My last update in Thailand feels like a lifetime ago and I'm not sure where my first month in Australia has gone. From the basic accommodation I have been used to since I left England, I have been completely spoilt staying in luxury with friends and family.
Flying into Sydney was as spectacular as ever and I wasted no time in taking the ferry across the harbour to Manly; the view of the bridge and the opera house never fails to take my breath away. Walking along Manly beach reminded me of how wonderful the outdoors lifestyle is here with so much going on; volleyball, surfing, jogging and general healthy living. After a fantastic week catching up with friends in Sydney and visiting beautiful beaches, my next stop was Brisbane where I met my dad to drive up to the Sunshine Coast together to meet up with my mum, brother and his family. Noosa is definitely one of my favourite spots in Oz and it was great to spend time there with my family again. Kelly Slater was in town for the Festival of Surfing so I thought I'd test my skills at the local surf school. I was slightly embarrassed when my young nephews and niece stood up on their boards first time and continued to display what can only be described as perfect balance while Auntie Katie struggled at the back. I decided at that point not to try anything new while I was with them and withdrew from the fishing and go-karting competitions we had organised.
Wine-tasting is a must in Australia and driving through the Mary River Valley, we visited the Sunshine Coast's oldest vineyard for a sampling session. The scenery was spectacular and driving on up through the Glass House Mountains National Park there was a noticeable (and welcome) drop in temperature. A trip on the sugar cane train at The Big Pineapple took us through tranquil rainforest and a huge array of plants & fruits, I now know how to grow a pineapple. Stopping off at the koala and fauna sanctuary reminded me that the Aussie native bear is actually not that cute and cuddly but we enjoyed watching the kangaroos and their joeys.
So after ten days of fun, full-on Aussie cuisine & top notch wines we headed down the coast.
From Noosa to Sanctuary Cove, where the preferred method of transport is the golf buggy, another world greeted me. Swimming in the lagoon of the stunning five-star hotel, the poverty of India seemed worlds away and I reminded myself how fortunate I am.
Back up the coast I shared my birthday celebrations with my brother at the multi award-winning Sirromet winery at Mount Cotton, another chance to taste some of Australia's finest and as we took in the breathtaking views over the vineyards I knew this would be a birthday to remember.
My stay in Brisbane finished with a visit to the Queensland Museum as a volunteer with Manly State School where I learned everything I need to know about dinosaurs, dung beetles and 6 year old children (who I suspect are rather more difficult to control than any other creatures).
So after saying goodbye to my family I am now staying with another good friend just north of the Gold Coast and looking forward to the coming weeks in the land of Oz.
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Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Thursday, 14 February 2008
'The Beach'
Well my last couple of weeks in Thailand have given me the opportunity to explore some of its most beautiful islands. Koh Samet is located in the Rayong province and a favourite haunt of the Thais due to its proximity to Bangkok. The beaches here are powder white and the sea perfect for swimming and snorkelling. My dad would have been proud of my efforts with a fishing line, it was that big - honestly - and one of the highlights was the fireshow on the beach which offered added excitement when a pole of fire accidently shot in the direction of the audience.
I also managed to get to the Cambodian border to extend my visa which was an experience in itself. I've heard stories from fellow travellers about how tourists have been refused entry back into Thailand and I must admit I was slightly nervous about letting my passport out of my sight with an absolute stranger. Luckily all went smoothly and after another stamp in my passport I was back on the road to the island.
A number of bus journeys later, I was heading down to the Andaman coast with the intention of staying on Koh Phi Phi, famous for its appearance in the film 'The Beach'. Something inside me made me jump off the ferry as we were passing a small island called Koh Jum, I'm not sure why I threw my backpack into a longtail boat from a great height but I must have sensed that this would be somewhere quite special and I was not disappointed. What greeted me was a stretch of deserted palm-fringed beach and a few bungalows set amongst the trees. With no electricity, the island doesn't appeal to everyone, thank goodness, and for a time I'm sure this will remain a hidden gem. My time here was spent in my hammock, swimming in the crystal clear water and tasting the excellent Thai cuisine. It was a welcome departure from the hectic first few weeks in Thailand and I could not drag myself away despite several attempts to move on, that's the wonderful thing about travelling.
I did manage a day trip to Phi Phi which was probably enough - 'The Beach' as featured in the film was stunning although teeming with tourists as expected. After the devastation caused by the tsunami which hit both sides of the island, the development is well under way again and the visitors are back in their millions.
So it is back again to Bangkok to end my travels in Thailand. What a wonderful country it is and I will remember the most friendly people and spectacular scenery.
My next stop is one of my favourite cities - Sydney - and I look forward to the wonderful trip across the harbour to Manly to visit friends.
