sean & rachy in latin america

we're off on 2nd July...

2007-05-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

dates for the diary...

11-23 June... rachy in Bangkok (working)

29 June... fun filled evening to play before we leave!

2 July... fly to Lima, Peru! (rachy starts working)

Perhentian Paradise!

2005-08-04T00:34:00.000-07:00

They may as well have held up a sign saying "Welcome to Rachy Paradise" when we arrived by boat to the Perhentian Islands. The fish were colourful, the beaches were white and the water was tropical blue and green with plentiful coral reefs.

Jungle trekking was the only way to cross the island (if you didn't want to pay an arm and a leg to go by boat) so we took the tiny path with our new jungle friends (geckos, goannas, squirrels, funny little long tailed birds and a other little unidentified creatures) a few times a week.

Three weeks of uninterrupted relaxation and swimming with the fishies, yet again.

Rachy heaven had only one small drawback... no drinking! My liver loves me & I'm in fine form to return to play in Melb!

Next stop from Rachy paradise.... to Singapore to meet Mel.... to Japan to eat some sushi... and then home on Monday!

Malaysia Scores (well, Perhentian Islands anyway)

2005-08-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

Beaches: 9.5/10. Beautiful white powdery sand with crystal clear water. Takes over from Nacula Island, Fiji, as most beautiful island in the world. So far.

Wildlife. 7.5/10. Walking across the islands tropical jungle interior you will see: monkeys, giant monitor lizards, snakes, enormous snails, squirrels (on a tropical island!?), amazing birds that talk back, vampire bats, and other great stuff.

Diving: 7/10. 31-degree water with lots of great fishies: Sharks, turtles, rays, and aggressive little Nimos that give attitude.

Club: -2/10. No bacon, no chicken, no lettuce, no tomato, no cheese, no egg, no mayo, no fries, no triple decker toasted bread cut into quarters held together with tooth picks. In fact, no Club Sandwich. Culinary Neanderthals. They make an awesome Malay fried rice and noodle curry though.

Alcohol. 1/10. What is it with Islam and alcohol? You can actually get it here but you have to guess which shop is hiding it under the counter. Come on Muslims, alcohol doesn’t make people do silly things. Just go to a Christmas party, Christian wedding, New Years Eve party, Melbourne Cup Day parking lot, Schoolies week on the Gold Coast, or Katherine on a Thursday afternoon. Normal people doing normal things. Well, actually, maybe they have something.

In search of the best Thai red curry

2005-07-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

A Panang dry red curry takes the prize for the best Thai curry, on the second last night in Thailand. So tasty! How can I ever leave here now? Lanna Thai in Melb has much to live up to!

Swimming with the fishies was grouse (as usual). Except I dropped my mask in the middle of the ocean. Not quite the middle actually, but far enough away that I couldn't retrieve it. Expensive mistake.

Sairee village & beach. I love the small village by the beach lifestyle. Living in a hut 10 steps from the water, surrounded by palm trees is my kind of paradise.

Missspelt sighns. I'm not sure whether it's deliberate, laziness, ignorance or simply that no one cares but every second sign has at least one English word that is not spelt correctly. Then again... I'm not the best speller either....

No shoes. Everyone must take off their shoes to enter any building. Nice!

Pity about the stray dog problem. Is there anything worse than being woken up at 5:30 each morning by yelping, growling dogs?

Next stop. Perhentian Islands for some more swimming with the fishies.

Thailand Scores

2005-06-30T23:15:00.000-07:00

Thai food. 9/10. As incredible as ever. Hasn't gone through me like the Indian food. Perhaps I'm toughening up.

Club. 7.5/10. No egg, toast not toasty enough, no chips!!!! Shame Thailand, shame.

Middle aged men. 1/10. Isn't it funny to see middle aged men traveling by themselves in places like Thailand and Cambodia? Like hell it is. Backpackers they are not. It's so repulsive you want to smash them and force them to get their morals in order, or retire from the world. It's no coincidence that there is a massive advertising campaign going on in the region to stop sex tourism, particularly pedophilia. Sickening.

The Thai Grand Palace. 8.5/10. One of the most ostentatious complexes on the planet. It's an absolutely overwhelming visual feast of gold, green, and gold.

Diving on Koh Tao. 6.5/10. Not bad and not outstanding. Cheap, some fish, some coral and warm water. Visibility and the weather a let down. The island is fantastic though. Could be amazing at the right time of the year.

Angkor What?

2005-06-27T01:41:00.000-07:00

'Angkor What?' is the very creative name of a bar in Siem Reap, a town just outside the very famous (although I hadn't heard of it before this trip) Angkor Wat temple complex and other amazing wats. Here in Siem Reap there is also 'The Red Piano' bar/restaurant that seems mostly blue and does not have a piano in sight (that I could see anyway), and is famous for being Angolina Jolie's 'hangout' while she filmed Tomb Raider (at the amazing wats I mentioned). And of course we are staying at the 'Popular Guesthouse' which is the only hotel we tried that wasn't full.

