Twas the day after Christmas

And what a lovely Christmas it was. My first Christmas in the UK (last year doesn't count because i spent the whole day throwing up from food poisoning). My first "real" English Christmas lunch with all the trimmings and everything...spent with an English (well kind of - mixed with ZImbabwean/South African)family! It was great.
The preparation was heavy but easy as no one was hassling, everyone got on so well, and we had a beautiful toddler who kept us all entertained. It was so good....

Woke up this mornign feeling warm.
After 12 hours sleep I needed to move. Blessed with a beautiful winter's day I went for a good 45 minute run around our park. THe park was buzzing this morning - lots of kids trying out their new wares. Very cool.

This time last year I had landed in Mumbai, after a biz class upgrade (thank god as I was so ill) and was about to begin my 4 month travellingalong. Wow. The year has sped by.

I realise I am beginning to "reflect" and it's not even NY eve.

WIll save the rest for then.

Just overall happiness and lurve
x

Ich bin in der Mitte

Grusse
I am in berlin. Not pleasure, work.
First time back to Berlin in about 2 years.
And it's still so fantastically familiar.

I've had 3 hours out and about. Not a helluva lotta time, but enough for me to rember the things that I so love and miss about this city
- Christmas really is Christmas here. That smell of gluwein and bratwurst, the special herby cookies that melt in your mouth, unforgiving stollen, the weinachtsmarkt, weintraube im schokolade, the lights, the decor in each store so carefully put together and so tasteful
- the architecture - new and old - such incredible contrasts...
- the chicky micky mercedes cabs
- the crisp blue sky and the icy cold air
- it's a smell
- the way people look so smart for work...or so untidy
- the trendy young berliners with their chic-preppy look

Ich liebe dich Berlin.

I am staying at the Hilton which is not the greatest. Think "big means best" and old style 80's decor - eugh. THe breakfast room this morning REEEEEAKED of bacon so much so that I can still smell it on me and breakfast was er, 9 hours ago!
But the good news is that the hotel is across the road from the facility...
AND EVEN BETTER...it's right opposite the most magnificent building and square Gendarmemarkt (Sp?!)

Ah yes. Ich liebe dich.

now back to work...

Alternatives

So we´re in Las Palmas. Grand Canary Islands. For most people that reads tat. Tacky. Cheap. Nasty.
We´re seeing it in a different light. My old housemate Carmen now lives here. THis is her home. So it´s different to see it from a someone´s-home perspective.

And she has made us feel so at home. She took a couple of days off work, baked me my favourite cake. Bought me my favourite cheese. Made us a special bed in her beautiful new flat. Has gone to great lengths to make us feel like this is home.

Home. That word still scared me and warms me at the same time. I am still not sure what home is. We´ve bought a house. We have planted roots and is London home yet? I am still undecided.

Carmen´s life here compared to her life in London is a 360 degree turn. Her parents live down the road. She now works half day and the other half she helps out her dad at his architecture firm (she too is a trained archi). And then she comes home early to prepare the meal for Pablo -her adoring husband...and life ticks on. Slowly, comfortable, agreably. Hassle free. Another world.

It´s an option. If I think of a possible life in Cape TOwn we could have the same. Slow pace, good weather. An agreable life.
Not sure if I can give up the chaos that is now such an intrinsic part of my make up.
´
Is home in your head, or is it created by your environment?
Does it come in time when things fall into place or do you have to work at it?
I want "home". Not sure if I want it now? But having spent time here at "home" it´s pretty attractive....

let´s see....

Deceit

SOmeone once told me that there are 3 sides to every story. There's the side of both parties and then there is the truth. A little corney, I know, but definately something to think about.

But who decides the truth?

So it turns out that this guy I know - who is married and has a kid of 9 months is having an affair, with this girl I know. THe thing is I would never expect that of either of them. I can't judge the situation because I don't know the ins and outs but I do know that knowledge of this made me want to throw up. I felt sick. It was bad news. I know it was bad news because I have never felt sick on hearing about someone elses dealings. I try not to know/get involved because it is none of my business. But, my god. I feel sad. I feel confused and upset and it's not even me who is involved?

What makes one person in a relationship decide to sour it with that type of decision? IS marriage not meant to be a promise? And by promise I mean a deal that both people will FIGHT till the end. UNTIL THE END. FIGHT. TRY HARDER. Especially with a kid involved? I totally get that relationships do break down. THings don't stay the same, people change, people move on, stuff gets DULL....But surely it's WORTH it to stick it out TO THE END, having given it everything not given up AND THEN move onto someone else without creating a love triangle of confusion.

I cannot pin down why this has upset me so.
It could be because I feel I am no longer a good judge of character? I am dissapointed? I feel let down by human nature and how we can't fight for what we onced believed in?

I don't know either side of the story.
I don't even know the truth anymore. Who decides on what the truth is anyway?
I cannot judge.
I just know that I feel sad.

Brixtonia

Managed to explore a bit of Brixton with J on Friday night. And wow, what a night. We went to this bar called Hive - it's great. Small. Play good music and just fun....And then we ended up at the Dogstar. A little rougher around the edges but very cool.
There were these two Brazillian guys doing caipoera (sp?!) which is pretty amazing to watch. They are so fast on their feet and so precise. It really is a skilled art!

So feeling pleased that there is actually stuff stuff happening in my hood past 6pm. Except that as I started on my second whiskey at the Dogstar, I realised this was the FIRST "club" I have been in this entire year...well kind of ....but it really has been that long.

Soho, that I love

I have been taking the tube to Oxford street for the last month so that I can walk to work through Soho.
Everyday a different route.

Walking through the city as it wakes up and gets ready for the day.
The sounds of espresso machines gurgling, whistling and then the thumping as the residue is knocked out.
The pistachio ice cream green, tiled building that sits on the corner of Beak and Lexington.
Fruit vendors setting up shop in Berwick.
Flat white opposite the ugly Budgens.

Down wardour.
Shaftsbury seems to break the momentum that is Soho. It's like a highway running through a village.
And then China Town.
China Town. Caramelled duck hanging up in window displays.Steaming baskets of dim sum. Unfamilliar yet so familliar.

I love.

to do list

Okay so this is the situation.
I have 4 weeks before i leave current place of arbeit.
In those 4 weeks I am working on ONE project. One project?

Not a lot to do.
I can either get very bored, wishing the time away or, as I have decided, I am going to try make the most of it. So here's my list of things to do before the 4 weeks are up:

1. go to a St Martin in the fields lunch time concert
2. blog blog blog
3. read read read
4. online trends research

G came home last night with the most beautiful box of W&N paints and brushes. I really want to get back into this....

Game on.

I have resigned.
It was hard because I love the people here but I feel like I have been in limbo.
It's time to move on.

I start in 5 weeks.G + I are going to visit Carmensita in Las Palmas the week before I start. We've not been away since what feels like forever so we are both excited at the prospect of a break. Not at home. Away from the house.

So that is my big news.

A little nervous at the new start - anxious really. I just don't want a repeat of this year. I am hoping it's going to be challenging, fresh, fast, but manageable.

Game ON

Goodbye Runlondon hello Supersonic - on myspace??

So Nike has abandoned its runlondon gig and replacing it with SuperSonic. An innovative twist? Perhaps.

In the past you'd log onto an easy to use, clean and simple site that was about one thing: running. You'd sign up for the race, and hope you were one of the first 4000 to do so so that you could secure a place.

Seems Nike is doing things a differently with SuperSonic.

For starters, the website is now hosted on Myspace: http://myspace.com/nikesupersonic. This immediately excludes those who are not net-savvy enough to participate.

The site is ubercool, funky, hip and slick and seems to have a more competitive feel to it. Instead of registering for a place in the 10K run, you now have to register to take part in the 100m sprints (first come first serve - "no promises"). The top 1000 sprinters get to invite 3 guests. Thus 1000x3 = 4000 runners in total (admittedly, a clever way to get to the 4000 mark).
Can you imagine the field day on EBay flogging these tickets???

Anyway. The final twist is that this is a party. And a hip party at that.
It takes place on a Saturday night and promises "one night of music fuelled speed".

I'm sure it's going to be a cool event - especially for the hip and happening youth out there.
But for a brand that is trying to regain credibility in the running arena, this seems like an odd strategy. Then again, maybe Nike has decided to stick to what it does best? And that is keep cool.

Thoughts?

And so...

Success. They managed to raid the Dsei conference....
www.wombles.org.uk/article2007091249.php

Things people do in London

Some guys need a tank. Well that's what they told me on the 13 of August when I was down Brick Lane end.