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I also managed to get to the Cambodian border to extend my visa which was an experience in itself. I've heard stories from fellow travellers about how tourists have been refused entry back into Thailand and I must admit I was slightly nervous about letting my passport out of my sight with an absolute stranger. Luckily all went smoothly and after another stamp in my passport I was back on the road to the island.
A number of bus journeys later, I was heading down to the Andaman coast with the intention of staying on Koh Phi Phi, famous for its appearance in the film 'The Beach'. Something inside me made me jump off the ferry as we were passing a small island called Koh Jum, I'm not sure why I threw my backpack into a longtail boat from a great height but I must have sensed that this would be somewhere quite special and I was not disappointed. What greeted me was a stretch of deserted palm-fringed beach and a few bungalows set amongst the trees. With no electricity, the island doesn't appeal to everyone, thank goodness, and for a time I'm sure this will remain a hidden gem. My time here was spent in my hammock, swimming in the crystal clear water and tasting the excellent Thai cuisine. It was a welcome departure from the hectic first few weeks in Thailand and I could not drag myself away despite several attempts to move on, that's the wonderful thing about travelling.
I did manage a day trip to Phi Phi which was probably enough - 'The Beach' as featured in the film was stunning although teeming with tourists as expected. After the devastation caused by the tsunami which hit both sides of the island, the development is well under way again and the visitors are back in their millions.
So it is back again to Bangkok to end my travels in Thailand. What a wonderful country it is and I will remember the most friendly people and spectacular scenery.
My next stop is one of my favourite cities - Sydney - and I look forward to the wonderful trip across the harbour to Manly to visit friends.
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Monday, 28 January 2008
Real Thailand
My last week has been spent trekking through the rainforest of Phu Toey National Park in the Kanchanaburi province, approximately 130km north of Bangkok. It was back to basics again, camping in traditional villages in tents (I am now somewhat expert in pitching tents). A lack of drinking water and toilet faciltiies did nothing to dampen our spirits as we showered in waterfalls and experienced life in the Karen hill tribe villages. We spent an afternoon exploring the local caves and I didn't realise it was possible to squeeze through such small areas (caving is definitely not for the claustrophobic). We had bats for company (plus a whole of other creatures I'm sure) and I was rather relieved when I saw daylight filtering through the rocks above. My final day was spent at Lampthern Dam (the largest in Thailand) where we swam and tried unsuccessfully to remove the dirt engrained in our bodies. Our tents were pitched in the most picturesque spot overlooking the water and dinner was taken with a very hospitable local family in their beautiful house. I managed an early start one morning to watch a fabulous sunrise and most of the evenings were spent around the campfire. This was real Thailand and I have no doubt I will be visiting this amazing country again.
So after a night in a hotel with a hot shower (heaven) and a very painful Thai massage (hell), I am now chilling out in Ko Samet National Park, an island in the Gulf of Thailand. My leg muscles are looking forward to a recovery period after the battering they took during the trek and the coming week on the beach is most welcome.
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So after a night in a hotel with a hot shower (heaven) and a very painful Thai massage (hell), I am now chilling out in Ko Samet National Park, an island in the Gulf of Thailand. My leg muscles are looking forward to a recovery period after the battering they took during the trek and the coming week on the beach is most welcome.
Everything in one place. All new Windows Live!
Saturday, 19 January 2008
Budding Buddhist
I knew that living alongside the Buddhist monks would be something not many would have the chance of experiencing and I feel incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to do so. I do like the principles of buddhism - the lack of desire and therefore the lack of suffering and the discipline shown by the monks is admirable. I'm not sure I could cope with the 5am starts every day (not being a morning person) or the fasting between midday and dawn, but I felt strangely peaceful during my stay. The monks have no possessions and rely on others to survive but in a hugely devout buddhist country, there is obviously no lack of support from the lay Buddhists. We began each day by walking the streets in the dark collecting alms - the respect given by a lay Buddhist to a Buddhist monk. The monk then prays for the giver's family and although I did have some doubts as to whether this could be portrayed as charity, it became obvious that the act of alms giving helped to connect the giver to the monk and all that he represents. It surprised me how much we had collected in an hour and a half, and although only ten monks were living in the Wat Songphinong temple I was assured that none of the food would go to waste and it would be distributed to those in need. Before we ate the offerings we took part in the chanting, the traditional means of preparing the mind for meditation. I have used meditation before but had forgotten how effective it is in calming the mind. Walking meditation was a new practice for me and the hectic Western world became a distant memory as I passed time in this way. The days were spent cleaning, chanting and meditating and I felt as though I was cocooned in a land far away from the one I know. My stay has encouraged me to explore the buddhist way of life in more detail so I am now engrossed in text books.
I'm finding it difficult to keep up with the pace of my travelling and the next week will see me trekking through central Thailand, so an entirely different experience again.
