Roundtheworld

Machu Picchu

2005-11-24T19:43:00.000Z

Have had a truely amazing time exploring the Inca ruins around Cusco, in the Sacred Valley and on the Inca trail finally arriving at Machu Picchu early in the morning before the crowds got there. The walk was not too taxing even though I spent one day emersed under my lovely purplr poncho! The food on the trail was amazing and the guides and porters worked so hard making it an amazing experience. Not tired enough 6 of us also climbed an extra conical mountain called Wynapicchu - tremenously steep and made the rest of the trail seem like a walk in the park! Did get an exellent alternative view of the ruins.
Only a matter of days left and I´ll be home in good old Blighty!

Adventures in Peru

2005-11-17T21:16:00.000Z

Left Chile and was soon in Lima - thye smoggy capital of Peru. Enjoyed exploring the beautiful collonial buildings and many grotesquely decorated Catholic churches. Then my final adventure started - getting on Trevor the truck and heading out of the city to enjoy a boat tripo around the poor mans Galapogos, aka the Ballestas Islands. Saw loads of great sea birds and noisy mating sealions and a lot of Guano - S***! Then off to Huacachina for some awesome dune buggying and Sandboarding in the desert. The trip is pretty packed so it was next stop the Nazca lines - wierd collection of animal shapes on the ground only really visable from the air.
Stayed a night at the tiny Puerto Inca, camping right on the beach, getting to explore the ancient ruined Inca Port. Next stop the second biggest city in Peru - Arequipa, where I really enjoyed shopping for some South American bargains.
Then climed above four and a half thousand metres to view the worlds deepest canyon - Colca Canyon and get some great view of condors circling low over head, effortlessly.
Enjoying the hot springs out here - saves showering and now I'm in Cuzco.
It's short, but too the point!
Off to see my dream in 4 days - Machu Picchu.

Time to leave Chile

2005-11-07T17:49:00.000Z

Well, I´m getting on a bus back to Santiago in less than 3 hrs, so thought I should wrap things up here.
I have continued to enjoy my time here in Pichilemu. Spent days learning Autocad software and putting the designs in place for Gerd and Rosi´s new house so that they can take them to the Achitect to get approved. I went on an awesome hike with my friend Juan David the other day. Ended up walking for over 10hrs into the hills around here along a disused railway. Got lost, ended up in a valley that I don`t think anuçyone goes into - absolutely no signs of human existance in there - totally wild. Saw a fox, a snake and a taransular - got so great pics of taransular fangs!
Have also had a few days down south with Gerd and Ray - turned into a bit of a man´s retreate. BAsic life living in an old fishing net drying shed on an Island just outside Puerto Montt. (12hrs south of here) Have discovered the delights of Chilean long distance buses. They have service that put National Express to shame. So comfortable, videos, breakfast, blankets and pillows for an overnight journey and all for 8 of your English Pounds!!!
Got to see some awe inspiring snow capped volcanoes that when in is clear satnd as a really impressive backdrop to the Southern city.
So now it´s time to say goodbye to all the friends I have made here in Chile and for the first time it appears that I´ll be home within a imaginable length of time. Look forward to seeing those of you in sunny Watford, very soon.

Half time in Chile

2005-10-20T20:17:00.000Z

So by the weekend I will have been in Chile for 2 weeks!

Am having a great time here. Each day I do something with the boys or help Gerd and Rosi with house plans and designs, which I am finding fun, and a bit of a flash back to some of the work I did in Malawi all that time ago, right back at the start of the year.
The other half of each day is very much my own time and I have been having some great times to myself, walking along the beaches here for miles on end, listening to the Bible on CD, doing lots of reading of my Bible and other great books from gerd and Rosi´s bookshelves.
I have also joined the YWAM gym here which helps me to get to know other people. I have never had my own personnal trainer before, but I`m finding it a great deal of fun as well as being very hard work!!!

2 more weeks here and then I`m off on my last great adventure - Peru!

A new country

2005-10-13T20:00:00.000Z

I'm now here in the seaside town of Pichilemu, out of season. It is a wilderness place, seemingly at the end of the world. I had an awesome walk along the beach yesterday. The sand is dark and course. The waves large and there is a constant roar as they close out on the rocks in plumes of white spray. The people are friendly. Even walking to come to the internet cafe, someone pulled over and asked if I wanted a lift.
Getting on well with the family that I'm staying with in their lovely wooden house. I can see the sea as I do the washing up - it's so beautiful. Spend time with the boys (Jonathan and Benjamin) each day to release Gerd and Rosi to do what they need to! Am joining the YWAM gym tonight, so will hopefully be able to get in shape a bit for Machu Pichu (Spelling?)
The character and mood of this place is so dependent on the weather. The first day was very moody with grey clouds filling the sky. Yesterday was a day full of beautiful colours and clear blue skies.

Times up!

2005-10-02T19:11:00.000Z

Can´t believe time goes by so quickly. Now getting ready to leave Brasil, even though I did end up extending my time here a little. Leave on Friday, just a few days away. wonder if I´ll be back again to see the firneds I have made along the way.
Had fun with tickets the other day, because when I rang to change the date I found out that someone in bermuda had made a mistake when they were checking me in and managed to cancell the rest of my flights after 11th August! Luckily got them all back with some help from a nice lady in Sao Paulo!
Have been sitting on the streets playing Uno with street boys as high as kites, have been fixing roofs, showers, playing games with the boys in the house, making photo montages, painting, buiding, laying my hand to DIY, picking up donations of fruit and vegetables, teaching english, helping boys with homework and of course playing lots of football (after all this is Brasil).
Leave for Rio at midnight on Thursday and fly to Chile just after midday on Friday. Will be spending a month with friends from Soul Survivor (my church back home!) then onto the final part of my trip - The Inca trail in Peru!

More news from Brazil

2005-09-03T20:08:00.000Z

Well, I´ve now been in Brazil for nearly 3 weeks. Things that were very strange and new when I first arrived are now becoming more normal. Feeling quite at home wandering around the favella on my own. Somethings are just the same as home – like going to the cinema (although a good bit cheaper!), but somethings are completely different – like going to buy food from a tiny shop just around the corner from the base. Had to walk to one of the other houses yesterday – Casa Alegria. I can no start to explain just how steep the road is that goes up through the favella. Much steeper than anything I´ve ever seen before, even steeper than dunedin´s claim to have the steepest road in the world. The officials have obviously never been to Belo Horizonte. The amazing thing is that there are some little buses that chug up these streets crammed full of people.Each day I pick up a bit more of the language. Somedays I feel I can understand quite a bit and other days I feel like I have forgotten everything I´ve learned, but it is improving! Each day next week all the workers from the 9 YWAM houses around Belo will be going to an international conference and as volunteers, we´ll being going for some of it too!

After a week in Brasil

2005-08-23T21:28:00.000Z

I have now settled in and things that were strange at first are becoming routine. Each morning starts with a prayer meeting and then I help out with one of the groups of children that come into the Lighthouse each day. This usually means helping organise games for the children or playing sports with them. After lunch I help doing chores around the base - which often becomes cleaning the kitchen or toilet. I have also just been asked to build a big sandpit for the children tomplay in so that should keep me busy!
I am learning more of the language - I find I can understand quite a bit, but it takes more courage to say things as it takes me a while to work out how to say what I want to say! I learn a few more words everyday.
Been into town for a meal on Saturday night, which was nice as I have spent all my time on the base so far. On Sunday I went to a huge Baptist church in town - the service was in Portuguese so I didn´t follow everything, but the worship was awesome, starting with ´Here I am to worship´- That song has got everywhere!
One more week at the Lighthouse and then I´ll be moving to another YWAm house in town - Restoration House.