It's for a good cause really. They need a tank to cause a stink.
The plan is to drive the tank into some arms conference going on in Londres.
That's right. That's called "causing a stink".
So. When you have a moment, if this is your thing, drop by Brick Lane.
They are asking passers by for cash, money, deneero, change. Whatever you can spare.

I believe tanks cost a lot of money. In the region of £500,000. That's a lot of money. So they might still be there. Forever?

Things to do in London

I live in another world

So the move to Herne Hill went well. It's a bit of a joke really to call our 'hood "Herne Hill" - yes, it has the lovely yummy mummy connotaions one would like associated with their property however, it really is Brixton.

And another world that is.
Brixton.
Try it out on a Saturday morning and you will know what I mean. It has the most electric atmosphere pumping through the crowded market streets. Loud music from the stalls competes for your attention...ladies having their hair braided, kids running around eating jerk patties - bright yellow, acrylic nails, dead meat, ganga, rasta, big tunes, do you know the lord?, jerk chicken, laughter, tears, double bass grinding through the back of that gold, blinging beemer. I LOVE IT. I love the edge.
But then again, I also love that I can walk a little further and I am in the peace and tranquility of the lovely Herne Hill.


Both GForce and I are finding our own spot of space a lot more luxurious than we'd ever imagined. It is insane.
We have 4 rooms between us and a garden - okay, okay, not 4 BEDrooms...but actual rooms that have walls that can separate us. It's insane. 4 rooms for the 2 of us? After 10 years of house-sharing this deluxe supremo.

happy days...

i fall in love

each time i walk through london i fall in love with the discoveries just waiting to be made.
i went for an explore at lunch today. i have walked up and down the streets of soho so many times but today it felt all new again.
popped into fernandez and wells on Lexington, delicious...then up to broadwick past the delicious wonders in Yautacha (I have to go there sometime) and round to berwick street. The market is fantastic. I am going to make a concerted effort to buy ALL fruit and veg from the sellers on Berwick street. I was overwhelmed by the range, and excellent quality....they even sell lemon grass and fresh herbs.

yes. I am in love. All over again.

Run for your life

So I have not done any exercise in a week and a bit.
I can feel it.
I am exhausted, maxed out, finished, drained, and energyless.

And this just makes me think about the people around me who don't move their bodies. Which is probably half the city.

People. It is time to MOVE.

Oh, get real.

This is apparently the "best purchase" someone ever made in their whole life.

I was scanning the gumtree.com looking at sofa's - second hand - on the off chance that I might find a 50's retro, restored and original beaut - possibly of Danish decent, please.

And I came across this!
"I consider this Edwardian set to be the best purchase I have ever made as they are the most elegant and confortable furniture in my lounge. Now you are probably asking yourself why they are on Gumtree and no longer in my lounge? Well they are being sold because we are remodernising and decided to sell them... gutted"

You have to laugh, right.

Ahem. Apology.

Just read over my last blog.
Feel I must apologise for my reference to the Indian Call Center.

On my way back from India a few months ago I watched a fascinating documentary on the ever boom call center industry in India.

Indeed, this explosion has opened the doors for many highly SKILLED Indians. Doctors, and other professional people are trading in their jobs to work at call centers. THe avg call center wage per year is approx $9000. This is a lot higher than the average Indian wage of $900. So working in a call center is highly desireable and the job is taken seriously.

The programme compared the work ethic of call center workers in countries like Australia and the UK to those in India. It's a completely different ball game. In the developed world, this type of job is typically filled by students, or those who are just passing through looking to make an extra buck. In India, this type of work is taken very seriously. It's a highly respectable profession and people work hard.

I think the most hitting part of the programme was watching how badly the Indian call center staff are treated. Usual comments like "I don't want to talk to an Indian, I want to talk to an English speaking person...." and "I want to speak to someone who understands me"....And they just take it. Swallow it down and continue to be so polite.

So back to my apology. I did not mean to be rude about the call center. I was frustrated by the situation - lost/stollen bag/wallet/phone/etc.

why'd they make it so hard.

what is it with customer service in this country?
I lose my phone, bag, life on saturday nite and do you think I can get stuff replaced? it took me 2 phone calls and 1 hour on the phone to barclays to cancel my cards. Oh and a lot of shitty phone music - you have to go through that as they pass you from department to department. To department. It took about an extra 10 minutes for all the call delays - a call to Mumbai (my guess) or Bangalore from Reading ain't gonna connect that well.

Try explain to someone in a call center in India that
1. you are in the middle of a field
2. you don't know your acc number and sort code off by heart
3. and no you don't have the 16 digit card number because the card was in THE BAG???!!!


I have just tried to claim insurance for my phone.
The phone I bought a year ago. And no, I don't have proof of purchase of that item. Is that not why I registered the phone with all the serial numbers etc when I bought it and insured it??????

Just an observation.
Surely there must be a way to right this?

Music that will make you cry

The Arcade Fire made me want to cry on Saturday night. They were just so good. So into what they were doing and really going for it. The instruments - violins, trumpet, harpsichord, organ....wow. It was absolutely amazing.

Bloc party also rocked....a lot! they were good.

RHCP - somewhat dissapointing. I think the boys are no longer boys and are starting to feel their age perhaps? seriously. I think some bands are best left in their prime.


Went into the Dance tent for a bit which was also great...
It was just good to jump around on a field, great music and D A N C E!**!**!*

Reading is not my festival of choice. ANd I will never go back. It is filled with 17-24 year olds all on a mission to get blind drunk and pass out...or score.
It was interesting just to observe from a distance and remember that I was once too awkward, gangly and silly.


We camped for 3 nites - me and the Old Friends. It actually worked out well. I guess we are all so comfortable we're OK with just mooching around.

Feel so alive now, I am going to take a hot shower and have a sleep!

Done and dusted

After much debate we (or rather, I) have decided that we (or I) are (am) going to pack our (my) bags and head to the dreaded Reading festival.

G just sent me this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6956629.stm


My friend C persuaded the "old friends" that this would be a good idea. We'll be working on Thurs + Fri afternoon (read: conducting market research questionnaires). And then the idea is that we have the rest of the fest to spend time together, hang out, reminisce, jump around to some music, and just take that time we never seem to have.

I am dreading it because I am not really up for being surrounded by spotty teens who will most likely be wasted. I am over that.

After writing the previous post I decided this would be a good idea. Sometimes its about making an effort. It's about getting out of your comfort zone and just doing it damnit. It's all to easy to say no and just miss out (I find the older I get the less I feel like being at THE party - I just don't care anymore).

Anyway.
I also have the feeling that this might be the last old friends event.

Or am I just hanging on?

Hey, it could ROCCCKKK. It really could. The line up looks OK and at least I am at the stage where I can be selective in what I see.
So I want to see
- Peter Bjorn and John
- Unkle
- Bloc party
- Smashing pumpkins and NIN (for old time's sake!)
- pull tiger tail (they were great at Fieldday)
- THe shins
- Arcade Fire
- RHCP

The rest I don't know....but could be an opportunity to discover something HOT!

Okay...getting a little excited now...

And then there's the good thing about letting go...

Lying in bed last night I struggled to sleep. I am still feeling rotten and bunged up.
It's funny how much real thinking one manages to achieve in bed when you're supposed to be sleeping. The mind flutters between that subconscious state that has all the answers you've been looking for...and suddenly there's a sense of clarity that washes over you.

I was just thinking about work (as always)...and came up with a few good ideas...(well, let's see how good they are today when I try them out of the workfolk)
And then I was thinking about the sadness I've been feeling at the "loss" of close friends.

They are still here. We still see eachother. Things have moved on though. It's not the same as it used to be. Even though I think we try it will never be the same. We live in the same city but still manage to miss out on the nuances that make a good friendship a real friendship.
And then I was thinking about the new people. The new people that start off being aquaintances...who you struggle to find time for ...but then something happens. THe new people start to appear more than the old people.
I suppose up till now I've been worried about this. Should you hold onto the past and continue to nuture what was once so important? Or do you adjust and move on and start to embrace what is new and exciting...

This is getting too deep.

Perhaps I should leave this for bedtime.

The best thing about a friend

Is how easily you slip into conversation.
How normal it feels and how you don't have to start from the beginning.

I met Sarah in San Francisco randomly 2 years ago. I had 10 days in the city and by the end of that time, that random arrangement made me a friend. Strangely we have managed to stay in contact for the past two years, so our weekend in Amsterdam felt natural and normal. Talking as if we had known eachother for years.

Highlights...
Tapas bar along canal
Delicious wine ....long chat
Walking around with someone who is OK to just walk around and soak up the energy of the city...
Exploring shops - not only clothes....
Having real girlie time
Watching the Holiday a second time around and actually enjoying it - in the company of a girlfriend, not a boyfriend (duh)
Mooching and eating and not caring
Delicious sushi dinner and cocktails
Not so delicious chi - chi dinner but at very cool Hackemar Brasserie....
More chatting
Not so good experience on Saturday evening/Sunday morning...but still feeling safe...

