Thoughts of a wandering soul

Hello Buenos Aires!

prerana — Mon, 4 Feb 2013 23:38:00 GMT

I headed into the airport to get ready for my six hour layover in Sao Paolo. I checked the monitor for my gate and went to sit down there.

But first, I had to shed the winter layers I'd worn from London. Thank goodness the airport had wifi and I was able to chat to friends & even had a skype call with my parents.

Unfortunately I was still surrounded by the most annoying kids. They were running around, screaming & carrying on. Where do they all come from?? There were also two boys next to me - brothers - who kept hitting & kicking each other, and their mother seemed to not do anything about it, even though she was right there! I can just hear my mum now saying that I was the same or possibly worse at that age, but I'm sure I got a lot more walloped than these kids! As time got closer to the flight departure, I checked the monitor again, only to find our departure gate had changed, and was now in fact boarding. Great! I made my way over and boarded the plane to Buenos Aires.

I guess it was a comparatively uneventful flight - but still with the sounds of kids screaming & crying. Finally arrived in BA and stood in line to pay the U$100 reciprocity fee that Argentina has for Australian citizens. There was another guy in front of me so we chatted while we waited - he was from Canada & also had to pay.

Finally my turn came and after examining each of the five U$100 notes I presented to him, the fee guy decided I couldn't use any of them but I could pay by credit card if I wanted. What the? Apparently each of the notes (even though they were given to me by the bank in Melbourne) had a signature or number or something written on them so that made them unacceptable. Great. Thankfully Canadian guy had change for U$100 which he exchanged and fee guy was much happier with these notes. He put the visa in my passport - I had now officially entered South America!

I went outside and collected my bag, and tried to find my way to the hotel. It was supposed to be close to the airport - the whole reason why I had chosen it - but I couldn't figure out where to ask. Withdrew some cash again and then decided to just catch a cab to the hotel. It wasn't until I saw the hotel drivers that I remembered my hotel had an airport shuttle too. Oh well, too late to organise now! I caught a cab to the hotel which seemed further away than I expected. We were still driving on the right hand side of the road, so that didn't feel odd, the roads were nice, well made. But something felt a bit odd. I think I felt a bit numb. Possibly it was from the ridiculously long and traumatic flight, or perhaps it was because I was so adamant not to have any preconceived ideas or biases before I got there, that when I actually did, my feeling receptors were still closed.

We arrived at the hotel, and the concierge took me to my room. It was a nice looking place. The building was made of wood & there was a small pool which currently contained a girl & her dad, I think. Once inside the room - it was very hot - I dumped my bags and turned on the fan and shut the window. I went to use the toilet, but after I flushed, the water kept trickling into the bowl. It wasn't overflowing or anything, there was just this constant trickling sound. I ignored it for a while.

I went and asked the concierge if he had internet on a computer 'cause I realised I needed to check in for my flight to Iguassu Falls. It was the slowest computer in the world! After about an hour of restarting, working out Spanish error messages, etc. a process that previously took me about 5 minutes, I had my boarding pass for the next day.

I went back to my room & the trickling was still there. I called the concierge again and he came to fix it. He said it had been fixed, but if it happened again, I should tell him and they'd put me in another room. Well, of course it did NOT stop, so I repacked 'cause I thought I'd have to change rooms. I also showered and washed my hair and it felt great! I went back to the front desk and it was another guy. I explained the issue to him and he came over and fixed the leak. I know he did 'cause the water stopped dripping. Thank goodness! I thought I'd go to sleep 'cause I had to get up early and now I'd been awake for about 40 hours...

In the morning, I had to use the toilet and lo and behold - it now refused to flush! I'd really had enough, and couldn't do anything about it anyway. I grabbed my bags and let the guy at the front desk know about it. He apologised and said he'd give me 50% off the price of the room. Welll, I guess that was something, except when he told me the new price, it wasn't half. I asked and he said, no 15%. Ah...okay, whatever!

I grabbed a croissant from the breakfast buffet 'cause that's all I had time for as my taxi to the airport (free!) was already there. The croissant, alas, tasted like crap and was nothing compared to the ones I'd had in France or London! Back at the airport I went to catch my flight to Iguassu Falls. I got on the plane no problems, and expected to land in Port Iguassu at around 10am. I had an older guy next to me, his wife next to him, and as I realised later, their son was across the aisle. I chatted a bit to the guy - turns out they were not from BA, but a city a little ways away.

