Sunday, November 29, 2009
Back In YYC
2 weeks since I returned home....itching to take off again...when...who knows...time will tell
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
hawaii
sun, beach, sun, snorkeling, sun, dolphins, sun, sushi, sun, shopping, sun, margaritas, sun, sun...
kinda sums up my trip in hawaii so far.
oh yah, and a little sun
kinda sums up my trip in hawaii so far.
oh yah, and a little sun
Friday, October 30, 2009
From Oct 15, 2009
So, this post was written down in my journal back on Oct 15.
One month until I return home to Calgary. Am I looking forward to it? In some ways, yes. Am I wanting to continue my world adventures? Of course! However, i think my mind and body are ready to call it a successful life experience. Is t a 'once in a life time experience'? not a chance!
Arriving in New Zealand I first thought "Where can I find a chemist?!?!" I caught a bug back in Australia that had me stuck at Mitch's place for a couple days. All I wanted to do was take drugs and have a hot cup of tea! But...I wanted to make the most of my short time in NZ so i decided to suck it up and wander around Christchurch. It helped that it was blue sky and warm! So, I threw on some shorts since they hadn't been used in quite some time.
Christchurch - a very British city. Union Jacks flying on numerous flagpoles. I made my way around town (including a chemist shop), did a few touristy things and made it back to the hostel for a good night sleep. The next morning I planned to plan for the rest of my trip on the south island, booked a rental car, booked a flight to Wellington for the 30 of Oct, grabbed some more cash (in other words, begged on the corner for a few hours) and bought some warm clothing since my waredrobe (aka. backpack) consisted of shorts and t-shirts. So all in all, it was a very productive day! YAH!
I picked up my car at 8am the next morning in search of Gollum...will I find him...time will tell! My thoughts: If I had not seen the 3rd movie, would Gollum still be alive? I was about to find out!
One month until I return home to Calgary. Am I looking forward to it? In some ways, yes. Am I wanting to continue my world adventures? Of course! However, i think my mind and body are ready to call it a successful life experience. Is t a 'once in a life time experience'? not a chance!
Arriving in New Zealand I first thought "Where can I find a chemist?!?!" I caught a bug back in Australia that had me stuck at Mitch's place for a couple days. All I wanted to do was take drugs and have a hot cup of tea! But...I wanted to make the most of my short time in NZ so i decided to suck it up and wander around Christchurch. It helped that it was blue sky and warm! So, I threw on some shorts since they hadn't been used in quite some time.
Christchurch - a very British city. Union Jacks flying on numerous flagpoles. I made my way around town (including a chemist shop), did a few touristy things and made it back to the hostel for a good night sleep. The next morning I planned to plan for the rest of my trip on the south island, booked a rental car, booked a flight to Wellington for the 30 of Oct, grabbed some more cash (in other words, begged on the corner for a few hours) and bought some warm clothing since my waredrobe (aka. backpack) consisted of shorts and t-shirts. So all in all, it was a very productive day! YAH!
I picked up my car at 8am the next morning in search of Gollum...will I find him...time will tell! My thoughts: If I had not seen the 3rd movie, would Gollum still be alive? I was about to find out!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
okay okay
So, I wasn't aware that people actually read this blog other than my parents. I haven't posted for a while, I know, nothing much as happened. I've only spent another month or so in Australia sliding down the east coast. Met up with Tim and Brin in the Gold Coast and Kempsey, my cousin Alicia in Brisbane and Mitch in Melbourne. Spent a few more days in Sydney before bunking up with Mitchel in Melbourne. I flew to New Zealand in search of Gollum but so far have been unsuccessful. It's been an amazing trip in NZ so far though, the scenery is crazy cool! From glacier walks to hiking through the rainforests - this country has a lot to offer!
I'll write more of my adventures once I get settled in another location. I have a flight in a few hours and still need to pack, eat breakfast, make sure some of my laundry is dry (which I finally decided to wash after a bunch of people were telling me that I should look into doing laundry - a hint maybe) and drop off my car rental. The tasks are never ending!!!
I'll write more of my adventures once I get settled in another location. I have a flight in a few hours and still need to pack, eat breakfast, make sure some of my laundry is dry (which I finally decided to wash after a bunch of people were telling me that I should look into doing laundry - a hint maybe) and drop off my car rental. The tasks are never ending!!!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Brissy
Arrived in Brisbane a week ago. Been chillin out with my cousin, Alicia. She managed to get some extra time off work so we've been causing trouble in and around the city.
Made it out to the Autralian Zoo - the Steve Irwin Zoo in Queensland, Australia. I fed an elephant, watched a croc trainer just about get eaten by his 'pet' and watched a 200 year old tortoise poop...fun!
Alicia and I accomplished a few hikes throughout Mount Tamborine - Cedar Creek Falls and Witches Falls.
We terrorized the city a few days, checking out the touristy sites - Anzac Memorial, South Bank, a few ice cream shops, the best sushi restaurant in Brisbane, sailed down the Brisbane River on the CityCat and enjoyed a beer (and water) overlooking the city.
Nigel, Alicia's fiance, has managed to incorporate drinking a few nights this weekend...and when a weekend consists of only 2 nights, a few nights means every night! We went to the Regatta one evening, where I was told I HAVE to use the toilets. When I walked in, there was a window overlooking the restaurant where the urinals were. Basically, you pee onto a window with people walking on the other side but hey don't see you. I was amused.
The plan is to stay here a few more days before heading south the Gold Coast to meet up with Mitch and couple of his friends from Sydney.
Made it out to the Autralian Zoo - the Steve Irwin Zoo in Queensland, Australia. I fed an elephant, watched a croc trainer just about get eaten by his 'pet' and watched a 200 year old tortoise poop...fun!
Alicia and I accomplished a few hikes throughout Mount Tamborine - Cedar Creek Falls and Witches Falls.
We terrorized the city a few days, checking out the touristy sites - Anzac Memorial, South Bank, a few ice cream shops, the best sushi restaurant in Brisbane, sailed down the Brisbane River on the CityCat and enjoyed a beer (and water) overlooking the city.
Nigel, Alicia's fiance, has managed to incorporate drinking a few nights this weekend...and when a weekend consists of only 2 nights, a few nights means every night! We went to the Regatta one evening, where I was told I HAVE to use the toilets. When I walked in, there was a window overlooking the restaurant where the urinals were. Basically, you pee onto a window with people walking on the other side but hey don't see you. I was amused.
The plan is to stay here a few more days before heading south the Gold Coast to meet up with Mitch and couple of his friends from Sydney.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
93 days to go!
On my last quarter of my trip! Currently in Cairns soaking up the sun! Once again, I have to say life has been quite difficult over the past week or so. Biggest decision today was "Do I go to the lagoon or stay by the pool?" Freaking hard decisions - I know!!! Let's hope I can manage tomorrow as well since I think I'll have the same dilemma.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Katherine Gorge and Litchfield - NT
I arrived in Darwin a few days back after a 4 hour flight from Melbourne. Flight was delayed an hour but I made it safely. That evening, I basically went straight to bed after eating an entire pizza to myself. Gotta love the eating right before sleeping. The next morning I woke up fairly early and wandered the city. Checked out some beautiful spots along the water and caught some rays in the 32 degree weather! Just what I was wanting. That evening, I was chatting with an American guy, Eric, who was staying at the hostel as well. We decided to rent a car, pick up some camping gear and head into the bush for the weekend! The first 2 car rental places we went to didn't have anything available!! I mean, which rental companies don't have cars to rent. We ended up renting one for 2 days! We had the transportation, now all we needed was food, shelter and water. We found food and water at the local grocery store and contacted a dude who rents out camping gear. He initially said he had nothing, I then mentioned we only needed it for one night. He said he had some old tents that needed some repairs...Eric and I figured, great! I asked since they were damaged if we could have a deal on 'em...he mumbled a few things and said he had to go. I called back 15 minutes later to confirm where to pick up the equipment - "we have nothing available now." "What!?! You said you had a tent and 2 sleeping bags ready to go?" His response, "considering you want a deal on a total cost of $27, I'm not gonna do it." My response, hangup! What an ass! Is that a fair question to ask? I mean, I would pay $27 for a perfectly sound equipment, why should I pay the same for damaged?
Anyways, we took off on a road trip through the Australia Outback. Well, not really outback but close enough.
First stop, Litchfield. We thought we were in for a good hike - it ended up only being a mild walk on a concrete path through some trees. We got to some fresh water swimming holes which were pretty cool. Lots of people but we managed to frolic in the water for a little while.