Got back on Sunday feelign rotten and tired. I am sick today...
Discovered an amazing drug called Contac which helps alleviate symptoms of colds...
Work people seem a little sympathetic which is kind of nice...

Need to decide if we are going to mission to Reading Fest. Not too sure I am up for it.

Not so dammaged after all/

Must be getting older.
sarah and I debated whether or not to get loco porcini last nite and opted for Trip -E. But have not taken it and probably won't Just not interested.
Were having fun.
x

Amsterdam

The interview yesterday went OK.
Except the guy - the big boss - was meant to meet me at 8.45 and he never pitched up. The people that I did interview with (about 4 people) seemed really concerned. His wife is pregnant. So perhaps she was giving birth? I really hope it was nothing serious. I might call to check it's all ok.

So yes, I met 4 people. One of the snr directors - a lovely woman who just seemed really personable. A younger guy who and then a Malay woman who told me her husband lives in Munich. I told her my fears of leaving G behind and she said it's hard, but definately do-able. I mean London is only an hour away right? well...actually when I add up the door to door trip it's around 5-6 hours. Not pretty.

Next stage (i know, ANOTHER stage???) is in a few weeks. Am given a case study which I have to present back to team. Nervous.

But I get the feeling it is hte right fit. I would be doing what I am familliar with...and it sounds like an exciting challenge.
Amazing client list and the projects sound varied....bring it on. Awesome office space right in the funky part of time...it's good.
But do I really want to move? again?

Walking around yesterday was pretty amazing. Sarah and I were just loving the higgledypiggldey road....and then the skinny houses almost toppling over. It's got a progressive feel about it. But it is SLOW. SLOW compared to my London.
MY london - I feel like I am beginning to know the city so well...the little turns and twists that you can only familiarise yourself with having spent a good lenght of time there.....

Not going to worry about anything yet, until the opportunity presents itself.
that is, if it does.

I am back.

It's been about 6 months since I dropped a line in this blog.
I am feeling inspired to write again.
I have found my voice and want to be heard damnit.

Number of reasons for this
- inspired by fellow bloggers and their tales
- not really that busy at work so have had enough headspace to think...and need to get this thinking down
- a lot going on...good to document this.
- something exciting is about to happen...well actually a couple of things
1. i am going to amsterdam tonite to meet with my friend Sarah ...I also have an interview lined up at Clear which I am totally nervous and excited about.
I want to take a lot of good pics this weekend. I want to get into that again....
2. graeme and I move into our new house in two weeks time. our OWN place. crikey I am scared but glad.

YAY! I AM BACK!!!!

Ankor

After letting go the bad vibes of the previous days trip we head out into Siem Riep bright and early.
It's a small city. And as expected it is very touristy. But not as tacky as it could be.

We have delicious breakfast at one of the many cute cafes and get chatting to an Aussie couple. They were kind enough to recommend their tuk tuk driver Mr. Hoar (pronounced whore). For $10 a day he'll take you to all the temples and around town, this is a good deal as some people have paid as much as $30 a day. So as soon as they've been dropped at the bus station Hoar comes back to pick us up and we're off.

Wow.
Angkor was the site of a series of capital cities of the Khmer Empire for much of the period from the 9thC to the 15thC. The ruins of these spectacular temples are found amidst forests and farmlands. There are over 1000 temples in the area. These range from nodescpript piles of bricks and rubble to the magnificent temples that really take you back in time. The most famous of these is the Angkor Wat. It is said to be the world's largest religious monument. You can believe this when you're standing, awestruck, infront of it. This temple is built to reflect the description of the universe according to Hindu mythology. A huge moat surrounds it and an outer wall after that with many long corridors inside it. A massive courtyard then contains 2 libraries and a long walkway take you to the heart of the temple, which you climb up in stages. The first level takes you to a place where large pools are and reliefs of women dancers decorate the wall. Up a level the courtyard is huge and contains the temple mount itself: a huge pyramid mountain that has steep steps you actually need to climb like a ladder 2.5 storeys up. From there you get a great view of the surrounding country but its not the end. The last courtyard is split into four by corridors and the centre is where the main idol would sit (then a vishnu or perhaps shiva but now a budha shrowded in orage and incence burning infront of him) and huge mountain shaped structure over him roughly 3-5 storeys high. This is Mt Meru centre of the universe and where god lives. It is truly amazing.

Martin and I climbed up and over the temple and spent a lot of time just walking around it in amazement. It still retains a lot of detailed statues and carvings on the walls. It is beautiful

After a couple of hours of exploring we moved onto Banyon Temple. This was probably my most favourite. It is known as the Temple of Faces. This temple is known as the temple of faces. It's a large structure on 3 levels or tiers with 49-59 towers each carved with a total or 4 faces on them. The corridors are tight and winding with lingams (hindu phallic and femine mixed idols) or budhas at intersections. Smaller and more confined than Angkor Watt, Banyon was seen as just as majestic due to it been covered in metal in its past and it's intricate carved reliefs on the walls tell the storey of battles against foreign invaders, the Chalms, as well as showing day-to-day activities like cock-fighting and circus acts.
The faces were so well carved. They stare at you from all directions in a very peaceful way

After Banyon onto Baphon.
This temple has suffered terribly from the elements. The french are in the process of restoring its 4 tiered pyramid that had a reclining buddha actually built into the side so that he covered one side of the second tier. When you see the restoration pictures this is fascinating and really a remarkable feat for architecture especially so long ago!

Ta Prohm was my second favourite temple.
The Jungle Temple... popular from the movie Tomb Raider. Yes this is where our good friend Angelina Jolie picked up her cambodian adopted son (yay...) and the temple itself was mostly reclaimed by the jungle over the years so that it is now covered in huge trees whose roots are basically what is holding the entire structure together. It is incredible. I was just in awe of the roots....they just seem to drip into the ground, twisting and turning. Beautiful!
Nobody chopped them down over the years b/c the wood of these trees is so soft that they're useless as building materials. We wanted a good place to see sunset but also to avoid the crowds. Luckily our tuk tuk driver's trainee and friend, Sam (born in cambodia became a refugee in the US and got a passport, came back after 20years got married and is trying to raise money to fly his 3 kids to the states...), knew of a good place.
Pre Ruk
we chilled for a while at a ruin nearby where we met a retired US couple who had been travelling for 4 years! They were very alternative and when they saw Martin's sore on his knee they insisted he start slapping on crushed garlic to cure the infection! They were very interesting to speakk to. They spoke to us about their belief that a change in diet and attitude can help you create a stronger immune system and defeat most diseases www.worldglobetrotters.com.

Sam and Hoar drove us to Pre Ruk so we could watch the sun set and we climbed the steep steps to where the other tourists were too - but many times less than anywhere else i'd been. the majority of us were quiet and it was pleasant. Mart and i meditated there facing west as the sun set and it was serene and relaxing.
That evening we got dropped by a market and ate at a place called the Dragon Soup. Martin ordered a cambodian dish with minced pork in prohac sauce with rice. I had something a bit blah.


The next day we got up at 5.15am and met Hoar and Sam outside the guesthouse where they then drove us to Angkor Wat to watch the sunrise. There were hoards of tourists and one particular funny group of japanese tourists who were doing aerobics while watching except that they were all over 50 and blatantly haven't done it before b/c they were stiff and out of time! lol!
We walked off some distance so that se couldn't see the aerobics class and watched the sun rise A-MAZE-ING! So beautiful and so worth getting up at that time.

Phnow Bakeng
This is the temple that most tourist buses use for sunset as it's on a large hill and faces west but we saw it directly after Angkor wat as it was recommended in the guide but we wanted to avoid crowds. We walked up the winding path and enjoyed the view from the top but compared to many of the other temples we'd seen and the stuff in india it was bit plain tho still exhilerating to try and climb down those sheer cliff-like stairs of the pyramid!

MARKET
THREE LITTLE GIRLS
We walked from one side to the other and i drank my first coconut on the other side when 3 little girls selling bracelets came and sat with us. one of them had a dodgy eye and when i took photos she saw them on the camera and started covering her eye. To make sure she didn't feel bad we had the others do it too and took photos. They were 6 years old. As we walked back to the tuk tuk they were harassing us for a dollar like literally the word "no" doesn't seem to exist for them. anyway it really got to me so so I gace them some a dollar each...and then burst into tears."they're only 6 years old and all they want is a fucking dollar!" ..."what's that to us? it's nothing! It's 50pence!"


