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14/05/06 - Well I know you love them and although I'm not in the mood to email at the moment I feel I should let people know I'm alive.
Anyway I've been too tired to generate many incredible story's like I usually so just a wee summery of where I'm at. I'm in Broome which is north west Australia. Nice and hot and sunny here 30 degrees ecery day and I can just about put up with the fact it gets dark at 6. In fact I was lucky enough to see today the 'Staircase to the Moon' which happens on full moons. When the moon rises it gives a beautiful orange glow and makes ripples in the water that look like steps. Beustiful but a bugger to photograph. None of mine came out!
What els have I done. Well I had my exams and in true spirit sepnt the next 2 night's absolutly blasted, which was a bit silly since I was flying off to the otherside of the world, so this week has been as much about recovery. I spent most of the time working with the health workers at the medical centre, who are all of Aboriginal origin. I won't go into the politics of everything here beacuse it'll bore you but one of the good moves they've made is to try to encourage more of the things to be run by aboriginals, which although is good can cause a lot of problems as well.
Anyway I've been working with them taking bloods, blood pressure, giving injectiong etc etc as well as seeing the interesting cases like secondary syphilis and weird eye problems and Ptrygims. I've also visited a rural communitee as well, which was interesting. Thinks are different to how I had imagined. The centre runs more like the UK than I had thought it would and the white folk and doctors are less intigrated into communitees which Iwnould have liked. This my be only superficial and because doctors tend to only be here for a short time but as those of you who know me, I like to get under the skin of communtee. That's why I travel.
As for socialising Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson was playing and instead of payin $40 to see him, I got a 6 pack and sat outside the bar listening to his Crass Australian humour. As always in hot countries alcohol has more of an effect on me so I stumbled from bar to bar with my supervisor. We went to a black-fella bar where I got annihalated at pool by a drunk Aboriginie and then for somereason we picked up an Aboriginal girl taht Dave seemed to think was som important figure in the communitee. Anyway I was hammered, must have abused some people as a big black guy floored me at one point, spilling my drink. Can't remember what for. Just realised this isn't really painting a good picture of me or Broome, so I'll not mention the next incident with the coppers and a random guy I was speaking to and leave it to your imagination or ability to ask me.
Keep it real, keep it true,
Jamie
Sunset at Cable Beach.
22/05/06 - Time for another update. Another week passed and another week double my budget, and another week with not much that will probably interest you! I get the impression that people enjoyed my last update, well those who have replied.
What's happened since, well I've been working through theweek, intensly from 08.00 til 16.30 jabbing folk, suturing wounds, putting on casts, seeing 20 year-olds with acute renal failure, alcoholic hepatitis rhuematic heart disease that look about 50 and still won't stop the grog. Actually bumped into a couple of aboriginal girls today who called me Dr Who and said I wasn't bad and asked if I wanted a beer. At least I do it for some eh although they were probably wanting my cash. Anyway, I won't bog you down with the work because it could take ages.
Was going to tell you the fish story but I don't have the photgraphic evidence to back it up. Well here goes anyway. Ive been told that this is the season to be fishing swo I thought what they hay lets go. My mate from the backpackers, Chris the Cornish guy who's accent changes to that of whoever he's talking to, decided to go fishing and this mental Dutch kid who asks 7 billion stupid questions a minute wanted to come with us. So the three of us rocked up to Town beach with our hand reels read. (this email is getting cut since thanks to a phone call from Mike Lawson) Anyway we were all getting very annoyed at our hooks getting snagged on the rocks, the dutch guy asking stupid questions and our feet gatung lacerated on rocks. I mean the only thing stupping us levaing was the fact the dutch guy would swim out and get our hooks. Also a see turtle can right up to where we were fishing at a touchable distance away, BRILLIANT. Well anyway just before we were about to cast luck struck, a lon Golden Trevally about half a meter long took the bate and plopped itse'f behind us. Thinking we would only get a wee nipper or something we didn't really know what to do and called on the help of an elderly gentleman in a pair of underpants and a long whispy moustache to provide a knife to slit the besats throat. After a short lesson in filliting we headed off to get the bounty gutted. ON the way I got called by a med student asking if we wanted a lift to the see th sunset so she picked us up and we drove down the road with a fish hanging out one window, a bag of squid out the other and only one headlight.
That night we tried to fillet the fish, which doesn't work with blunt knives and so it was a bit of a fish stir fry I was forced to cook.
We attempted cooking the next night, but no luck. All I got was a read glow.
Think that's enough of a story, I can tell you how Aboriginal frank and I beat Chris and one-man-band-aboriginal-man-bad-looser at pool . and the psychedilic jam we had. To be honost I can't really afford this email as I was suppsed to do work and also good fleesed for a couple of beers earlier.
Me untangling the crazy Dutchie's fishing line.
The catch of the day.
Alright people,
Time for another weekly update. I'm in Darwin at the moment, arrived last night late, managed to get a bed but lost my sheets on my way to the room! Then got woken up by a troop of juggling frenchmen (well the were't juggling and it was actually a reletively quiet franch family, but they either didn't like the dorm or they didn't like me?).
Anyway what have been doing. I had a nice last week in BRAMS, laid back doing the same sort of thing. Went to a community calle Beagle Bay which no patients came to so I got a free physio consultation who I think has cracked my shoulder problem. Anyway My lai back doctor thought it would be much more exciting for me to travel up to Darwin with him to stay on his plot of land. A massive area with a shed and loads of animals. There's a conference on the way so that was the excuse we needed to include it into my SSC!
Anyway we left Thursday night after the local wet t-shirt competition with the car stuffed to the brim with all the necesities: A shot gun, a didgereedoo, a quater of a dead cow, 3 fish and a pot of fish soup. Anyway I won't tell you what happened the first night, cause mothers and Aunties read these blogs and get worried, safe to say I got covered in fish soup.