Continuing on our journey south, we took a 'scenic tour' for about 30 km through the bush. We saw wallabies, birds and a lot of burning trees! There was a fire that spread through the bush a few days back. Everything was black except for the massive termite mounds. Oh yah, these termite mounds were at least 4 meters tall! (pictures to come)
Drove all the way to Katherine after stopping for a beer at a hotel/gas station/wedding reception area/local hangout...basically it looks as though the entire town of Adelaide River was chillin out - all 11 people.
By 7pm it was getting dark and we still had to find accommodation since our camping idea didn't work out. We pulled into Pine Creek but EVERYTHING closes at 7pm. It was 7:14 when we pulled in. So we decided to drive to Katherine which was another hour and a half away.
We were driving along not noticing how much gas was left. Well, it started flashing on the last bar. GREAT! We pull into a gas station about 15 minutes after we noticed the blinking light (it might have been on for a while, who knows). We needed a members card to get gas after hours...remember 7pm = closed! The decision was to continue on until we get to Katherine which is the biggest town between Darwin and Alice Springs.
As we pull into the city (town actually), there is a gas station and we fill the tank. We stayed the night at a hostel instead of the car - which was our last resort!
Sunday, we woke up early and drove to Katherine Gorge. After looking at our options for hikes, Eric and I decided on a 24km hike to the 4th gorge. We start hiking and after about 30 minutes, end up at the parking lot where we started. haha Since time was an issue and we had to be back in Darwin before dark, we decided to rent some kayaks and head down the water that way. Things happen for a reason. I say that because we had a blast kayaking! Such a cool experience! We were in the sun all afternoon, went cliff diving, swimming in the fresh water and did a little little hike at the end. On the way back, Eric just finished jumping off a cliff, swimming back to the rocks to get in the kayak when I noticed some other kayaks gathering about 30 meters away. A CROC!!! Let's just say he swam quite quickly to shore. As we paddled over to the group of tourists, a 2 1/2 meter fresh water croc came into sight. Awesome!!! Apparently, there were quite a few spotted that day. We saw two in total.
I guess I can now say I have swam in the same water as crocodiles. The drive back was not too bad. We wanted to make it back for the Mindel Sunday Market on the beach where locals sell foreign cuisine (chinese food in a plastic container) and a lot of handmade crafts.
Now my plan is to book a flight to Cairns within the next week or so. Until then the plan is for more sun!
Anyways, we took off on a road trip through the Australia Outback. Well, not really outback but close enough.
First stop, Litchfield. We thought we were in for a good hike - it ended up only being a mild walk on a concrete path through some trees. We got to some fresh water swimming holes which were pretty cool. Lots of people but we managed to frolic in the water for a little while.
Continuing on our journey south, we took a 'scenic tour' for about 30 km through the bush. We saw wallabies, birds and a lot of burning trees! There was a fire that spread through the bush a few days back. Everything was black except for the massive termite mounds. Oh yah, these termite mounds were at least 4 meters tall! (pictures to come)
Drove all the way to Katherine after stopping for a beer at a hotel/gas station/wedding reception area/local hangout...basically it looks as though the entire town of Adelaide River was chillin out - all 11 people.
By 7pm it was getting dark and we still had to find accommodation since our camping idea didn't work out. We pulled into Pine Creek but EVERYTHING closes at 7pm. It was 7:14 when we pulled in. So we decided to drive to Katherine which was another hour and a half away.
We were driving along not noticing how much gas was left. Well, it started flashing on the last bar. GREAT! We pull into a gas station about 15 minutes after we noticed the blinking light (it might have been on for a while, who knows). We needed a members card to get gas after hours...remember 7pm = closed! The decision was to continue on until we get to Katherine which is the biggest town between Darwin and Alice Springs.
As we pull into the city (town actually), there is a gas station and we fill the tank. We stayed the night at a hostel instead of the car - which was our last resort!
Sunday, we woke up early and drove to Katherine Gorge. After looking at our options for hikes, Eric and I decided on a 24km hike to the 4th gorge. We start hiking and after about 30 minutes, end up at the parking lot where we started. haha Since time was an issue and we had to be back in Darwin before dark, we decided to rent some kayaks and head down the water that way. Things happen for a reason. I say that because we had a blast kayaking! Such a cool experience! We were in the sun all afternoon, went cliff diving, swimming in the fresh water and did a little little hike at the end. On the way back, Eric just finished jumping off a cliff, swimming back to the rocks to get in the kayak when I noticed some other kayaks gathering about 30 meters away. A CROC!!! Let's just say he swam quite quickly to shore. As we paddled over to the group of tourists, a 2 1/2 meter fresh water croc came into sight. Awesome!!! Apparently, there were quite a few spotted that day. We saw two in total.
I guess I can now say I have swam in the same water as crocodiles. The drive back was not too bad. We wanted to make it back for the Mindel Sunday Market on the beach where locals sell foreign cuisine (chinese food in a plastic container) and a lot of handmade crafts.
Now my plan is to book a flight to Cairns within the next week or so. Until then the plan is for more sun!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Aussie Aussie Aussie!
Well, back on my feet and ready to hit the road again! After my little setback in Thailand - the last two weeks in Australia - Melbourne, Sydney and Tasmania my batteries are recharged and I'm roarin' to go.
Spent most of my time in Melbourne. Took a trip to Tasmania with my buddy Peter. Flew into Hobart - spent the afternoon wandering around in the rain. Spent two nights in Launceston, did some hiking, read by the waterside - was quite relaxing. Flew to Sydney where Mitch met me at the airport. Spent that night partying it up with some of Mitch's buddies that he met in South Africa. Saturday and Sunday we did the touristy thing - Opera House, the Bridge, The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Bondi, Tamarama and Bronti beaches. Flew back to Mebourne on Sunday evening. I've been hanging around here since.
Booked a flight to Darwin for tomorrow (Thursday August 6). Plan to spend a few weeks in and around Darwin, head to Cairns for a few weeks and make my way south along the east coast. Will visit my cousin Alicia and her fiance Nigel in Brisbane, Tim and Brin in Port Maquarie, visit Sydney and back to Melbourne to catch a flight to New Zealand. Don't have dates planned yet but it'll work out.
Spent most of my time in Melbourne. Took a trip to Tasmania with my buddy Peter. Flew into Hobart - spent the afternoon wandering around in the rain. Spent two nights in Launceston, did some hiking, read by the waterside - was quite relaxing. Flew to Sydney where Mitch met me at the airport. Spent that night partying it up with some of Mitch's buddies that he met in South Africa. Saturday and Sunday we did the touristy thing - Opera House, the Bridge, The Rocks, Darling Harbour, Bondi, Tamarama and Bronti beaches. Flew back to Mebourne on Sunday evening. I've been hanging around here since.
Booked a flight to Darwin for tomorrow (Thursday August 6). Plan to spend a few weeks in and around Darwin, head to Cairns for a few weeks and make my way south along the east coast. Will visit my cousin Alicia and her fiance Nigel in Brisbane, Tim and Brin in Port Maquarie, visit Sydney and back to Melbourne to catch a flight to New Zealand. Don't have dates planned yet but it'll work out.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Melbourne
Gonna be hanging out in Melbourne for the next few weeks. Even though the weather is shit it's an amazing city!!! Staying with my buddy Peter at the moment. He's been great since I showed up a few weeks early after my stuff was stolen. Might go to Tasmania on Wednesday and then up to Cairns (Great Barrier Reef) and make my way down the coast to Sydney making stops in Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel (cousin and her fiance) and then visit Tim and Brin just north of Sydney.
BKK - MEL
I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on July 7. Spent 2 days touring around the city and then made my way to Koh Phangan - one of the islands. Beautiful place! White sand beaches, crystal clear blue water - paradise. However, that is what people see. Unfortunately, there is a dark side. Every month there is a 'Full Moon Party - FMP" Thousands of tourists come to party on the beach until the early hours of the morning, after the sun comes up. With the hoards of tourists come quite a few thieves. I have been told they are Thai people, people from neighboring countries as well as tourists themselves. I ended up being a victim of someones greed. Everything was stolen - camera, ipod, laptop, credit cards, cash. Those all can be replaced. It was the pictures, gifts and sentimental items that I wanted back. Originally, my passport was stolen but was then found lying on the driveway to the hotel I was staying at. So in a sense, I met some 'thoughtful theives' (oxymoron) if there is such a thing. They broke into my room without any damage which makes me believe it was an inside job, cut open my backpack which I had locked on the table and eventually stole my safety deposit box right out of the wall. Ripped the entire thing out! I had EVERYTHING locked away because I heard of the theft during the FMPs. But my Mum made a good point - at least i wasn't in the room when it happened. They obviously had a knife since they cut open my backpack and who knows if they would have done anything if someone was there.
