26/4/11
We like Luang Probang. Its clean ordered and calm well it is in comparison to Idia and Vietnam. This combined with the fact the the next destination in Laos is 20 hours away on a bumpy bus helped us to come to the decision that we would base ourselves in Luang Probang for the whole 18 days we are in Laos. This brought on a rash of planning. How could we get the most out of our time here and how could we fly from here to our next destination Bangkok. Well four hours of trolling the travel agencies (of which James had pre researched so knew which was the best) we had an 18 day schedule planned. We booked ourselves on a days kyacking, a two day trek, 3 days working and living with elephants and a days climbing along with flights to Bangkok. The upside is that we have a fun packed few weeks the downside is that the budget for food is rather tight. With this in mind we had street food for lunch and dinner and at about 10,000 kip (66p) per meal we will be ok even if your taste buds are not going to be in overdrive.
The afternoon was spent exploring a Temple, playing more scrabble and relaxing. It is now official we are addicted to scrabble. Its the first thing we do in the morning and last thing at night. I have even taken to remembering 3 and 4 letter words as I see them in books...
27/4/11
I had been left in charge of organizing the day cycling to a village to look at handcrafts. I knew my planning was not up to the quality of James but for some reason we could not find the name of the village we were supposed to be cycling too. Despite trawling the travel books that we had read the previous day it was nowhere to been seen. I had also not thoroughly researched the best place to rent bikes instead opting for the two bikes the hostel had on offer. We set off on rickety bikes with no real destination in mind. I was sure we would have fun and see interesting stuff. James did not quite have my confidence. James of course was right. Whilst the ride is nice the village that we eventually stop at is less then exciting. On the return trip I saw sign for a waterfall just at the same time my bike chain came off and stops functioning properly. Not to be deterred I locked my bike up and I walked along side James and he rides. 1 KM later we arrived at a trickle that in the rainy season is a waterfall but is not much cop now. James is unusually gracious and does not critisise but I know he is thinking that this would nver happen with Bo travel services. He would know to the millimeter how much water would be there for each day of the year... Oh well at least I apreacte his planning even more!
That afternoon we successfully get cash out of the cash machine. Over 6 days ago I transferred some money to the card that we use abroad. What I had not factored in was the 2 bank holidays and the weekend... damn those banks and their holidays. Also what happened to my (admittedly tiny amount) of interest!
The evening was spent relining in the upstairs of a pub watching eat pray love a film by Julia Robbert. It was nice to lie back and watch something in English and the movie was not half bad. At the headdy time of 10pm we emerged onto the streets being careful to observe the local please laws of which we have a copying our hostel room. The highlights include 1) keep quiet after 10am (big tick from James) not bringing to your room men or women who you are not marred to in order to make sexy time and not bringing local or foreigners to your room to make sexy videos.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Monday, 25 April 2011
A drunkards tail
24/4/11 and some of 25/4/11
There was an Englishman who had little control when it came to drink and another that had some. Then there was the Irishman who liked to drink lots and a Scots man who liked it even more. These four people plus a sensible Irish lass and an American who we shall refer to as Jaws all met up for an evening. Causal observers would soon realize that they all got on and were lightly dosed with alcohol. One English man had a cackle that could be heard in England, the Irishman had the gift of the gab and the Scots man had a temperature due to a complete lack of non alcoholic beverages for 24 hours. After a lining of the stomachs with pizza the quality of which was dubious the real work of the night began. Arriving at the bar the two trios drank, cackled, told stories and had fun.
Then it was pumpkin time as midnight had arrived. The now less sensible Englishman and his generally drunkard husband had to depart as alas they had a flight the next morning. After a round of goodbyes and of course a parting drink they set off into the night. Feeling a bit wobbly they elected to be driven three to a motorbike back to the hotel. After just fours hours kip an annoying buzz could be heard followed by two Englishmen lumbering around trying to leave the hotel before the taxi arrived. Success was grasped and the duo left and as by a miracle with passports and belonging in hand. Passing two prostitutes emerging from another room on the way out they emerged safly at the bus terminal.
The drunkards now feeling less drunk and more hungover were processed at the airport, packed into a flying tube and dispatched to Laos when they crawled into the next hotel bed…
The rest of 25/4/11 (4pm-10pm!)
After sleeping off the booze we woke, ate, read, and had hangover food. Burger, chips and soft drinks before heading back to bed. We did however decide we like Loa as its calm, quiet, clean and safe. We can cross the road without fear, no one beeps there horn and there’s lots of monks in orange walking around. Think it may be a few days before we sample beer Lao though!
There was an Englishman who had little control when it came to drink and another that had some. Then there was the Irishman who liked to drink lots and a Scots man who liked it even more. These four people plus a sensible Irish lass and an American who we shall refer to as Jaws all met up for an evening. Causal observers would soon realize that they all got on and were lightly dosed with alcohol. One English man had a cackle that could be heard in England, the Irishman had the gift of the gab and the Scots man had a temperature due to a complete lack of non alcoholic beverages for 24 hours. After a lining of the stomachs with pizza the quality of which was dubious the real work of the night began. Arriving at the bar the two trios drank, cackled, told stories and had fun.
Then it was pumpkin time as midnight had arrived. The now less sensible Englishman and his generally drunkard husband had to depart as alas they had a flight the next morning. After a round of goodbyes and of course a parting drink they set off into the night. Feeling a bit wobbly they elected to be driven three to a motorbike back to the hotel. After just fours hours kip an annoying buzz could be heard followed by two Englishmen lumbering around trying to leave the hotel before the taxi arrived. Success was grasped and the duo left and as by a miracle with passports and belonging in hand. Passing two prostitutes emerging from another room on the way out they emerged safly at the bus terminal.
The drunkards now feeling less drunk and more hungover were processed at the airport, packed into a flying tube and dispatched to Laos when they crawled into the next hotel bed…
The rest of 25/4/11 (4pm-10pm!)
After sleeping off the booze we woke, ate, read, and had hangover food. Burger, chips and soft drinks before heading back to bed. We did however decide we like Loa as its calm, quiet, clean and safe. We can cross the road without fear, no one beeps there horn and there’s lots of monks in orange walking around. Think it may be a few days before we sample beer Lao though!
Sunday, 24 April 2011
oh my head
22/4/11
Oh god package tours suck. We were roused at 730 am for breakfast. We made it but not all of the group did. Either way we were all out of our accommodation by 8.30 as it was time for the next day’s activities. Most were heading back to Hanoi so we agreed to meet up the following night. We on the other hand were headed onto a bus and taken to Cat Ba but on the way the bus stopped and our guide said "now you walk up the mountain!” We duly obliged and engaged in an hours steep up hill clime in flip flops. By the time we got to the top we had sweated out all of the previous nights excess and were somewhat out of puff and most certainly shown up by our guide who at 60+ was not even sweating!
Once we were safely aboard the bus we were delivered to our hotel where it was lunch time. We then returned to our room for a quick lie down which turned into the rest of the day watching TV. Now we are sure Cat Ba was lovely we just never saw it.
23/4/11
Again we were roused early for breakfast and then it was back on the Junk for some more sailing before being delivered back to the bus for the trip back to Hanoi. At this point a vague memory of a plan to meet up with the Irish and Scottish group surfaced in our minds. Oh god what had be agreed to oh god we are old as surly a hangover should not last 2 days. Anyway we rationalized we were just tired from the combined effects of trekking traveling and the beer filled night and were actually still young a virile. That said not young enough to actually go out for another nights drinking. Once back at the hotel we emailed the group, organising a rematch for the following day and slunk into our pits for a nice long nap
Oh god package tours suck. We were roused at 730 am for breakfast. We made it but not all of the group did. Either way we were all out of our accommodation by 8.30 as it was time for the next day’s activities. Most were heading back to Hanoi so we agreed to meet up the following night. We on the other hand were headed onto a bus and taken to Cat Ba but on the way the bus stopped and our guide said "now you walk up the mountain!” We duly obliged and engaged in an hours steep up hill clime in flip flops. By the time we got to the top we had sweated out all of the previous nights excess and were somewhat out of puff and most certainly shown up by our guide who at 60+ was not even sweating!
Once we were safely aboard the bus we were delivered to our hotel where it was lunch time. We then returned to our room for a quick lie down which turned into the rest of the day watching TV. Now we are sure Cat Ba was lovely we just never saw it.
23/4/11
Again we were roused early for breakfast and then it was back on the Junk for some more sailing before being delivered back to the bus for the trip back to Hanoi. At this point a vague memory of a plan to meet up with the Irish and Scottish group surfaced in our minds. Oh god what had be agreed to oh god we are old as surly a hangover should not last 2 days. Anyway we rationalized we were just tired from the combined effects of trekking traveling and the beer filled night and were actually still young a virile. That said not young enough to actually go out for another nights drinking. Once back at the hotel we emailed the group, organising a rematch for the following day and slunk into our pits for a nice long nap
Englishman an Irishman and a Scotsman
21/4/11
Being married to the proprietor of Bo Travel planning I have forgotten what a package trip is like. Regimented is the answer. You eat breakfast at 8am, you swim now, you cannon now, you eat now, you poo now. That said it is easier than negation with taxi drivers!
For once James had decided that it was easier if someone else did the organizing as his extensive research had shown that independent travelers struggled when trying to secure a place on a Junk to sail along Harlong bay. So at the allotted time (8am sharp) we board the bus to Harlong Bay. Four hours later we arrive at this UNESO world heritage sight. The only problem is that the mist is so thick that we can not see anything. This combined with the other 60 boats within spitting distance is a worrying sight.
Not to be deterred we board the Junk and informed its lunch time. We eat and it’s good. We are then headed around a cave and told to look at bits of rocks that are supposed to look like Buddha, a chicken, a turtle etc. You have to have a good imagination but without fail everyone in the group recognizes the penis although we re told this is gods finger!
We are then directed to the canoes were we are allotted an hours free recreation to paddle around the bay. This mist has lifted a bit so we can see things and in general we have fun with a few near misses with the innumerate other junks disgorging passengers.
Once back on board we settle in for an afternoon of sailing and then a bit of swimming. We get talking to the others and it transpires there is an Englishman an Irishman and a Scotsman on board. The Irishman talked 10 to the dozen (I think he had 4 lungs as even I was challenged to get a word in edgeways) the Scots man was on the booze early and the Englishmen moaned about the weather. Despite living up to national stereotypes we all got along fabulously along with the smattering of Americans and the Irish girl. We did what any sensible 20 something’s would do we began to drink with intermittent jumping off the roof of the boat into the water.
As the evening progressed we ate, smoked and drank ourselves happy. Then shock of shock we ran out of cigarettes. Feeling this was a matter that needed to be rectified I striped down to my boxer shorts clambered into the water and set off to buy some from an adjoining boat. Well this created somewhat of an incident... The nearby boat turned its strong lights on me to check I was ok. I waved to them and continued to swim merrily along giving a running commentary to those on board. The first board was all quiet so not to be deterred I set off to the next where I could see three staff sitting on the back. Upon arrival I was helped aboard, given some rice wine and we had a chat.
