Michael's Small World

Let Saigons be Saigons, and don't get Hanoi'd about it

michael_chan — Tue, 5 Feb 2008 19:58:00 GMT

I’ve been in Vietnam for 3 and a half weeks now and I have been pondering how to write this post about the final destination on my trip. Half way up, I had written a speil about the 85 million people, the traffic in Saigon, and how good the food has been. In truth it’s been the most disappointing country I have visited in the ten plus months that I have been away. Ouch…tough intro.

Now, it’s not all been bad. Vietnam is a beautiful country with lots to see. Star Movies, HBO and BBC World from the comfort of my hotel room to name but a few, heh… No, the sand dunes in Mui Ne were pretty cool if you are easily impressed by sand. It was just a shame that the town was boring and smelt like rotting fish. For the latter, the place was famous for making the ubiquitous Fish Sauce. I can’t vouch for the former. Halong Bay’s Limestone Karst scenery was impressive but even that was soured by admin errors which meant that I couldn’t stay one night on the boat. I huffed and puffed back to Hanoi early in protest.

The crux lies in the general mentality of the people here. It’s rather ironic that a country that is still technically under one party communist rule, that its people are such ruthless capitalists. Whether legitimately or a bare faced hustle, its been one constant struggle to fight being conned. Tourist prices apply to everything and the opportunism is rife to get more than something is worth. Now, a hustle is nothing new in South East Asia- especially in Thailand- but there seems certain way of doing it, and in ‘Nam, it more often than not leaves a bad taste in the mouth. You really underestimate how far a smile goes when you don’t see one which doesn’t come before handing over some money. I was speaking to a fellow traveler in Hue, and remarked that Vietnam resembles that weird quiet kid at school that you never really wanted to pick a fight: he’s got hard bones and never says mercy. With such resilient spirit and hard nosed opportunism it’s not surprising they got one over the Americans in the war. Creativity is borne through necessity, and such was witnessed by some of the nasty traps they set in the jungle, and the miles of underground tunnels that they dug against the French.

On a plus note, it was nice to meet up with old traveler friends again, as I saw Breah and Aka, the Aussie couple who I had traveled Lao and Cambodia with. They were always 4/5 days ahead of me so I was glad to finally catch up with them in Hanoi before they flew back.

I also managed to buy 7 kilos of tailored clothing in Hoi An, a charming UNESCO World heritage site. Certainly my favourite place in Vietnam as there was a real charm about its rickety old houses, narrow streets, and slow riverside setting. It also had some of the best food. The tiny market stalls with their toddler sized plastic stools were home to some of the best food I’ve had in Asia. Bun Thit Nuong (Grilled Meat with Noodles) was a really special combo of rice vermicelli, fresh all sorted greens, BBQ’d “meat”, and a peanut sauce, all mixed together. It got to the point that I was waving to the owner every time I passed the stall.

So….home. The 15^th of Feb to be precise. I’ve been dreaming about it more and more in some manifestation or another. One involving a pub with the lads, another being kidnapped…Heh, after 11 months away, it’ll be about time. After my exit strategy of Bangkok, China, and Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, I look forward to seeing you all.

Till the next post, keep well and take care of yourselves.

Michael x

Cambodia, Part One: ''Ying''

michael_chan — Sat, 5 Jan 2008 02:43:00 GMT

My short time in Cambodia has been one of immense contrast. I have decided to post two separate blogs (a la Tarentino Kill Bill style if you like) to reflect this given that the two could be any further away from each other.

“Ying”

"To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss."

Between 1975 and 1979, the Pol Pot-led Khmer Rouge/ Democratic Kampuchea killed, tortured, and forced labour onto the Cambodian public to lead an unparalleled communist revolution. The above is a quotation describing the ‘New People’, urban dwellers, whose modern day lives ran against the grain of the Khmer Rouge’s Agrarian Utopia, free of intellectualisms, hospitals, schools, finance, religion and private property. It was to be a society devoid of class where both city and country dwellers were shipped en masse to agricultural communes to work in squalor. Here, they would ultimately starve, exhaust and die. Dissent was brutally quashed with interrogation and execution. The Cambodian capital, Phnom Pehn was entirely evacuated, a scene that is entirely irreconcilable with the buzzing hub of a city as it is today....

The sobering experience of the trip is without doubt the trips to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, 15kms out of Phnom Pehn, and the Teol Seung genocide Museum (aka S-21), the former high school that was converted to be the interrogation/torture base for the extrapolation of confessions from its prisoners. Of the estimated 17,000 that passed its barbed gates, only ten left with their lives. Estimates of total deaths from extermination and starvation range between 750,000 to up to 3 million, a quarter of the population. A statistic still shows that in modern day Cambodia, the median age is no more than 21, and that 50% of the 14 Million population is under the age of 25.

After watching the documentary which puts the Teol Seung building into context, the exhibitions became more profound. The ground floor hosted the interrogation rooms that had been used to force the confessions of countless people who might have had any perceived threat to the party: connection with former governments (foreign and local), professionals, intellectuals, ethnic Chinese/ Vietnamese, homosexuals, and for the unfortunate who are ill sighted just as I am, people with spectacles. It also housed rows upon rows of black and white portraits of only a fraction of the prisoners who stayed there. Though often haunting to see a sea of dead faces staring back at you, ultimately and sadly the sheer number became almost numbing, unable to truly comprehend the evil violence inflicted on their lives. More interesting were the heavily graffitied faces of the guards, an exhibit produced by a French photographer. Like the perpetrators of the Nazi regime and their excuses for their actions citing diminished responsibility, this exhibit was really interesting in showing the ‘faces of evil’, as fathers and mothers, as farmers, of spouses, as members of modern day Cambodian communities. Essentially normal people. But then, the guards who patrolled the corridors were often teenagers as young as 14 and told to obey the elders to carry out the patrol and participate in random acts of torture.

The calm breeze that pushed its way through The Choeung Ek Killing Fields was masked with the serene silence that made the place seem less obvious as a place where atrocities were committed. Now a site with silently drifting tourists, it was much like visiting the calm battle fields of the Somme or Ypres in the modern landscape. But like the WW1 sites, what happened there was quite the opposite.