At about 1730pm we left (before sunset) and Hoar drove us back to our hotel and agreed to pick us up for the airport the next morning (jesus was that really this morning?). We then showered b/c the dirt and dust sticks to your sweaty skin in the high humidity and heat. it's funny every time i wash my tan disappears!.... Then we walked to temple balcony restaurant and bumped into an austrian couple in their late 40/s early 50s who'd been on the bus with us and we'd kept bumping into over the course of our last two days! Christian and Phileese are involved in the film industry - her a writer/director and him an actor who was in austria's most successful film (Miller's Office - apparently...). We were going to the restaurant because it had live traditional cambodia dancers while you eat and so we watched the entertainment (i've just put a video up so i hope you enjoy it) and got back to the hotel about 11pm.

Bangkok
Today we caught the plane back to BKK. MArtin and I are sharing a room at Lamphutree - a cheap swish hotel....I leave for Aus tomorrow and feel I have LOTS to get through...shoppin!!!
Tonite we are hitting patpong. The TOWN...we're going to VERTIGO - the highest bar on earth... might see a sex show, and then going clubbing...
I hope i see something dirty...

Scammed, again.

It's tough getting out of bed at 5am Davis Hotel Styleee.
This bed is warm. It is comfortable. The sheets are crisp and clean and the pillows...ah the pillows. Everything a down pillow can be and then some. This is my last bit of luxury in SEAsia. It's back to living lo&cheap.

But it's a new day. And new days bring about new adventures. I am meeting Martin with his blue hair at Soi Ram Butri's 7Eleven. We are taking a 12 hour bus journey to Siem Riep, Cambodia to check out Ankor. I am excited.

We check out downstairs. They give me a breakfast box.
Thanks The Davis. You guys are so switched on.

I am back in the Kaoh San 'hood. Same as last time, the prozzies are holding up the lager louts. And the air smells of beer and stale cigarettes. It's not very pleasant but I don't care. I see Martin in the distance. We go into the 7Eleven. We need a caffeine fix.

The mini bus is on time. A first. We pack into it with about 7 other travellers. Martin and I have not seen each other in 4 weeks and we want to catch up. We chat away much to the irritation of the grumpy/sleepy guy in front who says something like "GRRR ay ay quiet, sleep please."
"Whatevah".

The mini bus is air-conned. It's comfy. After talking for about an hour the monotonous highway gets the better of me and I start to doze. The trip to the Cambodian border seems to go by quickly. And then it comes to a standstill.

We have stopped. At 11am. For lunch.
Some people are getting grumpy. Most of us want to move on. But of course we all order pad Thai or green curry and tuck in. The food is not too bad.
An hour clocks by. The bus driver "assistant" who is well dressed in a pressed shirt, slacks and smart polished shoes hands out visa forms.

There's a bit of a rumble between us travellers. "Hey, can't we get our own visa at the border"
The assistant in almost perfect English growls "yes, if you want to catch another bus. This way is quicker"
So of course we all take a form and dutifully fill it in. We all pay the ADDITIONAL 500 Bhat (about $18). We want to get there fast. We want to save time.

But time continues to rush past and we are going nowhere. We are still stopping for lunch. It's now been an hour and 15. People are getting antsty. One guy asks (the grumpy guy from the morning) "Hey, what's going on. You told us only an hour stop. We wanna go."

The assistant snaps.
"I don't like foreigners who not treating me good. You want to get to Cambodia you respect. Me no time for people like you"
The grumpy guy grumbles. We all look a little embarrassed for him. I feel guilty for the Thai assistant (sucker flaw number 1).

We hang around in the heat. The guys from the mini bus start a game of sh*t-head. A brilliant card game, with a rather awful name! Martin and I LOVE sh*t head. So we join. It's a good ice breaker and soon we are all chatting.

I meet Tamara. She is from Belgium. She is really cool. We chat about psychology (she's a psychologist) and a travelling. We really get on.

And suddenly the Thai assistant calls us to the bus. TWO HOURS LATER.

The bus is now a truck. We are all shoved into it like cattle.
(did no-one stop to think that something WEIRD was going on? Of course not. This is Asia)

We get to the border in 15 minutes
(So are you telling me we waited for TWO HOURS just to get to where we wanted to get to in 15 minutes. What the HELL IS GOING ON???)

The border post between Thailand and Cambodia has a weird feel about it. This might have something to do with the hate these two countries harbour for one another. There is a market on the Thai side. It sells everything from clam shells as snacks, clothes, food, electronics. But I cannot shake off this strange feeling. This feels like no-mans land.

The Thai assistant guides us into a queue. It is so hot and all of us are lugging our packs in this humid, heat. We stand around for a bit and finally enter an air conditioned hall where we are handed our passports which we then pass onto the border officials. Our passports are stamped and we're all in, except Martin.

At "lunch" when the Thai assistant was collecting our passes he missed Martin by mistake. Martin doesn't want to pay the extra 500Bhat. He wants to do the visa himself. But the Thai assistant is NOT having any of this. "You give me the money and we can all go quick otherwise you go alone." There is some tension in the air. It is weird. Martin hands over the money and the passport.

And then we wait. And wait and wait. For TWO MORE HOURS. God knows what we are waiting for. As we are fanning ourselves from the unbearable heat, waiting, I remember we need to get currency. Our smart assistant overhears me mention this to Martin.
"You must draw money in Thailand. No ATMS in Cambodia. And you get better exchange rate at the border"

I ask Martin how much he thinks we need.
The bus assistant answers
"How long you in Siem Riep for?"

3 days.

He says an amount equivalent to about 80GBP

Martin and I look at eachother. That is a LOT of money in Asia for 3 days.
We decided to draw less. A whole 10GBP less each. Big deal.

(why lord, did our warning bells not go off round about now?)

Panic. What if the queue starts to move and we miss the ATM and we miss the exchange rate that's so good? We decide we need to go back into Thailand to drawer or else we will be screwed and cashless. I go across. It takes a while. I have to go back through passport control into Thailand.

Eventually I get the cash
Martin takes it to exchange around the corner.

As he walks away into the distance something clicks. This doesn't feel right.
Siem Riep is a MAJOR tourist spot. Surely there'd be ATMS and money exchange?
Why is our assistant being so helpful?
What if the rate is not correct?
Is this a scam?

"No, of course not. Don't be ridiculous. This guy is trying to HELP us" I think to myself.

Martin comes back.
We exchanged at 70 to 1

We are then pushed into a mini van. In fact we squeeze in and the Japanese fellow who was on our am bus now has to SHARE a SEAT with a new traveller. A Cambodian called Bo.
Bo welcomes us to Cambodia. He tells us that he will assist us in getting accommodation when we arrive in Siem Riep. He seems really nice. Maybe a bit too nice?

We start driving. It is AWFUL.
The worst road we could possibly be on. It is a dirt road filled with potholes. It's hardly a "road". We are in the middle of nowhere bumping along at a VERY slow pace. How long will this take? Another SIX hours. The trip is getting longer than expected. People are angry and upset. My back is in agony from the road. This is so bad.

We have only been driving for an hour when the mini van pulls up to a restaurant.
Another stop.
But we don't want to stop.
We have no option.

Inside we scan the menu. It's not expensive for us - a dollar a meal, but in Cambodia that is a FORTUNE for a bowl of soup.
We order.

After everyone has eaten we all get back into the mini van. It is getting dark.
We continue to bump along. The road does not get better for the next 6 hours. It gets worse.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Martin and I eventually arrived in Siem Riep that evening at 10pm. We were conned into taking one of Bo's rooms. It wasn't too bad of a deal.
We found out later that the exchange rate was 120 to 1. We had each lost $50 - a lot when you're budgeting! We also found out that the route we had taken is known as the "scam route". Apparently all that waiting at the border is to make sure most ignorant tourists change money to fill the pockets of the touts. The stop at the restaurant is a commission stop. And the additional 4 hours tagged onto the pothole road drive is there to make sure you are so exhausted by the time you arrive in Siem Riep you will take the first room offered.

The first thing we did once we'd checked in was go directly to an Internet cafe. Here we booked two return flights back to BKK. There was NO way I was going through a day of hell on earth again. I felt angry not only at the bastards that took us for a ride, but more so at myself for being so bloody stupid.

After booking the flights, we decided to take the day as a lesson and to let all that bad energy go.
We were both still excited about the next 3 days of Ankor.

Thai Wedding

Jan and Mike, the couple I met in India had kindly invited Graeme and me as well as Martin - my friend from India to their wedding in Bangkok on the 10th of March, 2007.

Graeme had checked us in at the very exclusive Davis hotel for our last night. This was conveniently just around the corner from the wedding and was quite amazing!
We arrived at the Imperial Queens Hotel in Sukhumvit for the Water Ceremony at 4.30pm.

