From the title, I could be writing about London. I'm not, though, I'm writing about Singapore, which is utterly fabulous in every way and just what we needed to recharge our batteries.
Our last couple of days in Ko Tao were, of course, wonderful - I've already described the glory that was that beautiful island and all the fun things we did there. Nick and Rob turned up on our last afternoon, and we all went out for dinner, and sat around on the beach reminiscing about how far we have all come since the heady days of Dharamsala (which I now fondly pronounce Dharum-salahhhh, gap-yah style). It's both strange and brilliant to have made such close friends on our journey - we have spent over a month of our lives intensely together, so in a sense we know each other inside out. But with none of the history of our childhoods/adolescence, unless we choose to share or reveal it. This is the last we will see of them on our trip, as Rob heads home from Bangkok in a few days' time to start a new, exciting chapter of his life, and Nick heads onwards to do the Laos/Vietnam/Cambodia circuit, before flying out to Australia to live there for a little while. So while I will see Rob very soon in London I'm sure, it'll be a lot longer before we're all reunited. But when that day comes, it will, of course, be awesome.
Charlotte and I then headed by boat, another boat, bus and another bus to Phuket, where we spent the night before our flight to Singapore the next day. We were kindly met at the airport by the wonderful Simon, Irene and Robin, who we are staying with. We had a pretty chilled day, going for lunch by the seafront and a walk around the Botanic Gardens, before an amazing dinner of maccaroni cheese with broccoli and Ben and Jerrys ice cream. Those who have been travelling for a long time will understand the true luxury, no Eden-esque, implication of those food items. Last night, we had broccoli and stilton soup, complete with amazing fresh granary bread and real cheddar. Tonight, Charlotte and I are cooking - garlic chicken with roasted vegetables, pesto and goats' cheese. Guess who chose that menu and bought the groceries... A massive thank you to Simon and Irene (and Robin too, who has very kindly allowed us to totally take over his room for three nights and who has humoured my teacher-like requests to identify the difference in the narrative styles of J.K. Rowling and other authors with enthusiasm) who could not have been kinder or made us feel more welcome. It has been such a slice of home, and we now feel ready to pack our backpacks up again for the last quarter of our travels.
We went to the National Museum on Sunday, mainly because it was free. It was really excellent. We got out around 3.30 and there, waiting for us on the steps with an amazing sign, was the wonderful Kai! We met Kai back in March in Dharamsala, and since he is a Singapore native, we were fortunate enough to catch him at home. So we spent the afternoon together; Kai gave us a tour of some of the more amazing/ridiculous areas of Singapore down by the coast (a shopping centre with a dry ice rink and a river running through that you could boat on). It was so great to see Kai again, although it made us all a little nostalgic for our amazing life in Dharamsala. Those two and a bit weeks remain my favourite of the trip so far. The people, the place, all came together for me - which is so rare - and whatever I have experienced since, no matter how fantastic it has been (and it has been fantastic), that time still seems a little magical to me.
Today, we got up a little earlier and headed out to meet Charlotte's friend Gabi, who we are travelling Indonesia with, at a shopping mall in town.
She came bearing gifts (well, one gift. One particular, very special gift).
A new pair of Topshop ballet flats. In my size. Exactly the colour I wanted.
Talk about an amazing first impression. I couldn't have been happier if she'd bought me a house.
I nearly cried I was so excited. I know how relieved you will all be, too - my shoe plight has (probably) been affecting your dreams/nightmares as much as it has mine. So you will be extremely reassured to know that the heartache is over, and I am in possession of a shiny (literally) new pair of flats, and I don't hate them, and it's all going to be okay.
Singapore is full of Western shops and we hit them pretty hard (though I only spent £20, so actually, I didn't hit them that hard. We did shop all day though). I bought things to replace broken things so I now have a basically functioning lot of clothes again, which is nice. Although my leggings are still broken beyond repair and I wasn't able to find a suitable replacement pair, so I will just go on wearing the broken ones, which doesn't seem skanky/trampy when you're travelling, it seems economically sensible. Charlotte left to get her hair done and Gabi and I carried on shopping, I bought some groceries for dinner and we went around the food hall pretending to be rich and looking like we might buy things so we got given lots of free tasters - perfect free afternoon snack.
I then headed back to Simon and Irene's in a cab, where I am now, and am about to start making dinner I think, even though Charlotte's not back, or it will start to get late. We are meeting Gabi at the airport tomorrow for our flight to Jakarta, and then our Indonesian adventure will begin!
I am three quarters of the way through my journey now and, much as I am enjoying it, I feel ready to come home. It has been hard being away for so long. By the time I get back, I won't have seen my dad for at least 6 months, and as a very close family that seems pretty absurdly long to be apart for. I oscillate, though, between longing for home and absolute certainty that once I have officially settled back in, I will long to be out here again, doing this, so I am trying to forget about the weariness and keep pushing on. Not that I am not enjoying travelling - of course I am, hugely so, and I am very aware of my good fortune to be in this position. I am just a little tired of packing up and putting on that backpack, of not being able to hide my greasy hair with dry shampoo, of wearing the same clothes, of constantly missing my friends and family, of figuring out new currencies, of figuring out new people. But all those things, apart from missing people, are negligible compared to all the absolutely incredible things about travelling. New places, new people, new experiences, the best and the worst in everything and everyone. Discovery and adventure and connecting. Beauty everywhere, challenging my traditional perception of the concept, the conceit of it. More laughter than I remember in a long time, and a new happiness and peace that I haven't experienced before. Those who knew me before will find me, on my return, a better person. I don't fool myself that I have made any great impact on the wider world through my journey (besides contributing in a minor way to the local economy, I suppose) - I haven't. But I have certainly changed myself a little.