To save bullets, blunt objects were used to bludgeon the victims, with gun butts, hoe ends, iron poles, or whatever was within arms reach. Babies and toddlers were held by a leg and thrashed against a tree, or thrown into the air and shot down onto a mass grave. A massive excavation revealed thousands of dead in the mass graves which held anything up to hundreds of bodies. People forced to dig their own graves with their emaciated frames, physically exhausted with no final words for loved ones, filled with a certainty of dread, finality and inevitability.

In the middle of the site lies a Stupa which houses hundreds of skulls of the peoples that were executed. A serene Buddhist monument, the white tower reaches 30 or 40 metres into the sky and stands as an almost-shrine-cum-spectacle for people to pay their respects. It was hard not to be consumed by the stacked row upon row of human skulls, some with huge fractures, some with perforated with a single bullet hole and some with nothing.

The day was coming to a close and my opportunistic moto drive insisted that we visit the nearby shooting range. Here, for a dollar a bullet, one could shoot an AK-47, various handguns, and even a rocket propelled grenade. With the latter, if one had enough money, they could even provide a cow for you to blow up. This opportunity was repeatedly declined. It’s funny, at the beginning of my trip I had heard the rumours of this place and was looking forward to entertaining the idea of tearing into open land with a semi automatic. All I could think of was the poor Cow.

MC, Phnom Pehn, 2007

Cambodia, Part Two: "Yang"

michael_chan — Sat, 5 Jan 2008 02:26:00 GMT

Yang

The flip side of Cambodia revealed itself in the lead up to and during the festive period. Prior to xmas I had spent 4 days in one of the crown jewels of South East Asia, The Magnificent Angkor Wat. During Xmas I was on a beach in Sihanoukville, and for New Year the Capital of Phnom Pehn provided the scene for the introduction to 2008. It’s been different to say the least. And it wouldn’t be Asia if it wasn’t quiet “Same Same” as well.

The Angkor Wat is the grandest temple built within the Angkor region which houses a whole array of temples that were built between the 9^th and 15thC under the rise of the Khmer Empire. The ruins of Angkor are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and they stretch for MILES....I found this out the hard way, deciding that it would be a bright idea to cycle for a day and see a few temples whilst getting some light exercise. 45km round trip I made on that second day, and I got back at 3pm in no state to return back to a second sunset, having made two 5am sunrises already. In spite of this, the region as a whole is spectacular. The centre piece, the Angkor Wat is pretty impressive with its massive moat, and enormous perimetre. Sunrise was certainly gorgeous with the deep pink and orane light framing the three towered silhouette in the sky. One can only imagine what it might have been like all those years ago when it was an overgrown ruin that had yet to be rediscovered. Alone and without the crowds.

The remarkable feature about the Angkor region lies in the other temples: Ta Phrom, Preah Kahn, Banteay Srie, Bayon. All names to the normal reader but in spite of this they were all equally impressive in their respective ways. Ta Prohm, the site for film locations such as ‘Tomb Raider’ and ’Brothers’, a temple ruin ravaged and in the process of being reclaimed by the jungle; Bayon, where the 216 rock faces of King Avalokiteshvara look on in a menacing omnipresent smile; Preah Khan a crumbled labyrith of corridors and dark columns. Words are hard to do them justice so I was glad to get the three day pass to discover a lot of them at my own medium pace.

Xmas and New Year was also good. In an ideal world, I would have flowed back home for 3 days on a private jet, then out again for new years. Oh well. Xmas was just fine in Sihanoukville. I had met and Aussie couple, Breah and Aka, in Lao and had been traveling together for the past week or two, so naturally I spent the day soaking up the sun, reading, eating, drinking and playing pool. A bit pissed by 7pm, I was sparked out by 8pm. Won’t go into the details, but it involved Aka, the Stocky and extremely affable Maori Samoan picking me up and throwing me in to a shallow sea. Of small protruding rocks. Woke up at ten to sort my wounds out, but had lost the xmas gusto and made it a relatively early one, instead reading an Irving Welsh collection of short stories. I shan’t tell you what else I did on xmas day, I’ll wait till I get home and show you. “Mon....”

And finally, 2008 has arrived. I won’t bore you with what I did, where I went or who I met, as no one wants to read that. Instead, all I will say is that my watch is 4 minutes faster than GMT+ 7. I was the first in the room to ring in the Bells.

Keep well, peeps. Its 2008 and I look forward to seeing y’all. Back circa mid Feb. Till then....

Luv

Mike xx

Lao Encompassed

michael_chan — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:00:00 GMT

Lao has been an interesting leg of my South East Asia trip. Its unlike any other place in these parts, for reasons not yet fully known. The place is a contrast from place to place but not in an obvious way. It’s not a simple dichotomy of rich/poor, developed/undeveloped, modern/rural etc, rather that each place has its charm for different reasons. It’s a place where there is so much diversity the people, seen by loads of hill tribes, one of which we visited on our trek north of Luang Nam Tha. It was what I imagined England was in the middle ages- really basic shack homes, no electricity, beliefs based on spirits, and hugely under developed. Then you have Luang Prabang, the old royal capital and a UNESCO heritage site, which is one of the best cities I have visited on my travels. With its massive French influence it’s like being in Europe in the middle of South East Asia. The food has been great too with fresh baguettes, French/Laotian fusion cuisine, outside vendors selling BBQ anything, and of course the ubiquitous Beer Lao. It was just a shame that I had a stomach bug which made me lose my appetite. Not that Ilet that stop me. The mighty Mekong surrounds the peninsula as its slowly churns through Lao, passing through Camdobia, then filtering out in Vietnam. The Mekong has been a huge part of the environment in these part, as it will continue to be after I leave Lao. It will be a while before I forget the journey towards Luang Prabang in a slow boat from Muang Ngoi, a sparse but quaint village in the north east, with incredible mountain views from the hut balconies.

Hitting Vang Vieng was strange- a town where Friends was shown at every bar and it was the premier Tubing spot. Tubing is one of the most relaxing and lazy activities I’ve done. It involves you floating down a 5km stretch of river in a massive inflatable tube, whilst getting pulled into riverside bars by massive bamboo sticks and drinking lots of Beer Lao. If you start at 12pm, you’ll be lucky to get back into town before sunset. This little town is really chilled, and a great place to sit back, read a book and soak up the landscape. The weather has taken a turn for the better also and the sun during the day is a godsend after the freezing north. All this hot and cold will take its toll, least of which on my above regulation weight backpack. I am off to Cambodia next where I will be spending Christmas and New Years in 33-38C heat which will be a first. It’s been weird as there has been no indication of Christmas in these parts apart from a seasonal Diana Krall CD in the posh coffee shops in Vientienne. In any case, have a very Merry Christmas to you all, in particular to my family, and may you have a great year to come. I miss you all in one way or another, so take care of yourself and others.