All was going fine until we got closer to Port Iguassu and they said due to bad weather the plane was going to land at this other airport! And we were going to hang about in the plane on the tarmac until told what to do. So we ended up sitting there for about an hour and then flew back to Port Iguassu. We finally arrived there at about 1pm. And then the fun part of trying to find my ride to the hotel. There were lots of drivers with names up, and eventually I spotted mine. Turns out some had more than one name, so they were rotating the names they held up. So if you saw the driver with a different name, chances are, you wouldn't check there again, and I dunno how you'd ever find your driver!

Anyways, once I identified myself, he asked me to wait, presumably while he collected the others. Then another guy with a clipboard came up & asked for our names, sending us to different exits at the airport. Turns out the family sitting next to me were also in my van! Surely we weren't staying at the same place! No, there were drop offs to about four different hotels and I was the last one. I thought I'd picked being closest to the falls, but actually I was furthest away. No matter, the hotel looked amazing, and the bus ticket was the same from all the hotels. The hotel was really amazing. And especially compared to my previous hotels on the trip, quite luxurious. A guy carried my bag to my room and it wasn't until after he left that I realised I hadn't tipped him! Doh! Oh well...I'd have to think how to rectify this - starting with how much to tip!

It was raining lightly outside, and I was tired. Both combined made me most reluctant to head outside. It was almost 2pm so too late to go to the Falls that day, especially as I didn't have a visa for the Brazilian side. Still the voice of Kerr Bear rang in my ears. Whenever I didn't feel like doing anything, I was supposed to think of her and rouse myself into doing something. Here goes! I put on my waterproof jacket - it was already hot (!) and headed out to explore the city.

Like I said, my hotel was miles away from anywhere, but thankfully on a straight road to the city, so all I had to do was keep walking. I stopped in a supermarket 'cause there was no way I was gonna pay ridiculous 'o dollars for water in the hotel.

While there, this woman asked me if I spoke Spanish. A little, I told her. She asked me to ask them if they had a roast chicken in the store. Ummm...and then my mind went blank again. What was chicken? All I could think of was the French word "poulet".

Damn this language! Why was it being so difficult! Anyway we establisehd that there was no roast chicken and then she asked me about butter and cheese, which thankfully I COULD remember. I bought insect repellent and figured I'd pick up the other stuff later on my way back. There was hardly anyone on the roads & it felt very strange after the bustle and crowds of Asia & Europe. In fact, I tried my hardest to pay attention to every detail, as if I didn't notice stuff, all I wanted to do was go back to the hotel and get in bed!

The guide on the bus had mentioned a street (Calle Brasil) which was supposed to be good for food and safe at night, so I tried to find it. But everytime I asked someone, they looked at me strange. To the point where one lady thought I wanted to go to Brazil, and gave me instructions, and then walked me to the international bus terminal!

I'm always worried about being spotted by people who give me directions, especially when I'm walking in the opposite direction! When I realised that the lady had brought me to the international bus terminal, I made up an excuse to go into the souvenir shop and then snuck out while she boarded her bus. And then worried that she would see me walking along. The stress!

Anyway, I managed to find the street I was after, and must have walked up and down every other street in town, stopping at another supermarket and a pharmacy before deciding to head back. I stopped again at the first supermarket and bought ample quantities of water, juice, snacks and a small bottle of baby oil - for my knee according to mum's instructions.

Once back, I ran a bath, squirted some oil in it and soaked until the water went from hot to warm.

Then I wrapped myself in a big towel and climbed into bed!

Farewell London!

prerana — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:33:00 GMT

The next day, the plan is to leave at 3pm for Heathrow as my flight is at 6.40pm. I wake up and think I feel better. Of course, I could ACTUALLY be feeling better.

Come lunchtime, Davina serves me up some pasta (another massive serve) which is delicious, but of course I can't finish it all. I pack and do another couple of things, and long story short, end up leaving at 4pm. Still, I manage to arrive at Heathrow by 4.38pm so still on time for check in and all.

I think for a moment about keeping my oyster card and then figure - nah, I'll cash it in. I get back all the travel money that's on my card as well as the original 5 pound deposit for the card. I don't know WHY Melbourne couldn't have implemented a system like this. It's time for boarding and I see a vending machine serving Ben & Jerry's ice cream. I really want one, but the machine refuses to take my money.

Doh! There are salt & vinegar chips in the machine next to it though - I settle for those.

Once on the plane, a guy sits next to me & I can't tell if he's English or German 'cause I'm sure he spoke German to the stewardess. I open my bag of chips and offer him some. Thanks, he says and takes one. Ah, he's English. We start chatting & he tells me he used to work for Lays chips, which own the brand of chips I'm currently eating.