School taught me that I wasn't anything special, that I will always be pretty average - not the cleverest, not the prettiest, not the most musical, the funniest, the most fashionable, not anything else in particular. University taught me that all of that is and will always be true. But travelling has taught me that all of that is probably still true, but that none of it matters. That it doesn't pay to compete with other people, even if they are trying to compete with you - it wastes time and energy and happiness. That all I can do is be the best person I can be, and that's enough, and that alone will make me a beautiful person. This lesson might seem pretty obvious to everyone else, written down it looks so dumb, but it really has taken me twenty one years of my life to realise that being perfect isn't about being skinny or having great hair or being really smart (though I do have great hair), it's about being the best you. I mean, not that I'm giving up makeup completely when I get home, obviously. I'm not going mad or anything. And I'm sure it's a lesson I won't always remember and some days I'll still wake up and hate every single outfit in my wardrobe and hate the fact that I don't look like Pixie Lott. But finally, I think the gist of it has kind of sunk in.
How introspective of me. I don't know why I went off on a self-righteous rant about beauty, I'm not sure where that came from. I apologise for any unintentional foray into an American teen drama with a life-lesson at the end that I may have made.
Whilst in Singapore I have managed to skype my mum, brother and dad, which has been amazing - first time I have talked to them in over a month I think. Emails just aren't the same and I can't wait to see them all again.
Plans for Indonesia include some diving, a moon party in Bali - half-moon, maybe - some orangutans and a volcanic crater. Not all at the same time, obviously. We have got three weeks, then a week in Sri Lanka and then home on July 2nd.
So into the last quarter of our trip we go, and we are still alive and well and happy, and acutely aware of how much we have to be thankful for. Good times.
Lots of love xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <3
Monday, 30 May 2011
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
There's No Town Like Ko Tao(n)
Sorry for the titles. They just keep getting lamer.
I have arrived safely in Ko Tao, and am very much enjoying this relatively peaceful little island despite all the eighteen year olds hanging out in their "I've been tubing in the Vang Vieng" t-shirts - well done, you got drunk on a river. Truly, that is a feat that merits a tacky tank top. Not that I am being superior about "I've done x/y/z" t-shirts as such, it's just that getting really lashed sitting in a tyre on a river seems like an odd thing to celebrate and proclaim from the rooftops via the medium of badly-made, badly-designed clothing. Maybe it's kind of a secret club, like Fight Club, and once you join and have your magic tank top, you truly grasp the significance and majesty of the thing. Maybe I am just a horrid lame cynic trashing on "GAP YAH"s' good times. But it seems pretty ridiculous to me.
But anyway, yes, Ko Tao is great. We are holed up in a quiet hostel called Lotus Mountain View that is not only cheaper than dorms, but far prettier, very close to the beach and away from the main drag.
I have been attending Hatha Yoga classes - two hours every morning - which has done wonders for my state of body and mind. It is something I will certainly continue when I come back home, partly because the instructor said I am a natural and everyone loves a compliment, and partly because it just leaves you feeling utterly zen and sensational and like a new, better person - a person that gets up in the morning and does yoga instead of lying in bed, resentful and hungover. I want to continue being that new person.
I also had a full-body massage today, and had my eyebrows done, drunk half a large carton of orange juice and read my book a bit.
Going back to work is going to be such a shock.
I am truly feeling at new levels of calm at the moment. Nothing bothers me (apart from those Vang Vieng tank tops I mentioned, but if there is going to be an exception to a rule it may as well be that one), everything is beautiful and brilliant. I think it must be the yoga. I think I'm turning into a hippy. I've suspected it for a while but I am forced to acknowledge now that I am basically hippified.
Nick arrives from Koh Phagnan tomorrow which will be great, so we will get to see him before we leave. We are going to book a speedboat to get to Phuket on Friday (exciting times) and then fly to Singapore Saturday morning, where we are very excited to see both Simon, Irene and Robin, and also Kai. And Gabi, of course, who is meeting us there so the three of us can fly to Indonesia together and continue our travels.
On a note which I know will sadden you all, my Topshop ballet flats breathed their final breath in Koh Samui. They were still technically holding together thanks to my sewing skills, but they smelt so bad and looked so rough that Rob pretty much wouldn't let me leave the island until I ditched them. And then we happened to find a pair of (not as good, obviously - I basically hate them, but only because they're not my lovely old flats) replacements, and I pretty much had to leave the gross ones behind. I nearly shed a tear.
