Patient update....

Surprise! I'm in Indonesia. Again. I bet you weren't expecting that....
Last Tuesday I got a phone call from Michael. He had been admitted to the local 'clinic' suffering from hallucinations and a high fever. The initial diagnosis was Typhoid (or some such nasty).
To be able to call me, he had disconnected himself from a drip and paid a nurse to drive him (on the back of a moped) to the local telephone office. He could barely stand, I could hardly hear him, and all he could tell me was where he was and what they thought was wrong.
Fortunately we had travel insurance (the BEST money ever spent).... I called them up, and within 24 hours they had located him and 'activated' a local agent. After the agent did some research they decided that Michael needed to be moved as soon as possible. So, he flew from Jakarta to Medan (on Sumatra) where he chartered a plane, showed up at the clinic, found Michael, packed Michael's belongings - including the surfboards (admit it you were worried about the surfboard weren't you), and flew with Michael (and the surfboards) to Medan. To a hospital. With Doctors and Nurses, where they feed you.

Michael is now being treated for a bad case of Dengue fever. He's on a drip, and is recovering as we speak. The hospital is great, he's being well cared for and we're hoping he'll be discharged on either Wednesday or Thursday.

He has some interesting (scary?) stories to tell about the clinic. Like the time the drip ran out and his blood started pumping back up the tube, filling up the bag. Or the time when he was banging on the wall with a shoe, yelling for assistance to change his drip. No-one came. So he had to remove it himself.
I'll leave him to tell you the rest of the stories, as soon as he's out of the hospital.

And that is pronounced how?

Woo Hoo! I've booked my plane ticket for the next (small, but still very exciting) part of the adventure. I am off to the Netherlands to see Miffy. That's right, me and Miffy are going to spend some quality time together.

In Utrecht there is a special place called the Dick Bruna Huis, that is an exhibition of all things Miffy, and I am going to visit. Miffy is known as Nijntje in the Netherlands. Hopefully someone in Utrecht will tell me how the hell you pronounce that.

In other (non Miffy) news, I heard from Michael yesterday. He's still happily surfing on some island off Sumatra. The waves are perfect and there are only 3 other surfers around. There, don't you feel better now knowing that he's in surf heaven.

Nitmiluk Gorge is gorgeous

We spent a couple of nights at the Nitmiluk National Park where we rented a lil canoe and went for a paddle. The Nitmiluk Gorge is so pretty, and it was really quiet and tranquil. The sun was hot, so we were heading for the shade in the afternoon, but the freshwater crocodiles are nesting, so we couldn't pull onto any beaches, so we swam from the canoe....

Maidstone. Centre of the Universe

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

I made the trip down to sunny Maidstone this weekend to visit my friend Claire. Claire and I met on our very first day at college, she came walking down the stairs as I was unloading my crap and wondering how I was going to live in such a ridiculously small room.

We sifted through so many funny, scary and downright embarrassing photos over the course of the weekend. This photo is vintage Aldous & Staines.

It was a fantastic weekend, with Claire and I behaving as if we were still in college. Check out the photos below. Am I capable of taking a photo without feeling the need to pull a face at the camera? Who knows....

Barcelona snacks

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

Tapas and Vino. What can go wrong?

Well, nothing went wrong..... But 3 bottles of wine plus whatever beer was in the refrigerator and we are hungover.
The tapas were delicious, the wine was really tasty and I had a blast.

Headed back to the UK for a couple of weeks... My mum and I are working on a couple of 'craft' projects for my niece/nephew. Hehe. I wonder if my brother is reading this.... Ben, be afraid, be very afraid.

And it will be finished when?

la sagrada familia
Uploaded by yobosayo.

I'm in Barcelona, with Christine and Mike, and we're sightseeing. Our schedule is relaxed - involving one, or maybe two sights a day, a nice lunch (with wine), a siesta and then dinner (more wine) and relaxing.

Today we visited La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished temple. Construction started in 1882, and is due to end in 2026. I'm not sure I'm convinced they'll be done by then, it looks like there's a long way to go. The place is beautiful and crazy all at the same time. I particularly liked the Passion facade on the West side, it's like nothing I've ever seen before.
We took the lift up to the top of one of the towers - where I was reminded of the fact that I do not do heights. The view overlooking Barcelona was fantastic, it was just the moment when taking a photo of Christine and Mike meant stepping out onto a balcony, that was when my knees started to physically shake. We descended the 427 steps on this spiral staircase, and I was happy to be on the ground.

Waffle

I know, I know, I'm a horrible blogger. I don't know what's come over me, I just can't find anything to write about. It's not that nothing is happening, I think I've just been crazy busy...
Whatever.
I'm in the UK, I've been here for a week, and already the weather has me packing my bags. I'm off to Barcelona for a few days to meet up with Christine and Mike - who are a couple of weeks into their own round the world adventure.
It has not stopped raining. Not only is it raining, but flooding too. Yikes. Floods in the UK in JULY, the weather has got it all wrong. It's supposed to be summer time now. I am not supposed to be inside knitting, looking at torrential rain.

The main reason for my visit was the wedding of Vicki & Tim, which took place up in Nottingham last week. Fortunately we managed to stay afloat, none of the (quite spectacular) hats blew away, we danced and a great time was had by all. Photos are below...

The shoes? Birkenstocks of course

I rolled the luggage trolley over my foot the minute I touched down in London. Voila, one purple fractured toe. The foot is so bruised and swollen that I can't fit it into my spectacular gold shoes. So Birkenstocks it is, and that makes the dancing a whole lot easier.

When in Singapore. Eat

I'm in Singapore. I got here 2 days ago, one short step on the long journey to Los Angeles. Singapore is a great city for just wandering around. The food is amazing, I have been feasting on dim sum lunches and Indian dinners.
Tomorrow I get on a plane to Tokyo, and then to LA. I can't really believe it. I'm excited, but it feels strange to be leaving Asia. I really love it here.
I went to a 'craft shop' today - to buy some goodies to keep me occupied on the plane. Cross-stitch, knitting - you get the idea! Oh lordy, it's gonna be a long day.....

Leaving Asia

Today is our last full day together for what feels like a really long time. Tomorrow Michael is flying to Sumatra, and then on to Nias for some quality surf. On Sunday, I fly to Singapore, where I will have 2 days to adjust before getting on a plane to the US of A.
I am ridiculously excited to see friends, I am also looking forward to eating some of Della's cooking, buying some new music, and having a bath.

I have also been thinking of my beautiful Shackleton, and how I can't wait to see him barking at the squirrels.









After a week in the USA I will be flying to London for a wedding. Vicki is gettin' hitched, and I intend on being there to throw stuff (and any other such responsibilities that may come my way).
I'm not sure how long I'll be staying. I gotta figure out some stuff....

I will post photos of our recent travels very soon. I promise. Just dealing with a nasty virus on my SD card.... Yuck.

I have volcanic rock in my shoes and my legs ache

Here are some photos from our climb up Gunung Rinjani. It was really difficult. The top section of the summit is all loose volcanic gravel. Every step you take your feet slide backwards. It's a scramble for the last hour of the summit climb.

We climbed to the crater rim on the first day, spent half a night, then got up at 3am to start the ascent to the summit. Yes 3am. WTF. It took a very long and painful 3 hours, but we made it for sunrise. Was it worth it? Yes. The view was amazing.