Much Love,

Michael x

ChanMillionaire

michael_chan — Sat, 1 Dec 2007 22:02:00 GMT

When I wished I was a millionaire, lighting that Lok Kratang lantern into the northern Thai Sky, I didn’t specify what type of Millionaire I’d be. So it turns out that changing 7000 Thai Bhat turns you into a Lao Millionaire at the exchange rate of 1 of my good English, to 18 thousand of their Kip. The God of Wishes was being too literal, and now I have a debt of good Karma to offset it. Bah-Humbug. Welcome to Lao everybody, two days here and it’s already the weird, but not quite wonderful…yet.

Time here slows down, and it’s been a big change from the hustle and bustle of Thailand. The people are either lazy, really chilled out, or they just couldn’t give a shit. Either way it seems as though folk move in slow motion- In Matrix style, I saw a piece of toast drop off the table this morning and do a 180 degree flip down onto its butter side. I caught it in my teeth. Can’t let good food go to waste. I am in Luang NamTha, a northern region of Lao in anticipation of doing a trek, but also to see much of the mystic north that not many backpackers bother to see. So far I have been stuck in a dusty town with goods costing in their thousands. And it is bloody cold. I had to buy some clothes from the market today and realized that the massed produced goods were reminiscent of the crap you get on Wembley high road, and clothes that wouldn’t look out of place at a Polish ex-pat gathering in a North East London night club. I plumped for skull embossed fingerless gloves, a hideously fake Puma wooly hat, and a woolen jumper that would smell if it were to rain. Here’s to a month in Lao.

The remainder of my time in Thailand- after the twilight two weeks in Udon- were spent in Chiang Mai and the hippy-esq town of Pai. I met two lads in my dorm in Chiang Mai and we headed up to Pai where we proceeded to laze the day, and drink the nights. It’s a great place for live music, and it was a treat to hop from bar to bar listening to anything from open mics, covers bands or a Jazz band playing to no one in particular. This spilled back into Chiang Mai where we met another couple of travelers during the main weekend of the Lok Kratang festival. Having met up again with Luis, a 40 year old Mexican writer I met in Malaysia, there was some regret in not going out of town to celebrate it with real locals in what he described as “the most spiritual experience in my life [I was crying]”. We as travelers celebrated in more debaucherous fashions involving three litres of Sang Song Whisky. Less spiritual, more inebriating. In either case, the people made the place, and spending my final week in their company set me up to take on Lao. So cheers to them, and much Nazi Love to ‘em.

Love from Lao,

Mike xx

*I’ll say one thing about development which is that it creates a decent infrastructure. So far my road trips in Lao have been bearable compared to the legendary awful multi hour trips of Laos fabled past. My worst by far was still the 3^rd class 13 hour train ride from south Thailand, which soldered my bum together into one giant arse cheek.

** How strange that I have no concept of the marauding presence of Christmas that you will all have at home. It’s rather pleasant in many ways, but as its my first away from home it might be a little strange. FYI my shopping list includes: An iPod, designer fridge magnets, Family happiness and fulfillment, A job, A f.2.8 Camera lens, and peas on earth. In that order.

Gallery: South East Asia

michael_chan — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:24:00 GMT

South East Asia

Far Flung Chan

michael_chan — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:22:00 GMT

Bonjour Readers,

The past two weeks have been chilled as. As you might have seen I survived the last post with an impromptu fortnight in the north eastern province of Udon Thani, 2 hours from the Lao border. There wasn’t much to do in Udon so the fact I stayed was in very large part due to the unparalleled hospitality of Mel –(my cousins’ best mate from our home town of Wem-ber-ley) and her housemate/fellow bar owner, Som. Their Nano Bar was a chilled out little joint and one of few in the area –if not only- where there are no bar girls hankering for your attention in the short term, nor for your visa in the long term. It was nice to lie on a beanbag, kick back with a beer, and shoot the breeze with the regular patrons. It was as Mel said, the Twilight Zone. If this was in Kao Tao, (where their bar was originally), I would still be there with Alfie (the best cat in the history of Forever), on my lap sleeping as I ordered another Singha. Cheers Mel and Som.

Udon is a town with little character to identify it as a traveler friendly place. It had little by the way of activities or character, but what Udon did have was food. It takes a lot for me to shy either side of my short slim nine stone frame, but in two weeks I managed to put away the better half of two kilos. And this is how it has been in my past seven months abroad, the appreciation of the local and national culinary delights. From the array of Thali’s in India to the nondescript mutton curries in Nepal; the ‘Fush ‘n Chups’ of New Zealand to Tim Tam Slamming in Australia, and the market stalls in Hong Kong to the BBQ Issan sausages in Thailands north east, they’ve all been a discovery on par with the all those new sights and experiences.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to places where food has been revered as part of the cultural fabric as well as it being affordable to the point of decadence. It has also been intriguing to witness the etiquette of eating displayed right in front of you. Like in India and Nepal you eat only with your right hand and not your left as that’s the one you wipe your mouth’s opposite with. Or the furor of activity that accompanies the arrival of the bill that would have Larry David with enough material to write another season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Or at its most heartwarming, having the comfort of receiving a great attempt at a Western dish because the Nepali chef is sympathetic to the fact that you might not want to eat rice and lentil soup twice a day. The list goes on. These are the reasons I have a notepad full of phonetic translations for Thai dishes more than I do directions to get to the train station, and why I would rather have a Khao Mok Gai than know how much I’m getting charged for it. You put yourself out there, just like attempting the local language or practices, to try something new so that it becomes the something given. The smells, the colours, the sounds, the textures and all these things that are a constant reminder that you are somewhere different. So grab a plate, order more dishes than there are people, and get stuck in. Just don’t reach over, under or across someone’s arm to get that to that dish on the other side of the table.

Much Love,

Michael xx

My Top 5..ahem…In no particular order whatsoever.

1)Tim Tam Slamming on the East Coast.

2)Devouring half a roast duck with my old man in Hong Kong.

3)$4 Pizza’s @Bimbo’s, Melbourne

4)Fush ‘n Chups in Russell Island, New Zealand

5)Udon. All of it.