Will update again at some point, not sure when - I like to keep you all guessing, ha. No, it's just that I don't know if I will update before we leave Thailand or not. I imagine I will, but if not, Thailand has been absolutely brilliant and yet again, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be travelling, how much my life has been enhanced and how open I now am to appreciating beauty in both places and people.
I am such a hippy.
Love to all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have arrived safely in Ko Tao, and am very much enjoying this relatively peaceful little island despite all the eighteen year olds hanging out in their "I've been tubing in the Vang Vieng" t-shirts - well done, you got drunk on a river. Truly, that is a feat that merits a tacky tank top. Not that I am being superior about "I've done x/y/z" t-shirts as such, it's just that getting really lashed sitting in a tyre on a river seems like an odd thing to celebrate and proclaim from the rooftops via the medium of badly-made, badly-designed clothing. Maybe it's kind of a secret club, like Fight Club, and once you join and have your magic tank top, you truly grasp the significance and majesty of the thing. Maybe I am just a horrid lame cynic trashing on "GAP YAH"s' good times. But it seems pretty ridiculous to me.
But anyway, yes, Ko Tao is great. We are holed up in a quiet hostel called Lotus Mountain View that is not only cheaper than dorms, but far prettier, very close to the beach and away from the main drag.
I have been attending Hatha Yoga classes - two hours every morning - which has done wonders for my state of body and mind. It is something I will certainly continue when I come back home, partly because the instructor said I am a natural and everyone loves a compliment, and partly because it just leaves you feeling utterly zen and sensational and like a new, better person - a person that gets up in the morning and does yoga instead of lying in bed, resentful and hungover. I want to continue being that new person.
I also had a full-body massage today, and had my eyebrows done, drunk half a large carton of orange juice and read my book a bit.
Going back to work is going to be such a shock.
I am truly feeling at new levels of calm at the moment. Nothing bothers me (apart from those Vang Vieng tank tops I mentioned, but if there is going to be an exception to a rule it may as well be that one), everything is beautiful and brilliant. I think it must be the yoga. I think I'm turning into a hippy. I've suspected it for a while but I am forced to acknowledge now that I am basically hippified.
Nick arrives from Koh Phagnan tomorrow which will be great, so we will get to see him before we leave. We are going to book a speedboat to get to Phuket on Friday (exciting times) and then fly to Singapore Saturday morning, where we are very excited to see both Simon, Irene and Robin, and also Kai. And Gabi, of course, who is meeting us there so the three of us can fly to Indonesia together and continue our travels.
On a note which I know will sadden you all, my Topshop ballet flats breathed their final breath in Koh Samui. They were still technically holding together thanks to my sewing skills, but they smelt so bad and looked so rough that Rob pretty much wouldn't let me leave the island until I ditched them. And then we happened to find a pair of (not as good, obviously - I basically hate them, but only because they're not my lovely old flats) replacements, and I pretty much had to leave the gross ones behind. I nearly shed a tear.
Will update again at some point, not sure when - I like to keep you all guessing, ha. No, it's just that I don't know if I will update before we leave Thailand or not. I imagine I will, but if not, Thailand has been absolutely brilliant and yet again, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be travelling, how much my life has been enhanced and how open I now am to appreciating beauty in both places and people.
I am such a hippy.
Love to all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Monday, 23 May 2011
Thai-LAD
I contemplated calling this post "Samu-ee You Later" but then a part of me knew that this would be a pun too far, so I have settled for the more suitable, but still epic, "Thai-LAD" - a punder which we have been using to full advantage.
Our little foursome has finally split, with a possible one-night-only reunion on Thursday in Ko Tao. It's pretty sad, but we have had the best time.
Nick got out of hospital and is now completely and utterly fine, except for having to limit his alcohol consumption due to some pesky antibiotics. He is not missing Doris the Drip at all. We have had a really lovely few days just hanging out on Koh Samui together getting various bits and pieces done, doing lots of swimming and beach-ing and watching some sensational sunsets. There's a massive statue of Buddha which overlooks one of the beaches on the North East side of the island (where we are), and to see it every night framed against this incredible skyline which just bursts and explodes with reds and oranges in these shocking, dramatic patterns - it's really beautiful.
We have been relatively lucky with the weather, too, considering it's rainy season just about - it has been really, really, really hot. Did I mention it has been quite hot? I will just reiterate that it has been hot. There have also been some spectacular storms, though, which have considerably livened up our moped journeys home from wherever it is we've been going. I have forgotten what it's like to have dry hair, what with all the swimming and the storms, and my hair straighteners are currently lying dormant at the bottom of my bag, staring at me whenever I delve deep enough with big, accusatory "Why on Earth did you bother to bring me if you are not vain enough to use me?!" eyes. The sheer lack of time I spend on my appearance here is horrifying, in the best possible sense of the word. My morning routine at home is quick enough - I wouldn't describe myself as particularly over the top - but here it is literally clean teeth, take malaria medication on, put possibly-clean (but probably not) clothes on and go. 3 minutes, done. It's not exactly a standard I could keep to, for example, where employment is concerned, but not wearing make up is welcome relief to be honest.