After sliding down (pretty scary) back to camp we ate breakfast and then started the trek down into the crater. We ate lunch by the lake, and then climbed out the other side. I was at the summit at 6am, and on the opposite rim at 6pm. That's a long day!

Gunung Rinjani here I come

After a quick transfer in Bali, we are now in Lombok. We're here because I want to climb a volcano. The surfboards are in storage (don't panic, it's only temporary) and Michael is coming too.
Tomorrow we will get up at 5.30am and head to Gunung Rinjani, where we will start climbing. We'll spend the night on the crater rim. The following morning we'll get up at 3am and start the final ascent to the summit for sunrise. The Rinjani summit is at 3726m/12,224ft. After the summit we're heading down into the crater to some hot springs and the crater lake. Then it's back out of the crater on the other side and downhill all the way home.

I only just got my toenail back after the battering my feet took in Nepal. Hopefully this will be a little easier!

I remembered to grab my bra

We've spent the last few nights of our time in Sumba in the fishing village of Pero. It's on the very Western tip of the island - there's no land between here and Africa.

The village itself is set on either side of a single road that leads directly to the ocean. The houses are a mixture of bamboo or stone. My favorite time of day here is the early evening, when I can walk down to the sea and watch the fishermen prepare their boats for the nights fishing. The main catch here is cumi-cumi (squid). They use bright lanterns, which make the horizon look like a floating city when the sun has set.

We have been staying at a small 'Homestay' a short walk from the ocean. The outdoor mandi (tub of water with a bucket that you use to scoop water over yourself) is refreshed daily with water from the well, and most recently with rain water. Electricity is available in the evenings, when the whole town seems to watch the same TV channel.

On our last night there was no power, so Michael and I were in bed reading by flashlight. We heard voices shouting. Initially it sounded like a party, but I remember the moment when Michael and I looked at each other as we both realized that people were screaming. We were out from under our mosquito nets quickly. Michael ran to the front door to see what was going on. People were running up the road shouting and screaming. I frantically pulled on my sneakers and we headed out the door - ready to run.

The house immediately next door was engulfed in flames. The smoke was black and I was left in shock at how quickly the fire started, consumed the contents of a house, and was then put out by the neighbours with buckets of water. Luckily the house was of the brick variety. If it had been one of the bamboo ones, it would have burned to the ground.

There's no fire brigade & no home insurance. It makes you think about what it means to lose everything.

According to this map, which renames US States for countries with similar GDP's - we're in Louisiana.....

I think I'd rather fly

We're in Sumba. And I already can tell that I'm going to like it here. It's just a feeling, but a good feeling!

The trip from Roti to Timor was fun. We were on the 'fast' ferry. (The slow ferry sank in 2006, with many lives lost). The fast ferry is a passenger ferry. A passenger and chicken ferry. With a stack of surfboards and a moped strapped onto the deck.
Michael and I had seats deep in the basement, right in the front row, in the bow of the boat. There were no windows in front of us which is probably a good idea. I prefer not to know what we are sailing into.
The crossing was fast and flat for the first half of the trip. Then we crossed into the channel, where the sea was 'a little choppy'. At times the windows on either side of the boat were underwater, we were cresting over waves and then dropping with a loud thwak. There was vomiting, screaming and the ladies across the aisle were chanting 'Hallelulah Yesus, Hallelulah Yesus, Hallelulah Yesus', their arms in the air. It was like the best /worst roller coaster ride, with extras.

On the move

We've been on Rote / Roti for the last couple of weeks. No internet access, no telephone service and slightly salty well water for washing!

We're back in Kupang, W.Timor for a night of fun. Tomorrow we fly to Waingpau on Sumba Island. I predict another 2 weeks without internet access!

As soon as I am at a computer I'll give you the news from our travels.....

(We did have a frantic 24 hours on Roti. Two words: Tsunami Warning.)

Letter for a visa

Michael is on his way back from E Timor with another Indonesian Visa, for 60 days. When he went to the Embassy to collect his Passport, he was ushered into the office of the Indonesian Attache. He had to write a letter explaining why he needed another 60 days in Indonesia.

I imagine the letter went something like this:

Dear Sir,

Please give me another 60 day visa, there's a big swell coming.

Sincerely

Michael

Ra Ra Rasputin Russias Greatest Love Machine

If you spend more than a few days in Kupang then you'll notice that the Telekom Internet only has one CD. Maybe it's a tape, in fact I'm pretty sure it's probably a tape.
I can now sing every word to "I Know Him So Well" - both the Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson vocals. Which is fine, however it's keeping me awake at night, and that is not good.
My other recent musical discovery was made in Malaysia. Did you know that I know every Boney M song on their Greatest Hits album? No? Well I had no idea either, until Christine and I were headed to the train station and our driver thought he could distract us from the fact that he was driving at over 90mph in a lane entirely of his own creation. Cars were forced off the road, and Christine was forced to listen to my rendition of Hooray Hooray its a Holi-Holiday.
Lordy, I need to get an iPod.

It's a dusty place

OK, so I've covered the fact that there's not much to see or do in Kupang. I know I could probably have found myself a guide and visited some local villages, or done some exploring in the countryside. But, to be frank, I'm feeling lazy. So walking around Kupang is as good as it gets.
My favorite part of these walks are the constant greetings I receive. Cries of "Hello Mister" from school children who laugh then run away. The Bemo drivers honk their horns and call out "Where you go Mister", the Ojecks (motorcycle taxis) pull alongside and ask "Where you from Mister". In Kupang I am a Mister. Not a Miss or a Mrs, but a Mister.
More than anywhere else I've been in Indonesia the people here what to talk to me, find out where I'm from, and where I'm going. They're thrilled when I try to talk to them in Indonesian, and always want to teach me a new word or phrase. If I'm eating, they pull up a chair and teach me about the food. If I'm walking, they walk alongside and talk about the weather. And if I'm online they pull up a chair and read over my shoulder. Yes. It's time for me to stop typing and try out some more of my Indonesian....

All I want is some wine

3 Years today!! That's right folks.... Michael and I are celebrating our Wedding Anniversary - in separate countries.
He's still in East Timor, and I am still in Indonesia (West Timor). The good news is that he'll be back on Thursday, and on Friday we're off to Rote for some quality beach time. Surf for him, sand and sea for me! We're planning to celebrate on Rote - with a fancy dinner, and maybe just maybe I'll get to drink a glass of wine... It's been beer all the way here in Indonesia!

I still think he's the best dance partner in the world.

If you want a trip down memory lane, then all the photos are here.

Photos online now

Ok. It took a while, but I managed to get some photos uploaded. You can see some of Flores here.

Michael is still in Dili (E. Timor) - he should have some great photos when he gets back.... Visa is only taking 3 days, and it sounds like they're giving him another 60 days in Indonesia.....

Timor, but which one?

We're in Timor, not the same Timor, but Timor none the less. I am in West Timor (Kupang to be precise), Michael is in East Timor - on his way to Dili on a visa run!
A 10 hour bus ride, 5 days waiting for the visa to be issued and another 10 hour bus ride back will keep him occupied for a full 7 days.
I am relaxing, reading, eating and not much else - 'cause there's not much to be done in Kupang!! It used to be a busy port town with a weekly flight to Darwin, but since the flight was cancelled there's not much reason to spend time here. The bars are empty, there are barely any places to eat and the whole place has a feeling of better times past....
I am determined to upload some photos of Flores. So, we'll see if the internet connection here can handle it!!