6)3 Pesto dip (The best dip ever) in Victoria Market, Melbourne

7)Milo/Ovaltine Ice, Mayalsya/Thailand

8)Hot Egg Custard Tarts in Hong Kong

9)Grand Thali’s for 20 Rupees in Dehli

A day in the life of....

michael_chan — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:37:00 GMT

The soul sapping flurecent light cast dirty shadows on the filthy cabin, illuminated sporadically by its dingy orange counterparts on the passing streets outside. He's sweaty, probably smelly and definitely pissed off. He doesn't belong here- the injustice the only thing that can register on his tiny radar on that particular Saturday night, the twenty seventh day of that supposed autumn month. Counting his small mercies of finding a so far unoccupied seat, it stirs that this haven is still only temporary. This is how they traveled. Back in the day, cramped, dirty but moving, the young lad reminded himself, this is how it started for the pioneers that enabled a path for me and countless millions that follwed, so count your blessings and wait it out. His writing words were a welcome distraction and a therapy to to his over-reaction to a situation he had only himself to blame. It was only three hours ago that he had seen his 2nd Class upper berth seat on the 8.45pm sleeper to Udon Thani, right there in his right hand and a half drunken ice tea in his left. Now if only he had taken a digital picture of it. His mental one was less reliable and didn't have the space for these administrative memories. This was a story to remember but not told- people were never interested in admin fuck ups, no matter how much you wanted to convey to them the rage, the disbelief, and more pertinently, the self embarrassment of shooting yourself in the foot. It didn't make for good reading. No, people wanted to read about the nearlys, the what ifs. Of making the train having thrown the 24kg crusty backpack to the porter on the accelerating carriage, running a seasons best for the 60 metres catching the railing by his finger tips, and upon his dizzy eyed stupour along the carriage he would find the sassy girl that he thought was on her way south towards the postcard Thai islands occupying the set opposite on the train heading north. And for them to kiss in a silent sweaty embrace in a cabin full of sleeping strangers. Mustn't forget sweaty embrace. The masses love a muffled grope in the oppressively humid midnight air.

No. Instead, urgent Thai blasts out of the 20th minute signpost of a station, our man worried that an incoming passenger would want to legally throw him off his perch which had created a greater sanctuary than initially first thought. The familiar orange sky in the night, and windows offering little grace due to the pedestrian speed of the train as it tip toes out of the Bangkok suburbia- This is how they travlled, alright, he thought, without really knowing what Tony Wheeler and Co actually went through all those year ago before he was even a twinkle in his fathers eye. It was an educated guess (which for all his foibles, underachievement and general twenty-something aimlessness, the young lad had certainly been educated). Tony Wheeler, of course being the founder of the now BBC owned Lonely Planet series books, and his 'line manager' when he and a fellow traveler had hustled a $200 meal in Singapore. Now that was a story to write home about, mainly because there was nothing to even talk up. "Thats traveling, Tony", he said as a supposed responsible traveler, half admiring the irony of the statement.

The Thai lad opposite was giving him the shifty eyes, not unreasonable given his natural protectiveness of his attractive, petite girlfriend who stared more obviously. None of the Thai smiles here, just shooting eyes that when reciprocated snapped back towards the quickest inanimate object at eye level. This reaction from fellow asians seemed common yet he had grown used to the curiosities of his fellow man. Not that he was a bad looking lad, but not that he was necessarily a good looking one either- it was just that it seemed that he was trusted very little for such a familiar looking stranger. He'd get that a lot in the next two months just as he had done in the beginning of his trip in Himalayan range.

The pace picked up. The express which had still to clear city borders was at least keeping up with the overtaking cars on the motorway parallel to to the one way tracks. But just like that, there followed the inevitable slowing down, first to a speed level with the conservative drivers, then to a speed more akin to kph than the meatier mph. The teasing speed a constant reminder of the reality of public transport. It was going to be a long night after all.

MC, October 07

Another Beginning

michael_chan — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:46:00 GMT

Evening all, and a “sawadee” from Bangkok, Thailand. Another adventure begins in the form of south east asia. Well, to be more precise, the south east Asian mainland. Its been two weeks since my two week travel hiatus in Hong Kong and I have taken in three countries in the form of the sterile Singapore, the less sterile Malaysia, and well, a grubby Southern Thailand. I am glad to back in the travel saddle.

My travel itch was satiated by setting down to four days in Singapore with the intention of heading towards Thailand asap. But I was surprised with Singapore, and have to merit my time there. A night safari, sentosa island and the vast botanical gardens pay testament to the lush natural beauty of the small island, but really and truly the place came alive at night. A shout out goes to my old school friend, Amit, who works at Barclays capital out there, showing me how city boys abroad do it. I suppose after working all hours the market sends, you either smash the weekend or you sleep in until Monday. I’m glad we did the former. Perhaps the finest hour on the island came when myself and a fellow hosteller, Tim, racked up a $200 bill at the Jewel Box Restaurant and bar on Sentosa island posing as Lonely Planet Journalists. Initially as a side commented joke, it morphed into a full on blag. We ended up interviewing staff, taking photos of the poolside location (with my Nikon D40 DSLR),and talking to the Marketing manager,"Joan", at Head Office about misplaced emails. Below, you can see me taking advantage of one of their cocktails, aptly named the "waterfall'. It was a little late to tell them that I normally gag when drinking sambuca, let alone a flaming cascading one through a straw.

Malaysia was nice. After 3 nights in the Red Palm hostel in Kuala Lumpar, it was hardly a bastion of excitement. That said, it was a nice time to chill out and eat some awesome food. My day started with the delectable Roti Channai, a fried flat bread with a curry sauce accompaniment. The curry noodle, Laksa, came also with great recommendation. I headed up to the gorgeous, if slightly lacking in atmosphere, Perenthian Islands in the north east of the country. Wonderful fine sanded beaches with amazing water, it was a fine backdrop again, to chill out to. Well, I am in South East Asia after all; Pace of life slows right down- rat races do exist, just with real rats, and overexcited Asians with a penchant for a flutter.