Brazil

2005-08-15T16:40:00.000Z

Ola - Com eata?

Flew into Rio de Janeiro from Bermuda on Friday. Had really good fun in Rio with my friend from Uni, Tor. Went to sugar Loaf Mountain, up to Christ the redeemer and walked along Cococabana and Ipanema. Lived with a Portugese family somewhere in the suburbs. Been to a church service - very lively!
Will update soon. Think I´m going to like Brazil!

Bermuda

2005-08-08T03:17:00.000Z

Have had an awesome time on a sub tropical island called Bermuda with my friend from university – Mark. Bermuda is very beautiful with jean been coloured houses, all with white rooves designed to collect rainwater to be stored in the underground tanks. Bermuda has no mountains or streams so water rain water has to be stored in ndreground tanks! As the pictures will show when I get them onto the blog – the colour of the sea here is just beautiful, really clear. Enjoyed time on sandy beaches, some even slightly pink, cos of an animal that lives in the sea here. Snorkled around deserted rocks, watching the beautiful fish swimming through mazes of coral and larva rock...meanwhile a beach just 200m is packed with tourists from the cruize ships, fighting for space and a chance to swim in a little cove called Tobacco Bay. Glad I found my own secluded spot! Bermuda is easy to get around using its cute little pink buses that whizz around the windy roads of the island and the ferries that can take you anywhere from Hamilton.
It has to be mentioned that Bermuda also had its own little adventure when my friend Mark took a tumble off his scooter, when his front tire went down as he was going around a corner. We found out after a trip to the hospital that he had managed to break a bone in his wrist, so having an arm in plaster slowed him down considereably and put an end to going out ona jet ski safari.
I have discovered a new sport that I like – Ultimate frisbee. Similar rules to netball, but using a frisbee and you score by catching the frisbee in a marked zone at the end of the court which is longer than you can throw a frisbee! And all of this takes place on the beach, which means it is knackering running about on the sand. Luckily after each game we could go a cool off in the sea.

New York

2005-08-08T03:16:00.000Z

Had a great few days in New York – The big apple! Enjoyed doing a lot of wandering around all the places I have heard of in the past. Got to see Wall Street, Broadway and visitted the site of the World Trade Centre – a strange space that is now a memorial and a building site, surrounded by what looked like police cars from every precinct in New York. You can´t go up to the torch of the statue of Liberty these days- you can only go to the feet, which doesn´t sound so exciting so I caught the free ferry to Stattan Island so that I could get some pictures. The lines (queues – for the English) are huge for it anyway. It would take a whole day just to go there. Did go up the Empire States building though to get a great view of the city – was expensive, but worth it.

Los Angeles

2005-08-08T03:15:00.000Z

Arrived in Hollywood early on Sunday morning, so I decided to go to a locxal church, which was actually the set for the High School Dance in Back to the Future! Met some actoirs and directors there and we all headed of down to Venice beach to wander. They were so Hollywood knowing and having worked with quite a few famous people. Two of my friends that day actually have IMDBwebpages!
The next day I met Jane at breakfast and we decide to go to Universal Studios which turned out to be a brilliant day. We were there nearly 12hrs touring the sets and sound stages and going on the rides. There was also a live stunt show called Waterworld. The film was a flop, but the show is well worth seeing.
On Tuesday I had got tickets for the recording of the Late, Late Shown and so Soo Yeong and I caught the bus to the NBC Studios and enjoyed being part of the audience. I was picked on a bit by the front man so ended up walking out with a T-shirt!
Now it's off to New York, the Big Apple, the city so good they named it twice! We'll see.

Green Tortoise

2005-08-05T14:03:00.000Z

I have now got timeto improve my account of my time on the Green Tortoise, which is an adventure bus starting in San Francisco, which goes down to 5 different Canyons in Arrizona and Utah. It is a no frills kind of thing, but a great way of seeing the country.
Set of from San Francisco one evening and sleeping on the giant bed that the bus turns into at night once the "miracle" has been done, we arrived at the Valley of fire. Aptly named it was so hot! Breakfast and a short walk and then it was off to Las Vegas, aka Sin City! Mad place - like an adult Disney World - themed hotels and casinos and rollercoasters and lights, lights and more lights. Did however take some rides at Stratosphere, where someone has had the bright idea to build a theme park with rollercoasters and more scary rides on the top of a 1000 foot observation tower. Who thinks of a thing like that?
Left the bright lights of Las Vegas behind and headed to the much more beautiful Brice Canyon getting there just in time to watch the sun rise and transform the colours of the canyon. Walked around the pillars of rock to get a different perspective, then it was off to lake Powel. So realived to be able to jump in the clear blue water and cool down. Tried to swim out to Lone Rock, but after 30minutes swimming I decided to turn round and head home. Another night sleeping outside - great sleeping under the stars. Next day after more swimming we went to monument valley where a did a jeep tour which was great fun.

The best aprt of the trip was fulfilling a dream and walking down and camping in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It takes 5hrs to hike down to the bottom and it just keeps getting hotter the further down you go. Had an unsettled night as there was a thunderstorm at 1am and we got a bit wet. As a second storm came through at 3:30am we decide to start walking back up. It was a good idea as we were back at the rim by 9:30am before it got too hot again. It also meant we could have a well deserved rest and get some smelly clothes clean again.

Then it was about all over - except for a stop at Historic Route 66 (Made famous by the songs) and it was a quick call in at Las Vegas to stuff our faces at the Excaliber all you can eat buffet and overnight to Los Angeles, arriving all to early in the morning anf having to say a sad goodbye to a good group of new friends made on the bus over the 9 days together.

Excuse any spelling mistakes...it's late

Grand Canyon

2005-08-01T13:49:00.000Z

Have just fullfilled another of my dreams - walked down into the Grand Canyon and camped at the bottom near the Collorado river, then walked out the next day. Have had an amazing time on the Green Tortoise tour of the Canyons of the West - will ellaborate more when I can get to an internet cafe. Now here is a strange thing about New York - There are no internet cafes here - 3 days walking around Manhatten, the Bronx and Brooklyn and I haven't seen one internet cafe!

3 days in Hollywood were great, visiting Venice Beach, Universal Studios and going to the recording of the Late, Late Show, where I was sat on the second row. Have yet to find out whether I made it on to the edge of any shot yet!

Off to Bermuda later tonight, but first the Empire States building!

San Francisco

2005-08-01T13:41:00.000Z

Had a great time in San Francisco with my brother, Martin and Patti. They were so kind to put me up, or is that put up with me for 3 weeks. Was nice to be in a place I knew and have some space. Finally got to meet the infamous Babalu, their Havanese dog, who is very cute and very well behaved! So they don't feel left out I should also mention their are 2 cats that live at the house: BAz who thinks he's a dog and also headbuts you to say Hi and Mica who has become a recluse since I last saw her.
Thanks guys - I really needed that time. I actually spent loads of time at the computer editting over 3500 photos. Learnt a new skill and I'm really pleased with the results. Did visit some of the sights around San Francisco that I have seen before - well you have to don't you? Did also see a lot of dog play areas in various Parks around the city and meet lots of other amazingly cute Havanese down on the beach each Thursday! Babalo has a website if you want to see what he and his friends look like: http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?i=89794
Had some great time and some amazing food in San Francisco particularly the night we went to the Butterfly - wow! Saw lots of films and was introduced to TEVO - the only thing that makes watching American TV bearable 'cos you can pause TV and even fast forward through the adverts.

Route Map

2005-07-01T01:18:00.000Z

Check out this link for a cool map (And you can see what the weather is like where I am!)

www.getjealous.com/richtraveller

Sun, Sea, Sand, Surf - lovely!