We arrived at Dave's mate Scottie in a rural communtiee near fitzroy Crossing (not that far from Wolf Creek Crater!) at about lunch time and sliced up the beef to have awesome steaks on the BBQ. We hit the road again for Kununarra which we arrived at about midnight. The key was supposed to be left out for us so we took a key that was left out and someone had chained the room fomr the inside-not our room. We went and looked again and there was another key so we ook that opened the room, switched the light on then heard a shout of 'OI!' At this point we decided to phone the warden and see where our toom was.
Anyway Dave adivsed I didn't go to the conference as it was boring and about protocols so I went and looked round the town, climbed Kelly's knob and had a swim and stayed 2 nights in an Accord hotel for free. The next day we left at around 12 and hit Northern Territory, it's a lot green than last time I was here and there's loads of water in the rivers. I got chatting to the Doc and noticed he had a British passport, and he said that he probably should get an Oz one he's just not good at filling out forms which is also why he doesn't have a drivers licenece! It's ok mum, he's in Darwin to renew it. Anyway not much happened on that trip but we blasted through to Darwin and since Dave's mate was asleep had to go into Backpackers. So should be off to his land today.
Keep in touch,
Jimbo
Dr Dave fishing in the river at Litchfield.
31/05/06
Alrity guys,
Back a bit sooner than I thought as the flood planes are wetter than wet can be, not that we didn't try and ended up looking like the Docter Foster in the puddle.
The first day we got there about lunchtime and got the car half way down the track before leaving to go on foot to the river where we would do some fishing stopping to start a few fires on the way (supposidly it needs doing to clear the dry dead grass and make room for nice green shoots, but it was useful for finding our way). Beautifully cool, scenic spots, unfortunatly invested with mosquitos but it was great to see Dr Dave leaping from bacnk to bank chanting Mr Barramundi to try to intice them out. The water was too cold (his excuse) but that didn't stop me catching a Black Brim to feed us that night. When we got back Dave remembered he had left his electronic keys in his poket so we were going nowhere! A quick burn about to make a camp then a fire and a lovely fish was cooked. We set up the tends and slept in the Baltic conditions, all I had was a wee blanket nicked from the plane, and Dave three spare tent covers.
The next day was quite a late start for us explores and after a secret jobby in the woods by yours truely, we headed along the road with the gun to hunt pick and do some fishing, leaving the keys this time to dry out. We walked and walked and walked through the sodden flood planes, starting fires here and there, seeing beutiful sites. We even stopped for a dip, which was quite a short one since both of us were apraniod about crocs (the last human eaten in NT was here on Dave's land) anyway fishing was brilliant that day(they didn' even want the dead snake as bate), and no pigs were seen, but suome idiots with Quad-bikes (or should they be Quadracycles?). ONly a baby Baramundi and a baby Brim were caught and eaten. we marched backed towards the car to notice that a fire had gone out of control (may not have been ours as plenty of other folk were starting fires) and wee had to beat the living billio out of it to stop it engulfing an abandoned car and having it explode. Anyway we won, headed back viewing a few pythons and headed for Darwin to plan the next place to camp.
Asta La Vista,
Jamie
The bush fire!
05/06/06
Alright Peeps,
Better update before the next adventure. I'm in Darwin but have managed to secure myself a drive accros to Cairns with none other than a young Sweedish girl and a young dutch girl. AWESOME!
Anyway waht's been going out. I want out camping with Dr Dave again, this time we dicided to park up and march the 10 km into his land to try and sort out the bric-a-brac garden he has. We went in and after an awesome lunch of steak and som pasta sauce we found on the walk I started a mamoth weeding job while Dr Dave went to find some water as the tank ahd been emptied. He found a billabong that I drank from and swimmed in, very nice and by this time the darkness was coming so we decided to go and set up some fires to protect the camp. Anywa we burnt a big arc round the camp before going back and realising the mental Dr Dave had forgotten to bring tent poles so I watched him construct an interesting tent held up with the shell of an A/C unit and an empty water can.
The next morning I got up to look around the camp and what had the fire done, but sent a load of Brown snakes (very poisoness) into our camp, lucky they avoided us. a Morning tending the garden before we headed back for the 10 K walk back to the car.
Other than that I've been stomping around Darwin enjoying the sun and loving the knowledge I have the rest of the summer to play about here.
Speak to you all when I get to Cairns,
Jamie
Saskia and me and an outback sunset!
13/06/06 - Alright Peeps,
Well here I am again in civilisation after a 7 day trip with two European lassies. Not sure if my recount of the trip will be that good as had one too many shandies last night watching Australia beating Japan and accidently offending a German girl at every opportunity.
Anyway I left last Tuesday having to wake up in the surprisingly cool Darwin for 07.30 to get up to the Camper rental place to pickup the vehicle. Went up and the stupid lady behind the counter wrote my name on the insurance as Adrian, so the even stupider sweedish girl decided I shold be called Eddy (which became my name for the rest of the trip). I did most of the driving as I was used to driving on the left and after stalling and 3 wrong directions Saskia an My were thinking they'd roped in the wrong driver. I got used to the vehicle and out on the open road to fire down to Mataranka where I realised where the hot springs that Nick rico and I stumbled accross last time and got drunk with 2 road workers and the resort owner. We went for a dip and headed to Daly waters where we slept the night parked up by the side of the road and visited the mental outback pub with loads of memorabilia of past visiters all over the road.
Next day was me to drive again (I didn't drive it all but Saskia drove about an hor a day but My was so scared of her driving that I usually took the wheel).
