How is it going? It’s the question we’ve been asked throughout our travels. A simple, ambiguous question to an outsider, but a weighted one for the informed. I’ll fill the gaps, don’t you worry. Myself? I’m good. Had a second wind after a short bout of homesickness in Vietnam. May have been to do with getting scammed in a (I’ll grudgingly admit) humorous series of … Continue reading Travelling in pain
“It’s too touristy” “Too westernised” “You don’t get to see the culture” All statements I’ve rolled my eyes at. Bloody hippies… You’re half way round the world experiencing new things every day (or at least you could be) — try not to be too miserable about it won’t you. An excerpt from my brain. Doubt I’d say something like that out loud. This morning before … Continue reading Running away from Pai
This blog’s been a long time coming. In the brief quiet periods between the busy days and the busier nights on the islands of Tao, Phangan and Samui there was never a point where I was alone long enough to write. Of course… I’m hardly alone now. Got this little critter enjoying a good scratch at the same time. Multi-tasking like a boss. But I … Continue reading A week in the gulf of Thailand
We’ve been in Thailand’s capital four days now and it didn’t take as long to discover — we don’t really fit the system. A budget of £30 per day (including accommodation) shouldn’t be difficult here. But our skin colour, tourist maps and ready cameras paint a picture of opportunity for Thais relying on rich, naive foreigners for their livelihoods. We neither fit the mound of … Continue reading D.I.Y Bangkok
You know what I fear? Having a day off. A whole day in the company of yours truly with no work to distract me. But by God did I need it. The last few days I’ve taken the role of construction worker: lifting, mixing cement, lifting, getting unfortunate face-fulls of Dad’s builder’s bum… oh and lifting. So my body is shot right now! Still, I had the … Continue reading Your own worst enemy
Booking hostels beforehand should, in theory, be a clever decision. But as anyone who’s slummed it before will know – there’s a fair amount of room for error. The hostel could be bad (that’s anything from too loud and too boring, to crawling with bed bugs), or you could go on a complete tangent and never go to the planned destination at all! We haven’t … Continue reading Affordable accommodation during a full moon party – wise or wild?
One of my favourite sayings is “The grass is always greener on the other side”. Loved the associated story as a kid, appreciate the irony of the message as an adult. It’s why we can look back at less than perfect events and see the tantalising beauty of the past. I think it’s one of the reasons why marathon runners keep coming back for more. … Continue reading Prepping for ‘nam
Finally, I’ve got the time and the inclination to write! Last time I talked about the pitfalls and must-have experiences working as a gardener. So it seems fitting my reason for beginning this at 4pm on a Monday is due to the van dying… But that’s not what I want to talk about today. With the storm clouds brewing and a throaty cough developing my … Continue reading Going back in time
Travelling is expensive. Travelling is tiring. Travelling is challenging, both physically and mentally. However, of the brief experience I’ve had, I can say with conviction that despite the hardships, travelling is unequivocally worth it. I have a respectful admiration for those who can drop everything and let the wind take them. Esther, my younger sister, is one such traveler. I’d never really considered travelling until reading her … Continue reading Bite-sized Travelling
I think it was a couple of years back that Becca and I went to the Winter Wonderland festival in Hyde Park. It was busy and expensive, and even after spending hours queuing, everyone had a very rushed, London attitude to things. Generic fairground rides and novelty gift stalls dominated the scene, and the smaller, more special market stalls were sadly understated. The most logical … Continue reading Europe does Christmas best!
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