At the cellar door

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

The Clare Valley is known for it's really delicious Rieslings. There are an abundance of small great wineries in a relatively small area, so who are we to pass up this fine opportunity to learn a little about riesling.

There is a bike trail that leads from Auburn to Clare covering a distance of 25km (ish) each way, and a couple of additional loops that you can choose that include more of the areas cellar doors. The trail is called The Riesling Trail (inspired huh?), and we grabbed some bikes, donned our go faster bike helmets and hit the trail.

We started in Clare, from where we headed South to the Sevenhill Winery. Sevenhill is the oldest winery in the Clare Valley, it was established by Jesuit priests - to make their communion wine when supplies from Europe had run out.
Lunch was eaten at the Skillogalee winery - where we ate rack of lamb with a 2004 Shiraz. After there we merrily peddled on our way to Jenneret, Mitchell and finally Penna Lane where the winemaker gave us his open bottle of reserve shiraz to have with our dinner.
The whole day was amazing. We were on the trail cycling and tasting for over 7 hours. My legs are sore, but I'm happy.

Did I mention the flies?

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

Because if I have not mentioned the incredibly annoying flies, I would be remiss in my duties.
The flies here are the most annoying flies ever experienced. And they are really dumb. Really really dumb. I open the window of the van, so that they can buzz off. Do they? No. They'd rather hitch a ride with us and buzz in my face for hours. Arrrrrgh.

Lunch anyone?

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

The Eyre Peninsular is known for it's seafood. Fresh delicious and straight off the boat seafood.
We have eaten Coffin Bay Oysters, Streaky Bay Oysters, Smokey Bay Oysters and some other kind of oyster whose name I don't remember.
We've been buying them closed, and Michael has become a master shucker (that's shucker with an s)....

After coming through the hot dry middle we're now on the other side of the continent.
We drove through Port August and Port Lincoln to the Coffin Bay National Park, where there is real wildlife, not in cages, hopping and slithering and running in front of me.
Last night, when we pulled into the park it was dark, so I jumped out of the van with a mag light to search for a good level spot to park up for the night. I rounded a bush and came face to face with a MASSIVE kangaroo. I'm telling you I don't know who was more shocked, me or it. It was less than 5 feet away from me (that's human feet not kangaroo feet) eating supper. Now, I wanted to eat my supper too, but not so badly as to interrupt a kangaroo. So, I made my apologies and hopped back to the van, suggesting that we find another spot. Pronto.

Don't step back...

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

We're in Cober Pedy - the Opal mining capital of the world. It's a trip here - 80% of the population live underground in dug out homes. Some of them are old mines, and some of them have just been dug out for the fun of it.
The above ground landscape is almost like a moonscape. Not that I've ever been to the moon, but it's what I imagine the moon could look like if people had been digging for opals all over it's surface.
Not being that interested in gemstones myself I avoided all the millions of opal stores in town and headed for the underground bookstore and underground church.
I also took a tour of a mine and tried my hand at divining. What can I say. I'm a natural.

Hop hop hop

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

I've been having hours of fun perfecting my wallaby impression.

We're in South Australia now, having driven 3400 kilometres through the Northern Territory, to Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Next up the coast for some surf and then onto the Clare Valley and Barossa Valley for wine wine and more wine.

Persistent would be an understatement

Hedda gettin back at the flies....
Uploaded by m_hagen.

It all started in Kakadu National Park - up in the 'top end'. We were camping at the Merle campground and as the sun set the mosquitoes started to emerge. Holy shit, I have never in my entire mosquito fearing life been surrounded by such an ungodly number of buzzing mosquitoes.
I retreated to the van, put on my longest trousers, and despite the fact that the temperature was in the 30s pulled on a long sleeved sweater. I then covered my ears nose and hands with 30% deet. All this did was make me hot and angry. And the mosquitoes were still there, buzzing in my ear, taunting me. The van has mosquito netting on the windows, and even though I had killed every living insect in the van with a massive dose of bug spray, all I could hear was the constant whine of the damn bugs outside the van, buzzing at the windows, trying to get in and bite me.
As we've moved further south, the number of mosquitoes has decreased and the number of flies increased. And Australian flies are the most numerous, annoying, persistent of all the flies in the world. And, when we were eating a lunch at Uluru, I finally lost it and pulled on the fly hat. They may look ridiculous, but hell, they're effective. It's just hard to eat a sandwich when you're wearing one.

