TravelBlog » Rachael ORourke

Rachael ORourke - Rachael ORourke

Hi! I love travelling. I don't know what to do with myself when I'm in my home country Australia. It is most interesting to me when I am travelling to another state or something. As an English and Japanese teacher I've lived in Japan and China, but I've also travelled a lot apart from that, such as Korea, the USA and Germany. Living in Australia at the moment, I'm always hanging out for a trip overseas. I love learning languages and photography, so they are always my focus when I travel. About sites to see, I am interested in history and culture, so I love everything from a trip to a temple to a factory visit. I have a particular interest in Japan and anything Japanese.

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Joined on: June 25th 2005
Last Login: March 1st 2009

Blog Entries: 49
Photos: 270

TB Code: [blogger=4521]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Rachael ORourke, order by Date newest first.

By Rachael ORourke
August 22nd 2005

Great photos from the plane Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Gold Coast

Surfers Paradise

Check these ones out too! A bit later than the Sydney ones, they are very clear, and you can pick out buildings you know.... Find the small and larger hill on the Burleigh one, and that is North Burleigh and Tallebudgera Hill. You can see Tallebudgera creek coming in on the right side of Tallebudgera hill. And you can see the main roads - like the M1 and Bermuda Street. The Gold Coast Hinterland is starting at the bottom of the photo. In the Surfers one, you can find Q1, the highest residential, and check out the canals! You can see [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 22nd 2005

Photos for Lee Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Sydney

Rach and Lee

Everyone, I met a lovely guy called Lee on the plane, a solicitor specialising in environmental law who lives in Sydney. We had a good chat, through the start of the flight in particular. Poor guy had just broken up with his Finnish girlfriend, so I felt sorry for him and it reminded me to feel sorry for myself. But he was a nice guy and the photos below are for him, but I figured some of you would enjoy them anyway. Lee, Here they are. Chat to you again after by email. Rach. [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 21st 2005

Here's a last few sites - MY FINAL POST Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok

The 'swing'

Before leaving Bangkok and Thailand altogether, here is a few other places I've been over the last few days that I haven't posted with the Wats, Chinatown, Grand Palace, etc. The Swing I've lost my notes on this place! And it's not in my Lonely Planet - I'd found it somewhere else. So I'll check later and edit this, but it'll be long after you've read it sorry. Anyway, the swing is lovely. As you may be able to see if you look closely, its also home to some lovely birds at its base. The Swing is opposite Wat Suthat, which [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 21st 2005

What is a wat? Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok

At the fabulous Wat Arun

What is a Wat? And more... like Buddha image info. “Mikki, you'll find the Buddha stuff interesting.” I've been talking about them all the time, since I went to the first one connected to the Grand Palace, but particularly in the huge posting of some of the great photos I had from all different wats. A wat, then, is a temple monastery. They are open to the public to come in and pray, in general, and at certain hours. The parts of a wat include: * The wihaan - where the large buddha figure will be, where people come and [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 21st 2005

What wats are in Bangkok? Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok

Flags on Central Pillar

Wats are absolutely gorgeous. They, along with many things in Thailand, are very ornate. The chedi and pillars can be really breathtaking, like those at Wat Arun. The colours can be magnificent, including gold, such as at Wat Phra, at the Golden Palace. And, as always, the Buddha statues are fascinating too. I will, like with many of the great things I've been to, just let the photos speak for themselves. And just so you know, other great Wat photos can be found in other posts - including the ones: Grand Palace Wat Po etc with Dan What's a wat Chinatown [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 20th 2005

Mae Nam Chao Phraya Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok

Mae Nam Chao Phraya

Mae Nam Chao Phraya Chao Phraya River This river separates Bangkok areas like where Khao San is - Banglamphu, Chinatown, Sukhumvit Rd etc - from Thonburi. Thonburi is one of the older 3 capitals of Thailand before Bangkok and there are some fabulous things to see there. Have a look at the posts on Wats for more information on temples that are in the area at least. Bangkok was the “Venice of the East” before, so you can imagine that the main river was the great, main Highway into the little lanes that people actually lived and worked on. Have [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 20th 2005

Chinatown and half naked dancing girls Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok

Chinatown Wat

Chinatown is interesting in any place, but Bangkok's Chinatown is pretty great. It has what they say is the largest golden buddha in Thailand, at Wat Traimit, which you can read about shortly in another post about all the Wats. There is a thieves market here too. The night market is really something - it has all the treasures and all the trash like everywhere else, but it also has: * all the displays and presentations of fabulous fake stones, * a temple on either side, * clashes with police, * the fun of catching a tuk-tuk there and back, * [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 20th 2005

Out with the guys and Tuk tuk Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok

Out with the guys

Out with the guys and some other random tuk-tuk photos From the last days of my holiday. A couple of random things from my time in Bangkok. Tuk-tuks I thought you'd be interested in actually seeing a few photos of these tuk-tuks i've been talking about. You may have seen them in movies and things, like that Bangkok Hilton-type remake, what's it called, "Brokedown Palace"? They are a fantastic experience. Great fun. And not as dangerous as the motorbike taxis. The only thing with them is that you have to bargain, so you don't have the safety of [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 19th 2005

Damnoen Floating Market Asia » Thailand » North-West Thailand » Sukhothai

One of those permanent side stalls that you pull up to in your 'shopping boat'

The floating market is a famous, lovely, exciting place, that is unfortunately losing a lot of its authenticity due to the number of backpackers and other visitors passing through. The vegies, seeds and fruit go, and the place slowly fills up with dodgy little souvenirs instead. By about 9 o'clock, when the tour buses start to arrive from Bangkok, it apparently changes quite dramatically. So, like all the guidebooks say, if you can, stay overnight in the area, and go at about 6/7am. I didn't have the luxury, not having much time in Bangkok, and Thailand altogether, and having already boo [View Full Entry]

By Rachael ORourke
August 19th 2005

Bridge over the River Kwai Asia » Thailand » Western Thailand » Kanchanaburi

At Chungkai Cemetery

Bridge over the River Kwai Death Railway Museum Chungkai Cemetery I can't write down everything I'd want to talk about with you on these areas. War is an important part of history that we need to know as much as we can about, and as people in all countries believe, with knowledge maybe we won't make the same mistakes twice. For information on WW2, there is a wealth of information in many places. The internet isn't bad. Just one example of a pretty good site, that isn't only about guided tours, is http://www.hellfirepass.com/index.htm It has a lot abou [View Full Entry]

One of the boats the Japanese left aboard, on surrendering

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