Mandie - Mandie

Living a dream...released myself from the burden of a mortgage, loving parentals accepted keeping the rest of my "stuff" for an indeterminate period of time, farewell cards from good friends for me to re-read when needed and a return ticket that doesn't have to be used until next year (or does it???).

Acutely aware of my ability to create whatever reality I want, will be interesting to see where this adventure will end up! Glad to have you along for the ride.

Love M x

"Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower" ~ Hans Christian Anderson

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Joined on: June 19th 2007
Last Login: September 5th 2008

Blog Entries: 15
Photos: 131

TB Code: [blogger=41258]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Mandie, order by Date newest first.

By Mandie
February 29th 2008

Just another day in Pai-radise Asia » Thailand » North-West Thailand » Pai

Riverside of Pai
I can't claim ownership of this gorgeous snap - a friend at the Collective, Charish was the genius snapper!

It's been seven weeks since I arrived in the tiny town of Pai, Thailand. Apologies for not writing this blog sooner but time seems to move at a different speed here. It's the kind of speed that is slow enough to absorb the simple moments of each day but quick enough that a month goes by in a blink of an eye. This is an isolated oasis on a traveller’s journey. An oasis that sees many come in the anticipation of staying a couple of days and seeing weeks go by before they even contemplate actually leaving. It could possibly be [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
December 15th 2007

Changing seasons, currency confusion and a moment of connection Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Prahova » Valea Screzii

Winter wonderland
Taken yesterday afternoon as I enjoyed wondering around marvelling at the beauty of a snow drenched village

I have a lot of moments here which make me feel happy to be alive - perhaps it's the natural beauty of the place, the genuine people I come into contact with or just simply doing something I enjoy in life. I have completely enjoyed watching the seasons change here too - the colours of autumn were awesome (we miss out on those in tropical Queensland!) and now we have had our first real heavy snow fall the place has been transformed into a true winter wonderland - thought you might like some of the photos! I also have a lot [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
September 17th 2007

Good coffee, green parks and chilled times - the best of a Bulgarian weekend Europe » Bulgaria » West » Sofia

Colourful Square
There were so many vibrant colours around the whole city - definitely not a dreary and dull place

I was dragging my feet leaving Greece, ashamed to admit that the comfort of a developed nation had enveloped me and enticed me back into a way of life I know all too well. But there was no need to worry...futile really...as I found a spring in my step as I ventured through Sofia, Bulgaria's capital, for the first time despite my lack of sleep on the overnight train journey from Thessaloniki (I thought it a waste not to stop and check out Bulgaria given I was passing through...the harvesting in Romania would wait a couple of more days!). There is [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
September 15th 2007

My big fat Greek holiday Europe » Greece » Central Macedonia » Thessaloniki

A still morning
My favourite (and rebellious thing) to do would be to sneak up to the beach with my coffee and indulge in a few quiet moments...this was my last morning

When one imagines a Greek holiday I suppose most will picture endless sunbathing, indulgence of all Greek cuisine (hmmm, olives) and possibly even a good dose of Island nightlife...I certainly tried to contain any expectations I might have given my invitation saw me trundling off to Greece in a mini-bus crammed with 15 of us...it was a story of 1 priest, his wife, their 10 month old daughter, 11 Romanian girls/ladies, a crazy old Romanian driver and me. After a 24-hour manic journey, which included a 3 hour delay at the Romanian-Bulgarian border (yep, we hadn't even made it out of [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
September 3rd 2007

Romania...its just so random Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Prahova » Valea Screzii

One of the many churches
Father Tanase is rather fond of churches- there are over 22 of them in the two tiny villages of Valea Screzzi and Valea Populai - impressive for a combined population of 600 people!

I was greeted by a small Romanian clan from Pro Vita (the organisation I am volunteering for) - Mel, Mihail and Janet (Mel's English aunt) at the airport, an enthusiastic reception despite the late hour (almost midnight) as my flight was delayed by over an hour. At the car I am met immediately with Mihail booming out to me "NO NO NO, DONT TOUCH THE BOOT OF THE CAR!!" - it apparently fell off its hinges a while back and is now tied on by some rope. So we squeeze my backpack through the only backdoor that works and all pile [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
August 11th 2007

Hungarian Hangovers Europe » Hungary » Central Hungary » Budapest

No, I am not in Mongolia
But that is a Mongolian Yurt...it belongs to David, one very chilled out couchsurfing host who lives just outside of Budapest near Erd (nope, didn't think you'd have heard of it, I hadn't either)

Thankfully I was on a bit of a buzz after the fun I had in Switzerland so I could (almost) keep up with Jen and her friend, Dean, in the partying stakes when I met up with them in Budapest. This city is geered for the summer party season with large open clubs you'd expect to find on a Greek island rather than an inland Eastern European city. Needless to say, any sightseeing I managed during the day was done under much duress as I nursed my hangovers! And to further prove my theory that its never wise to have firm [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
August 6th 2007

Massive smooches for Switzerland! Europe » Switzerland

Zurich's Lake
I actually looked at this view for quite some time as was soooo exhausted from weekend that I just had to lie down on a bench for an hour!

If I could wrap up all of Switzerland and all the people inside it and give it a big kiss (a french one at that!) I would. I had such a fabulous time in this tiny, anally organised, breathtakingly beautiful country. Couchsurfing paella party as a start (see separate entry), the week continued on in similar fashion, with each day spent with at least someone else from the party. My trip timed perfectly with 1 August celebrations for their national holiday, which I spent quite patriotically in their capital Bern. A mini-paella reunion with about 15 of us congregating at my [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
July 29th 2007

Couchsurfing Paella Party Europe » Switzerland » North-East » Gossau

The camp ground
aka neighbours field...behind all the clouds back there are the Swiss alps...a nice backdrop for the whole thing quite frankly.

Words are truly going to fail me miserably I think as I try to describe what an awesome introduction I had to Switzerland at the completely random event of the annual Couchsurfing Paella Party started by one very zany Swiss guy from Gossau. Firstly, within couchsurfing anybody can start a meeting/party/gathering - all you do is list it under the meeting page with the details and people can sign up to attend. The first year Vince (the paella party organiser) did it about six people were there...last year about 30 turned up...this year a whopping 140 showed up - including me!! [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
July 27th 2007

Perfect moments in Austria Europe » Austria

The hills are alive...
Absolutely stunning scenary in the Lakes District just outside of Salzburg (yep, this is definitely Sound of Music territory!)

I was first greeted by fields of sunflowers and wind turbines when I travelled into Austria on the train from Krakow. First stop was Salzburg...I wanted to visit the home of the Sound of Music! In a bid to keep this blog from not being too wordy (as I am doing all these countries in one hit before heading into internet abyss of Romanian village life tomorrow), I thought I would share my two perfect moments that I was compelled to capture at the time. A perfect moment in Salzburg....a day of exploring took me around the perimeter of the old [View Full Entry]

By Mandie
July 22nd 2007

Captivated by Krakow Europe » Poland » Lesser Poland » Kraków

Town Square
The centre of Krakow is dominated by the huge market square - its a hive activity both day and night.

Despite the stifling heat blanketed over the city, somehow the chimes of the bell tower striking midnight make their way to my hostel as I lie there awake with sleep escaping me. Sounds slightly poetic doesn't it? Well that is exactly the effect this city has on me...it somehow has ignited a yearning to be poetic. Not originally living up to the expectation set of Krakow having the same beauty of Prague, this city has grown on me to the point that I am sad to leave. I could have easily spent another week whiling away time in this quickly evolving [View Full Entry]

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