulous Napier the other day! (Ok, first Napier, this place is amazing, like what I imagine old-school Hollywood looked like. The drive in is lined with tall ferns that look like palm trees and everything was rebuilt in the 30’s after an earthquake, and, as usual, the sea is stupidly blue!! And now for the sharks-) Funny they didn’t explain that it would be during feeding time until after they took the payment…or maybe the payment wouldn’t take and that’s what the problem was…?! Either way, luckily the sharks weren’t so hungry and they wouldn’t take the food, which pleased me as, the ironic thing is, YOU have to chase THEM around the tank and PUT the food IN their mouths…mmm maybe I should phone my bank and check my credit card…Apart from the extreme terror it was just awesome, I was like a big kid as they took me around the aquarium before hand-I got to explore through all the NO ENTRY, STAFF ONLY doors to which made me feel very important and cool. The best bit was that I got to be reunited with the full body wet suit again, clearly a bonus for everyone involved, as it meant the sharks didn’t eat!!! The tank I was in was the main tank; you know the one with the plastic tube you walk through, were all the big fish and rays live? It was very weird watching the people watching me, watch the fish, feed the fish, chase the sharks, oh yeah, and swim into the glass. Of course I swam into the window, it’s me, jeeze, and where else do you expect me to swim, smoothly around the tank, through the seaweed, amongst the fish? Er no, splat, straight into the window! Nice. Enjoy my work, it gets better…
I’ve been trying to play it cool in a plethora of situations actually, pony trekking through the bush (I’m sure all real cowgirls have to hang on and pray they don’t bounce right off when they reach a gallop-actually I’ve read it’s the only way to ride; though as for the week of being unable to walk which followed, I’m afraid I cant explain that.), slipping and sliding through the caves when black water rafting, as well as slipping and sliding through both bush and beach on foot and in the car as I made many a fascinating and stunning discoveries- it seems that I often find myself being the only person on the planet in many of these amazing places, and the discoveries you can make when that is the case are just breath taking- just yesterday I found a waterfall which I think was stolen straight from Thailand! I’ve travelled by jet boat around movie sets no less- well I had to do something to top the speed boat experience in Thailand and get me in the mood for my jet setting weekend!
In actual fact the film is called “River Queen” and was filmed in a reserve so remote that you can only access it by river, after a drive to the local village that was so terrifying it could have been the adrenaline sport itself! We took the boat 40km up the river before trekking through the bush to the “Bridge to Nowhere.” A bridge that had been put in place early in the century when they were attempting to cultivate that land for farming, amazingly the last farmers had only left about 20 years previously and already the jungle is remarkably well established. Another movie location I’ve visited is that of “Whale Rider” and the beautiful Maori village Whangara, just north of Gisborne, where I will be attempting to surf “The Pipe” tomorrow-just wait for the email that’ll inspire eh?!
I’ve sailed on a lake larger than Singapore, over 13 volcanic (and active) craters, to visit ancient Maori carvings (er, only to discover that, while they are stunning, there are neither ancient nor Maori! In fact they are partially anti-Maori!! One of the carvings is of a large lizard, an extremely bad omen in Maori culture…so you can imagine the reaction of the locals when they woke up and found that cosying up on their water front!), I’ve visited geothermal water gardens, caves and waterfalls, the natural bridge and it’s muscle fossil lined walls, driven from snowy mountains through desert roads, I’ve cart wheeled along beaches-well I can’t cartwheel so I bullied my cousin into doing it for me (but must confess that when I found myself on a secluded beach side cliff covered in spongy grass the craving over took me again and I couldn’t resist the urge to try. Great idea right, learn to cartwheel on a cliff top!), and spent a glorious 3 weeks catching up with family in the beautiful city of Wellington-and meeting our two newest members! I love Wellington, it is so eclectic, bustling city one minute, beach side the next, huge bird sanctuary the next, mountain top two minutes later, it’s just perfect. On top of this the houses are beautiful wooden Southern American looking cottages and often such bright colours that Vietnam’d be jealous. It is no surprise then that I am seriously considering living here for a year or two…but then I’ve been saying that for a year or two (and it’s REALLY hilly, whole lotta up involved) so we’ll see!
Must dash, busy schedule ahead of surfing, rafting, helicopter rides, the usual!
C x
Saturday, March 24, 2007
And then there was one...
Well, imagine my surprise when this time I blinked and not only was I in another country, but another continent, hurtling through a cave in freezing water and a beautiful wet suit/rubber ring combo...ALONE!!! Well, with out a Libby or a Martin, I wouldn't do it alone, that'd be even stupider than doing it full stop!! That's right folks, I've hit New Zealand, hired me a Lucy (the London Bus...or Red Corolla to some) and stared making my way South, dodging thrill seeking adrenaline sports as I go. (Isn't it great mum, you can do everything here, from horse riding to sky diving and rafting, black OR white water...!!!)
So I last left you on the islands of Thailand, which are just idyllic, indescribably so. We explored the Limes stone outcrops of Krabi, ventured to its neighbouring bays and islands on a long tail boat, fed fish pineapple by hand-which is a surprising and perhaps not very healthy fodder, but great fun non-the-less...especially for Libby, who, though would not hold the pineapple herself was quite happy to laugh at my squealed attempts to do so!
We then reconvened with her parents on Puket. This is by far the most touristy destination we hit, it just buzzes (even more so than Ko Samui, which personally I think has an incredibly unfair rep, it is STUNNING). Our plans to dive were delayed slightly as unfortunately Mr Brodie took a tumble on one of the boats, however we got to see the hospital (far less touristy, but nicer than most hotels! And seamlessly run-shame on the NHS!!) and I got to [practise some of my rescue skills/tea making skills. Luckily he was fine and it just meant we had to endure a week of sunning ourselves at their rather lovely hotel and various stunning beaches-this also involved pampering. Shame.
After this strenuous week a party was clearly called for, but not just any, THE party, the Full Moon Party no less. So it was off the the BEAUTIFUL Ko Samui for the weekend to stay and psych ourselves up. Little did we know this was unnecessary as the SPEED BOAT trip to the party its self (on Ko Pang Nyang) was really rather psyching in its self! Talk about arriving in style. I personally am making a personal pledge that if a party doesn't involve a speed boat from now it, it doesn't involve me (get me)!! The party was best summarised the next day as, "merg...blerg....party.moon .full.(apparently.)buckets ."red bull".men.flesh.
PAINT?!music.speed boat.goood......9am bus back to Puket.baaad...mmmmerg...." and then of course there are the photo's...oh dear...! Despite serving alcohol in nothing but bucket form (yes the very same that should really only be used on this beach for making castles) the atmosphere was just electric. Try and have this party in England, and apart from the cold and rain you'd be dodging copulating couples in every sad dune or worse, bottles and punches launched by over fuelled and over testosteroned folk. Maybe it's the sun sea and holiday spirit but everyone was just there to have a good time, be friendly and...well..paint each other!
Unfortunately, all too soon it was time to recover our livers and say good bye to Thailand, and amazing 6 weeks had gone all to quick, but we had a boy to meet. From 2 to three, we let Martin in our traveller's bubble- but only at the deep end mind, we had Malaysia to cover, and only two weeks to do it in. So the ground was hit and we were RUNNING! We covered an old colonial settlement, complete with horror film esque church, the oldest jungle in the world, two of the most modern cities in the world (Kuala Lumpar and Singapore), tea plantations, beaches, botanical gardens and nature reserves; we journeyed from the top of mountains, to the bottom of the ocean- and even caught our breaths enough to stop for a spot of surrey style slumming, high tea in Kuala Lumpar, dining surrounded by Monitor Lizards at the beach and Singapore Slings, Raffles style, in Singapore! WOW!!
My advice, you can not even begin to do this country in 2 weeks, it is fantastic, beautiful and SOOO eclectic. It is a bit weird though, no one, not even taxi drivers attempts to rip you off, not even slightly.
And then there was one...lill ol me journeying the great big NZ on my little lonesome. Bless me. Wish me luck...
C x
Thailand:
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024590&l=19cbd&id=200901546
and...
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027737&l=575b9&id=200901546
Full Moon Party:
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029494&l=f822d&id=200901546
So I last left you on the islands of Thailand, which are just idyllic, indescribably so. We explored the Limes stone outcrops of Krabi, ventured to its neighbouring bays and islands on a long tail boat, fed fish pineapple by hand-which is a surprising and perhaps not very healthy fodder, but great fun non-the-less...especially for Libby, who, though would not hold the pineapple herself was quite happy to laugh at my squealed attempts to do so!
We then reconvened with her parents on Puket. This is by far the most touristy destination we hit, it just buzzes (even more so than Ko Samui, which personally I think has an incredibly unfair rep, it is STUNNING). Our plans to dive were delayed slightly as unfortunately Mr Brodie took a tumble on one of the boats, however we got to see the hospital (far less touristy, but nicer than most hotels! And seamlessly run-shame on the NHS!!) and I got to [practise some of my rescue skills/tea making skills. Luckily he was fine and it just meant we had to endure a week of sunning ourselves at their rather lovely hotel and various stunning beaches-this also involved pampering. Shame.
After this strenuous week a party was clearly called for, but not just any, THE party, the Full Moon Party no less. So it was off the the BEAUTIFUL Ko Samui for the weekend to stay and psych ourselves up. Little did we know this was unnecessary as the SPEED BOAT trip to the party its self (on Ko Pang Nyang) was really rather psyching in its self! Talk about arriving in style. I personally am making a personal pledge that if a party doesn't involve a speed boat from now it, it doesn't involve me (get me)!! The party was best summarised the next day as, "merg...blerg....party.moon .full.(apparently.)buckets ."red bull".men.flesh.
PAINT?!music.speed boat.goood......9am bus back to Puket.baaad...mmmmerg...." and then of course there are the photo's...oh dear...! Despite serving alcohol in nothing but bucket form (yes the very same that should really only be used on this beach for making castles) the atmosphere was just electric. Try and have this party in England, and apart from the cold and rain you'd be dodging copulating couples in every sad dune or worse, bottles and punches launched by over fuelled and over testosteroned folk. Maybe it's the sun sea and holiday spirit but everyone was just there to have a good time, be friendly and...well..paint each other!
Unfortunately, all too soon it was time to recover our livers and say good bye to Thailand, and amazing 6 weeks had gone all to quick, but we had a boy to meet. From 2 to three, we let Martin in our traveller's bubble- but only at the deep end mind, we had Malaysia to cover, and only two weeks to do it in. So the ground was hit and we were RUNNING! We covered an old colonial settlement, complete with horror film esque church, the oldest jungle in the world, two of the most modern cities in the world (Kuala Lumpar and Singapore), tea plantations, beaches, botanical gardens and nature reserves; we journeyed from the top of mountains, to the bottom of the ocean- and even caught our breaths enough to stop for a spot of surrey style slumming, high tea in Kuala Lumpar, dining surrounded by Monitor Lizards at the beach and Singapore Slings, Raffles style, in Singapore! WOW!!
My advice, you can not even begin to do this country in 2 weeks, it is fantastic, beautiful and SOOO eclectic. It is a bit weird though, no one, not even taxi drivers attempts to rip you off, not even slightly.
And then there was one...lill ol me journeying the great big NZ on my little lonesome. Bless me. Wish me luck...
C x
Thailand:
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024590&l=19cbd&id=200901546
and...
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027737&l=575b9&id=200901546
Full Moon Party:
http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029494&l=f822d&id=200901546
Friday, March 23, 2007
34 days and another country down...
Well, it has come to my attention that...I'm in a different country!! So perhaps you'd all like to know what happened in Thailand? Well so would I, we seem to have fallen into some sort of Thai time wharp, hence being so incommunicado for quite so long (sorry!!). Rather disappointingly, it all FLEW by, but I'll try and fill you in....
If there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing, than there's probably about twice as many scooters in Hanoi, these all seem to have met in Bangkok (to avoid the 30 million potholes in Cambodia), along with the rainbow taxi fleet to create a rush 24 hour system...but this is all irrelevant as Libby and I have discovered what really is, truly, the only way to travel- Angelina style, of course- SPEED BOATS! Speed boats everywhere I tell you people, yes we've been roughing it again haven't we...
It may surprise you all to read the that, actually since day 101, we've upped the anti and done A LOT more than lady boy spot (or not) and beach bumming; we've been to 4 different countries, studied for 3 differing qualifications, travelled from the Northern most point in Thailand right down to 5 of its most southerly islands, via a surprisingly exciting and informative pineapple farm and a big gold guy, reunited with 7 family members- as well a squeezing in a full moon party and being flashed, fed, saving a few people and spending a day in hospital. Told you there was a time warp!
Once we'd thawed out enough after our hill top excursion we headed to the very north of Thailand where we made a very show biz dash to the Northern most point of Thailand to make a border crossing (into where we never quite worked out, well if you will keep changing the names of places and then turning border "towns" into huge non descript malls it gets hard to keep track) to extend our visa's, but not before discovering a whole new, and exciting no less, side to the wonder that is...PINEAPPLES!
That's right folks these babies are responsible for the production of everything, from whiskey and wine (teeth curling discovery to make at 9am...before meeting border sec-hic-urity), to jam and sweets and even paper goods- book marks,books, bags and even photo frames. Not a fruit to be scoffed at...just scoffed (cue comic drum roll) and after we'd had quite enough of that, and were starting to resemble the things, it was off to the Golden Triangle. This is the rather glitzy way the Thai's chose to pay homage to their queen on her 70th birthday, and by all accounts she's not the shy retiring type. The golden triangle is actually where the Thai, Laos and Myanmar borders meet, intersected by a river. Not to be ostentatious, the Thai's decided that, running the risk of being out done by the other's palm trees and lush vegetation, what they needed was gold, and lots of it. The Thai's corner consists of a huge gold Buddha, with various shrines and effigies at his feet, which are actually rather beautiful. the Buddhists worship here, mostly the god who rules their day of birth, and in homage they place fleck of gold and silver leaf on the statues...yes its all very sparkly yes that's why I liked it (it was not pink though so I'm making progress)! The Buddha himself was perhaps a bit much, but for a little light relief round the corner were two sets of three huge gold and mosaic bollards, separated by suitably adorned elephant statues. Happy birthday to the Queen!!! (she was only 70...wait till the king hit's 80 this year.......)
Done with the north and the border dash (stress of which obviously needed alleviating with
a(nother) pampering sesh) we headed back to Bangkok to stay with my cousin's again and await the arrival of...the notorious...my Mammabear!!!!!!! Needless to say I was a wee bit excited. We all had a lovely weekend, catching up and relaxing, and eating...god there was eating (do you like how I said that like it was a strain?!) We visited two of Bangkok's top ten eateries, one of which was crepe based...very Thai! Obviously the strain of a weekend with me after so much bliss full peace meant mum had to go straight to a spa to recuperate whilst we made our first assult on the islands.