2005-06-29T00:21:00.000Z

First things first; it seems that I procured the ability to time travel! I left New Zealand at 6pm on 16th June and arrived in Hawaii at 10:30am on 16th June. That means I arrived before I left. Never been across the date line before. Glad it was that direction, 'cos if you travel the other way, you cease to exist for 24hrs: One moment your sat there and it 3:00 15th December, the next it's 3:01 16th December. Imagine if that was your birthday!?!
So Hawaii - a week in paradise, although when I arrived I was shocked to arrive in the middle of a big ugly American city, with 6 lane freeways and 30 storey high buildings. Honolulu could be any mainland American city. Took a slow ride to Waikiki, due to the huge amounts of traffic on the roads and finally arrived at Seaside Hawaiian Hostel. A little relaxed oasis amongst hundreds of high-rise hotels. The World famous Waikiki beach is crowded like Majorca on one of those other over popular Mediterranean beaches, although its nice to be in the sun and boogie boarding in the surf.
Enjoyed a trek to and up Diamond head, which is an extinct volcano south of Waikiki, which has a military base in it's crater and great views from the rim. No diamonds though, just some sparkle quartz that someone once thought was diamond and that's how it got its name.
Headed across the Island with a friend called Mike to Kailua, famous for it's windsurfing and kite boarding. Was great watching the experts making it look so easy. This is more the real Hawaii - no hotels reaching the sky lining this beach, but just local's houses (albeit, very wealthy locals!)
Spent a few days at the North shore, where in the winter huge waves crash onto the infamous beaches such as pipeline, but in summer the bays are calm and great for snorkeling. Bays such as Three Tables and Sharks Cove and Waimea are lovely for sunbathing away from Waikiki's crowds and snorkeling with beautiful fish, many of which I recognized from the Great Barrier Reef. I also visited the furthest western point, Kaena, where white sand gives way to rocky black larva rock shores and the visit wouldn't be complete without visiting Sunset Beach for sunset!
Back to Waikiki for the last few days and a lovely walk inland where it is cooler and the mountains are always shrouded in cloud, up a valley that closes out completely, with rainforest covered slopes on all sides to a place called Manoa falls. Not incredible, but very pretty indeed. I also could not come this far and not visit Pearl harbor. So even though I left my Hostel at 8am arriving at Pearl harbor at 10:30am I was straight into a huge line to get a ticket for a ride out to the USS Arizona for 1:30pm. I had to wait 3hrs until it my turn to take the shuttle boats out to the memorial and the sunken grave of over 1700 men when Japan attacked back in 1941. A slow, but nevertheless thought provoking day.
So I leave Hawaii, my skin a little darker, my hair a little lighter and knowing that true Hawaii paradise does exist in the middle of the Pacific with locals as friendly as any you ever hope to meet, but, also Oahu also has an uglier side called Honalulu. My advise come to Hawaii, but get away from the crowds to find some real treasures.

Give me more Adrenaline...more...more...more!

2005-06-15T04:40:00.000Z

On to Taupo: Planned to walk one of New Zealand's most famous day tramps, but the weather had other ideas, dumping heaps of snow on the high ground and when words like gale appeared in the weather forecast I decided to find some other source of entertainment. 2 girls on the bus were making plans to do a skydive - that sounded fun, so that is what I did. Apparently New Zealand is the cheapest place in the world to do a jump and Taupo is the cheapest place in New Zealand. Sounds good to me! So it was soon into a bright red suit, and an even brighter yellow plane and upto 12000 ft and then, smile for the camera and out we go. 45 seconds of freefall rushed by and felt more like 10. Was only when we were back on the ground that I started to consider that I had just been shaking hands with another person, whilst falling at 200km/sec out of the sky and that that isn't an everyday event. Very cool activity. Not scary at all. Next time I want to do it on my own and not strapped to another person. Thanks to Taupo Tandem Skydivers....good day! www.tts.net.nz
Next day was spent with my feet on the ground enjoying Haka falls, a hugely powerful waterfall near Taupo and the Craters of the Moon - where steam rises out of vents and craters in the ground. Smells of a bad day in the Chemistry lab!
On to Rotorua: Had a lovely couple of quiet days exploring the museum and the Thermal village - a Mauri community situated on a very thin part of the earth's crust where water boils just under the ground. There are geysers, cooking pools and boiling mud pools. They showed off Mauri songs and dances, including the Haka and I ate my first taste of a Hangi meal.
The next day was slightly more crazy as I decided to dress myself in neoprene and throw myself down one of the rivers on a small piece of plastic. It's called river sledging and its the most terrifying thing I have even done. It was freezing cold but by the time the adrenaline was flowing you noticed the cold much less than the numerous rocks you were try to avoid colliding with! www.sledge-it.com

On to Auckland: Have loved hanging out with Lynley here in the city of sails. Have seen some amazing sunsets over black sand beaches. Been up above Auckland on the skytower, drinking coffee and watching people fall past the window on the skyjump and then have also been beneath Auckland in an Antartic and Aquarium exhibition housed in old storm water tanks. So tomorrow I fly across the Pacific.

Fox glacier is mint!

2005-06-05T22:13:00.000Z

Sorry for the punny title, but it's late. From Greymounth I headed down to Franz Joseff where the terrain becomes rugged and large. I had a beautiful day tramping (walking) up above the glacier to a great lookout. The Chateaux Franz backpackers was lovely and comfortable, even having a spa and free soup each night, even if we were staying in the building that was the old stables. Then it was on to Fox glacier and here I joined a small group for a guided full days walk on the glacier. The Alpine Guides provide all the equipment including cramp-ons and I was pleasantly surprised just how sure footed you can be on ice. It was great exploring the strangely blue ice, due to the refraction of the sunlight. Great day! Also had chance to explore Lake Matterson and get that over photographed view of Mt Cook reflected in the lake.
Wanaka has a great place called puzzle world where I loved playing like a kid for a few hours. http://www.puzzlingworld.co.nz/
Next stop party town / Queenstown - a ski resort just waiting for the snow to arrive. This provided my jumping off point to go to Milford Sound - a most beautiful and very wet place, where mountains raise up straight out of the sea and waterfalls crash over looming edges above the boat as the skipper tries to get the bow under the spray. One of the wettest places on earth, but very beautiful. If your ever in Queenstown try the luge - great fun going down a concrete race track on a cross between a tricycle and a sledge.
Stopped in Dunedin for a few nights, visiting Pete (ex Soultimer) and reliving that student life thing. Also had to visit the Speight brewery and sample all there bears - it would be wrong not to eh?
Kaikora used to be a sleepy fishing town until tourism struck. Stayed in the best backpackers so far - Dusky Lodge. Don't really know why it was so good...may be something to do with it having 1 sauna, 1 spa, 1 heated swimming pool, 2 kitchens, 3 lounges, 3 log fires, free cakes each evening from the bakery next door and free breakfast! If you've traveled, you'll know how good that sounds!
This place will always stick in my memory as this is where I went swimming with over 100 wild dusky dolphins - the acrobats of the sea. It was a wonderful experience being surrounded by such graceful creatures. Singing down you snorkel, swimming in circles eye to eye and dive down all encourage the dolphins to play. Dolphin encounters who I went with were very good and provided excellent gear, so even though the water was only 11 degrees we still didn't get cold even after quite a while in the water. www.dolphin.co.nz
Crossed over to the North Island which takes 3hrs on a ferry (Bit like going to France back home, but you don't leave the country!). Was a rough crossing with waves breaking over the bow of the ship, but I didn't mind. Evening watching the victorious Lions and then today I have made my way to Napier and been sampling the local produce of the wineries. Tonight I stay in Napier Prison (An apparently haunted backpackers that used to serve as the oldest penetentionary in New Zealand!) Sweet dreams!