Unbeknown to me the owner of the ship that I had abandoned was less than pleased about my night time activates so after a little while James shouted instructions that I was to swim back. I dually set off arriving at our boat (cigarettes in a plastic bag aloft my head) just as the rescue boat that had been dispatched to save me tore across the patch of water I had been swimming in. Having no lights it was not sure where I was so potentially it was more hindrance than help.
Anyway safely back on board we continued to drink and partying before rolling into bed a lot worse for ware.
Being married to the proprietor of Bo Travel planning I have forgotten what a package trip is like. Regimented is the answer. You eat breakfast at 8am, you swim now, you cannon now, you eat now, you poo now. That said it is easier than negation with taxi drivers!
For once James had decided that it was easier if someone else did the organizing as his extensive research had shown that independent travelers struggled when trying to secure a place on a Junk to sail along Harlong bay. So at the allotted time (8am sharp) we board the bus to Harlong Bay. Four hours later we arrive at this UNESO world heritage sight. The only problem is that the mist is so thick that we can not see anything. This combined with the other 60 boats within spitting distance is a worrying sight.
Not to be deterred we board the Junk and informed its lunch time. We eat and it’s good. We are then headed around a cave and told to look at bits of rocks that are supposed to look like Buddha, a chicken, a turtle etc. You have to have a good imagination but without fail everyone in the group recognizes the penis although we re told this is gods finger!
We are then directed to the canoes were we are allotted an hours free recreation to paddle around the bay. This mist has lifted a bit so we can see things and in general we have fun with a few near misses with the innumerate other junks disgorging passengers.
Once back on board we settle in for an afternoon of sailing and then a bit of swimming. We get talking to the others and it transpires there is an Englishman an Irishman and a Scotsman on board. The Irishman talked 10 to the dozen (I think he had 4 lungs as even I was challenged to get a word in edgeways) the Scots man was on the booze early and the Englishmen moaned about the weather. Despite living up to national stereotypes we all got along fabulously along with the smattering of Americans and the Irish girl. We did what any sensible 20 something’s would do we began to drink with intermittent jumping off the roof of the boat into the water.
As the evening progressed we ate, smoked and drank ourselves happy. Then shock of shock we ran out of cigarettes. Feeling this was a matter that needed to be rectified I striped down to my boxer shorts clambered into the water and set off to buy some from an adjoining boat. Well this created somewhat of an incident... The nearby boat turned its strong lights on me to check I was ok. I waved to them and continued to swim merrily along giving a running commentary to those on board. The first board was all quiet so not to be deterred I set off to the next where I could see three staff sitting on the back. Upon arrival I was helped aboard, given some rice wine and we had a chat.
Unbeknown to me the owner of the ship that I had abandoned was less than pleased about my night time activates so after a little while James shouted instructions that I was to swim back. I dually set off arriving at our boat (cigarettes in a plastic bag aloft my head) just as the rescue boat that had been dispatched to save me tore across the patch of water I had been swimming in. Having no lights it was not sure where I was so potentially it was more hindrance than help.
Anyway safely back on board we continued to drink and partying before rolling into bed a lot worse for ware.
Friday, 22 April 2011
We are officially travelers now…
We are officially travelers now…
We think nothing of getting into a bed that has just been vacated by the previous occupants and the sheets not changed
Our feet are continually dirty
We haven’t cooked a meal for over 8 weeks
A hotel room with no windows is our preference as it reduces opportunities for noise
Washing clothes by hand is the norm but we both get very excited if we send it to a laundry
Getting a free pack of shampoo in the hotel room generate excitement that free Molton Brown products use to induce
Washing our hair with just water or hand soap now feel normal
I understand humidity as before I though temperature and humidity were the same thing. James explained its like an old man breathing in your face which sums it up pretty well
We never get into a bed before first checking for bed bugs
I have a continual rash/ insect bit pattern my body depending upon where creatures decide to feast.
Sniffing clothes to assess stinkyness has become the norm
Watching American crap like the Discovery Channel and CNN feels like a luxury
We have given up looking for English print newspapers… there just are none!
We take every opportunity to leave our bags at hotels when going on a trip in order to minimize what we have to carry. For James to leave his items was once unthinkable but now how positively encourages it
We think nothing of getting into a bed that has just been vacated by the previous occupants and the sheets not changed
Our feet are continually dirty
We haven’t cooked a meal for over 8 weeks
A hotel room with no windows is our preference as it reduces opportunities for noise
Washing clothes by hand is the norm but we both get very excited if we send it to a laundry
Getting a free pack of shampoo in the hotel room generate excitement that free Molton Brown products use to induce
Washing our hair with just water or hand soap now feel normal
I understand humidity as before I though temperature and humidity were the same thing. James explained its like an old man breathing in your face which sums it up pretty well
We never get into a bed before first checking for bed bugs
I have a continual rash/ insect bit pattern my body depending upon where creatures decide to feast.
Sniffing clothes to assess stinkyness has become the norm
Watching American crap like the Discovery Channel and CNN feels like a luxury
We have given up looking for English print newspapers… there just are none!
We take every opportunity to leave our bags at hotels when going on a trip in order to minimize what we have to carry. For James to leave his items was once unthinkable but now how positively encourages it
return from sappa and resting...
18/4/11
The last day sees us rise a little later and setoff to sapa for lunch after the obligatory and yummy pancakes for breakfast. Arriving at sappa we have lunch in the restaurant that marked the start of our adventure… funny how it feels more like an adventure now its over! After lunch we ask if there is somewhere we can sleep for a few hours and indeed there is so we head off for a nap.
Once we wake up we still have 5 hours before the overnight train so I head off for a massage and James uses the free internet at the hotel. After an uneventful but good massage I return and also engage in some internet surfing.
As its nearly dark we decide to reward ourselves with a nice glass of wine. Here we encounter more black mong ladies selling trinkets and friendship bracelets and James recalls how he used to buy these for himself… bless no one to buy him one. I of course find this hilarious but jams not so much.
Later that evening we board the overnight train back to Hanoi. After some negotiation with the Vietnamese ladies in our carriage it transpires they want us to sleep on the top bunks. We duly oblige and the minute the train pulls out of the station we turn off the lights and go to sleep.
19/4/11
We arrive in Hanoi at 5am and decide that negotiation with a taxi drive at the station is far hard than walking the 1km to the hotel so we set off. This does not deter the taxi drivers who all seem to want us to get in there taxi and think the best way to persuade us is to wave, shout or grab our arms. This of course gets tedious rather quickly and hardens our resolve to walk.
We arrive that the hostel to find the entry gate locked. We ring the bell but fear the worst… no one will let us in. After a period of time we are admitted but it transpires that all the rooms are full and the night staff go back to sleep on their mattresses on the floor. Feeling tired dirty and smelly and distinctly traveler like we join in using the chair cushions for support. Around 7am a set off girls check out of their room. Sensing the moment I enquire if we can lie down in that room for a few hours. We are in luck and my pestering has worked as I am handed the key. We traipse up the stairs and fall into two still warm beds… I think we are now officially travelers.
At 9am we head down to the reception and enquire about when our room will be ready. Chin the owner spins us a line about there being two options one of which is moving to a 3 star hotel down the road or waiting till12noon to access our room. We opt to wait till 12noon but Chin is not deterred by this and continues to extol the virtues of this other hotel but again we are content not to move as we are tired. Chin finally comes clean and tells us the hostel is overbooked and that moving would really help him out. I agree to go and check the room and find the hotel to be very nice and quiet so we agree to move.
After another few hours sleep and some time playing scrabble on the Ipod its time for dinner. Feeling like we want something other then noodles or rice we head off to a tapas bar where we eat yummy yummy Spanish food, play cards and then retire to our rooms for more scrabble and sleep.
20/4/11
I wake at 6am feeling tied but not able to go back to sleep. The walking has condoned me to rise early. So after some more Ipod scrabble head to the restaurant for breakfast. Being a buffet affair mean that I can indulge in my favorite traveling habit of “taking a plate of food back to jams who is sleeping.” James always appears to have a huge apatite as the plate is often full which in my world mean a free lunch. Now the restaurant manager has obviously seen smelly travelers who have had an upgrade try to pull this trick before so as I am about to depart he asks me to pay for the food if I want to take it away. Not being deterred I explain its for my friend who is sleeping. The manager is unmoved. Thinking on my feet I give him the plat asking him to keep it in the fridge until 11 am when James will wake up and come for breakfast. Sensing that I am not fussy where the free lunch eating takes place and that I am definitely too tight to pay for the food the manager capitulates and lets me take the food away…. Success!
Once jams awakes we realize that we are far too tired to actually go anywhere. This combined with the fact that the hotel offers free internet seals the deal… we will stay in the hotel all day. James finishes off the travel planning for Hilary’s trip to New Zealand (please respond by 23./4/11 as we need to book things upon our return to Hanoi-more free internet you see!) I felt like I needed a challenge so began to assess our Rackman potential of one buying a new hours for us in York and two buying another student property. This of course lead onto 6 hours of inputting data into spreadsheets setting out Loan to value ratios, mortgage options and interest rates variables. I actually surprised both myself and jams with my Excel skills and the output gave us both lots to talk about. The synopsis is things look favorable so hopefully the empire can expand from 2012 onwards but there is just a small matter of enjoying the rest of the trip first!
The last day sees us rise a little later and setoff to sapa for lunch after the obligatory and yummy pancakes for breakfast. Arriving at sappa we have lunch in the restaurant that marked the start of our adventure… funny how it feels more like an adventure now its over! After lunch we ask if there is somewhere we can sleep for a few hours and indeed there is so we head off for a nap.
Once we wake up we still have 5 hours before the overnight train so I head off for a massage and James uses the free internet at the hotel. After an uneventful but good massage I return and also engage in some internet surfing.
As its nearly dark we decide to reward ourselves with a nice glass of wine. Here we encounter more black mong ladies selling trinkets and friendship bracelets and James recalls how he used to buy these for himself… bless no one to buy him one. I of course find this hilarious but jams not so much.
Later that evening we board the overnight train back to Hanoi. After some negotiation with the Vietnamese ladies in our carriage it transpires they want us to sleep on the top bunks. We duly oblige and the minute the train pulls out of the station we turn off the lights and go to sleep.
19/4/11
We arrive in Hanoi at 5am and decide that negotiation with a taxi drive at the station is far hard than walking the 1km to the hotel so we set off. This does not deter the taxi drivers who all seem to want us to get in there taxi and think the best way to persuade us is to wave, shout or grab our arms. This of course gets tedious rather quickly and hardens our resolve to walk.
We arrive that the hostel to find the entry gate locked. We ring the bell but fear the worst… no one will let us in. After a period of time we are admitted but it transpires that all the rooms are full and the night staff go back to sleep on their mattresses on the floor. Feeling tired dirty and smelly and distinctly traveler like we join in using the chair cushions for support. Around 7am a set off girls check out of their room. Sensing the moment I enquire if we can lie down in that room for a few hours. We are in luck and my pestering has worked as I am handed the key. We traipse up the stairs and fall into two still warm beds… I think we are now officially travelers.