Ko Tao. A beautiful island, where the waters are so calm and crystal clear that from a distance it is hard to tell where the beach ends and the sea starts. Needless to say a lot of diving was to be done on this island. In fact can we please take a moment to congratulate Libby for here new status as an PADI Open Water Diver, and mine as PADI EFR and Rescue Diver!! Oooohh ahhhh get us!!! Unfortunately my course, having been condensed into half the time for me, required a little more work than would've been nice. But I have it on good authority (well Libby told me, after I collapsed on her lap in the middle of the local restaurant in a tired snivelling heap, much to the dismay of the friends she was eating with. One was so frightened by the dribbling mass before him that he went in to raptures about what beautiful eyes I had...all the while backing away slowly!) that there was amazing nightlife to be had here as well, alas I stuck to the diving. It was actually amazing, the most exhilarating and TIRING experience of my life, our aim being to learn how to lug people, or more specifically tall and stacked men, from the bottom of the ocean, to the top and back on the boat again. This involved a day of "Scenarios"...or the reason for the grand entry I told you about. Seriously those dive masters are clumsy, one by one nearly every one on the PACKED boat drowned, ran out of air and passed out at the bottom of the sea, fell down the boat stairs or in fact off the boat into a panic.
After this I needed the spa break, but back to Bangkok for more reunions and food had to suffice. Our fair well dinner with my Mother was at the little expected Cabbages and Condoms restaurant, which is actually a beautiful place (if you ignore the condom clad, well everything around you-cant describe it, check out the photos) where the food is "guaranteed not to cause pregnancy," but tastes so bloody good you might not mind if it had! All the proceeds go towards helping and educating people suffering with or affected by HIV and other STD's and generally encouraging and aiding safe sex. Made for an interesting night, certainly an unforgettable farewell, with rather more blushes than the norm! As if like clock work Libby's parents arrived the nest day so she spent a few days catching up with them, while I went baby mad and hogged my two cousins...any excuse to get back into a soft play room! Actually I had some very educational experiences visiting the science museum and the aquarium!
But that was enough of the land lubbering for us, so as the Brodies prepared to fly to their luxury accommodation in Puket we prepared to bus it there, via Krabi. But I'll let you all rest up a bit, grab a cuppa and leave you in suspense briefly before telling you about that...
Enjoy the break there's LOTS more to come...
If there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing, than there's probably about twice as many scooters in Hanoi, these all seem to have met in Bangkok (to avoid the 30 million potholes in Cambodia), along with the rainbow taxi fleet to create a rush 24 hour system...but this is all irrelevant as Libby and I have discovered what really is, truly, the only way to travel- Angelina style, of course- SPEED BOATS! Speed boats everywhere I tell you people, yes we've been roughing it again haven't we...
It may surprise you all to read the that, actually since day 101, we've upped the anti and done A LOT more than lady boy spot (or not) and beach bumming; we've been to 4 different countries, studied for 3 differing qualifications, travelled from the Northern most point in Thailand right down to 5 of its most southerly islands, via a surprisingly exciting and informative pineapple farm and a big gold guy, reunited with 7 family members- as well a squeezing in a full moon party and being flashed, fed, saving a few people and spending a day in hospital. Told you there was a time warp!
Once we'd thawed out enough after our hill top excursion we headed to the very north of Thailand where we made a very show biz dash to the Northern most point of Thailand to make a border crossing (into where we never quite worked out, well if you will keep changing the names of places and then turning border "towns" into huge non descript malls it gets hard to keep track) to extend our visa's, but not before discovering a whole new, and exciting no less, side to the wonder that is...PINEAPPLES!
That's right folks these babies are responsible for the production of everything, from whiskey and wine (teeth curling discovery to make at 9am...before meeting border sec-hic-urity), to jam and sweets and even paper goods- book marks,books, bags and even photo frames. Not a fruit to be scoffed at...just scoffed (cue comic drum roll) and after we'd had quite enough of that, and were starting to resemble the things, it was off to the Golden Triangle. This is the rather glitzy way the Thai's chose to pay homage to their queen on her 70th birthday, and by all accounts she's not the shy retiring type. The golden triangle is actually where the Thai, Laos and Myanmar borders meet, intersected by a river. Not to be ostentatious, the Thai's decided that, running the risk of being out done by the other's palm trees and lush vegetation, what they needed was gold, and lots of it. The Thai's corner consists of a huge gold Buddha, with various shrines and effigies at his feet, which are actually rather beautiful. the Buddhists worship here, mostly the god who rules their day of birth, and in homage they place fleck of gold and silver leaf on the statues...yes its all very sparkly yes that's why I liked it (it was not pink though so I'm making progress)! The Buddha himself was perhaps a bit much, but for a little light relief round the corner were two sets of three huge gold and mosaic bollards, separated by suitably adorned elephant statues. Happy birthday to the Queen!!! (she was only 70...wait till the king hit's 80 this year.......)
Done with the north and the border dash (stress of which obviously needed alleviating with
a(nother) pampering sesh) we headed back to Bangkok to stay with my cousin's again and await the arrival of...the notorious...my Mammabear!!!!!!! Needless to say I was a wee bit excited. We all had a lovely weekend, catching up and relaxing, and eating...god there was eating (do you like how I said that like it was a strain?!) We visited two of Bangkok's top ten eateries, one of which was crepe based...very Thai! Obviously the strain of a weekend with me after so much bliss full peace meant mum had to go straight to a spa to recuperate whilst we made our first assult on the islands.
Ko Tao. A beautiful island, where the waters are so calm and crystal clear that from a distance it is hard to tell where the beach ends and the sea starts. Needless to say a lot of diving was to be done on this island. In fact can we please take a moment to congratulate Libby for here new status as an PADI Open Water Diver, and mine as PADI EFR and Rescue Diver!! Oooohh ahhhh get us!!! Unfortunately my course, having been condensed into half the time for me, required a little more work than would've been nice. But I have it on good authority (well Libby told me, after I collapsed on her lap in the middle of the local restaurant in a tired snivelling heap, much to the dismay of the friends she was eating with. One was so frightened by the dribbling mass before him that he went in to raptures about what beautiful eyes I had...all the while backing away slowly!) that there was amazing nightlife to be had here as well, alas I stuck to the diving. It was actually amazing, the most exhilarating and TIRING experience of my life, our aim being to learn how to lug people, or more specifically tall and stacked men, from the bottom of the ocean, to the top and back on the boat again. This involved a day of "Scenarios"...or the reason for the grand entry I told you about. Seriously those dive masters are clumsy, one by one nearly every one on the PACKED boat drowned, ran out of air and passed out at the bottom of the sea, fell down the boat stairs or in fact off the boat into a panic.
After this I needed the spa break, but back to Bangkok for more reunions and food had to suffice. Our fair well dinner with my Mother was at the little expected Cabbages and Condoms restaurant, which is actually a beautiful place (if you ignore the condom clad, well everything around you-cant describe it, check out the photos) where the food is "guaranteed not to cause pregnancy," but tastes so bloody good you might not mind if it had! All the proceeds go towards helping and educating people suffering with or affected by HIV and other STD's and generally encouraging and aiding safe sex. Made for an interesting night, certainly an unforgettable farewell, with rather more blushes than the norm! As if like clock work Libby's parents arrived the nest day so she spent a few days catching up with them, while I went baby mad and hogged my two cousins...any excuse to get back into a soft play room! Actually I had some very educational experiences visiting the science museum and the aquarium!
But that was enough of the land lubbering for us, so as the Brodies prepared to fly to their luxury accommodation in Puket we prepared to bus it there, via Krabi. But I'll let you all rest up a bit, grab a cuppa and leave you in suspense briefly before telling you about that...
Enjoy the break there's LOTS more to come...
Sunday, February 04, 2007
100 days spent wandering the world
Well well well, who'd have thunk it, I have now, OFFICIALLY survived 100 days of travelling. 100 days of sun, sea, sand and...erm...well sex changes apparently! That's right, what better way to celebrate your 100th day travelling with you're best friend than to go see a nice cultural show...it just so happened the idea got even better when the agent said, with a sly grin (like she though the Surrey Gals couldn't handle it), "You know, Thai cabaret, they the Lady-boy?"
Well no actually we did not...but now we do...god we wanna be one!! Seriously, if I could, I'd slip through that net in a second; for the costumes, the music, the jazz hands...and the surgeons. No not like THAT (all though despite being in the front row, even my biology a-level couldn't help me work this one out), these people are just BEAUTIFUL, best figures you'd ever clap your eyes on- the whole thing was actually thoroughly depressing. Yes, yes that's right, I never though I'd admit it, but not only was I, but also my undying love of all things pink and or sparkly, were well and truly upstaged by this group of men. I'm just glad we bothered to put make up on...especially when, me and my big jinxing mouth struck again, and I had us briefly mistaken for the opening act. Easily done....?
Not sure if you'll have guessed but we have, by now, ridden the bamboo train (literally) out of Cambodia and arrived in Thailand!!! It seems we were caught in a brief time warp of being lost in Bangkok, or should I say more specifically one road of it (the shops, the clothes, the accessories-the chance to branch out in my hair experimentation...I say we start a "Braid the Brodie" campaign) for about a week- it was fabulous!
Course, being intrepid TRAVELLERS and not wanting to miss out, we did go crazy and venture to two entirely different streets on two entirely different occasions (I know). Once was a very lovely night, if slightly bizarre, visiting my cousins in their new abode- bizarre only as it is about as far removed from the sleepy Teddington Street I last saw them in as it could be. We went for a very nice meal, complete with an ACTUAL cultural show by the table and ever so slightly more traditional dancing. The second occasion, though now perhaps equally as part of the culture...was...somewhat less...erm...lovely.
That's right, we hit Ping Pong alley! Now those of you keeping up to speed with London's Olympic preparations may well be aware that Thailand is not actually renowned for their love of, or skills in, the game, so much so in fact that they've invented a whole new way of playing it. Mmm-humm, that's right, pussy ping pong. "Super Pussy Does Ping Pong," a neon sign I never expected to see. Super pussy also did whistle and candle blowing, coke-a-cola drinking and pouring, bottle opening, smoking and general...storage...? Its amazing what you can find up there if you're not careful, ribbon (meters of it), fruit, a little alarmingly strings of razors and (even more alarmingly when they fly so close to you're leg that Libby thinks you've been struck) balloon popping darts. The thing with it all was that it was as far removed from a sex show as I could possibly imagine anything being. Thankfully, not at all the seedy den of exploitation and horrid sweaty sex tourists I imagined, but more just a bit of a giggle- for everyone involved. And what better to do after a night of Super Pussies, then to go mooch around a designer market and then dance the night away...apparently with a terribly famous ex-Footballer no less!!
After Bangkok we ran for the hills, with such great gusto we ended up breaking into a hotel for the night. Action Angelina's strike again...To be fair it was 5 am, freezing, we did try our best to wake "security" before leaving a confessional note of our key steal-sorry BORROWING crimes. Turns out the reason we couldn't wake "security" and the reason we are not fugitives, is that he was drunk and passed out (on duty), so really we are ALL lucky the situation didn't occur with some one else, some one with less of a sense of humour/guilt! Things rather calmed down after that as we headed out into the hills for three days of rafting (not quite white water due to lack, of, erm, well, water!!), walking, swimming (IE: jumping in, squealing at the cold, clambering out) in the biggest waterfall in Thailand and elephant riding.
We spent the first night camping out and woke to the sound of Gibbon's call and the second night in a bamboo hut in a village, sung to sleep by the wild elephants in the hills. (It was at this point Libby realised she was no longer in England. Bless her, all over that ball...maybe going blonde wouldn't be such a bad idea after all). Just, well, being in Thailand (though we were in the hills and had been warned it did get "a little chilly" at night) we weren't quite expecting it to get cold. Really REALLY cold. Like, I've done a sleep out, in January, at the English sea side when its being battered by Russian winds and that was POSITIVELY BALMY in comparison type cold. BBBBRRRRRR. Still it was an amazing experience and really reaffirmed why we are best friends, still, despite our lives taking very different turns...who else can you wake up next to, shivering, at 5am, in the dark, needing the spider infested loo, and still find it enjoyable, funny even- slightly hysteria inducing actually! We had some amazing chats and did a lot of planning of all the adventures we're in for when we stumble home (eventually) and are now very excited. So a 100% awe inspiring few days then really.
And now here we are, day 101 and still loving every last one of them! Besides which THEY HAVE REAL ICE CREAM HERE!!!!
C x
Well no actually we did not...but now we do...god we wanna be one!! Seriously, if I could, I'd slip through that net in a second; for the costumes, the music, the jazz hands...and the surgeons. No not like THAT (all though despite being in the front row, even my biology a-level couldn't help me work this one out), these people are just BEAUTIFUL, best figures you'd ever clap your eyes on- the whole thing was actually thoroughly depressing. Yes, yes that's right, I never though I'd admit it, but not only was I, but also my undying love of all things pink and or sparkly, were well and truly upstaged by this group of men. I'm just glad we bothered to put make up on...especially when, me and my big jinxing mouth struck again, and I had us briefly mistaken for the opening act. Easily done....?
Not sure if you'll have guessed but we have, by now, ridden the bamboo train (literally) out of Cambodia and arrived in Thailand!!! It seems we were caught in a brief time warp of being lost in Bangkok, or should I say more specifically one road of it (the shops, the clothes, the accessories-the chance to branch out in my hair experimentation...I say we start a "Braid the Brodie" campaign) for about a week- it was fabulous!
Course, being intrepid TRAVELLERS and not wanting to miss out, we did go crazy and venture to two entirely different streets on two entirely different occasions (I know). Once was a very lovely night, if slightly bizarre, visiting my cousins in their new abode- bizarre only as it is about as far removed from the sleepy Teddington Street I last saw them in as it could be. We went for a very nice meal, complete with an ACTUAL cultural show by the table and ever so slightly more traditional dancing. The second occasion, though now perhaps equally as part of the culture...was...somewhat less...erm...lovely.
That's right, we hit Ping Pong alley! Now those of you keeping up to speed with London's Olympic preparations may well be aware that Thailand is not actually renowned for their love of, or skills in, the game, so much so in fact that they've invented a whole new way of playing it. Mmm-humm, that's right, pussy ping pong. "Super Pussy Does Ping Pong," a neon sign I never expected to see. Super pussy also did whistle and candle blowing, coke-a-cola drinking and pouring, bottle opening, smoking and general...storage...? Its amazing what you can find up there if you're not careful, ribbon (meters of it), fruit, a little alarmingly strings of razors and (even more alarmingly when they fly so close to you're leg that Libby thinks you've been struck) balloon popping darts. The thing with it all was that it was as far removed from a sex show as I could possibly imagine anything being. Thankfully, not at all the seedy den of exploitation and horrid sweaty sex tourists I imagined, but more just a bit of a giggle- for everyone involved. And what better to do after a night of Super Pussies, then to go mooch around a designer market and then dance the night away...apparently with a terribly famous ex-Footballer no less!!