We have had the hostel to ourselves for about three days now, and have used the opportunity to hold our own personal drum and bass rave in the foyer, drive a motorbike inside, cook a lot of really good food and make endless cups of tea (and rinse the free internet, of course).
Charlotte left early this morning to start a diving course on Ko Tao, while the boys and I went on a day-long kayaking trip around Anthong Marine Park. It was truly fabulous, we had one of the best days of my trip so far for sure. Nick and I made a moderately-successful kayaking-wise but highly successful fun-wise kayaking team, while Rob went solo, and we cruised about through lovely caves having the time of our lives. We went snorkelling, too, and saw some beautiful fish and marine life, and some far-less beautiful sea urchins which creeped us all out a bit. We then spent the afternoon jumping off the top of the boat, diving off the boat, swimming about, getting tanned and kayaking a bit more. To top it all off, we got photos of our faces put on plates - I'm not sure why, but this is Thailand so you just sort of have to go with it.
We have just gotten back to the hostel now. Nick and Rob are hitting golf balls off the roof (obviously), I am updating my blog, trying to find Charlotte's hostel so I can meet her there tomorrow, and keeping lookout for the hostel owners.
Tomorrow morning, I leave for Ko Tao to join Charlotte and try and scope out some options for diving, while Nick and Rob head to Koh Phagnan to go to the Half Moon Party. They arrive in Ko Tao hopefully on Thursday, so we may well all have one last night together before Charlotte and I leave for Phuket to catch our flight to Singapore, which will be very nice indeed.
And now I'm going to go and attack our pit of a dorm to see if I can actually find any of my things. I hate packing - not ideal for a traveller, but there we are.
Miss you, lots of love xxxxxxxxxx
Our little foursome has finally split, with a possible one-night-only reunion on Thursday in Ko Tao. It's pretty sad, but we have had the best time.
Nick got out of hospital and is now completely and utterly fine, except for having to limit his alcohol consumption due to some pesky antibiotics. He is not missing Doris the Drip at all. We have had a really lovely few days just hanging out on Koh Samui together getting various bits and pieces done, doing lots of swimming and beach-ing and watching some sensational sunsets. There's a massive statue of Buddha which overlooks one of the beaches on the North East side of the island (where we are), and to see it every night framed against this incredible skyline which just bursts and explodes with reds and oranges in these shocking, dramatic patterns - it's really beautiful.
We have been relatively lucky with the weather, too, considering it's rainy season just about - it has been really, really, really hot. Did I mention it has been quite hot? I will just reiterate that it has been hot. There have also been some spectacular storms, though, which have considerably livened up our moped journeys home from wherever it is we've been going. I have forgotten what it's like to have dry hair, what with all the swimming and the storms, and my hair straighteners are currently lying dormant at the bottom of my bag, staring at me whenever I delve deep enough with big, accusatory "Why on Earth did you bother to bring me if you are not vain enough to use me?!" eyes. The sheer lack of time I spend on my appearance here is horrifying, in the best possible sense of the word. My morning routine at home is quick enough - I wouldn't describe myself as particularly over the top - but here it is literally clean teeth, take malaria medication on, put possibly-clean (but probably not) clothes on and go. 3 minutes, done. It's not exactly a standard I could keep to, for example, where employment is concerned, but not wearing make up is welcome relief to be honest.
We have had the hostel to ourselves for about three days now, and have used the opportunity to hold our own personal drum and bass rave in the foyer, drive a motorbike inside, cook a lot of really good food and make endless cups of tea (and rinse the free internet, of course).
Charlotte left early this morning to start a diving course on Ko Tao, while the boys and I went on a day-long kayaking trip around Anthong Marine Park. It was truly fabulous, we had one of the best days of my trip so far for sure. Nick and I made a moderately-successful kayaking-wise but highly successful fun-wise kayaking team, while Rob went solo, and we cruised about through lovely caves having the time of our lives. We went snorkelling, too, and saw some beautiful fish and marine life, and some far-less beautiful sea urchins which creeped us all out a bit. We then spent the afternoon jumping off the top of the boat, diving off the boat, swimming about, getting tanned and kayaking a bit more. To top it all off, we got photos of our faces put on plates - I'm not sure why, but this is Thailand so you just sort of have to go with it.
We have just gotten back to the hostel now. Nick and Rob are hitting golf balls off the roof (obviously), I am updating my blog, trying to find Charlotte's hostel so I can meet her there tomorrow, and keeping lookout for the hostel owners.
Tomorrow morning, I leave for Ko Tao to join Charlotte and try and scope out some options for diving, while Nick and Rob head to Koh Phagnan to go to the Half Moon Party. They arrive in Ko Tao hopefully on Thursday, so we may well all have one last night together before Charlotte and I leave for Phuket to catch our flight to Singapore, which will be very nice indeed.
And now I'm going to go and attack our pit of a dorm to see if I can actually find any of my things. I hate packing - not ideal for a traveller, but there we are.