Anyways, I stayed a few more days at the hotel in the penthouse suit which I demanded after the incident but still didn't feel comfortable so I took a bus back to Bangkok and jumped on the next flight to Melbourne, Australia.
I'm in Melbourne at the moment, plan to be here for a few weeks. Want to head north to Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel and then make my way south to Sydney to see some more friends. It's nice to have friends around again....starting to miss home. Dont' tell my mother! haha
Anyways, I stayed a few more days at the hotel in the penthouse suit which I demanded after the incident but still didn't feel comfortable so I took a bus back to Bangkok and jumped on the next flight to Melbourne, Australia.
I'm in Melbourne at the moment, plan to be here for a few weeks. Want to head north to Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel and then make my way south to Sydney to see some more friends. It's nice to have friends around again....starting to miss home. Dont' tell my mother! haha
BKK - MEL
I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand on July 7. Spent 2 days touring around the city and then made my way to Koh Phangan - one of the islands. Beautiful place! White sand beaches, crystal clear blue water - paradise. However, that is what people see. Unfortunately, there is a dark side. Every month there is a 'Full Moon Party - FMP" Thousands of tourists come to party on the beach until the early hours of the morning, after the sun comes up. With the hoards of tourists come quite a few thieves. I have been told they are Thai people, people from neighboring countries as well as tourists themselves. I ended up being a victim of someones greed. Everything was stolen - camera, ipod, laptop, credit cards, cash. Those all can be replaced. It was the pictures, gifts and sentimental items that I wanted back. Originally, my passport was stolen but was then found lying on the driveway to the hotel I was staying at. So in a sense, I met some 'thoughtful theives' (oxymoron) if there is such a thing. They broke into my room without any damage which makes me believe it was an inside job, cut open my backpack which I had locked on the table and eventually stole my safety deposit box right out of the wall. Ripped the entire thing out! I had EVERYTHING locked away because I heard of the theft during the FMPs. But my Mum made a good point - at least i wasn't in the room when it happened. They obviously had a knife since they cut open my backpack and who knows if they would have done anything if someone was there.
Anyways, I stayed a few more days at the hotel in the penthouse suit which I demanded after the incident but still didn't feel comfortable so I took a bus back to Bangkok and jumped on the next flight to Melbourne, Australia.
I'm in Melbourne at the moment, plan to be here for a few weeks. Want to head north to Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel and then make my way south to Sydney to see some more friends. It's nice to have friends around again....starting to miss home. Dont' tell my mother! haha
Anyways, I stayed a few more days at the hotel in the penthouse suit which I demanded after the incident but still didn't feel comfortable so I took a bus back to Bangkok and jumped on the next flight to Melbourne, Australia.
I'm in Melbourne at the moment, plan to be here for a few weeks. Want to head north to Brisbane to visit Alicia and Nigel and then make my way south to Sydney to see some more friends. It's nice to have friends around again....starting to miss home. Dont' tell my mother! haha
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Bye Bye Thailand
After an unfortunate encounter with some thieves on the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand - I decided to head to Australia a few weeks early. I booked a flight from Bangkok to Melbourne for Thursday evening.
But before I go, I plan to enjoy at least one thai massage and try my bartaring skills at the local markets.
But before I go, I plan to enjoy at least one thai massage and try my bartaring skills at the local markets.
Friday, July 3, 2009
No Pil-i-pino
After checking out the weather conditions in the Philippines - I've decided to skip the country and head to Australia a little earlier than anticipated. However, I'm hoping to visit Laos and Cambodia as substitutions :)
Porcelain God!
I guess you can say I have been 'praying' to the 'Porcelain god' When you eat anything and everything in India - it's just a matter of time before you know where every toilet in a 1 km radius is located. It sort of becomes a second sense.
13 days in South India has been quite the experience.
I started off flying to Chennai from Dubai (stopover in Mumbai).
Spent a few days in Chennai. Met Aziz and Hafiz who showed me around the city and made sure I was all organized for my travels to Kerala.
On the eve of the 26th - I had dinner at the hotel, checked some email - organized some stuff for my trip and went up to the room. About 15 minutes later I had a knock at the door. When I opened it - there was Aziz, smiling, singing Happy Birthday with a cake and candle in his hands. (The candle wasn't in his hands it was in the cake) We enjoyed the chocolate cake with some good conversation. He returned home to his wife and I went to bed - another year older :)
For my Birthday - I met Hafiz, who took me to a crocodile park. I held a croc, python and turtle. In the evening, we went up with some of his friends and watched a Tamil Movie. No English - no English subtitles. So, I had to use non-verbal interpretation skills to try to understand what was going on. NO LUCK! My skills suck! haha
I had an overnight train to Alleppey where I booked a boathouse to myself for one night. I had a cook and two crew who were great! We travelled down the backwaters of Kerala, also known as the "Venice of the East" Absolutely beautiful! So peaceful! Even with the torrential rain!
I made my way to Kochin. Kochin is famous for the old Chinese Fishing Nets displayed on the waterfront. I also endulged with a Ayurvedic massage. Kerala is known for this type of treatment.
I then made my way back into the state of Tamil-Nadu to "The Temple City" of Madurai. I'll post pictures and they will explain everything. I stayed one night in Madurai and caught an early train to Thanjavur where I am now. (just killing some time before I catch a 6 hour bus back to Chennai...ugh!)
The food that I ate for dinner is still sitting nicely - howerver, I have been sitting for the past hour. I anticipate a mad rush to the toilet once I leave the internet cafe. Wish me luck!
13 days in South India has been quite the experience.
I started off flying to Chennai from Dubai (stopover in Mumbai).
Spent a few days in Chennai. Met Aziz and Hafiz who showed me around the city and made sure I was all organized for my travels to Kerala.
On the eve of the 26th - I had dinner at the hotel, checked some email - organized some stuff for my trip and went up to the room. About 15 minutes later I had a knock at the door. When I opened it - there was Aziz, smiling, singing Happy Birthday with a cake and candle in his hands. (The candle wasn't in his hands it was in the cake) We enjoyed the chocolate cake with some good conversation. He returned home to his wife and I went to bed - another year older :)
For my Birthday - I met Hafiz, who took me to a crocodile park. I held a croc, python and turtle. In the evening, we went up with some of his friends and watched a Tamil Movie. No English - no English subtitles. So, I had to use non-verbal interpretation skills to try to understand what was going on. NO LUCK! My skills suck! haha
I had an overnight train to Alleppey where I booked a boathouse to myself for one night. I had a cook and two crew who were great! We travelled down the backwaters of Kerala, also known as the "Venice of the East" Absolutely beautiful! So peaceful! Even with the torrential rain!
I made my way to Kochin. Kochin is famous for the old Chinese Fishing Nets displayed on the waterfront. I also endulged with a Ayurvedic massage. Kerala is known for this type of treatment.
I then made my way back into the state of Tamil-Nadu to "The Temple City" of Madurai. I'll post pictures and they will explain everything. I stayed one night in Madurai and caught an early train to Thanjavur where I am now. (just killing some time before I catch a 6 hour bus back to Chennai...ugh!)
The food that I ate for dinner is still sitting nicely - howerver, I have been sitting for the past hour. I anticipate a mad rush to the toilet once I leave the internet cafe. Wish me luck!
Monday, June 29, 2009
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Sunday, June 28, 2009
Dubai
Dubai
Who would have thought my trip to Dubai would have turned out the way it did. When planning my year away back in August 2008, I figured I wanted to go to Dubai but only spend a few nights since it was supposedly very expensive. It was. However, one could travel to Dubai and spend less money depending on the restaurants and accommodation chosen. I would say it’s no more expensive than Beirut.
What did I expect? Ahmed asked this question a few times and I really had to think about it. Buildings – tall buildings, desert, camels and large palaces for all the sheiks. Was I far off? Not really. Everything minus the camels – a desert safari trip is needed to see or ride the camels. There were more expensive cars in Dubai than I think I have seen in one city. It even beats out London. Beirut had a lot of nice cars but they were basically limited to Mercedes and BMWs. Dubai went above and beyond BMWs. Aston Martin and Bentley were both brands you would see daily.