After Bangkok we ran for the hills, with such great gusto we ended up breaking into a hotel for the night. Action Angelina's strike again...To be fair it was 5 am, freezing, we did try our best to wake "security" before leaving a confessional note of our key steal-sorry BORROWING crimes. Turns out the reason we couldn't wake "security" and the reason we are not fugitives, is that he was drunk and passed out (on duty), so really we are ALL lucky the situation didn't occur with some one else, some one with less of a sense of humour/guilt! Things rather calmed down after that as we headed out into the hills for three days of rafting (not quite white water due to lack, of, erm, well, water!!), walking, swimming (IE: jumping in, squealing at the cold, clambering out) in the biggest waterfall in Thailand and elephant riding.
We spent the first night camping out and woke to the sound of Gibbon's call and the second night in a bamboo hut in a village, sung to sleep by the wild elephants in the hills. (It was at this point Libby realised she was no longer in England. Bless her, all over that ball...maybe going blonde wouldn't be such a bad idea after all). Just, well, being in Thailand (though we were in the hills and had been warned it did get "a little chilly" at night) we weren't quite expecting it to get cold. Really REALLY cold. Like, I've done a sleep out, in January, at the English sea side when its being battered by Russian winds and that was POSITIVELY BALMY in comparison type cold. BBBBRRRRRR. Still it was an amazing experience and really reaffirmed why we are best friends, still, despite our lives taking very different turns...who else can you wake up next to, shivering, at 5am, in the dark, needing the spider infested loo, and still find it enjoyable, funny even- slightly hysteria inducing actually! We had some amazing chats and did a lot of planning of all the adventures we're in for when we stumble home (eventually) and are now very excited. So a 100% awe inspiring few days then really.
And now here we are, day 101 and still loving every last one of them! Besides which THEY HAVE REAL ICE CREAM HERE!!!!
C x
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Geeks anonymous
By the way, for those of you who are so worried that we spend WAYY too much time on here...yes we do.
However it is a great & cheap way to relax and kill and hour after a hard day's blowing the budget doing amazing things, and as our only way of keeping in touch with home (IE: bragging a lot to you all) it is not at all geeky or pathetic (just slightly addictive) so please keep up with your stories, even if you are insistant they pale in comparison, any news from home is still much welcome- tell me about the weather for god's sake...and who was xmas number one!!???!!
It's nice to have a peek at the real world every so often, if only to induce a smug smile because I'm not there!!!
However it is a great & cheap way to relax and kill and hour after a hard day's blowing the budget doing amazing things, and as our only way of keeping in touch with home (IE: bragging a lot to you all) it is not at all geeky or pathetic (just slightly addictive) so please keep up with your stories, even if you are insistant they pale in comparison, any news from home is still much welcome- tell me about the weather for god's sake...and who was xmas number one!!???!!
It's nice to have a peek at the real world every so often, if only to induce a smug smile because I'm not there!!!
A nut shell of Cambodia...and fleas
As I sit here, trying not to scratch my (what I can only assume are...beautifully attractive...) Cambodia elephant flea bites (told you, hot stuff huh?), trying to sleep in this oppressive heat, in a shared bed with towels as bedding, I briefly ponder having a cold shower (through a mixture of choice...and non existent hot water...but that can only be done when sitting on the toilet anyway, besides which I'm sure I just heard something scuttle across the floor)...but instead have to ask myself...
Will they count THIS as roughing it yet?!?
Ah yes Cambodia we have arrived!! This place, though I'm afraid to say I think out done by Vietnam-apart from generally having far less litter, is beautiful. Landscapes are a strange mix of green jungles and arid fields, almost African in appearance, though I gather during wet season it all resembles Wales. Now there's a random comparison if ever I heard one!! The people are BEAUTIFUL, though features have been steadily softening the further south we've travelled from China, both men and women, and ESPECIALLY the children are stunning here, and always smiling and keen to wave at and play for passing buses/ferries.
Hoping for some chill out time after our scramble from Vietnam we headed straight for the southern beaches. Chill out time is certainly what we found. The highlights of our first stop, which comprised a "city" of 2 roads and nothing but guesthouses, were a pig swimming in the sea and a dog which followed us on our exploration..of the two roads..and was subsequently christened Sandy (think "Annie!"). We didn't stay long.
The big attraction at our next stop actually admitted to being a ghost town. They were certainly more truthful with this description than that of the previous "city." It was terrifying!!! Driving up dirt and bolder wridden track claiming to be a road, dodging signs warning the presence of land mines, tales of tigers, snakes and spiders, and the sheer drop back down the mountain we found the Black Place and Bokor Hill station. Sounds nice huh? It wasn't, it was terrifying- not helped by the sound effects following us as we trekked (CAREFULLY...but speedily) through the jungle (does anyone know what a sicadder actually is/looks like?). The whole area had been occupied by the Khmer Rouge, hence the mines, and this was evident immediately. A grandiose french colonial style castle, hotel and casino had been reduced to burnt out relics, pierced with bullet holes and over grown by moss. A cathedral, in the same state, stood ominous and in shadow upon the hill over looking the scene. Despite the possibility of an over night stay we, again, didn't stay long!
After a brief recuperation from my trauma (Libby'd loved it...probably my reaction more than the place its self!) at the beach we'd been hunting all week for, we headed off to the hills where we found dust and elephants and waterfalls (non of which I fell off!!). We went on the most atmospheric elephant trek through the jungle, which again was intermixed with African scenes; the remoteness of the region was just breathtaking. Despite leaving from the province's capital, we'd see nothing for hours then happen across a small shack, complete with smiling and waving children, or some one washing their clothes and their children in the river...of course it was mine and Libby's graceful beast who chose to..er...relieve himself on this poignant scene...at my big all jinxing mouth's command actually. Ooop's. Once we'd got off the poor animals' back, I must say they are some of the most beautiful and elegant, graceful creatures I've ever seen.
After a day, a night, and a happy pizza in Phnon Penh we set off for the temples of Angkor Wat. Wow. Just wow, I don't even know how to begin to describe the feeling clambering through the dark to see something we had no idea of the shape or size, position or sheer magnitude of, then seeing it slowly revealed as the sun rose. Or exploring all the hidden crevices of a temple so deeply entrenched in the jungle that trees were growing over, on, in and even through it. Great roots smashing through the boulders, strong trunks stretching seemingly through to reach the sky...and Libby and I doing our BEST Lara Croft impressions through out. Just magical!
And that my dears was Cambodia. Beautiful, relaxed and so very friendly, all intermixed with a lot of action that I think Bridgette Jones could learn a thing or two from... not to be out done by the joys of my attack, it seems (IN MY ABSENCE) my house has become flea infested, my dog rather ill, myself single and my ex engaged.
Bugger.
They don't even have decent ice cream here. So cruel. Still, in true Bridge style we're off to Thailand next, where I hear the standard of travelling male specie, not to mention their parties, is second to non... though I do not intend to follow in her foot steps all the way to jail!!
Still waiting to hear who was Christmas number one....
Miss me
C x
Will they count THIS as roughing it yet?!?
Ah yes Cambodia we have arrived!! This place, though I'm afraid to say I think out done by Vietnam-apart from generally having far less litter, is beautiful. Landscapes are a strange mix of green jungles and arid fields, almost African in appearance, though I gather during wet season it all resembles Wales. Now there's a random comparison if ever I heard one!! The people are BEAUTIFUL, though features have been steadily softening the further south we've travelled from China, both men and women, and ESPECIALLY the children are stunning here, and always smiling and keen to wave at and play for passing buses/ferries.
Hoping for some chill out time after our scramble from Vietnam we headed straight for the southern beaches. Chill out time is certainly what we found. The highlights of our first stop, which comprised a "city" of 2 roads and nothing but guesthouses, were a pig swimming in the sea and a dog which followed us on our exploration..of the two roads..and was subsequently christened Sandy (think "Annie!"). We didn't stay long.
The big attraction at our next stop actually admitted to being a ghost town. They were certainly more truthful with this description than that of the previous "city." It was terrifying!!! Driving up dirt and bolder wridden track claiming to be a road, dodging signs warning the presence of land mines, tales of tigers, snakes and spiders, and the sheer drop back down the mountain we found the Black Place and Bokor Hill station. Sounds nice huh? It wasn't, it was terrifying- not helped by the sound effects following us as we trekked (CAREFULLY...but speedily) through the jungle (does anyone know what a sicadder actually is/looks like?). The whole area had been occupied by the Khmer Rouge, hence the mines, and this was evident immediately. A grandiose french colonial style castle, hotel and casino had been reduced to burnt out relics, pierced with bullet holes and over grown by moss. A cathedral, in the same state, stood ominous and in shadow upon the hill over looking the scene. Despite the possibility of an over night stay we, again, didn't stay long!
After a brief recuperation from my trauma (Libby'd loved it...probably my reaction more than the place its self!) at the beach we'd been hunting all week for, we headed off to the hills where we found dust and elephants and waterfalls (non of which I fell off!!). We went on the most atmospheric elephant trek through the jungle, which again was intermixed with African scenes; the remoteness of the region was just breathtaking. Despite leaving from the province's capital, we'd see nothing for hours then happen across a small shack, complete with smiling and waving children, or some one washing their clothes and their children in the river...of course it was mine and Libby's graceful beast who chose to..er...relieve himself on this poignant scene...at my big all jinxing mouth's command actually. Ooop's. Once we'd got off the poor animals' back, I must say they are some of the most beautiful and elegant, graceful creatures I've ever seen.
After a day, a night, and a happy pizza in Phnon Penh we set off for the temples of Angkor Wat. Wow. Just wow, I don't even know how to begin to describe the feeling clambering through the dark to see something we had no idea of the shape or size, position or sheer magnitude of, then seeing it slowly revealed as the sun rose. Or exploring all the hidden crevices of a temple so deeply entrenched in the jungle that trees were growing over, on, in and even through it. Great roots smashing through the boulders, strong trunks stretching seemingly through to reach the sky...and Libby and I doing our BEST Lara Croft impressions through out. Just magical!
And that my dears was Cambodia. Beautiful, relaxed and so very friendly, all intermixed with a lot of action that I think Bridgette Jones could learn a thing or two from... not to be out done by the joys of my attack, it seems (IN MY ABSENCE) my house has become flea infested, my dog rather ill, myself single and my ex engaged.
Bugger.
They don't even have decent ice cream here. So cruel. Still, in true Bridge style we're off to Thailand next, where I hear the standard of travelling male specie, not to mention their parties, is second to non... though I do not intend to follow in her foot steps all the way to jail!!
Still waiting to hear who was Christmas number one....
Miss me
C x
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Ending Vietnam on a somber note
Well I have to say not only did we make it out of the country, but in a FAR more preferable manner than we arrived; in that it didn't so much involve violence this time, but boats, drinks, firemen and dancing!! All in all a good day, and night, spent arriving in Cambodia!
I didn't really do Vietnam much justice in my last garbled attempt at an email, I missed SOO much out, but then it is a country of many wonders and a lot of beauty so it would be impossible to describe it all to you, or even hope to do it justice. One thing though I can not neglect to mention, but I didn't feel went very well with accounts of glitter encrusted nights out, was our trip to the war museum that day.
What a poignant and symbolic way to end the year. This was one of the most harrowing places I have ever been to and I highly implore ANYONE who gets the opportunity to go. It is the Vietnamese account of the War of Reunification, as they refer to it now. Divided into 8 sections detailing everything from examples of weaponry used to photos of their effects, photographer's accounts of the war and their photos, anti-war campaigner's views and how the peoples have gone from strength to strength since. The only problem was we just didn't have the time to take it all in properly and do it justice. There were a lot of incredibly moving imagery and stories, from both sides.
But, in ignorance I have to ask, how and why it was allowed to happen. If anyone does have any information about the war I am so interested to research it properly. It wasn't warfare in my mind it was sick, depraved calculated genocide. Churches, schools and hospitals were specifically targeted, and not by bombs, by devastating chemicals which still have mammoth effects today. How could hatred for this country, which up until this point USA had had little to do with, have grown so deep that its citizen's were no longer human beings, but insects and rodents to be stamped out. Their homes and lively hoods and very environments attacked on as basic a level as they themselves were. Children and heir grandparents found cowering were not killed, but dragged out of their hiding places and gutted, there are images which look almost jungle like in the animalistic nature with which the GI, in all his armour and weapons was chasing down a small frail, barely clothed man, like a hungry lion and a starved gazelle. As was pointed out by a US soldier, many of his colleagues seemed to relish the job of tracking down and eradicating the "problem," as opposed to relishing t6he prospect of getting the job done and home to their families.
Why is it that even now, those soldiers who had a hand in loading and using the chemicals are being compensated, whilst there has not even been any official recognition, never mid apology/compensation to the Vietnamese of the heinous crimes that were done against them. Why was such weaponry allowed to be developed in the first place, and what sick person, or organisation could possibly have devised it all?
And why, oh why is this not taught in schools. Why is Hitler, who had, having seen this place, no where near on the same scale of cold hearted, malicious, calculated and devastating methodologies or ideas so vilified (obviously I am not disparaging the hideous things the Jews etc went through at all), while there is film after film made about "Nam" absolutely glorifying it?
I can not even being to describe the things we saw, but I have never been so touched or so moved by a museum, and so deter mind to see in a new year with out there ever being the possibilities of such monstrosities reoccurring. I fear though in this terror/hate state we live in, that maybe wishful thinking.
Anyway, please excuse my little outburst there, atop my soap box. But if you have any thoughts or pearls of wisdom on the matter, do impart them, please.
I didn't really do Vietnam much justice in my last garbled attempt at an email, I missed SOO much out, but then it is a country of many wonders and a lot of beauty so it would be impossible to describe it all to you, or even hope to do it justice. One thing though I can not neglect to mention, but I didn't feel went very well with accounts of glitter encrusted nights out, was our trip to the war museum that day.
What a poignant and symbolic way to end the year. This was one of the most harrowing places I have ever been to and I highly implore ANYONE who gets the opportunity to go. It is the Vietnamese account of the War of Reunification, as they refer to it now. Divided into 8 sections detailing everything from examples of weaponry used to photos of their effects, photographer's accounts of the war and their photos, anti-war campaigner's views and how the peoples have gone from strength to strength since. The only problem was we just didn't have the time to take it all in properly and do it justice. There were a lot of incredibly moving imagery and stories, from both sides.
