John “The Traveler”

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I thought I’d provide a few details as to my travelling so far and show you what I’ve been carrying and using since I got here.

Wallet

First off is the new wallet, a small hand-made thing I bought in Chiang Mai, Thailand and I tie up to my belt lapels and slip down my trousers. Worked a dream so far and since I keep my malarial pills, bank card, money and USB pen there, it’s very useful. I’m sure you’re all interested in what I do with my passport, well I keep it in a wallet inside my large backpack, it forms part of the backpack so can’t fall out.

Footloose

I bought this pair of Tevas’ a few years ago when I went to the Greek Islands. I bought my first pair of flip flops when In Thailand and it didn’t take too long to wear in but they were stolen outside the internet café at Buddha View scuba diving school in Ko Tao in Thailand. Boy did that piss me off, especially as my wallet had gone walkies and Danielle had hurt herself all at the same time.

The second pair I then bought didn’t last too long when a kid stepped on my foot up in Chiang Mai night bazaar and snapped the thong. So, after walking around barefoot for a while around the night market before I bumped into a German dude who happened to be walking barefoot as well and we got a tuk tuk together to the Chinese night bazaar and bought a new pair. I’ve since walked the arse off this pair and bought a new pair in Denang for 2 U.S. Dollars, and they’re rather nice.

What’s the damage so far? Well, one hat which I had for ages and had loads of white sweat marks all over it, I left in a tuk tuk in Bangkok whilst travelling from Kanchangaburi. I just replaced it after many weeks exposing my head to the elements with a rather dapper cowboy hat made of light cotton material. One pair of Ray Ban sunglasses, fake of course, but bloody 2 US Dollars! Five pairs of shorts (two I bought in Bangkok at a store intriguingly called British India, and one pair of fake Puma swimming shorts. The first pair of trunks had the arse ripped off of them at Erawan National Park, dicking about on the slippery waterfalls. And of course the flip flops.

Accessories

One very much valued watch, which I haven’t lost yet (!!) and one bracelet of beads with Chinese characters on them. I’ve mostly resisted any stupid urges for trinkets or tourist pap since I’ve been in South East Asia but whilst eating lunch in Denang, Vietnam a woman hawker flattered us by speaking French and English. Before I could ask about price she’d wrapped two trinkets around my wrist which I couldn’t get off. One was the sort of colour and bead that would quite honestly make certain men of a certain sexual persuasion think that I was “available”. I managed to get one off and felt pressured into buying the Chinese beads. Oh, and don’t ask me what it says, the vendor didn’t have a clue either).
One mini laptop, a “notepad”, if you will, in a black case. This has to be the buy of the decade for me, small, compact and light, it allows me to do shit like this when and where I like. It also allows me to back up my photos from my digital camera. A few weeks ago I relied on this as my 3 or 4 year old memory card started acting up and wouldn’t read the card properly, luckily I only lot a few pictures.

One toiletries bag which won’t fit in my 65 litre back pack so I have to carry around with me everywhere in a plastic bag. I’m not sure whether to replace my backpack which I’ve over 10 years now, it is a nice luggage style packer and I can pack a lot in but I need more space for my stuff as I’m carrying other bags. The other half of me thinks I just need to offload more stuff, because the backpack is seriously heavy, but I’m over half-way on my trip so I’m reluctant to do this.

One Lonely Planet Guide to South East Asia on a Shoe String 2008 and one fake copy of Lonely Planet’s Vietnam 2007. Pretty invaluable I have to say One Zune mp3 player which is still playing up, dying on me, giving me error messages willy-nilly, but I’ve managed to combat these bugs by just putting in on charge again. I also bought a mini speaker for the Zune in Bangkok so I can rock out to Ryan Adams and some drum ‘n’ bass whilst in my guesthouse room. It’s ace.

If anyone has any questions about my clothes or travel accessories which I’m sure you do, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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Photos

New Wallet
Pretty in pink?

Backpack
(minus the bloody bags and notebook)

New look
Cowboy hat and Ray bans

Me and ginger
Keeps theh motion sicklness at bay...eat it raw...now chucked it out...growths...