Robbie

Whats been happening since buckets in Thailand....

katie_rose — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:35:00 GMT

Hello hello, I have not been keeping up with this page as well as last time.....so apologies and time for a catch up!!!

I hope you are all doing well-happy 90th to Nanny wow!!!!

Ok so Thailand was the end of september.....I can't believe the first semester is nearly over it has gone so quick. So October was time to actually get down and do some uni work as it was assignment time...but as usual travel options sprung up....so at the beginning of October I headed off to Penang and langkawi in Malaysia....for the weekend. It was so nice-Penang was a bit quiet it was low season, but we headed to the beach hoping for some horse riding but the guy didn't turn up...damn so we got on a bus and went off to a temple on the hill which we had to run up as we had 15 minutes before closing....and we ended up getting locked in. NIce place to camp for the night....nah we eventually got let out :-)

The next day we caught a ferry to Langkawi-we ran into a friend we had met in Thailand who ended up being next door at the hostel...small world-it wasn't even planned. That night we headed off in search of a good beach party and found one at the reggae bar...very nice very relaxed-my friends i went with volunteered me to get up on stage to sing along with Susannah....i admitted my name was katie :-) So all round a nice spontaneous weekend adventure.

And then it was back to Singapore to study study study and may be a little party on the side :-) I celebrated my birthday in Singapore-we went out for a nice dinner to a hot pot restaurant-then out to our favourite club Attica, it ended at 5-6 ish the next morning so it was a good night!!! Thank you everyone for the cards-presents and well wishes- I tried to reply to everyone!!

So at the beginning of Novemeber I went off for a spontaneous weekend trip again to Phuket-hmmm not so nice, its very touristy-very commercial and the beaches wern't as pretty as Ko Phi Phi, but still a fun weekend, no complaints coming from me- i would travel anywhere and I am trying my hardest to achieve it :-) Its just amazing how cheaply you can travel once you are based in Southeast Asia-it really is hard to even beleive how much i have seen just in the first half of the year......

And sorry to keep going I know i know what more could i have done- well I went off to Bali for a week during our reading week for exams....there was a sale on airfares so hard to resist. We stayed at Kuta for the first 4 nights-we all attempted to surf- I really am not a typical aussie-I was definatley the palest on the beach-I couldn't surf-but I had fun trying-Bali was full of Australians it was insane. And I have to say I think I have moved a notch up from albino to slightly white :-) The 5th night we headed off to see more of the island and went to Padeng Padeng and dreamland beach-very nice very relaxed..And then it was time to come back to Singapore again where I am now writing this blog and still not studying.... woops getting onto that right now.

Yeah so thats a bit of a catch up- I probably left out some-ahhh just too much. So my exams finish on the 2nd of December after which I vacate my accomodation- I will leave most of my stuff in storage in Singapore. Then I'm going to travel for 2 weeks to Cambodia and then into Vietnam to visit the middle and Hoi An which i missed last time then I will be flying back to Australia from Ho Chi Minh for Christmas :-) Hooray!!!!I will be home for about 3 weeks so I will be able to catch up with you all!!

And now we are having all the farewell parties for those that were here only a semester...sad, it went so quick. So thats about it. I will try to upload photos later. Missing you all and see you soon.

Love Katie XX

Gallery: Borneo + Thailand

katie_rose — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:36:00 GMT

Thailand and buckets!!!

katie_rose — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hey all and on to the next story...

So now we headed off to Thailand for a week as we had a one week break at uni. Me and my two room mates off again :-) We flew into Bangkok and stayed for 2 nights. It is one crazy crazy city, we arrived at about 8pm on wednesday and headed straight out for dinner and some discovering.

First thing we found was that Thailand is the barter capital, "how much you want to pay?" Next thing we found was that drinks came by the bucket size :-) And they made them extra strong......so first night was spent in Kao San road (made famous from the movie the beach) - but we didn't drink any snake blood...you could eat grass hoppers mmmm deep fried. So after dancing that night away, we got up the next day by 11 for check out only to find that buses left to early for us to see anything and the trains were full. So we checked back in for another night, as you can see we didn't come with a plan again :-)

We booked the bus for the next day, as the trains were full again as there was a national holiday going on :-) Next we hired a tuk tuk and went off sightseeing- we saw lots of temples and buddhas - but the highlight was definatley the Grand Palace!!! Just beautiful and so much gold. We had to borrow clothes as you had to be covered up, very attractive, please view the photo!

Right so again we headed out for another big night-yes and that includes more buckets :-) We paid for that the next day, when we caught the 12 hour bus down to Krabi....nice.

We stayed a night in Krabi, the town didn't have much and it was really quiet, but we took the local bus to the near by beaches and watched the sunset and it was so nice, we even got a visit by an elephant walking up the beach.

Next day it ws onto the ferry and over to paradise....no joke the photos don't do it justice but Ko Phi Phi island is where I will be retiring to. We had 4 nights there, relaxing on the beach swimming, snorkling and YES YES YES SCUBA DIVING which was ahhhhhhh the BEST EVER.

The next amazing thing and definate highlight up there with Scuba and Ranga's - we went camping on Maya beach for a night- yes it is the one and only spectacular beach they used as the location in the movie "The Beach" - it was awesome, Leo was there to shake hands and sign autographs ahhhh slice of heaven. Nah it really was a cool night- swimming at night with the plankton and just sharing paradise with only 8 people what more could one ask for?

So Thailand was so good - we had so much fun - probably drank to much but Thailand is all about the buckets :-) I really hope you can all get their one day before it is destroyed, its heading that way with all the rubbish - its a real shame.