But, in ignorance I have to ask, how and why it was allowed to happen. If anyone does have any information about the war I am so interested to research it properly. It wasn't warfare in my mind it was sick, depraved calculated genocide. Churches, schools and hospitals were specifically targeted, and not by bombs, by devastating chemicals which still have mammoth effects today. How could hatred for this country, which up until this point USA had had little to do with, have grown so deep that its citizen's were no longer human beings, but insects and rodents to be stamped out. Their homes and lively hoods and very environments attacked on as basic a level as they themselves were. Children and heir grandparents found cowering were not killed, but dragged out of their hiding places and gutted, there are images which look almost jungle like in the animalistic nature with which the GI, in all his armour and weapons was chasing down a small frail, barely clothed man, like a hungry lion and a starved gazelle. As was pointed out by a US soldier, many of his colleagues seemed to relish the job of tracking down and eradicating the "problem," as opposed to relishing t6he prospect of getting the job done and home to their families.
Why is it that even now, those soldiers who had a hand in loading and using the chemicals are being compensated, whilst there has not even been any official recognition, never mid apology/compensation to the Vietnamese of the heinous crimes that were done against them. Why was such weaponry allowed to be developed in the first place, and what sick person, or organisation could possibly have devised it all?
And why, oh why is this not taught in schools. Why is Hitler, who had, having seen this place, no where near on the same scale of cold hearted, malicious, calculated and devastating methodologies or ideas so vilified (obviously I am not disparaging the hideous things the Jews etc went through at all), while there is film after film made about "Nam" absolutely glorifying it?
I can not even being to describe the things we saw, but I have never been so touched or so moved by a museum, and so deter mind to see in a new year with out there ever being the possibilities of such monstrosities reoccurring. I fear though in this terror/hate state we live in, that maybe wishful thinking.
Anyway, please excuse my little outburst there, atop my soap box. But if you have any thoughts or pearls of wisdom on the matter, do impart them, please.
The heat is on in Saigon (or Ho Chi Mhin City, depending on who you're talking to)
Well well well where to start, where did I even finish last time-LAST YEAR!?! ...Mmm that then is as good a place to start as any....
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
Can't wait to hear all your stories of what, where, when you all did, and of course who with!!
I don't really know how to describe our night...all of it..till dawn...(BLERG) but...
I know it started well, thanks to a little lady called Lady Eden..of the free cocktail variety, and a street party held by Miss Saigon.
I know it ended well, as we woke in a room full of glitter, most of it plastered to our bodies (its worse than sand I tell you, gets EVERYWHERE!!!), strange hats (one alarmingly claiming we'd been to Havana...?!?!) and wrappings looking suspiciously kebab-like. To confirm these sightings I stumbled bleary eyed to the camera for a memory inducing inspection. The reason for the aching body and feet soon became apparent....seemed I had plummeted right down that slippery slope of drink induced stupid dances, I hope my victim, for of course I had to drag someone down with me, was aware that this (silly dancing) was my aim (mmm of course, normally I'm all stylish like!), and not just some warped pulling style.
Oh god, the head ache got worse.
But was soon fixed by a day well spent in Saigon (or Ho Chi Mhin City, depending on who you talk to) watching trashy chick flicks and eating trashier food!! Nothing like starting the year as you mean to go on....
Now my memory of events prior to this are somewhat more coherent...funnily enough...I have managed to fall over in some quite spectacular ways, including off a motorbike and a waterfall- not at the same time I'm afraid, I know that would've been far more impressive...but still I'm sure most of you kind hearted folk out there are having a good old chuckle at the imagery non the less...would you like to add to that a combined total of about 3 days since spent on the bumpiest most uncomfortable, tear jerking buses ever...now I bet you're laughing!
Against all odds I've had some pretty cool, not too bruised times as well- in fact some of them were positively suave I tell you; such as the 3 (...maybe 4, it was all a rather wonderful haze) days we spent in a town call Hoi An, having nearly a whole new wardrobe hand tailored out of silk. It is quite a step up from the Primark I'm renowned for I think you'll agree, though the prices are pretty much the same!!
Then there was the exceedingly tough Christmas spent in the lap of luxury C/O Darragh...and (because I'm a glutton for punishment and couldn't bear to leave on our last night in the area) me!! Darragh is proof that Santa still exists, in fact he is the very man, as Libby's Christmas present he put us up in a beautiful luxury resort for 2 nights over Christmas. Simple but effective idea and very brownie point earning we loved it! Santa even found us there as at our..erm...gala dinner (the hotel called it that not us OK?!) I won a facial and a manicure at the hotel spa! Cue 3 rather gluttonous days spent by the pool- or beach (oh the difficult decisions with which we are faced in life), eating, drinking and being excessively pampered! Heaven. Then back on the traveller bus with a bang...I'm sure they looked at us funny when we clambered on from our 5 star hotel... Surrey strikes again!!
Actually I have been asked if we have actually roughed it yet, and it is rather shamefully that I must confess that, well....
GOD NO
We haven't!!! Well with rooms averaging out at the princely sum of US$4 a night each tending to be quite nice, there's been no need. or occasion to. We have, on occasion, been kind enough to share such accommodation with rats, fleas, bed bugs and rather too homely smells- sometimes probably even a combination, but other than that, I'm afraid it has been beds and 4 walls all the way! Must try harder...
We've also had a few amazing days spent zooming through the country side and city streets on the back of bikes (with out falling off..ironically that was on a 5 min journey "just around the corner"..of death..as the driver didn't feel the need to slow the over laden bike down at all on reaching said corner. It wasn't over laden for long.) I have reverted truly back to my child hood and been made really very happy by a real live secret garden and a "Crazy House."
The Garden was in the outskirts of a city called Hue. We were on a day tour, and as it was just the two of us we were taken quite off the beaten track- it was amazing! At one point we were riding through rice paddies, and it was raining leading the water levels to rise in the fields, it felt like we were biking over the ocean. Anyone who knows me knows that how amazing that would've felt, there were even boats out and everything! The garden its self was actually part of a fairly depressingly dilapidated tomb. Set back in the grounds and guarded by a high thick wall the actual burial sight of the Emperor can be found in the gardens but no one has been in there since he was laid to rest, and no one knows where he is. Of course I had a look through the key hole!
The "Crazy House" as it is actually called, is in Dalat, another (less cloudy) hill station. Dalat claims notoriety for its mock Eiffel tower. Some might call it a radio mast...especially if they were to continue further south of the country and see that ever city, town, dirt track even, has them. Oh maybe I'm being cynical, maybe they're all feeling the Parisian effect, who can say. Though a few of the "great sights" I have seen here have left me rather suspicious that the Vietnamese are in fact tourism touting geniuses, call anything a legend and they know it makes money- hell there is even a Chicken Village, so named because of the huge and incredibly ugl-mystical concrete chicken statue in its centre!!!
Anyhew, "Crazy House," is actually the home of the architect. She is renowned for her controversial designs, so much so that she kept being arrested because of them...until her father took over from Ho Chi Mhin (or Uncle Ho, as he is rather upsettingly all too often referred to). This house is the stuff of children's fantasy...and nightmare! I'm sure if was plucked straight from "The Labyrinth" or at least some of the tales of the Jabberwalky! I entered the grounds first and my jaw dropped, I swear I started skipping and oh-ah'ing. There were huge plants and flowers everywhere, the main house was made of an intertwined mixture of "tree trunks and roots" and was a maze of rooms and corridors and stairways, some inside, some precariously balancing over the whole city. There was even a cave section to the house. Surprisingly the dining/living room was a bit of a let down, what with its table and chairs, but all of the rest of the rooms had their own little creepy quirks (usualy a large animal with glowing red eyes) and lots of alcoves for bed etc. I opened a wardrobe and was rather upset, and surprised NOT to find Narnia!!
And now we have commenced a madcap DASH to the Cambodian border as our visa's run out tomorrow and we were too busy being hungover to get a move on...oops! Its got the Great Race/Escape written all over it...wish us luck!
Keep in touch, would love some more tale from home, they are never boring- even news of the weather...and actual news is much welcomed! Oooh what was Christmas Number One? The Powder Puff Girls? Noddy? Some Xfactor robot? See there is so much we are missing.
By the way some of you glutton's for punishment have actually been asking for photos, I have been putting a few on Facebook, here are the links...
Vietnam: http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021272&l=6449d&id=200901546
Hong Kong: http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021271&l=fdf6e&id=200901546
China: http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018233&l=cc838&id=200901546
...and... http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018237&l=b4ee3&id=200901546
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
Can't wait to hear all your stories of what, where, when you all did, and of course who with!!
I don't really know how to describe our night...all of it..till dawn...(BLERG) but...
I know it started well, thanks to a little lady called Lady Eden..of the free cocktail variety, and a street party held by Miss Saigon.
I know it ended well, as we woke in a room full of glitter, most of it plastered to our bodies (its worse than sand I tell you, gets EVERYWHERE!!!), strange hats (one alarmingly claiming we'd been to Havana...?!?!) and wrappings looking suspiciously kebab-like. To confirm these sightings I stumbled bleary eyed to the camera for a memory inducing inspection. The reason for the aching body and feet soon became apparent....seemed I had plummeted right down that slippery slope of drink induced stupid dances, I hope my victim, for of course I had to drag someone down with me, was aware that this (silly dancing) was my aim (mmm of course, normally I'm all stylish like!), and not just some warped pulling style.
Oh god, the head ache got worse.
But was soon fixed by a day well spent in Saigon (or Ho Chi Mhin City, depending on who you talk to) watching trashy chick flicks and eating trashier food!! Nothing like starting the year as you mean to go on....
Now my memory of events prior to this are somewhat more coherent...funnily enough...I have managed to fall over in some quite spectacular ways, including off a motorbike and a waterfall- not at the same time I'm afraid, I know that would've been far more impressive...but still I'm sure most of you kind hearted folk out there are having a good old chuckle at the imagery non the less...would you like to add to that a combined total of about 3 days since spent on the bumpiest most uncomfortable, tear jerking buses ever...now I bet you're laughing!
Against all odds I've had some pretty cool, not too bruised times as well- in fact some of them were positively suave I tell you; such as the 3 (...maybe 4, it was all a rather wonderful haze) days we spent in a town call Hoi An, having nearly a whole new wardrobe hand tailored out of silk. It is quite a step up from the Primark I'm renowned for I think you'll agree, though the prices are pretty much the same!!
Then there was the exceedingly tough Christmas spent in the lap of luxury C/O Darragh...and (because I'm a glutton for punishment and couldn't bear to leave on our last night in the area) me!! Darragh is proof that Santa still exists, in fact he is the very man, as Libby's Christmas present he put us up in a beautiful luxury resort for 2 nights over Christmas. Simple but effective idea and very brownie point earning we loved it! Santa even found us there as at our..erm...gala dinner (the hotel called it that not us OK?!) I won a facial and a manicure at the hotel spa! Cue 3 rather gluttonous days spent by the pool- or beach (oh the difficult decisions with which we are faced in life), eating, drinking and being excessively pampered! Heaven. Then back on the traveller bus with a bang...I'm sure they looked at us funny when we clambered on from our 5 star hotel... Surrey strikes again!!
Actually I have been asked if we have actually roughed it yet, and it is rather shamefully that I must confess that, well....
GOD NO
We haven't!!! Well with rooms averaging out at the princely sum of US$4 a night each tending to be quite nice, there's been no need. or occasion to. We have, on occasion, been kind enough to share such accommodation with rats, fleas, bed bugs and rather too homely smells- sometimes probably even a combination, but other than that, I'm afraid it has been beds and 4 walls all the way! Must try harder...
We've also had a few amazing days spent zooming through the country side and city streets on the back of bikes (with out falling off..ironically that was on a 5 min journey "just around the corner"..of death..as the driver didn't feel the need to slow the over laden bike down at all on reaching said corner. It wasn't over laden for long.) I have reverted truly back to my child hood and been made really very happy by a real live secret garden and a "Crazy House."
The Garden was in the outskirts of a city called Hue. We were on a day tour, and as it was just the two of us we were taken quite off the beaten track- it was amazing! At one point we were riding through rice paddies, and it was raining leading the water levels to rise in the fields, it felt like we were biking over the ocean. Anyone who knows me knows that how amazing that would've felt, there were even boats out and everything! The garden its self was actually part of a fairly depressingly dilapidated tomb. Set back in the grounds and guarded by a high thick wall the actual burial sight of the Emperor can be found in the gardens but no one has been in there since he was laid to rest, and no one knows where he is. Of course I had a look through the key hole!
The "Crazy House" as it is actually called, is in Dalat, another (less cloudy) hill station. Dalat claims notoriety for its mock Eiffel tower. Some might call it a radio mast...especially if they were to continue further south of the country and see that ever city, town, dirt track even, has them. Oh maybe I'm being cynical, maybe they're all feeling the Parisian effect, who can say. Though a few of the "great sights" I have seen here have left me rather suspicious that the Vietnamese are in fact tourism touting geniuses, call anything a legend and they know it makes money- hell there is even a Chicken Village, so named because of the huge and incredibly ugl-mystical concrete chicken statue in its centre!!!
Anyhew, "Crazy House," is actually the home of the architect. She is renowned for her controversial designs, so much so that she kept being arrested because of them...until her father took over from Ho Chi Mhin (or Uncle Ho, as he is rather upsettingly all too often referred to). This house is the stuff of children's fantasy...and nightmare! I'm sure if was plucked straight from "The Labyrinth" or at least some of the tales of the Jabberwalky! I entered the grounds first and my jaw dropped, I swear I started skipping and oh-ah'ing. There were huge plants and flowers everywhere, the main house was made of an intertwined mixture of "tree trunks and roots" and was a maze of rooms and corridors and stairways, some inside, some precariously balancing over the whole city. There was even a cave section to the house. Surprisingly the dining/living room was a bit of a let down, what with its table and chairs, but all of the rest of the rooms had their own little creepy quirks (usualy a large animal with glowing red eyes) and lots of alcoves for bed etc. I opened a wardrobe and was rather upset, and surprised NOT to find Narnia!!
And now we have commenced a madcap DASH to the Cambodian border as our visa's run out tomorrow and we were too busy being hungover to get a move on...oops! Its got the Great Race/Escape written all over it...wish us luck!
Keep in touch, would love some more tale from home, they are never boring- even news of the weather...and actual news is much welcomed! Oooh what was Christmas Number One? The Powder Puff Girls? Noddy? Some Xfactor robot? See there is so much we are missing.
By the way some of you glutton's for punishment have actually been asking for photos, I have been putting a few on Facebook, here are the links...
Vietnam: http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021272&l=6449d&id=200901546
Hong Kong: http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021271&l=fdf6e&id=200901546
China: http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018233&l=cc838&id=200901546
...and... http://rhbncac.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2018237&l=b4ee3&id=200901546
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Penis Rock, Life in a cloud, and everything in between!!