I write now from Krabi having visited the Khao Suk national park, after a torcherous 36 hours from the Malay Border. Khao suk itself was nice as a peaceful interlude to the beaches of the south. A huge national jungle (temporarily shut down due to the tragic deaths of eight cavers two days prior to our arrival), it was ace to soak up the greenery that it had to offer. A slight revelation came to me in that week however, of how Thailand has become saturated to the max with people who are less travelers and more holiday makers. I got into a mini debate with two people I had traveled with from Malaysia, and it surprised me at the ignorance that one in particular displayed when regarding the culture of Thailand. The refusal to learn any Thai words beyond 'hello' and a fractured 'thank you'. It was an attitude of not attempting to learn words as "everybody understands English, its an international language". It struck me further seeing either groups of lads in strutting themselves and sunning it in Krabi, or the typical old men/young Thai girl combination, that the fact that there's very interaction with locals apart from that of the server and the customer. The established trail seems to have turned into the Costa del Thai. I decided to allow Ko Pa Ngan and the full moon party. I'm no Michael Palin, but I hope that this effect will lessen as I take a trail north from Bangkok, though I feel I might have failed initially by staying too close to the Th Khao San in my desperation to find a bed at 5am.

Anyhow, all is still good where I am. I even dreamt of coming home the other night- I was like: "I bloody regret not tubing in Lao. Why the hell did i decide not to tube in Lao before I came home?? I didn't even get to see the Ankor Wat". I was glad to still be on Rai Leh Beach when I woke from that stupor.

Speak soon, all. I do miss you in spite of my protests and my waxing lyrical about this wonderful small world of ours. I look forward to the day when I meet up with old friends and new.

Much love,

Michael xx

H-H-H-Hong Kong, where the East meets the West

michael_chan — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:55:00 GMT

And "Yay How" from the New Territories in Hong Kong. Yet another month yet another destination. Since my time in Australia came to an end two weeks ago, Hong Kong has been my 'rest' period. Lucky you, they say, having a break from all that strenuous travelling by having a rest in Hong Kong. How lucky indeed.

I've been living with the old man for the past two weeks now, and its been nice to have my own bed, my own room, and some control over the temperature that surrounds me. Hong Kong y'see is like a second home. Even more so the more I return here. The streets are familiar, and I seem to learn more about it everytime I come back. I am neither a tourist, nor a local in these parts, when at times I feel that it would be better to be either/or. A local would know the lay of the land, have a network of paces and people to see. A tourist would head straight for the juggular of the City and experience eveything for the first time, uninhibited and excited by the unique ferocity that HKG undoubtly holds for any new person here. Still, I cannot complain. In fact I am blessed with the lay of the land and culture, yet still have the capacity to have revelations made about this very unique place. Having met up with a friend who worked here, it was hard not to envy the lifestyle of work and play in Hong Kong, something I am sure to have to work on upon my return to the UK.

So, while these two weeks have acted as a buffer between my Australasian and South East Asian legs, I have been using it as a welcome break. My sleeping patterns reverted back to how it was when I was unemployed and uninclined (doing nothing to show my father that much has changed since I started to wander the globe- Honest dad, I rose for sunsets in Australia all the time). I have been eating without regard for neither my wallet nor my health (the former through the patronage of an equally food addicted father, the latter through a thankfully youthful metabolism). And shopping. Ah, the favourite passtime of Hong Kong. I must admit that I have fallen foul of mere windwow shopping and indulged in the purchasing of a pair of wonderful Puma Sneakers(they were cheap, honest). I customed them with a pair of green laces:

You see, shopping here is a bit mental. Correction- The shopping assistants are a bit mental. It's like having a personal stalker for the duration of you stay in the shop. It always starts off with a mechanical utterance of a greeting. Typically: "Welcome to our store. Please have a look at our produce". Patron nods, and proceeds to 'look at the produce'. Then out of no-where the assistant will siddle up to you and announce a special: "Did you know that if you buy this item you can receive a free gift" or "Please try this item on, we have it in a variety of colours, sizes and fabrics". Note that they are still two paces behind you- if you haven't washed that morning then they would know about it. There was once a time when they followed me wherever I went and I took it upon myself to do two figure of 8's around the shop floor eagerly followed by the commission waged worker. So when you buy something, theres always an uncertainty in the exchange of money and goods. I always hope to God they never say too much about gift vouchers, credit/debit cards, paper bags, or refund policies. Mainly because I don't want to look like a spastic when I don't know what they're talking about. In anycase, its hard not to notice the little smirk on their smug faces as you leave the tiny store onto the next encounter of the third kind.

Now I have itchy feet. Two weeks has been long enough, and though my cousins arrive on the 17th of October for another 2 weeks of shopping, partying, and eating, I find myself unable to hold for them, eager to head out to start my final leg of the journey- South East Asia, starting in Singapore in 2 days. I can't wait to get back onto the circuit in a different atmosphere, and soak up what SEA has to offer. Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Lao, Cambodia and Vietnam. Time to get mistaken for a local once again. Its a tough life, readers, that I can assure you. Travelling's awful, don't do it whatever anyone says ;)

Speak soon

Love,

Michael xx

ps- Shout out to my man, Michael Murdoch, living La Vida Loca in Hong Kong. Glad to see you for that completely aimless walk to discovery bay see u in 2008, HKG ;)

The East Coast adventure toward Cairns

michael_chan — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:20:00 GMT

Well well well, only three days left in Australia, and three days to close another chapter on my travels abroad. In ten days I will have been away for half a year. A lot has happened in 6 months and so far I am not ready to end it so soon. Hong Kong next where I will be stopping off before I head out to South East Asia. Time for some family time, eating, and leering at trainers that I can ill afford.

It's been a busy few weeks since my last post from Melbourne. My race up the east coast has taken me through Byron bay, Brisbane, Noosa, Fraser Island and until this morning, Airlie beach and the Whitsunday islands. I shan't go into detail too much about each but its been a great time so far. My travels with fellow backpackers Steve and Kyra whom I met in Byron have been eventful to say the least.

One adventure happened only days ago in Agnes Water/Town of 1770. I say adventure, I mean yet another near death experience. I am nursing injuries having fallen off a Chopper Motobike at 60kph (Yeah, I know, Kph just isn't as sexy as Mph). The irony of which was that it was my second time on the Scooteroo Tour in as many days. A convoy of bikes basically wind thru the town of 1770 to see Kangaroos and an incredible sunset, acting like a very, very mild version of the hells angels (minus the leather chaps and murdering). Well, there I was slowing down from 80kph to 60 kph -thinking about my dinner (A rib eye steak, no less)- when I went round the bend, over the gravel, all front brake, sans back, and rolled the fucker on the car park. Apparently the fall was reminicent to how Puff Daddy falls off his bike in "I'll be missing you", and more accurately from the guy behind me as [quote]'Pathetic'. Feeling springy from the adrenaline, I got up dusted myself off and rode on into the gorgeous sunset point feeling like a right double-hard bastard. I was even overtaking people! Not so pretty when I swabbed the cuts with TCP a hour later. I wanted my childhood blanky, "Clown Cover" to bite into and smell.