So now I am back in Singapore and yes I am now studying for my mid-term exams...all very exciting but am planning the next trip already :-)

Missing you all. Love KatieXXXXXXX

Jungle Borneo Adventure

katie_rose — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:39:00 GMT

Hey everyone,

Ok so getting myself up to date. I will try to remember details....one definate thing I remember from Borneo was the huffing and puffing as I trailed after the uber fit people I went with :-)

Ok so myself, two of my room mates and another exchange guy found super cheap tickets on the net and thought why the hell not lets go to Borneo this weekend-awesome!!!! We went to Kuching in Sarawak, the Malaysian part of Borneo for 3 nights.

So arriving in Kuching it was pretty quiet as it was ramadan, so the streets were empty, but we took off in the pooring rain to explore the town centre..yep not so much, but we soon found some other exchange students that were also studying in Singapore and went to a local bar/pub. Hmmm drinking seems to be popping up in a lot of my adventures these days :-) We had some local home brew rice wine and sat around talking with other tourists about what we should do for the weekend, we didn't come with a plan, read the lonley planet on the plane over, but I did know I wanted to see the ORANGUTANGS!!!!!!!!!!

The Ranga's were just beautiful, we went to a rehabilitation centre just outside town and we watched them swinging around in the wild, a definate highlight so far. The sad thing was that they are taught to hate humans and they learn to attack us with sticks- I thought I would get to go their and hold one, hmmm that bubble of joy was soon popped. But it was just awesome to see them in the wild, I still went away with a huge grin on my face :-)

On Saturday we headed out to the jungle for some trekking as we had heard that you could stay out there and go swimming and it was meant to be just spectacular!!!!! It was we went hiking at night to spot frogs, we got up at 5 am for a non existant sunrise as we were on the wrong side of the mountain and we went trekking to a waterfall and swimming. It was so good but so hot hot hot, I don't think I have ever sweat so much in my life, not even in Singapore. And of course I was the unfit rhino huffing and puffing at the back trying to keep up with everyone hahahaha I sounded like I had asthma, and the other guys were just like one big breath and they were over it :-) But it was so amazing and I was so glad I could see the ranga's. So that was one adventure for the weekend. It is so cheap and quick to get anywhere in SE Asia, nobody stays in Singapore on the weekend they all head off. When we get back to uni on Monday its like "so what did you get up to on the weekend?"

"Oh yeah we went to KL or Indonesia or Borneo or Cambodia"...on and on its crazy-don't think anyone is acutually doing any real study, but we are for sure having a good time :-)

So that was that adventure. Missing all.

Love Katie XXXX

Gallery: Singapore/Bintan

katie_rose — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:52:00 GMT

Singapore so far :-)

katie_rose — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:12:00 GMT

Hi all who are still reading on and on....Finally I am adding a post!!!!

So Singapore my home for the next year, and I have to say there is no complaints coming from me. Accomodation is pretty OK, like a few bugs but nothing like what happened at home to mum, dad and megan hahahaha.

I didn't scare my room mates with that story as they were already worried about just a couple of cockroaches......So yeah I am sharing with a Kiwi-funny girl and we get on well so thats a bonus!!!We also share with two Dutch girls who are really nice-we have been lucky with our allocation...two thumbs up :-) So I was trying to work it out today I have been in Singapore now for 4 weeks...what the hell have I been doing....Bit of everything really.

So did some tourist sightseeing....Chinatown where I ate the best and I mean not since I was actually in China-steamed dumplings mmmmmm Singapore really is all about eating....I have been trying to get a taste of everything...I went to little India and had some really good fresh juice + bought a cheap phone to use in Singapore, I still have my Australian phone and it works but its like a brick of gold-emergency situations only :-) I went of to Bugis and saw Arab street and some cool Hindi temples...Seen a lot of Clark Quay-yeah there has been a lot of getting to know the other exchange student sessions...but drinking is really expensive even beer drinking.

Oh yeah and the reason I came to Singapore I have been to university, it is so massive. I stay at a university run hostel which is not at the campus but about 15 mins away. Yeah classes are good so far nothing to scary has come up....we only have to go to tutorials every 2nd week so tomorrow will be my first class-its only been lectures so far. I have 4 classes-history-geography-south east asian development and Indian communities in SE Asia. Exciting!!!!!!!!!

This is a bit all over the place as I remember bits and pieces, sorry.

Before class started I got the chance to go with some other exchange students to Bintan Island which is part of Indonesia, its only 45 mins away by ferry from Singapore. It was beautiful and it actually cooled off a bit there which was a welcomed change. I will upload photos of all these places. So Singapore is going well, I was ment to go to Kuala Lumpur on the weekend but got sick with the flu. Thats why I love being here in Singapore it is so easy and cheap to travel around....I am going to Thailand in our recess week with my room mates...So lots to look forward to :-)

I think I have said enough I probably forgot lots-but I will put some photos up to fill in the rest.

Cheers and I will add more later.

KatieXXXXXXXXXXX

Kyoto, Ube and Hiroshima!!!!

katie_rose — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:13:00 GMT

Hi all,

So Iam now settled in Singapore. My accomodation is decent and my room mate is a Kiwi so we get on :-) The flat is big, and equiped with everything. I have registered at the University, and well I was worried about the strict rules but they are forgotton about, plenty of alcohol, drinking and partying with the rest of the exchange students :-)

I am really looking forward to the year ahead plus all the great access to travel....so exciting.

Ok so back to the rest of the travels around Japan. From Tokyo I caught the express to Kyoto, I only had one night which is a shae it is a beautiful city, lots and lots of temples, but they also still have an old part of town which was still in the traditional style, it was great to walk around and see all the Geisha. They still get hired by men....but they are happy to let the tourists take photos.