At 9am we head down to the reception and enquire about when our room will be ready. Chin the owner spins us a line about there being two options one of which is moving to a 3 star hotel down the road or waiting till12noon to access our room. We opt to wait till 12noon but Chin is not deterred by this and continues to extol the virtues of this other hotel but again we are content not to move as we are tired. Chin finally comes clean and tells us the hostel is overbooked and that moving would really help him out. I agree to go and check the room and find the hotel to be very nice and quiet so we agree to move.
After another few hours sleep and some time playing scrabble on the Ipod its time for dinner. Feeling like we want something other then noodles or rice we head off to a tapas bar where we eat yummy yummy Spanish food, play cards and then retire to our rooms for more scrabble and sleep.
20/4/11
I wake at 6am feeling tied but not able to go back to sleep. The walking has condoned me to rise early. So after some more Ipod scrabble head to the restaurant for breakfast. Being a buffet affair mean that I can indulge in my favorite traveling habit of “taking a plate of food back to jams who is sleeping.” James always appears to have a huge apatite as the plate is often full which in my world mean a free lunch. Now the restaurant manager has obviously seen smelly travelers who have had an upgrade try to pull this trick before so as I am about to depart he asks me to pay for the food if I want to take it away. Not being deterred I explain its for my friend who is sleeping. The manager is unmoved. Thinking on my feet I give him the plat asking him to keep it in the fridge until 11 am when James will wake up and come for breakfast. Sensing that I am not fussy where the free lunch eating takes place and that I am definitely too tight to pay for the food the manager capitulates and lets me take the food away…. Success!
Once jams awakes we realize that we are far too tired to actually go anywhere. This combined with the fact that the hotel offers free internet seals the deal… we will stay in the hotel all day. James finishes off the travel planning for Hilary’s trip to New Zealand (please respond by 23./4/11 as we need to book things upon our return to Hanoi-more free internet you see!) I felt like I needed a challenge so began to assess our Rackman potential of one buying a new hours for us in York and two buying another student property. This of course lead onto 6 hours of inputting data into spreadsheets setting out Loan to value ratios, mortgage options and interest rates variables. I actually surprised both myself and jams with my Excel skills and the output gave us both lots to talk about. The synopsis is things look favorable so hopefully the empire can expand from 2012 onwards but there is just a small matter of enjoying the rest of the trip first!
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Day 4 oh Day 4
17/4/11 Day 4
We woke stiff but not too stiff. Today’s walk was circular so we could leave our bags at the home stay. That said our enthusiasm for walking was somewhat diminished as we were tired and it was hot again. Zan told us that there was some up hill today which we took to mean it was going to be steep. We were right as the first 2 hours was an unrelenting hill in the unrelenting sun. Lunch was under a crappy tree and then it was down the other side of the hill. The views were admired frequently but in all the day was hard.
We arrived back at the home stay and Zan reminded me that I had enquired about going farming in the afternoon. Why Why Why had I suggested this? Well I had and we set off on a short walk to the field. 20 minutes later I was at the bottom of the valley picking up rocks and throwing them out of the rice paddy into the river. Hard hot work at the best of times but after 30 minutes I had had enough so politely excused my self and set back off up the hill.
Whilst I was farming James stayed behind but with out a book or I pod to entertain himself (too heavy) he had to resort to writing about the last 24 hours…
Crazy army blind date TV programme. Communist certificates of valour. Polyester sheets, rough sawn floors, mosquito net tomb. Cockerel, snoring, lights on. Headache - “Happy water”. Noise. Heat. Dizzy – poisoned? Wake up. Luke peering in, I hate mornings. Love to pieces, but face made for punching. Legs stiff, and not altogether functional – in a house not made for 6’4”. Sit on teenager chairs outside. Pig smells, noise, washing clean – brought in, don’t remember. Pancakes. Squat toilets. Wearing socks in too small plastic clogs – wet bathroom floor! Off we go – how long – not sure. A little bit uphill – Ha – 1½ hours unshaded. Hot. Sweat. Stick. Ache. Not sure can do this but know want to. Thinking of pains. Luke distracting. 10 minutes to village but lunch not here. Is it just me or is the plan always changing? Off we go. Legs seized up. Beautiful, misty, green, continuous terraces. Plod, plod, plod. One foot in front of other.
Wait for some shade which never seems to come. Sit on our jackets. Tuna and pork in tins. Leftovers to a family. Luke and James – resting, heads on knees. Necks and arms sunburnt. Hello-goodbye, Hello-goodbye. Theft of moped and/or bike – tempting! Downhill hurts shins, uphill hurts calves. Feeling dizzy. Guide stopping to point out the routine – just keep going! Shortcut down hill. Plod, plod, plod. Just a little bit more. Bloody Yorkshire tightness. This day just too long. Car up hill tomorrow – Oh yes. Back. Shoes Off (Peel off). Sit down, lie down, damn polyester sheets. Sweat sweat sweat. Must do stretches. Luke must do stretches. Luke nap. Drink fluid. Rest. Luke farm (crazy!). Nice welly boots. Bloody big spider. Look through photos – I like our house (sigh) – why am I not there? Indecisive. Hot. Tired. Ready for back. Well done me though.
We woke stiff but not too stiff. Today’s walk was circular so we could leave our bags at the home stay. That said our enthusiasm for walking was somewhat diminished as we were tired and it was hot again. Zan told us that there was some up hill today which we took to mean it was going to be steep. We were right as the first 2 hours was an unrelenting hill in the unrelenting sun. Lunch was under a crappy tree and then it was down the other side of the hill. The views were admired frequently but in all the day was hard.
We arrived back at the home stay and Zan reminded me that I had enquired about going farming in the afternoon. Why Why Why had I suggested this? Well I had and we set off on a short walk to the field. 20 minutes later I was at the bottom of the valley picking up rocks and throwing them out of the rice paddy into the river. Hard hot work at the best of times but after 30 minutes I had had enough so politely excused my self and set back off up the hill.
Whilst I was farming James stayed behind but with out a book or I pod to entertain himself (too heavy) he had to resort to writing about the last 24 hours…
Crazy army blind date TV programme. Communist certificates of valour. Polyester sheets, rough sawn floors, mosquito net tomb. Cockerel, snoring, lights on. Headache - “Happy water”. Noise. Heat. Dizzy – poisoned? Wake up. Luke peering in, I hate mornings. Love to pieces, but face made for punching. Legs stiff, and not altogether functional – in a house not made for 6’4”. Sit on teenager chairs outside. Pig smells, noise, washing clean – brought in, don’t remember. Pancakes. Squat toilets. Wearing socks in too small plastic clogs – wet bathroom floor! Off we go – how long – not sure. A little bit uphill – Ha – 1½ hours unshaded. Hot. Sweat. Stick. Ache. Not sure can do this but know want to. Thinking of pains. Luke distracting. 10 minutes to village but lunch not here. Is it just me or is the plan always changing? Off we go. Legs seized up. Beautiful, misty, green, continuous terraces. Plod, plod, plod. One foot in front of other.
Wait for some shade which never seems to come. Sit on our jackets. Tuna and pork in tins. Leftovers to a family. Luke and James – resting, heads on knees. Necks and arms sunburnt. Hello-goodbye, Hello-goodbye. Theft of moped and/or bike – tempting! Downhill hurts shins, uphill hurts calves. Feeling dizzy. Guide stopping to point out the routine – just keep going! Shortcut down hill. Plod, plod, plod. Just a little bit more. Bloody Yorkshire tightness. This day just too long. Car up hill tomorrow – Oh yes. Back. Shoes Off (Peel off). Sit down, lie down, damn polyester sheets. Sweat sweat sweat. Must do stretches. Luke must do stretches. Luke nap. Drink fluid. Rest. Luke farm (crazy!). Nice welly boots. Bloody big spider. Look through photos – I like our house (sigh) – why am I not there? Indecisive. Hot. Tired. Ready for back. Well done me though.
Day 2 & 3- not quite dead
15/4/11 Day 2
We woke early and had breakfast of pancakes and fruit before setting off on our trek. Amazingly we did not feel too stiff and trotted along quite happily. Before we knew it it was lunch time followed by another afternoon nap. The walking and the views were again spectacular and the main obstacle in our enjoyment was a very muddy section on the edge of a steep hill. That said we negotiated this and arrived at the home stay in one piece. We were a little stiffer but after some stretching a hot shower and some beer we felt fine. We were however plagued by Black Mong ladies throughout the evening. Its one thing to be bothered whilst walking but whilst at the home stay was a bit much. James will write a strongly worded email to the trekking company expressing this view!
Dinner was shared with two buyers for tescos… well someone has to do it. Despite working for capitalist central they did not have two heads and appeared to be quite nice. Again another early night after a few rice wines.
16/4/11 Day 3
Now this is traditionally my last day of walking. I find that the cumulative stiffness is still at a manageable level. This combined with the knowledge that at the end of the day I will be in a hot bath normally spurs me on. Instead I realized that today was going to be one of the longest walks I had done, there were two more nights in the home stay, 3 days of walking and an overnight train. Oh my god!
The first half of the day passed off uneventfully and by lunch we were ok if not a little hot as it was far sunnier. We had lunch by a waterfall and felt generally ok. After lunch the 1st hour was generally pleasant and then the assent from hell began. An unrelenting 3KM up hill walk in the heat of the day saw James and I sweating like pigs and walking whilst staring at our feet. Upon arriving at the home stay our Guide Zan informed us that it was FULL. One can imagine our faces so Zan quickly told us that the next home stay was only a 10 minute walk. After some water we trudged on and arrived at the home stay, promptly lay down and collapsed in a pile. This was short lived as we knew we had to stretch but alas the enthusiasm for this was somewhat lacking.
Eventually we pulled ourselves together to do some washing and make our way to the table to eat. Dinner was again lovely and the host was friendly. Zan translated between us all and we generally had fun. The host took drinking rice wine very seriously and encouraged us to do “100%” which essentially translated as knocking back our shots of rice wine in rapid succession. We did not like to offend him but the chances were that we would be drunk very quickly. As such we moved onto shots of beer to keep him happy. Bed followed shortly after!
We woke early and had breakfast of pancakes and fruit before setting off on our trek. Amazingly we did not feel too stiff and trotted along quite happily. Before we knew it it was lunch time followed by another afternoon nap. The walking and the views were again spectacular and the main obstacle in our enjoyment was a very muddy section on the edge of a steep hill. That said we negotiated this and arrived at the home stay in one piece. We were a little stiffer but after some stretching a hot shower and some beer we felt fine. We were however plagued by Black Mong ladies throughout the evening. Its one thing to be bothered whilst walking but whilst at the home stay was a bit much. James will write a strongly worded email to the trekking company expressing this view!
Dinner was shared with two buyers for tescos… well someone has to do it. Despite working for capitalist central they did not have two heads and appeared to be quite nice. Again another early night after a few rice wines.