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I'm finding it difficult to keep up with the pace of my travelling and the next week will see me trekking through central Thailand, so an entirely different experience again.
She said what? About who? Shameful celebrity quotes on Search Star!
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Touchdown in Thailand
Arriving at Bangkok airport, I immediately noticed how beautifully clean it was after the dirt of India and it was nothing like the airport I remembered as a naive backpacker 18 years ago. Checking in to my hotel, I felt as though I was in 5 star luxury and the toilet paper in the bathroom was the icing on the cake. Bangkok is such an exciting city and I hit the tourist trail straight away by visiting the Grand Palace, I then took the Chao Phraya Express along the river and found the famous Khao San road which was, as expected, backpacker city. Negotiating the traffic in a tuk-tuk is not dissimilar to the transport in India and I'm sure cramming six of us in was not the best idea. Chatuchak market is supposed to be the best one here but the Thais are much harder to bargain with than the Indians, I still managed to make some good savings. I don't usually make a habit of eating food cooked on the side of the road but I made an exception and tasted some excellent pad thai (with chicken - absolute heaven). Unfortunately the King's sister died while I was in Bangkok so much of the entertainment ceased as a mark of respect - we were disappointed not to experience one of the legendary 'Lady-Boy' shows. However, I did manage to fit in a Thai massage, I don't know where the tiny girls get their strength from but I felt fantastic afterwards.
The backpacker trail continued for me as I caught a bus and a ferry to Koh Phangan - home of the Full Moon Party. Did some amazing diving at Sail Rock just south of Koh Tao, unfortunately the local whale shark didn't put in an appearance but we did see moray eels and stingrays. Thank goodness Thailand allows anyone to dive without evidence of any qualifications - I'm sure my open water certification I attained in 1990 is well out of date now but I need all the practice I can get before I arrive in Ecuador to begin my marine conservation project.
I fell in love with Koh Phangan - not the southern party resort in Haad Rin but the eastern part of the island has some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, white sand and completely deserted. Ko Samui is again an island of contrasts, I visted Hat Bo Phut on the north side which was stunning (apart from the occasional jelly fish). We had a slightly hairy moment when we thought we were stranded but luckily managed to wade our way out with backpacks above our heads, much to the amusement of the sun worshippers in the resort behind.
So after travelling the backpacker trail for a week, I am now living in an Eco House in Singburi (two hours north of Bangkok), an area totally unaffacted by tourism. I was prepared for the locals to find us strange and after the initial staring we encountered, we are finding the Thais here extremely friendly with huge smiles.
What an action-packed first week in Thailand it has been, now I am looking forward to the coming week and understanding more about the Buddhist way of life when we live alongside the monks in the temple.
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The backpacker trail continued for me as I caught a bus and a ferry to Koh Phangan - home of the Full Moon Party. Did some amazing diving at Sail Rock just south of Koh Tao, unfortunately the local whale shark didn't put in an appearance but we did see moray eels and stingrays. Thank goodness Thailand allows anyone to dive without evidence of any qualifications - I'm sure my open water certification I attained in 1990 is well out of date now but I need all the practice I can get before I arrive in Ecuador to begin my marine conservation project.
I fell in love with Koh Phangan - not the southern party resort in Haad Rin but the eastern part of the island has some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, white sand and completely deserted. Ko Samui is again an island of contrasts, I visted Hat Bo Phut on the north side which was stunning (apart from the occasional jelly fish). We had a slightly hairy moment when we thought we were stranded but luckily managed to wade our way out with backpacks above our heads, much to the amusement of the sun worshippers in the resort behind.
So after travelling the backpacker trail for a week, I am now living in an Eco House in Singburi (two hours north of Bangkok), an area totally unaffacted by tourism. I was prepared for the locals to find us strange and after the initial staring we encountered, we are finding the Thais here extremely friendly with huge smiles.
What an action-packed first week in Thailand it has been, now I am looking forward to the coming week and understanding more about the Buddhist way of life when we live alongside the monks in the temple.
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Monday, 7 January 2008
Goodbye India
During my final two weeks in
The teaching definitely became easier towards the end so a big thank you to everyone who e-mailed me with suggestions (I did not have to resort to your comments Crass Aussie – but thank you anyway!). My wonderful mother sent over some great materials which the children loved, the giant cannon and balloons went down a storm. It seems odd that I will never see the children again but they now have a new volunteer so I'm sure she is carrying on the good work. I was wondering what to write in my report before I left but when I look back on what I achieved, one of the most important things I gave to them was affection which some of the kids were so clearly lacking. A number of very violent children joined the class in the last week and it was difficult to control them but I think all they really needed was a bit of attention. The Christmas period was very quiet with only a handful turning up but it meant they did get a bit of extra tuition.
I did manage to get to Palolem for Christmas, it felt like a holiday and was good to get away from my workplace although I still find Christmas in the sun rather strange. The beachshack we rented was perfect and cost ten pounds between four of us so another Indian bargain.