Actually I don't think I can do a day by day account so I'll just say about the highlights. Shower in Mount Isa was a highlight, then we traveled to Normanton to a Rodeo which was pretty cool, but the hats were too expensive. Then we fired off to Mount Surprise wnating to stop at hot springs. Driving in the dark I got told to turn as we'de missed the turn off so I turned and headed back along the roand and after 5 minutes got told to turn round as we'd just missed the turn off. So missed judged a 3 point turn and ended up loosing a wheel off the edge of the road wich was a few feet drop. Thinking myself as superman I tried to lift the camper onto the road as Saska spun the wheel and fired exhaust fumes and grit into my face. Lucky a one legged man drove past and pulled us back onto the road as I menouvered the car not to hit his boat and the girls stopped the road trains fly by. We stopped in Mount Surprise after that as it turned out the Hot Springs were closed and hit the pub to have a beer and settle our nerves. I ordered XXXX as I was in Queensland and My had VB, much to the announace of the locals, but it wasn't al bad as it got me talking to a kiwi tourguide who owned a cattle sstation neer by and invited us back to stay on the station sleep in beds, watch some films, gave us a massive bag of oranges and half a tank of petrol! Fired off after that to the tropics which was soaking wet and drove further north than I was allowed up and down the pot holled hills scaring My. Anyway forgot to tel about the night I got a really expensive mining beer that turned out to be 2 years out of dat in the a road house and the police turned up with a wee abo kid and bought him a burger. That's another story as I'm running out of time. In Cairns now after my 3,500km journey and met up with my flat mate hoping to do the Barrier Reef, but it's too wet and windy.
Hat modeling in Mount Isa!
20/06/06 - Alright People,
Time for another update as it's raining outside and I've just been on a 3 day sail round the WEhitsundays in the stinking weather. Anyway not had much sleep, drank too much Goon and the land is rocking like a boat so look out for lots of typos and things that make no sense.
We headed to Magnetic Island for a night and to our surprise there was a full moon party! Even more to our surprise there was no full moon and only a half thing glistening in the night sky. Either way any excuse and we hit the part me kilted up to the nines and had a right old knees up with two dutch girls who had a stretchyness competitiong with Piwi (Rob).
Anyway very hungover we headed off to Airlie Beach to check in for our boat ride round the Withsundays on Ragamuffin II. Out for a quick beer and we notice that a place is playing the Scottish rugby, so a few drinks ar sunk only to realise they lied and the bar had no intention of playing the rugby. Next day wast an 08.40 start on the boat and to be honost although it was an enjoyable trip of 24 litres of Goon but the weather didn't let us do that much. Got to see amazing Whitehaven beach and snorkle with mental fish etc etc. you know the story's-every 'backpacker' does it (what have I just admited to) but my camera stupidly ran out of batteries. Anyway most evening spent us drinking our goon and haveing outrageous chat teching Irish girl words like Jobby, Jobby-Jabber, bawbag and flange-cheese then shouting abuse at everyone when they went to sleep with Fiona the forth Scottish person adopted into our group (although she's wisely fired off on her own now). Not that proud of being scottish but people seemed to find our stupid jokes of calling Steve Stephen mildly amusing.
Anyway as usual I'm too short of time to make thins interesting on coherent so till next time,
JIMBO
27/07/06 - Howdi guys,
Not sure if you're all waiting for the next installment of my super trip but here it is! I've left Airlie Beach a day later than I should have (there is really nothing to do and it's full of English), but we got a free night in the backpackers and I thought I would go and support Sweeden at the footbal againstland. That match was interesting because got first hand experince of why the world hate the English especially England football supporters. I mean they thought it was appropriate to drownout the sweedish anthem with cries of 'Fucking Wankers' and they were unbelievably aggressive when England scored. Only redemption was their faces when Sweeden equalised and Dancing Queen boomed from the speakers.
I headed away from Airlie for Rainbow Beach and after a night when we were defeated by the goon I had a surf lesson (I know it touristy but it was free with the Frazer Island trip). So I spend a hungover morning looking like a pilok standing on a board as I got pushed onto waves. Good fun tho!
Anyway the following day I was off on my 3 day Self-drive safari of Frazer Island, the biggest Sand Island in Australia. I was put in a group with my 2 scottish mates, a crazy dutchman and 7 germans, which got modified as we had too many boys to be 6 germans 4 scottish and a Canadian. Having only 3 drivers I jumped in the front seat an did the first day. After a embarrasing start of managin to stall a diesal 4WD 3 times in reverse we were off, loaded to the max for a good 2.5 days. Ther first day we headed off to the end of the eastern beach to Indain He, stopping once to ask the car behind where we were meant to be goin, to which they repli, 'We were following you". Got there in the end with one more stop for lunch and at Indian head we scaled the rocks to look over the ocean and see, whales, dolphins and Mantarays. Was good, headed back anlong the beach and the car that had been following us before left a message to us to go to their campsite so we rocked up and got the party statred with a weegame of Scotland s the world at Volleyball. We won of course and our stakes were ready so an awsome scran and a roam about from me polising off all the spare slabs of meat. The goon beat us again especiall Dunstan Pickle who we had to hide the goon froma s he was in no state. At one point he jumped in the car shouting that he was not insured to drive but was going to drive off, luckily he wasn't able to start the engine!
The next day I let someone else park and we headed off to Elie Creek where I went fo a paddle, then Lake Wabby where I went swiminjg with catfish, and then rocked up and scammed a free night in a payfor campsite near lake McKenzie. The German's came out of their shells that night as they found my joke about battering a Dingo hilarious and roared with laughter everytime Rob said Awesome.
Our last day was really just a morning but we went to Lake McKenzie which was an impressive inland lake that looked like a brilliantly calm resort bech-like pool. Had a game of touch with some Spaniards which absolutly knackared me then went for a dip before we had to head back to our barge to head back to the mainland.
That's about it folks, I've been busy uploading photos t my bebo is (username DAJUGGLA1) so try to have agander if you're interested.
JAmie
04/07/06 - Alright Peeps,
for those keeping up with me I'm now in Christchurch New Zealand, and feel I may have made the wrong choice missing our European summer for winter here. It's not really that cold but I like to moan about most things. What have I done since I last emailed. Well I went from Rainbow Beach to Byron Bay via Noosa where I met a St Andrews lasss known as Holly Williams, and incouraged her to bite the bullet and head north. We had the first night starting early in the Railway Friendly Bar (awesome place) then went to the dive that is Cheeky Monkeys. The night started off pretty well it has to admit till I got stuck in the corne of 'Doom' and had to down many a scooner in a row. This resulted in me going in a bit of a Bentley huff, shouting at the MC (who was just doing his job) that he was a f@#$ bawbag and to get tae F@#! before storming off to have a quick round of R-type and a stomp to the light house. As you can tell I was very very drunk and had a raging headache and sore throat the next day for our Nimbin Tour.