I know I know, I've hardly given you time to recover (for those of you not glued to your screens I flat out have given you NO time to recover) from my last onslaught of gibberish, but as I said I have had soo many amazing experiences here ALREADY (it is day 7...I sense this wont be a peaceful month for you all).
We headed straight to Halong Bay almost as soon as we could for a trip consisting of a night out on a Junk boat followed by one on Cat Ba island, which was just amazing, and action packed. Day one was fairly relaxing, really just trying to absorb the beautiful scenery, it was quite misty which may've been a shame but it was warm and so it just added to the romance and mystique of the 2000 islands (or "Little Dragons") we were soon surrounded by. We sailed to visit one of their most famous caves "Surprising Cave" (sounds far better in Vietnamese funnily enough, though can'tremember how they say it, sorry!) and were guided through it by our local tour leader. Now I must admit these were some how less impressive than Yiling Cave of Nanning, though it was very interesting to note the structural differences between fresh water and sea water caves (no really it was), until we approached one particular rock. This particular rock has great acclaim in the lonely planet, it is so renowned that it has its own name and in the cave its self, its own glowing red light. According to our guide this rock bares many resemblances, a banana, a pistol (Libby clearly agrees with this theory, noting the hole in the ceiling about it must be where it "shot its load." Quite.), a finger, an elbow, to name but a few...funnily enough, despite all the blushing, he never quite brought himself to give the Lonely Planet's name! Then it was back down the the beach to relax, wander or swim before boarding the boat to our overnight anchorage, for more swimming, jumping of the side and sea food dinners!
Next day we set off for the absolutely idyllic Cat Ba island, most of which is a nature reserve. It is just stunning. A bit like Lantau Island, but so many times lusher, greener- just magical, all enhanced by a sprinkling of local dwellings-some what more modest than those found in the island off Hong Kong to say the least! We set up for a leisurely 2 hour stroll...well I suppose they sell more tours telling us that...what we actually did was a trek, a REAL trek, half of which consisted of rock climbing, so taxing that even our guide did not make it to the top...needless to say my assent was not speedy, or with out complaint-in fact the phrase blood, sweat and tears became quite literal!
But WOW it was worth it when I eventually clambered to the top to join the rest of the group (except the local guide-remember!). The afternoon was also miss sold, a leisurely spot of kayaking from the beach was actually a 2 or 3 hour race to catch our (clearly some what fitter than the last) guide from a water village. Yes there are literally villages set up in the middle of the bay, groups of houses etc anchored together into place, with bustling life, pets etc, served by and serving the floating/boat markets. So we got on the kayak in the middle of no where. I have never kayaked before, but was reassured when we were told they were two man vessels and Libby had done it plenty of times.
I have reason to doubt this information.
We got off to a rather painful start...middle and finish, including one rather hair raising moment when, attempting to reach our guide in a lagoon we were swept in the opposite direction (the one heading either to rocks or sea...not my favourite direction). A rather squealed change of direction (the noises help I tell you) saw us manage to make our way into the entrance of the lagoon.
Of course in said entrance was a group of local fisher men, two of their boats and a lot of rocks. It soon became clear that they don't mind if you hit their boats. Actually it seemed to make their day...specially when we ricocheted off one into the other and ended up having to be bumped through the entrance by another member of our group, who'd taken rather more pity on us than the locals, who were far too busy enjoying the show!!!
Against all odds we made it back to Hanoi (and I think I'd like to take up Kayaking...with out Libby!!) and prepared to venture up to the hill town of Sapa. This place, or more the people actually blew my mind. On arrival, things looked grim. We arrived at 6am all prepared to get the bus to a small village near the boarder with China, it wasn't until we'd waited an hour and a half and loaded up our bags that it became apparent that our Lonely Planet (aka, our bible) had made a typo as the fare was 4 times what we expected- not including Westerner's tax no doubt, and as such way out of budget; so we settled on a bus for Sapa instead- again not before providing a good show for the locals.
We arrived to be greeted by a cold, wet, damp cloud. No it was not foggy, we were in a cloud- we could not see across the road so could only assume the Lonely Planet was not also lying about the beauty to be seen in Sapa. We found a room, also freezing and damp, and attempted to relax there for a while, whilst wondering what the hell we were going to do for the next three days-other than catch phenomena. Step one was to stumble (literally given the weather) across an oasis...a cafe that while it didn't perhaps have the most authentic Vietnamese character, did have a roaring log fire and cake...lots of cake! So there we sat, book in one hand, cake in the other, until close!
The next day we took a tour to some local villages, happily below the cloud. This trip was just awe inspiring. Children as young as 4 were teaching themselves English...as well as Vietnamese...as well as their own tribe's dialect. School is a relatively new development and from what I can ascertain children only attend a few days a week (when not working) and it is for half a day. As such this English is learnt from tourists. Not only have these amazing people taught themselves new languages, but also an incredible amount of world knowledge. Some were asking about our travels and where we were from, bearing in mind they'd never ventured further than Sapa its self, it is amazing to me that they know not only exactly where England and London is, but also where all the stops on our tour are- I'd like to hear me try and tell a tourist where Aberdeen is.
Conversation then moved onto way of life. Our guide, and the many that had joined us along the way, were telling us how they tend to marry at about the age of 14/15, though the younger girls now dream of marriage at 18/19. Marriage is not arranged, partners choose each other (seemingly more initiated by the husband) and will come from the same village, though not necessarily the same tribe. Our guide was 18 and 5 months pregnant, we befriended some other girls, one of whom was 25, been married since 14 with 3 children. When asking about us, they asked how old we were and if we had boyfriends. When we joked about being old spinsters the reply was simply, "Not at all, that is your culture, this is ours. They are different." Gob smacking, despite little or no access to education or sources of media these people are so self sufficient, not only in terms of material good but a wealth of knowledge. We seem to find it far easier to comment on another culture as being, weird and strange because it does not match our own, than it is to simply accept, unquestioning, the fascinating cultural differences which make us all unique- even with an abundance of information at our fingertips.
Here is a link to come photos of Sapa and the villages we saw and amazing people we met, I couldn't resist demanding you all look!-
http://www.truprint.co.uk/share/p=406131166006067421/l=224994378/g=31854125/cobrandOid=1006/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
Off to Hue on a no doubt fun filled 14 hour bus journey tonight. Hopefully I wont find this so fascinating that regale you with more endless tales quite so soon....
We headed straight to Halong Bay almost as soon as we could for a trip consisting of a night out on a Junk boat followed by one on Cat Ba island, which was just amazing, and action packed. Day one was fairly relaxing, really just trying to absorb the beautiful scenery, it was quite misty which may've been a shame but it was warm and so it just added to the romance and mystique of the 2000 islands (or "Little Dragons") we were soon surrounded by. We sailed to visit one of their most famous caves "Surprising Cave" (sounds far better in Vietnamese funnily enough, though can'tremember how they say it, sorry!) and were guided through it by our local tour leader. Now I must admit these were some how less impressive than Yiling Cave of Nanning, though it was very interesting to note the structural differences between fresh water and sea water caves (no really it was), until we approached one particular rock. This particular rock has great acclaim in the lonely planet, it is so renowned that it has its own name and in the cave its self, its own glowing red light. According to our guide this rock bares many resemblances, a banana, a pistol (Libby clearly agrees with this theory, noting the hole in the ceiling about it must be where it "shot its load." Quite.), a finger, an elbow, to name but a few...funnily enough, despite all the blushing, he never quite brought himself to give the Lonely Planet's name! Then it was back down the the beach to relax, wander or swim before boarding the boat to our overnight anchorage, for more swimming, jumping of the side and sea food dinners!
Next day we set off for the absolutely idyllic Cat Ba island, most of which is a nature reserve. It is just stunning. A bit like Lantau Island, but so many times lusher, greener- just magical, all enhanced by a sprinkling of local dwellings-some what more modest than those found in the island off Hong Kong to say the least! We set up for a leisurely 2 hour stroll...well I suppose they sell more tours telling us that...what we actually did was a trek, a REAL trek, half of which consisted of rock climbing, so taxing that even our guide did not make it to the top...needless to say my assent was not speedy, or with out complaint-in fact the phrase blood, sweat and tears became quite literal!
But WOW it was worth it when I eventually clambered to the top to join the rest of the group (except the local guide-remember!). The afternoon was also miss sold, a leisurely spot of kayaking from the beach was actually a 2 or 3 hour race to catch our (clearly some what fitter than the last) guide from a water village. Yes there are literally villages set up in the middle of the bay, groups of houses etc anchored together into place, with bustling life, pets etc, served by and serving the floating/boat markets. So we got on the kayak in the middle of no where. I have never kayaked before, but was reassured when we were told they were two man vessels and Libby had done it plenty of times.
I have reason to doubt this information.
We got off to a rather painful start...middle and finish, including one rather hair raising moment when, attempting to reach our guide in a lagoon we were swept in the opposite direction (the one heading either to rocks or sea...not my favourite direction). A rather squealed change of direction (the noises help I tell you) saw us manage to make our way into the entrance of the lagoon.
Of course in said entrance was a group of local fisher men, two of their boats and a lot of rocks. It soon became clear that they don't mind if you hit their boats. Actually it seemed to make their day...specially when we ricocheted off one into the other and ended up having to be bumped through the entrance by another member of our group, who'd taken rather more pity on us than the locals, who were far too busy enjoying the show!!!
Against all odds we made it back to Hanoi (and I think I'd like to take up Kayaking...with out Libby!!) and prepared to venture up to the hill town of Sapa. This place, or more the people actually blew my mind. On arrival, things looked grim. We arrived at 6am all prepared to get the bus to a small village near the boarder with China, it wasn't until we'd waited an hour and a half and loaded up our bags that it became apparent that our Lonely Planet (aka, our bible) had made a typo as the fare was 4 times what we expected- not including Westerner's tax no doubt, and as such way out of budget; so we settled on a bus for Sapa instead- again not before providing a good show for the locals.
We arrived to be greeted by a cold, wet, damp cloud. No it was not foggy, we were in a cloud- we could not see across the road so could only assume the Lonely Planet was not also lying about the beauty to be seen in Sapa. We found a room, also freezing and damp, and attempted to relax there for a while, whilst wondering what the hell we were going to do for the next three days-other than catch phenomena. Step one was to stumble (literally given the weather) across an oasis...a cafe that while it didn't perhaps have the most authentic Vietnamese character, did have a roaring log fire and cake...lots of cake! So there we sat, book in one hand, cake in the other, until close!
The next day we took a tour to some local villages, happily below the cloud. This trip was just awe inspiring. Children as young as 4 were teaching themselves English...as well as Vietnamese...as well as their own tribe's dialect. School is a relatively new development and from what I can ascertain children only attend a few days a week (when not working) and it is for half a day. As such this English is learnt from tourists. Not only have these amazing people taught themselves new languages, but also an incredible amount of world knowledge. Some were asking about our travels and where we were from, bearing in mind they'd never ventured further than Sapa its self, it is amazing to me that they know not only exactly where England and London is, but also where all the stops on our tour are- I'd like to hear me try and tell a tourist where Aberdeen is.
Conversation then moved onto way of life. Our guide, and the many that had joined us along the way, were telling us how they tend to marry at about the age of 14/15, though the younger girls now dream of marriage at 18/19. Marriage is not arranged, partners choose each other (seemingly more initiated by the husband) and will come from the same village, though not necessarily the same tribe. Our guide was 18 and 5 months pregnant, we befriended some other girls, one of whom was 25, been married since 14 with 3 children. When asking about us, they asked how old we were and if we had boyfriends. When we joked about being old spinsters the reply was simply, "Not at all, that is your culture, this is ours. They are different." Gob smacking, despite little or no access to education or sources of media these people are so self sufficient, not only in terms of material good but a wealth of knowledge. We seem to find it far easier to comment on another culture as being, weird and strange because it does not match our own, than it is to simply accept, unquestioning, the fascinating cultural differences which make us all unique- even with an abundance of information at our fingertips.
Here is a link to come photos of Sapa and the villages we saw and amazing people we met, I couldn't resist demanding you all look!-
http://www.truprint.co.uk/share/p=406131166006067421/l=224994378/g=31854125/cobrandOid=1006/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
Off to Hue on a no doubt fun filled 14 hour bus journey tonight. Hopefully I wont find this so fascinating that regale you with more endless tales quite so soon....
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The mightly have fallen...but laughing cow reigns supreme
Well it was back through China we headed, when we eventually left Hong Kong (only about a week late) to go sit it out until our Vietnamese Visa's kicked in and we could pass over the border, it became fairly evident fairly quickly that times were a changing for the two surrey gals....
For our example, our last meal in Hong Kong consisted of a fabulous dinner in a restaurant owned by the father of one of Lib's uni friends, helping him to choose a menu for an upcoming Oxford Alumni event he was hosting. Unfortunately this meant trying all the best wines and dishes on, and off, the menu. At one point as we were all chatting a way I noticed the nightly light show had started across the harbour, at which point with all the sophistication we all know I don't posses I squealed out, er, politely, mid conversation, "Oooh ahhh look at the pretty lights"..before I knew it (and anyone could see the incredible shade of red I'd turned as I awaited the ground's swallowing me whole) all the lights had been turned out for, "The Lady's pleasure." I'm sorry who...? Our first meal back in China, however, consisted of...well...(don't read this bit Romeo) accidentally eating dog. We knew our days as Surrey Gals were numbered at this point.....
Our base in China was a place called Nanning, which I would love to describe to you now, but to be honest I cant remember it. Nanning's charm was not helped by the fact that it was "off season," so what little there was in the way of things to do and buses to catch were closed. The people of Nanning however were just amazing, as before still had the shovers, the smokers, the hockers and the slightly intimidating stares, but this time the people (ALL of them, not just those with which you were doing some form of business) were incredible and went out of there way to be friendly and helpful...though often with the appearance of being very angry and telling us off:
-Trying to find a room at 4am was proving difficult as the hotel (or hostel of death as Libby fondly refers to it) wanted payment upfront, though all our money had been spent getting to the joyous city. On or third attempt to speak to reception and or find a bank we ascertained there maybe one across the road....the uncrossable road (subway (which are actually mini shopping malls!?!) was closed and there is a big fence running along the mid section). So we had no choice but for me to watch our huge rucksacks we were STILL carting around and Libby to scale the fence...at which point a rather shouty truncheon wielding guard, spotting the apparently suicidal westerners came marching over. Rather afraid and rather sleepy we tried to explain to him we needed money as he seemed to be shouting at us to get back to the hotel. It wasn't until he frog marched us back there and started actually shouting, at the receptionist, we realised he was actually lovely and on our side. He even waited in the hotel, until he'd seen us safely enter the lift on the way to our room, having arranged for us to pay in the morning. Contrary to popular belief he expected nothing in return.