It was great to see Mike and Jan again. They both seemed a little nervous and overwhelmed. Jan's parents are Thai, although she was born and raised in California. She can speak Thai but feels a little removed from the culture. Mike's parents are Chinese. He too was born and raised in California. Jan's parents wanted their only daughter to get married in the Thai tradition.

Martin arrived a little late. We were all in tears of laughter when he showed up with BLUE hair. He was dressed in a suit and flip flops. Ahhh the life of a backpacker eh. I was impressed that he made do with what he had. He did a great job! And made us laugh too! I am not sure the rest of the guests were that impressed!!

Both Mike and Jan looked gorgeous. Mike was wearing a tailor made suit that was beautiful. Jan was wearing a traditional Thai wedding dress made of cream coloured silk. In her hair she had beautiful gold ornaments.

The water ceremony is reserved only for close family and friends. We felt honoured to be invited. At the ceremony the couple, is lead to the front of a stage. They both wear wreaths which are connected to one another's with a string of tiny white flowers. Both kneel on the floor with their hands together as if they were praying. The wedding guests go up one by one and are handed a small ornamental jug filled with water. Each guest pours water over the hand of both the husband and wife and gives them a blessing. Mike and Jan were both in tears soon after this tradition began.
When I spoke with them at the reception they said it was really overwhelming to have the people closest to you shower you with only positive hopes, and wishes for the future. In the negative world we live in, it is not surprising that the two of them were in tears.

After the ceremony we all got to have professional photographs with the couple. We were then lead to the reception whilst the couple change into western wedding outfits.

The reception was incredible. A lavish feast laid on 4 large tables was put before us. The food was really good and interesting too. As this was a Thai wedding we got to sample the real deal! There was also some delicious western food served. Fabulous. The massive ballroom was decorated with red roses. In the center of the room stood a GIANT wedding cake of 6 tiers! This was surrounded by ice sculptures.

We ate well and sat at a table with some of Jan's Thai relatives. We got talking to an uncle of hers about Thai politics, India, China and the East. It was really interesting to have his view on things.

In the background a small orchestra played some old classics. This was lovely too.

Mike and Jan eventually joined the party looking lovely, albeit a little fraught! They'd been having more photographs taken of their special day! They come over to talk to us. Both of them felt a little stressed, but were pleased to see us which was really nice.

The reception is not like a western reception which is quite jovial. Its a little more serious. People sit at tables, eat and talk or they swan around the room picking at the delicious food. Once the bride and groom return, the family gets up on stage with them and speeches are given in Thai. We were then entertained by a Royal Thai opera singer. This was great!

After the singing, Jan and Mike were lead to the massive cake in the center of the room. Here they were handed a sword to cut through the vanilla cream and pieces of cake were dished out.

The wedding ended early - about 10pm. We were the last people left! Graeme and I walked back to our hotel and enjoyed our last bit of Bangkok together. We were both very sad to say goodbye to one another.

We both had to get up early the next morning. Graeme had an 8am flight to London. I had a 6am bus to Siem Riep, Cambodia.

Paradise

Graeme and I eventually managed to get a decent price for the ferry to Phi phi. No problemo. After scouting around Patpong for a while we were so glad to be leaving.

On the bus to the ferry we met an Israeli guy Dan Gur. He had been travelling though Aus and NZ for the past 7 months. His trip sounded incredible. He had gone alone, met some friends hired a car, got a tent and drove and drove and drove. Another thing to add to my never ending list. He was a nice guy. Both Graeme and I connected with him immediately.

The ferry trip was beautiful. Graeme was so pleased to see the sun and sea. I was so pleased just to have him there with me to be experiencing this.

We arrived at Phi Phi that afternoon and checked into the resort Graeme had booked - the Banyan Tree. It was wonderful. Such luxury compared to the dumpsters I have been staying in for the past few months (bar Maylyn Guest house in Vang Viene, Laos!).

The main bit of Phi Phi is pretty crowded, but it is still nice and relaxed. We dropped our stuff and went for a walk around. Still tired we had a bit of an early night. And slept so well!

We woke up the next morning to our American Breakfast offered by the hotel. Er. We then decided to climb to the middle of the Island. This took about 40 minutes in the heat, so we were pretty exhausted by the time we got up to the top. But it was so worth it. As you walk away from crowds you walk into a jungle! It was fun. At the top we decided to go down another way and we were both thrilled we did. We landed up on the other side of the mountain on a beach which I can only describe as very close to PARADISE. Everything we expected Thailand to be and more. Clear warm water, white sand, gentle lapping waves, palm trees, hammocks and only a handful of people. Perfect.

We spent the rest of the day there. Climbed rocks onto the next beach and just hung out. It was magnificent.

Other highlights on Phi Phi included:

- spending the day with Dan Gur and his mates Maytal, Haddass and ....forget his name! They were all Israeli so it was great to learn more about their culture and their travel experiences in Australia. They were a great group of people and both Graeme and I are desparate to get to Israel now! We went to "the Beach" - to be honest, in real life it's a crock of sh*t and you have to pay more money to walk on it! But we had fun.
- snorkeling for 5 minutes and getting stung by baby jelly fish
- having a drink on the beach at the reggae bar one evening with hardly anyone around.
- having a real cup of coffee at the funky phi phi coffee shop
- having access to a swimming pool at Banyan villa AND a cleaner to clean the room (OOOOOOOOOoooooooo)
-hanging out with Graeme and catching up

After saying goodbye to Phi Phi we had a short trip to Krabi's Rai Lei Beach. Graeme found us the most beautiful resort called Anyavee. Wow. We were in the lap of luxury....although true to Thai style it was a little incomplete. After checking in we realised our bathroom was still all concrete and not tiled. There was a clump of old, dried concrete stuck to the foor!!! Apparently all bathrooms at the resort are like this - we put it down to modern minimalism. The rooms were beautiful and tastefully decorate. And the highlight: the resort had an infinity pool lined with palm trees overlooking a zen-like stone garden and then the beach. wow. Definitely paradise found.

The town of Rai Lei is hidden amidst the thick foliage on the island. Great limestone cliffs tower over both the east and west side bays. These are really magnificent and a great if you are a climber (which er, neither of us are!). The two beaches each have their own feel about them. The west side is the day strip. Here a white sand beach runs along warm, deep blue water. This is also the beach to watch the most perfect beach sunset. In the evening when the sun goes down you can stroll along the beach and look at the interesting sun-like shapes created by tiny crabs in the sand (I was really excited by this). We also saw a little boy create a lovely abstract picture out of the tiny silver fish that had been left on the sand as the tide lowered. At sunset you can also sit on grass mats, sip on a coconut and watch Frisbee throwers, kids, people hanging out ...it's really great.

The east side is more the evening beach. Here funky, chilled out bars line the little path that runs along the water. At night this strip is buzzing in a gentle way - it's not too manic. Most play excellent music. You can get up for a bit of a boogie or just hang out. Perfect. On our first nite in Rai Lei we met two Aussie guys who bought us each a cocktail within 2 minutes of meeting them. We had a few games of pool together and then headed to one of more happening bars. What a fun night. Probably the first night since the start of my trip that I have had a proper ass-shakin'! It was great. I got picked up by a Thai lady who wanted to dance with me. It was fine for a bit until she started touching me...er....

Other highlights in Rai Lei include
- the day trip to the Hong Island which included 2 hours of kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, meeting a great German couple Franzi and YoYo
- hanging out at the pool for most of a day and feeling guilty. But then letting it go and just enjoying the time to chill out
- cocktails - the good ones and the not so good ones!
- Graeme getting a suit tailor made
- more swimming and beaching
- the little local Thai hut where we ate a couple of meals

It was magical. We both left feeling calm and happy. We had had such a great time on both Phi Phi and Rai Lei.

The Land of Smiles?

The Thai islands are obviously not what they were 10-20-30 years ago (die-hard travellers seem to feel the need to hammer this home in every conversation) and more importantly neither are the people. They have adopted the attitude most locals in a tourist spot tend to have. They want one thing and one thing only. Your money.

We arrive at Phuket airport at midnight. We get a pre-paid taxi for 500Bhat (expensive for Thailand) to Patpong beach. On the way there the driver asks us what our plans are. We tell him we plan to get the ferry to Phi Phi tomorrow.

"The ferry is almost booked, you will be lucky to get a ticket now"
Graeme, new to SEA gets a little antsy (and to be honest so do I because I want to get the hell out of Phuket). We ask for more details. "It is high season now, and everything is full up. Good that you have a hotel booked."