So moving on from a jam packed day in Kyoto, I got up early and went off to see my friend Naoko. I had to change trains twice, but it is so efficient and on time there is no drama and so easy to naivigate. So I made it to Ube and was met by Naoko and her friend Kichiko who also is training to be a doctor. It was raining heavily and there were floods and land slides in the area, but we were safe :-)

I had the best time as we celebrated the summer festival, with fireworks and Naoko and her friends also dressed me up in the traditional summer Yukata outfit, please see the photos :-) It was lots of fun!!!!!

Naoko showed me around her town and we went to the big fish markets, which is down at the bridge you cross to get to the south island and we ate fresh sushi so delicious I even ate the raw sushi but so goooooddddd!!!!

From Ube Naoko and her Friend Itio drove me to Hiroshima which is 2 hrs by car...Very nice :-) WE went to the famous shrine on the island just off the coast called I think Mimiji....Very beautiful and funny but the island is full of deer...Then we went into Hiroshima to the peace park which was really informative and it was sad...in the beginning it was covered up about what the fall out effects of the bomb were and it was really awfull....The HIroshima givernment to this day writes letters to all the governments around the world encouraging them to stop Nuclear tests and work towards peace. Hiroshima has become the symbol of peace. It was good to visit.

So after all that I said goodbye to Naoko and her friend and stayed in Hiroshima that night. The next day I went back to Tokyo for a night and then the next day flew to Singapore. I went to and from Japan on Singapore airlines on the massive jumbo airbus, I couldn't believe how long it took to take off...So I had the best time In Japan and Hope I can one day go back as there is so much to see and do...

So now its Singapore for one year and its so exciting.

HOpe you are all well and I will keep up with the stories.

Bye bye

Katie XXXX

Gallery: JAPAN

katie_rose — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:38:00 GMT

Japan Adventure with Totoro

katie_rose — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:07:00 GMT

Hi everybody,

Well I am back travelling again, and yes I am a lucky girl!!!!

It is so exciting to be back roaming around getting lost and sweating in the process. So I have travelled from Sydney to Singapore which will be my home for the next year as I will be attending their university on exchange. Then I have skipped over to Japan for a week holiday before my semester starts to go in search of my pal totoro and visit my friend Naoko who I met while volunteering in Vietnam.

So so far I must say Japan is unique and very inviting. I have been here 2 days and already I have to say love it. Why so quick to jump to this conclusion. The FOOD for one so delicious our sushi trains don:t compare, and so many little quirks, vending machines everywhere and let me tell you, you can get anything from a vending machine. And then I come to the tiolets, so clean and well so inviting, seat warmers, buttons you press that lets out a fake flushimg noise to keep your business private amd lots of other buttons I haven:t been game to press!!!! Last but not least, the people are so nice and helpful. There train network once you work it out is so good and gets you anywhere in no time at all!!!

So as you can see Iam a big fan of Japan!!! I an in Tokyo now and I had 2 nights, tried to fit a lot in but still missed alot, it is BIG. I visited a temple and did lots of shopping its nuts!!!! Then today biggest highlight of all time, yes I SAW TOTORO, he is a japanese animae character and he is beautiful!!!!! I went to the Ghibli Museum, which was set up by the guy who created Totoro, Howls moving castle and many more. It was so cool everything was designed around his movies, just fantastic, recommend to any one who comes to Japan, but prebook your tickets, you can]t buy them at the gate.　 So off with my japan pass tomorrow to Kyoto, then on to UBE to see Naoko, then Hiroshima and then back to Tokyo to fly back to Singapore.　 Its is a jam packed week.

Any way I will try to keep this updated like last time.　 Also will add some photos.　 Hope all is well back home and everyone visit Japan, just not at this time very humid, recommend spring!!!!!

Bye for now

KatieXXXXXXXX

Whats been happening...

katie_rose — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:31:00 GMT

Hi everybody!!!!! So its only 3 weeks now, I can't believe it. The time in Hanoi has just flown. The beginning was hard but now I am having the time of my life. Meeting lots of new people all the time and so there is always something new and different to do. But I can't wait to come home and see everybody. I MISS HENRY THE MOST (hehehe)

So whats been going on...Lots of work, this has just been one big learning experience, from teaching university students (almost all older than me) to doing some office work and visiting all of SJ Vietnam's projects. I also got to visit the police station the other day, a very eye opening adventure, lets just say its in your interest to take some money with you....mmmmmmmm It was quite scary, but good to see with my own eyes. So I am really seeing so much and loving every moment.

So now at the office I am living with 9 other people from all over the world. Everyday I'm learning japanese, german, french and Korean. Its a really great bunch of people and they get my sense of humour, its great to have a laugh. I'm trying to teach the japenese and korean girls sarcasim, they now know never to listen to me...hehehe

So I teach everynight but saturday, so not a lot of free time...I will be fininshing work on the 8th of october so I can go and visit some more of vietnam. I will try to get to Sapa and Halong Bay. I will be nice to get out of the city. But now I travel a lot by motorbike, but never driving, I don't think it would safe for everybody around me....

BUt so much has happened there are so many stories and stupid things I have done that I can't keep count. It was nice the other weekend we went out to a Czech restaurant with some of our former house mates, one of which comes from the Czech Republic. The food ended up being Vietnamese, but they had some really good beer, oh yeahhh I got to have a 1 litre stein again....mmmmm really good..It was a great night we later played some drinking games then went out to one of Hanois only clubs that stays open later than 12 am...It was a great night. It was good to have a dance.