Miss you, lots of love xxxxxxxxxx
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Empty Moon Party
Here we are in Koh Samui! It was a bit of an epic journey down, bus after bus after bus after ferry after incompetent taxi. But we did eventually make it, via a nice day in Bangkok where Rob and I did some casual shopping and I got my hair done (for a fifth of the price it would be in England... result. It took so long that Rob fell asleep in the hair salon, though) and Nick and Charlotte peeled off and went to this incredibly massive, stressful mall. So it's safe to say that Rob and I had a rather more zen bus journey than poor Nick and Charlotte after their stressful day (all of us, though, were aided by some very powerful Thai sleeping pills - probably illegal in 72 countries, for all the "Anchorman" fans).
We made it to our hostel, "Monkey Samui", and it is such a nice place, a bit removed from the main town so we have been whizzing about on the mopeds to get back and forth which has given us a lot more freedom and is so much cheaper. (Don't worry dad, we are being VERY safe, promise - Rob is driving so it's fine, I literally just have to sit still) We were so very excited for Full Moon, we were building it into this epic night, we were going to pre-drink, there was going to be fun and laughter.
So of course it all went wrong. Although this time, I wasn't the one injured.
Poor Nick had swollen feet ("cankles", as we fondly nicknamed them) for the duration of the journey. He and Char headed to the hospital to figure out what was wrong; turns out he had a pretty serious infection, and having gone into hospital on the 17th, he will be there for a while - probably until the 21st. He is completely fine, and doing well (he has nicknamed his drip "Doris"), but of course we felt very wrong going to Full Moon without him. So instead, I made a little moon out of paper and stuck it up in the room, we decorated, got the beers and snacks in and had our own little Full Moon party in his hospital room, complete with a movie starring Keira Knightley (that's when you know you're on to a winner of a party...). We were all obviously gutted, but it felt all wrong to even contemplate going without a member of our lovely foursome, so we stuck it out together and talked about all the fun we would have when he gets out.
Char stayed in the hospital the last couple of nights including Full Moon, so Rob and I whizzed back to the hostel after reading Nick a bedtime story (literally - I wrote him a story about a horse called Pete and a miserable seal, and a lizard named Lash Gordon) via a fabulous lightning storm on the beach. We actually ended up having a really wonderful night, the four of us, so while we were obviously disappointed to miss out on the best party EVAR, we are consoling ourselves with the thought that at least we all missed out. And I wasn't too jealous when we got up this morning and saw everyone that had gone to Full Moon looking very much the worse for wear.
Today, Rob and I went for breakfast before popping into the hospital to see Nick and Charlotte. Charlotte, Rob and I went to the beach, which was stunning, and saw a pretty spectacular sunset, then Charlotte and I headed to Tesco and bought cooking supplies, while Rob spent the evening with Nick in the hospital. Char and I are just chilling out now after a dinner of pasta, apples and green tea, feeling very pleased with ourselves and the world in general. We are happy people in a beautiful place with lovely friends - good thai-mes.
We don't have plans for tomorrow - we've stopped making plans by this point, really. We will head to Koh Tao for diving eventually, when Nick is better.
But until then, I guess we will just keep on eating pasta and 7-11 ham and cheese toasties (which are glorious, by the way, and only 20p), going to the beach, and vaguely contemplating the meaning of life.
Sorry for being so rubbish at replying to emails and messages. I have just been having too much fun to be on the internet to be honest. I am updating this blog not only with a sense of love and appreciation for you all, but also now with a strong sense of duty because I have realised that you might genuinely have all thought I was dead or constantly drunk - neither of which, in the case of the latter perhaps unfortunately, are the case. I am still alive and, for the most part, sober. Although I had a very strong mojito on the beach earlier.
Miss you all, lots of love, xxxxxxxxxxxx <3
We made it to our hostel, "Monkey Samui", and it is such a nice place, a bit removed from the main town so we have been whizzing about on the mopeds to get back and forth which has given us a lot more freedom and is so much cheaper. (Don't worry dad, we are being VERY safe, promise - Rob is driving so it's fine, I literally just have to sit still) We were so very excited for Full Moon, we were building it into this epic night, we were going to pre-drink, there was going to be fun and laughter.
So of course it all went wrong. Although this time, I wasn't the one injured.
Poor Nick had swollen feet ("cankles", as we fondly nicknamed them) for the duration of the journey. He and Char headed to the hospital to figure out what was wrong; turns out he had a pretty serious infection, and having gone into hospital on the 17th, he will be there for a while - probably until the 21st. He is completely fine, and doing well (he has nicknamed his drip "Doris"), but of course we felt very wrong going to Full Moon without him. So instead, I made a little moon out of paper and stuck it up in the room, we decorated, got the beers and snacks in and had our own little Full Moon party in his hospital room, complete with a movie starring Keira Knightley (that's when you know you're on to a winner of a party...). We were all obviously gutted, but it felt all wrong to even contemplate going without a member of our lovely foursome, so we stuck it out together and talked about all the fun we would have when he gets out.
Char stayed in the hospital the last couple of nights including Full Moon, so Rob and I whizzed back to the hostel after reading Nick a bedtime story (literally - I wrote him a story about a horse called Pete and a miserable seal, and a lizard named Lash Gordon) via a fabulous lightning storm on the beach. We actually ended up having a really wonderful night, the four of us, so while we were obviously disappointed to miss out on the best party EVAR, we are consoling ourselves with the thought that at least we all missed out. And I wasn't too jealous when we got up this morning and saw everyone that had gone to Full Moon looking very much the worse for wear.