16/4/11 Day 3
Now this is traditionally my last day of walking. I find that the cumulative stiffness is still at a manageable level. This combined with the knowledge that at the end of the day I will be in a hot bath normally spurs me on. Instead I realized that today was going to be one of the longest walks I had done, there were two more nights in the home stay, 3 days of walking and an overnight train. Oh my god!
The first half of the day passed off uneventfully and by lunch we were ok if not a little hot as it was far sunnier. We had lunch by a waterfall and felt generally ok. After lunch the 1st hour was generally pleasant and then the assent from hell began. An unrelenting 3KM up hill walk in the heat of the day saw James and I sweating like pigs and walking whilst staring at our feet. Upon arriving at the home stay our Guide Zan informed us that it was FULL. One can imagine our faces so Zan quickly told us that the next home stay was only a 10 minute walk. After some water we trudged on and arrived at the home stay, promptly lay down and collapsed in a pile. This was short lived as we knew we had to stretch but alas the enthusiasm for this was somewhat lacking.
Eventually we pulled ourselves together to do some washing and make our way to the table to eat. Dinner was again lovely and the host was friendly. Zan translated between us all and we generally had fun. The host took drinking rice wine very seriously and encouraged us to do “100%” which essentially translated as knocking back our shots of rice wine in rapid succession. We did not like to offend him but the chances were that we would be drunk very quickly. As such we moved onto shots of beer to keep him happy. Bed followed shortly after!
Day 1
14/4/11
After another incident of the oversized chimp (he was too big for the sleeper carriage) we arrived in Lao Cai train station where we were met buy our guide Zan. An hour later we arrived in Sapa where we prepared for our trek by essentially eating a lot. After a few hours exploring the village we set off with Zan. The first obstacle was the black Mong ladies who ware traditional dress (not just for the tourists) who like to sell tourist things. The common entry conversation is “you buy from me” to which we shake our head. This is followed by “why not.” The ladies generally hunt in packs of 5-12 and are quite persistent. If you do actually buy something from one of them the others lock onto you like a homing beacon enquiring as to whether “you buy from me” and if the answer is no then “that’s not fair you buy from me” As you can imagine we were glad to shake off the ladies but we had to walk 1km before they stopped following!
Once we got out into the countryside we were greeted with thousands of rice terraces in various shades of green and brown. Large numbers of water buffalo either sat in the rice paddies or ploughed them. Even though it was misty the views were beautiful. We stopped at a local school to meet the children who were decidedly un-interested in us and extremely dirty. This was in contrast to India where children loved to wave and say high and were all beautifully clean and well turned out.
After 3 hours of walking it was lunch followed by a quick nap for me in the sun. Well these sedate travelers are not used to all this walking! After lunch we set off through the hills and woods crossing more rice fields before arriving at the home stay. We both felt fine, our back and legs did not hurt only time would tell if we would survive this.
The home stay was essentially someone’s home with some additional sleeping areas- mattresses on floors with mosquito nets above us. Two Dutch people also turned up at the home stay. We got talking over dinner and innocently asked how thy met. Well they met in a very Dutch way if you ask me… naked in a sauna. Despite this they were rather nice and we spent the evening eating lots of nice food drinking rice wine and relaxing. The porters who were traveling with the Dutch couple (we carried our own stuff!) enjoyed rice wine by the half pint mug and consequently got rather pissed but never the less were very jolly.
We went to bed at 8.30 pm as maybe we were more tired than we had expected.
After another incident of the oversized chimp (he was too big for the sleeper carriage) we arrived in Lao Cai train station where we were met buy our guide Zan. An hour later we arrived in Sapa where we prepared for our trek by essentially eating a lot. After a few hours exploring the village we set off with Zan. The first obstacle was the black Mong ladies who ware traditional dress (not just for the tourists) who like to sell tourist things. The common entry conversation is “you buy from me” to which we shake our head. This is followed by “why not.” The ladies generally hunt in packs of 5-12 and are quite persistent. If you do actually buy something from one of them the others lock onto you like a homing beacon enquiring as to whether “you buy from me” and if the answer is no then “that’s not fair you buy from me” As you can imagine we were glad to shake off the ladies but we had to walk 1km before they stopped following!
Once we got out into the countryside we were greeted with thousands of rice terraces in various shades of green and brown. Large numbers of water buffalo either sat in the rice paddies or ploughed them. Even though it was misty the views were beautiful. We stopped at a local school to meet the children who were decidedly un-interested in us and extremely dirty. This was in contrast to India where children loved to wave and say high and were all beautifully clean and well turned out.
After 3 hours of walking it was lunch followed by a quick nap for me in the sun. Well these sedate travelers are not used to all this walking! After lunch we set off through the hills and woods crossing more rice fields before arriving at the home stay. We both felt fine, our back and legs did not hurt only time would tell if we would survive this.
The home stay was essentially someone’s home with some additional sleeping areas- mattresses on floors with mosquito nets above us. Two Dutch people also turned up at the home stay. We got talking over dinner and innocently asked how thy met. Well they met in a very Dutch way if you ask me… naked in a sauna. Despite this they were rather nice and we spent the evening eating lots of nice food drinking rice wine and relaxing. The porters who were traveling with the Dutch couple (we carried our own stuff!) enjoyed rice wine by the half pint mug and consequently got rather pissed but never the less were very jolly.
We went to bed at 8.30 pm as maybe we were more tired than we had expected.
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
5 day trek for tougher trekkers
James appears to have begun to amass a collection of illnesses over the last few days. So far he has alluded to having TB, diarrhea, a stroke, the flu, phenomena. This appears to coincide with the fact that the trek he booked safe from the sofa is nearly upon us. In James own words he booked this trek because it looked like better value than the others. I have interpreted this in line with his Yorkshireness “it looked cheep when you compare the number of days and length” So from the safety of his sofa 6 months ago he booked us on a 5 day trek “for tougher trekkers!” This equates to
Overnight train
Day 1 Trekking: 15 km – Moderate grade
Day 2 Trekking: 20 km – Moderate grade
Day 3 Trekking: 23 km – Moderate grade
Day 4 Trekking: 20 km – Moderate grade
Day 5 Trekking: 12 km - Introductory grade
Overnight train
Die in hostel room
We have decided to pack very lightly and for me to carry one bag as this seems a long way even for me. James face went white when I explained that I was a little apprehensive and that the most I had walked for was 4 days. Over the period of the day James has tried to disappear or fall down a number of holes to prevent his taking part. Fortunately or unfortunately for James he has not been able to conjure up any convincing illness so he is coming along too…
As we have a strenuous few days ahead we had a late lunch and a walk in Hanoi before returning to the hostel for a few hours internet time before setting off on the big adventure. I hope to be bogging in 7 days time but only time will tell.
Overnight train
Day 1 Trekking: 15 km – Moderate grade
Day 2 Trekking: 20 km – Moderate grade
Day 3 Trekking: 23 km – Moderate grade
Day 4 Trekking: 20 km – Moderate grade
Day 5 Trekking: 12 km - Introductory grade
Overnight train
Die in hostel room
We have decided to pack very lightly and for me to carry one bag as this seems a long way even for me. James face went white when I explained that I was a little apprehensive and that the most I had walked for was 4 days. Over the period of the day James has tried to disappear or fall down a number of holes to prevent his taking part. Fortunately or unfortunately for James he has not been able to conjure up any convincing illness so he is coming along too…
As we have a strenuous few days ahead we had a late lunch and a walk in Hanoi before returning to the hostel for a few hours internet time before setting off on the big adventure. I hope to be bogging in 7 days time but only time will tell.
Job Interview and one of the biggest shocks of my life
12/4/11
We have got into travel mode so rising before 10am is somewhat of a struggle so imagine James needing to be ready for a phone job interview at 9.30am. Well he managed to be ready and I was dispatched to sit down stairs. An hour passed and I thought that the interview was taking a long time but thought nothing of it. A little time latter James come clomping down the stairs. Not known for his grace the noise was even louder as he was stamping his feet as no one had rung him. There then followed a few emails and a series of attempts to call New Zealand and eventually 2 hours late the interviews called on the hotel phone.
James raced to the room which at 68 stairs made him out of puff. In the mean time the owner explained in accented English to the interviewers that they needed to ring back as he was on the wrong phone to transfer the call. Then horror of horror he put the phone down. There was then a period of intense staring at the phone whilst 5 minutes elapsed. Just at the point of having a heart attack the phone rang and the call was put through to our room. James thought the interview went well and the intervieers also enquired if James would be interested in a management position. James was unsure but left his options open by emailing after the interview to say he would be happy to discuss any positions that were vacant. A decision shall be made whilst we are on our trek so watch this space.
After a quick light lunch we headed over to old Hanoi restaurant for a cooking lesson. Here we made a dipping sauce, spring rolls, king rice, Vietnamese fish and sweet potato soup for desert (quite tasty actually). We have the recipes so shall, subject to availability of ingredients, we will cook this when we are in New Zealand and failing that at home.
Upon returning to our hotel I checked my emails and had one of the biggest shocks of my life. The email was from my work colleague Anna who I had shared an office with for the last 8 months. The email went a bit like this…
“do you remember we had two volunteer girls working on inputting members to the membership database working with me from December to March? One of them was called Sara Collinson, she was tall and thin with dark hair tied back, a nose stud and dressed like a student. She was very inquisitive and a bright young girl who asked us many questions about the Trust? Well ... she was an undercover journalist, filming us (yep, both you and I) She posed as a volunteer throughout the hospital and there was another man who posed as a bank porter doing the same secret filming. They were filmed for dispatches and the program aired last night at 8 p.m. on channel 4. It was supposed to be about the coalition government and the spending cuts but did not really depict that, it is frightening the way she engaged with everyone and the way that I trusted her. I feel like I have had my privacy violated but they are legally allowed to show you on TV if they blur your face out to protect your identity (although it doesn’t)”
I am not one for being a drama queen but I actually felt sick when I opened the email and I can only imagine what it must have felt like for Anna waiting for it to be aired it must have been truly horrid, bowel clenching fear. This is the type of "oh shit" moment you never want in work. This person had been in our office for four months. We had been nice to her and made her feel welcomed so I felt a little betrayed.
I think neither of us is so discrete as to directly slag off the Trust to a volunteer but at the same time we are fairly frank and with editing that could have been interesting. Fortunately Anna informed me that neither Anna or I were on film but the Trust certainly was and it did not come off to well. I emailed Alice for in impartial overview and she provided a very complete synopsis which settled my mind further. Anyway not quite what you expect… hopefully it means statistically that I have had my fill with undercover journalist for my career.
We have got into travel mode so rising before 10am is somewhat of a struggle so imagine James needing to be ready for a phone job interview at 9.30am. Well he managed to be ready and I was dispatched to sit down stairs. An hour passed and I thought that the interview was taking a long time but thought nothing of it. A little time latter James come clomping down the stairs. Not known for his grace the noise was even louder as he was stamping his feet as no one had rung him. There then followed a few emails and a series of attempts to call New Zealand and eventually 2 hours late the interviews called on the hotel phone.
