http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/MacFuller/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from MacFuller en-us Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:00:19 +0000 Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:00:19 +0000 30th April We made our way to Heathrow via the tube. It couldnrsquot have been easier. Once at the airport we grabbed a tasty lunch and before we knew it we were flying over Scotland and heading the furthest North either of us have been. Once we had got our bags back we headed outside to catch a 50km bus ride to Reykjavik. It was so cold that our exhalation was visible it went right to my b http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Iceland/Southwest/Reykjavik/blog-397577.html Friday April 24th BUS VS. TRAINTransportation in London always holds surprises. Yesterday we tried booking a bus from Corsham to London only to discover that we'd pay 38 for the pleasure of sitting on a bus for 3 12 hours on what should be a 1 12 hour car ride. The train on the other hand cost a whopping 1 more. Trains in England are more than two worlds away from the ones taking millions http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/Fulham/blog-394679.html March 30th George insists on going as early as humanly possible to catch flights which I guess is why we didn't miss one so we were first in line at Etihad. Although first class wasn't an option it doesn't hurt to ask we managed to score ourselves some emergency exit row seats We were right behind the bathroom though so people kept disturbing us by cutting through and there was a 3 year o http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Norfolk/Norwich/blog-386871.html March 23rdArrived late in Abu Dhabi and after a bit of kerfuffle with Jet Airways who had jammed Kathrsquos bag we hopped on a complimentary bus to Dubai. We had asked at the airport information about hotels and it was the same same all hotels in Abu Dhabi were full unless we wanted to pay US500 for a suite. The man had a pristine gown Kath asked how he got it so white he mentioned that http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-385241.html March 21st Back on the beach we haggled hard with the most enterprising of the hawking locals. This man had purchased a large and extremely varied assortment of bodyboards and was renting them out by the hour. The waves were relentless. Our book informs us that despite the recent introduction of blueshirted lifeguards a couple of tourists still drown every year. The lifeguards lead a harrie http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/Kovalam/blog-384407.html March 20thAround noon we set out for the tip of India. The hotel graciously allowed us to leave the majority of our luggage free of charge so we swept around at high speeds and generally revelled in the lightness on our shoulders. Oh how many sweaters have I been hauling around all this time that I havenrsquot even looked at 2 From Trivandrum we changed buses in Nagercoil and rode with t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Tamil-Nadu/Kanyakumari/blog-384406.html March 19th We woke at 0630 and grabbed a masala dosa by the bus station and hopped aboard a bus for a three hour journey from Kumily to Kottayam. It started with predictability. The driver was driving way to fast and missing absolutely everything by between one and five centimetres. It was a roller coaster ride and better than anything Universal Studios had ever thrown at us. We drove through tea http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/Allepey/blog-384405.html 18 MarchUp at 545 dazed and confused and puttered to Periyar National Park. Our driver said hersquod seen tigers crossing the road some evenings but sightings are very rare. We did notice a deer sleeping peacefully on our way in. We arrived at daybreak. An English couple two avid ornithologists joined us. Our trek started with a view of the dense cloud rising from a bottomless pot of mist http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/Periyar-National-Park/blog-384404.html March 16thWe woke in Ernakulam the adjacent town of Kochi. We were greeted with the usual hustle of ldquotaxi sirrdquo We assessed the town and realised we wanted to stay in Fort Cochin. This was where most tourists stayed and for good reason. This area was a hub of trade to and from Europe from the sixteenth century onwards. The Portuguese mainly controlled it and there are a few relics l http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/Kochi-/blog-384402.html March 13th The Rough Guide doesnrsquot really have a lot to say about Udupi and when crossexamined by George I couldnrsquot really remembered why I had wanted to come here in the first place. It was probably something to do with their reputation for good value hotels excellent cuisine and fine hospitality. Having been sufficiently watered and fed we went back to our room to watch Kevin Spa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Karnataka/Udupi/blog-384401.html March 10th Right now Irsquom sitting at the Margao railway station slightly drunk on 8 Kingfisher beer for sale in Goa only. Everyone is staring at me because Irsquom drinking and playing cards and wearing shorts and Irsquom the only female here. I am afflicted with some weird cold my nose is running like a tap and my eyes are watering but Irsquom nigh on heaven here. Goa is ful http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Karnataka/Gokarna/blog-384399.html March 7th 2009 The tuktuk ride back to the station was totally in the dark as the sun rises at a lazy 6am. We left with the night watchmen getting ready for bed. On the way we had to veer many times to avoid stray dogs sleeping in the middle of the road itrsquos a wonder they donrsquot wake up. One man chose to use the main highway as his loo. People were sleeping covered headtotoe in b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Goa/blog-384398.html Wednesday March 4th Squashed ourselves into a van full of backpackers like ourselves and headed to the airport. One kid who looked a little green and carried a freshly cut suit admitted hersquod been up all night and we were glad we hadnrsquot. Obviously Thai Airways experiences technical difficulties and we all have to get off the plane wersquod been sitting on for an hour. We arrived http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Karnataka/Hampi/blog-384397.html February 28thTodayrsquos mission was to buy a camera as I kept putting it off expecting to find something cheaper elsewhere. Yesterday taught me that I was missing too many fantastic shots as George gets all artistic direction with his camera bought in Mongolia. As we couldnrsquot be bothered to get into another argument with a potential tuktuk driver we headed for the canal. The tuktuk http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-378442.html February 26th After being delayed by six hours we finally arrived in Bangkok as the clock was closing on midnight local time. Thai Airwaysrsquo motto is ldquoSmooth as Silkrdquo but it was pretty rough going. We hopped into a cab after a bit of negotiating and decided upon a place to stay en route. We wanted to stay on the Khao San road as we had heard so much from so many. We decided on http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-378441.html Once back we had a wicked day doing a lot of what Manila has to offer Intermuros and coconut palace.In Manila airport at the mo and they over booked the flight so we've been delayed 6 hours. The Philippines was wicked and we hope to visit again sometime soon. Rob Marg Angus and Francie have open invitations to visit anytime. Bring on Thailand http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Manila/blog-376946.html Feb. 19th 2009. I fell asleep feeling a little weird but woke up at five am with the fullblown Wrath of Shiva. We were supposed to go to Mindoro but within an hour of being awake I knew I wasnrsquot going anywhere. Looking back wersquod bought some bottled water from a street vendor. I think he filled it with tap water and glued the seal back on which is why it was 836910. At first Ge http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Mindoro/blog-376941.html February 17thWe awoke with a start at 4am confused and excited. We loaded our daypacks into the van and promptly fell back asleep as Bobby drove through the early morning traffic. Some hours later when the sun decided to join us we stopped for some breakfast in a fast food complex in the country. It was a true concrete jungle as though the wildest forest had gone to bed with an urban planner. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Baguio/blog-376939.html February 14th After arriving in Manila we were quickly and easily met by Lita and Brenda. We met Jojo and his friend whorsquos van it was that came to pick us up and drove out and hit the streets. Both Katherinersquos and my eyes were transfixed out of the window. The streets were lined with boutiques though most were shut at this hour. They sold all kinds of things and the streets were li http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Manila/blog-374830.html February 14th Okay Wow We woke with less than half an hour before checkin closed. It was straight up and off running first to check in and then through security. By the time we had fully woken up we had taken off. The alarm had gone off but cleverly I had placed it inside a pocket of my bag. It was quite a long flight before we landed in Brunei. For some reason we thought it would only be a c http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Brunei/Bandar-Seri-Begawan/blog-373516.html