Wow I can't belive I will be back home again soon...I will leave it here for now. I miss everybody and I hope you are all looking after yourselves and are having as much fun as me. I will try to upload some photos with this. Take care.

Robbo XXXXXX(aka Katie as I am now refered to as)

Living in Hanoi!!

katie_rose — Sun, 2 Sep 2007 00:53:00 GMT

Hi everybody. Sorry I have not updated my blog page in a long time, its a case of laziness and also I have been very busy. So Wow I waved good bye to mum, Jan, Georgie and Aunty Jane and have moved onto my next volunteer project. Hanoi what can I say....

Its crazy its loud its frustrating its disorganised its beautiful its peaceful its full of people only to willing to help and its my home for the next 7 weeks. My attitude has been going up and down and all around. I am having both the time of my life and also the most stressfull and crazy experience of my life. I am learning so much everyday.

So my next project is working with the volunteer organisation SJ Vietnam. It runs many projects in and around Hanoi. The director of the project is the most genuine and lovely person, she has so much experience in Volunteering and just has so many stories and knowledge. It has been great meeting her. The rest of the team is also really funny and crazy and everyday is a surprise. The team consists both of international and Vietnamese volunteers working together, all helping out in the office and also with all of Sj's projects. People are always coming and going and I have meet so many people, its really good for making contacts through out the world....only kidding its great and theres always something to do and someone to talk to. The time is going so quick. So at the moment I am working at a Phonetics centre, teaching to mostly students older than me...I was told about the VIetnamese way of doing things and so avoid my age and also avoid the fact that I am not a qualified teacher...Its all about talking things through in a round about way, so in actual fact you never really answer the question and end up talking about a totally different topic, thus avoiding my age and qualifications. So its been a very frustrating experience getting used to their way of doing things and also the teaching, I HAVE KNOW IDEA WHAT IAM DOING...I have know idea about the phonectic alphabet or the theory behind it. So its been hard, I am learning a lot but very quickly and ahhhhhh somedays I just want to scream...But everybody has been really good and helpful and listened to my complaints and I think finally everybody is understood and clear. So I will continue teaching and also learning at the same time. So thats my teaching, I teach at night for three hours sunday to friday. In the day I help out in the office, each week we all have a meeting which I will be running as of next week, hahaha this is going to be fun. Then I also am a co-ordinator for one of the short term projects, which runs for 2 weeks..Then on the weekend I also teach english to the vietnamese volunteers but this is just a bit of fun and informal. Its very busy, but its all such a great learning experience for me, I really am loving it.

Wow so thats what I have been up to work wise. Living in Hanoi is crazy. The traffic is nuts, but going on the back of the motor bike is soooo muchhh funnn, though I wouldn't risk driving one. The other day I got driven to work on the back of the bike, in the pouring rain, the roads were flooded and water was going every where, but sooo much funn, I wanted to go on the ride again. Also I have lots of interesting room mates from all over the world, we all go out to eat together and go exploring the city, so its great. Its different from china where I was living independently. Also I'm used to it now but the weather is so humid, sweat sweat sweat. So also the food, dog meat is the specialty, but I have yet to try it, I was saved by the lunar calender...But living here is really comfortable, we have everything we need all close by the house. I catch the local buses everywhere which are easy to navigate and so I am finally settling into my new location. I have sorted out my work situation and I am working with a really nice bunch of people.

I am so thankful that I got to have this oportunity. Even if Mum and dad and megan had to put up with a lot of complaints from me, I would just like to say thank you, this experience has been so eye opening and a great learning atmosphere. Also thankyou to everybody for all the comforting messages, its really nice to read when you are missing home a little. So wow I can't believe its been 5 months, so much has happened. I can't wait to see everybody.

So ok funny moment just for you Meg, just imagine me in front of a class teaching, having no idea what I'm doing, bullsh**ing my way through it, and a student asks me a question, I do the blank dumb look, and say WHAT, like I can't hear and quickly keep talking...So many fun moments. Also the picture attached with this story, I was standing with Jan in Hanoi waiting for mum, watching Aunty Jane and Georgie bargaining and laughing as a woman walked up and dumped this basket on Aunty janes shoulder, next thing I know its happened to me and a hat is being shoved on my head...ahhhh thats karma for yah. So loving Vietnam and my new volunteer project. Thanks again to everybody and I hope you are all well.

I will be home sooo sooonnnnnnnnnnnn. Missing you all, especially HENRY. Lots love KatieXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Back to Vietnam with my mum!!

katie_rose — Wed, 8 Aug 2007 20:54:00 GMT

Hi everybody. I am back in Vietnam. It's good to have a change of location, a new culture and some friends!!I finally had some familar faces and people to talk to. I am so happy that mum and Aunty Jane and Georgie and Jen came to visit me, it was getting a bit lonely travelling by myself.

It's great being back in Vietnam. The people are just so lovely and the food is delicious. So getting out of China was no hassel although my flight was delayed 3 hours so I didn't arrive in Ho Chi Minh until 12:30 in the morning, but it was easy to get to my hotel, I was thinking Shanghai had come back to haunt me.

So I went to the airport to meet mum and the girls, it was a great moment like in all those lovey movies and we ran to meet each other. It was great to see them all, I was bursting with news and stories and nearly knocked them out with all my excitment. So we had a few days to explore the markets and the city. We went on a day trip to the Mekong Delta, which was just amazing. We paid $10 each for a full day tour that was jam packed with things to do and see. Mum even got a ride on the back of a motor bike and me and Jen braved the paddling canoe that was a bit overloaded with people and sitting very low in the water but it was fantastic. The whole day was great and it was so nice to have people to do it with. I also visited the Cu Chi tunnels before they arrived in Saigon, it was amazing the network they created under ground and tiny, us westerners only just fitted into the original holes, it was a tight squeeze....