Today, Rob and I went for breakfast before popping into the hospital to see Nick and Charlotte. Charlotte, Rob and I went to the beach, which was stunning, and saw a pretty spectacular sunset, then Charlotte and I headed to Tesco and bought cooking supplies, while Rob spent the evening with Nick in the hospital. Char and I are just chilling out now after a dinner of pasta, apples and green tea, feeling very pleased with ourselves and the world in general. We are happy people in a beautiful place with lovely friends - good thai-mes.
We don't have plans for tomorrow - we've stopped making plans by this point, really. We will head to Koh Tao for diving eventually, when Nick is better.
But until then, I guess we will just keep on eating pasta and 7-11 ham and cheese toasties (which are glorious, by the way, and only 20p), going to the beach, and vaguely contemplating the meaning of life.
Sorry for being so rubbish at replying to emails and messages. I have just been having too much fun to be on the internet to be honest. I am updating this blog not only with a sense of love and appreciation for you all, but also now with a strong sense of duty because I have realised that you might genuinely have all thought I was dead or constantly drunk - neither of which, in the case of the latter perhaps unfortunately, are the case. I am still alive and, for the most part, sober. Although I had a very strong mojito on the beach earlier.
Miss you all, lots of love, xxxxxxxxxxxx <3
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Good Thai-mes
Another brief one I'm afraid -
Arrived in Thailand safely, met Nick and Rob - absolutely wonderful to see them again. What legends.
The four of us did a full-day Thai cooking course today. It's safe to say that Nicholad Worman, Charlotte "Michelin" Arthur, Rob "Legend" Coltman and Amy "Lash Gordon" Kinross [the names on our official certificates] are now bona fide Thai food experts. And also really, really full.
We're heading out on the mopeds to see some temples tomorrow before we leave Chiang Mai and head South for another epic bus journey (36 hours, charming) to Koh Samui, to get to Koh Phagnan in time for Full Moon.
So don't be surprised if I'm out of touch for a little while - I'm definitely not dead.
Lots of love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Arrived in Thailand safely, met Nick and Rob - absolutely wonderful to see them again. What legends.
The four of us did a full-day Thai cooking course today. It's safe to say that Nicholad Worman, Charlotte "Michelin" Arthur, Rob "Legend" Coltman and Amy "Lash Gordon" Kinross [the names on our official certificates] are now bona fide Thai food experts. And also really, really full.
We're heading out on the mopeds to see some temples tomorrow before we leave Chiang Mai and head South for another epic bus journey (36 hours, charming) to Koh Samui, to get to Koh Phagnan in time for Full Moon.
So don't be surprised if I'm out of touch for a little while - I'm definitely not dead.
Lots of love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Goodnight Saigon
Actually, technically we are flying out of Hanoi. I thought that was a snappier title.
But anyway - just a very brief update today (so brief it will be almost grammatically incorrect... hideous).
We had a fabulous time in Nha Trang, had some ridiculous nights out, including meeting Charlotte's friends from fundraising, Mark and Eden, and their friend Owen, and ending up dancing at a sailing club after enjoying (or not enjoying, in Charlotte and my case - it was too soon...) an Indian meal.
We then headed on a ridiculous whirlwind of buses to race up to Hanoi in time for our flight. I never want to see a Sleeper Bus again, or endure another fascist midnight dinner stop.
Arrived in Hanoi, and loving it - like a crazy Asian Paris. Did an excellent tour of Halong Bay today which was really beautiful, and Charlotte and I made the perfect kayaking duo.
Flight tomorrow to Chiang Mai via Bangkok where we will be met by the lovely Nick and Rob (from Dharamsala days back in India), and then we will all travel together for about two and a half weeks until our Singapore flight.
Exciting times, basically!
What is not exciting times is how obscenely early our flight leaves tomorrow morning... Bad times.
Sorry for ridiculously short (and unamusing) update, I am just trying to fit everything in before we depart yet another country!
We will miss Vietnam. I wish I had done it justice and posted more about it. We will be back.
Miss you all, love as always xxxxxxxxxxxx
But anyway - just a very brief update today (so brief it will be almost grammatically incorrect... hideous).
We had a fabulous time in Nha Trang, had some ridiculous nights out, including meeting Charlotte's friends from fundraising, Mark and Eden, and their friend Owen, and ending up dancing at a sailing club after enjoying (or not enjoying, in Charlotte and my case - it was too soon...) an Indian meal.
We then headed on a ridiculous whirlwind of buses to race up to Hanoi in time for our flight. I never want to see a Sleeper Bus again, or endure another fascist midnight dinner stop.
Arrived in Hanoi, and loving it - like a crazy Asian Paris. Did an excellent tour of Halong Bay today which was really beautiful, and Charlotte and I made the perfect kayaking duo.
Flight tomorrow to Chiang Mai via Bangkok where we will be met by the lovely Nick and Rob (from Dharamsala days back in India), and then we will all travel together for about two and a half weeks until our Singapore flight.