The guy makes a call and the next minute we are driving towards a tourist office where his friend can sort us out with ferry tickets for the next day. As we pull up we see a lady unlock the doors of the office and turn on the lights. We approach the front door and I notice that she is actually a he. A beautifully manicured Lady boy. We walk inside, whilst H/She turns on the CD player. Celine Dion wines about not being able to live if living is without you.

When you've just arrived in Thailand and you're in a new place that is foreign and, face it, weird compared to home, this situation could be normal. You're worried you are not going to get a ticket and you think it is so nice of the taxi driver to help you out. Gee, what a nice guy. But it's not. This is not normal. Don't lose your head or your common sense. THINK ABOUT IT. It is 1am in the morning. You are sitting infront of a lady boy who has just unlocked the office just for YOU and h/she is trying to SELL YOU SOMETHING.

She starts with her pitch. "Ahh where you wanna go? Phi phi...beautifoool but many people wanna go there. High season, no felly tickeh (ferry ticket) now. But I have some felly tickeh I sell you"
My warning bells go off. I immediately want to get out of here before going deeper down this all too familiar path. Graeme wants to sit down and hear more.
I snap
"How much?"
" Ahhh for you vely goo prih (very good price) . You I make a discount of 20% it is only 900Bhat" H/She breaths and sings her words out.

The guide book says it is 200Bhat.

We both look stunned and she starts to explain how this is high season price and blah blah bla. I am pissed with the driver for bringing us here at 1am. Graeme is jet lagged. I am exhausted from my day in BKK sans sleep. I get the guy to take us to our hotel.

At the hotel they do not have a record of our deposit Graeme has paid. But thank god they have a room. It is now 1.30am. We both get upstairs and pass out exhausted. We have to get up early next morning to sort out this ticket rubbish and to get into the Land of Smiles. I mean scams.

One day in Bangkok

It's 5am. Kho San road is crawling with last night's leftover rendez vous. Drunkard louts are held up by their scantly dressed Thai escorts. A man is passed out on the side of the road. He looks happy to be asleep. Enterprising Guest Houses are still open serving come-down cocktails for the die hards, and water for the more sensible. Although the sun has not yet hit Bangkok it is hot and humid. The thick air sticks to your skin along with the reek of stale cigarrettes and beer.

My pack is heavy on my back. My knees are sore after sitting scrunched up on the bus from Vientiane to Bangkok for 12 hours. I have met a french guy, Martin. He is24 years old, he works in China and has a few days to kill. He is not too sure what to do or where to go. He is a first timer in this famous travellers road.

We go to the first guest house we see. The receptionist doesn't even look us as we walk to the desk. She continues to stare into the distance even when we are infront of her and I, in a very friendly voice say "hello". Perhaps it is too early in the morning. Perhaps she is just sick and tired of tourists. I ask her if we can leave our stuff here for the day, and take a shower. I am looking out for Martin now because he is tired and has no idea how to manage this situation. She mumbles "no". We leave. I want to swear at her.

We go to Lumphu guest house on Ram Butri Road adjacent to Khoa San. This is the guest house I have tried to get into the 3 times I have stopped in Bangkok. It is always fully booked because it is cheap, clean and comfortable. I never remember to book so I lose out. This time I don't want a room though. I want to drop my pack and the three gifts I am lugging around. I want to arrange transport to the airport later this evening and negotiate a shower. A cold, clean shower. I need to wash the bus trip and morning grime off my skin.

The receptionist here greets us with a smile, even though it is now 5.45 am. She is happy to let us leave our stuff in a secure room for 20 Bhat. She tells me I can book a seat in a mini bus to share with others for 150Bhat to get me to the airport. And for 50 Bhat I am welcome to have a fresh, clean shower. I say, "yes, yes, yes." Martin nods nonchalantly.

We go get luke warm, milky coffee at the Tuppin Guest House. And I bump into the hippie girl I met on the balcony party in Vientian on my first night. We ask eachother where we've been and what's been going on. Our answers are brief because we both know we will forget one another once we are out of sight.

The coffee goes down like a school canteen meal you're forced to eat as a kid. I give up half way. The day starts to buzz around us, and I am keen to get on with it. I say goodbye to Martin and start walking. I am on a mission. Post these heavy gifts I am lugging around. First I have to wrap them - they are wedding gifts. So I look on the BKK tourist map, find a stationary shop and start walking. I am relieved to see they have all that I need. Bubble wrap, gift wrap, gold ribbon, nice paper. The store assistant is kind enough to let me sit in the corner at a desk whilst I write the messages to the couples to be. She helps me bubble wrap the gifts and asks where I got them from and how much I paid. I tell her Laos. She looks confused. We fumble over the bubble wrap and get the gifts organised. I am pleased. One step at a time closer to getting them into the post.

I pay and leave.

It is now too hot outside. The sun is heaving it's heat onto me. It is unbearable. I get directions to the Post office. Pass a food market. The stalls sell hot, clear noodle soup, pork balls on sticks, bbq chicken, cold drinks in plastic packets, curries in packets - convenient for take away. People slurp, drink, chew. I pass the bustle of the clothes market. Cheap clothes from china are for sale. People push and pull wanting to see what's on offer. The streets are crowded now. It is nearly mid-day. I pass a Seven Eleven - one of the many on the same road. Seven Eleven in BKK is like Starbucks in central London. There is one on every corner. I get to the post office. It is closed. It is a public holiday. But everything else is open. I am directed to a courier company. Not DHL - too expensive.

The lady behind the counter gives me boxes to post the gifts. I get talking to an American couple on a 6 month trip. We share tales and I give them tips on India. They write everything I say down in a note book. I know they will go to Hampi. I finish off writing the addresses on the boxes and start talking cost with the lady when a rude man enters and pushes his envelopes in front of the assistant. She starts dealing with him. I am getting pissed off. I want to get out of here and get on with my day. He is confused. She cannot understand him. Their exchange continues for a bit and eventually she is back to me. I hand over two of the three parcels ( I have not got the address for the one damnit). I leave.

I want to get an aircon taxi straight to the MBK center. I am meeting Graeme tonite at the airport. I want to get him some nice shirts. I flag down a cab. The driver refuses to use the meter but it's OK because I manage to share the taxi with a 24 year old Israeli girl who has just spent 6 months travelling Australia. She is excited to be going home. In fact all the Israeli's I have met LOVE home and look forward to returning. She is going to MBK to buy gifts for her family. Her dad wants running shoes and her brothers want clothes.

The taxi is cool. We are both relieved. It negotiates itself through the mad traffic and in 30 minutes we are there. we pay 40Bhat each - bargain. We make a plan to meet outside the Noodle restaurant at 4pm to potentially share a taxi back - in 2 hours. I want to get back to have a pedicure on Kho San Road. My feet are cracked and look like they need some TLC. I know two hours won't be enough for her, but we make the plan anyway. If she is not there I will leave without her.

MBK is heaving. It is mad. 7 floors of shopping. You can buy anything in the world here. It is packed and manic. But it's cool.

I rush through and try avoid getting pulled into a handbag store. I am close to buying a handbag, when something clicks and I say no thank you. "Please missus, cheap price for you today. You buy, you buy". Sorry, not today.

I get drawn to a shoe store. MBK is paradise for shoe shopping. But it's hell when you're a size 7. The shoes here are gorgeous, unique, cute, exciting, fun, but small. Too small for my big feet. I am irritated.

On the 5th floor I find shirts. Good. They are nice. But I am not sure they will fit Graeme. The shop assistant gets me to go up to an Indian guy and ask him to try them on for me. We get talking about India and he does me the favour. His girlfriend and mother giggle on the side. They fit him perfectly. I guess he's about the same size as Graeme so I get a few and decide to leave.

Outside the heat hits me again. You cannot escape. I flag down 3 taxis. They all want to charge me 200Bhat. No way. I eventually get a tuk tuk who will take me to Khoa San for 100. Fine.

Back at Khoa San I head straight to Orchid Beauty Parlour. The same place I had my hair cut and the most memorable massage on this planet. I ask for a pedicure. Wow. And it's a good one. After scraping, scrubbing, filing, polishing my feet look new again. I wear my haggard Havaianas proudly showing off my cerise toes.

I rush from the parlour to Lumphu guest house. I have a cold shower and then it's time to go. The mini bus collects me on time and we head to the airport. We pick up a couple of German tourists on the way. They tell me of their experience in Thailand. They have had a good trip.

At the airport I meet Graeme. We have not seen each other for 2.5 months! It is so exciting. I get a little nervous when I see him approaching, but when he is close to me, it feels like we've not been apart at all. We both look forward to the next week. Island, beaches, sun, swimming and time together.