The tour was great and strated off with a brilliant soundtrack in Jim's bus including Adam Sandler's Piece of shit car! Quality anyway by the time we got to Ninbin I was still no better and worse from the travel, not even my pretending to be a blind man in my ace sunnies could shake the hangover. Anyway I had a cookie in Nimbin, as you do, and realised after that I was only meant to eat half which lead to a very interesting bus ride for 2 hours till we got to this Hippies Botanic Garden's where I scranned on loads of Macadamie nuts! Good fun, but home to Byron to kick about (bumpinginto the unbelievable racist Jasper [just ask me what his bucket joke is]) then jump on the 10pm bus to Sydney.
Got to sydney and bumped into my old friend Rich Smith and kicked about witht the boy before heading to NZ. We walked round the town, went to the zoo (highlight was when Steve suggest going to the Muslim Enclosure instead of the Asian Enclosure) and saw a wild safari in the IMAZ-godamn impressive things are IMAx. Also got the new Tool album for 7 pound.
Anyway signing off as I've got to drive three of us and our luggage to Queenstown tomorrow in a Hyundi Gitz, doupt it'll work, but it's only $1 a day.
JAmie
06/07/06 - Howdi,
Well I'm on my third day in New Zealand and without offending anyone it totally kicks the arse out of Australia, the scenery is more impressice, the people friendlier and avery thing is a good whack cheaper.
ANyway I arrived in Queenstown after a very silly flight over where Rob and I acted like 7 year olds, luckily everyone thought it was funny. I spent an afternoon in Christchurch which was a quick flit round the centre and dive into a pub to sample the local brew. Off for a curry which was Awesome! which means it was good because I tend to deliberatly hate curries out of India then back to the bar to listen to a mediocre covers band. The next day was an 8 o'clock start as I was driving the boys to Queenstown in the $1 car we got for 2 days. The trip was brilliant and the scenery cannot be described it was just mind blowing. Huge snow covered mountains with still crytal clear blue lakes then some random desert like rocky bits! Taken a few to many scenery pics.
We decide over in Wanaka after feeding some salmon at a salmon farm and buying a big box of sushimi (pretty tasty). Anyway Wanaka was cool, we entered a pub Quiz as 'Terry Nutkin's Badger Parade' (was meant to be bastar son's not badger parade). Anyway a well earned rest and wake up just before 10am for -2 temperature (coldest we got on the road was -5). Hit the road via Puzzle World which had a giant mazer and some optical ilusinally holgrame stuff. Fired off to Queenstown and nowhere to stay so eventually we book into a motel and I get the tiny Suzuki Swift back to the rental just before the deadline! Hitch back into town from the Airport where it was dropped and bobs your uncle-relaxing time. Anyway not sure what the plan is exactly, just know I stupidly didn't book enough time in NZ!
JAMIE
10/07/06 - Alright people,
Well I'll try to get this all down as my emails always take longer to write than I intend but what have I done since Christchurch? I forgot to mention seeing Chesney Hawks in a the pub try it on with everyone with a pulse!
We left Christchurch after doing the Canyon swing and the Shotver Jet boat. The Jet boat is basically a ride in a boat zoooming round a gorge going scarily close to rocks and spinning round. The canyon swing is like a bungee but you kind of swing through a canyon (obvious reall!) which was awesome. I took two jumps, one head first sort of dive called the Pin drop which was quite hard because I just had to step of the ledge sideways, you need a lot of will to do that. The second jump was called the electric chair of dath when I was strapped into a garden chair and electtrocuted witha juiced up cattle prod wand basicilly was an example as to whjy parents tell you not to swing on chairs. I just had to rock backwards tll I tumbled to my doom. Great fun.
Hit the road and head for Franz Josef for some ice climbing only to arrive and see the idiot behind the desk had booked us the wrong tour. Still good thoug, a 6 hour hike through the glazier. Mentall mental, but cold and wet. Went into a campsite tonight so we can have a our fist shower since been on a road (oh I'm back to driving a camper, and these roads are ace, loads of bends and curves and loads of rain and hair-pin bends and it's ace to complement to the boring straight sandy roads of Australia). Well there's my last few days summed up.
Night night and wasn't Zidane an idiot!!!
JAmie
15/07/06 - Alrighty,
Another update and a few more miles covered! I've made it to the North Island and in the volcanic, thermal pooled town of Rotorua which is cool enough to kick about but the weather is a bit crap so we are kind of at its mercy! After the old Glacier climb (there you go for people who spoted my mistake in the last one and thought I was mounting some person that fitted glass into windows!) we fired straight up North to Abel Tasman National Park whi is the smallest but supposidly most beautiful Nat. Park in NZ. Anyway we were welcomed with lovely drizzle and the info that walks took 3 to 5 days through the park! We were adviced that the nicest beaches and views were in the frst 1 and a half hours of the walk. We aimed to walk in then out for one hour and a half in the Scottishesque drissel with very little views actually seeable and after we got to the end of our walk and ready to turn back we were greated witha huge thunder and lightening storm which drenched us in our dash back to the van. Anyway you can guess I was pretty wet so the rest of the day was spend in a pair of shorts drying our gear in a laundrete. When everything was pretty much druy we blasted to Picton to jump on the 10.00pm ferry to Wellington where we slept in some random suburb.
The next day we went to the local Wellington Meuseum and looked at the Lord of the Rings exhibit which had all the costumes etc of the cast. Then hit the road for Taupo stopping here and there for a pie, a pee etc. We slept in Taupo and got a bit excited in a cash and carry and bought som would be good food if it actually tasted nice and so have a fridge foolof mussles, cheap steak and horrible Guacamole that looks like it was scraped from under my big to. Headted to Rotorua the following day stopping at moon crater to see some thermal pools. In Rotarua we went Zorbing which is basicallly going in a giant inflateable ball full of water and rolling down a hill. Absolute carnage! You can go down the zig-zag track which you fall instantly and get so disorientated you think you're rolling round the ball, or down a straight track with multiple people in and get knocked over at the start by Rob. Great fun! We park up in what seems like a great spot, go out for a pretty rubbish curry and a few jars and back to the van where Dunne gets talking to a Maori felloww called Tim who explains that we have actually parked just off a gay roaming zone and that fellows have been peeping at us as we urinate. Not to good, but we never got any advances made on us so who knows what the real crack was?