James raced to the room which at 68 stairs made him out of puff. In the mean time the owner explained in accented English to the interviewers that they needed to ring back as he was on the wrong phone to transfer the call. Then horror of horror he put the phone down. There was then a period of intense staring at the phone whilst 5 minutes elapsed. Just at the point of having a heart attack the phone rang and the call was put through to our room. James thought the interview went well and the intervieers also enquired if James would be interested in a management position. James was unsure but left his options open by emailing after the interview to say he would be happy to discuss any positions that were vacant. A decision shall be made whilst we are on our trek so watch this space.
After a quick light lunch we headed over to old Hanoi restaurant for a cooking lesson. Here we made a dipping sauce, spring rolls, king rice, Vietnamese fish and sweet potato soup for desert (quite tasty actually). We have the recipes so shall, subject to availability of ingredients, we will cook this when we are in New Zealand and failing that at home.
Upon returning to our hotel I checked my emails and had one of the biggest shocks of my life. The email was from my work colleague Anna who I had shared an office with for the last 8 months. The email went a bit like this…
“do you remember we had two volunteer girls working on inputting members to the membership database working with me from December to March? One of them was called Sara Collinson, she was tall and thin with dark hair tied back, a nose stud and dressed like a student. She was very inquisitive and a bright young girl who asked us many questions about the Trust? Well ... she was an undercover journalist, filming us (yep, both you and I) She posed as a volunteer throughout the hospital and there was another man who posed as a bank porter doing the same secret filming. They were filmed for dispatches and the program aired last night at 8 p.m. on channel 4. It was supposed to be about the coalition government and the spending cuts but did not really depict that, it is frightening the way she engaged with everyone and the way that I trusted her. I feel like I have had my privacy violated but they are legally allowed to show you on TV if they blur your face out to protect your identity (although it doesn’t)”
I am not one for being a drama queen but I actually felt sick when I opened the email and I can only imagine what it must have felt like for Anna waiting for it to be aired it must have been truly horrid, bowel clenching fear. This is the type of "oh shit" moment you never want in work. This person had been in our office for four months. We had been nice to her and made her feel welcomed so I felt a little betrayed.
I think neither of us is so discrete as to directly slag off the Trust to a volunteer but at the same time we are fairly frank and with editing that could have been interesting. Fortunately Anna informed me that neither Anna or I were on film but the Trust certainly was and it did not come off to well. I emailed Alice for in impartial overview and she provided a very complete synopsis which settled my mind further. Anyway not quite what you expect… hopefully it means statistically that I have had my fill with undercover journalist for my career.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Hanoi Hilton & sadomasochism
10/4/11
We rolled out of bed and into Hanoi around 11am as the jet lag had certainly caught up with us. We found Hanoi to be cool clean and relatively calm. Each street in the old quarter is known by what it specialize in. Our particular favorites were Metal Street, String Street, Underwear Street and key Cutting Street.
Lunch was a lovely cabbage and pork soup for me and beef with cashew nuts for James. Joy of joy no curry. That said James chop stick skills were shown up and he had to resort to a spoon. Pre empting this Mia had thoughtfully bought James a pair of Chimp Sticks which are essentially children’s chop sticks held together at the top with little scoops on the bottom. We shall have to bring these out with us next time.
After lunch we walked round enjoying the sights and sounds of Hanoi before returning to the hotel to play scrabble on the Ipod. We have become obsessed with this, me in particular. I have 15 games on the go and appear to win about half. That said I have never beaten James yet even with a 50 point head start. Well I live in hope.
We had dinner with two English trainee doctors. They had both been health care assistants and had humanity… not always a pre request for a doctor. We ate more yummy food and drank beer and generally enjoyed ourselves.
11/4/11
We set of to the Hanoi Hilton which was the optimistic name given to the old prison. The tour was a coup in propaganda as the victorious, loyal and fearless prisoners held strong against the vicious and oppressive French colonialists and then the Americans. Balanced it was not but interesting never the less.
Lunch saw James and I seated on tiny children’s stools on the pavement eating street food. To one side the lady was cooking small beef burgers and the other side was a huge pot of boiling soup and noodles. Dinner was served and we were encouraged to add chilies. Unfortunately James innate clumsiness combined with his inability to use chop sticks (chimp sticks still in the bag) saw him tip 25 chilies into his bowel making his soup somewhat fiery, causing him to sweaty and sneeze. So in essence you had an oversized chimp sitting at a child’s table with his knees by his ears trying in an uncoordinated fashion to feed himself. A sight I wish I could have recorded.
The afternoon saw James preparing for a New Zealand phone job interview that he had scheduled for the next day. The job is working in an outpatient’s clinic dealing with oncology patients and general medicine. The hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday and the contract is for 48 hours per fortnight. Ideal if he could get it.
Whilst James was preparing for the interview I walked around Hanoi looking for the best price for a massage. I visited 6 establishments and inevitably the 1st one which was next door to our hotel was the cheapest at $5 US dollars for 1 hour. Well its good to know you have the best price! The event itself took us from the last erection inducing massage to sadomasochism. We walked into the room where small women were slapping cracking and vigorously rubbing men who looked to be in various states of distress. James very quickly opted for just the foot massage as having just paid for a chiropractic appointment he thought it wise.
I gamely striped down into a pair of proffered shorts and waited with trepidation. The first section was a lovely foot spar with warm water. Then it began. The foot massage was robust and the leg massage intense and then I was ordered to lie on my front. The next thing I felt was the lady climb on top of me and begin to pummel and crack every single joint in my body followed by a thump or slap. Having survived this I lay on my back with my head between her legs and the head and deep neck massage began followed by vigorous head turning inducing more cracks. Then it was over and I was dazed but very loose. I can’t decide whether I liked it or whether I had just paid to be tortured. James on the other hand felt fine and just a little sore.
Dinner saw us repeat the street food knees by ears routine but it was worth it as the food was yummy. Dinner was rounded off with some of the best ice-cream we have ever eaten followed by more scrabble (whilst we waited for the nightclub noise to stop) and then sleep.
We rolled out of bed and into Hanoi around 11am as the jet lag had certainly caught up with us. We found Hanoi to be cool clean and relatively calm. Each street in the old quarter is known by what it specialize in. Our particular favorites were Metal Street, String Street, Underwear Street and key Cutting Street.
Lunch was a lovely cabbage and pork soup for me and beef with cashew nuts for James. Joy of joy no curry. That said James chop stick skills were shown up and he had to resort to a spoon. Pre empting this Mia had thoughtfully bought James a pair of Chimp Sticks which are essentially children’s chop sticks held together at the top with little scoops on the bottom. We shall have to bring these out with us next time.
After lunch we walked round enjoying the sights and sounds of Hanoi before returning to the hotel to play scrabble on the Ipod. We have become obsessed with this, me in particular. I have 15 games on the go and appear to win about half. That said I have never beaten James yet even with a 50 point head start. Well I live in hope.
We had dinner with two English trainee doctors. They had both been health care assistants and had humanity… not always a pre request for a doctor. We ate more yummy food and drank beer and generally enjoyed ourselves.
11/4/11
We set of to the Hanoi Hilton which was the optimistic name given to the old prison. The tour was a coup in propaganda as the victorious, loyal and fearless prisoners held strong against the vicious and oppressive French colonialists and then the Americans. Balanced it was not but interesting never the less.
Lunch saw James and I seated on tiny children’s stools on the pavement eating street food. To one side the lady was cooking small beef burgers and the other side was a huge pot of boiling soup and noodles. Dinner was served and we were encouraged to add chilies. Unfortunately James innate clumsiness combined with his inability to use chop sticks (chimp sticks still in the bag) saw him tip 25 chilies into his bowel making his soup somewhat fiery, causing him to sweaty and sneeze. So in essence you had an oversized chimp sitting at a child’s table with his knees by his ears trying in an uncoordinated fashion to feed himself. A sight I wish I could have recorded.
The afternoon saw James preparing for a New Zealand phone job interview that he had scheduled for the next day. The job is working in an outpatient’s clinic dealing with oncology patients and general medicine. The hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday and the contract is for 48 hours per fortnight. Ideal if he could get it.
Whilst James was preparing for the interview I walked around Hanoi looking for the best price for a massage. I visited 6 establishments and inevitably the 1st one which was next door to our hotel was the cheapest at $5 US dollars for 1 hour. Well its good to know you have the best price! The event itself took us from the last erection inducing massage to sadomasochism. We walked into the room where small women were slapping cracking and vigorously rubbing men who looked to be in various states of distress. James very quickly opted for just the foot massage as having just paid for a chiropractic appointment he thought it wise.
I gamely striped down into a pair of proffered shorts and waited with trepidation. The first section was a lovely foot spar with warm water. Then it began. The foot massage was robust and the leg massage intense and then I was ordered to lie on my front. The next thing I felt was the lady climb on top of me and begin to pummel and crack every single joint in my body followed by a thump or slap. Having survived this I lay on my back with my head between her legs and the head and deep neck massage began followed by vigorous head turning inducing more cracks. Then it was over and I was dazed but very loose. I can’t decide whether I liked it or whether I had just paid to be tortured. James on the other hand felt fine and just a little sore.
Dinner saw us repeat the street food knees by ears routine but it was worth it as the food was yummy. Dinner was rounded off with some of the best ice-cream we have ever eaten followed by more scrabble (whilst we waited for the nightclub noise to stop) and then sleep.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Vietnam
9/4/11 continued…
I think we may move into singapore airport. It is an oasis of calm where everything works, is clean and ordered. There is even a free area called sanctuary replete with loungers, trickling water and automatic foot massage. We can only imagine what the paid for upper class lounges were like. We settled down for a rest in the sanctuary whilst we waited for the next flight and it was during this time I began to wonder if it was possible to organize the next transit though singapore to take 24 hours. Free accommodation in a clean environment…
Our relaxation was ended by the need to get on the next flight. Despite having already had one flight where everything was free we were again excited to have more free food and drink but the freeness nearly pushed James suspicious mind over the edge. He could cope with the free wine, food and nuts but was sure the staff where out to tick him when they gave out packs of cards. As such he declined the cards and then studies the other passengers to see if they were paying- they were not. Upon realizing this James began to squirm with excitement and attract the attention of the flight attended who only had one pack of cards remaining. James luck was in and he got the last pack- oh for anything free.
We arrived in Vietnam and our bags had made it as well. James had organized an airport pick up and we set off to Hanoi. I observed that the roads were less congested and better maintained giving the illusion of more order then India. There was still horn blowing aplenty and the odd cow but it felt calmer and safer. This illusion was short lived as it became apparent that the horn was used more in anger than India and our driver was to shake his fist at a moped rider who he nearly knocked off and later we saw a car knock over a moped… it would never happen at singapore airport!
After checking in James dispatched me to ring the chiropractor as his back needed attention after the 15 hour train ride, 4 days in bed and two flights. Amazingly I got an appointment for the same day and we set off in a taxi. Now being weary of taxis we got in and asked for the meter to be put on. To our amazement he said the meter was automatic and the drive took us directly to where we wanted to go.