Angkor Wat is the most impressive structure in the world (according to me anyway). It's not as stunning as the Taj Mahal or as incredible as the Pyramids but it is totally unique with it's intricate stone carvings and huge faces, massive temple stupas (cone hat like things that sit on the top of temples), acres of grounds, trees that have climbed the temple walls with their exposed roots intertwined and the wild jungle that runs through it all. Wow!

Phnom Penh. The history of this city is quite extraordinary. Bad extraordinary. Pol Pot was comparable to Hitler (although he 'only' killed 2 million) with his inhumane policies, ideas and acts. It was hard to imagine a vacated city in Pol Pot's time (when he exiled everyone to the country to make food), compared with the millions that live there today (still in poverty mostly). Other than that, I though Phnom Pehn to be... well... probably one of the few places in the world that I wouldn't go back to.

Oh, and Angkor beer is better than their red wine.... did I really say that?

Cambodia Scores

2005-06-26T04:49:00.000-07:00

Phnom Penh. 4/10. Lonely Planet describes this place as 'captivating', but I think it's just another case of a beer goggled travel reporter trying to sell the country instead of presenting the facts. PP is the third worse capital city in the world, just behind Tegucigalpa and Athens. Of course, that's just my opinion. Unfortunatley, my travel beer goggles came off long ago. Not everything is great just because it's different.

Siem Reap and the Angkor region. 9.5/10. The temples and ruins in this area are incomparable. Angkor Wat is up there with The Taj, The Pyramids and Macchu Pichu as one of the most amazing structures on the planet. But Angkor Wat is just the tip of the temple here. There are another 100 or so square kms of old stuff to check out. Incredible. At the same time however, I'm getting more and more cynical and frustrated at the worlds past leaders and kings preoccupation with building ginormous structures to honour themselves, or their dead wives, or some unlikely God hanging around at the time. Couldn't the money and effort have been better spent on public health, or education, or wine. Why have humans done this, or allowed it to happen, all through history? We have some issues...

Japanese tourists. 6/10. What is it about Cambodia that attracts more Zero pilots than Tokyo? No joke, 9 out of 10 digital camera snappers at Angkor Wat are Japanese.

Food. 8/10. A great combo of Thai, Indian and Vietnamese with their own specialties like giant grasshoppers and massive black spiders that they eat like chips. Yum.

Club sandwich. 8.5/10. Who puts gherkin on a Club? First in Asia to include mayo though, so good job!

Hassle. 4/10. Almost as much hassle as Egypt from the locals preying on the tourist ATM.

Overall. 8/10. Just for the Angkor region. Nothing else really matters.

The Nam Scores

2005-06-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

Scenery. 8.5/10. One of the most beautiful countries I have seen. Halong Bay dotted with thousands of granite islands rising out of the turquoise sea could be in the top 7 most amazing places in the world. Beaches almost unspoiled. Lots of green stuff. Stunning.

Wine. 5/10. Incredibly, India, Israel and now Vietnam make better wine than Greece.

Motor bikes. 9.5/10. There is a motor bike for every man, women, child, and chicken in this country and they are all riding them around at the same time going no where in particular.

Diving. 6/10. Maybe we dived in a crap spot but US$75 for a two tank dive makes Hoi An the poorest value for money diving in the world.

Club sandwich. 7.5/10. Missed on the egg, too much bacon, funny chips, toast not toasted enough. Worthy attempt though.

Communism/Socialism. ?/10. The only real sign of it is the corruption which permeates right down to the annoying little boy trying to rip you off selling imitation trinkets.

Overall. 8.5/10. Come before it's spoilt with foreign investment. For those in the Army that can't come because it's 'Communist', get out.

Cám ón Vietnam!

2005-06-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

It's been no secret that Vietnam is a fabulous and super cheap holiday, and it has certainly lived up to expectations. So cám ón (thank you) Vietnam!

Halong Bay. Definitely in my top 5 beautiful places in the world. Weaving between 3000 mountain islands in a dragon boat feasting on tasty Vietnamese treats and sipping cool beers and very expensive Vietnam Dalat wine was Rachy Heaven! Sunset from the top deck was amazing and the rachy size cabins were just too cute.

Cloth shops in Hoi An. Having clothes tailored to fit you exactly is much more fun than buying off the shelf. Especially when you pay a fraction of the price. Now I just need to make sure that they stay tailored... the food is just a tad too tasty.

Nha Trang's manincured beaches. White sand, palm tress, blue water.... all the essential ingredients to seaside fun. Not as untouched as the natural beauty of Hoi An's beaches but I like them!

Motorbike? You want motorbike? Apart from not wanting to ever hear that word again, riding on the back of a motorbike is the only way to travel. Very fun and safer than walking, catching a bus or driving a car (usually on the wrong side of the road).