I arrived late Saturday evening after almost missing my flight in Beirut. I owe Hamsa a lot for waking me up at noon. The Dubai airport is very nice! Probably one of the nicest airports I have been in. Free WIFI too! I caught a taxi from the airport to my hotel РThe Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le M̩ridien. It worked out to about 90CAD per night so I figured I could afford that for my 4 nights in Dubai. The hotel was recommended to me by Ahmed Рsomeone I spoke with on couchsurfing.com. I asked him what areas are good, hotel recommendations. I chose this one since I get Starwood points. I ended up meeting Ahmed the following day. He picked me up in his Cadillac CTS and we went out for some food. We got along really well and decided to spend the following day together since he had the week off work.
We ate out what seemed like every 2 hours…either food, tea or both. I was taken to some amazing restaurants – probably some of the best in Dubai. For example, tea at the Intercontinental, overlooking the city would be enjoyed by everyone. We smoked some shee-shah – which definitely gave me a buzz. Ahmed and I had some really good conversations – I learnt a lot about Islam. Not the Islam you hear about on CNN – you know – how everyone in the Middle East is a terrorist and ready to destroy the West! I was informed of how similar Islam is to Christianity and Judaism for example, which I ignorantly did not know. Once again, we decided to hang out the following day.
I got to see the ‘Largest Mall in the World’ – the Mall of Dubai. It definitely lives up to the name. You honestly could spend the entire day there and still need to go back the next day to finish seeing the entire complex. From an indoor skating rink, to waterfalls, to a ‘movie theatre for kids – the mall has it all. For shops you have high end (LV, Channel, Armani, etc) as well as shops like Aldo, Pull and Bear, Adidas – which I ended up supporting by purchasing 2 pairs of runners. Having one backpack does not allow room to buy shoes and clothing but oh well, first time in Dubai so why not eh!?
It was suggested I sign up for a desert safari which ended up being so much fun. 4x4 through sand dunes, sandboarding (yes...SANDboarding y'all), watching belly dancing, camels, sheesha, food and drink - made for an awesome afternoon.
The departure time for my flight to India was at 21:40 on Wednesday. Ahmed graciously offered (more like insisted) he drive me to the airport. He met me at the hotel in the morning with a Khandora for me to wear all day. If you are not familiar with the word – google it or check out pictures on my blog and facebook. We ate again, met up with Mohammed for some dessert and tea, visited the Palm Island and said our goodbyes.
I’ve really come to realize that the best part of my trip has been the people I have met along the way.
Who would have thought my trip to Dubai would have turned out the way it did. When planning my year away back in August 2008, I figured I wanted to go to Dubai but only spend a few nights since it was supposedly very expensive. It was. However, one could travel to Dubai and spend less money depending on the restaurants and accommodation chosen. I would say it’s no more expensive than Beirut.
What did I expect? Ahmed asked this question a few times and I really had to think about it. Buildings – tall buildings, desert, camels and large palaces for all the sheiks. Was I far off? Not really. Everything minus the camels – a desert safari trip is needed to see or ride the camels. There were more expensive cars in Dubai than I think I have seen in one city. It even beats out London. Beirut had a lot of nice cars but they were basically limited to Mercedes and BMWs. Dubai went above and beyond BMWs. Aston Martin and Bentley were both brands you would see daily.
I arrived late Saturday evening after almost missing my flight in Beirut. I owe Hamsa a lot for waking me up at noon. The Dubai airport is very nice! Probably one of the nicest airports I have been in. Free WIFI too! I caught a taxi from the airport to my hotel РThe Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le M̩ridien. It worked out to about 90CAD per night so I figured I could afford that for my 4 nights in Dubai. The hotel was recommended to me by Ahmed Рsomeone I spoke with on couchsurfing.com. I asked him what areas are good, hotel recommendations. I chose this one since I get Starwood points. I ended up meeting Ahmed the following day. He picked me up in his Cadillac CTS and we went out for some food. We got along really well and decided to spend the following day together since he had the week off work.
We ate out what seemed like every 2 hours…either food, tea or both. I was taken to some amazing restaurants – probably some of the best in Dubai. For example, tea at the Intercontinental, overlooking the city would be enjoyed by everyone. We smoked some shee-shah – which definitely gave me a buzz. Ahmed and I had some really good conversations – I learnt a lot about Islam. Not the Islam you hear about on CNN – you know – how everyone in the Middle East is a terrorist and ready to destroy the West! I was informed of how similar Islam is to Christianity and Judaism for example, which I ignorantly did not know. Once again, we decided to hang out the following day.
I got to see the ‘Largest Mall in the World’ – the Mall of Dubai. It definitely lives up to the name. You honestly could spend the entire day there and still need to go back the next day to finish seeing the entire complex. From an indoor skating rink, to waterfalls, to a ‘movie theatre for kids – the mall has it all. For shops you have high end (LV, Channel, Armani, etc) as well as shops like Aldo, Pull and Bear, Adidas – which I ended up supporting by purchasing 2 pairs of runners. Having one backpack does not allow room to buy shoes and clothing but oh well, first time in Dubai so why not eh!?
It was suggested I sign up for a desert safari which ended up being so much fun. 4x4 through sand dunes, sandboarding (yes...SANDboarding y'all), watching belly dancing, camels, sheesha, food and drink - made for an awesome afternoon.
The departure time for my flight to India was at 21:40 on Wednesday. Ahmed graciously offered (more like insisted) he drive me to the airport. He met me at the hotel in the morning with a Khandora for me to wear all day. If you are not familiar with the word – google it or check out pictures on my blog and facebook. We ate again, met up with Mohammed for some dessert and tea, visited the Palm Island and said our goodbyes.
I’ve really come to realize that the best part of my trip has been the people I have met along the way.
Friday, June 26, 2009
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Sunday, June 21, 2009
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Saturday, June 20, 2009
Close call
I'm at the airport in Bahrain, waiting for my connecting flight to Dubai to take off. However, I just about never made the flight this morning. Dubai - according to The New York Times is the number one place to visit in 2009. And there are a ton of reasons why I would agree with this. One of the reasons which plays a role in why I just about missed my flight - the nightlife. Getting in at 07:00 and having to wake up at 10:30 to pack, pick up laundry and catch a flight a few hours later is asking for trouble. I made my flight and that's the important part...if I forogt anything - time will tell.
If you have some bucks to spend and a couple people to hangout with, it's almost impossible not to have a good time in Beirut. Whether you fancy to enjoy the Mediterranean sun while hanging out on the beach, people watch while sipping an espresso in Place De E'toile or partying it up at some of the best nightclubs in the world, Beirut has it all!
If you have some bucks to spend and a couple people to hangout with, it's almost impossible not to have a good time in Beirut. Whether you fancy to enjoy the Mediterranean sun while hanging out on the beach, people watch while sipping an espresso in Place De E'toile or partying it up at some of the best nightclubs in the world, Beirut has it all!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Beirut
I arrived on a flight from Cairo with what seemed like five hundred screaming kids onboard. The ratio between parent and child was easily 1:4. After getting my head rubbed and drooled on for two minutes by a two year old, I ran off the plane to safety. Customs was a lot less stressful than I expected. I was asked if it was my first time in Lebanon – “Yes, it is,” I answered, expecting to be interrogated. “Welcome, my friend, enjoy your visit!” Boo yah!!
Immediately after passing through the security doors I was approached by taxi drivers. Didn’t think I stood out in the crowd considering my tan keeps improving. Spending over a week in the HOT Egyptian desert sun would make anyone a few shades darker. Anyways, I added a few bucks to what I coined the, ‘welcoming take advantage of the tourist’ fund. (You always pay more from the airport than what you should)
The morning before my flight, I had some laundry washed at the hostel. They said it would be dry by 2pm (I was leaving at 3:30pm). I think everyone knows where this is going. When I threw my backpack on the bed in my hotel room I immediately unpacked all the damp clothing and sprawled it all over the room – on any hanger or corner I could find. I was in bed by 10pm, hoping to get an early fresh start to the morning.
The following day I ate the breakfast buffet that was included in my room at the Mayflower Hotel. Packed up all my, now, dry clothing and ventured out to find my next night’s accommodation. I moved my backpack to my new place and set off to find some food to cure my hunger pains. That’s where I am at now, sitting at a café down the street from Place de l'Etoile.
Immediately after passing through the security doors I was approached by taxi drivers. Didn’t think I stood out in the crowd considering my tan keeps improving. Spending over a week in the HOT Egyptian desert sun would make anyone a few shades darker. Anyways, I added a few bucks to what I coined the, ‘welcoming take advantage of the tourist’ fund. (You always pay more from the airport than what you should)
The morning before my flight, I had some laundry washed at the hostel. They said it would be dry by 2pm (I was leaving at 3:30pm). I think everyone knows where this is going. When I threw my backpack on the bed in my hotel room I immediately unpacked all the damp clothing and sprawled it all over the room – on any hanger or corner I could find. I was in bed by 10pm, hoping to get an early fresh start to the morning.