-Trying to find something to do (other than email) for the duration of our 2 days stop we decided to head out of town to visit Yiling Cave. This little expedition involved drawing a crowd at the local bus stop, attempting to converse in our English and their Mandarin, then one woman getting fed up of the farce and our inability to understand the little game of charades that was occurring and walking us, across the town to the bus station, putting us on the right bus and telling the driver to get us off at the right stop.
-Which turned out was a bus station. Back into headless chicken routine, we find a guard to engage in more charades with. Again in a rather shouty, and scary but incredibly helpful way, he lead us straight to the head of the ticket queue, ordered our tickets lead us to the waiting room then called us, again to the front of the queue, when our bus arrived. Again non of these people wanted or expected a thing, they were juts being lovely. How many of us, when confronted with a foreigner speaking gibberish would stop what we are doing and walk across a town to help?
The caves were awe inspiring, though we suspect were actually the secret layer of the Phantom of the Opera-complete with lakes. Fantastic. And we managed to get a free ride home...which was lucky, as, being off season it soon became evident that there may well have been no other way home- another day out executed with military precision!!!
Finally the 5th of December rolled round and we could board our 8 hour bus journey to Vietnam, crossing the boarder at Friendship Pass. An ironic name if every I heard one. Not only is it a chain of randomly arranged buildings (set in a mass expanse of...the middle of no where, fairly spread out, probably stretching about 1 or 2 km, all of which you have traverse through), it is a ghost town (adding nicely to the eerie effect) and it is the place where Libby got smacked in the face by a guard...probably because she seemed strangely deter mind to return to China. Actually we think it was her medical check. In only of the many buildings, whilst filling out one of the many forms, a guard thought an appropriate way of shooing her out of his way was to nudge her in the cheek. Then passing through one of the many windows we had to pay a 2yen medical fee...to the very same guard. That seemed to be the extent of the examination...perhaps he was confirming that she was in fact not a hologram?! I managed to slip through the net.
And onward into Vietnam!! We only had about two hours of light left for the portion of the trip that side of the boarder, but already I was falling for the country, with its lush green landscapes and amazingly colourful- and COMPLETE architecture. Despite the Lonely Planet writing reams and reams about all the deception, theft and treachery we are to come up against here (followed by a short sentence reminding us not to be paranoid) we have been greeted with nothing but smiles and had some amazing experiences here already. We were also very excited to hear that there have been many souvenir's left behind by the French such as baguettes and amazing cheese....so far we have found Laughing Cow...everywhere...on ward with the hunt then!
For our example, our last meal in Hong Kong consisted of a fabulous dinner in a restaurant owned by the father of one of Lib's uni friends, helping him to choose a menu for an upcoming Oxford Alumni event he was hosting. Unfortunately this meant trying all the best wines and dishes on, and off, the menu. At one point as we were all chatting a way I noticed the nightly light show had started across the harbour, at which point with all the sophistication we all know I don't posses I squealed out, er, politely, mid conversation, "Oooh ahhh look at the pretty lights"..before I knew it (and anyone could see the incredible shade of red I'd turned as I awaited the ground's swallowing me whole) all the lights had been turned out for, "The Lady's pleasure." I'm sorry who...? Our first meal back in China, however, consisted of...well...(don't read this bit Romeo) accidentally eating dog. We knew our days as Surrey Gals were numbered at this point.....
Our base in China was a place called Nanning, which I would love to describe to you now, but to be honest I cant remember it. Nanning's charm was not helped by the fact that it was "off season," so what little there was in the way of things to do and buses to catch were closed. The people of Nanning however were just amazing, as before still had the shovers, the smokers, the hockers and the slightly intimidating stares, but this time the people (ALL of them, not just those with which you were doing some form of business) were incredible and went out of there way to be friendly and helpful...though often with the appearance of being very angry and telling us off:
-Trying to find a room at 4am was proving difficult as the hotel (or hostel of death as Libby fondly refers to it) wanted payment upfront, though all our money had been spent getting to the joyous city. On or third attempt to speak to reception and or find a bank we ascertained there maybe one across the road....the uncrossable road (subway (which are actually mini shopping malls!?!) was closed and there is a big fence running along the mid section). So we had no choice but for me to watch our huge rucksacks we were STILL carting around and Libby to scale the fence...at which point a rather shouty truncheon wielding guard, spotting the apparently suicidal westerners came marching over. Rather afraid and rather sleepy we tried to explain to him we needed money as he seemed to be shouting at us to get back to the hotel. It wasn't until he frog marched us back there and started actually shouting, at the receptionist, we realised he was actually lovely and on our side. He even waited in the hotel, until he'd seen us safely enter the lift on the way to our room, having arranged for us to pay in the morning. Contrary to popular belief he expected nothing in return.
-Trying to find something to do (other than email) for the duration of our 2 days stop we decided to head out of town to visit Yiling Cave. This little expedition involved drawing a crowd at the local bus stop, attempting to converse in our English and their Mandarin, then one woman getting fed up of the farce and our inability to understand the little game of charades that was occurring and walking us, across the town to the bus station, putting us on the right bus and telling the driver to get us off at the right stop.
-Which turned out was a bus station. Back into headless chicken routine, we find a guard to engage in more charades with. Again in a rather shouty, and scary but incredibly helpful way, he lead us straight to the head of the ticket queue, ordered our tickets lead us to the waiting room then called us, again to the front of the queue, when our bus arrived. Again non of these people wanted or expected a thing, they were juts being lovely. How many of us, when confronted with a foreigner speaking gibberish would stop what we are doing and walk across a town to help?
The caves were awe inspiring, though we suspect were actually the secret layer of the Phantom of the Opera-complete with lakes. Fantastic. And we managed to get a free ride home...which was lucky, as, being off season it soon became evident that there may well have been no other way home- another day out executed with military precision!!!
Finally the 5th of December rolled round and we could board our 8 hour bus journey to Vietnam, crossing the boarder at Friendship Pass. An ironic name if every I heard one. Not only is it a chain of randomly arranged buildings (set in a mass expanse of...the middle of no where, fairly spread out, probably stretching about 1 or 2 km, all of which you have traverse through), it is a ghost town (adding nicely to the eerie effect) and it is the place where Libby got smacked in the face by a guard...probably because she seemed strangely deter mind to return to China. Actually we think it was her medical check. In only of the many buildings, whilst filling out one of the many forms, a guard thought an appropriate way of shooing her out of his way was to nudge her in the cheek. Then passing through one of the many windows we had to pay a 2yen medical fee...to the very same guard. That seemed to be the extent of the examination...perhaps he was confirming that she was in fact not a hologram?! I managed to slip through the net.
And onward into Vietnam!! We only had about two hours of light left for the portion of the trip that side of the boarder, but already I was falling for the country, with its lush green landscapes and amazingly colourful- and COMPLETE architecture. Despite the Lonely Planet writing reams and reams about all the deception, theft and treachery we are to come up against here (followed by a short sentence reminding us not to be paranoid) we have been greeted with nothing but smiles and had some amazing experiences here already. We were also very excited to hear that there have been many souvenir's left behind by the French such as baguettes and amazing cheese....so far we have found Laughing Cow...everywhere...on ward with the hunt then!
Monday, December 11, 2006
And of Christmas cheer...
I nearly forgot, we just came home from panto!! (singing show songs at the top of our lungs as we drove back, windows down, through Hong Kong, of course), best night!!
The Festive Spirit has finally found us, well what with the cold and rain catching up to us so soon I knew it couldn't be far behind! It was in the National Arts Centre and the cast were clearly having a great time which was infectious...of course thanks to Martin and Lisa and my brief dalliance back in the wonderful world of theatre my initial, un-am dram panto-forgiving reaction was:
"wow amazing set great costumes and make up....now where was the sound check- who did those levels, if you're on CAMS use them- that cue was all over the place, who is operating those flies, stage crew use your lighting cues, lighting crew use your script cues, PROPS...blablabla..."
NIGHTMARE. So thanks for that guys.
IT WAS PANTO, CHEESY ENERGY FILLED PANTO AND YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT FOR THAT!!
Now to find snow.........
Also a quick note about photo's, if you want to see any from our trip so far, it seems Libby has been quite snap happy with her selection and is putting most of them on facebook, on both our pages I think; mostly hers, but feel free to peruse, I'm sure I'll sort some out to...eventually
The Festive Spirit has finally found us, well what with the cold and rain catching up to us so soon I knew it couldn't be far behind! It was in the National Arts Centre and the cast were clearly having a great time which was infectious...of course thanks to Martin and Lisa and my brief dalliance back in the wonderful world of theatre my initial, un-am dram panto-forgiving reaction was:
"wow amazing set great costumes and make up....now where was the sound check- who did those levels, if you're on CAMS use them- that cue was all over the place, who is operating those flies, stage crew use your lighting cues, lighting crew use your script cues, PROPS...blablabla..."
NIGHTMARE. So thanks for that guys.
IT WAS PANTO, CHEESY ENERGY FILLED PANTO AND YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT FOR THAT!!
Now to find snow.........
Also a quick note about photo's, if you want to see any from our trip so far, it seems Libby has been quite snap happy with her selection and is putting most of them on facebook, on both our pages I think; mostly hers, but feel free to peruse, I'm sure I'll sort some out to...eventually
Happy in Hong Kong!!
The city itself is very hard to describe, it is awe inspiring, everywhere you turn is a post card skyline, but even in amongst all the sky scrapers (which REALLY do scrape the sky, many are as tall as, and soon to be built taller, than Victoria Peak its self!) you still find butterflies and hawk-like birds circling and navigating the air currents. The buildings are all interlinked so that in the summer the streets are literally deserted, everyone fleeing to air conditioned havens. Everywhere is an air conditioned haven- even the tube has air con...and mobile phone reception!!
What I find even more amazing is every single building and business, from government offices, to banks, to supermarkets and 7-11's...probably EVEN Starbucks (of which there are MANY) are all designed and merchandised according to the strict principals of Feng Shui... except one large building with koala like features built into its glass face, which has never managed to house a successful business. Interesting to note whether that proves Feng Shui as a valid science, or a self perpetuating cycle, in that is is so ingrained into the psyche here....?!? It certainly involves some very interesting principals and processes.
We seem to have really gone down hill with our attempts to rough it though...still protesting that we really REALLY will by the time we hit Vietnam, we have engaged in a day of pampering, a dinner cruse, a champagne brunch, a girls night out at the races and an other one at the rugby and a day lounging at the cricket club. You can take a girl out of surrey......
Of course, while that does all sound rather nice and laa-dee-da, you can never underestimate the charm of calamity Carys, who seems to have cunningly forgotten to mention things such as Ladies Night in the bar district, where EVERYTHING is free... which is resultant in Carys being poorly and so banned by her liver from Disney land- BOO!! Followed by an insistence on a visit to Ocean Park the following week to make up for it!! ( -:
Or that the trip to the rugby actually reduced Darragh to attempting to explain the game to us in terms of the pink side and the sparkly side, while Libby and I had far more fun analysing potential college cliques, a la Americaan Teen films!! Hey look I know Hong Kong won't be in the the wold cup- if that's what it's called in Rugby, which is way more than we all expected me to by the endof the match...I also think I know who's up for prom king and queen!
Our sophisticated night out at the races involved my usual betting form of, "oooh that's a pretty out fit and a nice name" and my favourite trick of changing my mind on a bet at the last minute, only for my original horse to win- probably trampling down my second choice in the process!! It should also be noted that names of racing horses in this country are even more bizarre than in England, so it is only unfortunate that the race where I bet (a WHOLE pound) on Dashing Champion, Storming Ball and Perfect Feelings made for some rather glare inducing dinner table chat in our box. We were strictly discussing form I tell you!
But I have been (a little) serene to...
One of my favourite days so far has been a day trip I took to the island of Lantau. Libby and Darragh were meant to come, but, shall we say, their livers were not receptive to the early start on the day so they went a few days later. We went to some very peaceful and spiritual destinations so it really was rather nice to do it all by myself. I spent the day being thoroughly unsociable to the rest of the tour group, so very happy in my own little world, taking in all the amazing sights. The island could be a tropical paradise; undulating terrain, lush with banana and papaya plantations, certainly not the type of scenes I was expecting to find the the region of Hong Kong! Our first stop was a very secluded sandy beach broken up by dotted boulders and rocks, I took a short wander then proceeded to sit on one such rock, with my feet in the bath warm water and just take it all in, beautiful.
We were then taken to a small fishing village were, despite having been provided new high rise housing by the government, the locals all live in stilted houses, and sell any thing from dried duck egg yolk to a complete shark's skin! We were then taken to the great Buddha, not before seeing it in the sky line, amongst the mammoth hills before us. It is beautiful, a reclining Buddha, of bronze, surrounded by maidens bringing traditional offerings, inside it encases a museum to its creation, and Buddha himself, and also the opportunity to buy memorial spaces for loved ones. Another very poignant destination...despite the inevitable shops and bus park 250 steps down from its base.
We then had lunch at a monastery and I went for a little wander to the Wisdom Trail, a beautiful monument I can only liken to Stone Henge, but each inscribed with a fable or Profit's preaching and forming the symbol of eternity. The day was ended by a 35 min ride back to Hong Kong island by cable car, offering some of the most breathtaking views of the Island, and again the Buddha an ominous feature in the sky line. Wow, what a day!
Everyone has been so incredibly generous and helpful during our time here, hence our ability to live the high life...coupled with our inability to leave! We were intending to leave Tuesday....we are now aiming for tomorrow...though earlier today were hatching plans to rent a flat until march when we fly to New Zealand!!! We shall see.....
If we do finally make our clean break tomorrow we have 5 days in which to travel to Vietnam......
What I find even more amazing is every single building and business, from government offices, to banks, to supermarkets and 7-11's...probably EVEN Starbucks (of which there are MANY) are all designed and merchandised according to the strict principals of Feng Shui... except one large building with koala like features built into its glass face, which has never managed to house a successful business. Interesting to note whether that proves Feng Shui as a valid science, or a self perpetuating cycle, in that is is so ingrained into the psyche here....?!? It certainly involves some very interesting principals and processes.
We seem to have really gone down hill with our attempts to rough it though...still protesting that we really REALLY will by the time we hit Vietnam, we have engaged in a day of pampering, a dinner cruse, a champagne brunch, a girls night out at the races and an other one at the rugby and a day lounging at the cricket club. You can take a girl out of surrey......