The flight is delayed by two hours. No problem, we have a lot to catch up on. Where do I start. It's difficult. So much has happened to me in this time we have spent apart and it is difficult to express this verbally. I am disappointed that some of my most memorable experiences are mine alone. I cannot share them with anyone. I still have them. They are amazing. They are mine.

Luang Prabang

It takes 7 hours to do the 120 KM journey from Vang Viene to Luang Prabang. In a "VIP" bus. The regular bus takes 9.
The route between these two towns is windy, turny, twisty and turvey. The bus curls up one mountain after another so it takes forever. Not good for anyone with motion sickness, as we experienced in our VIP. A woman in the front spent most of the 7 hours with head out the window.
But it is beautiful. Layers of mountains surround the road, and the scenery is magnificent.

Luang prabang is set along the beautiful Mekong River. As you approach the main road Xiang Thong into this World Heritage town, the architecture becomes a wonderful hybrid of traditional Lao bamboo and wooden houses coupled with French Colonial Architecture. An earthly smell lingers in the air from the thick, lush, green vegetation around the town. Every now and again, above the green of the trees the golden roof of a wat protrudes. The most noticeable is that of the Phousi Wat which sits on top of the Phousi hill in the center of the town.

This town is magical. I immediately felt a strong sense of peace as we arrived.

It took me a while to find budget accommodation as most of the hotels here cater for holidaymakers who have a bit more to splurge. And if I wasn't on a budget, believe me I would have splurged!! The guest houses are grand. Most have lush gardens attached where you can relax and soak up the surroundings.

After walking the town for about an hour with my pack on back I managed to find a room for $8 at the Heritage Guest House. I was not too impressed as the bathroom was a bit grotty but the room was clean. I dropped my bags, and decided to go for a walk. After 7 hours in the VIP with the person sitting next to me LEANING on me the ENTIRE way I needed to WALK!

In the town I bumped into a Swedish girl, Aline, who was looking for a room. It was weird. We got chatting and I immediately felt a connection with her, so I offered to share my room with her! It was such a good decision as we spent the next 5 days together and got on so well.

That evening we had dinner along the Mekong River. I had the traditional Lao Pork Laap - a dish of minced pork (or beef or fish), mint leaves, lemon grass, garlic, onion, chili and other fresh herbs. This is served with large lettuce leaves in which you wrap the Laap to make a roll. It is delicious. Aline had also been in India, so we got to share stories and experiences.

On the second day in LP we started the Lonely Planet walk which guide you through the town and into some of the most beautiful wats. One of the Wats we entered had loads of old Buddha statues piled up, these were really fascinating as a lot of them were really old and unique. It's incredible how calm one feels when you enter a Buddhist temple. I guess when you have a large Buddha in front of you, you cannot help it!

After climbing the Phousi mountain in the midday heat, we abandoned the walk and went back to the town for one of our everyday massages. Wow. Not the best massage I've had (Thailand is the real land of massage), BUT still so good to have 2 hours of mooching! It was fab.

After our massage we had some dinner on the side of the road, and went to Luang Prabang's night spot called the Hive Bar. It is fab. Very Chi Chi. It reminded me of a funky bar somewhere in South Africa, like Melville. We got talking to a group of guys who had taken for the happy hour special. I had my first cocktail in three months! A mojito - it went down a treat. The people we spent that evening with were great. I met a guy from London, Lee who is a freelance designer and exhibits at the Portabello Rd gallery. He had come to Asia for some inspiration. We also met some young Dutch guys Pimm and Martin, who had finished studying and were about to embark on exciting careers - Pimm moving to China, and Martin working at his family business. We didn't only talk about work though, we spoke about our travel experiences and our thoughts on life, priorities, and just how lucky we all are.

These are the wonderful things Aline and I did together for the rest of my time in LP:

• 
  We hired bicycles and cycled for about 9KMs in the midday sun UPHILL to a waterfall. When we arrived, exhausted (me almost in tears) we realised it was DRY!!! So we spent the rest of the afternoon at the cafe learning more about each other's lives when not travelling! After a long, leisurely and well deserved lunch we walked up the mountain through the lush vegetation and found a bamboo hut where we slept for a couple of hours. The ride back to town was glorious - all down hill.....we needed that.
• We visited the Pak Ou Caves or "Buddha Caves". These are two caves inside an overwhelming lime formation along the river. These caves were used for the worship of the river spirit until Buddhism spread into Laos along the southern route from India.
  Gradually over 60 decades, more than 4,000 Buddhas – mostly the standing Buddha of the Luang Prabang style – have been placed inside the Caves.
• We watched the Alms ceremony at 6am one morning. This tradition has been going on for many years and it is incredible to watch. Hundreds of monks dressed in their bright orange garments carrying a basket each line up and walk along the side of the road. The monks collect rice from kneeling villagers (and tourists) which they put into their baskets. This is their food for the day.
• Falls kuang si - this was probably the best day in LP - a visit to the magnificent waterfalls. These are tucked away in a wild forest. As you approach the waterfall you pass 3 crystal clear, blue ponds in which you can swim. It is incredible how clear they are. We climbed to the top of the falls, which was fun and spent the rest of the afternoon swimming, and reading.
• On the day it rained we drank hot ginger tea in L'etranger - a gorgeous bookshop/ cafe.
• On most nights we walked through the evening market which sells the most beautiful typical Lao arts and crafts. We were both stunned at how cheap everything is sp managed to load up on some great gifts! The market also leads onto the food market. Wow. This is incredible. Here you can get the most fascinating combinations of food....and the most weird. We tried something new everyday....it was great.

It was sad saying goodbye to Aline. We have promised we will visit each other in our respective town/city. She still has another 6 months out of her 9 to travel!

Luang PRabang was definitely a highlight. It's a great place to visit, albeit very touristy. Visiting here felt like a holiday from a holiday!

Vang Viene

The travelers I met in Vientiane the evening before leaving for Vang Viene all summed my next stop as "a very difficult place to leave."

However upon arriving in Vang Viene I was disappointed. No other word sums up the town better than "tacky". It's got a plastic feel about it. The streets are built on a grid system and they are paved with stores, flashy internet cafes, pancake vendors and TV bars all showing Friends re-runs. If you walk down the road you can hear about 3 different episodes of Friends in the background. I wonder what Jennifer Aniston would say about that!

But as you look past the town - which really is very tiny - one main road and 3 off-roads, you are struck by the awesome mountains that surround it. The mountains seem to layer over one another so that those in the distance seem to be a shadow of those upfront. It is truly spectacular.

I was fortunate enough to meet a gang of real Actionados on the VIP bus to Vang Vien. There were 4 in the group - Emma and Claire, the twins both from France living in London and Singapore respectively. And Lola from Italy, and Ben both living in London. They were all a bit older than me but their energetic spirit attracted me to them immediately. And to be honest, they kind of adopted me too which was nice. I had had a recommendation to "cross the bamboo bridge to the other side of the river for accommodation." After seeing the ghastly town we all agreed that we would act upon this advice and seek something which would hopefully make up for the disgrace of the main town.

So we crossed the bridge. My pack now weighing a hefty 18 KGs in the mid-day sun, it was tough. But so, so worth it.
We arrived at Maylyn Guest House. Tucked away amidst corn fields and along the bank of a little stream with the most beautiful tropical garden. It was such a find! The guest house is run by Joseph - an Irish/London/Australian and his wife Won. They have been running it for 7 years. We checked into wooden bungalow-type rooms which were so beautiful, clean and homely.

And then the action was ON!!! Action Gang (i.e me + the group I was with as we will now be known) was ready for a walk in no time. We did a few kilometers to the nearest caves where we where met by a guide who led us inside. Our guide was about 6 years old, and he was the cutest boy I have ever seen. It was not the most impressive cave, but a nice introduction to one of the many we'd see over the next few days and a good lesson to remember to carry a torch at all times.

We then took a walk through the fields, said hello to the cows. The first thing that struck me is just how healthy the cows are compared to the skeletal cows I'd seen in India. Turns out the cows in Laos are a cross breed between the Brahman cows from India and the local Laos cows. They are not as visible as they are in India. Most reside on the plush fields and past their days grazing whereas the cows in India reside on the busy streets and pass their days rummaging for any bits of food they can find in the rubbish piles.

After our time in the fields we decided to go swimming in the Nam Song River that runs through Vang Viene. This is the waterway that separates the town from the "other side" - where we were staying. In the evening the river is packed with locals either taking a bath or collecting the river Algae - which is eaten in a lot of Laos food.

That evening we tucked into a dinner made at the guest house - arguably the best food in Vang Viene. I had their delicious Tom Yum soup. Wow. The food in Laos is definitely the best I have had anywhere in the world. I think it's the most agreeable with me!