The following day I ate the breakfast buffet that was included in my room at the Mayflower Hotel. Packed up all my, now, dry clothing and ventured out to find my next night’s accommodation. I moved my backpack to my new place and set off to find some food to cure my hunger pains. That’s where I am at now, sitting at a café down the street from Place de l'Etoile.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Egypt and the Pyramids
I can finally say that I have seen the Pyramids of Giza! Egypt has always been a place I have wanted to visit. When my trip was changed from Egypt to Greece and Italy in grade 12 - I knew that I would visit the Land of the Pharohs at some point in my life.
Arriving in Cairo for the first time is an experience in itself. The parking lot at the airport was a mess. Cars parked 3 deep, people pushing cars out of the way with their cars. It took about 15 minutes to back out of the parking stall.
My first 2 nights were spent in Cairo. I stayed at Brother's Hostel - decent place, located about 15 minutes walk from the Egyptian Museum (which is a must!)
I booked a private guide and driver for my visit to the Pyramids, Sphinx and Sacarra. Definitely pleased with that experience! My guide - Gab - has his degree in Egyptian Historical studies. He knew EVERYTHING! And his English was probably better than mine.
Opinion on Pyramids and Sphinx: a must see! The Sphinx is a lot smaller than expected. The pyramids live up to the stories and pictures. Although, there isn't much besides the structure itself. But to think how the people built such magnificent structures without any of the modern day technology - is quite astonishing!
Quick Fact: The Pyramids were not built by slaves like people think - they were built by the best workers of their trade - free men who worked for the Kings. It was a very respectful job building the tombs of a King.
The next day I spent just about 3 hours in the Egyptian Museum. What a place! The people do know how to jam pack statues, mummies, pottery and other artifacts into a museum. it's almost like when a sarcophagus is found, for example, they transport it to the museum and plop it down where ever tehre is room - and trust me - there are a TON of sarcophagus'!
I left for Aswan that evening. Decided to endulge in a sleeper cabin on the train ride. Was fed dinner and breakfast and had my own cabin with a bed. 15 hours - it was totally worth it!!!
Arrived to the heat in Aswan. Took a felucca ride (small sail boat) down the Nile River, stopping at Philae Temple and a really shitty Nubian museum. Met 2 cool guys from Montreal, Quebec. Had to hit the sack quite early since my tour of Abu Simbel started left at 3am. Abu Simbel was amazing! Quite the site. Met this British couple - Pal and Jaz. Very nice people - turns out that Pal comes to Calgary every once and a while to visit friends. Sounds like we'll go for a drink next time he's in town.
We all went our for dinner that evening (the ppl in the tour group). The first restaurant we stopped at I asked to see both the Arabic menu and the English menu. I asked Jaz to read the prices on the Arabic menu (since she can read some Arabic) and sure enough the prices were DRASTICALLY different! More than double for the same dish. We left there right away. Down the road we ended up eating at this little restaurant for 13 Egyptian Pounds for a 4 course meal. that works out to about $1.50
The following day I embarked on a 2 day Nile boat cruise. Instead of a cruise boat that we are use to, it was a felucca that I spent the next 2 days on. A sail boat with a bunch of pillows. I ate, slept, relaxed on this boat. There were 4 people on the boat with 3 crew members (and the captains girlfriend who slept the entire time).
We sang Nubian music, danced by the fire on the sand, played drums and relaxed for 2 days. Not to mention, I bathed and sawm in the Nile!!
After being on the water - it was nice to see land and drive to Luxor where I visited Luxor Temple and Karnak. Karnak was amazing! Luxor temple - I wasn't that impressed with. The Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens was next. The Valley consisted of tombs built into the ground for kings a well as the family of the kings.
An 18 hour bus ride (overnight) brought me to Dahab where I spent 2 more days. Dahab is on the Red Sea - more of a quiet beach town. Lots of kite surfers and divers. I snorkled in the "Blue Hole", saw some amazing fish and coral. The 2nd say I went out to the White and Colored Canyons. Hiking all day in the heat was quite - enjoyable (as strange as that sounds). Pictures don't do the place justice but it was quite a good experience. I had lunch cooked by Bedouins at an Oasis in the desert. That evening I smoked some Sheesha overlooking the moon on the water.
Today, there was a 9 hour bus ride back to Cairo. I met Mike, an American who has done quite a bit of traveling in the past. He had been to Lebanon and Syria last year. Got some very useful tips from him as well as some comfort about the politial situation in Lebanon. He is writing his thesis about the Lebanese political system.
I'm not lying in my room, listening to the wonderful sound of car horns. It's honestly, non-stop!! There literally isn't 5 seconds that goes by, actually 3 seconds without hearing a horn or numberous horns.
Tomorrow, I will meet George's mum for a walk around the Copitc area in Cairo and some lunch. I'm really lookng forward to that. My flight to Lebanon is at 18:30 Wednesday evening.
Arriving in Cairo for the first time is an experience in itself. The parking lot at the airport was a mess. Cars parked 3 deep, people pushing cars out of the way with their cars. It took about 15 minutes to back out of the parking stall.
My first 2 nights were spent in Cairo. I stayed at Brother's Hostel - decent place, located about 15 minutes walk from the Egyptian Museum (which is a must!)
I booked a private guide and driver for my visit to the Pyramids, Sphinx and Sacarra. Definitely pleased with that experience! My guide - Gab - has his degree in Egyptian Historical studies. He knew EVERYTHING! And his English was probably better than mine.
Opinion on Pyramids and Sphinx: a must see! The Sphinx is a lot smaller than expected. The pyramids live up to the stories and pictures. Although, there isn't much besides the structure itself. But to think how the people built such magnificent structures without any of the modern day technology - is quite astonishing!
Quick Fact: The Pyramids were not built by slaves like people think - they were built by the best workers of their trade - free men who worked for the Kings. It was a very respectful job building the tombs of a King.
The next day I spent just about 3 hours in the Egyptian Museum. What a place! The people do know how to jam pack statues, mummies, pottery and other artifacts into a museum. it's almost like when a sarcophagus is found, for example, they transport it to the museum and plop it down where ever tehre is room - and trust me - there are a TON of sarcophagus'!
I left for Aswan that evening. Decided to endulge in a sleeper cabin on the train ride. Was fed dinner and breakfast and had my own cabin with a bed. 15 hours - it was totally worth it!!!
Arrived to the heat in Aswan. Took a felucca ride (small sail boat) down the Nile River, stopping at Philae Temple and a really shitty Nubian museum. Met 2 cool guys from Montreal, Quebec. Had to hit the sack quite early since my tour of Abu Simbel started left at 3am. Abu Simbel was amazing! Quite the site. Met this British couple - Pal and Jaz. Very nice people - turns out that Pal comes to Calgary every once and a while to visit friends. Sounds like we'll go for a drink next time he's in town.
We all went our for dinner that evening (the ppl in the tour group). The first restaurant we stopped at I asked to see both the Arabic menu and the English menu. I asked Jaz to read the prices on the Arabic menu (since she can read some Arabic) and sure enough the prices were DRASTICALLY different! More than double for the same dish. We left there right away. Down the road we ended up eating at this little restaurant for 13 Egyptian Pounds for a 4 course meal. that works out to about $1.50
The following day I embarked on a 2 day Nile boat cruise. Instead of a cruise boat that we are use to, it was a felucca that I spent the next 2 days on. A sail boat with a bunch of pillows. I ate, slept, relaxed on this boat. There were 4 people on the boat with 3 crew members (and the captains girlfriend who slept the entire time).
We sang Nubian music, danced by the fire on the sand, played drums and relaxed for 2 days. Not to mention, I bathed and sawm in the Nile!!
After being on the water - it was nice to see land and drive to Luxor where I visited Luxor Temple and Karnak. Karnak was amazing! Luxor temple - I wasn't that impressed with. The Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens was next. The Valley consisted of tombs built into the ground for kings a well as the family of the kings.
An 18 hour bus ride (overnight) brought me to Dahab where I spent 2 more days. Dahab is on the Red Sea - more of a quiet beach town. Lots of kite surfers and divers. I snorkled in the "Blue Hole", saw some amazing fish and coral. The 2nd say I went out to the White and Colored Canyons. Hiking all day in the heat was quite - enjoyable (as strange as that sounds). Pictures don't do the place justice but it was quite a good experience. I had lunch cooked by Bedouins at an Oasis in the desert. That evening I smoked some Sheesha overlooking the moon on the water.
