Applecross here we come again!

Hurray! At a recent summit meeting in Genev... no actually to be honest in the pub (Inn at Whitewell to be exact) we decided that yes- we will head to my (Jo) fave destination ever... Applecross Penninsular Wester Ross, for Easter hols.

Physically I can already feel the pull towards that most perfect place and find myself lying awake each night recalling every detail of the panorama, the fantastic fresh sea food served up by Judith and her trustee gang of friendly, hardworking staff at Applecross Inn, the sea, the mountains, the deer, the otters we'll see again (that last from my lips to the gods' ears!!) Maybe we'll get to catch up with Dave and Aiden again which would be dure to be a laugh- the most bitingly funny chaps around and a guaranteed hangover is always in the offing when our paths collide!

As for recent months we've spent time in Devon with JB just before Christmas which was a great relief from the trials of a seemingly never ending Christmas term. JB- we're now convinced more than ever that those noises of sploshing and high pitched squeaking we heard in the brook that freezing cold starry night were otters! This from having seen Ring of Bright Water again recently (as part of my AX campaign against Simon's Seville campaign) and Simon King's Shetland Diary footage of the otter family.

Spent a lot of time at "home" at Stony too in the snow and it did look magical over Christmas deserted and snowbound (Narnia perhaps) Though after a week we were beginning to feel more like we were in the Shining!!

Bloody Hell........

Nightmare folks - got the wrong day to fly back. I only found out at the airport and now am making may way back to the hostel. All geared up to go back home and now have another 24 hours, feeling knackered.

I,ve been able to get more money out, so won,t starve.

Please tell Jo I,ll be a day later if you read this. Also, I,ll check this in the morning, so if you could write a comment, it would be great.

Pants :(

Spas and Bars in Budapest

I,m at the end of a weekend with Dad, Tim and Matt, attempting to write on a Hungarian Keyboard, which is qwertz rather than qwerty, so excuse any weird punctuation.

We went straight out to the biggest underground bar in town on the first night, and tried many more over the course of the weekend, usually on the advice of our Easyhotel receptionist who had the inside scopp on where all the best places were. She came up trumps the vast majority of the time and even directed us to a bar where we bumped into a gang from the New Inn in Clitheroe who save up to visit somewhere different each year. I was astonished to look up from my 0,5 litre of beer to see Derek M from JM!

We gave much of the first day over to the Hungarian wine festival, based at Buda Castle. An amazing location, sunny weather, and lashings of sub par wine. Sadly our favourites all seemed to be from places like spain and South Africa. Good fun, though.

The next day was spent wandering over to a vast park containg an old spa, reputed to be the best in town. It was a vast place with endless little pools, saunas, but with a great trio of outdoor pools of differing temperatures with all sorts of water features. Best was a water roundabout which just spun you about in a vast circle. It was so excellent that we decided to go to another spa for the next day. The second we went to is the most famous in town and attched to a posh hotel. This was more refined, but no less fun with a wave machine that went off each hour and produced huge waves that pummelled us into jelly. We were able to reinvigorate ourselves with beer, though. Very mellow lying by various pools with draft beer on tap.

Anyway, the Woods have all gone and I,ve got a few more hours to explore and grab a beer or two for the road. See you back in the UK.