Early morning motorbike ride

We had a great time in Flores - the final part of the trip included a 4am wake-up call and a 4.30am departure (by motorbike) to the Kelimutu Volcano for sunrise.
The ride took just under 45 minutes - all in the darkness with a million stars above. A 20 minute walk (again in the dark) to the crater rim, where we watched the sun come up. It was cold with patchy cloud, but the views were spectacular.
There are three crater lakes at the top of Kelimutu - each one is a different colour, something to do with the minerals in the volcano. One lake is a brilliant turquoise, another a browninsh red and the last is almost black.
Having watched the sun rise we warmed ourselves up by walking back to the village. The walk took just over 2 hours, thankfully all of it downhill, passing through villages, by hot springs and a waterfall. Back into Moni in time for breakfast!
We're now in Ende (I like it here!) - flying today to Kupang in West Timor.

Making our way across Flores

I found Michael hiding out in Labuan Bajo, Flores.... He's sick (which we can talk about another time) so the going is slow...
However, we have made our way across Flores with a couple of stops along the way. We spent a couple of nights in Bajawa visiting local villages and meeting the Ngada people. Their belief system is based (loosely I'd say) on Catholicism, which they combine with ancestor worship and the odd sacrifice or two.
We were lucky enough to stumble across a festival for the Virgin Mary. She was being carried by the members of one village, and delivered to the wise men of the neighboring village. There was a lot of dancing, some singing and general celebrations. As soon as I get to a decent Internet connection (don't ask how SLOW this one is!) I will post photos. It was really fantastic.

Lunch?

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

Dragon Drool!

I went hunting for dragons yesterday. And look what I found .... They're big and not very pretty. This one was drooling - I think he was eyeing up my leg for his breakfast!

The boat trip out to the island took just under 3 hours, and as soon as I stepped off the boat I was met by a snoozing dragon. He opened one eye, and, having checked me out, closed it again. I took this as the sign that I could pass.

A few of the dragons hang out by the ranger station, but I was lucky enough to see one in the wild too. I went on a hike around the island with a guide, who carried a BIG stick - like a stick could keep one of these things off me if it was really hungry. We saw buffalo, wild pigs, a small lizard or two and a Komodo Dragon hiding in the shade of a large rock. It's an impressive sight.

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

Well, tomorrow I'm on a plane East to Labuanbajo on the island of Flores. I'm hoping to find my husband. I think he's already there.... And if I can't find him, then I'm one step closer to Komodo - where I can spot myself a dragon!!

Hans arrived in Bali late yesterday, today we managed to meet up for lunch.

Back in Bali! Just for a few days before I head East to meet Michael.... I'm currently 'grounded' - the doctors at the medical clinic have advised me not to fly. Which is pretty funny considering I came here on a plane. Hmmm...
I've had a massive case of head congestion since diving, and it has moved into my Eustachian tube. In fact they are completely blocked, swollen and angry! This means that my hearing is not great. Really not great. I can barely hear. Which in Kuta is quite a blessing in disguise. I no longer have to listen calls of:
Want transport? Transport Miss? Transport Honey? Hey darling where you go? You need ride? Manicure Miss?
And, for the record, NO, I do not want a wooden penis bottle opener, thank you very much.

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

I've just spent the last 2 days having some fun with my Mum & Dad. They're on their way to Australia for a long vacation, and stopped off in Singapore for a few days to break up the flight.
I decided to surprise Mum at the airport (well done Dad, you kept the secret!), and surprised she was. You can see the photo here. It's really pretty funny, and I'm sure she'll be thrilled that I posted it - on the internet!
We had a really fantastic time, cramming all sorts of activities into a very short space of time. Needless to say the best part of their visit was just spending time together.
They are now on their way Down Under, and I have one more day in Singapore before I head to Indonesia.

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

Holy moly, the Navy are in town. Our first clue was the short haircuts, the second clue was the always travelling in 3s thing, the third clue was the uniform of polo shirts and cargo shorts.... 3 boats pulled into Singapore yesterday for some R&R. And they were everywhere!

Last night we hit the town for some dancing and some drinking..... The club was FULL with US Navy, Australian Navy, US Marines and their minders. That's right - they have minders.... Dressed in white polo shirts, not drinking, keeping an eye on the partying, making sure their charges don't get into any trouble, and escorting them out of there in time for their 2am curfew....

We got our groove on, had some cocktails and stumbled home at 4....

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

Another train journey.... South this time. We're leaving Malaysia and heading to Singapore for some fun (and maybe a little shopping!)

The train departed at 9pm. We spent a solid 3 hours at the train station being harassed by the local 'boys'. Not a particularly dangerous situation, but uncomfortable and honestly downright annoying.

We had both bought supplies at the local market, water, snacks and I added a packet of Lucky Stars. What is a Lucky Star?? Well it's a little origami, a little fun.... I spent my time at the station, and some of the 14 hours of the journey making my Lucky Stars. If you'd like one, just drop me an email....

Christine and I had decided to come to Malaysia to do our Padi Open Water Diver Course.... There are beautiful fish, pretty coral and, most importantly, the sea is warm.

We completed the course over 3 days - the first day of which was spent practicing our underwater 'skills'.... Like taking off our mask, throwing away our respirator and other such riveting things.

I think our instructor thought we were completely crazy! We were both totally comfortable at the bottom of the ocean, floating around, adjusting our buoyancy, at one with the fish, talking with turtles, dancing with jellyfish.... I was just not so good at making it down there. The whole 'equalizing' the ear pressure thing is not easy. It's like my head is going to implode and feels something like the hangover you have if you've started in on a bottle of tequila and forgotten to stop.

We are both now proud owners of a Scuba Diva T-shirt - I kid you not.

Can someone please explain to me why it is IMPOSSIBLE to pee while diving. I just can't figure it out. I'm surrounded by water, it's comfortable, there's no-one around except the fish, so why can't I pee??
I have to get into the boat, ride back to the dive shop, take off my wetsuit and then, and only then can I pee. I can't figure it out.

So, after the long train ride we arrived in Wakaf Bharu, where we made our way to the coastal town of Koala Besut - from here we arranged a boat to take us over to the Islands. We had decided to base ourselves on Besar, and check out the dive options. It was 5pm when the boat finally left the mainland, the sea was choppy and I was launched from my seat continuously on the journey! This is a quick video of our boat ride over to the Islands....