Toodle pip!.
J
17/07/06 - Alright Guys,
Well I came online to put all my photos onto CD, but after buying the time the intenet place decided not to let me, the money grubbing bawbags! Thought I would some up the last couple of days in New Zealand as I'm off tomorrow.
Spent the night in Rotorua as I told you lot and the plan was to go for a Sky Dive the next day. we phone up and ask if they're on and they sure are so I hammer the camper the hour down the road to Taupo only to find the place locked up! We make a brew of tea and realise there was accidently a bit of onion in the pot so it tastes horrible! A guy turns up at the sky dive place and tells us that they were off all day! So much for phoning!
I can't be bothered hanging around there for another day so we shoot off to have a bungy as well, and by was it brilliant. I was dunked up to my waste in crystal clear water, with all the force of the fall seeming to obliterate one contact lense, but man, great experience.
Fire off back to Rotarua and we go to watch the Walabies - Spring Bok match. Gave up shortly after halftime when the boks were loosing by 30 points to head back to the van and kip and our friendly Maori Tim was there. We get chatting and he offers to take us round the next day.
The next day we meet Tim at 11 and he takes up to the Geyzer and gets us in for free, (well we just walk in) and then we head back to the maori village where he raps on his cousins door and lets us use the family bath wich is basically a thermal pool. We off for lunch and a few drinks then he fires us off to a Maori Feast where I have to act as my 'tribes' cheif for a ceremony and a huge feed of meat etc cooked under the ground in some mental Maori way! All good. We go out for a bit of a last night out, the town is pretty dead and then today fire of to Auckland!
Now in Auckland and been up the Sky Tower thingy and to thi8s bar completely made of ICE that is constantly at -5 degrees. Anyway I'll leave you there as I'm very tired and a bit pissed off at the moment.
See y'all in Fiji!
J
26/07/06
Word,
Just been described as George Gregan, which is a bit of a dig at my height but I suppose a compliment on my tan! Well I'm back in Oz, in Melbourne. The sun is shining outside on a cold winters morn. It's not really cold, but these Ozzys like to moan.
So what's been happening? I've been to Fiji, left my friends but made new ones (I hope?). Anyway what's Fiji like, well it is a beautiful island paradise and sort of appears like a developing world with subtle undertones of a developed country! So I suppose it's a developed place that's still trying to hold on to the mentalness of say India (funny hearing other folk complain about things like the driving there, they don't know the half of it!). Well I arrived and was a bit dissappointed since the country relies so heavily on tourism, and has been for so long that there is no way of really being there (well certainly not for a week) without basically being on a resort! Also there's is nothing else to do or see really other than be on a resort and soak up the scenery, which I have to admit is some of the best tropical beach type views I've seen!
I arrived and stayed a night in Nadi drinking Kava with a band called the Kavaholics which had a few good songs but on the whole were played poor but interestingly enough covers of the normal songs folk insist on playing round camp fires. Anyway that was my first taste of Kava which wasn't the juice from a tapped coconut flower (like Toddy which I know and love) but infact a drink made from the pounded, dried out root of pepper plant, mixed with water. It's non-alcoholic but sort of numbs your mouth, followed by your head and then your body. So really like eating a few tubes of Bonjella.
The next day I headed off to the Island of Nananu-I-Ra which was pretty relaxed and the best dive spot in world! It's where Jacque Custo lives so it must be good. Anyway I stayed there 3 nights. My first full day I stomped round the island to a quiet beach off the main resort where I was so preoccupied climbing trees for coconuts that I didn't notice the meal the mosquitos were making of me. When I realised I went back to the resort to have an awesome lamb shank dinner that was cooked in an earth oven. That evening I watched a dance show mainly performed by the campest person I've ever met or seen in my life, which is quite surreal since he was a big Fijian guy! The next day I took the oppurtunity to take a scuba dive at the 'Dream Maker' supposidly the best and most unique soft corals in the world. Pretty mental experience like. My last day there was just a morning of relaxation then off to Robinson Crusoe.
Robinson Crusoe was a less serene than Nanu but the staff were better fun a friendlier and there was more going on. When I first arrived I bumped into a girl I'd chin-wagged with in Nadi and went for a drink with them which meant for most of my stay I was hanging around with a group of girls, alright you may say, but there's only so much 'girlie' chat a guy can take! Anyway there wa a big show that night with dances and fire dancing which was pretty cool. The second day I lounged on the beach a bit then watch a daytime show, with fire walking, which they put on for the people from a 5 star hotel on the mainland with a traditional earth-oven cooked lunch. The after noon involved a bushwalk where I saw some sea-snakes, a turtle watch and some crab racing. At night most folk went of night fishing and since only a couple of us were about the resort we said the staff could get an early night, (they start at 05.30 and finish at 12 every day and have to be entertaining to us!). I did however put on one of their costumes (well part of it) and stomped around the satge to pop music. The next day my friends left and I sat making things out of coconut shells. When fish driving whis was a mental thing. We went off to a sort of partially submerged smal sand island. two people held a net at the end of a sort of rivery thing and we marched down beating the water with stickm making noise and scared all the fish into the net. Managed to catch som Baracooda and some fish that Joe seemed to call Goalie fish. They were all thrown on the fire then thrown in a bowl of lemon chilli and onions and make a damn tasty lunch! Another show that night and lounging in the morning and that was the end of my Fiji experience.
Jamie
08/08/06 - G'day,
Well had another wee trip. I got the bus from Melbourne to visit my my good friends Dan, Broomie and Kat in Tanunda in the Barossa Valley. I got into Adelaide at around 06.00 on Thursday and did so by taking the Lonely Planet walking tour round the centre (I've love those wee free gems) before getting on the only bus per day that goes to Tanunda! I had a nice chat with the driver who told me all about his family and his mobile home that he'd build himself from an old knackared bus!