Pants

Back home now, but all these people are still there

The art of losing face and the amazing Mister Paz

Sawasdee from Bangkok.
Lots to update -meant to get on line yesterday but it didn't happen and already I am forgetting some of the stuff which has been occurring.
So where did we leave off? Oh yep waiting our pick up for the train at Surat Thani. So along come a man in a van and we get bundled off to a place in the middle of nowhere (this we are finding is the usual course of events) everyone has to get out show their tickets and is then branded (well not quite but we're all stuck with a sticker - there are varying colours of sticker depending on where you're headed and from then on you are herded, divided, subdivided etc as you journey along (it is exactly like one man and his dog and we are the sheep BAH!) So after hanging around for 10 minutes all looking puzzled and occasionally being startled into trotting around in little flocks of confusion. A kindly looking shepherd whistled to Si and me and pointed to his mini van with a wink he motioned us into the two seats up front with him. We thought cool - we get to see where we are going and have some more space -then he piled our big rucksacks and our day sacks under our feet up there too. So essentially we were concertinaed and balanced precariously so that one sudden break would see us smashing through the windscreen. I had the added joy of sitting on the handbreak (fun for me and fun for the driver which was nice!) Oh well with a journey of only 3 hours who's complaining?
The journey was awesome as once again we travelled through miles of jungle with mountains all around. Eventually it grew dark and we arrived in what could only have been Surat Thani a bustling little city at that time of the evening with mostly Thai folk eating in the cafes and scooting about on mopeds. We were following the main streets for a while and then suddenly the driver took us down increasingly dingy dark and poverty stricken side streets stopping when several men darted out of a building and flagged him down. There then began a truly scary bit of business where these men and a women were all shouting through the windows, opening the doors and prodding the travellers shouting "Bangkok? You go Bangkok?" It seemed they were touting people to break away from their chosen route and go off with them. In the end they got to S and I in the front seat and on hearing we were going to the train station dragged us out the van. My terrified confused glances and beseeching of our non-English (and you would think by his own puzzlement no-Thai) speaking driver were wasted. We were hustled off through the alleys with growling dogs and strange dark faces peering out of doors and handed to a third man who took posession of some car keys from a fourth guy and put our back packs in the boot of a car. He motioned us to get in and then we saw some money changing hands before we were driven off in the back firing automobile. We kept reassuring each other that this was okay and they were taking us to the station (which we knew was about 10 kms away from Surat Thain town) but we were holding hands very tightly and then Simon started laughing and pointed to a road sign which said "Slaughter House" Obviously we lived to update the blog again... but for a few blood chilling minutes we were afraid we may be leaving you, our dear readers, bereft of another chapter.
Once at the station we settled down on our wooden seats to while away 4 hours until our train came. First class is the only way travel folks! The beds were way better and our private compartment allowed us to sit up for a while enjoying a couple of drams of Thai Whiskey and reflecting soto voce on the early travel terrors. We both slept reasonably well and spent the morning sitting on the lower bunk eating brekky and watching as the scenery changed from rice paddies to the increasingly built up burbs of BK. Some culture shock as we went slowly past some pretty poor shanty places where we watched families sitting on the floors of their corrugated shed houses built next to railway line and on stilts top keep them from the stagnant and filthy ponds they lived over.
Once in Bangkok we dutifully ignored all the taxi touts and went straight for the official pink metered cabs. Hopping in and giving the driver our destination (Soi Rambhuttri - near the Khao San Road but less manic with Backpackers and travellers and touts) I said the name a couple of times and he was saying Yes yes yes. Once we set off I realised his meter wasn't on so asked. He said No Meter I charge 100 baht. Okay we thought that's about what it would cost anyway and he is basically pulling a fast one on his bosses - fair do's. About half an hour later he pulls into the basement carpark of a high rise apartment block in the financial/business district! We explain again where we are going and then he's slapping his forehead and banging the steering wheel and driving like a loony. Next he's on his mobile and jabbering away and then he hands me the phone and barks Speak! On the other end is a lady who speaks English asking where we are going. She understands first time and then says that the driver wants 300 Baht to take us there... No way says I did she realise he was driving off the meter despite our asking that he use it? Anyway it all got a bit frantic and in the end I offered 200 baht by way of sharing the blame for the lack of understanding when we originally gave our destination.
We've done a lot of reading about Thai culture since we've been here and they have some very cool philosophies about things (based on the Buddhist culture here) One is Sanuk - this word encapsulates an ethos which seems to be there's no point in doing anything unless it is fun.. it is the art of making things fun. Remember a few blogs ago when we described watching the hotel staff on Phi Phi working their sarongs off all day unloading a supply boat? We said we wer struck by their team work and by how much fun they seemed to be having despite the hard work ? THAT is sanuk in action. Sort of related to this is there fear of losing face. If someone drops a box or trips up the observers of this mini calamity will make sanuk (make it a fun thing) this is to help the person it has happened to save face. Our taxi driving incident was the art of losing face... it was awful! I felt terrible because I was sorry for the driver but frustrated that our inability to communicate with one another meant we couldn't find a compromise. Everyone was hurting. Our driver passed a temple just before we got to our true destination and taking his a hands off the wheel he practiced the wei (showing respect by placing palms together, fingers touching your forehead and bowing your head) He kept fingering the amults and Buddha statues hanging from the mirror. When we stopped he quietly said "I velly solly" I thanked him and smiled and made the wei to him and Simon shook his hand and we were all smiling and nodding. I love Thailand!
I guess it was fate that all this happened as we ended up right by the Sawasdee Guest House which had an amazing room with a bed the size of a house and hot shower (for a change) and cafe, restuarant, right in heart of a laid back area all for 26 pounds per night which is hugely expensive after paying a tenner a night for the last few weeks.
Last time we were in BK (I can't remember if I mentioned this - we went to crazy China town and when we finally escaped the maze we landed further up the river (this area) and went into a bar called Mister Pas food bar. Mister Pas and his pal are huge foodies and have a picture of Gordon Ramsey outside their little restuarant. Mister Paz's friend although Thai has travelled fairly widely and was a cool customer dressed in black jeans and shirt and cowboy boots, shoulder length hair- think Antonio Banderas in Desperado but with Ronnie Corbett's face and you have him. Anyway we promised we would go back when we returned to BK and so we did the other night. A great night out all in all as we kicked off at a cool Thai bar and met a young German girl (well woman she was a Dr) travelling the world she'd just been in India working on a medical project and had heard the Dalai Lama teach. Great chat with her before we wandered to Mister Paz's. The menu is European and we had quid ink spaghetti with seafood and honestly it was wonderful. Antonio Corbett was there again in his role as chilled out charley. There was one other table in their with a group of rich Thais and a young french guy but we spent the entire time talking food with Mister Paz and Ronnie Banderas. After the meal Ronnie and I went outside for a cig and Simon got chatting to the french guy )only briefly before the guy left. On my return Mister Paz came over with a drink for both Si and me from the french guy. When we came to pay ....the French guy had already settled it! How amazingly cool is that?
Yesterday we went to the Great Palace - home of Thai Royal family. Beautiful and intense. We saw the emerald buddha (actually made from Jade) and he was wearing his rainy season outfit... he has three outfits for different times of year and the King comes and chages his clothes and hat each time) The greatest thing though was the murals... they go on and on and on and are awesome. I think you could spend years looking at them. Anyway 4 mins left here.
I guess this is the last post of the trip. We are looking forward to seeing everyone soon. I guess it only remains to say