Today, there was a 9 hour bus ride back to Cairo. I met Mike, an American who has done quite a bit of traveling in the past. He had been to Lebanon and Syria last year. Got some very useful tips from him as well as some comfort about the politial situation in Lebanon. He is writing his thesis about the Lebanese political system.
I'm not lying in my room, listening to the wonderful sound of car horns. It's honestly, non-stop!! There literally isn't 5 seconds that goes by, actually 3 seconds without hearing a horn or numberous horns.
Tomorrow, I will meet George's mum for a walk around the Copitc area in Cairo and some lunch. I'm really lookng forward to that. My flight to Lebanon is at 18:30 Wednesday evening.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Currently, in Dahab, Egypt. Will be in this country for another few days and then have a flight to Beirut on June 10. Depending on how their federal elections turnout, I might have to re-route myt trip.
Egypt has been amazing! Some mixed feelings about the country but have had amazing experiences here so far.
Will write more later!
Egypt has been amazing! Some mixed feelings about the country but have had amazing experiences here so far.
Will write more later!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Turkey
I wish I had more time in Turkey but in the 4 days I was there, I think I got a good perspective of what Istanbul is really like. From the Grand Bazaar to Hagia Sofia to the Blue Mosque - Istanbul had some of the most amazing history I have experienced.
The metro seemed like a nice cheap option from the airport to the hostel. With one change of lines, I managed to make it to my hostel in one piece. It was after I found the hostel, unpacked and went venturing around the city, that I got lost. Good thing there are a billion hotels in Istanbul and that the people in the hotels all speak English.
Walked through the Grand Bazaar - saw all the tourists bartering with the sellers. The Spice Marekt is where all the locals go because not to many tourists need a handful of pepper.
I stopped in a pub for a beer and watched the Barcelona vs. ManU final game. There were a lot more BCN fans than ManU in Istanbul. Everyone loved Messi!
The next morning I had breakfast on the terrace with 2 blokes from England - John and Ian. Both are primary school teachers in London. I ended up spending the next 2 days hanging out with these guys. It makes your trip so much more enjoyable when you meet top notch people.
We all took a boat ride up the Bosphorus, ate some amazing fish and calamari (talk about fresh fish) and spend a some time in the sun at a fortress - Rumeli Hisari (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumeli_Hisari) - overlooking the 'gateway' to the Black Sea. Beautiful views! On the way back we stopped to grab a giant baked potato for dinner. This wasn't no ordinary potato...it was the king of all potatoes. It was the size of a baby's head, filled with everything you can think of. It included pickled cabbage, cheese, 2 different types of olives, 3 or 4 sauces - the flavors kept changing with every bite.
The following day the three of us hung out at the University of Istanbul. Relaxed in the shade on the grass, watched students play volleyball and had some really nice conversation. Oh yah, before we found the uni, we stubbled across the best kabab shop in Istanbul. A little hole in the wall restaurant managed to create the best lamb kababs any of us had tasted. It was great! Got to see the Valens Aqueduct (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valens_Aqueduct), the Galata Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galata_Tower) along with a lot of Mosques and shops.
We stumbled across a Turkish musical/traditional performance.
I visited the Blue Mosque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sultan_Ahmed_Mosque,_Istambul.jpg) and got some really good pictures of the Hagia Sofia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sofia)
Tony, a guy from Virgina joined us for dinner and drinks for our last night in Turkey. We stayed up drinking beers and googling over this little kitten that was on the bar.
The next morning had breakfast, said my goodbyes to the boys and took off to the airport. Oh yah, before leaving the Sultanahmet (area where I stayed in downtown Istanbul) I had some Turkish ice cream. It's a lot more rubbery than ice cream we are use to and there is a boy dressed in traditional Turkish clothing that makes it for you. But he just doesn't make it for you, he throws it up in the air, pretends to hand it to you but pulls it back, pretends to drop it but it sicks to the stick. Anyways...I made my way to the airport and flew to Cairo where I am now. It's been a story and a half already and I've only been here for less than 8 hours! Seeing the Pyramids and Sphinx tomorrow!! I am stoked!!!!!!
The metro seemed like a nice cheap option from the airport to the hostel. With one change of lines, I managed to make it to my hostel in one piece. It was after I found the hostel, unpacked and went venturing around the city, that I got lost. Good thing there are a billion hotels in Istanbul and that the people in the hotels all speak English.
Walked through the Grand Bazaar - saw all the tourists bartering with the sellers. The Spice Marekt is where all the locals go because not to many tourists need a handful of pepper.
I stopped in a pub for a beer and watched the Barcelona vs. ManU final game. There were a lot more BCN fans than ManU in Istanbul. Everyone loved Messi!
The next morning I had breakfast on the terrace with 2 blokes from England - John and Ian. Both are primary school teachers in London. I ended up spending the next 2 days hanging out with these guys. It makes your trip so much more enjoyable when you meet top notch people.
We all took a boat ride up the Bosphorus, ate some amazing fish and calamari (talk about fresh fish) and spend a some time in the sun at a fortress - Rumeli Hisari (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumeli_Hisari) - overlooking the 'gateway' to the Black Sea. Beautiful views! On the way back we stopped to grab a giant baked potato for dinner. This wasn't no ordinary potato...it was the king of all potatoes. It was the size of a baby's head, filled with everything you can think of. It included pickled cabbage, cheese, 2 different types of olives, 3 or 4 sauces - the flavors kept changing with every bite.
The following day the three of us hung out at the University of Istanbul. Relaxed in the shade on the grass, watched students play volleyball and had some really nice conversation. Oh yah, before we found the uni, we stubbled across the best kabab shop in Istanbul. A little hole in the wall restaurant managed to create the best lamb kababs any of us had tasted. It was great! Got to see the Valens Aqueduct (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valens_Aqueduct), the Galata Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galata_Tower) along with a lot of Mosques and shops.
We stumbled across a Turkish musical/traditional performance.
I visited the Blue Mosque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sultan_Ahmed_Mosque,_Istambul.jpg) and got some really good pictures of the Hagia Sofia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sofia)
Tony, a guy from Virgina joined us for dinner and drinks for our last night in Turkey. We stayed up drinking beers and googling over this little kitten that was on the bar.
The next morning had breakfast, said my goodbyes to the boys and took off to the airport. Oh yah, before leaving the Sultanahmet (area where I stayed in downtown Istanbul) I had some Turkish ice cream. It's a lot more rubbery than ice cream we are use to and there is a boy dressed in traditional Turkish clothing that makes it for you. But he just doesn't make it for you, he throws it up in the air, pretends to hand it to you but pulls it back, pretends to drop it but it sicks to the stick. Anyways...I made my way to the airport and flew to Cairo where I am now. It's been a story and a half already and I've only been here for less than 8 hours! Seeing the Pyramids and Sphinx tomorrow!! I am stoked!!!!!!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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On the road again...or is it - still?
Well, I have to say I had a really good last few weeks. I spent time with friends and family in England. Met up with Stefan for an afternoon of coffee and shopping. We managed to purchase the same shirt in the same store - let's hope we don't wear it on the same night. Elvira was kind enough to let me leave a bunch of clothes at her place while I made my way up north to Scotland and Ireland. Those cheap airlines only allow 15 or 20kg of weight for baggage. And when you are travelling for a year - it's a little more than that. We went out for a nice dinner and said our goodbyes - for now. Elvira, you need to make your way to Canada!! My Aunt Carole made me feel right at home for a week of relaxation and doing nothing but waking up late and watching TV.
I flew to Athens to meet Nicole on the 16th. Like I said on the last entry (not a pretty sight). We toured around the city for 3 days laughing at the dumbest stuff. Went out one night until 6am - "...your brother is so beautiful!" hahaha
We met Mum and Kristina at the airport. Do I need to say what my mum's reaction was when she saw me. The four of us waited around for 5 hours (the girls, including mum, slept for 1/2 that time while I watched LOTR on my computer) before catching a flight to Santorini. I must say, Mum and Kristina were troopers! There were in transit for more than 30 hours before hitting the pillow in Imerovigli.
Santorini:
Our first hotel was on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. If you have been, you know what I'm talking about when I say 'WOW!' If you have only seen pictures, you probably get a good idea. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, either look at pictures or go, or climb back into the bubble where you have been living.