Overground, underground wandering free...

2005-05-20T14:47:00.000Z

Landed in the Country of the "Long white cloud" or "Lord of the Rings country". Spent a few days in a very wet Christchurch - guess I haven't seen this city at its best. Bought some extra clothes from the place for bargains - The Warehouse. Stonehurst is a great hostel to stay in for a few days and work on your plans for traveling around and what to do.
Left the rain behind and traveled across the country on the beautiful Transalpine railway. The views of the snow capped Alps were sensational and made even more impressive by the few low lying clouds that hung in the valleys, but you have to wrap up warm if you want to go out into the observational carriage - lucky I bought a new fleece.
Staying at Noah's Ark Backpackers with its funky animal themed rooms. I have the pleasure of being in Sheep and no bunk bed for a few days - Woohoo!
This morning I have had a blast with Wildwest - Blackwater rafting. It's a cross between what we'd call pot-holing back home and grabbing lorry innertubes and floating down underground rivers in complete darkness apart from the light from the gloworms on the ceiling of the caves (which look like fairy lights dangling from the roof). If you want challenges, you get to go through some pretty tight bits and jump down short waterfalls. I loved it! There is also a waterslide down some very slippery algae covered rock when you get out. Even though I was with an group of adventurous Ozies, I was still the only person to try this out. When in New Zealand - you have to go hard, right?
Check it out at www.fun-nz.com
Now on to glacier country....

Rocks, rocks and more rocks!

2005-05-13T08:52:00.000Z

Snorkeling turned out to be fantastic and got to see so much, even called in on Nemo in his anemone. Saw rays, turtles and was told when we got back to the boat that the reef sharks had been around! Cape Tribulation has one of the oldest continuous rainforests in the world and one morning it did feel as if we were in Jurassic park as we came across two prehistoric looking Cassowaries, huge birds with strange horny heads. The beaches at Cape Trib are fantastic picture postcard places and completely deserted. My 3 day trip here was just the right amount of time to wander and enjoy a very special place, then it was back to the party town that is Cairns. The next amazing place on my list was Uluru, Ayer's Rock - the world's most famous monolith (big rock!). Flew over hundreds of miles of red dessert with nothing green growing to touch down in Yulara (Ayer's Rock Resort). It is low season at the moment which actually meant you had more chance to awe this mysterious landscape in your own time (And also meant less flies). But the ones there are very persistent flying in your face incessantly and so some well prepared people were wearing fly nets over their heads. I wasn't as well prepared. Visited Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) early in the day. I think these rocks are even more interesting and certainly soaked in more Aboriginal mystery than Ayer's Rock itself. I was starting to think that I wasn't going to get to see Uluru do its colour changing thing, because for the most part of my few days here, it was overcast, but just as the sun was setting one night, it slipped bellow the cloud layer and Uluru shone with amazing intensities of different colours from Orange through to purple. Having seen so many pictures on the brochures it was fabulous to be there in person. I chose not to climb the rock as so many sadly chose to do. All over the place are signs asking you to respect the area and not to climb are ignored particularly it has to be noted by Americans and Japanese tourists. Guess everyone has to make their own decision on that one. From the red centre I flew down to Melbourne and felt something I haven't felt for a long time...What was it?...Cold! It is like the great parts of a British Autumn down here, so the trees are changing colour and the days are cold and clear. Enjoying the luxury of a double bed, a big thick duvet and a room to myself.
The views along Great Ocean Road were fantastic. The sun came out at just the right time to get some awesome photos of the 12 Apostles. Had fun with a good crew of guys all about my age and with a great cruisy tour company called Lets Go bush Tours - highly recommended!
Now entering my last few days of my time here in Oz and then off to even colder climes of New Zealand.

Up the East Coast

2005-04-30T06:23:00.000Z

Left wet Byron Bay behind...well...Actually to tell the truth the weather improved and I got out the the most Easterly point of Australia and got to spend sometime on a dry beach. Headed onto Brisbane and caught up with Lisette, from the Oasis Overland trip. Had a good time catching up stories and travelling around lots...Even going to meet her Grandad to pick up her car. Ate so well in Brisbane and saw hilarious Irish standup comedian, Jimeoin, making it a fantastic time and nice to be away from the backpacker scene for a little while.
Headed further north still to Hervey Bay the launch point for my 4wd adventure to Fraser Island. This has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. It lived up to all the claims made in the brochures. Huge multicoloured sand dunes, looking like the start of the original Starwars movie. Lake McKenzie was wonderfully clear and me and my other 10 companions had a great time exploring the rainforest and somehow ending up knowing a little too much about each other after a hilarious time around the gas light on the first night!
One thing to note for any of you thinking of doing this trip is to try to use another company other than Kookaburra's as they lacked a great deal in the area of customer relations, but once we were on the island we had a great time.
Have rushed up the coast on a 25hr bus journey to start an Open Water Dive Course, though sadly I failed the medical at the end of the first day, due to my asthma and so plans here have changed. After getting a full refund, I have booked to go snorkeling tomorrow instead and then off up to Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest and reef meet, for 3 days.

The photos!

2005-04-20T23:57:00.000Z

Find them all at:
http://www.richtraveller.heurist.co.uk/
Thanks to my brother for setting that up and the comments!

Soul in Sydney

2005-04-20T23:35:00.000Z

It's been a while - seems like computers have been against me everything I try to log on to my Blogger!
I'm in a very rainy Byron Bay, but more of that later.
I arrive in land downunder on 5th April. Been staying right in the middle of Sydney at a place called Woodduck harbor View backpackers. Though it doesn't have a view of the harbor it is a pleasant place and quite sociable for such a big backpackers.
I aimed to be here in Sydney at the same time as 2 friends from cell group back home, called Katy and Fi. After a lot of effort we finally met up, which has been fantastic. It was really good to see them and hear stories from home. We were able to hand out for a few days and went and visited the Blue Mountains together. A very beautiful part of Australia, covered by eucalyptus forests.
A few more days seeing the sights a the beautiful city that is Sydney... I don't normally like cities, but this one draws you in and I have ended up staying longer than I intended.
So why Soul...well...I got in touch with a friend called Jill, who lives in Canberra to arrange to meet up, when I found out that she was going to be in Sydney for the week helping organize the Soul Survivor conference here in Sydney. Soul Survivor is a Christian festival of worship and teaching that I help out with every summer back home and love. So I have been donning my bright yellow jacket again, as an usher and enjoying the familiar sound of worship lead by Tim Hughes and even more familiar Mike Pilivatchi jokes (I love it!). Have also ended up playing soccer and thrashing the Ozys, but what do you expect. the youth group that I camped with were amazing and so welcoming, I had a great week.
On Tuesday I said farewell to Sydney, or maybe Aurevoir, as I will probably be back. I caught the Greyhound bus overnight to Byron bay. Not sure how much I slept on the bus, but the night went quickly and I was soon at the rainforest Retreat Backpackers. It's not quite as lovely as they sell it. They say near a beach, but it's quite a walk and advertise it as secluded in this wonderful tropical rainforest. No such luck as it is right by the main road.Hey..it's a bed.
Not too sure about Byron yet. Yesterday was funny as I walked to Captain Cook's lookout at the end of the beach, when suddenly the sky turned very grey and the heavens opened. I had Byron Bay beach completely to myself, but not quite as I imagined...Soaked to the sink! Let's hope today is a bit more favorable. Not holding my breath!