So I have now parted ways with the girls and have arrived in Hanoi for my placement, which I think is going to be a very interesting experience full of many surprises. I will be teaching again, focusing on phonetics so we will see how it goes. I am glad I went to China first, so I am ready for all sorts of surprises.

Mum and the girls have now headed to Cambodia to see Ankor Wat and I will see them again in a few days when they arrive in Hanoi. I have uploaded photos of our trip in Ho Chi Minh.

So a new experience is just around the corner for me. I am so happy that I got to see mum and Georgie and Jen and Aunty Jane. Its only 2 months and I will be home, its going to be a culture shock coming home.

So thank you Mum and Georgie and Aunty Jane and Jen for coming to visit me and I am sorry that everybody couldn't come but it's not long and I will be home. I am missing everybody soooo muchhhh and I love hearing from you all. Take care.

Lots and lots and lots of love from Katie XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Great Wall experience!!

katie_rose — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 19:23:00 GMT

Hey everybody. Sorry about my last post, I should have put a language warning with the page. I was caught up in the moment, being very angry with what had happened in Shanghai and some less than desirable words slipped out on to the page, so my apologies. I have now edited the page and made it "G rated".

Ok well I am feeling very happy, I just love Beijing. It's a great city easy to navigate and so many amazing sights to visit. I have had the best time and suggest to anyone coming to China not to leave it out of the itinery. I have been to see the summer palace again as my first visit was short and I didn't get to explore very much. It's just beautiful, a huge lake that you can rent a paddle boat on and nice trees you can rest under, a great place to escape the city.

I also went back to Tianamen square, it really is huge but it was a lot busier than last time I was here. I missed out on seeing Mao as the Musoleum was under construction...Oh well I'm sure in this heat he was a bit stinky..I have never really been a shopaholic, but I have converted here in China, I think its the bargaining, its so much fun and you can get things really cheap like down a 3/4 of the price they ask. So yes my bag is full up again with presents and souviners, its like Christmas!!

The night market was interesting to visit. The hostel I am in is really close to the sights, so walking is no problem. The night market was like one giant BBQ, but with anything they could think of to grill up. You had choices from Lamb, chicken, crab, oysters to the more adventurious like centipede, seahorse, starfish, squid, octopus, and I think even snake (not sure what it was). Really interesting and some of it very tasty, I stuck with a version of the lebanese kebab back home, delicious..

So onto the HIGHLIGHT one of the seven wonders of the world. The GREAT WALL OF CHINA, and I think it was ment to keep out bigger things than rabbits. It goes on for ever up over the mountains, must of been crazy to build it, anyone who died was just buried up in the wall. It really was unbeleivable to think I was standing on the great wall. Its hard to write it down in words but it will be a memory to stay with me forever. It also rained while I was up there, just added to the experience as the surrounding mountains were covered in mist. My poncho finally came to some use. I also got to catch the cable car up to the wall, a white nuckled experience for me, I think my fear of heights is getting worse. The trip to the wall was a great way to finish my China trip. I have had the best time and can't wait to come back and visit again.

So I have got my visa from the embassy and I am set to go to Vietnam. Can't wait to see everyone there. Bye from China, I have had a great time and will miss it. Lots and lots of love from Katie XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Getting Shanghai'd in Shanghai!!

katie_rose — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 20:31:00 GMT

Hey everyone, hope you are all well. So Shanghai, what can I say...

First let me say, I do NOT like Shanghai. I had heard mixed stories about it, people both liking it and people disliking it. I had heard about being ripped off and to watch out for the scams but while I was prepared for it, it did not help me. So its great to be back on the east coast again, getting slowly closer to Vietnam. Ok so on with the story that was bound to happen to me eventually somewhere in China.

So the flight was a bumpy ride to Shanghai from Xi'an, it also ended up being a night flight, which I was trying to avoid.. But times were changed and flights delayed, it was out of my hands. I had learnt from my first trip to Beijing to always have your address written down in Chinese, I had this but it did not help the taxi driver in the least...I had tried to organise airport pickup but the stupid hostel did not reply, so it was off on a joy ride taxi trip, the driver having no idea where he was going. We ended up at the Bund, pretty at night, but I was freaking out thinking he will just keep on driving and I will have to sleep in the cab.. So I quickly as we passed a hotel pointed and said stop, though we didn't understand each other, he got the idea and stopped. So I paid my whopping 300 yuan about $50 cab ride and dragged all my stuff up and into this big fancy hotel looking like a bum and sweating all over the place as the place is as humid as hell. I was thinking why didn't I have a plan B for another hostel while I forked out 600 yuan for one NIGHT, $100. Yes I just wanted to curl up and cry, I didn't budget for this..But I had a bed a very big and comfortable though not worth a $100 bed for the night. So that night I worked out alternative accomodation, and easily moved there the next day. My 6 nights here cost half the price of the one night at the big hotel.