Wee hee! I'm in Malaysia. The Prehension sorry make that, Perhentian Islands.
Michael and Rich left for Sumbawa - for a boys surf trip. I flew to Singapore. After a hectic 16 hours arranging tickets and frantically emailing with Christine I made it to the train station. Our plan was for me to get onto the train in Singapore, and for her to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Gemas, where she would board the train that I was on. Of course all the best laid plans.......
I arrived at the train station with plenty of time to spare - no way I'm risking missing the train. Departure time was 6.15pm and Christine was due to board in Gemas at 11pm. From where we would continue overnight to Wakaf Barhu, the drop off point for the Prehension Perhentian Islands.
At about 6pm I wandered to the ticket desk to find out when I could board the train. The train was delayed until 7.30pm. At 7.15 I wandered to the ticket desk to find out when the train was leaving. It's scheduled to depart at 9pm. At 9pm - just for laughs - I ask when the train is leaving. At 10pm. All this time there is no announcement, no notification of any delay, nothing but silence and a lot of people wandering around.
At 10pm I board the train, again - no announcement, just luck. I'm in an upper sleeping berth, so I heft my luggage up and get settled in for the night. At 1am we're still in Singapore. Still in the train station, still not going anywhere. I decide to go to sleep.
All the while Christine is sitting in Gemas. Equally clueless as to what time the train will arrive. After midnight the train station clears out and she is the only person left sitting on the platform, in the dark. The ticket clerk takes pity on her and gives her a key to a porters break room, where she can lock herself in for a few hours sleep. They promise to wake her when the train arrives.
We pull into Gemas at 6am - 7 hours behind schedule. I am the only person awake on the train, struggling to open the door hoping that Christine will be on the platform. She is. In fact she's been there for a staggering 14 hours!
The train continues on it's way North with both of us sleeping for a couple more hours. But it's not over... We wake up and discover that I slept through Singapore/Malaysian immigration! Apparently, 30 minutes after the train departs from Singapore, right before we cross into Malaysia there is an immigration check point. Everyone gets off the train and is processed by immigration. First you 'leave' Singapore, then you 'enter' Malaysia. I am in the North of Malaysia without a Singapore exit stamp in my passport, and no Malaysian entry stamp. In fact they just don't know that I am even here!
It's a bank holiday, so all official offices are closed. Bugger it. We decide to head to the Islands and deal with it later!

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

We had to leave Bingin yesterday.

We've been at the beach for a month and staying in one place for so long was a real treat. Packing and unpacking every few days means that you never get to see what's in that HUGE backpack that you're lugging around with you! I get into the habit of wearing the same clothes for days on end - because they're easy to lay my hands on, and to find something else would require unzipping, oh, at least 2 extra zips, moving some shoes out of the way and disturbing the orginzed chaos that is the inside of my pack.

So at Bingin, I unloaded the whole lot. And spread myself out over the bedroom, kitchen and living room. My stuff was everywhere. Which was great when I wanted to find something, but not so great when I had to pack.

The walk up the cliff from the beach to the road is a steep path. Our caravan of surfboards and backpacks wound their way to the top in the midday sun. The photo, it's 8 (yes eight) surfboards in transit.

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

Look who came to visit in Bali!

It's been a busy few days. We picked Carolyn up from the airport on Wedneday. 15 minutes after her flight arrived Rich landed! So we were able to collect both arrivals in one trip.

The past few days have been fantastic! Just hanging out, taking it easy and sharing a few beers.

In Nepal I ate lentils and vegetable curry for EVERY meal. Not because I chose to, but because when you're in the Everest region they ain't got much else......
In Laos I ate beef noodle soup for almost every meal. Some were delicious, some were not quite so delicious...
In Vietnam I ate more fresh spring rolls than I should, in an attempt to find some as good as the ones I make... I make the best fresh spring rolls.
In Thailand I ate roti - for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is no way to get tired of eating at Roti Mataba...
Now I know not everyone will agree, but eating every meal out gets really old really fast.... The last time we were able to do any cooking for ourselves was while traveling in our little van.
Guess what?? The house in Bingin Beach has a kitchen - not a full kitchen, but a two ring gas burner, a fridge and a sink. Which if you think about it is all you really need.

Last night I made Macaroni & Cheese from a recipe that I have been using since I first started cooking. My first cookbook was The Pooh Cookbook (sadly now out of print), and it has the BEST macaroni and cheese recipe ever. You can find the recipe here. (The Honey Spice Cake is also a winner!)

We had most of the ingredients, but could not find flour - in ANY of the 3 markets we visited. So I sent Michael down the beach with a bowl in hand. He returned 15 minutes later with pancake mix. Ok, not quite the same thing, but maybe it will work...

ladyhedda made Macaroni & Cheese with pancake mix, and it tasted great.

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

I've been carrying around this lil' jade piggie for almost a year now! It was given to me by the beautiful Corinna - who picked it up on one of her may visits to Hong Kong & China.
In the Chinese Horoscope calender I am a Pig, this year also happens to be the 'Year of the Pig' - so this is my lucky charm!
The thing is I could never find a good place for him - so he's been stuffed in the bottom of my bag. This prime placement means that he's been to some pretty amazing places with me:
Snowed in in Everest, river trips in Laos, Vietnamese New Year in Hanoi, Angkor Wat.......

And now he can visit some more - but this time he'll be on my wrist!! The lovely ladies at 'Joy Jewelry' in Bali strung him onto a bracelet for me. Perfect!

A word of warning to all. If the water smells like poo, don't let it anywhere near your eyes, ears, or mouth! Now I know this sounds like simple common sense, but we've had some water issues at our place at Bingin recently (no water, not anywhere!). So, I was excited to have a nice crisp, cold shower to refresh myself... I didn't follow my instincts.
Now I've been suffering an ear infection the last two days. Can't hear a thing, head feels like it's going to "POP," and no surfing!
The good news is that after visiting the local hospital I feel much better. Excellent service at the Aussie clinic.
Luckily the swell has finally dropped so my reef cuts can dry out and properly heal.

I love the weather in Bali. It's always changing. Last night I woke to the sound of rain - pouring rain. Rain that could wash the streets of Los Angeles clean!
The thunder is loud. Not just a little loud, but house shaking, ground rumbling LOUD.
Lightning illuminates the fishing boats with alternating bolts and bright flashes that make it look like daylight.

And then today, beautiful cloud formations & bright sunshine.

The only think I could do with out - the humidity. It's 84° today. With 78% humidity. That's hot and sweaty.....

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

The new moon tide at Bingin beach is really extreme. It means that I can walk out onto the reef and be within shouting distance of the breaking wave...
Here's a shot of Michael pulling out of a mini tube. It's the first time I've been able to get so close to a barreling wave.
It's noisy in there!

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

We spent the last couple of days in Uboob Ubud (thanks to Christine & Ian I can't think of it as anything other than Uboob) - walking, shopping and eating. It's the eating that I'm going to talk about now....

This is a piggie. A very delicious piggie. He has been stuffed with turmeric, chillies, garlic and ginger - then roasted slowly over coconut husks, all the time being basted with coconut juice.

I can't think of anything more tasty (except perhaps Marmite on toast)...

Sorry for the silence. The closest internet access is a long and sweaty hike from the beach. I have a 10 minute climb up the cliff face, followed by a 15 minute 'stroll' in the baking sun. Needless to say I will not be doing much of this.

For what it's worth. The weather is perfect, the ocean blue and the skies are dotted with Island clouds.

Did I mention that we were in Indonesia?

I'm finally in the lead....

Michael and I have been playing an ongoing, never-ending game of Gin Rummy since time began. Last night I finally took the lead. By 13 points. I haven't been in the lead since Nepal. That's a long time, and a lot of rummy. And Michael sure can gloat when he's winning. Which adds up to a lot of gloating.

Now it's my turn.

We've finally made it to Indonesia. Michael can now breathe easily. There is ocean, there are waves, he can surf. The world is a happy place.

It was a long day - we got the surfboards into a taxi at 4am. Flew to Kuala Lumpur where we sat in the airport for a mind numbing 6 hours. The boredom was broken briefly when we were forced to eat McDonalds for lunch. A burger! French Fries! Ketchup! Not a noodle or grain of rice in sight...