Cape Town

2005-04-03T19:14:00.000Z

Have had a great time travelling along the Garden Route from PE to Cape Town. First stop was Jeffery's Bay - I could have stayed here a month. Island Vibe backpackers right on the beach was a fantastic place to hang out. I arrived at 9:15am, on the Baz Bus and by 10:00, I was in the water having my stuffing skills disected by a great teacher.
Next stop was Storm's River, the home of the Highest Bungi jump in the world, so you can guess what I did there. I loved the jump and secretly loved the fact that my rebound was bigger than my friends' bungi at Vic Falls. The atmosphere in the centre of the bridge, from where we jumped, was great with pumping music! I think the scariest part was the walk to the centre of the bridge along a metal catwalk that you could see the ground through 216m below your feet, and it bent slightly as you walked along. Got the video to show you when I get back!
Next day, off to Knysna and met up with Natalie, who I have loved travelling with since PE. We kinda like to do the same sort of things and its been good to hae someone to talk to and eat with over the last few days.
On to Swellendam (Svellendam) to go hiking up a mountain called 12 o'clock 'cos the locals use it as a sundile. This is Easter Saturday by now and at a very relaxed backpackers we enjoyed a huge bonfire, drumming and fire dancing. Found a really old fashioned Anglican church to go to on Sunday morning - was very similar to my parent's church, where I would have been if I wasn't in Africa this Easter.
Next stop Hermanus - home of the Great White Sharks, but didn't go diving with them! Not sure about the whole attracting sharks to humans usinbg bait so that they start to associate humans with food - still open to debate though!
Finally arrived at Stellebosch to catch up with my friends from the Overland truck and go on a fabulous wine tour, but good times also came with bad as my firend Lisette had been mugged and pushed off a train on her way to Stellenbosch, so ended up spending quite a time visiting her in hospital - Get well soon mate!
Last stop Cae Town: One of the highlights here has to be a great day spent with Abby (friend from Watford) visiting Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope - such a beautiful place and the weather was kind to us. Just on my way back now to my hostel for last time having visitted Nelson Madella's prison cell on Robben Island. Very thought provoking tour and really glad I did it.
It's brief, but I hope it catches you up with where I am in the world these days.
Plans for South America may be changing as got news that my friends will not be in Chile when I was planing to be there...Need to decide what to do!

Durban

2005-03-22T13:04:00.000Z

Just returned to PE having had a great weekend with my friend Bel as she showed me around her home town and its many beaches. This tour also included visiting her school, meeting her class, answering all their questions about the UK and also about Kilimanjaro. Visited Usharka, a combined Aquarium and Waterworld (with slides)…fantastic idea. Went to 2 churches, which was great having not been to church for 1 ½ months. Even visited Margate, which is a lot like the English Margate. It’s a colourful town by the sea and it was overcast and gray, the sea was brownish. It was even a bit cold so it really reminded me of home. One thing Margate does however have is A Waffle House, just like the one in St Albans…How strange!

Fun with elephants

2005-03-16T14:35:00.000Z

Left Zimbabwe on Sunday and flew to Jo’burg then got on a flight to Port Elizabeth kindly arranged by Mark. PE looked beautiful as I arrived in the evening in time to go out to Buffalo Bills. Great Calamari and milkshake – after all it was my 5th meal of the day!
Next morning we headed to Addo Elephant Park. We have had a superb time both driving ourselves around the [ark and on two organized game viewings. The best was the sundowner, including fleece lined ponchos and drinks and snacks from the back of the Land Rover somewhere out in the middle of the park as a black rhino watched us from a safe distance and several elephants played with the sun setting behind them – a pretty special moment! I think we got spoilt on this trip. We had so many amazing animal sightings on our trips into the park and I now have some great photos and videos of all the animals, but most magnificent of all the elephants, including 1 ½ month old babies. Also saw kudus, zebra, elands, water hogs, red hartebeest and loads of others that I can’t think of now.
Had lovely day on the beach with Mark and Pete and I’m soon boarding an overnight bus to Durban. Will be with Bel by morning!

The smoke that thunders

2005-03-14T08:41:00.001Z

Left Bulawayo on the overnight sleeper train and headed for the smoke that thunders. A very apt name for Victoria falls. As you get off the train you can see a cloud rising about 2km away and hear a noise like a huge jet engine. It is very impressive!
This has been my adrenaline junkie part of my trip. The first big day’s activity was Adrenaline day…It involved a huge zip wire across the gorge where you could run off the cliff and fly out across the gorge, nearly to the other side. Got to do this loads of times in lots of different poses. Next we did an abseil and a rap run (This is abseiling facing down the cliff) and then the big one! The gorge swing. This is a giant swing fixed to a wire in the middle of the gorge. You get 3 seconds freefall off the cliff and then swing out into gorge itself. I learnt very slowly and did 3 jumps: one stepping off forwards, one tandem with a new found friend called Lisette (who it does have to be mentioned can scream very loudly) and finally (and most terrifying) stepping off backwards so that you fall straight down the cliff facing the rock zooming past your face only a couple of meters away!
Also did a day of White water rafting. It was fun, but turned out to be very tame. The most exciting part was doing a cliff dive of the rocks into the Zambezi. Have got the DVD from that to show you all when I get back home.
Also had great trips to the national parks on both sides of the falls. I have to say that it is most spectacular and also much wetter on the Zambia side where you get much closer to the main falls and can walk out across a bring to Livingstone Island in the middle of the cascading falls. As a little aside, I was very amused to find a family of Water hogs at customs. Don’t know whether they were going from Zambia to Zimbabwe or the other way round, or where they kept their passports!
The big yellow truck (My home for the last month) has now left on its way to Botswana. I was very sad to see all my new friends disappearing leaving me all alone with just my backpack again. As Nancy said “I belong to the road again!”

Walking on the wild side - Zimbabwe

2005-03-12T10:11:00.000Z

We have left Harare behind and traveled down to Gweru, to a fantastic place called Antelope Park. It is a beautiful setting of camping facilities and lodges right by the river, but more important than that are the activities that can be arranged from here!
Here is a quote from just one day there from my diary
“It’s been amazing day. By lunch time, I had walked with lions, ridden on an elephant and had even learnt to ride a horse.”
The lion walk was an amazing experience walking up to an enclosure containing four 15 month old lions and opening the gate and then spending the next hour and half walking, photographing and playing with these amazingly strong animals. The next day was even more special when I visited five really naught 3 month old cubs, who relentlessly were trying to bite, claw or stalk you as you sat and played with them. Later I visited 3 other cubs who were altogether friendlier and even let you rub their bellies.
On that day I also went for 2 horse rides: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning one was sedate and a game viewing experience. It’s amazing how close the wild animals will allow you to come when you are on the back of a horse. The afternoon ride was advertised as intermediate. It was great fun as we played open gate (like British Bulldog) on horse back across a polo cross field. My horse was fast, which was good for the game, but didn’t have a break peddle and would follow and chase any other horse at a gallop! I loved it, even though I lost the stirrups several times, I didn’t come off!
Having had such good wildlife experiences, I got a bit of history as we traveled to Great Zimbabwe ruins. Zimbabwe means big stone houses so Great Zimbabwe means big, big stone houses – very original and as you might have guessed we spent our time looking around a lot of ruined stone walls. Very little is know about Great Zimbabwe except that it is Shona and is the largest Sub Sahara evidence of ancient civilizations, second largest in Africa only to the Egyptian pyramids. It is impressively sat on top of a hill over looking all the surrounding area and incorporating many of the precariously looking balancing stones that litter this part of Zimbabwe.
We have since moved on to Bulawayo where there were even more great wildlife experiences as we walked up to wild rhino – well within 15m and that is close enough thanks. The males are huge and we also got to see a female with a 1 year old baby. Apparently white and black rhino are the same colour. Originally called wide mouthed rhino due to its wide mouth because it grazes on grass, it was difficult to say and was shortened to white rhino. The black rhino eats bushes and other vegetation and has a much more pointy mouth, is smaller and shyer!