I am not sure I am cut out to be a millionaire. Its far too much hard work trying to work out all the zeros. I am in a constant sate of anxiety when paying in Vietnam as the exchange rate is 35,000 dong to the pound. I take money out of the ATM in denominations of 1,000,000 (1 million for those of us who don’t like zeros) and every time I buy things its around 200,000 which is 6gbp. Somehow it feels like there are more opportunities to scanked when in fact the amounts involved are still low.
The joys of skype contacted us with Carol and Emma and what’s more we have downloaded SKYPE onto James Ipod and accessed it via WiFi in our room. Far nicer to see people when we talk to them and even better its free!
We headed out for dinner in search of Vietnamese food. We failed and had pizza and wine. Bliss never the less. Upon arriving to the hotel there was music coming from somewhere. James was not impressed and after stuffing towels in windows we could still hear the noise. I slept easily but James lay there until 11.45 when the music stopped. Using James logic he sat there for 15 minutes straining to hear if there was in fact noise. Most of us would take the opportunity to get to sleep but not James. After 15 minutes he was satisfied that the music had indeed stopped and he rolled over and went to sleep.
I think we may move into singapore airport. It is an oasis of calm where everything works, is clean and ordered. There is even a free area called sanctuary replete with loungers, trickling water and automatic foot massage. We can only imagine what the paid for upper class lounges were like. We settled down for a rest in the sanctuary whilst we waited for the next flight and it was during this time I began to wonder if it was possible to organize the next transit though singapore to take 24 hours. Free accommodation in a clean environment…
Our relaxation was ended by the need to get on the next flight. Despite having already had one flight where everything was free we were again excited to have more free food and drink but the freeness nearly pushed James suspicious mind over the edge. He could cope with the free wine, food and nuts but was sure the staff where out to tick him when they gave out packs of cards. As such he declined the cards and then studies the other passengers to see if they were paying- they were not. Upon realizing this James began to squirm with excitement and attract the attention of the flight attended who only had one pack of cards remaining. James luck was in and he got the last pack- oh for anything free.
We arrived in Vietnam and our bags had made it as well. James had organized an airport pick up and we set off to Hanoi. I observed that the roads were less congested and better maintained giving the illusion of more order then India. There was still horn blowing aplenty and the odd cow but it felt calmer and safer. This illusion was short lived as it became apparent that the horn was used more in anger than India and our driver was to shake his fist at a moped rider who he nearly knocked off and later we saw a car knock over a moped… it would never happen at singapore airport!
After checking in James dispatched me to ring the chiropractor as his back needed attention after the 15 hour train ride, 4 days in bed and two flights. Amazingly I got an appointment for the same day and we set off in a taxi. Now being weary of taxis we got in and asked for the meter to be put on. To our amazement he said the meter was automatic and the drive took us directly to where we wanted to go.
I am not sure I am cut out to be a millionaire. Its far too much hard work trying to work out all the zeros. I am in a constant sate of anxiety when paying in Vietnam as the exchange rate is 35,000 dong to the pound. I take money out of the ATM in denominations of 1,000,000 (1 million for those of us who don’t like zeros) and every time I buy things its around 200,000 which is 6gbp. Somehow it feels like there are more opportunities to scanked when in fact the amounts involved are still low.
The joys of skype contacted us with Carol and Emma and what’s more we have downloaded SKYPE onto James Ipod and accessed it via WiFi in our room. Far nicer to see people when we talk to them and even better its free!
We headed out for dinner in search of Vietnamese food. We failed and had pizza and wine. Bliss never the less. Upon arriving to the hotel there was music coming from somewhere. James was not impressed and after stuffing towels in windows we could still hear the noise. I slept easily but James lay there until 11.45 when the music stopped. Using James logic he sat there for 15 minutes straining to hear if there was in fact noise. Most of us would take the opportunity to get to sleep but not James. After 15 minutes he was satisfied that the music had indeed stopped and he rolled over and went to sleep.
Friday, 8 April 2011
Update from Singapore
We have arrived in Singapore. Its 5.30am. The airport is clean, well ordered, there is an automatic sky train and looking out of the window the roads are not manic. We will enjoy this clam for 3 hours before heading off to Vietnam.
We could certainly get used to posh airlines. The staff are friendly and everything is free. The hot towel and beer sered upon entering the plane was lovely as was the free wine whislt up in the air. The only downside was the flight was not long enough to enjoy the full delights of the bar and the food was the worst we have eaten in over 10 years... yes even worse than easy jet. Hopefully this was a blip as it shall soon be breakfast time on our next singapore airways flight!
We could certainly get used to posh airlines. The staff are friendly and everything is free. The hot towel and beer sered upon entering the plane was lovely as was the free wine whislt up in the air. The only downside was the flight was not long enough to enjoy the full delights of the bar and the food was the worst we have eaten in over 10 years... yes even worse than easy jet. Hopefully this was a blip as it shall soon be breakfast time on our next singapore airways flight!
More hotel time
8/4/11
Still in the hotel room feeling better but not right. We have not left the room for three days. All food has been room service. The hotel people think we are mad but its bilss. We have a toilet, ac, wifi a tv, beds and its quite.
As I pride myself on giving an overview of the city we vist Chennia is 6ft by 4ft with a window looking onto nothing.. The smaller part of Chennia comrpises a well apointed bathroom with hot water!
As the day progresses we embrace the the fact that we must leave to fly to Vietnam. When we arrive in reception we are asked to wait whislt they check the room. I am sure they think we have been upto no good. Once the room has been checked we are allowed to embark on our final journey in India to the airport. As always its chatic, dirty and mad.
Still in the hotel room feeling better but not right. We have not left the room for three days. All food has been room service. The hotel people think we are mad but its bilss. We have a toilet, ac, wifi a tv, beds and its quite.
As I pride myself on giving an overview of the city we vist Chennia is 6ft by 4ft with a window looking onto nothing.. The smaller part of Chennia comrpises a well apointed bathroom with hot water!
As the day progresses we embrace the the fact that we must leave to fly to Vietnam. When we arrive in reception we are asked to wait whislt they check the room. I am sure they think we have been upto no good. Once the room has been checked we are allowed to embark on our final journey in India to the airport. As always its chatic, dirty and mad.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Making a slow recovery
7/4/11
Still pooing and confined to our room. Sickness has stoped and we have both h
managed to eat 4 slices of toast. A little better as james is doing the washing with vanish powder (he was so excited when he found some) and I am blogging again. Let's hope for a full recovery before our flight to singapor then on to vietnam tommorrow evening
Still pooing and confined to our room. Sickness has stoped and we have both h
managed to eat 4 slices of toast. A little better as james is doing the washing with vanish powder (he was so excited when he found some) and I am blogging again. Let's hope for a full recovery before our flight to singapor then on to vietnam tommorrow evening
Bikes shirts and surf
3/4/11
We woke early and jumped on some peddle bikes for a trip out. Leaving at 7.30 am to miss the heat a rode a fetching pink modle and James road a modle 2 sizes too small. Making such a delightfull sight we set off encountering many a hill and bump. Whilt the sweat added to our general appeal the ride was fun and we saw fisher men pulling in there catch. We had breakfast in a working mans cafe. For the princly sum of 50r we enjoyed dosa curry and tea.
After breakfast we serched out some more shirt material and some material for trousers. We then headed to the Taylor who agreed to make 10 more shirts and two pairs of trousers for us within 24 hours. After some lunch we headed back for some more body boarding. The waves were even bigger this time and when we timed it right we would rise up on the crest of the wave and then be sent hurteling towards to shore-much fun. When we timed it wrong we would be battered by the waves and the last wave we tried to ride saw James half drowned and me dumped on the sea floor with a huge bump on the sholder. The power of the sea is somthing else!
That evening we watched the kings speech (fab) the BBC (we love the pips the herald the start of the news) and returned to our acomodation yo find a note from annu saying keep in touch
We woke early and jumped on some peddle bikes for a trip out. Leaving at 7.30 am to miss the heat a rode a fetching pink modle and James road a modle 2 sizes too small. Making such a delightfull sight we set off encountering many a hill and bump. Whilt the sweat added to our general appeal the ride was fun and we saw fisher men pulling in there catch. We had breakfast in a working mans cafe. For the princly sum of 50r we enjoyed dosa curry and tea.
After breakfast we serched out some more shirt material and some material for trousers. We then headed to the Taylor who agreed to make 10 more shirts and two pairs of trousers for us within 24 hours. After some lunch we headed back for some more body boarding. The waves were even bigger this time and when we timed it right we would rise up on the crest of the wave and then be sent hurteling towards to shore-much fun. When we timed it wrong we would be battered by the waves and the last wave we tried to ride saw James half drowned and me dumped on the sea floor with a huge bump on the sholder. The power of the sea is somthing else!
That evening we watched the kings speech (fab) the BBC (we love the pips the herald the start of the news) and returned to our acomodation yo find a note from annu saying keep in touch
Poor us
5/4/11-6/4/11
Poor us. We are both holled up in our hotel room with diarrhoea and vomiting where due to the wonders of wifi I have contact with the outside world. Two nights ago I began to feel sick managed to get no sleep are found myself feeling shitty on the morning of the 4/4/11. There was no oppertunity to stay put as we had to pack, collect some more shirts that had been made for us and then horror of horrors embark on a 15 hour train trip. This we the que for James to begin to be sick ( 10 times ) in total! Now being sick is never fun but doing so on a moving train added another level of complexity as he had to remain standing and avoid touching the floor or walls as whislt the toilet we fairly clean it was far from hygeenic. After 15 hours of feeling crap ( addmitidly I slept for most of it and will be eternally greatfull to James who had booked 1st class ac) we arrived in chennai. After a protracted argument with a taxi driver who wanted to charge us more than the pre printed pre paid tick and then drop us in a different place to where we wanted to be we eventually arrived at the hotel. We were shown to our room (ac with twin beds- another blessing in the form of James planning). We both then spent the whole day either sleeping, being sick or pooing. If the outward signs of being I'll were not enough James nearly had had a heart attact when I suggested ordering from room service as in 10 years I have always been far too tight to do this. Later that day we decided that we had better try eating again but curry was far from appealing so I walked out to KFC- again somthing I normally refuse to eat. Feeling exhausted after walking to Kfc I decided to jump in a tuc tuc. After agreeing a price we arrived at the hotel and I paid. Inevitably (the taxi drivers here have a bad reputation) he wanted more money. I refused and walked to the hotel. He followed shouting and threw the money on the floor. Returning to the room shaken and exhausted I decided that at least I was a good hunter gatherer as I had returned with 'food' for my Bo!
Here after followed more pooing and feeling Ill. Well at least chennai was more a transit stop that a destination so spendind a few days in the room is not too bad- atleat there is ac wifi and the BBC!