So having not such a great start to my stay in Shanghai, kinda gave me a bad impression. I was going to go to the Yangzi from here for a couple of days, but the tour didn't work out, so I tried to make the best of Shanghai. This is the first place in China that people have really bothered me to try and buy things or to go and practice their english with them or donate money, you can't walk 500m without being annoyed...I am happy to give money to the poor people who look like they need it but not when they are latching onto you and following you down the street..So I guess my luck was up and it all came raining down on me in Shanghai. My second day in Shanghai after successfully finding my cheap accomodation, I was having a wander down Nanjing rd the popular shopping street, feeling happier when I was approached by three girls, who I tried my best to shake but they were persistent, dragging me to look at their art show which happened to be ending that day. They walked me through there works, then started telling me about not getting any money from the governemnt, so they were selling their works for funding of their studies. I was cornered, I had read and heard many stories about it, but they had me feeling guilty and handing over money for one of the works. So now Shanghai sorry but I hate you.

So the rest of my time in Shanghai got better, the shopping is really good and it really is beautiful at night with all the lights. I went on the night cruise down the HuangPu river with some quirky German girls from my dorm room and I visited the Oriental Pearl tower. It is really high, I am still scared of heights, and was happy to hit the ground again. The weird thing about it though was that they have this section devoted to the space program...I got to see ET in Shanghai and ride a rollercoaster, really strange but fun.

So Shanghai, don't get me wrong I am having the best time and I know the scams were just around the corner, but it does put a dampner on things try as you might to stop it. I have visited all the sights and walked around in the hot smog dripping with sweat but am enjoying all the experiences, once the pannick goes away. Also I now have Harry to keep me company, so excited the last book finally arrives. I'm off to Beijing on Monday, to sort out visas and Vietnam.

So I am glad I have seen Shanghai but I will not be coming back any time soon. Great Wall here I come, the last place I really want to see before its good-bye to China and hello Vietnam. Well bye for now.

Lots of love from KatieXXXXXXXXXXXXXXMISSING EVERYONE........

Xi'an and the Warriors!

katie_rose — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 20:51:00 GMT

Hey everyone back home, hope you are all well. Only 3 weeks till Vietnam. Hey Meg sorry I let slip couldn't help it, I'm still laughing about it!!

So from Chengdu it was a short but bumpy ride. Xi'an is another big Chinese city, but very ordered and very modern. It's the home of the bring the west to the east campaign. I'm still loving having Mcdonalds and Star bucks, terrible I know, but I have been eating Chinese food for three months now, so a nice fatty mcfatty burger goes down well. So again Xi'an is so different both in the people and the culture and the pronunciation, so now I am really misunderstood.

So Xi'an, I have explored and walked and walked and even rode a bike. I wish I was getting fitter but sad I am still very very unfit. So I visited the Bell and Drum tower and visited the city wall. I rode the whole way around, I think 12km, they give you a 100 minutes to get your bike back to the bike station. Wow was I buggered I only just made it, plus I didn't get to make many stops because you really don't get much time. But it was so much fun and you got some good views, but the down side was a very sore bum as the ride is not so smooth...

So onto the high light and the reason for visiting Xi'an the world famous warriors. They are beautiful and very detailed, each has its own features and at one stage they were coloured but sadly having been buried for so long its all but vanished. Very amazing and a great day, it was even fairly cool today a nice change from the usual sweat sweat and smog filled haze that you usually walk around in. I opted to take a tour, which was an ok price, but taking a tour comes with down sides, the detours to silk factories and other sights before you even reach the warriors, but it was worth it all to see them. The hostel I am staying in now is good, though I am now sharing and well its ok, but theres a snorer, the only thing I can't sleep through...So Having so much fun but very tired, it feels like I have been away forever and I haven't even made it to Vietnam yet. So Shanghai is the next stop, hopefully from here I can get to the Yantzi, its backtracking but I have a while in Shanghai and I really want to see it before the dam is complete. Wow I am so lucky, getting to see so much, bit over loaded actually but taking lots of photos to capture it all.

Oh and meg this will cheer you up if dads been giving you a hard time, yes I had another very PUBLIC fall. I really should watch where I am walking but before I knew it I was Arse over tit and hitting the ground. I quickly got up as if nothing happened...I continue to make a dick of my self, ahhh well at least I don't know whats been said about me.

Ok well love you all and miss everyone and home and my bed and can't wait to see you in Vietnam...Ok next stop Shanghai. Look after yourselves. Lots of love Katie XXX

Chengdu and the pandas!!

katie_rose — Mon, 9 Jul 2007 22:32:00 GMT

Hi everyone!! Hope you are all well, not long to Vietnam now.

So I have packed my bags and left Urumqi. I am now in Chengdu, having lots of fun and making new friends. Yes thats right I am talking about Chengdus famous pandas. Now if I bought one home then my excess baggage weight would be through the roof. Yes I was over the limit by 4kg on my flight to Chengdu, I really should stay away from the markets, if only everything wasn't so appealing and so damn cheap...

So Chengdu was a great place to start my trip. The hostel is fun and full of other tourists like me, yes its peak time and very very hot and humid. It makes walking around verry tiring, or may be I am just lazy..So I visited the pandas on my first day, took many photos and even forked out 400 yuan for a photo with one, I couldn't resist and the money goes towards the pandas so I justified it... I could have stayed all day and just watched them, very entertaining, but they tend to sleep for the entire afternoon so the tour ended at 11:00.

So also in chengdu I have visted many temples and monastry's, all very beautiful with nice and cool gardens to sit in. Also another highlight in Chengdu is Leshan, the worlds biggest buddha sitting at 71 m tall. Its carved into the side of a cliff at the point where three rivers meet. Lots of ships went missing so a monk decided to build the buddha to watch over the ships on the river. It was massive, photos can't capture it, though I took many from all angles. Sorry I will upload photos later, I got impatient as it takes so long for them to upload so they will be posted later.

So I have 7 nights in Chengdu as my flight out was delayed a day. It has been nice to take it easy and not rush around like a chicken with its head cut off. Also I have been to the markets and bought more stuff. Tomorrow I am making a trip to the post office, hopefully they will not take all my money..