Traveling through many countries

2005-02-28T11:04:00.000Z

I am writing this from Zimbabwe Internet Cafe in Harare. Been a busy time since the last update and now have several more stamps in my passport. Traveled 3 days from Dar through Tanzania and into Malawi. A place called Chitembe Beach. Pitched my tent just a few metres from the waters edge and enjoyed waking up with the sunrising across the lake and sliding out of my tent to have a quiet time alone on the beach.Moved on to Kande Beach further down the lake for a further few days of beach bum paradise, minus the waves. Sadly I haven't been able to enjoy the water as much as I typically would, after having a small accident falling off the back of the truck (It wasn't moving at the time!) and putting a deep gash in my right shin. There is some sort of irony there, that I have been jumping on and off all sorts of transport over my time in Malawi and yet have a mishap when I am disembarking from a truck that is actually designed to carry people. So now as well as souvenirs, I'll have a scar to remind me of Africa!We have been eating well on this part of the trip, including the controversial spit roast pig the other day. Somehow, the vegetarians on board didn't seem to warm to the idea. We have also had to adapt to slightly more ferrel conditions as we moved on from Lake Milawi and bush camped in Mozambique. Had the truly African experience of struggling to get transit visa at the Mozambique boarder, which in the end took 4hrs 30mins waiting around, but turned out to be the most colourful and clearest entry in my passport to date. More boarder crossings that went surprisingly;y easy the next day as we crossed in to Zimbabwe, even for us Brits! So I now have only 8 days left on the truck and then its out into the big wide world on my own. I have to say that it has been a lovely break to be able to sit back and it's someone else's job to worry about all the arrangements. Looking forward to exploring historic and wild Zimbabwe. It's a great place and the first to look really different to the East African countries, being much more hilly with strange monolyths left balanced in precarious places on the tops of stony outcrops. Mozambique to give it its due was different, being altogether a lot more shrubby, but to be honest I slept and read my way through most of the country.

Zanzibar – tropical paradise

2005-02-17T10:59:00.000Z

Had a great few days on the tropical archipelago that is Zanzibar. Was not sad to leave the bustle and noise of Dara behind and travel across the water. We got off the ferry (Hydrofoil) from our 2hr air-conditioned crossing in to the shocking heat of Stonetown at midday. The type of place where you feel like you’ll fry if you just step outside for even just a few minutes.
The first evening in Stonetown was great as we sampled the local catch of the day at the fish market, where they cook skewers of any fish or shellfish that takes you fancy on a grill and each skewer only sets you back $1! Having quenched our thirst with freshly made sugar cane drinks, we had the fun at Africa’s biggest music festival, Sauti za Busara, (held inside the ruined fort) which just happened to be on whilst we were in town. Felt like a good travelers experience.
The last few days have been spent at the north of the island, hanging out on beautiful white beaches, eating and drinking in any number of grass-roofed bars that overlook the sand. Yesterday I even took a trip out to the reef to snorkel amongst a crazy variety of wonderfully colourful fish. Amazing that so much of God’s creation is hidden beneath the surface of the sea and so rarely seen, except by a fortunate few. Guess there is still so much to discover about out planet!Back to mainland tomorrow morning, but not before another visit to the fish market tonight.

Having a blast!

2005-02-11T08:17:00.000Z

So, I’ve been on Haven’t got time to tell you all that has been happening, but here are a few highlights. Got to stay at a descent hotel for budget prices in Nairobi and enjoy a bit of luxury and the Tonka, our faithful bright yellow truck for 4 days now and we’re having such a good time. pool for a day before boarding the truck and getting used to bush camping.

The last night in Kenya was spent at Simba Club, where I got to try crocodile (Tastes like shark – that sort of meat/fish mixture) and also camel (Tastes like beef!).

Left Kenya for the final time this year and crossed the boarder into Tanzania, now armed with my Masai blanket sleeping in the bush is a lot more warmer and pleasant experience. Have spent a day on Safari in the Ngorogoro crater which is an amazingly unique ecosystem of its own, just as it sounds, inside a huge crater. The highlight of the game drive had to be watching 4 cheaters, but had to be careful not to get any of the other 28 minibuses and 4 wheel drives surrounding the animals in the picture.

Have been staying at Meserani Snake Park, just outside Arusha for the last 2 nights and have enjoyed a new spectator sport: (Apologies to the squeamish and vegetarian amongst you for the next bit.) - watching the snakes being feed their live dinners.

After a month of not eating got to see the Southern African Python feast on 2 very cute bunny rabbits and also saw a black mamba demolish his guinea pig supper after a lightning fast strike. Also got to hold a snake, the tiniest little tortoise and a baby (well 2 ½ foot) Nile Croc. Very Steve Irwin.

The truck is a much quieter place today after a heavy night last night. After lunch here, we’re off towards the coast. Going to play at the beach! They say life’s a beach (Don’t they?)

Probably the toughest 8 ½hrs of my life!

2005-02-05T13:23:00.000Z

Well, I’ve done it! With much sweat toil and pigheaded persistence, I have made it to the top of the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and Africa’s highest point – Kilimanjaro.

Bus to Moshi
Uneventful day really…Sat on a bus for 6hrs or more, including crossing the crazy boarder between Kenya and Tanzania. New stamps in my passport!
Day 1 – Marangu Gate up to Manadra hut 7km walk / 700m ascent
Met up with 2 Canadians and decided to do 6 day climb instead of 5 day which was a very good decision as you’ll discover later. Entering the park is wonderful rain forest with the sunlight shining through and trees that look like the ancient ones from Lord of the Rings. Should have guessed by the name ‘Rainforest’, but a few hours in it started to rain…hard…very hard! By the time I arrived at the hut I could pour water out of my boots, so spent the rest of the day trying to chase the sun to dry them out.
Day 2 – Mandara hut to Horombo 11km walk / 1000m ascent
With plastic bags around my feet to keep my socks dry, we soon left the rainforest behind and met with giant heathers and into the moorland. The clouds blowing across, quickly taking the heat out of the sun, and somewhat resembling the Yorkshire Moors.
Day 3 – Acclimatization day at Horombo hut
Went for a short 6km walk to Zebra rocks – yes it is black and white stripes…surprise, surprise! Last night I had been ill, I guess because of the altitude so this extra day was vital for me to regain my strength.
Day 4 – Horombo hut to Kibo 10km / 1000m ascent
This was a long slow trudge, but all walking on Kili is ‘Pole Pole’ meaning slowly, slowly so that your body has time to adapt to the height change. I liked walking through the alpine desert region and even having time to walk on my own and being able to sing. Early dinner and early to bed in rooms with 11 other people to try to grab a few hours sleep. Hard when the person above you just won’t keep still…ggrrrrr!
Day 5 – The biggie! Kibo hut to Uhuru peak 1200m ascent
Woken up at 11pm, given some tea and biscuits. By midnight everyone is wrapped up warm in all their clothes they have and armed with their head torch. Then a slow zigzagging procession starts up to the peak. We went slowly, but somehow ended up overtaking several groups. By 4:30am I had left Fiona and Mike from Canada behind and teamed up with another Mike from Oz. Probably tougher mentally than physically, I plodded on, wanting it too stop, one foot after another, freezing cold walking on the icy snow (-15degrees). At 6am I finally arrived at the top, utterly exhausted and slightly wobbly, but the 2nd person to get to the peak that day. And just then the sky turned red, the sun made its appearance and the temperature started to rise. Then the fun bit, 1 hour scree run back down to Kibo huts. Felt like I had been up a whole day, but when I looked at my watch it was only 8:30am! Think that is probably the toughest 8 ½hrs of my life! 2hrs kip and then packed up and marched back to Horombo hut.
Day 6 – Horombo hut to Park entrance
A beautiful day to finish with – marched out of the park in beautiful sunlight appreciating sections of the walk that we did not see because of the rain on the first day. So done it and got the T-shirt and the gold certificate…never again!
And today – I’m back in Nairobi!