"Having a great time; wish you were here!"

Mangroves, monkeys and mad thai rum

So we arrived in Krabi which is quite chilled little town on a tidal river edged with mangroves. We took a long tailed boat trip along these and saw about a half a dozen sea eagles including an amazing view of one swooping down into the river right along side the boat. The boat man took us to see a big cave and then onto a fish farm (where he seemed to be more fascinated than we were fedding these enormous fish with small stinky fish) In the afternoon we wandered along the walk by the river and saw some monkeys playing chicken on the road running out to pick up fallen fruit and then dashing back to the side whenever a moped came zipping around the corner.

Last night we went to a cool bar called FU Bar which was the ubiquitous reggae stylee but this one was the best - really cool. The owner was a Thai guy with hair past his behind in dreads. A real smiley character who it turns out has an English girlfriend from Reading and a 1 year old daughter (he then proceeded to ply us with Thai rum and show us countless pictures of said offspring) It was worth it just to see Simon's amazingly polite show of interest as he flicked through the pictures and kept showing them to me saying "Oh would you look at this one and oh isn't she cute!" Quite unSimonlike!

It turned out that our new friend was called WOOD! So much back slapping and showing of passports by us and utility bills by him to prove the unlikely coincidence. We also met a young gay chap with the unfortunate name of BUM. Very sweet and looking for a long term boyfriend.,. When asked to describe his perfect type he basically described Simon (but with out the beard) This morning Simon went for a walk and passing a Thai Massage place out trots Bum "Yoo Hoo!" trying to drag Simon in for a beard trip - yeah right and the rest!! (Get your hands off of my man Bum!!)

So we're kciking our heals abit today as we wait to get picked up and taken to Surat Thani at 3.30 ish. Then we hop the 23:oohrs train to BK. We have a first class sleeper compartment this time- so at least if we cannot sleep we can have a fight or something to pass the time. We should arrive in BK about 10am on Friday morning which gives us a shocking four days there. Really it is too much but we are both feeling tired and the thought of trekking all the way across to Koh Samui (Bus, Boat etc) for a few more beach days just doesn't appeal. All our clothes are minging and I guess the horror of it is we are sort of ready to move on ... home I suppose. However if you have enjoyed this blog and would like to continue reading about our adventures please use Paypal to send your donations...(We could easily head to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and then maybe Austra;ia, NZ for 6 months or so before heading via Easter Island to Chile and S. America for another 6-9 mths and then perhaps north America if you still feel generous???? No! Ah well it was worth a try!)