Of course, while that does all sound rather nice and laa-dee-da, you can never underestimate the charm of calamity Carys, who seems to have cunningly forgotten to mention things such as Ladies Night in the bar district, where EVERYTHING is free... which is resultant in Carys being poorly and so banned by her liver from Disney land- BOO!! Followed by an insistence on a visit to Ocean Park the following week to make up for it!! ( -:
Or that the trip to the rugby actually reduced Darragh to attempting to explain the game to us in terms of the pink side and the sparkly side, while Libby and I had far more fun analysing potential college cliques, a la Americaan Teen films!! Hey look I know Hong Kong won't be in the the wold cup- if that's what it's called in Rugby, which is way more than we all expected me to by the endof the match...I also think I know who's up for prom king and queen!
Our sophisticated night out at the races involved my usual betting form of, "oooh that's a pretty out fit and a nice name" and my favourite trick of changing my mind on a bet at the last minute, only for my original horse to win- probably trampling down my second choice in the process!! It should also be noted that names of racing horses in this country are even more bizarre than in England, so it is only unfortunate that the race where I bet (a WHOLE pound) on Dashing Champion, Storming Ball and Perfect Feelings made for some rather glare inducing dinner table chat in our box. We were strictly discussing form I tell you!
But I have been (a little) serene to...
One of my favourite days so far has been a day trip I took to the island of Lantau. Libby and Darragh were meant to come, but, shall we say, their livers were not receptive to the early start on the day so they went a few days later. We went to some very peaceful and spiritual destinations so it really was rather nice to do it all by myself. I spent the day being thoroughly unsociable to the rest of the tour group, so very happy in my own little world, taking in all the amazing sights. The island could be a tropical paradise; undulating terrain, lush with banana and papaya plantations, certainly not the type of scenes I was expecting to find the the region of Hong Kong! Our first stop was a very secluded sandy beach broken up by dotted boulders and rocks, I took a short wander then proceeded to sit on one such rock, with my feet in the bath warm water and just take it all in, beautiful.
We were then taken to a small fishing village were, despite having been provided new high rise housing by the government, the locals all live in stilted houses, and sell any thing from dried duck egg yolk to a complete shark's skin! We were then taken to the great Buddha, not before seeing it in the sky line, amongst the mammoth hills before us. It is beautiful, a reclining Buddha, of bronze, surrounded by maidens bringing traditional offerings, inside it encases a museum to its creation, and Buddha himself, and also the opportunity to buy memorial spaces for loved ones. Another very poignant destination...despite the inevitable shops and bus park 250 steps down from its base.
We then had lunch at a monastery and I went for a little wander to the Wisdom Trail, a beautiful monument I can only liken to Stone Henge, but each inscribed with a fable or Profit's preaching and forming the symbol of eternity. The day was ended by a 35 min ride back to Hong Kong island by cable car, offering some of the most breathtaking views of the Island, and again the Buddha an ominous feature in the sky line. Wow, what a day!
Everyone has been so incredibly generous and helpful during our time here, hence our ability to live the high life...coupled with our inability to leave! We were intending to leave Tuesday....we are now aiming for tomorrow...though earlier today were hatching plans to rent a flat until march when we fly to New Zealand!!! We shall see.....
If we do finally make our clean break tomorrow we have 5 days in which to travel to Vietnam......
The unintended new look
http://www.truprint.co.uk/share/p=287291164830007466/l=224835680/g=31854125/cobrandOid=1006/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
Hear is all the current, and vaguely acceptable evidence of my new hair. Er please dont be fooled by all the super imposed make up and back ground that may look like cocktails and hourse races because it really is tough roughing it quite so much as we have been forsed to my Libby's friends in HK. Tough tough tough.
mmm
Now, ok PURLEEEASE will someone tell me what they think, instead of just requesting more blackmail worthy photos-which I supply quite happily anyway!!!
Hear is all the current, and vaguely acceptable evidence of my new hair. Er please dont be fooled by all the super imposed make up and back ground that may look like cocktails and hourse races because it really is tough roughing it quite so much as we have been forsed to my Libby's friends in HK. Tough tough tough.
mmm
Now, ok PURLEEEASE will someone tell me what they think, instead of just requesting more blackmail worthy photos-which I supply quite happily anyway!!!
Calamity Carys hits Hong Kong...and goes Goth?
I'VE BEEN MUTILATED, MUTILATED AND VIOLATED AND BRUTALISED!!!!!!!!!!! Its worse than the cupping (that was baaad...http://www.truprint.co.uk/share/p=128181163913228088/l=224711783/g=31854125/cobrandOid=1006/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB )!
Its my own fault really, when someone professes to the world that they are going off to be a rugged traveller for a few months and "rough" their way around the Far East, whether they are a girlie girl from Surrey or not, their account of the trip should NOT include words such as, upgrades and pampering seshes. Up until now we could blame all that on our tour guide, but now we are on our own to face the consequences......
We have arrived in Hong Kong!!! Made it to the end of the tour, said our....rather anticlimactic...goodbyes, and wandered off into the streets to find our hostel.
Hong Kong is amazing, I really like it here, but can't quite put my finger on why...maybe because I don't want to admit that the reason is probably because it is a lot more western and easy to feel at home here...well it's either that or the pretty bright lights!
In China a lot of the cities we visited were seemingly half finished, or half destroyed (providing a rather si-fi film, creepy effect), the streets were lined with..erm..."hairdressers" basking in red lights (especially in Yichang) and spit marks, and the people, as we've established, could be less than friendly, and the atmosphere was fairly grey and at times manic.
From the moment you step out of the train station, the other side of customs, the desire to point out, just how, NOT CHINA Hong Kong is, is very clear. Lining the streets were placards of news paper clippings and headlines covering subjects clearly banned in China, such as the Tiananmen Square massacres, smoking is to be banned in restaurants and karaoke bars (apparently as fresh air heightens the karaoke experience so!) and spitters are fined. Everyone is very friendly and keen to help (sometimes scarily so, when you leave a shop and members of staff come streaming out of the woodwork to thank you and say good bye. In unison- where do they all come from?!), though it is a very busy and bustling place, the atmosphere is some how still very relaxed (after China, some times painfully relaxed, people walk SOOOO SLOOOOW and don't look where they are going...kind of like how mum always complains I walk, so sorry for years of torture there Mammabear!!), and yes the prevalence of English signs and speakers does make it an easy destination to tackle on our own.
I am very glad it is this City the Darragh has met us in, though Libby and I are getting on great- in fact being with the tour highlighted just how much we prefer our company to others (its actually a bit sad, not only are we finishing each others sentences, we can start them now to!) but its nice to have the opportunity of my own space (my own bed room!!!...er...the hostel upgraded me, to a double room, free...point one in my demise....) and I feel so at ease, and actually enjoy, wandering around in my own time on my own terms. A reaction to being with a tour I guess- I'm actually so excited to finally be in one place so long I have unpacked. Everything. I NEVER unpack!!!
So to celebrate (...well...any excuse we could think of really, we chose to focus on) Darragh's impending arrival, Libby and I pronounced day one in Hong Kong a day of pampering...well it was meant to be one treatment, and then they were so cheep that we thought it'd be rude not to get two, then I got so over excited by what a good friend I was being, all this moral support helping her prepare for her man's arrival and all, and demanded we get our hair done. This all sounds extravagant...er...for travelling folk...but it really did only amount to about 30 quid and absolute bliss.
This, and Libby's cries of "Hong Kong LOVES us!!!" (there is a Starbucks next to the hostel) should have made me suspicious...but no I went all out, whole hog, and this is where I was punished. About FOUR HOURS LATER, many many people had gone into that hair dressers and been transformed into people with very cool slick black hair cuts and styles, Libby included. Now I don't know if its pure blondest discrimination, or maybe jealousy at my growing fan base I was telling you all about, but what did I get? Little miss blondie?
A BOWL CUT AND HAIR THE COLOUR OF.....well I don't know really its TOO hideous to describe...Libby termed it a dirty blonde/grey... actually...horrifyingly... I....gulp....think it might have been...my....my....my...
...natural...
...hair...
...colour.
In winter.
When there is no sun to aid my cause.
And I remember why bleach is such a happy invention, not just as it gives me soo much of an excuse for soo much!!
So while Hong Kong may love Libby, so far it has robbed me of my claim to fame, and my sleeping bag. Still, with a good head for priorities, I rushed straight out and invested in a lot of die and A LOT of clips, and am now sporting a rather fetching (?) Gothic blackish look. This could be fine had it been voluntary, or aided by the wonder that is hair products (oh the new found respect of the surrey gal). It wasn't and isn't. Humph.
It has however apparently given me a great tan...now I'm sure being brunette now I should know how the hell that works.
Oh dear I have rather buggered on, yet managed to skillfully avoid telling you what I've actually been doing, apart from pampering and pitying myself. Maybe I'll disguise giving you a break as leaving you in suspense, till I fill you in at the end of Hong Kong. Assuming that is that there are no more misshapes in the interim...er...like our booking a sunset Harbour and Victoria Peak tour to celebrate the lovely weather we were having, till we handed our money over, which is literally when the fog set in.
Oooh Aaaah, what a view!
Its my own fault really, when someone professes to the world that they are going off to be a rugged traveller for a few months and "rough" their way around the Far East, whether they are a girlie girl from Surrey or not, their account of the trip should NOT include words such as, upgrades and pampering seshes. Up until now we could blame all that on our tour guide, but now we are on our own to face the consequences......
We have arrived in Hong Kong!!! Made it to the end of the tour, said our....rather anticlimactic...goodbyes, and wandered off into the streets to find our hostel.
Hong Kong is amazing, I really like it here, but can't quite put my finger on why...maybe because I don't want to admit that the reason is probably because it is a lot more western and easy to feel at home here...well it's either that or the pretty bright lights!
In China a lot of the cities we visited were seemingly half finished, or half destroyed (providing a rather si-fi film, creepy effect), the streets were lined with..erm..."hairdressers" basking in red lights (especially in Yichang) and spit marks, and the people, as we've established, could be less than friendly, and the atmosphere was fairly grey and at times manic.
From the moment you step out of the train station, the other side of customs, the desire to point out, just how, NOT CHINA Hong Kong is, is very clear. Lining the streets were placards of news paper clippings and headlines covering subjects clearly banned in China, such as the Tiananmen Square massacres, smoking is to be banned in restaurants and karaoke bars (apparently as fresh air heightens the karaoke experience so!) and spitters are fined. Everyone is very friendly and keen to help (sometimes scarily so, when you leave a shop and members of staff come streaming out of the woodwork to thank you and say good bye. In unison- where do they all come from?!), though it is a very busy and bustling place, the atmosphere is some how still very relaxed (after China, some times painfully relaxed, people walk SOOOO SLOOOOW and don't look where they are going...kind of like how mum always complains I walk, so sorry for years of torture there Mammabear!!), and yes the prevalence of English signs and speakers does make it an easy destination to tackle on our own.
I am very glad it is this City the Darragh has met us in, though Libby and I are getting on great- in fact being with the tour highlighted just how much we prefer our company to others (its actually a bit sad, not only are we finishing each others sentences, we can start them now to!) but its nice to have the opportunity of my own space (my own bed room!!!...er...the hostel upgraded me, to a double room, free...point one in my demise....) and I feel so at ease, and actually enjoy, wandering around in my own time on my own terms. A reaction to being with a tour I guess- I'm actually so excited to finally be in one place so long I have unpacked. Everything. I NEVER unpack!!!
So to celebrate (...well...any excuse we could think of really, we chose to focus on) Darragh's impending arrival, Libby and I pronounced day one in Hong Kong a day of pampering...well it was meant to be one treatment, and then they were so cheep that we thought it'd be rude not to get two, then I got so over excited by what a good friend I was being, all this moral support helping her prepare for her man's arrival and all, and demanded we get our hair done. This all sounds extravagant...er...for travelling folk...but it really did only amount to about 30 quid and absolute bliss.
This, and Libby's cries of "Hong Kong LOVES us!!!" (there is a Starbucks next to the hostel) should have made me suspicious...but no I went all out, whole hog, and this is where I was punished. About FOUR HOURS LATER, many many people had gone into that hair dressers and been transformed into people with very cool slick black hair cuts and styles, Libby included. Now I don't know if its pure blondest discrimination, or maybe jealousy at my growing fan base I was telling you all about, but what did I get? Little miss blondie?
A BOWL CUT AND HAIR THE COLOUR OF.....well I don't know really its TOO hideous to describe...Libby termed it a dirty blonde/grey... actually...horrifyingly... I....gulp....think it might have been...my....my....my...
...natural...
...hair...
...colour.
In winter.
When there is no sun to aid my cause.
And I remember why bleach is such a happy invention, not just as it gives me soo much of an excuse for soo much!!
So while Hong Kong may love Libby, so far it has robbed me of my claim to fame, and my sleeping bag. Still, with a good head for priorities, I rushed straight out and invested in a lot of die and A LOT of clips, and am now sporting a rather fetching (?) Gothic blackish look. This could be fine had it been voluntary, or aided by the wonder that is hair products (oh the new found respect of the surrey gal). It wasn't and isn't. Humph.
It has however apparently given me a great tan...now I'm sure being brunette now I should know how the hell that works.
Oh dear I have rather buggered on, yet managed to skillfully avoid telling you what I've actually been doing, apart from pampering and pitying myself. Maybe I'll disguise giving you a break as leaving you in suspense, till I fill you in at the end of Hong Kong. Assuming that is that there are no more misshapes in the interim...er...like our booking a sunset Harbour and Victoria Peak tour to celebrate the lovely weather we were having, till we handed our money over, which is literally when the fog set in.
Oooh Aaaah, what a view!
The story so far....!
So far it has been amazing, plagued by illness (of course, mostly mine) but amazing. The people on our tour are all lovely...despite first impressions suggesting otherwise. China...well I don't really know how to describe it, it is truly...well...bizarre, as are the people. The mistake I believe a lot of us make when thinking of the Chinese, is, to put it simply, to think of the Japanese. The reputation many of us seem to share a belief in, is that it is a serene, smiley, respectful, helpful race. This is on some parts true...for the most part they spend their time ignoring and insulting westerners (apologising for our presence on tours/boats/buses/etc and calling us "White ghosts"), even if said westerner does speak Chinese, hocking (yes spitting mucus)-anywhere, chain smoking-anywhere and shoving...er....anywhere.
China as a country is a complete juxtaposition, in its entirety. In the towns and cities dwellings seem to be made of apparently near dilapidated buildings, whilst in smaller more rural, out of the way places, buildings are gleaming white. New is always placed next to old, beautiful, next to unsightly, traditional next to modern...actually modern completely bastardising traditional-there was a Starbucks in the Forbidden City for goodness sake, THE FORBIDDEN CITY OF THE GREAT MING DYNASTY HAS A STAR BUCKS IN SIDE IT!!!