So was it worth it…definitely!

Time up in Malawi

2005-01-24T15:22:00.000Z

Well…my time in Malawi is coming to an end. I am busy each day with wiring. First orphan home is complete and now I am working in the clinic. Les is busy hooking up the new water tanks so things are coming together. I have got very used to my rides up and down the escarpment each day: sometimes with Les, sometimes hitching a ride in lovely air-conditioned cars, sometimes with eccentric thick accented Irish Catholic priests that I can hardly understand, sometimes in overcrowded minibuses with doors that threaten to fly open each time it turns the hairpin bends, sometimes even in the back of a lorry! One thing that has been common however is that I have very rarely had to pay for the 40km journey down or back up the mountain!

Family football and baseball organised by church on Saturdays has kept me fit whilst I’ve been here and sometime felt like it was nearly going to kill me as I’ve puffed and panted through scorching hot games. Tennis seemed much more sedate, but my serves left a lot to be desired.

I’ve had some sad times, particularly when we lost 3 of the big German Shepherds (Poppy, Neo and Trinity) and one of the little puppies. I’ve suffered a little traveller’s tummy (Only a day really, before you get the violins out), but the good times: the warm welcome, the smiles, the laughter and the friends have swung the balance completely. I’m going to find it tough to leave. I find it hard to believe that 2 months ago I didn’t know Les, Jackie, Jon, Josh and Beth (They were just names on the church mission board). In the best possible way, it feels like I’ve know then for years and they have let me be part of their life for this time and that has been such a blessing to me. Please remember these guys in your prayers – they do a tremendous work out here.

I’m gong to miss everyone that has welcomed me so warmly at church and my Malawian friends in Chikwawa, particularly Patrick, Thomas and Charles who all ask me why I’m not married yet (They all are!)?! What can I say?

Malawi is billed as ‘the warm heart of Africa’ and lives up to the adverts. So on Friday I say goodbye for a time to Malawi and head back to Nairobi, then on to climb Kilimanjaro. I have run a Marathon, let’s see if my body is up to climbing to the highest point on this beautiful continent (5896m above sea level for those of you who like the technical stuff!).

Scorpions in the bathhroom

2005-01-11T11:46:00.000Z

The team have now left and everything is a bit quieter. Was great to hang out with those guys and see what God accoplished through them. I am now staying in the guest house up at the top of the hill (About a 10min walk from Les and Jackie's). I have moved out for a week so that a lady called Dorathy Anne (aka DA) is not there on her own, which is cool because she is staying the cottage and I'm at the guest house and it is so beautiful. Check out the pictures at www.fishermansrest.org! I have the who house to myself, but sleep in the blue room with it's beautiful ironwork 4poster bed. It's a hard life!
So to the scorpions...I walked into my bathroom and found one on the floor. Luckily I hadn't stepped on ity on the way in. So I killed it with an airfreshener can. Hit them hard enough with any object and it seems to do the job. I'm also enjoying the swimming pool shaped as Africa, after each hot sweaty day down in Chikwawa, wiring up the orphan homes.
Can't believe time is going by so quickly...only 2 1/2 weeks left in Malawi.

2005

2005-01-05T13:22:00.000Z

Well it's 2005 and I'm a year older and that bit closer to 30! Prayed in the New Year with some friends in Blantyre after consuming much pizza! It was a lovely way to end an old year and see the new one in.
Much of our time over the last few days has been taken up supporting the Mime team out here. They are very good and have done their thing in some great places so far, including a conference with the president there, a school, a prison, a couple of hospitals and even at the first Bible School Graduation on New Years day down at Hope Village.
Because we have been spending time with the team up at the guest house, the kids and I have loved swimming in the Africa shaped pool. I am so blessed to be able to be here surrounded by such wonderful people and beautiful scenary.
I got my Visa extended to cover the rest of my time out here without any problems and I hope I can make the most of every opportunity that presents itself to me over my remaining month in Malawi. We did have a bit of a saga today when one of the orphans showed us a very nasty open infected wound on his foot, caused by and accident with a hoe in the fields on Monday. Great timing that the team was around and that two of them actually have medical training. If you can, please pray that Charlie's foot heals quickly and without further infection.
It Jon Dennis' Birthday on Sunday so I think there is something special planned for Saturday, but for now...Hope Life is treating you well!

Christmas and My Birthday!

2004-12-30T13:17:00.000Z

Christmas eve with the orphans was wonderful. We took them a meal of sausges and chiken, rolls, sema and beans and also a bag of little presents each. Couldn't believe that some of the children were actually scared of the sausages and chose Sema (Maize flour and water) over it, leaving the sausages on a plate in the middle.
Had a candle lit Christmas service on the 24th, which reminded all present about what Christmas is all about. After all as they say... "Jesus is the reason for the season!" After the service a small group of us went to Cure hospital for disabled children and sung carols and Chichewa songs to the children who were there for Christmas and gave out some toys. Got a lovely picture of a young girl with an Elmo bag on her back and a huge grin on her face!
Christmas was a wonderful time with the Dennis' as we opened presents one by one in the lounge. I recieved some lovely carved animals and a cedar box which smells so good! Had a rather multi-national Christmas with a Canadian family, a Finnish family and a Ukranian who all brought traditional food from their own lands. We ate so well!
Boxing day we spent in Blantyre with friends and on my Birthday we did something rather special. Les, Jackie, Jon, Josh, Beth, Julia and I went down the escarpment to a Nyala park and did a mini safari with most of us sat on top of the roof of the Isuzu dodging thorn bushes. We saw giraffes, nyala (Dear), wilderbeast and monitor lizards. We also went to the Sports club and had great steak and chips that the total cost for all of 7 of us came to the same price as you'd pay for one portion back home. In the evening we watched Bruce Almighty cinmea style using the church projector.
Been a bit lazy over the last few days, but will be putting together designs for an adventure playground and then soon heading down to the village for a few days at a time, probably staying on my own in one of the orphans houses, which are nearly complete, so that I can install the electrics. Making preparations for a Mime team arriving from USA on Saturday. We were going to go to the lake for New Year, but with the team coming that hadto be cancelled! May get up North a little later on. Well...Happy New Year to you all, where ever you end up spending it. Guess we'll be at home.

Christmas in Malawi

2004-12-23T09:20:00.000Z

Well it's sunny here, most of the time, except when we have taurential rains for a few minutes, then it's sunny again. The roads were steaming yesterday when it rained!
Yesterday we helped one of the families from the church move to their new house. They having been living 1/2hr out of Blantyre and have moved to a lovely place on the hill, west of town. We moved a whole house full of furniture in 4 pickups and 2 cars. I have never put so much on the back of a pickup truck before. I was actually standing on the cab roof to load the final chairs on top. All the sailing knots came in handy and luckily it all stayed on even driving down the bumpy roads.
Just finished bartering at the curio stalls (African art work) for presents for the family and now Jackie and I are off to get all the things we need for the Christmas party for all the staff and the orphans at Hope Village tomorrow. We're going to have a big Brye (BBQ).
Tomorrow is actually going to be a busy day, getting things ready for the party at lunch time, then we've got to be in Blantyre to set up the sound equipment for the Christmas eve service at church and then after the service we are carol singing at 2 hospitals in the evening.
Apparently we (The Dennis' and I) are going to another family for Christmas day. Think it will be big chicken rather than turkey this year.
Widlife week: Seen Tauransular and Blind snake at firends houses this week!(Hope thst's spelt correctly)
Merry Christmas to you all!