Fraser island was another adventure. If you call torrential rain and storms an adventure. We got hooked up with an ace group, a half of whom were Irish-not-from-Dublin. Shout out to your man for a great craic in spite of it raining hard, and basically not seeing an awful lot of the biggest sand island on the planet. The tents were soaked but we had a great time at the back of a 4x4 drinking goon, singing songs and craicing (sic) jokes. It could have been worse. One of the groups returned having rolled their vehicle on the beach. Each of the 12 people in the vans were skinned for $400 for the priviledge of nearly dying. Thats the east coast for you, the money grabbing vultures.

Airlie Beach has been a great sight to behold too. My time wasn't as good as Steve or Kyra as I was feeling the limitations of my injuries. When I snorkled, the sea stung the hell out of my lacerations and abrasions(heh, they're in actual fact scars and wounds, ladies). Couldn't swim much due to a busted knee either. Still, the Whitsundays are incredibly beautiful, especially Whitehaven Beach, a gorgeous swirl of blue raspeberry ripple ice cream but instead with sand and sea. The weather was perfection, and as its low season there were only 4 passengers on board. I even got a green pesto recipe from the cook who made the best pesto I have ever tasted. We even had the skipper playing an acoustic guitar set for us last night ending aptly on a highly competent version of "Hallelujah".

Hallelujah indeed,

Speak soon, friends.

Much love,

Michael

Thats Me!bourne: Part Three, "Ode to the Nunnery"

michael_chan — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:29:00 GMT

Still in Melbourne, y’all. I still havenae managed to get my arse out of this funky monkey of a city, and one which has inspired me to think of longer term plans here. I was only supposed to be here for a month, but that all started to go to shit in my first stint in the culture capital of Australia. After the second, the trip will have been extended to two and a half months. Not bad for a country that I was least looking forward to going to since the trip began.

As I look to leave here to Byron Bay in the afternoon, I am already starting to miss this place. One of the main reasons is the hostel I have been based in for my entire duration of my visit, the wonderful Nunnery. An ex nunnery with high ceilings and fireplaces, it now houses travellers from across the globe, with its reputation increasing further by word of mouth recommendations. The people I met hear have been great from the short term travellers, the [fit] Nuns (the staff), and in particular, the long term stayers. Most are looking for work followed by a place to live as they will be able to enjoy the city for longer, and some are departing to pastures new following many a delayed departure. In large part it’s been great to settle down with this temporary community and enjoy the joys of the district of Fitzroy, which is one of many trendy parts of town. After being on the move for 4 months, it’s been nice to lay some roots, make some friends and relax. This is the first place outside of the UK that I could see myself living, and getting beneath the underbelly of the city- to have a local pub, café, club, food market, and all the stuff that comes from being settled aboard.. I will seriously look to making more of this if I ever get the chance to do so. Home will always be there. At the moment, I am scheduled for a mid November return, but given the way things have panned out I wouldn’t bet your mortgage on it.

NB: The hostel has not been without its characters. I once shared a room with a guy that the long termers call ‘Dementor’, on the count that he’s slightly demented. He’s a strange fellow. I can put up with him drawing skulls with charcoal, and the eccentricity of having a cane when he is clearly able bodied, but the man speaks in tongues (“warble warble, angel of death, carphnanannnnn” etc). After doing his own tarot, he also freaked out and talked about the time when he had to kill a guy with his own knife. Got the fuck out of there in a hurry. I keep my conversation to hello and commenting on his currys, which to his credit do smell ace.

In my 2nd stint in the city, I can’t say that it has been any warmer than what it was the last time around. 12C with a chance of rain, but by and large its been the perfect winter, the ones I don’t mind. Cold, but clear crystal blue skies, with a crispness in the air that clears the back of your throat. I took the opportunity to do some activities I didn’t get a chance to do last time around, of which one was to see an Aussie Rules Football game, a sport that originated in Melbourne, and was restricted to the State of Victoria only until around 15 years ago. It was in the Telstra Dome which was packed with a 48,501 attendance to see the North Melbourne Kangaroos Vs. Geelong. It was a strange atmosphere in that only a small group of fans from both teams seemed to cheer between the goals. The fans were otherwise equally distributed around. A high light was a middle aged ginger guy behind us who kept on shouting what you imagine an Aussie Rules fan to be shouting in the most raucous of Aussie accents: “That’s a bloody foul, ya stinking Maggot!!”, “Yer filthy Cheat, referaaay!!”, and I did laugh when he yelled out at a player being substituted: “Phone call for Jamo!!”. I didn’t have a bloody clue what was going on. On the pitch there were 4 referees, and two unexplained weasly chaps in fluorescent jackets, along with 30 burly aussie blokes, who couldn’t kick a ball further than a goalie could in a ‘Soccer’ match. All in all it good fun.

So to Bryon Bay next. Warm weather, and more hippy type hostels beckon. Keep well, readers, and keep your chin up that September will be great weather for you all, wherever you are.

))<>(( Back and Forth. Forever.

Mike x

That's Me!bourne again (via Canberra and Sydney)

michael_chan — Tue, 7 Aug 2007 21:33:00 GMT

G’day all, welcome to another installment of my blog. What has changed since I last wrote all of about 2 weeks ago? On the face of it not much. I am in the same city and in the same internet café writing on Word processor, and once again uploading photos onto the interweb (Blatant plug: www.flickr.com/photos/mayo_on_chips/). Well, its been the most laid back of my entire trip so far. After 4 months of being on the move, dealing with overexcited teenagers/hustlers/taxi drivers (all three sometimes, Ho, ho ho, Gawffle, Gawffle(!) ), on the Kiwi bus, thru the rushed schedule of north east India. Things have calmed right down.

OK, so Australia isn’t the best place to settle down in terms of a travelers budget, especially not on AU$25 a night, but at the moment it is a combination of charm that Melbourne exudes, and my desire not to rush anything. This is why I have extended my trip to leave on the 1st of September bound for Hong Kong. A month behind schedule, heh, but home will always be there, right?