Poor us. We are both holled up in our hotel room with diarrhoea and vomiting where due to the wonders of wifi I have contact with the outside world. Two nights ago I began to feel sick managed to get no sleep are found myself feeling shitty on the morning of the 4/4/11. There was no oppertunity to stay put as we had to pack, collect some more shirts that had been made for us and then horror of horrors embark on a 15 hour train trip. This we the que for James to begin to be sick ( 10 times ) in total! Now being sick is never fun but doing so on a moving train added another level of complexity as he had to remain standing and avoid touching the floor or walls as whislt the toilet we fairly clean it was far from hygeenic. After 15 hours of feeling crap ( addmitidly I slept for most of it and will be eternally greatfull to James who had booked 1st class ac) we arrived in chennai. After a protracted argument with a taxi driver who wanted to charge us more than the pre printed pre paid tick and then drop us in a different place to where we wanted to be we eventually arrived at the hotel. We were shown to our room (ac with twin beds- another blessing in the form of James planning). We both then spent the whole day either sleeping, being sick or pooing. If the outward signs of being I'll were not enough James nearly had had a heart attact when I suggested ordering from room service as in 10 years I have always been far too tight to do this. Later that day we decided that we had better try eating again but curry was far from appealing so I walked out to KFC- again somthing I normally refuse to eat. Feeling exhausted after walking to Kfc I decided to jump in a tuc tuc. After agreeing a price we arrived at the hotel and I paid. Inevitably (the taxi drivers here have a bad reputation) he wanted more money. I refused and walked to the hotel. He followed shouting and threw the money on the floor. Returning to the room shaken and exhausted I decided that at least I was a good hunter gatherer as I had returned with 'food' for my Bo!
Here after followed more pooing and feeling Ill. Well at least chennai was more a transit stop that a destination so spendind a few days in the room is not too bad- atleat there is ac wifi and the BBC!
Sunday, 3 April 2011
India win the cricket
31/3/11
Waking up tired and stiff from the day before we opted to undertaken some light fishing and reading. After another swim I headed off (leaving James to rest) to see the new cricket bat in action and take part in a match. As the rice had been harvested we had a new pitch which gave more space and opportunity to hit the ball but also meant being out in the mid afternoon sun. Amazingly I recalled how to bowel bat and field. I even managed to bowel out on of the older teenagers who I must say exacted his revenge when I took my turn to bat! After an hour of fielding one of the younger boys called me over and asked if I was alright ( I was sweating profusely and very red) and offered me his hat.
In the afternoon James, Anuna and I went on anther guided walk though the rice fields and then on to a canoe for some folk songs and the ride back to the home stay. Another smashing meal was served by mummy who then showed us her hose boys wedding photos and the photos of her husband’s funeral. Both professionally printed and taken by the same company.
1/4/11
Was said our good buys to the owners and agreed to meet up with Anuna in Varkala our next destination. James planning was again meticulous and we had pre booked train tickets in an air conditioned carriage that delivered us to our destination followed by a pick up from the owner.
2/3/11
After an hours walk along the cliff I retuned very sweaty (my most common form) to meet James at the accommodation. We headed to the beach where James roasted and I body boarded. Renting a body board required some protracted negation as the price started at 500 rupees for the day and ended up as 100 rupees for 2 hours (bear in mind that the accommodation is just 300 rupees for the day). Running into the sea I was greeted with 1.5meter high waves with a strong undercurrent. Having been told by James what to do if caught in an undercurrent (swim sideways) I engaged in a fab two hours of boarding.
That evening we met up with Anuna for dinner and drinks. As it was the cricket world cup final with India and Sri Lanka we agreed to watch some of the match. Not being masochists we decided not to opt for the full 8 hours but timed our viewing to coincide with the last hour. India was batting and needed 175 runs from 165 balls. As the number of balls reduced and the score increased the atmosphere became carnival like and then in a flash India had won and the locals cheered, jumped up and down and road there motorbikes along the seaside track. It appears that James and I are good luck charms as we were in Rome when Italy won the football world cup and now India for the cricket world cup. Should any government be interested in hiring us for the next big event expressions of interest should be sent to lukeandjameswinthings@hotmail.com
Waking up tired and stiff from the day before we opted to undertaken some light fishing and reading. After another swim I headed off (leaving James to rest) to see the new cricket bat in action and take part in a match. As the rice had been harvested we had a new pitch which gave more space and opportunity to hit the ball but also meant being out in the mid afternoon sun. Amazingly I recalled how to bowel bat and field. I even managed to bowel out on of the older teenagers who I must say exacted his revenge when I took my turn to bat! After an hour of fielding one of the younger boys called me over and asked if I was alright ( I was sweating profusely and very red) and offered me his hat.
In the afternoon James, Anuna and I went on anther guided walk though the rice fields and then on to a canoe for some folk songs and the ride back to the home stay. Another smashing meal was served by mummy who then showed us her hose boys wedding photos and the photos of her husband’s funeral. Both professionally printed and taken by the same company.
1/4/11
Was said our good buys to the owners and agreed to meet up with Anuna in Varkala our next destination. James planning was again meticulous and we had pre booked train tickets in an air conditioned carriage that delivered us to our destination followed by a pick up from the owner.
2/3/11
After an hours walk along the cliff I retuned very sweaty (my most common form) to meet James at the accommodation. We headed to the beach where James roasted and I body boarded. Renting a body board required some protracted negation as the price started at 500 rupees for the day and ended up as 100 rupees for 2 hours (bear in mind that the accommodation is just 300 rupees for the day). Running into the sea I was greeted with 1.5meter high waves with a strong undercurrent. Having been told by James what to do if caught in an undercurrent (swim sideways) I engaged in a fab two hours of boarding.
That evening we met up with Anuna for dinner and drinks. As it was the cricket world cup final with India and Sri Lanka we agreed to watch some of the match. Not being masochists we decided not to opt for the full 8 hours but timed our viewing to coincide with the last hour. India was batting and needed 175 runs from 165 balls. As the number of balls reduced and the score increased the atmosphere became carnival like and then in a flash India had won and the locals cheered, jumped up and down and road there motorbikes along the seaside track. It appears that James and I are good luck charms as we were in Rome when Italy won the football world cup and now India for the cricket world cup. Should any government be interested in hiring us for the next big event expressions of interest should be sent to lukeandjameswinthings@hotmail.com
Games day
29/3/11
As James had another lie in I set off on a long bike ride and bought some cricket balls as prizes for the games we had planned for later that day. Our cricket bat also arrived so once James was awake we began to prepare the games:
• Treasure hunt written in English and the local language
• Blind deaf obstacle course
• Wheel barrow race
• Creating something out of the items found on the treasure hunt
• Three legged race.
During the perpetration children stopped by and we confirmed that 4pm was the starting time. At 3.30 children began to arrive and we were glad that we had roped in a new guest anuna (from Finland) to help as over 35 children aged 4-17 had arrived. What ensued could only be described as organized chaos. With me speaking in English and Thomas translating we organized the young people into mixed sex groups. This in itself was a challenge as it became apparent that boys and girls do not mix. Being determined to challenge the perception that the sexes should be separate and that boys were better we preserved and formulated 5 teams. The young people agreed there team names and James wrote them on the chart he had prepared.
After explaing the treasure hunt rules and objective (to collect 30 items listed in 15 minutes) the teams were released. This game was a huge success with most teams managing to collect items ranging from fresh water mussels to old plastic bottles. Although it was interesting to note that the collecting tasks were undertaken along strict gender lines. Girls collected flowers and litter boys collected muscles and rope.
Whilst James and Anuna counted up the items I engaged in a game of heads, shoulders, knees and toes, star jumps, hops and pretty little bows. No easy in 35 degree heat but never the less most seemed to engage. The groups were then directed to their treasure hunt collections and asked to make something creative and beautiful whilst one group at a time took part in the blind deaf obstacle course. One person is blind folded, one person can see the course, cannot speak but can instruct via hand movements and the 3rd person can see the hand movements and shout out there interpretation of the hand movements. Each of the teams successfully completed the course against the clock with only one group cheating (resulting in a 3 minute time penalty). During this time James and Anuna entertained the other groups and encouraged creativity.
After one and a half hours felling distinctly hot, sweaty and smelly we tried to organize a wheel barrow relay race. Our first attempt with mixed teams was an unmitigated failure with children from both ends of the course setting off at the same time, meeting in the middle and falling over. The girls were not competitive and the boys over competitive so it was agreed to split the race into a girls and young boys race and a male teenager race.
Felling completely frazzled and hot we skipped the last game, judged the team that had created the best thing from the treasure hunt finds and added up the final scores. We announced the winner and before handing over the prize gave the cricket bat to the group with strict institutions that it was for everyone to use (read older boys and no girls). We handed it to Dishnoo as he seemed kind and sensible and looked like he would share it. We then gave the winning team the box that contained the prize (sweets, pop and two balls) and within 10 seconds there was a scrum, the box shredded and the older boys from each of the teams had made off with the prizes leaving the girls and younger boys to pick over what was left.
James, Anuna and I were in a stunned silence; we had not expected the prize to cause a scrum and were uncertain what had just happened. A number of the younger children came to complain that the older boys were not sharing but upon investigating we found that the boys were giving out the sweets and sharing the pop. A number of the boys came to thank us profusely for the bat and many of the kids wanted to know what time they should come the next day for more games…
As James had another lie in I set off on a long bike ride and bought some cricket balls as prizes for the games we had planned for later that day. Our cricket bat also arrived so once James was awake we began to prepare the games:
• Treasure hunt written in English and the local language
• Blind deaf obstacle course
• Wheel barrow race
• Creating something out of the items found on the treasure hunt
• Three legged race.
During the perpetration children stopped by and we confirmed that 4pm was the starting time. At 3.30 children began to arrive and we were glad that we had roped in a new guest anuna (from Finland) to help as over 35 children aged 4-17 had arrived. What ensued could only be described as organized chaos. With me speaking in English and Thomas translating we organized the young people into mixed sex groups. This in itself was a challenge as it became apparent that boys and girls do not mix. Being determined to challenge the perception that the sexes should be separate and that boys were better we preserved and formulated 5 teams. The young people agreed there team names and James wrote them on the chart he had prepared.
After explaing the treasure hunt rules and objective (to collect 30 items listed in 15 minutes) the teams were released. This game was a huge success with most teams managing to collect items ranging from fresh water mussels to old plastic bottles. Although it was interesting to note that the collecting tasks were undertaken along strict gender lines. Girls collected flowers and litter boys collected muscles and rope.
Whilst James and Anuna counted up the items I engaged in a game of heads, shoulders, knees and toes, star jumps, hops and pretty little bows. No easy in 35 degree heat but never the less most seemed to engage. The groups were then directed to their treasure hunt collections and asked to make something creative and beautiful whilst one group at a time took part in the blind deaf obstacle course. One person is blind folded, one person can see the course, cannot speak but can instruct via hand movements and the 3rd person can see the hand movements and shout out there interpretation of the hand movements. Each of the teams successfully completed the course against the clock with only one group cheating (resulting in a 3 minute time penalty). During this time James and Anuna entertained the other groups and encouraged creativity.
After one and a half hours felling distinctly hot, sweaty and smelly we tried to organize a wheel barrow relay race. Our first attempt with mixed teams was an unmitigated failure with children from both ends of the course setting off at the same time, meeting in the middle and falling over. The girls were not competitive and the boys over competitive so it was agreed to split the race into a girls and young boys race and a male teenager race.
