http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Ievy/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Ievy en-us Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:20:33 +0000 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:20:33 +0000 It seems like a trend all my latest blogs always come with months of delay. Not any different with this one. I went to Ivory Coast about 8 months ago and only now have I got the energy to post. Not that I actually have anything interesting to say but Irsquove been browsing through Travelblog and noticed that only a handful of blogs were installed about the country so I thought that maybe it http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Cote-d-Ivoire/South/Abidjan/blog-461223.html At the moment of writing I have been back in my homebase in Belgium for over 6 months and have just come back from another short trip so what Irsquom going put down here is nowhere near as extensive as what I have experienced in Pulau Weh. Not knowing what to write due to lack of variety in doings I did nothing but diving resulted in constant procrastination supposedly awaiting inspiration. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Sumatra/Pulau-Weh/blog-402235.html Something Irsquove been looking forward to for a long time is a trip to the Perhentian islands in Malaysia. Irsquove always had the idea to go there for a relaxing week doing nothing but beach bumming and a bit of diving.The Perhentians is a group of two islands Perhentian Besar big island and Perhentian Kecil small island on the north eastern shore of Peninsular Malaysia. Most people goi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Terengganu/Perhentian-Kecil/blog-371069.html A nation in griefZambia is mourning. The nationrsquos president Dr. Levy Mwanawasa suffered a stroke during an African convention in June and was kept in a hospital in Paris from then on. About two weeks ago when I was in Mozambique Irsquod heard that Dr. Mwanawasa had lost the battle and passed away. His body was brought back to Lusaka where in the following weeks it went on a national to http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Livingstone/blog-365709.html After spending two days in Maputo I headed up north to Tofo to do what I went to Mozambique for diving. The busride to Tofo was utterly uncomfortable. A small minibus takes you to Praia do Tofo in 7 or so hours cramped in a very small space with only two breaks during the journey. Definitely not comparable to an average long distance coach trip. But I arrived there safe and sound so I couldn't http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Southern/Tofo/blog-313527.html My journey from Jozi to Maputo didn't start as smooth as I had wanted it to be. Intercape the bus company which I booked my ride with didn't let me get on board without a Moz visa. I assured them that I have checked with at least 3 sources and they all said I could get a visa at the border but to no avail no visa no go. I suppose Intercape doesn't want to wait for all passengers to sort out the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Southern/Maputo/blog-313504.html I contemplated going home after Indonesia. Admitted I was missing the home front a bit. I always thought I'd be a good long time traveler but 5 weeks of traveling around and spending the last weeks without my friends made me miss my natural habitat. Sure you always meet new people and that's the good thing about traveling but somehow this time it's different. Is that normal Or is it like bein http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Sabah/Semporna/blog-237902.html Let's see.. what have I been doing since my last entry.. I've been island hopping from Lombok to Bali and then to Java. Someone I met in the Gili's recommended the Liberty shipwreck as a diving spot extraordinaire which triggered my curiosity a bit so after Lombok I took the ferry back to Bali and stayed in the east to dive the Tulamben shipwreck. My divemaster was quite the funny man. First http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Java/Jakarta/blog-237541.html After Trawangan everyone separated. Elle and Jill already went back to Belgium. The others went west. I stayed in Lombok for a scootertrip around the south with Spencer whom we met in the Gili's.The first day we headed to the surfing mecca of Kuta. Not to be confused with the Balinese Kuta though you could easily think so as the touts here are also very persistent if not more. Practically beggi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Lombok/Kuta/blog-234344.html Time flies when you're having fun. Never a truer word written. I haven't posted anything about the festive days and what we've been up to so I suppose this is as good a time as any to do it. First though I'd like to wish everyone here at travelblog a happy and blissful year. May the traveling continue We were supposed to travel from Flores back to Lombok on the Perama boat which would make a few http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Lombok/Gilli-Trawangan/blog-234198.html At the time of writing this I'm facing what seems like a sand storm except that it's not one. We are on Seraya island which is a tiny island off the the northwest coast of Flores.The facilities here are very very basic. We have a small bamboo hut on the beach with a little open air bathroom outside. It's not much but I reckon it's charming. There are about 10 or 12 huts on the island all of th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Flores/Labuanbajo/blog-231463.html Labuan Bajo is quite a messy and smelly little fishing village on the west coast of Flores. So why would we want to go to such a village you ask It is the gateway to Komodo national park. And what is komodo national park famous for except obviously for the komodo dragons Diving Yay Elle and I signed up for a dive course almost immediately after reaching Labuan Bajo. Elle went for an open http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Flores/Labuanbajo/blog-231452.html Yesterday we survived an Indonesian airline and arrived safely in Wai Oti airport in Maumere Flores where we were met by our driver with whom we would tour the island in 3 days from Maumere to Labuan Bajo.So far Flores has left quite an impression on me. It quickly became clear that aside from being lush and mountainous it is a stunning island with other scenic landscapes and breathtaking view http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Flores/Ruteng/blog-231445.html This should be no surprise to some of my friends who are reading this. You all know how my timekeeping skills are. They're crap. And it is not any different this time when on the morning of our departure we'd missed the train to Paris airport to catch our plane to Indonesia. I can't say I'm entirely to blame though. Ok we left to the station in a rather late fashion but we still got there timely. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Kuta/blog-231430.html My friend Dina who was my neighbour when I was living in Indo was in Belgium for a short visit and as all Indonesians consider Paris THE city you should see before you die I decided to treat Dina to a little weekend break. My friend is not dying in case you're wondering. This is just my evil contribution to make the lot back in Indo green with envy. Personally I reckon Paris is a bit overrat http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-217087.html I arrived quite late in Cape Town cause I was only able to catch the 3pm flight out of PE thanks to the idiot check in lady at SAA standby desk. Not going to explain the how and why but the stupid moo was obviously not having the happiest day of her life and took it out on me. So instead of arriving at half one in Cape Town I was only there at half four which was just a wee bit too late to go up http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-205517.html My mission in South Africa next to visiting Dewald is also to bungy off the Bloukrans bridge which is the world's highest commercial jump. Well today is the day.I took the Baz Bus to Storms River together with James from Brighton who also stayed at Lungile Backpackers in PE. The driver dropped us both at Dijembe backpackers where James was staying the night. After having a good look around I wa http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Eastern-Cape/Storms-River/blog-204324.html Yesterday Dewald worked in the morning from 8 to 12. When he was back we set off for a second attempt to get into the Gold Reef city fun park. It was open this time so off we were for a few thrills.I can't really say much about Gold Reef City. It's a fun park like any other just with a different theme which was the gold rush that hit South Africa in the yesteryears. The compound however is a lot http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Gauteng/Johannesburg/blog-204297.html So I got on the flight which was quite full but I got my seat immediately upon checking in so I was well pleased. Dewald looked surprisingly awake despite having to pick me up at an ungodly hour. We then cruised to his place and met up with his nice landlord Nico. I was staying in his guest room. The house is brill 3 rooms 3 bathrooms 2 living rooms a swimming pool an outside cottage in whi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Gauteng/Johannesburg/blog-204287.html KL never ceases to amuse me. 2 days ago I took a taxi at the far corner of BB street and asked the driver to take me to Kelana Jaya in the outskirts of KL. Seafood centre in KJ of course cause no taxi driver will ever say Oh yeah I know where it is when you say Jalan SS 713 street name where I was staying. My cab driver though didn't even know where the KJ seafood center was. He said KJ rig http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Wilayah-Persekutuan/Kuala-Lumpur/blog-202353.html