Kate Paxton

Katep

Kate Paxton

I'm off again.. but this time more of a 'proper' holiday.. with friends, and luggage on wheels and some luxury! This one is all about food and scuba diving!!



Asia » Sri Lanka » Western Province » Colombo October 8th 2016

I think the last time I wrote a blog was from Malang in Java when i'd turned up in a place that i'd arrived in and had realised there was not much to do. I was wrong. Oh my gosh, was I wrong! I had an awesome time.. in fact I had so much fun meeting people, climbing volcanoes, hanging out, eating great food, that I didn't have time to go back and update you all! My apologies. I didn't even remember to add photos such was the degree of my busy-ness and fun finding! Anyway. That holiday proved to me that I can still go off and travel round these amazing places on my own and meet great people and have breath taking adventures, but I can also stay in nice places rather than the ... read more
Nish let me get behind the wheel!
Breakfast: Colombo style
Ceylon Tea... in Ceylon!

Asia April 5th 2016

I realise it is a good long time since I wrote anything resembling my blog but life in Singapore has been so much busier than I ever suspected it would be! I adore working in the school although find i'm working harder than I ever have before. I have made lots of friends and reconnected with a few from long ago, which has also been lovely. I've been to the F1, to the theatre, i've celebrated Singapore's indepence, walked in the jungle (ish!) been to hawkers and michelin starred restaurants. I am getting to dive and travel at every possible opportunity; not just in the school holidays but weekends away in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia! I've been to Thailand, Bali, Myanmar, Malaysia since getting here and have had a fair few visitors from the UK to show ... read more

Asia » Singapore » Boat Quay August 9th 2015

Singapore came from the Malay word 'Singa' which means Lion and 'pura' meaning town.... lion town. In 1965 Singapore became independent from Malaysia so this year was their 50th anniversary... and boy did they celebrate it in style! "Majulah Singapura' means 'Onward Singapore'. It is also the name of their national anthem. And it is a phrase what was hard to miss last weekend. Apparently they spent millions on the celebrations, which included; the Black Knights doing incredible flybys, a free symphony concert in the Botanical Gardens, a parade which was televised on large screens around the city, fireworks every night during the 3 days, free transport, free phone calls and much, much more. I really got a chance to see how proud the Singaporeans are of their city and what independence means to them. Sitting, ... read more
Marina at night
A rainy day at Sentosa Island
Some proper hawker food!

Asia » Singapore » Bukit Batok August 3rd 2015

Hi all! I know it has been a good few years since I wrote a blog but I thought i'd see if I could give it another go! This time i'm not off on some adventurous travels (although I hope I will be from time to time) but I'm living and working in the fabulous city of Singapore. To fill those of you in who haven't heard, I got a job at an international school out here and so after some fairly hefty organisation I closed up 'shop' in London, packed my bags (all 35 kilos of them... 5 kilos over the weight limit, which I paid heavily for!) and got on a flight bound for the humid, bountifully green city of Singapore. (I know, I know; technically it is the island city state off Malaysia.) ... read more

North America » Mexico » Quintana Roo » Playa del Carmen August 22nd 2012

So I know I said this would be a food type blog... ‘girl v food’ an homage to the fabulous Adam Richman! And I’ve been diligently photographing everything that has passed my lips; however that was before I got to Playa del Carmen, Mexico and started diving and more specifically started diving the Cenotes. Any thought of food had to take a back seat when the cenotes came to town... or rather, when I came to their town! For those not in the know, let me explain what a cenote is: The word Cenote comes from the Mayan meaning ‘well’. It is a deep natural hole (or sink hole) created by the collapse of surface limestone exposing ground water underneath. These underground ‘rivers’ are all interconnected, or so it is believed. There are many unexplored areas ... read more
Nohoch Mul at Coba
El Pit and our guide
Decorator Crab

North America » United States » Texas » Austin August 11th 2012

Day 1: Wednesday 8thAugust. Adam took me to the most amazing diner... Magnolia’s Cafe on South Congress. It is, inside, exactly how I imagine an American Diner should be; the table has crazy pictures on it, the walls are full of memorabilia, photos, signs etc. The kitchen looks onto the tables and the waiting staff are uber friendly. (I can see why they tip 20% over here... they work for that tip!) I choose, for my first (and eagerly anticipated breakfast) the Popeye omelette. It is a spinach and red onion affair with masses of Monterey jack and cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream on the top. (I hadn’t asked for the vege one, but the vege one arrived.. mine should have had bacon in it too.. it was still delicious -so much so ... read more
The dome at the Capitol building
The very first breakfast!
Amy's Ice creams

North America » United States » Texas » Austin August 10th 2012

Hello again... it’s been a good long while (9 months?) since I last wrote a blog... thank you to those who are still reading them!! This one is going to be slightly different!! I am not back in some far off exotic country, neither am I off gallivanting on my own for months on end. This time I am visiting a friend in Austin, Texas and then the two of us are flying to Cancun, Mexico where we are meeting a few others and spending 9 days diving – Heaven! The people I am going with are all people who I’ve met on my many travels. Let me introduce them to you: Adam (who I’m staying with in Austin) is a British guy who did his dive master training with me at Blue Planet Divers, Thailand. ... read more
chillis
Austin, Texas

Middle East » Jordan » South » Aqaba October 24th 2011

So I have now been in Jordan for exactly one week (well I had when I started writing this instalment.. it’s now more like two weeks!). It’s the country that everyone says is extremely friendly and hospitable. Well... I have not found that exactly. What I’ve experienced is a lot of testosterone filled men who can’t help but stare at a Western woman walking about on her own... and when I say stare I mean stare, or honk car horns, taxi’s pull over and ask if I need a ride, men blow kisses as I leave shops. It’s not aggressive and they always say ‘welcome’ but there is a sense that because I’m western and I’m on my own I’m fair game... and although I had it in India it didn’t seem to bother me.. But ... read more
Our lovely group
Bedouin view
on the beach.. Arab syle

Middle East » Jordan » North » Amman October 14th 2011

Over the last few months i’ve begun to realise that I don’t want to continue backpacking, on my own, with my trusty (but rather old and smelly) rucksack, in the cheapest way possible! With that in mind I changed the trip i’d arranged for Jordan, Dubai, SrI Lanka and then onwards to Thailand and Indonesia; to a simple two and a half week holiday to Jordan and Dubai. I also took a suitcase. A major step for me! An actual suitcase; One that could be wheeled around, rather than worn on my back. I also booked – in advance – the hotel where I was going to spend my first night... this was, indeed, a big change. And here I am; In Jordan; In the capital city of Amman. And whilst I am on my own ... read more
the Roman Theatre
Me at the amphitheatre
my guide!

Asia » Indonesia » Flores » Labuanbajo May 14th 2011

Well here I am 12hours away from London... and whilst i’m really looking forward to seeing friends and family, visiting my favourite sushi place and wandering around the streets of London, I will miss Indonesia and all the amazing places I’ve been.. but then again I’ve spent more money in the last month than I have in the last 5 months put together ... however that is mainly due to the fact that I’ve been diving in some of the best sites in the world.. and as we all know, diving is not a cheap sport - can it even be called a sport?.. not sure.. ok.. not a cheap hobby!! So i reckon it may be time to earn some money!! So. In the last blog I put up endless underwater photos but it just ... read more
the boat..
the group
Raring and ready to go!




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