It's been a quick few weeks, after racing through Serbia and Montenegro (see previous "amended" blog) I caught up with Tans and Andy in Dubrovnik. they've been working in France for the last few months and, as it turns out, are currently on a whirlwind trip of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Quite a contrast to my "keep it slow and warm" philosophy. Luckily we were both flexible and had no big ideas.. i.e. no short-term plans or long-term cash :) This time of year on the Croatian coast is a real low point in their tourist season - the last campground [View Full Entry]

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Well after 12 hours in a place no-one could claim to understand it, or it's people. I accidentally spent this much time in Serbia, then deliberately 24h in Montenegro. What I do want to say is that the Slavik states, in particular Serbia, have always been in dispute. fighting has never been far from these people (WW1 started here). Throughout history these states have been amalgamated and broken apart, often with serbia in control. Today they are almost completely separated - Montenegro voted and gained independance in May this year, and the Serbs are currently having a referendum as to whe [View Full Entry]

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The last few days have been so charged with life it's been incredible. Our vague travelling three (Val, Kinsey, and I) easily turned into a four as we made plans at our turkish host's place. It seems Cem also had little better to do than hang out with Americans, and the lack of a Bulgarian visa and threat of a night in a cell was but a small obsticle. The four of us piled into the overnight train loaded with Turkish dinner, wine, and deserts. I don't know what it is, but there;s something inherently epic about taking a train from [View Full Entry]

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... But mind the step The bus was taking me from Elazig to Nevishir. Although this was 20km beyond Goreme - my destination for the next few days, by the sounds of things it was the only practical route. And anyway, the bus company had it all under control "No praahblem, no praahblem". Needless to say I was a little surprised, quickly confused, then really pissed off as we sailed past a sign saying Goreme 2km and pointing to a side road that the driver refused to stop at.. that's 20min walk - easy! It was dark, 9:30 at night, we [View Full Entry]

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I haven't really had any plans for the past week so I thought I might use my internet time to open up a discussion on the finer points in life. Fortunately this part of the world is, or has been, replete with three of the four points of discussion. The fourth, work, is unfortunately a little scarce all over Turkey. In short, if you want to avoid it, come here. I left you guys in Trabzon with a bus ticket to Dogubeyazit burning a hole in my pocket. This is the most easterly town in Turkey & just a stone's throw [View Full Entry]

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Enjoy yourself!! Sochi is the Lycra and silicone trim of the Russian machine. Unfortunately, Russians seem to have got a little err.. overly flamboyant and possibly a little rebellious at this stage of the creation.. rules are broken left right and centre as these wonderful finishing materials are paired with body hair, wrinkles, fat, and poorly disguised penises. Russians don't do the beach well! I've had a cold for the last few days and haven't really been in the mood for the beach, but let's just say - If i was, I'd find somewhere other than Sochi to go. Too many [View Full Entry]

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Ok, so here's one for all you mathematicians out there (Mum, you may not want to read this paragraph): Q: Kerry is in the biggest city of the biggest country in the world, he has been there for approximately 36 hours & in the last 6 hours has shared a dozen beers and two bottles of vodka with two very nice, yet crazy Russians. He does not know where he is, but to get there he took 1 underground train, 1 chairlift, 1 bus, and walked for approximately 2 hours. He did not backtrack. There are 9 interlinking subways in Moscow, [View Full Entry]

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So i'm in a hospital, on an island, in the middle of the largest lake in the world, in siberia.. The tv's on in the corner of the surgery, my translator swears he's with the KGB, & the doctor is asking me if it's true that we send busloads of Kiwi girls out into the country to marry farmers. 'Didn't r-e-a-l-l-y expect to be here. We've been in Russia for just over a week now, 20 days until we kicked out once and for all! For those of you not privy to the process, getting visas to enter the country was [View Full Entry]

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From "Hip Hop" to "Punk Rock", a shift in graffiti as we crossed over to Russia marked a change in landscape, peole, and attitude... with one common theme - they all got bigger. The plains of the steppe were exchanged for hills and mountains, stocky asian nomads were replaced with improbably tall, skinny caucasians, and friendly individual style gave way to harsh greetings and conforming leather jackets & military fatigues. It's been 2 or 3 weeks since my last blog, but when i look back it seems like months ago! So much has happende, I don't know where to start, i'm [View Full Entry]

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Apartment life getting you down? Feel like a prime rib but just can't make it down to the deli? Pet sheep getting just a little big for it's boots? - Well a Mongolian is the guy for you! He can come round, kill, butcher, and have George stewing in a pot full of hot rocks in a little over an hour. All within the comfort of the lounge (or ger) and without getting a drop of blood on the floor. If you get his wife to come round you could also expect some tasty offal sausages in with the deal.. mmm [View Full Entry]

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