I got to Tanunda and had a stroll through the town before the locals got back from work and took me to their rugby training. It was good craic at the training and quiet surprised that there was about 5 scots playing for the team. Th real locals thing we're taking over.
The next day I jumped on the bike at 10am and peddled about taking in the Vinyards and all the free samples. It was a great morning sampling wine and amazing how the more I drank and more places I went, the more I seemed to know about wine! Very surreal trying to pedal from place to place, swaying like I imaging my bro used to look like in those Japanese gails. I met up with Broomie just after lunch and got a look at the plant he works in and got to partake in the stafs Friday Barbie and beer session. Back tp the house for a relaxed evening as Broomie and Dan prepared for their game the next day.
Next day was a cracker for the weather my skills weren't required for the rugby I watched a 44-0 victory for our side! A good afternoon cheering in the sun, and some interesting conversation. I spent a long time talking to the opponents bus driver, well I say talking to him but it was really the bus driver telling me detailed stories of all the bus trips of 'swingers' he drives round Australia, telling me exzctly what goes on, and how much he himself gets involved! We hung around as there was a Quiz on in the club that night and we enetered our Scottish team 'Thistle Be Easy' and in the end came 4th, which was the only position that didn't win anything (supposidly it was the round of Australian Company logos that lost it for us). We did enjoy ourself with impromptue renditions of Flower of Scotland for the night. After this we went on to the local pub, where we chatted away to many people, one guy was very proud to have ancesters from Arbroath! We played a bit of pool and this strange character in a pink shirt kept causing trouble and lipping off to everyone but thought that we'd back him up for some reason. Twas a great evening!
The next day called for me to done my sports clothes again as I'd been asked (along with the boys) to play for the local Aussie Football team. Took a bit of getting used to but basically any time I got the ball the whole squad would just shoult 'Kick It!!!!' was fun!
Headed for Melbourne that night, the old overnight greyhound, and got back pretty early in the morning.
Until next time,
Jamie
16/08/06 -
Howdy guys,
Well I'm on my home now and in true style I'm taking the slow route. In singapore at the moment and I recon it must be the unluckiest city in the world with all the 3 stanks about! anyway I arrived late last night and got to my place of stay for the next few days and slept till about 06.00, which I thought was 10.35 because I'd switched my stop watch in my sleep!
I got up and jumped on a bus sitting beside two orental chaps seemingly making fun of Japanese. I hit the centre of the city taking in the Ethinic areas of Little India where I was immediatly pounced upon to buy a tailor made suit and some not particularly cheap electronics anyway after lunch of a dosa 9awesome Indian scran that we need in the UK!) I headed for the Arabic area and i went to a Malay musem which had a cultural show on. Was good fun and the performers thought they were on a winner picking me to try and wear a sarong, little did they know I'm an expert at sarong tieing so their mockery went pear shaped! Anyway the show was good, inspite of the multitude of Chinese people acting like little kids and banging drums whenever the presenter was trying to tell us something. anyway after that I went to the largest mosque in the city and impressed the people outside wit my finger eating (by that I mean eating curry with my fingers rather than devouring digits) and I took a stroll through the civic center picking up mre sights before I stopped for a jug of the local tiger. More stomping to be done tomorrow so I recon I should leave things now.
Later dudes,
Jamie
17/08/09 - Hey Guys,
It's me again so time for another update (I'm getting free internet so may as well make good use of it!) Today I took in the last ethnic quater, China Town, and it was very China Town like! Except for the mosque, Hindi temple and all the indians trying to sell me suits. I stoped about and had a spot of lunch because as you all know my stomach rules the waves! That took up the morning so I jumped on the underground to go to Sentosa Island, which I thought was cool because you get a proper plastic card as your ticket that you have to return in order to get your $ deposit for! In the station I got stopped by a young indian lady who asked if I wanted to be in an advert on account of my bald head! She assertained that I didn't live here and wasn't hanging around long and asked if I was coming back and we resolved that I would get payed but not enough to cover my fare from Scotland. Good to get an offer tho, although I can't remember what the add was going to be for so lewts assume it's for being awesome or something! Anyway when I finally got to Sentosa (or tourist trap ville as I call it) after stomping around following signs to bus stops that went to nowhere. I realised, to my announace, that pratically nothing was free here, well everything that was free was 'under development' and so closed! I finally gave in adn went to the cheesie Merlion statue which involved and animation and a token that won me a keyring. Also got a good view of Singapore and foiund out (which I already knew) how it got its name. I then went to Underwater World which was pretty amazing (which means a lot because I was in a mood to moan and find everything rubbish today).. It had great animals like giant crabs, sea Angels, Sea Dragons and this converer belt that took you underwaer with Sharks and massive fish swimming about. Honostly the best place like this I've ever been to, it involved the Dolphin show that hat pink humback dolphons but was really just another dolphin show. I jumped back to the city and walked along the main shopping street were I got some scran. Went into this Japanese Restaurant and ordered something, but when it came it wasn't quite what I was expecting so didn't know if there was more to come to make it what I was expecting but it never came and so I eventually ate it and probably appeared like an ignorant foreigner. Oh dear. Jumped on the bus back to the hostel and watch 'Singapore Idol' which seems to be on continuous play on the busses. I got back to the hostel and really only wanted a shower but got accost by a pleasant Indian man, who wanted a history lesson on the different origins in the united kingdom, then a solution for his smelly feet. Well think that's today's day summed up although I always remember gems that I've forgotton to mention as soon as I hit send.
Later,
Jamshed
21/08/06 - Howdi guys,
Well I resisted the temtation of a third update from Singapore about Day three, but I supopse I should say a little here. I spend the day kicking about the hostel area whis was nice, and I had some ace local food (when I say local I don't mean Singapore noodles which I think is the only real local food although I never actually saw it on offer in Singapore) and had the surreal experience of not dogs beggin for scraps but cats. MAybe the dogs have all been eaten? I got away hitch free adn the only highlight of the flight was that the person opposite me waiting at the gate was reading not onnly exactly the same book as me but the exact same edition!!!! WOW!
