http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Mayrad/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Mayrad en-us Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:56:36 +0000 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:56:36 +0000 Well this is it. The end is nigh. No more wanderings. In fact the end has come and gone as Irsquom now back in good Olrsquo Blighty a hefty 5200 lighter and thatrsquos not including pretrip and flight costs where the only noticeable difference is the badgers that visit our garden have had a baby and our bathroom is now painted white. Joy. Tony Blair is still in power Mum is still w http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/Zanzibar-City/blog-79785.html Bus window hawkers in Tanzania are very strong and very cheeky people. I will be sitting reading my book when all of a sudden the next thing I know one has pried open the window and stuffed a BBQd corn on the cob into my face on the end of a long wooden stick. I turn to look at him which is immediately taken as a sign that Irsquom interested so out of no where another five corn sellers sho http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/East/Lushoto/blog-75691.html The hell came to the fore under Idi Amin. Greed defines much of African politics and it was under him that Uganda rapidly deteriorated into chaos a situation that is still mirrored today in many African countries. Uganda had just been on the verge of a civil war when Dr Obote Prime Minister of Uganda in the 1960s carried out a coup to abolish the Bugandan monarchy before setting about gaining http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Central-Region/Kampala/blog-75416.html ldquoRROOWWrdquo ldquoHARRDrdquo ldquoHARRDERRrdquoPanic sinking in nine oars thrusting into the foamy white roaring water we row for our lives right into the thick of a Grade 5 rapid and the impending doom that I somehow seemed to get a frontseat view of stupidly volunteering to go up front. Itrsquos fair to say Irsquom well and truly bricking itldquoRRROOOWWWrdqu http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Central-Region/Kampala/blog-74274.html Bonjourno Another VERY long one but it has been two weeks so lots to cover and I promise you itrsquoll make you think in places. Itrsquoll also definitely make you laugh at me. Enjoy the photos the connection here is good and the photos are low quality so it really didnrsquot take long to upload them. Thought Irsquod treat you near the end of my travels especially after the blog le http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nyanza-Province/Kisumu/blog-69328.html Kenya's coastline stretches from nogo Somalia in the north past luxury beach resorts to Tanzania's Zanzibar archipelago in the south. It is a relatively short coast at only 500km but nearly every traveller to Kenya makes it here at some point and who am I to break from the norm Well I usually am the first to do just that actually but for once I'll have a traditional 'normal' week. There's http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-66064.html No no I haven't left Kenya in a sudden fit of madness to return to Thailand with a craving for deepfried ants. Instead please allow me to rewind the clock three months to when I'd just returned to Bangkok from Laos' capital Vientianne in order to wait at the airport for a very special someone on her way to see me. Sorry to not have written sooner on my two weeks with Caroline making this blo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-69152.html Crime poverty poor transport poorer roads corrupt governments smudged cities Africa is the unexplored continent the unknown. Itrsquos as if all my travel so far has been to prepare me for these final 2 months and although I feel uneasy Irsquom squiggling in my seat with excitement. From the outset Irsquove not been expecting travel in East Africa to be easy but I am hoping the rew http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Rift-Valley-Province/Masai-Mara-NP/blog-65568.html A crude map of my route through IndiaA teardrop on the face of eternity The embodiment of all things pure and my personal and ownmade favourite it's big it's white to see it's a delight woo yeh. Can you guess what it is yetAs you would expect no amount of photos TV shows or even replica tacky jigsaw puzzles can live up to greeting the Taj Mahal in person. It's beautiful it's stunn http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/National-Capital-Territory/New-Delhi/blog-63134.html Err I'd like a shave please.Certainly sir.It's one of those things I felt I had to risk trying while in India and for any man tempted some few or all of the following steps may occur1 Conversation when there's a man holding a blade next to your neck it's very important to attempt to become friendly with this person by talking about his livelihood and cricket.2 Warn him off the goate http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Jaisalmer/blog-60352.html Chai chai...chai chai chai shouts the 9th passing vendor holding a kettle or bucket to the train windows. How any of them can make ends meet competing with the other 17 or so sellers is beyond me but they keep at it in case a passenger missed the 'chai' call the 95th time and may actually now want some. Chai is one of India's main drinks tea with lashings of sugar and synonymous with India http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Udaipur/blog-59060.html How can you describe a country that spans from the Tibetan Nepalese and Bhutanese Himalaya in the north nearly 3000km to the Gulf of Mannar near troubled Sri Lanka in the south from the borders of Pakistan in the west 2500km to the border of 'East Pakistan' Bangladesh in the..well east and with a magnamonious yes I made that word up population of over 1 Billion people Answer you can't http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Bundi/blog-57839.html First I should apologise for the last blog and its length it's interesting to see how a fifth of the readers dropped off before reading Part II I don't blame them especially when Part II had no photos. This time I've deliberately made it refreshingly shorter.I feel much better now stupidly as soon as I got back I was already missing the clean air tranquility cooler climate and views http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Pokhara/blog-57274.html If you're reading this first by accident please click 'previous blog' to read the first 5 days. Day 6 Acclimatisation Day My boots are covered in ice so it was an utter delight putting my feet inside them this morning I can tell you and I can't see out of my window for all the ice on the inside but I don't care much as all around the sky is blue and the storm has gone. Woo I plan http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Kathmandu/Thamal/blog-55766.html Nepal has the largest altitude range of any country 200m in the Terai up to 8850m on Everest. Over the next two weeks I'll be ascending quite a part of this as I attempt to hike to Everest Base Camphellipalone which itself is 1000m higher than the highest point in Europe. Eeek. Please forgive me for this blog being long in 2 parts even I felt a daybyday account was the only way to do thi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Kathmandu/Thamal/blog-55731.html We advise against all but essential travel to Nepal during the current period of enhanced tension as there is a risk of being caught up in the violence on the streets. Those British Nationals already in Nepal should decide whether their presence is essential. . Well that's just typical isn't it. Just as I fly in. Welcome as they say to the magical country of Nepal. Is my presence essential D http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Kathmandu/Thamal/blog-52560.html It seems that without fail no journey I undertake in Asia can run smoothly. The mere hint of a thought of nave smoothness in my mind and the touching of something wooden will eventually result in some unexpected situation occurring. Take my boat trip from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw for example. It started well and finished great travelling through spectacular though hazy scenery little co http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-48826.html I know it's an awful title. Another very long one but I guess you're used to this with me by now. I was contemplating making a new entry just for the hilltribe trek but thought I'd add it to this blog hence the length. I've sort of drowned you in photos this time too. Everyone seems to like these blog photos and with connections quite good out here I'm sure you don't mind a little photodr http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-47226.html 76 measurements 13 types of material 21 visits to tailors 7 forms filled out at the post office and 26 hours later and I'm now the proud owner of some cool new clothing. Well not that I have any right to use or even know the meaning of the word 'cool' but it's pretty smart stuff to my eyes. This is Hoi An home to arguably the world's largest collection of tailors or at the least the cheap http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/South-Central-Coast/Hoi-An/blog-46409.html Oh dear. I fear these LONG blogs are becoming a habit. The last one I warned about you getting a cup of tea. This time how about cooking dinner also. I'm expecting 100s of comments soon from you all to tell me to stop waffling. To be fair Cambodia and Vietnam are two countries with incredibly interesting histories. After I leave Vietnam the history lessons will hopefully disappear and a nice s http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-45503.html