We landed in Bali in the evening, and headed straight for Bingin Beach. Where we are now. And where we plan on staying for a long time!

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

The Killing Fields of Cheung Ek - Take 2....

After the aborted attempt by bicycle we opted for the decidedly less sweaty option of travel by tuk-tuk.

As many as 15,000 people are believed to have been killed at Cheung Ek - many of them bludgeoned to death to 'save' the bullets. All of the original buildings have been pulled down, and some of the mass graves have been excavated, with some left as they were found. There are remnants of clothing & bones partially buried in the earth.

The memorial itself contains the skulls of over 8000 people, separated by age and gender. It's a chilling reminder of a time when Cambodia was a 'Living Hell on Earth'.

Originally uploaded by m_hagen.

It sure sounded like a good idea at the time.... Andrew and Theresa had told us what a great time they'd had bicycling out to the Killing Fields memorial located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. It's only about 15km's of flat road where we thought we'd see a different side to the city. We also wanted to take our time getting out there to reflect on the history of what we were going to see.
The accident happened about 10-12 km's into the ride - almost there - we were going real slow, taking our time, trying to go with the flow of traffic. Hedda was right on the side of the road attempting to go around a parked truck when a guy on a moto zoomed by, passing on her inside, completely cutting her off. She tried to brake but the heavy load of wood he was transporting on the back of his bike caught her handlebars and next thing you know she was on the ground wrapped up in her bike.
She jumped up right away and took measure of her wounds. Luckily no broken bones, she hadn't hit her head, and she was standing there shouting "Goddamn Mother@#cker get back here so I can kick your ass!!!" The Cambodian people were great. Almost every single person coming down the road from behind stopped immediately to see if she was OK. The people on the side of the road came out of their shops offering tissues, strange salves and comfort.
Of course the bastard who'd sideswiped Hedda was long gone. We found out later that typically in Cambodia the Police are not called to the scene to sort accidents out. The guy that cut Hedda off should have stopped and probably paid her about $30-$40. We just thought he should have stopped to apologize....
After racing down the wrong side of the road to get back to Hedda and make sure she was OK, I organized a Tuk Tuk back to our hotel where she was able to clean her wounds with soap and a toothbrush, Betadine and then Neosporin and bandages. A couple of hours later we made it to the the Killing Fields......... By Tuk Tuk.

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

We caught the bus back up to Phnom Penh this morning, dumped our stuff in the guesthouse, and headed straight out to the National Museum & King's Palace.

We were visiting the Silver Pagoda, looking at the buddha statues when Michael bumped a monk. He apologized, and kept walking. Then it happened again. Hmmm, he thought, maybe I'm not stumbling into monks. Maybe they're bumping into me!

Sure enough, Tek was just trying to get Michael's attention. They spent over an hour chatting - mostly about Cambodia. We also met Tek's friends. All I can say is that monks are good at winding you up. Because they can get away with it!

While in China Beach, Vietnam, Hedda got talking to Theresa, who had spent some time at Otres Beach in Sihanoukville.
Theresa told Hedda about some of the things the vendors on the beach offer. Massages, pedicures, beautiful tropical fruit salads, freshly grilled prawns. The list goes on and on..... Of course the offering that caught Hedda's attention most was what they call threading. This is where two women take a length of thread and between their teeth and hands and roll the thread along your skin and pluck out hairs. Waxing is no longer necessary!!! Sounds great.
So once we arrived in Otres, Hedda started to investigate. She talked to a few ladies and thought it would be great if I could have them take a look at my neck which seems to be growing more hair than should be humanly possible.
I thought tears were going to start falling!!! Don't ever do this! It hurts like hell. Of course I was in full view of the public so I had to hold it together. I think Angelo and Graham came by to see what was going on and I told them, "Yeah man no worries, can't hardly feel a thing." All this while I'm trying not to cry like a three year old.

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

Sorry we've been so quiet.... We're at the beach. Otres Beach to be precise. It's beautiful, and quite. We're staying Chez Paou - with 5 other people that we've met on the way.
There's Toby - who we traveled with in Laos, Graham & Božena who we met in Vietnam, and Angelo.
We're all putting a lot of effort into our daily practice of the art of doing nothing. And it feels so good!

Tomorrow back to Phnom Penh, and then onto Siem Reap for the Temples of Angkor. I am very excited!

I have new clothes!!! This may not sound that exciting, but let me just say that I have been wearing the same 4 things for the last 3 months. And I am sick of them. And they are falling apart. And I have sewn up holes. And they have been washed and dried in the sun so many times that they are a different shape and colour. I don't recognize them any more.

So, today we went to Psah Toul Tom Poung - otherwise known as the Russian Market. Where I outfitted myself with:
1 new skirt (originally destined for Target)
2 new cami tops (for somewhere in Spain)
2 new t-shirts (for Old Navy)
1 new pair of shorts (Target again)
A bikini

All for the total sum of $15. Not bad.

Now I'm off to chuck out the old stuff.

We've arrived in Cambodia. Phnom Penh to be precise. Where we're going to stay for a couple of nights before heading South to the beaches. I love it here already!

Saigon at rush hour!

What Michael forgot to mention in his last post:
He tried to convince me (at 1.30 in the morning) that he was a pirate. Apparantly consuming vast amounts of rum is all it takes.

May have had a few too many drinks last night.... Headache AHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Maybe it had to happen due to the fact I haven't surfed in over 3 months. Maybe it was because Hedda and I were feeling pretty relaxed here at China Beach. Not really sure why it happened. I do know I can lay some of the blame on the Irish fellows who handed the large bottle of rum to me with a wicked smile. Bonfire on the beach late into the night with a pretty laid back crew of people. I guess it has to happen sometime....

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

He's been rehydrated - at last!

After nearly 4 months out of the ocean Michael finally got his toes wet! That's right, we're at the beach in Vietnam, where they rent surfboards, thank the lord.

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

We visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum today. It's Sunday so it is also a popular day for Vietnamese people to pay their respects.
The queue is long, and you cannot take ANYTHING into the mausoleum, bags, cellphones, cameras are all put into lockers. Then you stand in line, gradually weaving your way through the grounds, until 45 minutes later you enter the FRIDGID building. They have the AC so low - I guess a body needs to be kept cold!
The actual time in the mausoleum is short - and you are kept in line and marched through the 'viewing room' by some very efficient guards.
It does look a little like Madame Tuassads have been involved in the preservation.
A very surreal experience.

A short video of the river at the Perfume Pagoda today.

It's the start of the Perfume Pagoda Festival for 2007, so the place was packed with Buddhist pilgrims. The pagoda itself is a series of shrines in a limestone cave, at the top of a mountain. To get to the pagoda you take a boat up the river, and then climb up the path to the top of the mountain. The river was packed - visiting the pagoda during the festival is especially auspicious.

We arrived at the boat landing and decided to take the cable car up to the pagoda - it was raining and I was in flipflops! The queue for the cablecar was sooooo long, and there was lots of crazy pushing involved. Needless to say I made it to the front before Michael - who patiently waited until he was carried through by the masses. I am a professional queue pusher.