Anway I waited at my last and final stop, my home from home Sri Lanka. Great to back in this country where you can be having immense pleasure followed by immense irritation in 5 seconds (between you and me I've ben walking around ll afternoon with my flies down. Oops) Anyway I got here to Lanka and since it's the dry season I leave the airport I see everything is soaking wet and find out that it has been reaining everyday for a week! Bloody Lanka eh, only contry that rains during the dry season. Anyway I discover that it's infact hosting the SOuth Asia Athletics at the moment so the road was beautifully lit with chinese laterns of varying colour. I got to my port of call and hit the hay, only to be woken by the vibrant blinding light 3 hours later at about 5:30 which really confused me as to the time! I pottered about the next day, sorting out a few things that I had to do in the city, i.e. get my glases fixed and develop photos (which was probably a big mistake taking the amound I've got and the humidity here) but it was good to reorientate myself with the country, the way of life, the language and I took a nice wee tour of the city on the public busses taking in all the nice old buildings. Still in the capital waiting for my glasses but as you knw my stomach rules the way so I've managed to eat my, hoppers, string hoppers, rice and curry, kuttu Rhotti and have hilariuos times with the people teachign them magic tricks and sowing people my photos (highlightt was when someone thought a spider was a king coconut!). Met a guy a priest with a lot of interesting theories of the world, his main one being that dogs can hea you heart beat and so can identify and know exactly what you're about to do without seeing you. Who am I to argue? Anyway I'm not really sure what I'm going to do at the moment but I feel as iff I'm spending loads of money when infact I'm spending loads of pence. I'll leave you there as I've been told I go into too much detail. Of to Kandy tomorrow.
Jimbob
06/09/06 - Well well well, I'm online on a decent Sri Lankan computer, but it's still far too irritating for me so I'll write a bit of what's been happening but may not get up to now if you know what I mean.
I finished up in Colombo with a wonderful meal with the staff at the Blue Seas, they even stole eggs from the kitchen for me and got up early the next day to had for Kandy by train. I went to take the fist class observation carriage, to be honost it's twice the price and not even half as good a journey. You can get as good a view from third class and you have all the wuddi sellers etc. parading up and down. Anyway I got to Kandy and met up with Nigel and after a wee fleet about town doing his groceries we went back to his place with a wonderful view over the Mahaweli river and I met his new lady. They've just moved into a place and so are in the process of doing it up which meant there had to be a whole day of floor polishing! Anyway I relaxed there for a couple of days, catching up with Nigel about things before I headed off to Rambukkana to meet my good old friend Samantha and to go up the Hewadiwela which started my two weeks of eating with my fingers and no toilet paper. A lot of changes to Hewadiwella, things have moved about, a new preist is in charge and they've changed which ages are being taught. Most of the teachers I knew have moved on, some of the staff were still there but very few people recognised me untill I flashed them my matric card and they saw the long-haired beareded Jamie they love. I went back to Samantha's inlaws for the night and we both headed down to the village well for a wash. No sooner had I dried myself and the heavens opened (which let me realise I'd forgotten my brand new umbrella at Nigels!) We ran to Sam's Grandparents where we sat till the rain stopped and walked home. Where we sat about watching TV and making shadow animals. There was only so much Sinhala TV I could watch and the rediculous pro-army advert where they show normal army souldier things like giving up a seat fo an old lady or ruffling a small childs hair instead of the real way they line up Tamil charity workers and shoot them or abduct anti-government journalists.
The next day for breakfast I had the best sprat curry I'd ever had and was amazed to admit that I'd actully missed those little dried fish and sampled the Sri lankan way of eating avacado, mushed upwith sugar. I then walked about finding people I knew and saying hello and then walked to Syambalangamuwa, all in all a lot of people have become pregnant since I was last here and most of the kids are away. Back to Sam's, well wash and sitting about.
It turned out Sam had been there because all the schools had a surprise holiday (he's a teacher now) because the LTTE had threatened to bomb a school and I said I would go back to his place and visit his school (having a white friend makes you the big-boy round town). Anyway Sam, Nilu (his wife) and I headed to Rambe and got to his place before it was dark and boy has he a nice big house with loads of mango trees in the garden. Damn impressed I was! When we were arrived I was put straight to work on Sam's computer. Not knowing much about hardware I thought the best thing to do was to look busy and dismantle the whole computer and put it back to gether. It paid off and his disk drive started working again! The next day was Sunday and we first went to Sam's neices house as it was her birthday then into the school as they were preparing for the Minister for Roads to attend a ceremony the following day (great idea following a bomb scare) but in true Sri Lankan style not everyone who needed to be there was there at the same time and so they couldn't get anything done. I did however get taken to a 'tank' (Lankan lake) and a buddhist Temple.
On the Monday there were no classes, just preperations for the ceremony and I discovered that Sam was hosting the show and he asked me to take photos. I was roaming about trying to find a good spot for photos and eventually did and started snaping away. I looked across the room at one point and saw a policeman clock me and then nod to someone else. Before I knew it a man had charged round and accosted me demanding my passport. Not having it I gave over my drivers licence which was no good and I was marched round the corner to be interogated as to why I was there and where I was staying and where was my pasport, all in broken English. I manged to communicate in broken sinhala that my friend Samantha had invited me and he was the M.C. and a message got to him and back to the police to give me the all clear and place me in the official photogrophers area where I met a supposidly famous Sinhala actor!?!