Travelling alone is a totally new experience, you meet lots of people, but its kinda nice to do what you want without worrying about another pperson. Then on the other hand its extra tiring as you have to plan and make all decisions on your own. That means for me getting lost every day so walking twice the distance I really have to as I first walk in the wrong direction. My map reading skills have not improved, but its fun I get to see more this way.

So I leave CHengdu on Wednesday, next stop Xi'an and the famous warriors. I am having a blast..But missing everyone and my own bed. Can't wait to see some lucky people in Vietnam. And dad take it easy, alcohol is not always your friend...

Lots and lots of love from Katie XXXXXXXXXX

Farewell to Urumqi.

katie_rose — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 02:39:00 GMT

Hi everyone back home hope you are all well and its not getting to chilly. So I now only have one week left in Urumqi and I finished teaching at the primary school last Friday.

It was a great last week and it was sad to walk out of the gate on Friday. I had so much fun and I also met some amazing people. The teachers work way to hard but they love their job. I highly recommend to everyone to work and travel, you really get to experience the culture once you are working and living in a totally new and different country.

I don't know if I was much help in the school, but I tried hard and learnt quickly. It was a totally different kind of experience than I had expected, I didn't really feel like a volunteer as I was given some money by the school, but I learnt so much. I learnt quickly that the kids really did not understand much of what I said but they gave it their best. I also learnt that discipline is a big part of the teaching process, though I was no good at it and any attempt at discipline was met with laughter. If I achieved anything I hope the kids got to have a little fun with lots of laughter.

I really went into this job blind. For one I did not know much about the city Urumqi and also I had no clue about teaching. Plus I am prone to getting lost and I didn't have Meg with me this time to point me in the right direction. But I gave it my best attempt and it only took about 5 weeks to learn the right direction to go in. I really had the best time and would one day love to come back to Urumqi.

My last week was great, the teachers took me out to dinner on Wednesday night. We went to Hot Pot, which is like buffet style mixed with the idea of the sushi train. You choose as much ingredients as you want, from Tofu to beef to prawns and many kinds of mushrooms and then you boil it up at your table, its delicious. I think I am finally using chopsticks and not looking like a complete idiot (my own opinion). After the hot pot we went out to the night market where you can purchase anything at a much cheaper price than normal. Then we moved onto the movies, Pirates 3 and yes it was in chinese I had no idea what was going on, the teachers didn't like it so we left half way anyway. The teachers were so generous to me and even gave me the lucky chinese knot.

So it was farewell to No.22 primary school and all the lovely teachers and hello to the rest of china. I can;t beleive how quick the 3 months went. So I will be on the move for the next 4 weeks, then its on to Vietnam for my next placement.

Oh the latest crazy thing to happen, to have a hot shower, I now have to run the bathroom sink tap so that I get hot water, hmmmmmm go figure!!

Well I miss everyone and can't wait to see you all. Also I uploaded some more photos. Lots of Love Katie XXXXXX

Turpan excursion!!

katie_rose — Thu, 7 Jun 2007 20:42:00 GMT

Hi everybody back home!! Hope everyone is well and for those lucky ones coming to Vietnam only 7 weeks to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been having fun teaching, lots of games and excitment, pissing more teachers of with my loud classes (only Joking)....This week I was lucky enough to be invitied on a school excursion to Turpan with grade 3. Turpan is ment to be the 2nd lowest lying place on earth, it was HOT!!!! So very hot but just like being in Australia's desert in the middle of summer.

Turpan is also one of the big stop offs along the silk road, its where all the grapes are grown and where Xinjiang provence grows all the best fruit mmmmmmmmmm. The excursion was in Chinese so I only understood a little as I was put on a different bus to the Chinese english teachers, so it was fun trying to interpret what was being said. The kids were really good, though some poor kids had motion sickness, not good but lucky the bus was air conditioned so it didn't get to ripe for the rest of us :-)

We visited the worlds lowest growing garden and got to see some of the underground irigation systems, it was nice and cool down there. Then we moved on to lunch where the kids hated most of the food...Most didn't like rice, thats funny when you think of China you think rice as the staple of the country, shows you not to stereotype. At the place we had lunch there was a big crowd of western tourists, the kids got all excited one even asked me if that was my mum and dad. The westerners took photos of all the kids and I had given my camera to some kids to let them take photos and they preceded to take photos of the westerners.

we then went to an ancient ruins called Gaochang. It was outside of Turpan, most tourist sites are located outside of Turpan, with lots of ruins from the silk road. There is a lot of Buddist monastries and statues all from the silk road. Gaochang where we visited had a huge Buddha statue and remains of an old monastary. It was beautiful, though its funny that it was run by mainly Uigur (the Muslim minority in Xinjiang province) and sold all these Uigur tourist souviners. It was a really interesting place set within huge mountains, well from the chinese I could pick up...

I really recommend that anyone thinking of coming to China should visit the Northwest province of XinJiang its full of really beautiful and interesting sites as well as offering a whole different experience to China than the Eastern cities. Turpan was lots of fun!!!

I only have 3 weeks of teaching left, it will be sad to leave the school. Missing everyone back home. Lots of love Katie XXOO

Back in Urumqi.

katie_rose — Tue, 22 May 2007 20:19:00 GMT

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't updated in a while. I hope you are all well.

Not a lot has happened, I go to work and come home like everyone else. I love it at the primary school both the teachers and the students are so much fun, I really enjoy going to work.