White Rose. Vietnamese food doesn't beat Indian but my insides are much happier. My favourite has to be White Rose, a specialty of Hoi An.... little wantons in the shape of a rose.

I won't miss the people that interrupt your brekky selling books, sunglasses, newspapers, lighters, and silk paintings.

Next stop.... Cambodia.

How much can you spend in Hong Kong?

2005-06-09T03:02:00.000-07:00

Well I didn't spend as much as Harney would have, but close enough. The city is a full on neon experience, almost as bright as Vegas. This mecca for shoppers is polite, organised and frantic. Even without the hassle (which was a fabulous change) we managed to part with many, many, many Hong Kong dollars.

Themed shopping streets. Jammed packed full with people, each shopping street has a theme. The fun begins at around 10 or 11am (very smart people - they like to sleep in) and ends sometime after midnight (my feet were killing me by 1130pm so I'm not really sure what time they close up). Every night of the week! They only downside was the possibility that you might not get the real thing.

Choice. I'm a libran.... can you imagine how much trouble I had choosing one camera out of the millions available?

The underground was sparkling and efficient and people behaved accordingly. They have little queues on the platform to line up to get on. There are announcements and flashing lights telling you which direction you're going, the line you're on, the line you can change to, which side of the train to get off, what station is next and so much more.... I started to think it would make me a cup of coffee too, but no, no, no... people actually observe the no eating, no drinking rules.

I couldn't possibly have stayed more than two days without spending my entire life savings.

Hong Kong Score Card

2005-06-09T03:01:00.000-07:00

People. 9/10. Friendly, helpful, considerate, polite. Take over from Turkish as best people.
Public Transport. 10/10. All other countries in the world should model their subway, or tube, or underground, on this system. Sounds funny, but it was a pleasure to use it.
Shopping. 8/10. Shop till you drop but not as cheap as anticipated. We successfully managed to spend quite a bit of money we don't have though.
Food. 5/10. Bad luck being next cab off the rank after India, but it doesn't change the fact that Chinese food is bland and boring. Spice it up!
Airport. 9/10. The biggest and most efficient shed on the planet.
Club Sandwiches. 8/10. Missed on the chicken and mayo. Sorry Rohan, missed the India Club Sandwich score - 7/10. I think it missed on the cheese, chicken and had a leaf too much lettice.

India Score Card

2005-06-03T03:15:00.000-07:00

Incredible !ndia, there is so much to score....would love to say more.

Cities. 2/10. Indian cities are smelly, dirty and shitty (literally) places that you should avoid at all costs. Mumbai passes.

People. 7/10. It's always difficult to truly get to know the people of a country in only a few weeks, but it's especially hard to get to know the real Curry Muncher. Like Egypt, the taxi wallahs, touts, and tricksters are so in your face it's hard not to be biased. I'm sure however, that deep down, they are fine little head waggers. Also, they are insanely passionate about cricket, so they must be OK.

Poverty. 1/10. 1.1 billion people ooooze out of every nook and cranny of this place and 60% of them live in poverty. For those without a calculator, that's over 6oo million people (30 Australias) fighting for survival. Why did they not have some family planning foresight!

Temples. 9/10. There is an absolutely amazing array of Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist temples all over the shop. You only need to see the Taj Mahal to be satisfied. Awesome! Takes over from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul as Best Building in The World.

Food. 10/10. Come here just for the food! Be prepared to see it come out the other end almost immediately though.

Heat. 1/10. Do not come here in the 'hot' season. 45 degrees in the shade is not fun.

Sacred Cows. 7/10. Holy cow man, they really do exist. I loved walking through the back alleys of Varanasi and bumping into cows grazing off the concrete. Not much fun stepping through the by-product though.

The Ganges River. 5/10. One of the holiest rivers on the planet, in reality, it's an absolute sewer. Lonely Planet tells me its faecal coliform content is around 1.5 million parts per 100ml of water. The safe bathing amount is less than 500! Yet, the Indians are in there, spiritually cleansing themselves, and adding to the shit content daily.

Public Toilets. 2/10. Public toilets are everywhere in India: behind a bush, off the train platform, on the side of that building, in any conspicuous location really. Just hang it out and let it flow. Beautiful. That goes for poo too!!

Cremations. ?/10. Go to Varanasi to see people being cremated next to, and on, the Ganges. Smelly stuff that.

Beaches. 7/10. Goa has some fine beaches, but squeaky white sand is hard to find due to the burning rubbish and cows and dogs crapping everywhere.

India Overall. 8/10. Just for the shock to the senses! Would love to see the Himalayan Region and Rajastan, as they seem spectacular. Next time.

Finally the Taj!