The next day was the start of the exams that had been poseponed thanks to the surprise holiday but not much invidulating went on as the teachers were more interested with me. I was put to work on more computers and to try and fix there interenet but being Sri Lanka there was no software disks, everything was in Sinhala and the server was down so not much I could do. That evening the English teacher had asked me to attend his evening class. This man has opened his own english teaching school and basicall majes 4 times the amount he makes teaching in the eveneing as he does at the government school. I went to the class and sat in, taught some songs, dictated some essays, marked some books and had to admit I was fairly impressed with his teaching. Between the 2 classes we went to the 'little Dambulla' temple that had wonderful views of the jungle and we were allowed into the temple which is usually locked. After class I was taken for a beer, all the teacher seemed very excited about the idea of having a beer with me and giggled like little kids when the spoke about it, so sitting drinking and Irish Dark the English teacher asks me a question about homosexuality in my country. You have to remember that Sri Lankan males are a lot more affectionate with each other than in the UK and it takes some getting used to holding hands with and adult male but it's purely platonic. However this line of conversation was quite strange, in the end during some joke we were laughing about a hand was put on my shoulder and then face and he said 'Shall I Kiss you?' I knocked the hand away, moved back and loudly stated no! I wasn't 100% sure if there had been an advance on me or a misunderstanding in culture so left it there, keeping my distance. we went to his neighbours house for a meal where his wife and two kids were and I got the name of 'Tati Maamaa' (bald uncle)and then back to Sam's to sleep. On the way back this guy asked if he's offeneded me and said that if he had unintentionally offended me then he was sorry and that I shouldn't mention any hypothetical thing he may have done to Samantha as he has to live and work with him. You realise that homosexuality is a big no no here, and I've been led to believe is illegal and punishable by death, well at least you would be chastised in most community. Not wanting to ruin this mans life I said I'd keep my mouth shut and he then asked what I wanted and offered to give me money. I just really wanted to get back to Samantha's and away from him.
Not much happened the next two days in Rambe, apart formt this English teacher giving me fruit and buying me tea and I decided to head up to Talawa 's House of Joy to see Father Eric. After a visit to Sam's mate's house and another temple Sam and I set out on the bike to Maho station where I could head to Talawa. Half way there we had a blow out and so dumped the bike at a random person's house where I stayed and was given a coconut and Sam ran off to get a tuk tuk. Got to the station said my goodbyes and headed to Talawa.
In Talawa there was a group of Japnese staying there so I shared my room with hiro the only male in a group of 8. They were ther on a holiday and to work at the Girls Home, but with their funny accents and inabilty to say L and R they weren't that popular with the girls. I enjoyed my time there, joking all the time with father (Hiro even joined in and Manooch the mental 20 year-old driver father has), getting woken up and 5:30 every morning with a coffee. It was a great 4 days and I'm missing the girls now, they really treated me and loved me like a brother and father's hospitality is the best ever! Nothing tremendous really hppened so I wont bore you.
I Then headed back to Colombo, planing to get the train but after a cheeky rail strike took the bus (where I left my second umbrella) which was actually faster. I arrived met up with the Minister of the only Church of Scotland Church in Asia and he took me to his place int he hisgh security zone where the cars need searched on entry and I stayed the night in normal european house, whihc is luxuary in Lanka. It had an amazing view of Galle face! That evening they took me to a talk on Peace in Sri Lanka andthe Colombo Swimming club, more luxury, where I had a swim and went to their Scottich Country Dance class. To be honost after being in the cuds, and having my first use of toilet paper in 2 weeks it feels so weird and wrong bing there and talking to some foreigners who have been in Lanka for years and can't speak a word of Sinhala just makes you relaise how different my and their lankas are. Anyway a great sleep and hot showere then jumped on the bus down to Tangalle where I am now going to look at a couple of Tsunami projects before I head home. Hope that hasn't been too boring for you all because it is bloody long and I've probably missed the interesting things out.
09/09/06 - Alright guys,
Apologies for the length of the last email and I even forgot to mention about the 'herbal' drink Samantha took me for.
Anyway I'm in Dubai and yes there's free internet so I couldn't resisit another wee update. Not really that much to talk about. Anyway where had I got.... right I went down to Tangalle and stayed in surreal wee semi-built Guest House. The Tsunami whiped most of the things out here which is not a good thing at all. My reason to go there was to visit some projects on behalf of Wormit who has been donating to them so I visited the two places. One is basically in a village were a man call Wijayesinge basically assesses (with the help of other people) who needs money and how much they eed to rebuild their home, trying to prioritise the poor. Anyway I went round a lot of houses and saw the repairs, most of the people needed more money than they were given but bsically admited that they were too depressed to do anythng till they got the money then they got off their arses and did something and got the rest of the money themselves through bank loans or working. They were really appreciative and kept thanking me, eve though I had nothing to do wth it so felt a bit bad taking their thanks.
The other place is run by International Service Partners and they basically arrived and with a full volunteer base and donations rebuilt a whole village (they ended up being given the worst of the worst fishing villages and have got squatters in some of the houses and oil and resources have been stolen by some of the people. Rudy, the director, is pretty switch on, and has delt with it in a way that the people have to deal with it themselves and sort out the perpetrators!) I could go into more detail but you can ask me later if your interested.
I left the following day, back on the 6 hour bus ride to Colombo with unfortunaly no wuddi sellers. ONly thing tha happemd was we got pulled over at a police roadblock and everyone had to get off show their ID and have their bags searched except for me because a white person definatly couldn't be a Tamil Tiger supporter and be carrying a bomb right into the heart of Colombo and Sri Lanka. Anyway I got back to Mount Lavinia and bought a few bits and bobs for home, then went to book a taxi. It's lucy my mate in the guest house made me check my ticket because I'd actualy booked a taxi to get me to my departure time from Dubai and not Colombo. A bit of jiggery pockery (I mean changing the taxi time) and a slap up meal og hoppers, string hoppers and kottu rhotti that I unfortunatly couldn't finished and I was off on the road only to get pulled over by the police again! They really are trying to get me. Anyway I'm now in Dubai wasting my time and your time so I'll be away. One more stop before I'm home, but I'll see you all soon.
Jamie
11/09/06 - Hi guys,
Just to let you know that I'm back now. Nothing much happened from Dubai to Heathrow except that we had a very chatty pilot who gave us a guided tour of London on our approach. Also just before we got off the plane everyone was asked to sit down and 3 police men came on and escorted one of the many arabs off the plane! Don't know why. Anyway af amily party in Essex then I head back home. Very tired but straight to Uni today but this will end my maga updates for another year.
Jamie
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