Will update again no doubt in BK.

We get back to UK at about 9.pm on Tuesday night and then will have to head North on Weds as I have heaps of prep for new term.

The Old Man and the Sea and the Monkey in the tree

Okay so it's been a while. We had a boat chartered to take us over to Phi Phi Lay a small uninhabited island off the larger Phi Phi Don (where we were staying last) Unfortunately we were given a whole heap of excuses regarding why it would be better for us til wait until 12noon to go (mainly though it was because the lady had double booked) By 11.45am we couldn't see our destination from our island as a huge storm was blowing in... By 11.50 we spotted the tornedo on the horizon. Clearly the cowardly Jo was getting cold feet about this. Our lady promised us it would be okay by 1pm. By 1.30 it was an argument about safety and having our money back. In the end Simon agreed to go first thing the next day. He got up with the fishermen and bid my sleepy head adieu and it wasn't until I ventured out for a leisurely brekkie with my book about an hour after that I realised that the weather was equally as squally as the previous day. I then spend the next two hours biting my nails and singing "For those in trouble on the sea" Eventually a small dot appeared and slowly revealed the prow of my husband's vessel (phew) As usual I had worried for nowt as Simon had had a real adventure, being dropped off in the most beautiful emerald cove surrounded by tall cliffs and with no one else in site. He also got to swim over to a cliff and climb a bamboo ladder over the top and down onto Maya Bay (made famous in the flim the Beach- the book of which he's just finished reading)
The weather then set in and his boatman set sail (actually that's poetic licence as these are long tail boats and have no sails..but hey we're in with all the mariner terminology here) for home. After a few beers to celebrate his deliverance from the tempest we set sail again for the main town and the port to await our ferry to Rai Lay. The journey there was freezing- it was pouring rain and the inside cabin had its aircon on so high you could have kept meat hanging there for weeks. This meant we had to stand outside in the squall. Very exciting though.
Arrivng at Rai Lay in such grim conditions did nothing for impressions of this completely different yet dramatically beautiful point on the mainland near Krabi. One side is full of mangroves and the water is muddy and it has a completely different and spokyish feel-especially at night. The first night we sat on a bamboo jetty over the mangroves and watched afire fly work it's way through the exposed creepy roots.
Rai Lay is big with rock climbers and day light showed us why. The whole place is huge jungle covered lime stone stacks. The place is littered with caves too. Today we wandered over to the most beautifu; beach we've ever been on. (Await pics- though even they don't do it justice) On the way you walk along a path which abuts the base of these huge over hanging cliffs which have stalagtites spokily hanging down and often mingle with the jungley vines. At the end as you approach the beach is a the Princess cave. So allegedly a beautiful Indian Princess was drowned here when the ship carrying her foundered on the rocks. She was buried in the cave and fisherman believe she haunts it still and grants favours of good fishing and luck to those who pay their respects. To this end their is a shrine in the cave (similar to the spirit houses which are ubiquitous in peoples house out her) with food and drink left and flowers etc. The main gift for paying respect however seems to be phalic symbols. The place has heaps of them littering the little cave. When you look around you at the beach you can sort of see why as there are these enormous Lime Stone sea stacks looking phallically (if indeed one can loom phallically!!) from the most beautiful blue sea.
Oh and this morning we saw our first wild monkeys in the trees outside our room.
We're both doing well though we are tired of our constantly sticky sandy clothes (despite several laundry trips) We've now had three days at Rai Lay and tomorrow we're off to Krabi for a couple of days. We next make our way back to BK to end the trip with some shopping and so we can squeeze in the golden palace (if indeed one can squeeze in the golden palace!!!!)
Simon looks very brown and has lost the belly :( but he's still cuddly. I look like a victim of some dreadful curse - as usual! Despite the deet the mosquitos have really enjoyed my blood -so just hoping i don't develop Maleria or Dengue afterall.
Right well Simon is sitting over looking the sun setting and supping a mango smoothie looking very mellow as I sit typing in this hot little room so I think I'll check out for now.
Love to all...