2005-06-03T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Taj Mahal definitely enters my top five best buildings. So white, so symmetrical and so expensive! I still can't quite fathom how they could spend the equivalent of $60 million US (back then) to build a tomb for a dead queen. I guess they're not alone.... the pyramids (also in my top five) suggest the trend went way back. Hmmmm....

Special note for Shantaram fans:
I was thoroughly disappointed with Leopolds. It looks nothing like what I'd imagined reading Shantaram. There are no booths or arches, Didier is definitely not there, there are no gangs hanging out there (& we went there five times in one day to check!) and they are selling Shantaram from the counter. I couldn't quite work out where he comes to rescue Karla in the boat at the Taj Hotel either. However, the Colaba Police Station looked quite evil and fitted my picture quite well.

Goa is grouse!

2005-05-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

I didn't expect to find white sandy beaches in India... but I have been pleasantly surprised! However although beautiful, they're not quite white anymore. Every year, just before the monsoon (which is now), the camps pull down their huts and burn off the straw and wood materials on the beach.

The grousest things about Goa are:

Huts on the beach. Ciaran's Retreat (it used to be a camp, but they've gone upmarket... to $10 a night!) is fab. It has a handful of gorgeous huts, a beach bar and the greenest grass you've ever seen in the courtyard. Brekky overlooking the beach every morning is just lovely.

More spicy curries. 'Indian hot' definitely burns the inside of your mouth more than at home but I still haven't found a curry that is too spicy. There was some part of me that expected to get sick of eating curry every day.... but I haven't!

Reading books. Our toughest activity each day. Very exhausting. We found an excellent book about an Aussie man who lived in India for 8 years on the run from jail in Melb (a somewhat embellished true story). Most of it is set in Mumbai.... and that's we're we're off to next.

The not so grouse part is the:

Jewellery sellers. Shouldn't lying peacefully on the sand with your eyes closed, hat over face, indicate that you are not shopping??? It's impossible to escape the women who roam the beaches all day looking to sell their stuff.

Varanasi & Bodhgaya

2005-05-20T03:18:00.000-07:00

Burning and colourful ghats, mad rickshaw drivers, and the wide brown Ganges river make Varanasi a truly unique place. Well, mad rickshaw drivers aren't that unique, just especially crazy in Varanasi! The grousest bits were:

The banks of the Ganges from the Alka Hotel (Varanasi). Imagine a very hot place (even the river water is warm!) with a river so low that the riverbed has become a desert plain on the other bank (with whitish sand that beams back the sun making it seem even hotter!). The boats start their business before dawn and the local people bathe morning and night in the hope of gaining karma. There are colourful buildings and ghats as far as the eye can see. That was our view from the restaurant balcony over the Lalita Ghat. We sat there in the coolish evening breeze drinking cool Sprites (notice the change from red wine)... AND we had a water cooler in our room! A little oasis on the very hot, very noisy, very busy Varanasi.

The burning ghats. I've never experienced anything like it. People dousing their deceased loved ones in the ganges, weighing out the wood (to assess the cost) for their cremation on the very public ghats and then signing the government forms before the ceremony begins. There must be a hundred people burned each day. Women relatives (including spouses and, kids) are not allowed to attend because they cry, and crying at one of these ceremonies means that the deceased may not be liberated.

Temples. Bodhgaya has a temple representing just about every Buddhist sect in the world and each one is designed and decorated differently representing their own culture. Around the main temple there are monks from all around the world practicing their version of Buddhism. The best part about this place (most likely due to the peaceful nauture of Buddhism) is the calmness.

Next stop.... Palolem, Goa.

Delhi & Agra

2005-05-16T03:48:00.000-07:00

Why would anyone go to Agra in 45 degree heat, a place that Lonely Planet says that most travellers 'endure' in order to visit the Taj Mahal, and NOT go to the Taj? Call us insane but there are some factors to consider...

Our train tickets to Agra were for Friday (we wanted to get into Agra, see the Taj and then move on to Varanasi ASAP).
The Taj Mahal is closed on Friday (& everyone in India knows that... except us and the guy who sold us the tickets).
It took us three hours to buy the train tickets.
It was very, very, very hot.
Agra is only a couple of hours from Delhi.

So basically we spent a day in Agra, suffering heat exhaustion and were hassled by rickshaw drivers and other touts every 5 steps, and didn't get to see the Taj. Well actually, we did SEE the Taj Mahal on our crazy taxi ride on the way from Agra to Tundla (on our way to catch the train to Varanasi, but that's another story!) and it is absolutely magnificent even from a distance.

No problem, we thought, we can just do a day trip from Delhi the day before we leave India (but that is also a Friday), so now we're going back two days before we leave. Should we bother we thought? The Taj had better be bloody good!

And Delhi.... big, noisy, swarming with people, full of aroma (both good and bad), and fabulous curries (and extra spicy, just how I like it!).

London is still London!

2005-05-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

Guess what?

Big Ben is still big.

My sister still 'makes' me drink too much red wine.