There are also very very dark, sinister undercurrents very much apparent in the running of the country, news, TV and internet (and probably now this email) are still very much censored. One of guides told us the story of his wife having to go into hiding for the first 6 months of her second pregnancy for fear of the governmental spies finding her and... eradicating the problem. While they have finally introduced contraception as a means of backing the governmetal regime of one child families (two if you are from the suitable background), which is very much advertised through smiling bill boards (yet another contradiction of the reality of the situation) it is seemingly not free or easy to find.
The government's position on many things such as religion and communism V's capitalism, Taiwan, religion, sexuality etc etc seems amenable, but again is all lead by the steady stream of the undercurrent.
Another of our guides seemed unable to answer many of our questions when she showed us around Tiananman Square...it later transcribed that in fact many of the street sellers with in the square are actually working for the government and a ready to alert the guards if a foot is put wrong, especially with questions regarding Chairman Mao. Dark, all very very dark.
But oblivious to all that, its been lovely!! I spent my birthday up the Great Wall (all be it a bit sickly and sorry for myself), have seen the Terracotta Warriors- all 8000 of them, had crafted in about 200BC. I've trekked mountains to reach monasteries, seen many a temple, been to beautiful parks where people do what they love with the people they love in complete abandonment (thai chi, ball room dancing, other dances, chanting, singing, playing instruments and games; its just beautiful, so atmospheric). I may have plotted the abduction of one or two beautiful panda cubs in a reserve (Er...and children for that matter...puppies, and the occasional kitten), been harassed by monkeys, seen an 80 foot high Buddha, sailed the Yangzi River and its gorges (AGAIN a bit sickly and sorry for myself), bathed in wine (amongst other things) flavoured sulphuric pools and had a session of cupping (OUCH) and massage (YUM).
I am also, unsurprisingly of course, a bit of a celebrity over here. Some, more jealous folk, may try to simplify it by putting it down to the colour of my hair but I know the truth. People do have a tendency to point and stare and take photos (all very well...sort of...except on those days of feeling sickly and sorry for myself, when it seems to be exceptionally rife). I have actually gotten a little too comfortable with it and started, out of the kindness of my down-to-earth, unaffected heart, posing for these photos. This rather bit me on the bottom when it became clear that one guy actually, just wanted the scene behind me....oooops!
Only me!!!
BLUSH
All in all, a non too shabby trip thus far...the only thing that really worries me is, despite booking the "intrepid" tour, NOT the "comfort" tour, we really have been roughing it the way people expect surrey girl to...what happens when we are thrust, blinking into the big wide word on our own....
Wish us luck!!
China as a country is a complete juxtaposition, in its entirety. In the towns and cities dwellings seem to be made of apparently near dilapidated buildings, whilst in smaller more rural, out of the way places, buildings are gleaming white. New is always placed next to old, beautiful, next to unsightly, traditional next to modern...actually modern completely bastardising traditional-there was a Starbucks in the Forbidden City for goodness sake, THE FORBIDDEN CITY OF THE GREAT MING DYNASTY HAS A STAR BUCKS IN SIDE IT!!!
There are also very very dark, sinister undercurrents very much apparent in the running of the country, news, TV and internet (and probably now this email) are still very much censored. One of guides told us the story of his wife having to go into hiding for the first 6 months of her second pregnancy for fear of the governmental spies finding her and... eradicating the problem. While they have finally introduced contraception as a means of backing the governmetal regime of one child families (two if you are from the suitable background), which is very much advertised through smiling bill boards (yet another contradiction of the reality of the situation) it is seemingly not free or easy to find.
The government's position on many things such as religion and communism V's capitalism, Taiwan, religion, sexuality etc etc seems amenable, but again is all lead by the steady stream of the undercurrent.
Another of our guides seemed unable to answer many of our questions when she showed us around Tiananman Square...it later transcribed that in fact many of the street sellers with in the square are actually working for the government and a ready to alert the guards if a foot is put wrong, especially with questions regarding Chairman Mao. Dark, all very very dark.
But oblivious to all that, its been lovely!! I spent my birthday up the Great Wall (all be it a bit sickly and sorry for myself), have seen the Terracotta Warriors- all 8000 of them, had crafted in about 200BC. I've trekked mountains to reach monasteries, seen many a temple, been to beautiful parks where people do what they love with the people they love in complete abandonment (thai chi, ball room dancing, other dances, chanting, singing, playing instruments and games; its just beautiful, so atmospheric). I may have plotted the abduction of one or two beautiful panda cubs in a reserve (Er...and children for that matter...puppies, and the occasional kitten), been harassed by monkeys, seen an 80 foot high Buddha, sailed the Yangzi River and its gorges (AGAIN a bit sickly and sorry for myself), bathed in wine (amongst other things) flavoured sulphuric pools and had a session of cupping (OUCH) and massage (YUM).
I am also, unsurprisingly of course, a bit of a celebrity over here. Some, more jealous folk, may try to simplify it by putting it down to the colour of my hair but I know the truth. People do have a tendency to point and stare and take photos (all very well...sort of...except on those days of feeling sickly and sorry for myself, when it seems to be exceptionally rife). I have actually gotten a little too comfortable with it and started, out of the kindness of my down-to-earth, unaffected heart, posing for these photos. This rather bit me on the bottom when it became clear that one guy actually, just wanted the scene behind me....oooops!
Only me!!!
BLUSH
All in all, a non too shabby trip thus far...the only thing that really worries me is, despite booking the "intrepid" tour, NOT the "comfort" tour, we really have been roughing it the way people expect surrey girl to...what happens when we are thrust, blinking into the big wide word on our own....
Wish us luck!!
Saturday, September 16, 2006
21st October, last night in london....
As you all know mine and Libby's trip in to the depths of Bridget Jones style travels and adventures is very much impending, so we felt it would be rude not to celebrate, go out with a bang etc etc. It should be a great night, so please come help us enjoy our last nights in London & make it a night we wont forget...
...when we're locked up in a Thai jail...
...singing an ode to the wonder bra...
...Madonna style!!
Cant wait to see you all there
C x
...when we're locked up in a Thai jail...
...singing an ode to the wonder bra...
...Madonna style!!
Cant wait to see you all there
C x
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Two weddings and my funeral
Well well well haven't they just been busy and interesting times recently?! Oh the stories I could tell if this page remained unread. Damn you people and your boredom….actually it is fairly interesting that as my friends have all joined the “real world” they’ve all joined every mate/blog/space site going (I appreciate this means I have no excuse…but pure, poor, sad geekiness). So I’ll stick to the stories I can tell you…not those interestingly incriminating ones I WANT to tell you!!!
It all changed very rapidly the next day.
Well trekking a near enough 2 hour trip home the morning after a day like that is a rookie mistake enough as it is…even before you add the not one, but TWO weddings I had to attend that day into the equation…
…It was destined to be interesting; and 5 min before kick off I was still stuck on the motorway so it certainly seemed to be heading that way. To my relief, after running every attempted red light going, before missing my turning and doing a (not very surrey wife, though very surrey rich bored boy racer) U-turn in the middle of Epsom high street, I screeched gracefully into the road the church was in, abandoned Vikki and went running to wards the church. Obviously I’m carrying my shoes ‘cause hello, you try driving in them! Hand in hand with the running and clutching of things I’ve got my shawl half grabbed half flailing behind me in my tail winds, same hand desperately trying to keep my beautiful mermaid like bodice up, whilst the other is clutching at my hat type accessory. But its ok, I made it, up ahead of me I see the wedding party, having a few pre-ceremony photos. Again, SCORE!!
But then I realise, I cant be as uncouth as to run through the photo’s thereby ruining them and distracting the bride, so, still clutching everything (just about) I make the far more sensible, and subtle, decision to dive over the shrubbery in the corner of the grounds, running diagonally across them and dashing through the door-naturally unnoticed. Such was the grace and agility with which I was moving that I barley notice the rather bemused looking usher manning the order of service table, until after I’d slammed into the chapel door. Obviously these are essential- wouldn’t want to embarrass myself now would I, so I do what can only be described as a hand break turn, grab one, hiss at the poor boy (it was meant to be thank you but not entirely sure the effect was achieved thanks to all the running, dashing and diving) and burst (all the way) through the chapel doors.
Still shoeless and clutching my hair, boobs, and half my shawl I register my work buddies, looking very happy to see me, all smiles in my direction…in fact, I also register that the whole church is actually glass fronted, which is nice as it means all the external grounds, and the timid usher can be seen by the congregation- more so because rather than being arranged in rows, they are arranged in a large circle around a central alter, which-is-nice, as it means EVERYBODY can see EVERYTHING. Everybody is certainly seeing me right now-even the man filming the official video.
Then I realise my friends are so excited to see me they are ushering me over and trying to tell me something- probably how suave I look...
“Come here, sit down, pull your top up and put your shoes on you’re on camera!!” I’m glad we were in God’s house or I don’t think the sentence would’ve quite ended there. Rushing to adhere to my orders and stop breathing like a pervert I check to see the status of the impending bridal entry when it dawns on me….not only am I wearing no shoes half a dress and a floppy hair do, I AM WEARING EXACTLY THE SAME COLOUR SCHEME AS THE WEDDING PARTY!!!!
(she's obviously nervous my
entrance would upstage hers, same dress'n'all)
Good thing we all got lost on the way to the park where the photos were being taken, at least it will be our little secret! Well...at least it was a good thing...until the call was made for a Freemantles photo and the bride thought we’d all ditched her for a better offer…lest that meant she was actually pleased to see us at the reception…bet a lot of brides don’t think that about a lot of people.
Mmmm best to leave that there then….on to the next! Far less eventful I’m afraid, picked Mr Martin up who was so well scrubbed up that I wouldn’t let him go and we spent much of the night in our own little bubble, while my buddies looked on giggling like they still went to school, not worked there!!!
(Err, in my mind that’s what happened….in reality the sweet smiles of support were probably them laughing at his desperate cries for help and attempts to burst my little rose tinted bubble!!! Let’s not be fussy though eh). Either way, needless to say the yummy boy was met with much approval, so brownie points all round! I took him to the beach a few days later as his treat.
He hates the beach.
Oooooops x
I have actually rather surpassed myself on the surrey wives front recently, with multiple weddings and a day at the races daaling! (….My use of the same dress for all of the above, not to mention my chosen method of making an entrance rather negates that effect though I’m afraid…)
It’s Thursday night. The races (Glorious Goodwood) are tomorrow, I’m heading that way tonight, but just need to “pop” (those are famous last words if ever I heard some) to Kingston first, as I’m down an outfit, shoes and accessories. Ah yes the military precision that is me strikes again. It is gone 12 when Hattie and I eventually arrive at the sea side, but I am now one very beautiful and very bargainous out fit up- AND it was from a proper shop NOT a supermarket OR even Primark- Monsoon no less. I feel I surpassed myself.
And I did. I passed the whole day, on a healthy diet of fruit salad (err, mixed heavily with pimms), I didn’t fall, I didn’t spit, I didn’t insult anyone…I don’t think…no more than usual anyway….I even won some money!!! Granted my £2 didn’t quite cut it next to the £100 that seemed to be the group average (you all know how averages work, imagine what it would’ve been had it not been for my brilliance) but hey, beggars, choosers and all that! Was too surprised by my general levels of sophistication to complain really, besides which I didn’t spill ANYTHING down my wedding allocated dress-SCORE!!
It all changed very rapidly the next day.
Well trekking a near enough 2 hour trip home the morning after a day like that is a rookie mistake enough as it is…even before you add the not one, but TWO weddings I had to attend that day into the equation…
…It was destined to be interesting; and 5 min before kick off I was still stuck on the motorway so it certainly seemed to be heading that way. To my relief, after running every attempted red light going, before missing my turning and doing a (not very surrey wife, though very surrey rich bored boy racer) U-turn in the middle of Epsom high street, I screeched gracefully into the road the church was in, abandoned Vikki and went running to wards the church. Obviously I’m carrying my shoes ‘cause hello, you try driving in them! Hand in hand with the running and clutching of things I’ve got my shawl half grabbed half flailing behind me in my tail winds, same hand desperately trying to keep my beautiful mermaid like bodice up, whilst the other is clutching at my hat type accessory. But its ok, I made it, up ahead of me I see the wedding party, having a few pre-ceremony photos. Again, SCORE!!
But then I realise, I cant be as uncouth as to run through the photo’s thereby ruining them and distracting the bride, so, still clutching everything (just about) I make the far more sensible, and subtle, decision to dive over the shrubbery in the corner of the grounds, running diagonally across them and dashing through the door-naturally unnoticed. Such was the grace and agility with which I was moving that I barley notice the rather bemused looking usher manning the order of service table, until after I’d slammed into the chapel door. Obviously these are essential- wouldn’t want to embarrass myself now would I, so I do what can only be described as a hand break turn, grab one, hiss at the poor boy (it was meant to be thank you but not entirely sure the effect was achieved thanks to all the running, dashing and diving) and burst (all the way) through the chapel doors.
Still shoeless and clutching my hair, boobs, and half my shawl I register my work buddies, looking very happy to see me, all smiles in my direction…in fact, I also register that the whole church is actually glass fronted, which is nice as it means all the external grounds, and the timid usher can be seen by the congregation- more so because rather than being arranged in rows, they are arranged in a large circle around a central alter, which-is-nice, as it means EVERYBODY can see EVERYTHING. Everybody is certainly seeing me right now-even the man filming the official video.
Then I realise my friends are so excited to see me they are ushering me over and trying to tell me something- probably how suave I look...
“Come here, sit down, pull your top up and put your shoes on you’re on camera!!” I’m glad we were in God’s house or I don’t think the sentence would’ve quite ended there. Rushing to adhere to my orders and stop breathing like a pervert I check to see the status of the impending bridal entry when it dawns on me….not only am I wearing no shoes half a dress and a floppy hair do, I AM WEARING EXACTLY THE SAME COLOUR SCHEME AS THE WEDDING PARTY!!!!
(she's obviously nervous my
entrance would upstage hers, same dress'n'all)
Good thing we all got lost on the way to the park where the photos were being taken, at least it will be our little secret! Well...at least it was a good thing...until the call was made for a Freemantles photo and the bride thought we’d all ditched her for a better offer…lest that meant she was actually pleased to see us at the reception…bet a lot of brides don’t think that about a lot of people.
Mmmm best to leave that there then….on to the next! Far less eventful I’m afraid, picked Mr Martin up who was so well scrubbed up that I wouldn’t let him go and we spent much of the night in our own little bubble, while my buddies looked on giggling like they still went to school, not worked there!!!
(Err, in my mind that’s what happened….in reality the sweet smiles of support were probably them laughing at his desperate cries for help and attempts to burst my little rose tinted bubble!!! Let’s not be fussy though eh). Either way, needless to say the yummy boy was met with much approval, so brownie points all round! I took him to the beach a few days later as his treat.
He hates the beach.
Oooooops x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)