Dining in style

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

We got up early for sunrise at Uluru, and had ourselves a breakfast of beans on toast with coffee.

As soon as the sun has risen, the coaches of tourists leave and we had the place to ourselves.

We followed our breakfast with a brisk 10km walk around the rock. Beautiful!

A walk around the canyon rim

Kings Canyon
Uploaded by ladyhedda.

We spent a night at Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park). It's a 300km ish detour off the road to Uluru (Ayers Rock) - but well worth the extra hours on the road.
We got up early to avoid the worst of the heat, and headed out for the canyon rim walk. The first part of the walk is the toughest, with a 500 step climb. Once you reach the summit there are breathtaking views of the canyon, which has amazing dome shaped rock formations and sheer walls. The walk itself is only 6km, and we took it slowly - taking photos and trying hard not to get blown over the edge.

Woo hoo

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

I got some photos uploaded..... Click here for the Australia photos so far....

Photos to come....

I'm having a horrible time trying to upload photos, can't figure out why...... So, you'll all just have to wait until I get to Adelaide, or some other such civilized place.

Banka Banka

Banka Banka is a working cattle station, right here in the 'red center' of Australia. We learned about jackaroos and jillaroos and all you could possibly want to know about cattle farming in the outback.
Maybe a little too much information... After they castrate the bulls, they stick the 'Prairie Oysters' on the grill. Apparently they're delicious.

Kakadu is absolutely beautiful...

Right now I'm simply amazed by the scenery here in the Northern Territory. We drove to the Kakadu National Park and spent two nights there.
The first night we camped at the Merl campground - where we were attacked by droves and droves of mosquitoes. I was covered in DEET repellent and the bastards were still landing on my nose. I really hate the mosquitoes here. With a passion. They are worse than any other mosquitoes that I have EVER met.
The next day we were up with the sun, preparing coffee in our little van, then off to the Ubirr rock art site. We were fortunate enough to make it to a couple of ranger talks at the different sites, so we learned about the aboriginal kinship systems and the paintings and some of their meanings.
In the afternoon we headed to see more rock art at Nourlangie. Again, we listened to the rangers talks - which were really great, and the best way of appreciating what you are looking at! We also took a walk around the Anbangbang Billabong. We saw so many birds - really beautiful birds - (photos to follow)......
This morning we got up early (6am - that's very early for me) and took a boat ride down the South Alligator River. First thing in the morning is the best time to see the wildlife. We saw CROCODILES. I was so excited. Real crocodiles, in the wild. Yikes! (more photos to follow)
We also saw a couple of live wallabies hopping around the park, and plenty of dead wallabies by the side of the road. The roadkill here is big and there's plenty of it!

On the road

Today we hit the road. We've been to the grocery store and stocked up on the essentials Yes, we bought wine, wine in a box, which is the only kind of wine to buy when you're camping.
We're driving to Kakadu National Park for a couple of nights, and then South to Katherine Gorge. After that we'll be on the way to Alice Springs, then Kings Canyon and Uluru....
Hopefully we'll find some internet access along the way, then I'll upload photos of our cute lil van....

A movie under the stars...

Last night we went to the Deckchair Cinema in Darwin. It's in a beautiful setting outside under the stars surrounded by trees. We packed a picnic and watched As it is in Heaven, my favorite movie in a long time.
We were also able to see the full eclipse of the moon....

Déjà vu

We're shopping for a van. Again....
We saw one today, and are planning on seeing a couple more tomorrow. For the time being we're tent camping - and it's really hot in the tent.

Things I've noticed in Australia

1. The signs are all in English here.
2. When I turn on the hot tap water comes out, and it's hot.
3. I don't need to use a scoop and a bucket to flush the toilet.
4. It's full of Australians.

Favorite Asia moments (in no particular order)

1. Trekking to see Everest in Nepal. The most amazing experience. I want to go back. I will go back. Wanna join us?

2. Phongsali and the northern loop in Laos. Traveling by boat, truck, sawngthaew and rickety old buses with Toby. If you visit Laos, do not miss the rivers. Amazing. I loved the Sam Nuea market.