The red double decker buses are still much better than the tube (but al least I didn't fall asleep on one this time!).

London is still cold (good to get some wear out of that big jacket I brought with me).

Obviously not so much of a cultural visit (depending on what is considered cultural), but nevertheless very grouse to play with my sis. Great preparation for India (not)... I'm looking for a rest and I'm landing in Delhi!

Israel Score Card

2005-05-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

Israelis. 8/10. I had a bad opinion of Israelis after some of the wankers I met during travels in Sth America but at home they are much different. A very friendly bunch. Have been welcomed to Israel a million times.

Bed Sheets. 1/10. This seems to be a Middle Eastern trend, but no hotel in this region has sheets to fit even the smallest of beds. And if they do, they only give you one. I haven't been able to do four hospital corners in weeks.

Guns. 5/10. People carry guns in Israel like they carry umbrellas in London. Everyone has one just in case. This was handy in the early days of the Intifada when Palestinians thought pulling out a gun and spraying bullets through the crowd was a good idea. Unfortunately for them, the crowd had guns too and tended to turn them in to Arab Swiss Cheese. Now, they just blow themselves up before anyone can shoot them.

Red Man. 8/10. Incredibly unique to Israel is the fact that people actually stop at the little red man and wait for the little green man to cross the street. As a serial red man ignorer, it has even made me follow the signs, even when there is no traffic for miles, just in case someone gets the wrong idea and tries to turn me into Australian Swiss Cheese.

Holy Sites. 10/10. They don't get any holier than in the Old City. Everywhere you step there is something sacred to at least one denomination of some religion, but usually multiple.

The Dead Sea. 9/10. Yes, you do float like a cork in this thing! Warning, do not enter with even the slightest graze, cut or rash. The salt content stings even grazeless skin. Good fun but!

Orthodox Jews. 3/10. Almost as strange as the bed sheet situation is why Orthodox Jews dress up like the Blues Brothers with funny hair and pray to a old wall while nodding furiously. Aliens popping in and out of the atmosphere to check us out must kill themselves with laughter at this. Sorry to all those Orthodox Jews out there, but really! Come on!

Through Jordan & Israel

2005-05-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

From one old city to another... Petra to Jerusalem!

So many grouse things....

The contrast between the cultures of Egypt, Jordan & Israel. For three neighbouring countries they couldn't be more different. Particularly in their attitudes to women and tourists in general. Israel seems rather contemporary, Jordan a slightly progressive Middle Eastern culture, and Egypt is like a time warp going back 1000 years.

Al Siq & Petra. Al Siq is the entrance to the ancient city of Petra. It's a narrow canyon that winds its way to the treasury building which is an amazing temple carved out of the rockface. Everything in the city has been created by carving the insides out of the rock mountains.

The Dead Sea. Amazing! You can actually see the salt in the water and where it lines the shore. It's slimy, it stings, and tastes more salty than anything I've ever tasted. It's true that you can float standing up and read a book lying back in the water quite comfortably!

Israeli reception. Israelis are so happy for tourists to visit their country... we shared a taxi with a couple of Israelis from the border and they insisted on paying for the trip as a welcome gift to us. Everyone we've met has been interested in why we're here and gives us some advice on the best places to visit or things to do.

"Have you got arms?" I realised after a couple of seconds that the security guard was not referring to my two arms plainly in view. He was asking me the standard question asked of anyone entering a restaurant, bar or cafe in Jerusalem to check for weapons. And if you do have weapon (most commonly a machine gun slung over your back or a nice little trendy one on your hip) you can still enter as long as you have a license for it!

Tomorrow... Tel Aviv and then on to London to play with Bec!

Jordan and crossing into Israel

2005-04-30T04:28:00.000-07:00

Have just arrived in Israel from Jordan where we went to Aqaba on the coast and to Petra (of Indiana Jones fame) to see the ancient sites.

Jordan was a great relief from Egypt. People on the streets were sort of friendly, not everyone stared at Rach as if they wanted to jump her right there on the street, people drove on the correct side of the road most of the time and used their lights at night, and not everyone was trying to rip you off. Nice change.

Petra was the reason for going to Jordan and it did not disappoint. Amazing temples carved right into the rock walls. And the colors of the rock seemed painted on. Rainbows of black, brown, yellow, red and blue. The highlight of course being El Siq and The Treasury. Score 8.5/10.

Arriving in Israel yesterday was like going through some type of time warp, transported from the 7th Century into the 21st. Women wore jeans and didn't hide their heads. People drove in their lanes and there seemed some sort of, well, order about the place. People actually say 'welcome to Israel' and sincerely mean it, even when they are searching your bag for 'arms' everywhere you go.

First day in Jerusalem now and am very excited about seeing all the ancient sites before heading back to London.

