DAY 388 Well my reverse psychology clearly worked, it was gone 5.00am and there was not a breeze to be had, the trailer and canvas were completely still, the birds squawked and tweeted outside playfully. I could hear a vehicle start up and leave, I wondered if it was David (our next door neighbour) leaving early, if that was the case there was no chance to say goodbye. We were both up and out of bed at around 7.00, ok so I lied, Andy was a little earlier than me, I woke up to hear the familiar sound of tippy tappying [View Full Entry]

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If you have only 8 hours of day time in Bangkok, I would suggest a Chao Phraya river cruise with a visit to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. The time will give you more than a glimpse. Of course 8 hours of night time could well be something else all together. Will try and cover that when I get the opportunity to go up close to shoot pictures! By the time I reached my hotel in Bangkok it was 9 PM. The drive from Kanchanaburi was OK; what killed the time was the city traffic. Despite wide roads and clusters [View Full Entry]

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Prague is one of Europe's most charming and beautiful cities. Its medieval centre remains a wonderful mixture of cobbled lanes, walled courtyards, cathedrals and countless church spires. All this is dominated by the majestic castle with its cathedral. Prague Castle This large castle rises above the city and offers beautiful vistas of the areas below. Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices here. Also [View Full Entry]

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Since being mugged last year, I'm now ultrawary of places with bad reputations for crime so the thought of mooching into Johannesburg has little appeal from the off. However, with it being the only sensible gateway to Madagascar, I have little choice. By opting for a hostel near the airport, and choosing the backpacker-tastic Baz Bus hop-on/hop-off service to get there, I figure I should be able to at least arrive in the city unmolested. The Baz Bus is easily the most convenient means for getting around the main tourist parts of South Africa and Swaziland, with hostel-to-hostel drop-offs [View Full Entry]

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15th March '09: “Crazy” Sandra, the avid heavy metal fan, turned up again last night, this time with her partner Uwe in tow. We’re off to a steak restaurant - Namibian, as you may have guessed, likes a steak or three - and a “spaznav” (satnav) device is produced to find it. I ought to just mention here that we are, in fact, pedestrians. A farcical quarrel over directions ensues - left, no, right, straight on? Namibian coolly smokes a Chesterfield throughout the squabble, and looks at a shop selling suitcases. He explodes with expletives, his eye wandering f [View Full Entry]

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Saturday 28 November 2009 - The third weekend of this month I was not at home. This time I traveled with my parents and their friends to Tản Đà spa resort and Khoang Xanh. There were 42 people on the trip and I was the youngest one. It is always fun to spend time with old people at age 55 to 78 as I could learn from them a great enthusiasm and affection for life. They experienced both French and American wars, and their lives were so hard during and after the wars. I love their optimism, especially when they read [View Full Entry]

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After the rickshaw ride from hell in Delhi, I arrived in Agra simply wanting to go to bed and try to sleep it off. Instead, my rickshaw from the station was charged by a herd of cows, and I only survived thanks to the quick reactions of my driver, Sultan. Unfortunately, for saving my life, he seemed to think that I i) was somehow blessed by God and therefore important, and ii) owed him something (the cheek!), so proceeded to book himself to take me on a tour of Agra the following day. I told him I couldn't afford the 650 [View Full Entry]

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Another brief stab at little writing and mostly photos. Not being the official photographer, these are mere patches of the day, but noteworthy nonetheless. I can't really do the day justice in words. How to sum it up...Sarah looked sensational; it was really fun to be suited and booted and part of one of your best and oldest friend's weddings; all of the important stuff went like clockwork; the bride and groom had a fantastic day, as did all of the guests. The weather was very kind- we had clear skies until the party was over, a remarkable window considering that [View Full Entry]

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