A rental car was in order so we could tour around the island. We went to Thira (main city), did some shopping (mostly the women), went to a beach and tasted some wine on an underground wine tour.
Our next hotel was amazing! Not a 5 star but a great experience! The hotel is called, 'Strogili' which is located in Kamari. The family that owned the hotel made us feel like family. Delicious breakfasts every morning (I need to make this feta/jalapeno dip) that the Grandma was telling me about. On Sunday before we left, the four of us embarked on a Sunset Boat Cruise. We swam in the 'hotsprings' by the volcano (which weren't really hotsprings, just warm pockets here and there). Just before we were about to jump in - I don't know if it was on purpose but the boat unloaded what looked to be their sewage. Not a pretty sight. After waiting for 10 minutes, Kristina and I jumped in. LOL! Nicole and Mum stayed onboard. The sunset was stunning that night from the boat. I'll post a picture.
We made our way back to Athens for 2 days. I flew to Istanbul (where I am now), and Nicole flew to Barcelona for her 6 week holiday around western Europe. Mum and Kristina are staying in Athens for anotehr 3 nights before heading back to Springfield to pick up her stuff and then drive back to Calgary.
A best of 5 series of Kanasta was played by the 4 of us. Nicole and Mum on one team, Kristina and I on the other. It was close but Mum and Nicole came out on top. HOWEVER, that night I found of the the cards under the bed, which I am sure Nicole hid to have an advantage over us. The judge is still deciding on the outcome.
My early morning flight brought me into Istanbul. I walked around all morning and afternoon getting lost more than once. In the process of figuring out what I am doing tomorrow and Friday. I have a flight to Cairo, Egypt on Saturday May 30.
I flew to Athens to meet Nicole on the 16th. Like I said on the last entry (not a pretty sight). We toured around the city for 3 days laughing at the dumbest stuff. Went out one night until 6am - "...your brother is so beautiful!" hahaha
We met Mum and Kristina at the airport. Do I need to say what my mum's reaction was when she saw me. The four of us waited around for 5 hours (the girls, including mum, slept for 1/2 that time while I watched LOTR on my computer) before catching a flight to Santorini. I must say, Mum and Kristina were troopers! There were in transit for more than 30 hours before hitting the pillow in Imerovigli.
Santorini:
Our first hotel was on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. If you have been, you know what I'm talking about when I say 'WOW!' If you have only seen pictures, you probably get a good idea. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, either look at pictures or go, or climb back into the bubble where you have been living.
A rental car was in order so we could tour around the island. We went to Thira (main city), did some shopping (mostly the women), went to a beach and tasted some wine on an underground wine tour.
Our next hotel was amazing! Not a 5 star but a great experience! The hotel is called, 'Strogili' which is located in Kamari. The family that owned the hotel made us feel like family. Delicious breakfasts every morning (I need to make this feta/jalapeno dip) that the Grandma was telling me about. On Sunday before we left, the four of us embarked on a Sunset Boat Cruise. We swam in the 'hotsprings' by the volcano (which weren't really hotsprings, just warm pockets here and there). Just before we were about to jump in - I don't know if it was on purpose but the boat unloaded what looked to be their sewage. Not a pretty sight. After waiting for 10 minutes, Kristina and I jumped in. LOL! Nicole and Mum stayed onboard. The sunset was stunning that night from the boat. I'll post a picture.
We made our way back to Athens for 2 days. I flew to Istanbul (where I am now), and Nicole flew to Barcelona for her 6 week holiday around western Europe. Mum and Kristina are staying in Athens for anotehr 3 nights before heading back to Springfield to pick up her stuff and then drive back to Calgary.
A best of 5 series of Kanasta was played by the 4 of us. Nicole and Mum on one team, Kristina and I on the other. It was close but Mum and Nicole came out on top. HOWEVER, that night I found of the the cards under the bed, which I am sure Nicole hid to have an advantage over us. The judge is still deciding on the outcome.
My early morning flight brought me into Istanbul. I walked around all morning and afternoon getting lost more than once. In the process of figuring out what I am doing tomorrow and Friday. I have a flight to Cairo, Egypt on Saturday May 30.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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Saturday, May 16, 2009
"...and Zeus said no..."
Once again I have been lacking in the 'updating the blog' department. This one will be a quick update because I need to put some food in my stomach. It's been almost 39 minutes since I last ate something. Just joking, it's been almost 12 hours and it feels like my stomach is going to start eating my liver.
I'm in Athens with Nicole! I arrived at the airport from London Gatwick at 11:40 this morning. Up at 03:00...in the EasyJet check-in line by 04:15 and in the air by 06:30. Needless to say - a little nap will be had very soon as well. Nicole arrived about an hour and a half later and we took a cab to our hotel - the Classical BabyGrand in Athens. It was really nice to see her, it had been about 6 months - she looked like she was run over by a truck though, and not a little 1/2 ton either...(she probably won't read this for a while since she is here with me, actually, she is passed out next to me trying to get caught up on her sleep deprivation). I'll get a bruised arm for that comment.
Anyways, we are going to be touring around Athens for the next couple days before we are joined by Mum and lil sis. Then it's off to Santorini for a week!!!
I'm in Athens with Nicole! I arrived at the airport from London Gatwick at 11:40 this morning. Up at 03:00...in the EasyJet check-in line by 04:15 and in the air by 06:30. Needless to say - a little nap will be had very soon as well. Nicole arrived about an hour and a half later and we took a cab to our hotel - the Classical BabyGrand in Athens. It was really nice to see her, it had been about 6 months - she looked like she was run over by a truck though, and not a little 1/2 ton either...(she probably won't read this for a while since she is here with me, actually, she is passed out next to me trying to get caught up on her sleep deprivation). I'll get a bruised arm for that comment.
Anyways, we are going to be touring around Athens for the next couple days before we are joined by Mum and lil sis. Then it's off to Santorini for a week!!!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
5 months complete - 7 to go
It's hard to imagine that I have been traveling for 5 months already. But when I sit down and think about everything I have done and all the cool places I have visited - 5 months seems right.
In London, England at the moment. Hanging out with Elvira - a friend that I made in South Africa. She invited me to stay with her while I'm visiting the city. Today we walked around the city...saw Big Ben, The Globe Theatre and the River Thames. We had a really good lunch overlooking the river. Walked to Covent Gardens Market and watched some street performers for a little while. Made our way back to the house and now we are just gonna get ready to head out for the evening. Plan is to hit up a pub for a couple drinks and dinner.
I did the touristy thing the other day on my own as well. Threw on the iPod, visitied Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly...just wandered really. Felt like Frodo Baggins - but with an iPod, Starbucks coffee and umbrealla. Don't think any of those appeared in the movie. Would have been a little odd if you saw Sam Wise wearing the white earphones listening to Britney on his way to Mordor!
Yesterday I did a bunch of nothing. Well, booked my flights to Scotland and Ireland. I'm flying to Edinburgh on Tuesday. Spending a few days there and then making my way to Ireland for a couple days. I got a flight back to London for May 11. Hopefully I will be able to stay with my Uncle and Aunt who live in Kent (south of London). If it doesn't work out, I'll catch a flight to somewhere in Eastern Europe. Might do rock paper scissors with myself to figure out where I want to go - Austria, Poland, Croatia...not sure yet. I just have to be in Athens, Greece for May 16 to meet my sister. My mum and Kristina join us on the 19th in Athens.
In London, England at the moment. Hanging out with Elvira - a friend that I made in South Africa. She invited me to stay with her while I'm visiting the city. Today we walked around the city...saw Big Ben, The Globe Theatre and the River Thames. We had a really good lunch overlooking the river. Walked to Covent Gardens Market and watched some street performers for a little while. Made our way back to the house and now we are just gonna get ready to head out for the evening. Plan is to hit up a pub for a couple drinks and dinner.
I did the touristy thing the other day on my own as well. Threw on the iPod, visitied Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly...just wandered really. Felt like Frodo Baggins - but with an iPod, Starbucks coffee and umbrealla. Don't think any of those appeared in the movie. Would have been a little odd if you saw Sam Wise wearing the white earphones listening to Britney on his way to Mordor!