As I am back in Melbourne, you could say they have gone backwards. I made my way up to Canberra two weeks back to visit Canberra, Australian Capital territory to visit Andrew, a traveler I had met and gotten on very well with in India. I made the train by all of about 10 seconds by account of still being pissed from the night before which had only officially ended 4 hours prior to me stepping on to the carriage. I woke from my bunk in the morning having slept on some sausages I had ought earlier in the market the day before. But yes, seeing Andrew in ACT was cool. Sharing a hobby in photography helped, and once again a memory card filled up- yes, even in a city like Canberra, one that resembles harrow on a Tuesday night. I had a good weekend, and if you’re reading this Andrew, my humble thanks once again for inviting me into your home, and Flickr gala, the fruits of which lay above. I also tried Kangaroo meat. Yeah, I went there, Skippy. It was gamey, and liable to drying out if overcooked but it comes recommended- and a fact for you- the Australian Crest is the only in the world where you can eat both animals represented on it. You’d be hard pressed to find a unicorn, lest eat a lion on ours. The French might find a way with the former, mind. All Aussies I have spoken to about it since have been disgusted with me.

I was also in Sydney for about 10 days and the weather visibly picked up from raining sideways (here), to T-shirt weather (even if you had to smuggle raisins). It was nice there too- but I have to add that the Aussies don’t have a leg to stand on with the Sydney Opera House not being in the modern wonders of the world list. Contender one: The Great Wall of China- the only man made thing seen from space, and it keeps a Chuck Norris led invasion at bay. Contender two: Sydney Opera House- 80s kitch made with over 1000 Ikea whit bathroom tiles. Do the Math……s. Harbour bridge, however, is fandabadozzy.

Anyways, I am hoping that those who read this are fine and dandy. I am not missing you, but I do occasionally think about how nice it would be to share a particular moment and place, or a schooner of beer.

Much love,

Michael xx

Thats Me!bourne...

michael_chan — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:31:00 GMT

G’day from Melbourne!!!

As you can gather I have made the shores of Australia. I have been in Melbourne since I arrived one cold Sunday last week. I have a month on this continent and so far I have been content to stay in this great city, even if it is colder and wetter than a global warming induced English Spring. I am based at a place called the Nunnery, off Fitzroy. This is where café culture is, with bohemian shops, and funky modern Bruces and Sheila’s in last seasons London fashions. The bars are plentiful and the gigs are frequent, but even so I am enjoying the charm and character that the hostel has to offer, combined with regular visits to the abundance of museums that this place has to offer. The city has even been graced by my karaoke skills, with a rendition of Spandau Ballet’s “Gold”. After the horror that was Tainted Love, in Rotorua NZD, I feel a better job was done. Tony Hadley is an underrated singer to be able to pull that song of without a trace of effort. I was out of breath by the end.

Further afield, I met up with Dominic and Jo, a couple that I traveled with on the Kiwi Bus in NZD mid last week and we did the Great Ocean Road, one of the most scenic drives in the world, along Australia’s south easterly corner in Victoria. From there we had a 3 day road trip in our rented Hyundai Hetrz. It was indeed a cool drive, highlighted by the reunited company and banter of the guys and also such scenery such as the 12 Apostles (of which 7 still stand). We took a helicopter flight and we got some great snaps. Of course, the real highlight was winning my first game of Monopoly- $8500 in cash, 4 railway stations, and a chain of Nine 4 Star hotels across London. Its just a shame my heiress daughter has just been to prison, and has a video of her having sex with a guy on the internet. You’ll be the death of this family, London Kristal Chan….

And how can I post a note about Melbourne Australia without mentioning my pilgrimage to the great Ramsey Street. The Holy trinity was achieved when I visited Ramsey Street (Pin oak crescent) and Neighbours night ft. Karl Kennedy, Janelle, Dylan and - get this- Bouncer the dog). I even had a Macdonalds in the town of Colac. Now please don’t envy my sad happiness at these series of events- really, it was nothing. Ironically, I feel it may mark the end of a chapter in my life. When I get back, I will be 6 months behind, and it will have moved channels to Channel 5. Plus, I really should be getting a job that gets me home after quarter past 5 in the evening. Y’know, start a career etc….heh, we’ll see about that. For now, admire the photos of my evening with the stars.

Spk soon,

Much Love,

Michael x

Gallery: "In Austrailia, In Australiaaaa"

michael_chan — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:21:00 GMT

Franz Joseph to Here

michael_chan — Wed, 4 Jul 2007 20:37:00 GMT

Kia Ora all, sweet as, etc, hope things are well with thee. This will probably be the final entry for the blog for New Zealand as I am due to leave these shores for Melbourne, Oz in a few days. In fact I should have been there already but I have already delayed my flight twice. The second of which was this morning as me and a travelling buddy missed the wake up call. Turns out it was 8am not 8.30am. So there we were still rubbing sleep out of our eyes faced with killing time. The irony of which is not lost given that we had spoken only yesterday about how good another day in Welly would have been. Today I have been on the internet and had a wicked afternoon nap.

Anyway, I am rambling. How are we all? June being the buzz month in terms of music in the UK, I trust some readers of the blog have had a fantastic Muse at Wembley and Glastonbury 2007? I was there in spirit but you know how these things are, I was too busy climbing a glacier, sailing down Fjords etc. LOL, no seriously, its been nice here since I last wrote, but I did have a hankering for home at those times, and when I just fancied a bit of Chinese food. Since my last entry we went to Queenstown after being snowed in Franz Joseph for 5 days. A snow-in that was only soothed by being upgraded to a family suite. Underfloor heating and drinking tea out of wine glasses is not something to smirk at as a backpacker, as we lorded it over our fellow travellers. Queenstown is the Adrenaline Capital of NZD (the world?), but having done the bungee and canyon swing in Nepal already for U$100, I couldn't bring myslef to pay NZD300 for something that was from a lower height. I settled for the FlyByWire, where they strap you into a fan propelled plane, winch you up a cliff face,and let you steer 160Kmp like a pendulum across the gorge. While not stomach losing, it certainly was a lot of fun.