Exciting times, basically!
What is not exciting times is how obscenely early our flight leaves tomorrow morning... Bad times.
Sorry for ridiculously short (and unamusing) update, I am just trying to fit everything in before we depart yet another country!
We will miss Vietnam. I wish I had done it justice and posted more about it. We will be back.
Miss you all, love as always xxxxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Mui Ne/Nha Trang
Here I am sitting in an internet cafe with a Spanish girl yelling at her boyfriend on Skype in one ear (he is showing her his bedroom - maybe he isn't keeping it tidy enough...?!) and a Chinese man playing computer games at top volume on the other. Children run up and down unplugging wires at random... welcome to Nha Trang.
Mui Ne turned out to be utterly sensational - and that's not just in retrospect. I really did end up having the best time, as so often happens when you expect to have the worst time of your life. Once I got over myself and stopped letting my toe depress me, we made some really excellent friends and some pretty amazing memories. One night I ended up being pushed into a swimming pool wearing a full-on silk dress and holding a watermelon martini... very "Great Gatsby". One night, we sat out on beanbags on the beach and watched the stars before having a night-time swim. On our last night, we stayed up all night playing drinking games at a 24 hour bar and then went for a sunrise swim, which was just the most incredible thing ever. The way the mist and the light combined into something ethereal and Sublime in the purest, Wordsworth-style Romantic form of the word, was really something that will stay with me forever. I can't properly describe it because this angry Spanish girl is really distracting, but rest assured it was stunning. Unfortunately none of us took any pictures, but it is imprinted on our minds forever.
So I was really sad to leave Mui Ne - gutted, actually, by the end. Thanks to Igor, Mark, Brody, Andy, Katie, Lewis, Jamie, Adam and Claire (and those Russian girls who were really nice but whose names I can't pronounce or spell) for all the good times. There were many and I will never forget them.
Our bus journey to Nha Trang was very hairy indeed. Our bus driver was an absolute subscriber to the Indian school of driving, which is essentially "Do whatever you want, but hoot before, during and after". So although we had stayed up all night, because of the constant horn-hooting action neither Charlotte nor I could sleep, which meant that we had to stay awake and wince every so often as he nearly ran another road user over. I did point out that if he didn't drive down the middle of the road, he wouldn't have to hoot his bloody horn so much, but that obviously wasn't well-received. In fact, I was nearly left behind at one of the toilet stops... charming. I was only offering some constructive criticism.
We did eventually get there, although I left my book on the bus - I'm sure everyone will sympathise with what a tragedy it is when you are genuinely really interested in a book and then are forced to stop halfway-through. I am about to go and look up the rest of the plot on wikipedia actually because I can't take the not knowing - it's that that hurts the most. I did have a genuine moment of petulant sorrow actually - it was an excellent book and I mourn its loss. I really have to start that Arab history book now.
We have had a good few days in Nha Trang so far. Compared to the quiet, seaside idyll that was Mui Ne, Nha Trang is seedy and crazy - more like a chilled, beachside version of Bangkok.
Just so you all know, (I feel like I have to share because I'm in this internet cafe alone so there's no one else to tell except everyone who reads this, and really, I am not a nosy person but I am looking on in disbelief) the Spanish guy has just lifted up his top to show his girlfriend how fat he is getting, and she is looking very disapproving. I am struggling not to laugh.
Anyway yes, Nha Trang is good. It's pretty unpleasant at night, a bit sinister, but a nice place in the day and there is plenty to do when we choose to get round to it (right now, we are sleeping off our last few nights in Mui Ne still so haven't ventured out too late into the night). Plans for the next couple of days involve museums and beaches and cocktails, and then Charlotte's friends are coming to join us for a bit which will be lovely. Then we head up the coast (via Hoi Ann and Hue) relatively rapidly because our Thailand flight is on the 11th May and to be honest, we haven't as such got very far yet... we were supposed to be in Hue right now, I think, according to our vague original itinerary - but itineraries are made to be broken, after all. Charlotte and I have got this brilliant unofficial arrangement now where, because I have a tendancy to be really organisational and militant about booking transport and getting hostels ("we need to do this... if we don't do this we will have nowhere to go/stay/eat/etc.") and she is far more chilled, I am allowed to provide gentle reminders but they must be phrased in a way that doesn't make it an obligation (i.e., instead of "we need to do this", it becomes "if we feel like it today/if we have a minute, we could possibly do this..."). So our lives have become far more relaxed as a result, which is very nice indeed, and I am learning that obligations are boring, which I feel will stand me in really good stead back in the real world actually because, let's face it, obligations when you're 21 generally are quite boring, and I should recognise this and have fewer of them.
I am more than halfway through my travels now. This both devastates me, and devastates me a little bit more. It's all going to fly by, and I'm not sure I want that to happen at all, much as I am missing home. Talking of missing home - the Royal Wedding... ahh. How proud Charlotte and I were to be British. I had a big mug of tea (served in a pint glass?!) straight afterwards. The boys ruined it by chatting about how fit our new Queen-to-be is, but I had a tear in my eye at the romance and beauty and pageantry of the occasion. (William's outfit was rubbish, though.)