Egypt Score Card Addendum

2005-04-30T04:20:00.000-07:00

Sunrise over Mt Sinai

Just have to add a 10/10 for watching the sun rise from Mt Sinai on ANZAC Day.

As described earlier, the Sinai is a vast mountainous wasteland. Hardly a blade of grass or shrub to be seen. Just endless grey, red, brown and black jagged rock formations. As the sun rises over this incredible landscape, rock changes color and the suns shadows magically change what is before you from moment to moment. Even better with a bottle of red while remembering the ANZACs.

It's a must add to any itinerary of the region, especially for those who want to follow Moses' path from St Katherine's Monastery to the summit. And yes, there actually is a burning bush at the monastery. Didn't speak to me though! Maybe next time.

Sean's Egypt Scorecard

2005-04-21T04:43:00.000-07:00

Pyramids. 9.5/10. One of the must dos on my list of Required Life Experiences. Seeing them first hand rates just behind Macchu Picchu in Peru, and the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda.

Cairo. 6/10. Dusty, humid, sweaty, poor, unorganised, polluted, smelly, dirty, unsavory, chaos, rip off merchants, scammers, ancient stuff, mummies, noisy; but the pyramids are just over there, right behind KFC!!!

Rip off Artists. 9/10. The rip off capital of the world. Nothing costs the same, ANYWHERE. Brush up on your haggling skills before comming here, and never believe anyones lies.

Cairo Museum. 9/10. Tutankhamen's sarcophagus and head thing are worth the trip to Egypt alone.

The Nile. 6/10. Looks slightly Yarra like, but a bit wider and longer. Nothing special except there is desert everywhere else. Good if you like seeing the odd dead horse float by.

Luxor. 8/10. The largest outdoor museum on the planet.

Egyptian Men. 3/10. Sexists pigs. Not sure if the culture comes first or the religion. Culture probably, perpetuated today by stupid, ancient social roles and rituals called Islam, relevant to the desert people of the 5th Century. Much like the strange things Christians still do today.

Feluccas. 2/10. Little sail boats that go up and down the Nile. Do not hire one when there is no wind otherwise your Felucca ride is a row to the other side of the bank, a punt up a few meters, and float back across.

Baksheesh. 1/10. Egyption for tipping and what everyone wants from you no matter how meaningless the task. For the taxi driver - baksheesh!, the tour guide - baksheesh!, the man that puts your bag on the bus, the man that takes your bag off the bus, the man handing you a napkin in the dunny - baksheesh!!!!

Red Sea Diving. 8.5/10. Amazing fish and great corals. Nimos everywhere, plus, the incredible Lion Fish. Bit too cold for my liking though. Water is only in the low 20s and at the moment visability like Sydney. Would be awesome in summer.

The Sinai. 7/10. Vast barren mountainous wasteland. No wonder Moses had no problems convincing the Isrealites that a burning bush told him to get the hell out of dodge, and head for the promised land killing all in their path.

Overall. 8/10. Unsurpassed for old stuff .

Swimming with the fishies in Dahab!

2005-04-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

I just love swimming with the fishies! The lionfish has almost taken over top spot as my favourtie fish (but the very gorgeous juvenile spotted drum still wins by a smidge).

The best things about Dahab are:

The Dahab lifestyle. Wake up, swim with the fishies, play in the sunshine, look at the Red Sea, read, relax, eat, drink.... and then do it all again the next day!

Seaside Lounges & Restaurants. Open air lounges with cushions & rugs line the ground in a random pattern of little cubicles. Perfect for sitting back with a book, eating some dinner, drinking some wine or a refreshing juice or just chatting.

Penguin Hotel & Sphynx Dive Centre. Jimmy does his job well and has created probably the best place to stay and play along the water. Just not sure why he called it Penguin... there are no penguins here??? The staff at Sphynx are grouse.... their equipment is very good and they are fun to dive with!

Diving of course! Did I mention that I love swimming with the fishies here? The coral formations are amazing and the fish are grouse.... it makes me want live underwater with them!

The not so grouse things about Dahab are:

The hassle. The men. The pricing arrangements (nothing costs the same price twice, even when you are buying from the same person in the same place only an hour later!)

Next stop... Jordon and Israel.

The dead city of Luxor

2005-04-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well at least the West Bank is. Lots of old stuff and dead people sums up the place. That's not to say it was bad... far from it. More like an amazing display of ancient history.

The best bits about Luxor were:

The Valley of the Kings. They thought they were being really tricky when they decided not to build pyramids and hide their tombs underneath the desert mountains to evade thieves. By why would they bury ALL the Kings in the one spot then??? Once one tomb was discovered, wouldn't the thieves know where to look for the rest?? And they had soooooo much to hide too. The wealth that was once buried in the ground is staggering. Nevertheless, I'm glad they did. I just hope they didn't call that area the Valley of the Kings way back then. That would really have given it away.