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

We just returned from a trip out to Halong Bay. The scenery is absolutely spectacular - massive limestone karsts rising out of the ocean.
We left Hanoi in the early morning and headed off to Halong City to board our Junk. The boat then left port and proceed to cruise slowly around the bay.
In the afternoon we were able to get off the boat, and into smaller boats! Kayaks, to be precise. Michael and I were soon zooming through tunnels, paddling into lagoons and checking out beaches.
We spent a night on the boat - and then did much of the same the 2nd day.
After a night on Cat Ba Island we returned by boat to Halong City and then to Hanoi.

What can be better than a glass of Bia Hoi? Not much.
It's freshly brewed every day and delivered to street vendors throughout Hanoi. 2000 d buys you a glass - that's a whopping 12c (or 6p). So for a dollar you can... Well, you get the picture!

5 hours sitting on a street corner, in a mini plastic chair, watching the world go by.

Chuc Mung Nam Moi (Happy New Year!)

We're in Hanoi.

It's Tet this weekend - Vietnamese New Year. Today I bought silly string, and bags of glittery stuff to throw. I can't wait for the party to begin.....

Originally uploaded by m_hagen.

This morning we woke early - 6am. It was still dark in Luang Prabang and very quiet. Hedda and I quickly dressed and snuck out of the guesthouse. We started walking towards the old city area where most of the Wats are located. We actually weren't exactly sure where the monks would walk by and for a moment thought, "I hope we don't miss them by ending up on the wrong street!" Of course as we later discovered this would have been pretty much impossible. As we got closer to the Wats we saw a few other tourists, so we headed down a side street to a quieter Wat. We sat down on the curb and slowly but the surely the city began to wake up. A few older men and women set up mats and chairs along the road and patiently waited for the monks to arrive. We thought there would be a slow trickle but when they arrived it was amazing. Literally a couple hundred monks lined up, each receiving their daily meal from the townspeople. It was a really beautiful moment to observe. So quiet in the morning... It wasn't some kind of big production. It was so simple, the monks need to eat, so the townspeople feed them. I imagine Luang Prabang's mornings have been passing like that for centuries with little change.

You go all the way to Laos, and you meet - people from around the corner.... That's right, on our kayaking trip down the river were these Long Beach residents.....

Shit kayaking is exhausting, all that sun, all those rapids. Shoulda gone tubing instead. Maybe tomorrow.

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

That's right - we took another cooking class. This time on the menu - Lao food.
There were only 3 of us in the class - which made for some quality cooking time... Maybe too much cooking time. We were all exhausted at the end of the day.
The food was great. Michael can make sticky rice now - thank the Lord. I was worried he'd have to go without when we left Laos. But no excuses, now he can cook the stuff himself!

Originally uploaded by m_hagen.

The guy wearing these shoes actually spoke better English than anyone we'd met in days. We were on the bus travelling to Phonsavan when it made one of its many stops to drop each individual person off at their respective house when this guy comes over to ask where we're from, where we've been and where we're going. Really nice, friendly guy. Gotta pick up a pair of Cons...

The trusty motorbikes took us out in the other direction today. To some Hot Springs. Aaaahhhh.
We scrubbed and bathed ourselves from top to toe. It felt great. The minerals in the water are going to cure us of our ailments. Really.
We feel great.

I got to ride a motorbike again.... The thing was great. Nothing on it worked - no speedometer, no fuel gauge, no odometer, and changing gears was a crap shoot. Sometimes you'll get the gear you want, sometimes you won't. But I loved it!
We rode out to the small town of Vieng Xai to visit the caves. The Pathet Lao (communist rebels that became the government) lived in these huge caves for nine, yes NINE, years while the US military unloaded over 2 million tons of bombs on the Lao countryside. We ate noodle soup with spoons made from leftover scrap metal.

Holy crap. You should see what they are selling at the market here.
If you are squeamish you may not want to click. Don't say I didn't warn you...

Today was travel Laos style at it's absolute worst.
The sawngthaew left Vieng Thong at 7am headed for Sam Nuea - a total of 7 hours travel. We were traveling through mountains, on winding roads, up and down for hours and hours. I counted a total of 20 people on board, in a truck made for hmmm, maybe 13....
It was bitterly cold. Sitting outside with the wind in my face was not a pleasant experience. It would have sucked for 30 minutes. After 7 hours it really was getting old.
Everyone in the truck was cuddling their neighbor for warmth. I was sat with my feet on a bag of rice, knees around my ears, and some dude's butt ON TOP of my feet. But guess what, I didn't care - because it was warm. The lady next to me had her arm around me and her head on my shoulder. Opposite Toby's neighbor was drooling on him.
The only way to endure was, as Michael suggested, by finding our very own 'Happy Place'. Somewhere in the mind where all external factors can be ignored.
Favorite moment: The lady with her head on my shoulder leans over and clears both nostrils onto the dirt, then follows this with a MASSIVE spit ball phlem thingy - 3 inches from my ear.
Happy Birthday to Me!

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

We're heading East to Sam Nuea.... No more boat travel for a while - just the good old sawngthaews, and buses where we can find them....
The first section of the trip took us a couple of hours by sawngthaew. It was pretty uneventful - we left Nong Kiaw at 11ish and arrived in Vieng Kam in time for lunch.
The next aim was to make it to Vieng Thong - for dinner. We asked around town about busses - no luck. There is a night bus that passes through between 11pm & 1am everyday, but we had decided we wanted to travel by day and see the scenery.
A couple of local Lao kids with a truck offered to take us to Vieng Thong, for a fee. We settled on $7 each, and finally set off at 3.30pm (after doing a couple of trips around town looking for extra passengers.)
The dude was driving so fast around corners on switchbacks I closed my eyes and held on. After only a hour or so we heard a clonk and pulled over to the side of the road. Flat tyre. After grabbing some wood to help jack up the truck they changed the tyre and bearings in 15 minutes. Unfortunately the spare was flat too!! So we all sat in the rear corner of the truck and trundled into the next village where we borrowed another tyre.
2 tyre changes, 1 bearing change all in 40 minutes.
The remainder of the ride was uneventful. Just cold. It was dark, and windy. I pulled just about every layer of clothing available out of my backpack. Toby (our fellow traveler) was stuffing plastic bags inside his fleece jacket to keep the wind out.
We pulled into town after 8pm. Freezing cold and miserable, but still laughing!

We made it down the river to Nong Kiaw. It took us 2 full days and some pretty heavy negotiating with boat drivers. As soon as they see a 'falang' coming they up the price. One dude wanted to charge us $50 for a ride that we knew the locals would pay $20 for..... We beat him down to $25 but it took us 45 minutes of writing numbers in the sand.
We're planning to spend a couple of nights here - there are some caves to visit, and some lounging around to be done.....

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

Ahhhhhh. Lao-lao. It's distilled from rice, inside huge metal drums.
Phongsali Lao-Lao is supposed to be some of the best in Laos. So we bought a bottle in the market. It's green. Something to do with the herbs they use.
We walked up to the top of a hill just outside of town and appreciated the view with the help of a little Lao-Lao.

Originally uploaded by m_hagen.

That's our transport from Hat Sa to Phongsali!
We waited almost 2 hours to see if a truck would be making the trip - and it was. We shared the ride with 8 other people, and some chickens.