Felling completely frazzled and hot we skipped the last game, judged the team that had created the best thing from the treasure hunt finds and added up the final scores. We announced the winner and before handing over the prize gave the cricket bat to the group with strict institutions that it was for everyone to use (read older boys and no girls). We handed it to Dishnoo as he seemed kind and sensible and looked like he would share it. We then gave the winning team the box that contained the prize (sweets, pop and two balls) and within 10 seconds there was a scrum, the box shredded and the older boys from each of the teams had made off with the prizes leaving the girls and younger boys to pick over what was left.
James, Anuna and I were in a stunned silence; we had not expected the prize to cause a scrum and were uncertain what had just happened. A number of the younger children came to complain that the older boys were not sharing but upon investigating we found that the boys were giving out the sweets and sharing the pop. A number of the boys came to thank us profusely for the bat and many of the kids wanted to know what time they should come the next day for more games…
5 key facts
27/3/11
James had a sleep in so left to my own devises I went fishing. Mummy gave me some dough bate and after 2 hours I had caught 2 small fish. Dishnoo one of the local boys came over to talk and immediately caught a fish as did another child. They then got a little net and taught me how to bate the net with rice and weight it down with stones and catch two or three fish at once.
After lunch of the fish that we had caught and numerous other curries James and I went to play cricket with the local boys. Using a piece of palm tree for the bat and stumps and a rolled up fishing net for the ball the game began. Neither James or I were very good but it was fun nether the less. We then jumped into the river with the boys and played catch for an hour. The boys had a distinct advantage of being the same colour as the water and consequently could go below the surface, disappear and then pop up somewhere else. The boys hinted that they would like a proper cricket bat but were not pushy so when we got back to the accommodation we asked the owner how much a new bat would cost. At 500 rupees 7gbp this was eminently affordable for us but equivalent to the farther wage of a number of the boys we had been playing with. Jobs ranged from mud digger, sand collector, toddy tapper (the juice of the coconut tree that is fomented- bloody horrid) and farmers. As we had had such a good day with the boys we decided to ask the owner to buy a bat for us.
Over dinner one of the owners Thomas talked to us about Kerala and the back waters. Over the period of an hour we leant 5 hey facts about Kerala and its relative wealth
1) Its gods own country- thus is the best place on earth
2) Social Changes- the last king of Kerala outlawed the cast system making society much fairer
3) Political changes- the communists ended the feudal system and allocated a plot of land to each family so they could be self sufficient
4) Fertile land- blessed with sufficient rain and good soil crops grow easily, can be sold and none needs be hungry
5) Education- 95% literacy rate means people are educated, more self sufficient and less likely to engage in extreme politics
Whilst all this things made Kerala good in Thomas eyes he bemoaned the loss of tradition as the kids aspired to be engineers, doctors, and IT professionals. This mean that the traditional (and rather hard) way of life was being lost and increased mechanization of the work become a reality. It was Thomas's vision that he would set up a cheap home stay for volunteers who would work with the young people to continue the traditions. These lead us onto discussing the opportunities for us to volunteer. Unfortunately the school year was due to end in two days time and our limited time meant that working in a clinic was not possible. After some thought Tomas said he would give us space in his garden for us to organize activities for the local children…
28/3/11
Another early start saw us walking through the backwaters on a 3 hour guided walk. We were accompanied by a Dutch medical student also called Luke and three Swiss hippies who were undertaking Ayurvedic treatment (massage, forced vomiting, putting rages into the stomach to draw out bile and bloodletting). The guide was a very jolly, completely mad ex alcoholic local mad who showed us how to make a whilst out of a leaf, blow bubbles from a plant, explained the backwater agriculture and generally made us laugh. After the walk and breakfast more fishing was entered into with both James and I successfully catching fish for lunch.
Later that afternoon we played cricket with the local boys and had a swim. We put the word out that the following afternoon we would be organizing games. This was generally well received and there was an air of excitement on the young people’s behalf and an air of trepidation on our part! After another swim with the local lads we were invited to dishnoos house. We were welcomed with tea and revived the boy’s homework. After this we saw the cow (which the boys were frightened of but looked fine to me) and invited to eat chilies. Never one to give up a challenge I gamely joined in managing to hide the extent of my moth burning.
Later that afternoon we hopped on two bikes and cycled though the backwaters and again met lots of young people who were keen to talk. Being exhausted and fell into bed early.
James had a sleep in so left to my own devises I went fishing. Mummy gave me some dough bate and after 2 hours I had caught 2 small fish. Dishnoo one of the local boys came over to talk and immediately caught a fish as did another child. They then got a little net and taught me how to bate the net with rice and weight it down with stones and catch two or three fish at once.
After lunch of the fish that we had caught and numerous other curries James and I went to play cricket with the local boys. Using a piece of palm tree for the bat and stumps and a rolled up fishing net for the ball the game began. Neither James or I were very good but it was fun nether the less. We then jumped into the river with the boys and played catch for an hour. The boys had a distinct advantage of being the same colour as the water and consequently could go below the surface, disappear and then pop up somewhere else. The boys hinted that they would like a proper cricket bat but were not pushy so when we got back to the accommodation we asked the owner how much a new bat would cost. At 500 rupees 7gbp this was eminently affordable for us but equivalent to the farther wage of a number of the boys we had been playing with. Jobs ranged from mud digger, sand collector, toddy tapper (the juice of the coconut tree that is fomented- bloody horrid) and farmers. As we had had such a good day with the boys we decided to ask the owner to buy a bat for us.
Over dinner one of the owners Thomas talked to us about Kerala and the back waters. Over the period of an hour we leant 5 hey facts about Kerala and its relative wealth
1) Its gods own country- thus is the best place on earth
2) Social Changes- the last king of Kerala outlawed the cast system making society much fairer
3) Political changes- the communists ended the feudal system and allocated a plot of land to each family so they could be self sufficient
4) Fertile land- blessed with sufficient rain and good soil crops grow easily, can be sold and none needs be hungry
5) Education- 95% literacy rate means people are educated, more self sufficient and less likely to engage in extreme politics
Whilst all this things made Kerala good in Thomas eyes he bemoaned the loss of tradition as the kids aspired to be engineers, doctors, and IT professionals. This mean that the traditional (and rather hard) way of life was being lost and increased mechanization of the work become a reality. It was Thomas's vision that he would set up a cheap home stay for volunteers who would work with the young people to continue the traditions. These lead us onto discussing the opportunities for us to volunteer. Unfortunately the school year was due to end in two days time and our limited time meant that working in a clinic was not possible. After some thought Tomas said he would give us space in his garden for us to organize activities for the local children…
28/3/11
Another early start saw us walking through the backwaters on a 3 hour guided walk. We were accompanied by a Dutch medical student also called Luke and three Swiss hippies who were undertaking Ayurvedic treatment (massage, forced vomiting, putting rages into the stomach to draw out bile and bloodletting). The guide was a very jolly, completely mad ex alcoholic local mad who showed us how to make a whilst out of a leaf, blow bubbles from a plant, explained the backwater agriculture and generally made us laugh. After the walk and breakfast more fishing was entered into with both James and I successfully catching fish for lunch.
Later that afternoon we played cricket with the local boys and had a swim. We put the word out that the following afternoon we would be organizing games. This was generally well received and there was an air of excitement on the young people’s behalf and an air of trepidation on our part! After another swim with the local lads we were invited to dishnoos house. We were welcomed with tea and revived the boy’s homework. After this we saw the cow (which the boys were frightened of but looked fine to me) and invited to eat chilies. Never one to give up a challenge I gamely joined in managing to hide the extent of my moth burning.
Later that afternoon we hopped on two bikes and cycled though the backwaters and again met lots of young people who were keen to talk. Being exhausted and fell into bed early.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Worried about meet hygiene- well kill your own chicken...
26/3/11
My lacsidasical approach to transport did work and my absence from the blog has been due to being in the backwaters as opposed to James having killed me for messing up his plans. We hopped on the bus from Fort Kochin and headed to Alleppey. James having thoroughly researched everything informed me that we would alight at a small boat terminal and get a public ferry up the backwaters to where we were going to stay. This was infinitely cheaper than a taxi at 10p each and far more fun as we were able to combine sight seeing in the backwaters and getting to our destination. The ferry zipped from little jetty to little jetty and was driven by the Captain on the roof who communicated his engine needs via the medium of ringing a bell and another guy did the necessary speeding up or slowing down. After sitting in the wrong section on the boat (the ladies section) and bugging the driver every so often to check we had not overshot we arrived.
James meticulous research had certainly paid off as we were welcomed to a very friendly home stay where mummies (everyone called her this) mission was to feed you copious amounts of the nicest indian food we had eaten to date.
27/3/11
Rising at the “horrid hour” of 7am James, me, Pascal and Caroline ( a french couple we met) set off in a canoe to explore the backwaters. I had gamely agreed to be the captain and take charge of steering the canoe. Well we never remained in a straight line for the 2 hours we were out and amazingly no one wanted to replace me so we persevered and went along the very small back water canals. We saw lots of small huts and locals going about there business. The scenery was stunning and we had a lovely insight into backwater life. Amazingly we managed to get back without capsizing and had breakfast.
Over a game of cards the four of us began salivating over the foods we could not get whilst travelling. The french couple wanted cheese and wine, James wanted cheddar cheese (zat is not cheese came the inevitable response ) and I wanted meat as being a vegetarian was warring thin. This led to a long discussion about the best way to cook a chicken (without currying it) and much eyeing up of the owners chickens. It soon became apparent that we had the skills between us to kill, pluck (me) gut and cook a chicken (Pascal).
A vague plan formed that we would ask the owner to buy a chicken and we would BBQ it that night. Thinking this may be one of those plans that never came to anything I was surprised when we were watching Mummy cook Pascal asked if we could buy on of there chickens and cook it. Mummy thought we were mad as the last time anyone asked to do this was a group of Koreans 10 years ago. Matthew the son gamely agreed to buy the chicken and it dawned on me that I would be killing and gutting a chicken in a number of hours. Now it had been a long time since I worked with kevin to kill and gut his turkeys so I was beginning to get worried. Pushing this to the back of my mind we set about fashioning skewers from bamboo and metal and creating a BBQ pit.
At the appointed hour we approached the chicken shed (now with a following of 5 people as some more guests had arrived) and the cockerel was tethered and awaiting its fate. After some pre death photos I entered the cage and caught the cockerel. Sitting with in on my knee i broke its neck (1st time amazingly) and then hung it up and plucked it (tell kevin i did not rip the skin and it was not bruised!). Pascal then took over and gutted the bird and in a tipically gallic fashion began to make a bullion soup with the innards and sent the rest to the BBQ.
When dinner was ready the chicken was divine and I got a taste for meat. James ate some as did the american couple who were faintly appalled by the afternoons activities... The owners also tucked in after telling us that BBQing a chicken was prehistoric and offering to fry it for us. Of course the bullion soup was devin and in all its one of the few times that a mad plan has moved beyond the planning stage and by god I am glad it did as meet is so tasty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)