Yesterday I did a bunch of nothing. Well, booked my flights to Scotland and Ireland. I'm flying to Edinburgh on Tuesday. Spending a few days there and then making my way to Ireland for a couple days. I got a flight back to London for May 11. Hopefully I will be able to stay with my Uncle and Aunt who live in Kent (south of London). If it doesn't work out, I'll catch a flight to somewhere in Eastern Europe. Might do rock paper scissors with myself to figure out where I want to go - Austria, Poland, Croatia...not sure yet. I just have to be in Athens, Greece for May 16 to meet my sister. My mum and Kristina join us on the 19th in Athens.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
I'll say hi to the Queen
On my way to London. The plan is to stay there a few days, make my way to Scotland and Ireland (for a week or so) and head back down to England to visit the relatives in a county called Kent - known as the 'Garden of England'
Friday, April 17, 2009
Spain to Portugal - Another Perspective
Hello ... Shawn has let me write on his travel blog (its mitch)
Where to start...
So I get a email from shawn telling me he has some items for me to take over to him, so I agree. Laptop, Herbal Essence Shampoo, Hand Cream (WTF) and a few other miscelaneous toiletries. Meet up with his sister and she sends me on my way with a laptop bag, toiletries and some easter presents from shawns mom (Easter eggs and a stuffed bunny). MOMMAS BOY!!! ( I wish my mom was that stellar)
Met up with Shawn in Barcelona which was stellar, roll out of the hostel to the champions leauge game between FC Barcelona and FC Bayern Munchin, and it was insane, but a dry event, so Although I like soccer so much more than hockey, soccer = less beer, so hockey games just edged up a notch higher on the beer list, but still not as energetic or amazing as a soccer game. Like usual had to explain the rules to shawn because he plays "real" sports like basketball and baseball!
From barcelona we headed out to Valencia, which was a beautiful drive for me, but for shawn it consisted of sleep. I so could have used some sleep too, but since im not a man-princess (hereafter known as mancess) The dude who shared our hostel room is laughing still about the idocracy of our shenanigans.
Valencia we headed south to Malaga Area, shawn was awake for most of the trip, and we managed to get some great photos and made an epic road trip playlist that we couldnt play opn the car stero system (no cd) so we drained the laptop battery and rocked out to low base high treble laptop speaker music.
Malaga area was great, probably had too much beer again because we had a later morning.
Ended up heading to cordoba, no cd again, so we rocked the laptop while we crawled along in rediculous traffic for about an hour or so. Cordoba was nice, very nice, and sunny, which rocked.
Sevilla was a good time, we picked up stevie on the side of the road, something about being in morrocco and needing to have a drink?!?!? Not too sure what she meant, but we ended up having a few beer, she returned to normal from then on.
The algarve and portugal, lets just say it was a 5 wine night (kind of like foders restraunt rating, 5 is good) and we ended up on the beach. Stevie, see abouve, was all about the nudity (something about morocco and conservative, eff that?!?), so I reservingly obliged, hahahahah, thats a total lie.
Moved up to lisbon. Where we are now, and probably repeating shawns blog, but hey, its another perspective.
Mitch
Where to start...
So I get a email from shawn telling me he has some items for me to take over to him, so I agree. Laptop, Herbal Essence Shampoo, Hand Cream (WTF) and a few other miscelaneous toiletries. Meet up with his sister and she sends me on my way with a laptop bag, toiletries and some easter presents from shawns mom (Easter eggs and a stuffed bunny). MOMMAS BOY!!! ( I wish my mom was that stellar)
Met up with Shawn in Barcelona which was stellar, roll out of the hostel to the champions leauge game between FC Barcelona and FC Bayern Munchin, and it was insane, but a dry event, so Although I like soccer so much more than hockey, soccer = less beer, so hockey games just edged up a notch higher on the beer list, but still not as energetic or amazing as a soccer game. Like usual had to explain the rules to shawn because he plays "real" sports like basketball and baseball!
From barcelona we headed out to Valencia, which was a beautiful drive for me, but for shawn it consisted of sleep. I so could have used some sleep too, but since im not a man-princess (hereafter known as mancess) The dude who shared our hostel room is laughing still about the idocracy of our shenanigans.
Valencia we headed south to Malaga Area, shawn was awake for most of the trip, and we managed to get some great photos and made an epic road trip playlist that we couldnt play opn the car stero system (no cd) so we drained the laptop battery and rocked out to low base high treble laptop speaker music.
Malaga area was great, probably had too much beer again because we had a later morning.
Ended up heading to cordoba, no cd again, so we rocked the laptop while we crawled along in rediculous traffic for about an hour or so. Cordoba was nice, very nice, and sunny, which rocked.
Sevilla was a good time, we picked up stevie on the side of the road, something about being in morrocco and needing to have a drink?!?!? Not too sure what she meant, but we ended up having a few beer, she returned to normal from then on.
The algarve and portugal, lets just say it was a 5 wine night (kind of like foders restraunt rating, 5 is good) and we ended up on the beach. Stevie, see abouve, was all about the nudity (something about morocco and conservative, eff that?!?), so I reservingly obliged, hahahahah, thats a total lie.
Moved up to lisbon. Where we are now, and probably repeating shawns blog, but hey, its another perspective.
Mitch
Spain and Portugal
I must say, the Canary Islands are spectacular! Highly recommended for a vacation. The pictures I posted don't give it justice and there are so many more I wanted to post but figured that would be good for now. Google Oscar Manrique and you will get a glimpse of the creative genius behind the architectural playground called Lanzarote.
Made it to Barcelona and experienced more artistic creativity. This time by a more well known individula named - Gaudi. Barcelona is a great city, very touristic though! One of the highlights was watching a Champions League Futbol match. Barcelona destroyed Muchen with a score of 4-0! A stadium that holds 97,000 (92,500 in attendance) created, let's just say...a loud atmosphere!
A buddy, Mitch, arrived on Wednesday just to see the Champions game! Spent a few days in Barcelona and rented a vehicle to drive to Portugal. We spent the next night in Valencia. Very beautiful city! Made our way down the coast to Terromolinas for a night on the beach. Cordoba was our next stop followed by Seville. We rolled into the town without the name of our hotel or phone number. Stevie, a friend of Mitch's was meeting us in Seville. She said she was by a casino and a park - no street names. We figured...we would find her! We went down a few wrong streets (one ways) and ran a few red lights. 5 minutes later I looked out my windown and "CASINO" in bright lights! And look, a park on the other side of the street! Sweet luck! We park, walk around to the front and find Stevie sitting on the front steps. AWESOME! Now, to find our hotel. We stop by a random hotel and ask if we had reservations there. No luck...using their wireless, we find out the name of our hotel and head in that general direction. After 20 minutes, we found it!
We met up with Ryan for an afternoon and took in all the Moorish and Roman architecture.
We had to return our rental car so we decided to take the bus across to Portugal. Rented another car once across the border and head along the Algarve coast. Lagos was our first night. Our hotel that we booked was way out of the city but right on the beach. We had a kitchen so decided to make dinner (Stevie did actually) and drink a few bottles of wine. 5 bottles later we were on the beach jumping in the ocean...naked.
The next morning we drove up the west coast to Lisbon. And that's where we are at now...pictures of Porgual and our roadtrip to come!
Made it to Barcelona and experienced more artistic creativity. This time by a more well known individula named - Gaudi. Barcelona is a great city, very touristic though! One of the highlights was watching a Champions League Futbol match. Barcelona destroyed Muchen with a score of 4-0! A stadium that holds 97,000 (92,500 in attendance) created, let's just say...a loud atmosphere!
A buddy, Mitch, arrived on Wednesday just to see the Champions game! Spent a few days in Barcelona and rented a vehicle to drive to Portugal. We spent the next night in Valencia. Very beautiful city! Made our way down the coast to Terromolinas for a night on the beach. Cordoba was our next stop followed by Seville. We rolled into the town without the name of our hotel or phone number. Stevie, a friend of Mitch's was meeting us in Seville. She said she was by a casino and a park - no street names. We figured...we would find her! We went down a few wrong streets (one ways) and ran a few red lights. 5 minutes later I looked out my windown and "CASINO" in bright lights! And look, a park on the other side of the street! Sweet luck! We park, walk around to the front and find Stevie sitting on the front steps. AWESOME! Now, to find our hotel. We stop by a random hotel and ask if we had reservations there. No luck...using their wireless, we find out the name of our hotel and head in that general direction. After 20 minutes, we found it!
We met up with Ryan for an afternoon and took in all the Moorish and Roman architecture.
We had to return our rental car so we decided to take the bus across to Portugal. Rented another car once across the border and head along the Algarve coast. Lagos was our first night. Our hotel that we booked was way out of the city but right on the beach. We had a kitchen so decided to make dinner (Stevie did actually) and drink a few bottles of wine. 5 bottles later we were on the beach jumping in the ocean...naked.
The next morning we drove up the west coast to Lisbon. And that's where we are at now...pictures of Porgual and our roadtrip to come!
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