Anyway, I am very bored of this Spanish girl prattling on, so I am going to stop here and go and meet Charlotte so we can eat Pringles and watch some Vietnamese TV that we don't understand. (It wouldn't be as good if we understood it, though.)
Miss you all very much, loads of love
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <3
Mui Ne turned out to be utterly sensational - and that's not just in retrospect. I really did end up having the best time, as so often happens when you expect to have the worst time of your life. Once I got over myself and stopped letting my toe depress me, we made some really excellent friends and some pretty amazing memories. One night I ended up being pushed into a swimming pool wearing a full-on silk dress and holding a watermelon martini... very "Great Gatsby". One night, we sat out on beanbags on the beach and watched the stars before having a night-time swim. On our last night, we stayed up all night playing drinking games at a 24 hour bar and then went for a sunrise swim, which was just the most incredible thing ever. The way the mist and the light combined into something ethereal and Sublime in the purest, Wordsworth-style Romantic form of the word, was really something that will stay with me forever. I can't properly describe it because this angry Spanish girl is really distracting, but rest assured it was stunning. Unfortunately none of us took any pictures, but it is imprinted on our minds forever.
So I was really sad to leave Mui Ne - gutted, actually, by the end. Thanks to Igor, Mark, Brody, Andy, Katie, Lewis, Jamie, Adam and Claire (and those Russian girls who were really nice but whose names I can't pronounce or spell) for all the good times. There were many and I will never forget them.
Our bus journey to Nha Trang was very hairy indeed. Our bus driver was an absolute subscriber to the Indian school of driving, which is essentially "Do whatever you want, but hoot before, during and after". So although we had stayed up all night, because of the constant horn-hooting action neither Charlotte nor I could sleep, which meant that we had to stay awake and wince every so often as he nearly ran another road user over. I did point out that if he didn't drive down the middle of the road, he wouldn't have to hoot his bloody horn so much, but that obviously wasn't well-received. In fact, I was nearly left behind at one of the toilet stops... charming. I was only offering some constructive criticism.
We did eventually get there, although I left my book on the bus - I'm sure everyone will sympathise with what a tragedy it is when you are genuinely really interested in a book and then are forced to stop halfway-through. I am about to go and look up the rest of the plot on wikipedia actually because I can't take the not knowing - it's that that hurts the most. I did have a genuine moment of petulant sorrow actually - it was an excellent book and I mourn its loss. I really have to start that Arab history book now.
We have had a good few days in Nha Trang so far. Compared to the quiet, seaside idyll that was Mui Ne, Nha Trang is seedy and crazy - more like a chilled, beachside version of Bangkok.
Just so you all know, (I feel like I have to share because I'm in this internet cafe alone so there's no one else to tell except everyone who reads this, and really, I am not a nosy person but I am looking on in disbelief) the Spanish guy has just lifted up his top to show his girlfriend how fat he is getting, and she is looking very disapproving. I am struggling not to laugh.
Anyway yes, Nha Trang is good. It's pretty unpleasant at night, a bit sinister, but a nice place in the day and there is plenty to do when we choose to get round to it (right now, we are sleeping off our last few nights in Mui Ne still so haven't ventured out too late into the night). Plans for the next couple of days involve museums and beaches and cocktails, and then Charlotte's friends are coming to join us for a bit which will be lovely. Then we head up the coast (via Hoi Ann and Hue) relatively rapidly because our Thailand flight is on the 11th May and to be honest, we haven't as such got very far yet... we were supposed to be in Hue right now, I think, according to our vague original itinerary - but itineraries are made to be broken, after all. Charlotte and I have got this brilliant unofficial arrangement now where, because I have a tendancy to be really organisational and militant about booking transport and getting hostels ("we need to do this... if we don't do this we will have nowhere to go/stay/eat/etc.") and she is far more chilled, I am allowed to provide gentle reminders but they must be phrased in a way that doesn't make it an obligation (i.e., instead of "we need to do this", it becomes "if we feel like it today/if we have a minute, we could possibly do this..."). So our lives have become far more relaxed as a result, which is very nice indeed, and I am learning that obligations are boring, which I feel will stand me in really good stead back in the real world actually because, let's face it, obligations when you're 21 generally are quite boring, and I should recognise this and have fewer of them.
I am more than halfway through my travels now. This both devastates me, and devastates me a little bit more. It's all going to fly by, and I'm not sure I want that to happen at all, much as I am missing home. Talking of missing home - the Royal Wedding... ahh. How proud Charlotte and I were to be British. I had a big mug of tea (served in a pint glass?!) straight afterwards. The boys ruined it by chatting about how fit our new Queen-to-be is, but I had a tear in my eye at the romance and beauty and pageantry of the occasion. (William's outfit was rubbish, though.)
Anyway, I am very bored of this Spanish girl prattling on, so I am going to stop here and go and meet Charlotte so we can eat Pringles and watch some Vietnamese TV that we don't understand. (It wouldn't be as good if we understood it, though.)
Miss you all very much, loads of love
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <3
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