The rest of the time in Vang Viene followed pretty much the same course. Action gang was together for day 2 which was super. We spent the morning walking the 6km route to the Ponsavan Cave. This is a cave that holds a Budha statue inside it where monks go to pray. The walk to the cave was easy enough along a dirt road, but the heat was exhausting. When we finally arrived we were so pleased to find the beautiful "Blue Lagoon" - a river that is surrounded by magnificent flora and has crystal blue waters flowing through it. After a refreshing dip, Action Gang decided to brave the cave.

Getting up to the cave is literally an 80 degree mountain climb. There is no help, bar a bamboo rod here and there that you can use to leverage yourself. I of course was wearing a lovely skirt -- I don't do shorts -- but managed, as I had wisely put on some decent climbing shoes (read: trainers - the rest had pro- mountain shoes on!).

The climb is tough but so worth it. When you enter the mouth of the cave you are immediately struck by the enormous hollow created by dripping limestone rock. The cave has a serene air about it that is heightened when you lay your eyes upon the reclining, gold Budha statue. It is so peaceful and calm to be in that presence. We were fortunate enough to bear witness to a few monks dressed in their bright orange robes making an offering to the Budha when we arrived. The offering usually consists of incense sticks and the most intricate flower arrangements. Banana leaves are woven into spikes and then bright orange marigold flowers are pinned onto the spikes. They are really unusual but so beautiful.

Action Gang was keen to climb up and around the limestone formations. I was a little nervous but decided to go along with it. This was also tough, but again, so worth it. I was so pleased to have met up with such a "go for it" group...it was great. We went up and down and through the entire cave. Action Gang - we were up for anything!

After the climb down the mountain - of course I was the last one down, we went for another swim and then Action Gang was ready to head out to Adventure Part II. Tubing.

Tubing down the Nam Song River is the most popular thing to do in Vang Viene. Over the years, the Laos people have cottoned on that the white man loves nothing more than the combination of sun, water and of course beer. So all along the river you are offered "BEER LAOS, BEER LAOS" by young boys who throw the bottles at the backpacker crowed who are keen to get them down. The river also has a few bars along it playing the latest music where some tubers stop to "rest"(read: drink and pull). To be honest, I was not that keen to participate in this activity. I must be getting old....argh! I was actually quite put off by all the lager louts doing their thing in such an otherwise peaceful and beautiful environment. I was particularly irate when I witnessed a few boys throw empty beer bottles into the river. Not good at all.

That said, it was great to go down the river and parts of it are still pretty natural, although I think in years to come it might all be ruined.

After tubing we hit one of the many spas in Vang Viene. I opted for an hour oil massage. Wow. It was pretty hardcore, but good. After a lot of thumping and stretching I left feeling quite exhilarated. Although I was laughing at the end, and managed to get the masseur to laugh too when he was doing the "stomach massage"!

The rest of my time in Laos followed pretty much the same course. The next day I unfortunately had a lot of admin to do which took up most of the morning, but I spent the afternoon cycling out to the next village. I saw:
- lots of satellite dishes alongside bamboo huts
- stalls selling the evening meal of BBQ chicken, fish, pork on bamboo sticks, or soup
- kids cycling home holding umbrellas to shade themselves from the hot sun
- groups of men playing cards
- men weaving baskets
- a beautiful red sunset against a silhouette of a mountain


I spent the next day doing a trek with an organised group of people up to another cave. The group was great -- I met a couple of South African gals -Lyndie, who has been living in Morrocco for 10 years and Libya for 2 and Nicky, who has been in Cape Town. Both were on a world tour for a year! I spent the next couple of days with them which was great. I also met an English guy, Chris in his 30's who was on holiday in Laos and was using the time to have a good think about his future.

It seems a lot of people I have met are taking a break from life. Stepping out of their routine and taking time to think and plan their next move. It's so inspiring to learn what these people are getting from their trip, and to hear about their experiences.

The group trek was probably a highlight. We eventually arrived at a cave which we were lead into for a few meters in a tube! We sat in our tubes and slowly floated into the cave. It was such fun. It felt like you were nearing the center of the earth. We were lead by a really Witty Laos guide called Noam. He told us a tragic tale of a Canadian who had gone into the cave alone, and had never come out. He died as his torch failed on him and he didn't have a spare.

We visited a few caves after that - another beautiful cave with a Budah at its entrance. And then Noam led us on a long walk where we were collected and taken to the river. From the river we kayaked all the way back into town.

I spent my last day in Vang Viene with Lyndie and Nicky. We went back to the Blue Lagoon, although this time we walked there and back. Getting back was tough - I left a little earlier and the walk felt so long. But it was a great opportunity to observe village life and watch people coming back from work or school. Life in Laos is so simple. The people do not have much but they seem so happy. It is so wonderful being in this type of environment where people really take it easy and focus on enjoying what they have. It is inspiring. I also love the way the parents treat the children. They are all so loved and cared for. And the kids are so, so cute....my broodyness is returning!!! That evening we had another meal at Maylyn of BBQ fish. Wow. River fish is delicious. We also spent some time talking to Joseph, the guy that runs the guest house. He was really interesting and shed some light on current Laos politics, and Laos culture.

It was sad to say goodbye to the gals. We had a good time together, and of course it was great that they knew where I came from. I will probably see them again...later.....

I loved Vang Viene in the end. It is a beautiful, peaceful part of the world. A place where you can truly relax and enjoy nature. I really found it difficult to leave.

Kap Jai Lai Lai

I have to start by describing the bus trip from BKK to Vientiane because it was such a far cry from any bus trip I have been on in the last 2 months.

There is no better word than "magical" to describe a Thai bus. They are all spray painted in bright, colours in the theme of "fantasy creatures." There is the Hello Kitty bus, the Star Trek bus, you name it...and they do a good job too. It's pretty weird, but sweet. And the buses are CLEAN. So clean and fresh and comfortable. I was pleased that I would get some sleep...

I sat next to a couple of girls, Marie and Andree-Anne from Quebec who were on a 4 month trip. I was really surprised that they had French accents. I know Quebec is a French colony in Canada but I thought they would be more Canadian than French, but it was the otherway around.

Andree had been planting trees in her uni breaks to get the cash together to travel. It was really fascinating listening to her experience of living in a commune in tents in the middle of forests, moving around Canada's west coast planting thousands of trees and getting paid. She told me that when she first started off she was making minus $15 a day. But by the end of it she managed to plant something like 200-300 trees a day and was making about $250 a day. Hard labour.

The three of us gals got talking to an Israeli guy, Avshalom or Avi. He had finished his army service in Israel and decided to hit the road.

They were all a lot younger than me- 20 or so, but we had some interesting conversations. We shared travel stories and experiences which was so fascinating to listen to. The 9 hour bus ride wizzed past and we finally arrived at the Thai Laos border at about 9am. Getting the visa was pretty easy. You pay a few dollars and hang around an office for about 10 minutes, and then you're in.

Vientiane is the Capital city of Laos. When I arrived it was dead. I was told that this was because it was Chinese NY, but I get the feeling it is a pretty dead most of the year! It is tiny and you are immediately hit with the s l o w p a c e that runs Laos. People walk slowly, move slowly, no one is rushing anywhere.

It is said that the people from Laos watch rice grow. This is not hard to believe.

I spent that day in Vientiane chatting to the gals. We had a delicious breakfast of cheese and vegetable baguette and fresh Lao coffee. The French managed to leave their mark of baguette, excellent coffee and vin rouge in Laos! I was thrilled by this!

After an afternoon nap, I hired a bicycle and cycled around the tiny city. I went to see the most famous Buddhist temple, the Phat That Luang which is an incredible gold structure. Because it bears many references to Lao architecture and culture, it is now the national symbol for Laos. It is pretty impressive.

That evening we went to the banks of the Mekong river for a Laos dinner. I must say that this has got to be the most delicious food ever! I am so happy - anyone who knows me knows how important good food is, and this is the best.
We had an amazing Laos BBQ where you basically get a fire in a clay pot set on your table. A clay pot of hot water sits ontop of the fire. In here you throw in fresh vegetables, meat, roots, garlic - anything creating a deliciously satisfying soup. So good. We also had the BBQ fish which you wrap up in pieces of lettuce leaves and sprinkle nuts, lemongrass, ginger, tomatoes, spring onions and then dunk the wrap into a delicious sweet plum sauce. IT was heavenly!!!

After dinner and excellent conversation we went to find some good vin rouge. Excellent. After not drinking for so long it was so good to sip on a glass of smooth merlot.

I really got on with Adrienne and Marie. They were good company - really full of life! It was sad to say goodbye the next morning. It was also a little hard as we had spent the rest of the evening at a balcony party with the rest of the guests from the hotel. We were all a little hung over!

Next stop - Vang Vienne.