Temples & Tombs. I think it's pretty cool that the Kings and Queens of the day started the construction of their temples as soon as they gained power. The longer the reign, the bigger and more elaborate their tomb and the more kids they had. Ramses II had 50 wives and 170 kids. Busy man.

Happy Land Hostel. I thought the name 'Happy Land' was very special. Made me feel like Little Miss Sunshine visiting with Mr Happy. Brekky on the rooftop was a fab way to start the day and the staff were in fact very happy. The ladies in the kitchen sang as they walked into work and the owner would reply 'of course, you're in happy land!' to every question. Happy Land signs were all over town so that no matter how lost you because, you could always find your way back to Happy Land. Nice!

The not so grouse bits:

Leaving Luxor by bus. Sitting in a jam packed, non airconditioned bus in 30 degree heat was the best part. Breaking down in the middle of nowhere was the next best bit. Watching the mechanics argue about how to fix it was probably on a par with that. Driving mostly on the wrong side of the unlit, pitch black highway after the sunset with no headlights and no visibility beyond the reflection of the driver on the front window was definitely the worst. I think we're lucky to be alive.

Next... swimming with the fishies in Dahab!

Lively Cairo!

2005-04-09T05:37:00.000-07:00

Crossing roads in Cairo is almost as dangerous as a game of Russian Roulette. You take a deep breath and walk out in front of six lanes of speeding vehicles. And they're not really lanes either, more like a ferocious sea of traffic. Nobody cares about the road rules or lane markings so it's hard to predict which car is coming for you. And I've never been good at crossing roads to begin with.

But there are some really grouse things about Cairo, such as:

The Pyramids and the Sphinx. I knew they were going to be incredible, but I was blown away! How on earth did they drag those stones up there??? And to think each one is for all for a single person!

The Tutankarmen treasures. I thought the pyramids were impressive enough, but when I saw all the wealth they've buried with them I was amazed. A quarter of the Egypt museum was dedicated to it! One of his three caskets was made of solid gold, weighing 110kgs... and that was the small one (the small one was in a larger one which was in a larger one (like Russian dolls). And then there were golden beds, golden statues, golden jewellery, gold clothes.... get the gist?

Now... off to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings!

Barcelona

2005-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Life in Barcelona is full of energy, entertainment, fabulous food & wine and flows at a relaxed pace. I was definitely NOT ready to leave so quickly! The best things were:

Wandering La Rumbla (my favourite pedestrian street in the world, always crowded with smiling people watching the thousands of street performers and human statues)
Gaudi's stuff (even though it's not finished La Sagrada Familia is stunning, rising from the middle of the city and just soooo different to any other building I've ever seen.

(La Sagrada Familia)

The windows of La Casa Batllo are still my favourite though.... I'm sure they were designed for another planet).

(The windows of Gaudi's La Casa Batllo)

Istanbul & Gallipoli

2005-04-06T02:27:00.000-07:00

I don´t think it matters how many times you could visit Gallipoli, it would still send a shiver up your spine.

Some of my favourite things...

Apple tea (everyone wants you to have some and are offended if you refuse. Which is fine by me because I love it. And the cherry tea, and the turkish tea... )
Money (we paid 35 million to stay in the Orient Hostel in Istanbul. Made me feel rich, which of course I´m not now that I´m unemployed)
The Orient Hostel in Istanbul (right in the heart of Sultanahmet, which is where everything grouse is. They have a fab rooftop cafe and another terrace with free internet, although getting on it can be a challenge)
Raki (I think it is a slightly more potent version of Ouzo... or maybe that´s just because I drank more of it???)
Turkish people (even the carpet sellers harassed us in a nice way... ´hey Aussies, I´ve been looking for you... how can I help you spend some of your money?´ with a huge grin on their face... I like their humour)

Some of my not so favourite things...

The morning after too much Raki
Smelly feet

We´re playing in Barcelona now... off to see Gaudi´s stuff today!

Sean's Greece Scorecard

2005-03-31T04:33:00.000-08:00

Scores:

Wine. 2/10. Incredible, I thought Greece made wine. Don't olive trees and grape vines go hand in hand! Apparently not. Wine here is aweful. On a par with Peru.

Athens. 5/10. What a dump. How did they ever get the Olympics? The only thing it has going for it is some old stuff dating back to 3 or 4000 BC. Who cares, the rest of the place is shockıng. Takes over from Tegucigalpa in Honduras as the worst Capital.

People. 8/10. The Greeks seem to be having a great time everywhere. Probably because they are plastered most of the time on ouzo.

Greek Islands. 8/10. Interesting and diverse, the islands weren't exactly as I expected. While Santorini provided amazing contrast with the bald volcanic hills and pure white buildings, most of the island was in a state of disrepair. More interesting were the other lesser known islands like Syros and Lesvos which have beautiful ancient fishing villages hugging their cost lines. Special mention to Lesvos which is the home of olives (13 million trees apparently), sardines and cats (seemingly as many as there are olive trees).

