Legend I often tell my story of Mina (Meena) to people when the topic of travel comes up. I was in Indo in 2002/3 and had a run in with her. Only pride was hurt as she scared the crap out of all of us. It didn't help that our guide had been mauled by her the previous year and was regaling us with the story of his escape at the hands of the red ape. His scars were very obvious and quite gruesome. She chased us after our initial escape for more than 2 hours through the jungle. Good times! :)
mina and jackie july 20 yessss we been chased by Mina, 20 july. She suddenly turned up, scared the shit out of us 8 and the guide, who screamed ' run to the water run to the water ' so we all fell down on rocks and stoned and one of us bruised her ankle [ miracle it was not worse ], but we had great fun anyway! later jackie took me as a hostage - it felt like i was in the movie ' misery' with a quite hairy cathy bates. she [ jackie ] took me by my arm and balls and let me go when she got her banana [ the real one ] and left me, she is a total oppurtunist [ arent we all ] we had great fun!
The legend lives on.... Ha,
Stumbled across your blog and all the memories came flooding back. I had the (mis)fortune of meeting Mina in 2007. Crazy Ape jumped me and almost bit my arm off, thankfully our guides managed to get her off, and although I felt the power of these animals no skin was broken so it was all good in the end... Fantastic memories! [:)]
Timed well spent! Having hit a really slow patch at work I have used it well to catch up on the blog. It has been hugely enternaining, educational and rather moving over the killing Fields episode. Perhaps you could get sponsorship for your next travel blog! Chris and I are off to China in September and will bare your hints and tips in mind. Love to both Nikki
Hi Rachel and Tom I just got the blog address of your Mum today, so i will have a read through your entries. It looks amazing. I understand your home soon, time as gone so quick since the Golden wedding in Cockermouth.
Hope you both enjoy your last few days and cant wait to see you.
lee
China Hi Tom and Rachel. Hope you get to read this before you come home as Mum tells me you are back very soon. Entertaining blog, Why do you keep attracting all this spitting!. Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Much love from Hastings XXXXXXXXXXX
China - 1st impressions Wow China looks and sounds like a great place to visit - yet another one for the bucket list! There's not going to be much to leave you as inheritance at this rate! We'll be joining the grey haired gappers and spending all our money! Love Mumxx
Skewers!! This blog really made me laugh. You are really brave trying the skewers - think I might have thrown up when I knew what it was. Shoes and boots - well a girl can't have too many of those. Hope Tom's bum is recovered. China sounds as if it was a totally different experience from anywhere else. Looking forward to your return home soon, we've all missed you xxxx
China This blog sounds great - really exciting and a trip into the unknown. I suppose that China is not as touristee as some of the other places you have been to. Glad you are improving the Anglo/Chinese relations Rachel -perhaps banking is a job for you when you get back!! look forward to hearing more about China - loved the pictures of Tom on the back of the bike in the last blog Lots of love Mum xx
Embalmed bodies These blogs now seem to be coming thick and fast. Great to hear all the news. Not sure I would have liked the motorbike rides. Alice in Wonderland is showing at the Arts Centre in Cranleigh next week so you could have seen it here. Looking forward to the next instalment Love Mum xx
shopping.... Sounds like either a rather stressful nightmare, or good fun (or maybe somewhere between the two) Particularly looking forward to seeing Rachel's leather boats - bit rude that, Tom. I've always thought she has rather dainty feet. x
Shopping Well, I never heard of 2 people that can shop like you two. Sounds like you got some good bargains, look forward to seeing everything on. Not long now till you get home - you are going to find UK rather dull, methinks love mumxxx
i to both of you you will be having a fashion show when you arrive home probably forgotten what half of them look like
enjoyed the blog tom
love grandma @ granda xxx
Millionares playground Glad to hear that you are making the most of the free attractions. People after my own heart. The 9-5 is going to be so boring after this trip!. Keep up the good work.
Much love from all in Hastings. xxxxxxxxxxxx
hello i to both of you .as usual your blog is a very good read so now tom as a bad foot and wrist . ?anyway lovely to hear from you and that adventure is still ongoing love from us both xxx
Vin Pearl This sounds like a good day. Why was it so empty, where were all the people? Rachel- Glad to hear that you beat Tom at the air hockey, sounded like he needed taking down a peg or two. Love Mum x
Paradise Now this sounds like the place for me. Love the look of the beach hut right on the beach. Don't know if Alan could cope with only 3 hours of electricity a day though what would he do without his computer and phone !! I don't remember Tom being very good at Chess by the way. Glad you manged to chill for a few days - this trip does sound very full on. Take care xxx
Vietnam I remember last time you had trouble with the size of the tunnels but to get lost in them sounds awful! Glad to hear that Rachel is getting you do some cultural, Tom. It good to experience all sorts of things and the water puppetry sounds good. Lokking forward to seeing a picture of your dreaful haircut cause all the photos look OK Lots of love Mumxx
Lovely Photo's I loved these photo's - very arty! As Tom has clearly shown an aptitude for Sand boarding perhaps we'll manage to drag him along on our next ski trip and he can try his hand on snow! Hope you've managed to escape from Nepal by the time you read this! Take care Love Mumxxxxx
Tunnels Those tunnels look v,v, small - and as for losing the rest of your party I'm sure I would have passed out from terror at that point! Bamboo Island looks Idyllic and your little beach hut was lovely, I'm not surprised you felt the need to extend your stay. Keep on blogging and take care both! Mum xxx
Taxi in Vietnam Sorry to hear your bad experience with a crooked taxi driver. It seemed like you hadn't done enough homework and not read carefully instructions in the guidebook. In the future if you encounter another crooked one, just pay the reasonable estimate fee, perhaps add 10 or 20 thousands more and then walk away. It's also good idea to write down all the information about the driver and taxi number before handling the money.
Have a good trip!
Paul
So Tom and I are finally setting off on our round the world trip with a 26 hour flight to NZ tomorrow! In total we plan to spend 7 months visiting the following countries; New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Loas, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Nepal and India. Hope you enjoy reading!
... full info
Martyn Johnson
non-member comment
Legend
I often tell my story of Mina (Meena) to people when the topic of travel comes up. I was in Indo in 2002/3 and had a run in with her. Only pride was hurt as she scared the crap out of all of us. It didn't help that our guide had been mauled by her the previous year and was regaling us with the story of his escape at the hands of the red ape. His scars were very obvious and quite gruesome. She chased us after our initial escape for more than 2 hours through the jungle. Good times! :)