I also have found some other western restraunts, so I am getting to know my way around. The week I came home from Kashgar, I was sick with the flu, it got a bit chesty so I went to the hospital to see the doctor. I held this off for as long as possible, I didn't like the idea of going as I couldn't communicate with them and also the cleanliness factor. But I went, Aliya came with me to translate, very nice of her, and it was sterile so no dramas....Until they said they wanted to take blood, I freaked a little, but submitted. The doctor was nice and looked after me and gave me some medicine. So it was fine, and even though I had no idea what I took, it made me better. So it was an experience to go to see a doctor here.

I have had some unusual experiences so far, but last weekend I went bowling , ten pin bowling, who would have thought....You had to pay a bit because it was located in an expensive hotel but it was fun. Afterwards I was shown the western bar, it was strange to be surrounded by english again but it was great they even had corona mmmmmm

So not much to report. Just me making an idiot of myself on the way to school the other day, took a great fall, legs flying right from under me and in front of lots people...I quickly jumped up head down and ran for the bus. I'm still me in China :-)

Missing everyone, but the time is flying. It will be sad to leave the school. Lots of Love Katie XXXXXX

The Kashgar experience..

katie_rose — Tue, 8 May 2007 18:40:00 GMT

Hello everyone. Thankyou for all the comforting words and all the news from home. I am missing everyone, but I'm also having the best time, with some amazing experiences.

Wow, so its been a while since I last updated, sorry.. A lot has happened in the last week. It started on saturday 28th April, I went on an excursion with the school to Urumqi's wild animal zoo. I have never seen so many kids, so many buses, I felt sorry for whoever had to organise it, but I got to go along for free so I was very lucky. It was my first time to go outside of the city, I now realise Urumqi is an island in the middle of the desert. The zoo took about 1 1/2 hrs to get to. It was huge and very open, you can get very close to the animals. I was also a bit worried about going to the zoo, I wasn't sure what the conditions would be like, on the whole they were pretty good. Some animals seemed a bit distressed, but a polar bear really doesn't belong in the desert :-( It was great to see outside of the city and the day was really good, but most of the kids were to shy to talk to me, they were from the middle school where I stay not from the primary school.

The next day, Sunday I departed with my friend Aliya for Kashgar. It was a 23hr train ride, its not like the ICE trains in Europe, more like Australia's country link service. It was really comfortable though, we had sleeper beds and shared with two other people. It was a very beautiful train ride through the mountains then into the flat desert, people lived out there in the middle of no where. Arrival at Kashgars train station was a rush to get out of the gates, I suppose everyone was sick of being on the train.

We stayed in Kashgar for 2 nights (monday and Tuesday) at Aliyas friends place, which was awsome because we didn't have to pay for accomodation. We slept on the floor and you also eat on the floor (on mats). The apartment had a squat toilet, but no shower (yes I was a little freaked out, but did not convey this to Aliya, you just have to go with the flow) it had running water though so you could wash your face. For the week that I was away I faced a lot of fears and phobia's (but it was just a normal week for you megan) I only got to have one shower :-{ We had to pay for a shower in a communal shower room, I was quickly in and out....

This was all amazing though, I really got to experience Kashgar differently from the usual tourist, no comforts. It was the best week of my life, to really see how lucky we are in Australia, to be able to drink water from the tap, to have space, our houses are huge. When I come home I will get lost at home hehe...So in Kashgar everyone was so generous and helpful. It was like you have gone to another country, the language changes to Uiger and the faces change, although captialism is slowly being leaked into the city and the beautiful old part of the city is slowly being demolished, China is really trying to turn all parts into the west. We visited the big mosque (Id Kah) and the huge Bazarr, I got some really good bargains, I am getting better at bargaining. The neighbour of the flat we stayed in also invited us in for lunch one day and showed us around Kashgar. She took us to a dance club...Wow its not like at home, it was like stepping back in time, it was all formal dancing, I had no idea what was going on, but it was an experience. From Kashgar on wednesday afternoon, we moved on to Aliya's family home, in the country.

The bus ride was ment to take 2hrs but it was very slow and the roads are not to good, so it took 4 hrs, very happy to get off :-) The area was very poor, and very dry. It was farm land, but in the desert, I don't know how things grow. This really was a highlight to be invited to Aliya's home. Her mum picked us up from the bus stop by donkey cart, the poor donkey had a heavy load to pull. Aliya's family were so lovely and generous, for people who have so little, they fed and housed me for 3 nights. Her dad even killed a sheep for us which made many meals, they cook the whole thing, even the head, which they told me is the best meat...They work so hard, and everything from cooking, to looking after the farm is a big job as they cook outside on a fire and they manually look after their crops (wheat and water melons). I did get quite sick while I was there, lets just say things did not want to stay down, but they kept telling me to eat more you will feel better, I didn't want to be rude so I did, but it just came back up. I felt so bad for the family they were so worried they had poisened me, but I reasured them I'm OK I'm OK. Her dad even went into town and got me medicine. It was such kindness, I was very touched. By the way I feel fine, the next day we boarded another bus back to Urumqi (21 hrs), not quite as comfortable as the train, but you could lie down.

This trip really was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The people and the culture was so beautufil and generous, I am so grateful to have met Aliya. I really wanted to learn about the different cultures, the Uiger people are so different from the Chinese, in all aspects. I am so happy that I came to Urumqi, I have really got to see another side of China not seen in the east of the country.

I am now back at school, teaching. Last night I had a real treat, from the farm life to the rich city life, I ate in a 5 star hotel, buffet all you can eat, steak, ice cream, cake. So that's all the update for now. I hope everyone is well back home. Lots of love Katie XXXXXX