Fashion. 2/10. Greek fashion is a disaster. This coming from a guy who wore a mesh singlet in the 80s. Those mesh tops are still 'in' here. It's ugly stuff.

Smoking. 0/10. Come on Europe, catch up!

Bus drivers. 9/10. Bus drivers here are very talented. They manage to smoke, talk to their mates on their mobiles, and maneuver their busses around ridiculously tight back streets without a scratch on the bus.

Overall. 7/10. It is the cradle of Western civilisation, is the home of the souvlaki, Greek salad and ouzo.

Athens and the Greek Islands

2005-03-30T10:26:00.000-08:00

Another absolutely fabulous couple of weeks!

Some of my favourite things...

Molyvos (on the Greek Island of Lesvos, up by the Turkish coast. Nassos guesthouse had stunning views & a little balcony to watch the sunset from)
Sunsets in general (they just keep getting better)
Ia on Santorini (white buildings, blue shutters on windows, stunning views, rambling alleys)
Greek salads (although not made with the love of a Bedford one!)
Ouzo (one unfinished glass of Greek wine turned me to Ouzo, which I now have quite a taste for. I expect their vineyards are partly the cause of this... the vines are curled up in circles just laying on the volcanic rocks in a random fashion).
Syros (we only went there island hopping to Turkey by chance and discovered a very cute town, geared for the locals and Greek tourists, very friendly and restaurants by the port on the water)

Some of my not so favourite things...

Greek red wine (did anyone ever think I'd say that?)
Smoking (every one does it, everywhere, and they have the dining facilities on the ferries in the smoking area so you either have to starve and breathe or eat and choke)
Athens (dull, dirty & concrete buildings)
Perissa beach (volcanic rocks for sand, complete with tractor. Not the best town to stay in during the low season... buses run infrequently and nothing is actually open)

Tomorrow to Gallipoli and then Istanul...

Sean's Italy Score Card

2005-03-25T02:55:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of expectations about Italy, and it surpassed them all. Any superlatives can not do the place justice.

Scores:

'Pace'. 8/10. (phonetically - 'parchay', for those who don't speak Italian) 'Pace' means 'Peace' and there are more pace flags in Italy than national flags. Something America could learn from.

Venice. 9.5/10. Takes over from York as the best city. I walked around with my mouth open, gob smacked, for 3 days.

Tuscany. 8/10. Loses points only because it is winter and not as beautiful as the picture post cards. Still, such a unique place. Rach and I hired a car for a few days and one medieval town was more stunning than the last.

Chianti. 8/10. In the past I have not rated Chianti as a wine. Probably because the stuff I was stealing from Dads stash under the house 20 years ago wasn't that flash. But, Chianti from Tuscany is a very tasty drop. Made predominantly from what I thought was the crappy Sangiovese grape, it will definitely be going in the cellar back home.

Costs. 1/10. Ridiculous. Imagine $20 to do a bag of washing, $22 for 1/2 hr on the net with a coffee and juice, or $120 for a room in a backpackers with a fold up bed and a shared bath room! However, it's half price if you do any of these things standing at the bar.

Fat people. 5/10. Not as fat as Americans, but they should be. The population subsists on bread, olive oil, and red wine. The average dinner consists of four courses. No one seems to be exercising either, just standing around at the bar drinking wine and eating cheese and pastry things.

Old stuff. 9.5/10. Italy is one giant museum. Just walking around the back streets of Rome you'll find 2000 year old stuff just laying about. In Australia it would be surrounded by armed guards in the national museum.

History. 9/10. It's a monument to the rise of Western civilisation, after Athens. The significant people and places are too numerous to mention.

Overall. 9/10. Takes over from Peru as my favorite country so far.

From Venice to Rome

2005-03-20T02:35:00.000-08:00

Venice is still the most romantic place in the world... something to do with the water I think. Or maybe Tuscany is... that would have something to do with the wine.

Some of my favourite things....

gondolas and canals in Venice (even the water is a gorgeous greeny blue colour)
sangiovese grapes in Tuscany (and they're definitely different to those we grow in Oz.... I'm almost converted from Cab Sav!)
Florence fashions (not that I could even come close to affording even a sock!)
Fawtly Towers in Rome (this Hostel has a grouse little rooftop balcony and kitchen. Perfect for impromptu parties with too much Sangiovese and Pecorino cheese)
medievil towns (they are stunning and pop up on the tops of hills all throughout the Tuscan countryside, in between the vineyards)
the Trevi Fountain (I keep thowing in a coin to wish that I'll come back to Rome.... it has been working so far!)

Some of my not so favourite things...

Euros (I've given up converting to $$$Oz because it's too depressing)
hangovers
breakfasts (no one believes in a tasty & healthy cereal these days) Pictures at....

Next stop: Athens & the Greek Islands