3. Shopping for our lucky cherry blossom for Vietnamese New Year in Hanoi. What a party!

4. The temples at Siem Reap in Cambodia. We stayed at the Golden Banana, it was our splurge treat. I loved it!

5. Hanging out at the beach with friends, and a healthy supply of Anker Beer.

6. Sumba in Indonesia. The most beautiful beach (so far), fascinating culture, and NO other tourists.7. Climbing Rinjani on Lombok. I hated it at the time..... Too much fucking volcanic gravel, and I am just not good at 3am, no matter what the reason for being up so early. The view is spectacular.

8. Taking my PADI diving course in Malaysia with Christine.

9. Joining a local festival in Flores.

10. Traveling with surfboards can be challenging at best. We've had some moments, including a couple of dings when the locals thought that standing on the boards, on the roof of a bus, was a good idea....

On being back in Asia

My last four weekends in Europe and the US were really special for me, it couldn't have happened better if I had planned it all. First I got to spend time with Della and Carolyn in Los Angeles, the next weekend I was in England with Vicki, the weekend after that it was wine in Barcelona with Christine, and the weekend after that I was drunk in Maidstone with Claire. Four weekends, five amazing girlfriends.
I admit it. I was sad to be leaving Europe in such a hurry, there were so many plans I had made, so many things that I was looking forward to. The birth of my niece... Visiting the Netherlands, Belgium and France... Spending time with my family... Hanging out with friends....
But the feeling that I had on returning to Indonesia was exhilarating. It was easy to slip back into the swing of things. I landed in Medan early in the morning and after finding my way through immigration and passport control, I collected my luggage and set out to find my way around town. For me there is nothing like the excitement of that first day in a new place. Finding somewhere to stay, figuring out the local food and making your way in a new environment.
My priority was 1st to find the hospital, then to find myself a place to sleep. It all happened so easily, my Indonesian language skills did me proud - I was amazed at how much came out of my mouth in that first taxi ride to the hospital. I think the driver was surprised too. I couldn't stop talking. He seemed to understand what I was saying, either that, or he was too polite to tell me to shut the hell up.
Now, we're coming to the end of our time in Indonesia, and the end of our time in Asia. I'm sad. Sad to be leaving. We've had so many amazing experiences here and met so many fantastic people. But.... The adventure continues and as we make plans for the next leg of the journey I am looking forward to Australia. Looking forward to New Zealand. And, looking forward to South America (whenever we get there!).

He's eating brownies and ice cream in Bali

Michael has been writing about his Dengue experience here, here and here.

No more cold food

Uploaded by m_hagen.

After 12 days in hospital, 11 days on a drip Michael has finally been discharged. He's a little wobbly on his feet, he's been in bed for two weeks but other than that he's feeling much better.
We've managed to get tickets to Bali tomorrow, now I have to find somewhere to stay. Close to the beach methinks!

Here she is....

DSC01412
Uploaded by benji_staines.

I bought that piggie in Ho Chi Minh City, packed it up and shipped it to London. We'd been celebrating the Vietnamese Tet holiday (New Year) in Hanoi, and 2007 is the Year of the Pig. So, I can call little India a piggy and not get into trouble with her parents.

He's a dad

Uploaded by ladyhedda.

And that makes me an Aunt.

My brother Ben and his wife Emma went to the hospital last night at 10.30pm, my new niece was born 1 1/4 hours later. I guess she was in a hurry?

I've moved onto the cross-stitch

The good news is Michael's platelet count has increased enough for him to be taken off the drip. Unfortunately he still feels pretty crappy - mostly headaches and nausea.
Hopefully he'll be discharged soon (I think Friday).... Then we can head to Bali, where he can recuperate at the beach.

Nothing to do but knit

Michael is getting better every day, and getting more and more cantankerous as he does! He's fed up with being attached to the drip, fed up with being in bed, fed up with being sick.
His platelet count (some blood level that they are testing daily) is on the increase, so hopefully he'll be discharged by the end of the week. And I will be happy when he is, as I am not a good nurse.

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.