He's in research he tells me, and seems to have worked almost everywhere in Europe! We have a really good conversation. He tells me how he met his wife, and that they had several years of a long distance relationship before finally getting married. She was from Switzerland, but they met in his hometown while she was working there. Apparently her parents knew they'd lost her to England, and had given up hope of having a German speaking son-in-law, but it turned out this guy had learnt German while he was working in Switzerland! So happily ever after story. They've now got two kids. He shows me a picture - they both look adorable. As the plane lands in Zurich, it's been a really good, fun flight!

I remember the Zurich airport from the last two times I was there (two weeks ago) and so make my way quickly to the next gate as it's quite a tight connection for the flight to Sao Paolo.

I think this is where I make the biggest karmic error!

I'm second in line at the security check in. The guy in front of me has put his bag on, but when the lady asks if he has a laptop, he says yes and starts retrieving it.

Now, at every other airport I've been through (and there have been many so far on this trip) in this situation whoever is next ready simply steps up and places their stuff on the belt - else you'd be holding up the entire line!

So I place my bag ahead of his when the security lady says "Hey, wait just a minute" and puts my bag back.

Oh. Okay. I wait in line for the first guy to get his stuff organised and then proceed after him.

At my gate, passengers are already boarding. I board and discover there are two empty seats next to me! Can it be? On this twelve and a half hour flight? Please don't let there be anyone in those seats!

There's a little girl in the row in front of me. She looks like a mini version of Bjork. Sweet enough. And then I realise there's actually quite a lot of kids on this flight. Just as I'm getting ready to settle in for this long flight, there's a mad rush and a whole stack of people board - their flight had been delayed. And next to me it turns out is a young kid and his mother...and hence begins on of the worst flights of my life!

The kid had golden skin and dark blond hair which was long enough that it puffed up around his head - like a cloud. At first sight he looked like a cherub. He had his backpack on and was trying to walk past me. Clearly he hadn't learnt about dimensions yet.

I took off his backpack and put it on his seat. He also looked quite hot in his puffy jacket so I took that off and put it on his seat as well. Then he was able to squeeze past me and sit. His mother went on the other side of him. She seemed very flustered as she tried to find space for all her luggage. They had bought a tall toy - no idea what, but it was in a plastic bag with a smiling giraffe on it. They put it on the floor under all three seats. Awesome. Not. Hmm...turns out they were from Brazil and spoke no English or Spanish or any other language I spoke.

The lady asked me a question & I had no idea what she said. I asked again if she spoke Spanish & she said no. She said she spoke Italian. Hmm...I'd done one semester of Italian in year 7, and all I could remember was the first lesson about asking names and being late to class.

I asked the kid what his name was and he told me. Great. That was the end of all conversation.

He immediately wanted to play with his remote which he kept pulling out, elbowing me in the process. Everytime.

Gah! His screen wasn't working. In fact, no one's screen was working. It seemed to be permanently stuck on this Hindi movie of all things! The soundtrack (including dialogues) played on the music channel and the movie played on every other channel including the game channel! It was craziness!

I made the kid put his remote back, but alas, that only lasted as long as the plane was in ascent. As soon as the plane was coasting, he started pulling out the remote again & elbowing me. Sigh. This was going to be a LOOOOONG trip!

I tried to explain to him that the space on my side of the armrest was mine in sign language, but that didn't seem to help.

Finally the Hindi movie finished and I thought I could finally watch The Bourne Legacy, but no such luck - the Hindi movie started again!

What the? Gah!!! Oh well, I thought I may as well watch it since it from the beginning.

I absolutely hated it, but stuck with it hoping that it would redeem itself or at least finish at some point. Even the constant nudging by the cherub was a welcome distraction. Thank goodness after that I was able watch The Bourne Legacy.

Soon after, they served dinner, and then it was lights out for sleeping. For some reason I had no intention of sleeping and wrote in my journal instead. The cherub lay his head in his mother's lap & his legs on his seat. It was all fine he started kicking in his sleep. Hips, ribs, shoulders - no part of me was safe.

Surprisingly, I really felt nothing emotionally about it, and so when the mother apologised, it was really easy to just say, no worries, and continue writing. Until I started to get tired and tried to sleep a little. Then the kicks weren't quite as easily forgiveable.

Unfortunately, the mother in her infinite wisdom tried to grab the cherub's legs to curb the kicking, which of course meant the cherub kicked even harder, and when those kicks were aimed at my head, I had to intervene by grabbing his legs before they made contact. So many thoughts...so few actual possible actions.

Eventually the pilot said we were landing in Sao Paolo shortly.

Oh thank goodness! I would soon be away from this nightmare. However, just as we were about to land, little cherub didn't feel too good from the yoghurt he'd eaten for breakfast and decided to throw up. Three times.