From Malawi

2004-12-15T13:01:00.000Z

I am now safely in Malawi and what a great place it is...It is called the warm heart of Africa and rightly so! Everyone has been so welcoming.
I flew from Nairobi on Friday morning and arrived in Lilongwe to be met by a guy called Scott Hunter. He showed me the sights of Lilongwe, which is a truely bizzar capital city, because even when you are right in the centre of the city, it is so green and spaced out that you feel like you must be in a park. We had luch at Mamamia's and then took a look at Village of Hope, the project that Scott worked for. Then it was on to a surprisingly comfortable air-conditioned bus to go down to Blantyre. The Dennis' had kindly organised the ticket, so all I had to do was to collect the ticket and get on the bus.
I did get slightly nervous as it got darker and I realised that I was arriving in a city that I didn't know, late at night, but all my worries disappeared when Les said 'Hi' as I stepped off the bus and I soon met everyone else. The whole family had come down to meet me, Les, Jackie, Jonathan, Josh and Beth. Their house is situated about 1/2hr drive from Blantyre, on top of a hill, with a greeat view down to Hope Village, which I obviously didn't get to see on the first night.
On my first day here in Blantyre I got involved in a family tennis tournament with a difference, including adults playing left handed. All of us got sunburnt a bit and at church were comparing tan lines. The weekend was lovely and relaxing and I also got to know a few people at Jordans birthday.
During the week I have been helping Les. A lot of our time has been spent in Blantyre getting different bits and pieces that are need for the buildings on site. We have been down to Chikwawa a couple of times. Things are going well and I hope I can become more useful as time goes on, because at the moment I'm just finding my bearings and learning about all that is going on.

Nairobi

2004-12-09T11:11:00.000Z

Well, after months of preparations I'm finally here. Sitting in a hot internet cafe called Lazards...not the fastest connection in the world, but cheap. 1Ksh(Kenyan shilling 0.75p) per minute!
Arrived at Nairobi airport having watched the best part of 3 movies when I wasn't dosing. Flight was good and the service could not be knocked. Through the stern faced passport control, relieved that I didn't have to join the long queue for Visas. Met by Hebern and the taken to a strange little office in the back part of the airport to wait for transport to be organised - very African! Arrived at Nairobi Backpackers relieved to be able to have a beer from a self service bar and crash out in my own single room, with no worries.
It rained heavily last night, but I still slept. Woke up, having had a good (surprisingly cool) night's sleep, to a cooked breakfast of eggs, tomatoes and toast, prepared by Paricia. Hung around the hostel in the morning and moved my stuff into one of the dorm rooms for tonight. Headed into town with Adam, who seems to have been at the Bakpackers for ever. It's good to be back in Africa. Everything seems pretty normal, but I guess I've been here before. There is the usual constant beeping of car horns, crazzy driving, sidewalks and roads full of potholes and staring eyes that remind me that my skin is not the same colour as everyone elses, but I'm glad I'm finally here!

4 days to go!

2004-12-04T12:19:00.000Z

Now only 4 days to go until I leave good old blighty. I loved the cold crisp
Autimn days over the last week. It's going to be very strange not seeing
snow this year.
This week I have been doing all the last minute things and saying a lot of
goodbyes to friends. I got my Tanzanian Visa which only took 2 trips into
London and was reasonably hastle free. Still waiting to hear back from
Nairobi Backpackers where I hope to spend the first two nights of my
adventure. It would be good if I can stay there as they will aslo meet me
from the airport.
If you get a chance to visit London over the festive season, a strole down
Regents Street is recomended as the Christmas lights are fantastic!
Yeasterday I went to visit my old class and see the preparations being made
for the Christmas production. Was great to see everyone at school and my
class nearly mobed me, bombarding me with thousands of questions, making me
feel very missed! Good luck with the performance next week Cassiobury!
Tonight is party night and hope I'll get to see loads of my friends for one
last time. Of course it'll have to have a Christmas theme. Last Sunday at
Soul Survivor tomorrow - guess then I'm really on my way!

8 days to go!

2004-11-30T12:39:00.000Z

It’s Tuesday…now only 8 days to go!
The weekend has been lovely being back in Watford and catching up with old friends. Been to my 17th wedding this year on Saturday and leant how to Salsa at Amabel’s 21st Birthday Party in the evening, which was great fun. At Soul Survivor on Sunday I found out about the churches plan to visit Malawi in July and realised my own place in making preparations for the team to visit as I will be in Malawi for the next 2 months. Hope those of you who get involved with this will have a great experience. So one of the things I will be doing is working out how the team will be able to build an adventure playground for the children at Hope Village. If any of you have had any experience with building a Trim Trail or the like, I’d love to hear from you!
Guess the rest of the week will be filled with goodbyes, visits to embassies and final preparations.

The farmhouse table

2004-11-30T12:22:00.000Z

Here is a story that must be told…There were once a happily married couple that wanted a large dining room table to entertain their many friends. Let’s call our main characters in this story Bret and Cath.
One cold Autumn Saturday Bret rang up his friends Michael and Rich and asked them to come and help them move their new dining room table into their new house. So Bret, Michael and Rich went to borrow their friend’s van. After unloading the van of much PA equipment the 3 men went to pick up the farmhouse table from the barn where it was being stored. Although very heavy, the table fitted into the van perfectly, so off they trundled to the new house.
At the house everyone helped to carefully inch the table through the front door, which was very tricky because of the sheer size of it, but after much lifting, pushing, pulling and panting the table was finally in the hallway of the house, but then…
“The table will never fit through then lounge door!”
“Let’s take it out and back in through the patio windows!”
If you do not know the little house in the story, let me set the scene. The house has a lovely garden that goes all the way down to the river at the bottom. So the friends carried the table round the back of the house, over the bridge, over 2 fences down the bank of the river and then across the river up the garden and finally through the patio doors so that the table could take pride of place in the new house.
Thank you Bret, I so wish I had a camera, but the image of you and Michael carrying a huge table through the freezing water of that river will stick with me forever!
Hope you don’t mind the whole world knowing.

Last days in Tarleton

2004-11-25T16:22:00.000Z

Well, here goes with my first Blogspot entry. It’s now only 2 days before I leave Mum and Dad’s. Had a great time up here, spending time with my family and doing all the things that are necessary travel preparations. Glad to have my passport back from the Kenyan embassy, so Visa for Kenya is sorted. Can’t believe how long it takes to notify everyone of change of addresses and get all the boring bank stuff sorted, which reminds me I must go into town to pick up Malaria tablets and traveller’s cheques. Last visit to the doctor’s today to have the seven thousandth needle stuck in my arm. Can’t remember when my arms didn’t ache!

The plan is that my Dad is taking me down to Watford on Friday evening, so I’ll be saying my goodbyes to Mum tomorrow. (That’s going to be weird!) I’ll be spending a week in Watford saying goodbye to all my friend’s down there, going to church for the last time, last cell group and of course the compulsory party!

Seen a few friend’s whilst being ‘Up North’: Chris & Ester are doing well in their new house in Salford, Christine still resides in Macclesfield, Jonathan came over from Liverpool yesterday afternoon and I also managed to squeeze in a visit to beautiful Durham, seeing Aileen and Fliss up there! (If you haven’t visited Durham yet, it is a must!)

So, wash and wax Bugs (The car!) as he’s going into storage…last drive today. See if everything really does fit in my rucksack…finger’s crossed there. Doesn’t feel real that it is actually going to happen, but there is a tingling excitement growing along with the nagging thought that I’m surely going to forget something! Next instalment from the South!