Queenstown was also the place where the Kiwi Bus passengers tended to go on their separate ways and it was a shame to leave people that you were travelling with for the past few weeks. In particular, the crew that I was stuck with in Franz Joseph as we had loads of jokes. Still, all good things they say, and I am glad to have been sad to say goodbye than to be be glad they are gone. Still, I will see a couple of peeps back in Melbourne for the great ocean road.

So half way through my trip- any thoughts? Not really to be honest. Nepal and India seems like a far flung memory which I recall on a regular basis either through the photos I took, or in the journal entries I made, and I am coming to the end of another chapter of the journey in the beautiful NZ. Its been a fantastic few months and has been a great experience so far, one which thankfully does not seem to be ending anytime soon. I dreamt of being at home yesterday and while I don't imagine it'd be too difficult settling back in, I am just as settled being on the move.

Speaking of photos, do check out my snaps either on the photos section of this blog:http://journals.worldnomads.com/michael_chan/gallery/3702.aspx, on my Flickr.com site:http://www.flickr.com/photos/88203500@N00/, or just on my Facebook Pages.

Cheerio,

Lilac Skies, Bacon Steak and Cheese Pies

michael_chan — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:49:00 GMT

Bollocks.

I just deleted a huge chunk of eloquent paragraph detailing my second entry of my time here in New Zealand. Fucking Internet. Here I roll again. Bastard.

Greetings once again from the glacier town of Franz Josef. For the fanatic suscribers of this sporadic and intriguing blog, here is the second log of my time in this beautiful country. Internet access has been hugely available and reasonably prices, but such is the pace of the Kiwi bus that I have not been able to write as often while we hastily hurtle guiltily down the west coast. For this is a beautiful country. The comparissons made by many about the similarities in climate and scenery to England are justified to a certain extend but only skims the surface of what the country has to offer. From the rolling hills of the River Valley and Mount Doom (ASO Lord of the Rings) to the serene lakes of Taupo and Rotorua reflecting the surrounding landscape so steeped in geological history and volcanic activity, and the magmanamous Franz Josef glacier which I will be scaling tomorrow (climbing it with pick axes and ice boots). Though perhaps my favourite has been the incredible sunsets here, viewed from all of NZD. The contrast in landscape that it imposes on is breathtaking. On one side you have the burning orange pastal flaming the horizon being held up by the deathly silouttes of the trees below, and behind you, the pale lilac skies, fading into the dark blue sky. The cold sharp air adds to the feeling of fading day which two nights ago was accompanied by the thinnist slither of moon, revealing its renewed cresent. Gorgeous just doesn't descibe it.

And so the Kiwi bus adventures roll though guiltily along the west coast of the south Island, which in many ways I feel that I am doing it injustice by rushing it. Still, I have enjoyed it so far. It was difficult at first to adjust to the hostel lifetyle of living in dorms with 4-12 people, and generally reliving a the hell of cooking with electic hobs. And by and large the people are not hugely intriguing as many are 19 year old gappers on their continuous friday night activities, followed by the post mortem of how pissed they got last night. Nonetheless, the people I have met and stuck with are cool, and I have been getting along with them very well indeed. The dynamic of the bus is that you tend to miss people as they stay on and you leave, only to catch up with them days later. Two days ago we met up with some members of our original bus and last night the bus had a party in one of the hicksville towns. Theme: Cross Dressing. I will post pictures with a heavy heart worryingly because I was getting comments of me looking like a lady boy and being a bit too convincing (its all in the hips, boys). Even I must admit that I looked like one hot bitch. Think of a very short dress, tattoos, a goldie looking chain and a Bridget Nilsson hairstyle.

One. Hot. Bitch.

I haven't laughed so hard for a good while, especially when I was ushered off the by the barmaid off the pool table shouting "Git off the bloody pool table, thats [82 year old] Len's pride and joy!"

Anyways, thats me. How are things with you all- be glad to hear tales of the gorgeous British Summer that I pine for as I cuddle my hot water bottle on my moist rented duvet.

Mike x

Gallery: New Zealand

michael_chan — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:12:00 GMT

New Zealand

Kia Ora, Bro!!

michael_chan — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:08:00 GMT

How you goin'? Oh, yeah? Sweet as, bro, sweet as. A bit of the NZ lingo there for you.

Yep, finally reached Aotearoa, the land of the Long White Cloud, New Zealand last week, and I have been fairly busy here since starting the Kiwi Experience. The journey from KTM to Auckland was something stupid like 48 hours door to door, with a 24 hour stop in Mumbai (Roasting at 43C). But all the hankering for a bit of cold weather after two months in 34C+ has been battered out of me by the Kiwi Winter. It's been said before but the weather is just like home- just not how it is now. Grey, rainy and wet. Shan't complain though. Though it is fricking freezing what with being accustomed to wearing singlets, shorts and sandels, AND losing my favourite hoodie in the 2nd hostel that I stayed in.

So, as stated before I am travelling with the Kiwi Experience, which is a Hop-on-and-off type tour bus across the whole of NZD. I am on the unapproriately named 'Funky Chicken' tour which incorporates a majority of the country, but the slight downside of it all is that it seems slightly rushed given that I only have a month here. Still, in the past week, I have been to Paihia, the Bay of Islands, north of Auckland, Mercury Bay and now in the Lakeside town of Rotorua. These are all names, I'm sure, so check out the map below.

There's loads to do here. Went kayaking and sand boarding on the bay of islands, biking on the beach at Mercury Bay, and today sledging. The last activity I did this morning and I am knackered. It essentially involves taking a boogie board and hurling yourself into a grade 5 freezing river. The rapids were pretty sweet, and it was all a bit manic. While trying to surf a rapid (positioning your board back into the rapid you just came from), I went under and pretty much stayed under for longer than was desirable, board on top of me, and the water rushing over my helmeted head. It was all good though, the instructors were pretty excited for me and I didn't drown or swallow any water. This is just as well, because it's eel mating season and there's frothy eel sperm all over the place, and you don't want to be caught yawning down a rapid.

The people are cool here, especially the Maori folk, who are more prominent here in the north island. Their distinctive Kiwi accents and use of slang make their jokes even funnier for some reason, but in general they all have a wicked sense of humour. No problems making friends here, and they all seem nice enough. Though, tune in for the next installment for a low down on Hostel life and the people that inhabit them.

Kia Ora, Brothers and Sisters,

Mike x

Gallery: The Trisuli Centre

michael_chan — Sat, 2 Jun 2007 23:37:00 GMT

Volunteering Placement