I also managed to attend a henna workshop so am now an expert in body art (almost) and the cooking class I'm hoping will encourage me to attempt a proper curry when I get home.
I'm not sure what I will remember most about my time in India, the crazy driving (our driver hit a motorbike then a couple of days later put the jeep in a ditch during my last week), the colourful clothes and jewelry, the spicy food, the despair of so many Indians living in poverty or the smiles on the faces of my lovely schoolchildren.
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Sunday, 23 December 2007
Christmas in India
Well I'm not sure where to begin - a dead body on the beach, a drink with the Captain of the Indian Football team and an Indian wedding invitation. What an exciting couple of weeks it has been despite my injured ankle and having very little mobility. I am used to Indian time now but I still couldn't believe the police took 2 hours to turn up and recover the dead body on the beach. We thought nothing of another Indian falling asleep for a few hours and it was rather a shock to discover that he had actually stopped breathing.
My first sporting outing was not to a cricket match (they are all cricket mad) but to a football stadium where a local Goan team was up against one of the big clubs from Calcutta. I wasn't prepared for the English-type passion and after having bottles thrown at us for supporting the away team, we decided to move seats and keep quiet when they scored. It wasn't quite the same standard as the Premiership but we saw four goals and a red card. An entertaining afternoon out was completed with a drink with the national captain who doesn't quite have Beckham status in his country but we felt honoured anyway.
But I think the most exciting news was a wedding invite - I have always wanted to attend an Indian wedding but wish I hadn't mentioned that I was previously a wedding planner, I'm not sure what to expect when I turn up next Saturday. The ceremonies here are very different from England with sometimes thousands of guests - I must find something to wear.
Almost the whole camp of volunteers left last weekend so it has been a pretty quiet week with only a handful of us left. Saying goodbyes are never easy but it's something I will have to get used to during the year.
The children welcomed me back to work this week and we threw a Christmas party for them, Jingle Bells in the sun still doesn't work for me. I don't think I've ever seen such terror as when
Father Christmas arrived with sweets for the children, they were sobbing and couldn't get away fast enough from him, I don't think they've ever seen him before. The presents we had wrapped for them went down very well, just a few crayons and some sweets but you would have thought we had given them a thousand pounds each. Every day they bring a smile to my face and remind me how lucky I am.
I've also managed a bit of pampering this week with an amazing pedicure, head massage and manicure. I believe eyebrow threading originated in India so I gave that a go too, it made me forget I had been bitten to death by mosquitos the night before, I didn't realise I was that tasty.
I'm off to Palolem Beach tomorrow for Christmas so am looking forward to a glass of something under the palm trees to celebrate and hopefully a phonecall home to speak to my family.
I hope you all have a great Christmas and will update again before I depart for Thailand.
She said what? About who? Shameful celebrity quotes on Search Star!
My first sporting outing was not to a cricket match (they are all cricket mad) but to a football stadium where a local Goan team was up against one of the big clubs from Calcutta. I wasn't prepared for the English-type passion and after having bottles thrown at us for supporting the away team, we decided to move seats and keep quiet when they scored. It wasn't quite the same standard as the Premiership but we saw four goals and a red card. An entertaining afternoon out was completed with a drink with the national captain who doesn't quite have Beckham status in his country but we felt honoured anyway.
But I think the most exciting news was a wedding invite - I have always wanted to attend an Indian wedding but wish I hadn't mentioned that I was previously a wedding planner, I'm not sure what to expect when I turn up next Saturday. The ceremonies here are very different from England with sometimes thousands of guests - I must find something to wear.
Almost the whole camp of volunteers left last weekend so it has been a pretty quiet week with only a handful of us left. Saying goodbyes are never easy but it's something I will have to get used to during the year.
The children welcomed me back to work this week and we threw a Christmas party for them, Jingle Bells in the sun still doesn't work for me. I don't think I've ever seen such terror as when
Father Christmas arrived with sweets for the children, they were sobbing and couldn't get away fast enough from him, I don't think they've ever seen him before. The presents we had wrapped for them went down very well, just a few crayons and some sweets but you would have thought we had given them a thousand pounds each. Every day they bring a smile to my face and remind me how lucky I am.
I've also managed a bit of pampering this week with an amazing pedicure, head massage and manicure. I believe eyebrow threading originated in India so I gave that a go too, it made me forget I had been bitten to death by mosquitos the night before, I didn't realise I was that tasty.
I'm off to Palolem Beach tomorrow for Christmas so am looking forward to a glass of something under the palm trees to celebrate and hopefully a phonecall home to speak to my family.
I hope you all have a great Christmas and will update again before I depart for Thailand.
She said what? About who? Shameful celebrity quotes on Search Star!
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