There is nowhere in the world quite like India. At first, the chaos was overwhelming and we struggled with the congestion, cleanliness and cultural differences. But, once you accept that resistance is futile and you allow yourself to become consumed, endurance becomes enjoyment...and you fall in love with your former enemy. That said, there is still a catalogue of differences that confound and confuse in equal measure. I've already 'vexed lyrical' about the absence of hygeine, social etiquette and straight answers - but here are a few more examples of the anomalies of India... 1) The Hi [View Full Entry]

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Had I not woken to her humming a tune that stayed in my head all day. Had the sun decided not to shine. Had we not taken a walk through memory lane on the beach where we first fell in love. Had we not had that third gin and tonic. Had that raggedy dog not made me smile. Had Michael Jackson not been singing ABC. Had she not looked so beautiful. Had the clouds not parted when she said, "What will be different when we get back home?" I might not have asked. And, she might not have said, "Yes!" I [View Full Entry]

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No sooner had we arrived in the safe haven of Pushkar, when Flo fell ill with food poisoning. All of our meals have been served with a dressing of doubt and, despite being careful, it was probably only a matter of time. While Flo battled against bum wee, I spent days running errands and replacing toilet paper. In the absence my fair skinned friend, I can walk the streets without the usual clamour for attention - no more slick haired Romeos, smarmy salesmen or charlatan priests. However, there's no escaping the beggars! Whether you are walking the street or waiting in [View Full Entry]

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They say, "In India...anything is possible!" ...although, this seems to exclude cleanliness, social etiquette, personal space, honesty, sexual equality, and a healthy stomach Wednesday 27th May We were relieved when the pilot informed us that the current local temperature in Delhi International Airport was 33C, until we realised that it was only 2am! By midday, the mercury would rise another ten degrees - that's Fahrenheit for fucking hot! We were amazed to find that our airport collection had actually arrived - although, we were less surprised to be taken to a d [View Full Entry]

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We arrive at Hong Kong airport. It's raining. It doesn't stop raining for the three days we are here:( The fair weather is provided by Sarah. And, her Little Miss Sunshine - Katie:) We take a train into the city. Ask a taxi driver to take us to 'Lobinson Do'. That's apparently Mandarin for Robinson Road. Arrive at Sarah's apartment. She's gone up in the world. She lives on the 19th floor. A blonde boy with a familiar face answers the door. It's Sarah! She has a new short haircut. Think Twiggy. With a silent T...Just joking. She is glowing in [View Full Entry]

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"You climb now!" said the man, pointing upwards in the direction of an intimidating rock face. I had met my so-called instructor only minutes earlier. During our brief relationship, he had handed me some strange shoes, taught me how to tie a single knot and explained how he was still suffering from the night before. This, and the useful pointing of which direction to head, was all the guidance I had before my first rock climbing experience... I was wearing a testicle-hating harness, which was attached to a rope reeled through a pulley at the peak and, ultimately, held by my [View Full Entry]

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Most of you will remember the infamous Mr. Paul Smyth from a youth largely misspent at a grand house in suburban Surrey. He’s since been living in Thailand for the past eight years and the opportunity to meet with an old friend in the southern island of Phuket is unmissable. Some things will never change; Paul can still be more flaky than a snowstorm, has the attention span of a senile goldfish and the nocturnal habits of an amphetamine addicted night owl. But, he is also now a caring family man and the doting father of two charismatic children, Billy (8) [View Full Entry]

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We held some reservations over Thailand. It may be the most popular destination in SE Asia - but that title usually carries inflated prices, crowds of tourists and cutthroat touts. However, arriving in low season presented a far more relaxing proposition that would come to exceed all expectations - although, there was an inauspicious beginning… New entry regulations ruled that travellers crossing by land would only be given a 14-day visa - meaning we would have to leave the country, renew our visas and return if we were to stay the month we wanted. Nonetheless, we arrive by bo [View Full Entry]

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The original talk was to head for the hills and trek through the mountainous north of Laos. Instead, we take a whistlestop tour of the region without actually walking the walk. This is down to unexpectedly high prices, Flo's enduring foot injury and some difficulty waking the locals from their opium induced stupor! From Luang Prabang we take a bone jarring bus to Nong Khiaw, which only breaks down twice. The small fishing village nestles in the shadows of a valley surrounded by looming mountains. We stay in a stilted bungalow that looks over the Nam Ou; the brown river carries [View Full Entry]

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We arrive in Luang Prabang and unexpectedly walk straight into a war zone. No street is safe and practically everyone is armed and dangerous! During the course of three days the picturesque town descends into absolute mayhem while the locals wage an unrelenting war on each other. And, it's impossible to escape the conflict. While sat outside a restaurant we are approached by a group of menacing teenagers who, without warning or provocation, draw their weapons and open fire...with oversized water pistols!! Welcome to Pii Mai, the Buddhist incarnation of New Year. Since we were warned that [View Full Entry]

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