We made it to Phongsali. It's right up there in the tippety top of Laos, the province is surrounded on 3 sides by China - so there's a pretty strong Chinese influence in town.
We were lucky to catch a boat headed North. Gas is expensive so the boats don't run every day. They wait until there are enough people to fill a boat before they'll head upstream. We met a Lao family who had been waiting 2 days....
The trip took just over 5 hours. It rained the whole way, it was cold, and the sky was grey. We pulled into the town of Hat Sa, which is basically stopping off point for river travel - not much to see, and just one very basic guest house for use in an emergency, if you can't get yourself out of town.....
It took a little sign language, and some skilled mime performance, but we discovered that there was a possibility of a truck going to Phongsali town that afternoon. So we waited. It cost us $2 each, and the ride was bumpy - but we made it.

We got up early and headed to the bus station for the 8.30am departure to Udomaxai. The bus was full, but we artfully draped a towel over some seats in order to keep them for ourselves.
The journey was 4 hours and we arrived in Udomaxai just in time for lunch. We grabbed a bowl of noodles at the bus station before boarding the next bus, headed to Muang Khoua. By the time we got on the road I counted 31 people on the bus. There were seats for 21. Bus travel Laos style.....
Muang Khoua is a small town on the bank of the Nam O river. It's the best place to catch a boat North - something that we plan on doing tomorrow......

Originally uploaded by m_hagen.

The herbal sauna and traditional Lao massage in Luang Nam Tha were great. Lay down, get pounded and pulled, twisted and turned, to get all the kinks out and get back into alignment. After that tie on a sarong and head through the bamboo doors into a nearly unbearable sauna that opened every pore. I don't think I've ever sweat that much.... Then a cold water bucket shower to finish. I highly recommend this treatment after any and all bus travel in Laos. Besides, it's all only $3!

Another great day! We rented bicycles and headed out and about. The roads aren't finished so the ride was bumpy and dusty, but the riding was still fun. We cycled around the local villages (mostly Black Tai people) and ate lunch by the river. In the afternoon we headed off to a local stupa. The original stupa is in ruins after being bombed by the Americans in 1966 - the new one has been built right next door. You climb a long stairway to the top - the views are amazing.
There are only a couple of other Buddhist temples around as the majority of people around here are animists.
Off on the bus tomorrow to Udomaxi - then will probably continue North to Phongsali, if all goes according to plan!!

Originally uploaded by m_hagen.

We really miss Shackleton very, very, very much. Luckily the Laos hold dogs in a special place in their hearts, unlike the Vietnamese who have a full Kilometer of Dog BBQ restaurants just north of Hanoi. I don't think we'll be heading up there any time soon. The Ahka people in Laos actually keep as many dogs around the village as possible to guard their homes while they work in the jungle. The Ahka are animists and therefore believe the animals have spirits. One of the dogs may actually be an ancestor reincarnated!
I love the Ahka....

We've just returned from an amazing couple of days trekking in the jungle. So beautiful. There were six people in our group - including our guides Sai & Noi.
We started hiking through rice paddies and along a forested stream before heading into the jungle. Lunch was by the stream, Sai and Noi laid out a feast of Lao food onto leaves on the jungle floor. After lunch the trail lead upstream to the Nam Yen Waterfall - and from the waterfall the trail climed up the mountain to the Akha forest camp of Nam Lai.
The overnight stay was in a large bamboo 'dorm' - where the fire was burning and dinner was cooked. We arrived at 'bathtime' so Michael and I headed down to the well to bathe - sarong style. The water was COLD - but after the jungle it was good to be clean.
The second morning was spent with an Akha guide - as we were walking he would point out different plants that the Akha use for tea, food & medicine. After a lunch prepared with jungle goodies (rattan bamboo soup anyone?) the Akha headed back to the village and we continued our decent.
We ended the day in lowland pastures - trekking through a Black Tai village before heading back into the 'cowboy' town of Luang Nam Tha.

We're in Laos - yay!
We crossed the border from Thailand by boat to the other side of the Mekong river, and Hey Presto we were in Laos. All it took was a 20 Bhat (about 60c) fee to the customs officers - for their overtime. Ha ha. They charge overtime after 4pm - and for any visa processing that they do at lunchtime...
We spent the night in the border town of Huay Xai - just like any other border town, and from there we chartered a long tail boat to take us to Luang Nam Tha. The journey took 2 days, starting on the Mekong heading South for a couple of hours before turning North up the Nam Tha river.
The scenery was spectacular. Jungle walls rising out of the water, with villages dotted along the river banks. The trip was so quiet and peaceful - only the sound of our boat struggling upriver through little rapids. We spent the night in a village at the house of our boatman. The villagers live in wooden houses built on stilts. Almost every house has a loom underneath it where they weave beautiful textiles.
We arrived in Luang Nam Tha late afternoon. Just intime to get ourselves a place to stay and then settle in for some BeerLao. Ahhhh.

Another bus ride and we've arrived in Chang Mai. We have a couple of things to sort out before we head into Laos.
We've walked around the markets, looked at the temples and relaxed in the coffee shops. Tomorrow to the border....

Originally uploaded by ladyhedda.

We rented motorbikes. Well some may call them scooters, but I think motorbike sounds like a lot more fun!!

Mine was a black 100cc Honda Dream just about the cutest bike in all of Nan. We left the town behind and headed into the mountains and national parks. One the way we stopped of to swim in our own private waterfall - so beautiful, and a welcome break from the road. We stopped for lunch in Pua at a roadside stand. It was full of school girls who were giggling at us and yelling "Please sit here" "Do you speak Thai"... Erm, no. We sat with them anyway, and they gave us a crash course on the difference between Thai style Som Tam and Lao style Som Tam plus versions with mangos. Mmmmm. They were great - sharing their salads and freaky looking jello type desert thingys with us. After lunch we headed off to our Bamboo Hut - no electricity, just a candle and spectacular mountain views. We watched the sun rise, walked in Hill Tribe villages, and swam in the river.

Another bus ride.... Our bus was due to depart at 2.30pm, we got on the road at 4pm! It was a mere 6 hours from Sukhothai to Nan. Lots to look at out of the windows, until the sun went down...
We arrived in Nan at 9.30pm and found our way to a guesthouse. Today we're making plans for the next few days. We want to see as much of Nan province as possible, it's really pretty and there are almost no tourists around.
We walked around the Market at lunch time - Michael was stoked to have an Iced Coffee in a plastic bag. It's the little things!

We finally started the journey north. This time we took the train - no more 12 hour bus rides, at least for the time being.... The train is delightful compared to the bus - so fast, so much more leg room, so much less bouncing around and swerving around corners. The journey was just over 5 hours, during which we were served with lunch - on the train, how's that for service!

We're in Sukhothai at the moment. Sukhothai is Thailand's first capital, the old city has over 15 sq miles of ruins which are a World Heritage Site. We rented bicycles for the day so that we could cycle around and see as many of the different temples as possible. I think there are nearly a hundred - yikes!

I can cook Thai food! Today we met up with Mike & Christine at the Baipai Cooking School for some Thai food cooking. It was so much fun. We made all sorts of goodies - my favorite was the Panang Curry, Michael liked the Golden Bags (?)....
The class was in the morning so we were picked up from our hotel and driven through the crazy Bangkok traffic to the school. There was some kind of protest in the center of town so everywhere was gridlocked - at one point in time we found ourselves headed the wrong way on a one way street. Funnily enough we weren't moving forward!!
The cooking was great. We arrived and had a little demo from our teachers, who then let us loose in their outdoor kitchens. The place is beautiful, so quiet and calm.
Michael was a whiz with the wok - making the most tasty Thai fried rice.

