cleanpairofeyes

I don't remember how the collection of books arrived into the family home I grew up in. I was 7,8, maybe 9 years of age when the box of books was taken from the box and put onto the bookshelf. I have dozens of cousins varying in age, so boxes often arrived and boxes often exited. Hand me down clothes, toys, bicycles, books, shoes, skates and even cross country skies have entered and exited my early life. Back to the books. The books were a set of children's versions of classic novels. Their colourful covers, large print, small size and use of illustrations made them both eye catching, easy to transport and the modified classics proved to be an interesting read. I was an avid reader then. I read on the school bus, on my recess ... read more

I sit sipping my 3rd coffee of the day, tired from a day of employment which is to pay the bills and to fund the next travel adventure. I am back in the real world, my social life a spark of what it was only weeks ago. Now I drink much less and find myself consistently being more responsible. I do have two years of moments, still frames in my mind that remind of all that has been experienced and accomplished. I also have a feeling that reminds me of the last 2 years. I have been humbled and amazed by what we call life and this shadows me throughout my moments of the day. I both feel and see things differently. Handshakes, hugs, kisses, smiles, laughs, smells, flavours, sounds, landscapes, emotions, friendships, lusts, music, contemplation, ... read more

The email was short and sweet. A few train times, Manchester airport 4:06 to Westhoughton 4:56 and a casual “See you soon”. So I was to be picked up at the Westhoughton train station by my friend Mike (who I met in Wellington, New Zealand near the start of this trip). The instructions were simple and proved to be accurate. The only trouble I had was the ticket lady correcting my pronunciation of the town name Westhoughton a few times. I gave up trying to say it properly and she gave up correcting me. I got off the train at the stop I was directed to find out that it wasn't really a train station but just a platform in a little town. It was cool (poor coat selection once again) with no sign of my ... read more

As I have been messing about the globe for nearly two years now, I have met many English folk scattered about. They speak of their homeland with mixed reviews but one thing remains unanimous, the weather in England is rubbish. It was a 13 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur and just as the cabin crew announced our descent and soon arrival to London Stansted, the man across the aisle from me tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the little plane window and told me to enjoy my last view of the sunshine I would see on this trip. It was surely British humour, or so I thought as the plane descended through endless cloud. The lights of the airport were barely visible in the thick fog. We were on the runway when the English ... read more

I have been in Malaysia for a little while now. I have been complaining about the humidity since my first moments in this country. The heat and humidity in Penang seemed to pack more of a punch then in previous locations. I was unsure of where to next but once I heard about the Cameron Highlands, I was sold. The highlands can be found in the mountains of central Malaysia. It is home to jungles, rolling hills, tea plantations, and pleasant cooler temperatures. I was looking forward to the cooler temperatures, the pleasant backdrop, getting into the mountain air and getting to see more of the Malaysian countryside. I am going to be short winded about this part. Denise and I took a shuttle bus up into the Cameron Highlands, enjoyed two rainy days of beautiful ... read more