Afterwards we wandered through Lumphini park and onto Chinatown where we proceeded to get lost in the tiny alleys. There was so much to see - including every kind of Hello Kitty product possible. At dusk we got a Tuk Tuk to our favorite resturant.

We spent a couple of days hanging out in Bangkok enjoying the food before heading south to the beach for some real relaxation.  The bus ride was fun - another 12 hour journey, but this time the seats were comfortable, the bus air conditioned and we even stopped (at 1 in the morning) for some complimentary dinner!!

We're in Krabi province, at a beach called Klong Maung.  We're here because we're gatecrashing a honeymoon!!  Haha.  We met up with Christine & Mike and have been lazing on the beach, and taking longtail boats to the islands, snorkelling and not much else. 

Happy New Year!

We're in Thailand for Christmas. Yay!! The food is amazing. The weather - so much warmer than Kathmandu!
We're both suffering a little from post trekking coughs & colds. I cannot stop coughing and Michael has a sinus headache that is making him sick.
But, we're warm and we can sleep without sleeping bags cinched up around our noses. I love Bangkok!

Oh my. It was so easy to fly in, but those Nepalis, they don't make it easy to leave do they...
We stuffed the surfboards and the rest of our luggage (which is nothing when compared to the sheer scale of that surfboard bag - and in case you were wondering there are 4, yes 4, surfboards inside it) into the tiny little van that the guesthouse had provided. And off we went. The roads were normal for Kathmandu - congested, dusty and so much exhaust. Traffic started getting a little heavier as we neared our destination, and when we were within meters of the exit the driver pulled over to the side of the road and said "OK, you walk now"..... Ummmm, OK, I don't mind walking - I mean I just walked the Himalayas - but I'd really prefer it if you could drop me at the door... Especially as we have this ridiculously huge bag to contend with. But no, there was a demonstration blocking the entrance to the airport. Great.
We took a few minutes to get organized and strapped in - backpacks are a pain in the ass, then started walking towards our destination. There was a blockade accross the road making it impossible for any traffic to enter the airport, and on top of that people were sitting in the street. There were lots of banners (couldn't read them) and lots of megaphones shouting (couldn't understand them)!
We found our way to the entry 'path' - on the pavement to the right of the road, got the surfboard bag lined up, and headed in. It was all going so well, when one of the protesters at the front started to get agitated. Then, before we knew it he was shouting at us "Go away from here", "No Airplanes today", "No flying", "Get away from here, I tell you, GET AWAY FROM HERE" Hands were grabbing at Michael's shirt, all yelling the same thing.
We were 5 meters from the entrance to the airport. Holy crap, just let us through!
Michael grabbed one of the hands that was on his shirt and said "Do not touch me. Take your hands off me." Over and over again. I was yelling "Don't touch me, Don't touch me" (no-one was!!!)
With a little shoving, and some yelling we made it to the gate where the military let us inside. Thanks, I think.

Yesterday was a wee bit surreal. We got up as usual and headed into town for some breakfast - but everything was closed.
Turns out the Maoists weren't happy with some recent appointments that the government had made, so they were staging protests across the city. There were no cars on the roads, schools were closed and businesses were shut. Kathmandu without road traffic is a sight to behold.

We spent the day poking around the Ghats on the river - looking at the Hindu & Bhuddist statues. It's pretty disgusting along the river bank - lots of rubbish, dirt and general decay, but the old ceremonial cremation and ritual bathing sites still exist. I don't think anyone is bathing in the river these days.

We're back in Kathmandu. The trek was absolutely amazing. Words can't decribe the experience. I am exhausted, overwhelmed and very tired. Being back in the city makes the whole thing seem so far away - I have to keep looking at my photos to remind me that we were really there.

It is a wonderful thing to be able to use the loo without having to go outside! When it's freezing and there is ice on the windows, the last thing you want to do is leave the comfort of your sleeping bag and brave the snow.

That's Everest on the left and Lhotse on the right....

It's hard to know what to write about the days trekking activities. It's easier to sum it up - in an 'average' day. So here goes:
5am - Wake up. Need to pee. It's cold outside the sleeping bag. Stay inside it. Can see my breath. Doze for a while.
6.45am - Decide to brave the cold. Grab my clothes and bring them into the sleeping bag - to warm up. Get dressed as quickly as possible.
7am - Pack the backpack. Wash (yeah right!) and go down for breakfast.
7.30 - Eat porridge or banana pancakes for breakfast.
8am - Start walking.
9am - Still walking. Up.
10am - More walking. Down.
11am - Up again. Keep going up.
12pm - Lunch. Dahl Bhat - rice and lentils with curry. So good.
1pm - Walking again.
4pm - Arrive at lodge. Take off boots. Drink lemon tea.
6pm - Eat dinner.
8pm - Get into sleeping bag.
8.30pm - Asleep...

I can't describe how much walking up and down we've done over the last few days. On one day alone we climbed 1900m (that's 6200ft) and then descended another 400m (1300ft). The rivers run North South, and we are walking East. This means we cross every valley on a bridge over the river, and then climb the valley side until we cross the mountain pass at the top. Only to have to descend to the valley below.

The scenery is amazing. Pine trees, rhododendrons, glacial rivers, blue skies, clouds below us......
My feet are killing me, but no blisters......

Ha ha ha! Who ever described the bus ride to Jiri as 'Hell on Earth' wasn't far wrong...
By the time we made it to the bus station in Kathmandu it was 10 past 6 in the morning. The bus was due to leave at 6am. We did a couple of laps of the station at speed and finally found our bus - driving around honking it's horn picking up passengers. We jumped on board and found ourselves in the very back row - a spot where no normal human being, with legs, could possibly fit. The seats were so close together that my knees were by my ears. Michael looked like some kind of new pretzel.
The bus pulled out of the station at 6.15 and we were off! After bouncing along for a few hours we pulled over for lunch at 9.30 in the morning - not feeling like eating that early Michael and I waited for the journey to resume. The side of the bus was covered in vomit - from every window!! I think we were the only ones who didn't suffer from car sickness. But the sound of the retching was almost more than I could bear!!
Michael got up on top of the bus, with the luggage, for the rest of the trip. Which left me with space for 1 of my knees, and half a thigh. We arrived in Jiri at 12.30 where the bus then took a dirt track towards our destination - Bhandar. The switchbacks are insane and the road is dirt and potholes. We crossed a river just by driving through the water - no bridge yet.
As we climbed higher and higher the road got narrower and narrower and the turns more life threatening. Every time we hit a pothole I bounced out of my seat. The bus rounded a corner and then the wheels started spinning in the mud. We stopped 4 times - everyone out of the bus to push, throwing gravel under the wheels. After about 5 hours the bus driver decided to turn back. We found out that a bus has NEVER made it to Bhandar.
We got out at the nearest town, and walked to our destination for the night, arriving at 6pm - 12 hours after we had departed from Kathmandu.

We're off to Everest tomorrow.... Yikes!.

We're getting on the bus to Jiri at 5.30am - it will take us about 8 hours to get to our destination. Then we start to walk. All in all we're planning on about 18 days. Walking East from Jiri towards the Dudh Kosi river should take 5/6 days, and then we head North and follow the valley towards Everest.

I'm very excited. That's all there is to say!!