His mother asked for the sick bag in my seat, and the last time he threw up, he missed the bag and got it all over his chest instead. Joy of joys.

Thankfully, either it didn't smell or I was so sleep deprived by then that I couldn't smell it.

And of course the landing started all the kids crying with the descent. Why parents don't at least give their kids something to chew or suck at this point I'm sure I don't know!

Anyways, I finally walked away from what was one of the worst flights of my entire LIFE! And that's including one where the plane suddenly dropped 7000 feet or something while I was out of my seat and I flew up and hit my head and hurt my neck on the ceiling!

Even the twelve swiss chocolates I'd managed to acquire weren't nearly enough to offset the trauma of that flight

Doctor, doctor, tell me the news...

prerana — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:33:00 GMT

The next day I was so tired, I didn't even hear Nick leave for work! I finally got out of bed at 12.30pm.

What plans today? Hmm...I didn't have any plans, and given how sick I feel, don't really want to go anywhere in this cold weather.

Davina suggests that if what I have is bacterial, it's probably a better idea to get antibiotics here rather than when I'm in South America. She's got a point. But as I'm sitting there in my PJs and sleeping bag liner next to the warm heater, out is the last place I want to go!

Lunch first! I have soup that I brought back from Derby. It's mushroom & tastes delish! I think Darcia looks quite miffed that my bowl is so much bigger than hers. Or why I'm eating her food. It's one of those two.

After lunch, I look up potential places I could go see a doctor. Apparently they're called NHS walk in centres and the nearest one is 5kms away. Not a problem if you have a car, but a bit of a pain when you have to take public transport - as good as it is in London. I look it up. Right, I need to change 3 lines and apparently it will take me 35 minutes.

Enh! I so don't want to go! Why haven't scientists figured out teleportation yet? I mean, is it really that difficult! After totally ignoring the fact I need to go see the doctor, it finally gets dark! Guess it's now or never! I get changed and head outside.

I change all my trains and finally arrive at the right station. I start walking...and walking...and walking. Gees! Where IS this place?

I finally see some signs for Hammersmith Hospital and walk into the first entrance I come across. Obstetrics and gynaecology. Hmm...not quite!

I continue walking and finally find the right entrance. There's a waiting room and a couple of guys talking to the man behind the counter. Next it's my turn and my brain decides to leave. I have no idea what to say.

So I start with "Umm...".

After a few seconds, the guy takes pity on me and prompts "You want to see a doctor?"

Yes! I knew I wanted to see a doctor, just not sure how much detail I needed to into with the guy. He takes my details and asks for a postcode.

I'm not from London I tell him.

That's okay, we treat people from outside London.

I marvel at his ability to be so calm without any sense of sarcasm.

I tell him I'm not actually from the UK.

That's okay, he says, and asks for the address of where I'm staying. I give him Nick & Davina's address. He tells me to take a seat but there will probably be a long wait.

Oh, no worries, I tell him. It's not like I have anywhere to be.

It's now been an hour since I left home.

I settle in and look around at the people in the waiting room. There seems to be an entire extended family present on one side, there's something wrong with the late teen/early twenty year old girl, but for the life of me I can't tell what it is.

There's a couple that's just making out.

An older couple, a lady in a wheelchair, a guy who looks like a cleaner & seems to be in some serious pain & keeps going to the toilet every 5 minutes.

As we all continue to wait, three policemen & a guy come in & I see that the guy is handcuffed to one of the policemen. My anxiety level increases slightly. Hmm...there doesn't seem to be any bleeding, or obvious injuries, and the guy seems relatively calm.

Oh wait, the policemen bring him into the centre of the room and make him sit between two of them. The third policeman sits a few seats away and seems the most unimpressed with the guy. They start talking about stabbings & lungs & things but I can't really hear the conversation.

I find it funny that one of the policemen next to the guy keeps checking his facebook while waiting & keeps the cover of his case up - I presume so the guy can't see what he's doing. It's been over an hour now since I arrived and the people in the waiting room have been called in every which direction. To an examination room, a long corridor on the same floor and up the flight of stairs to the next level. I cannot for the life of me figure out how it works, and I continue to wait.

After a while, the guy who was in line before me gets called. Oh, my turn next I think. But no, there are three other people that get called in. I'm totally confused, but maybe he had already signed in earlier than when I saw him.

The blond examination doctor/nurse seems to go on a break 'cause now there's a male equivalent. I think he might be Indian, but then he calls my name. Nope, not Indian. Or maybe he could be, but was born here & that's why he has no idea how to pronounce it.

I go in. It's now been one hour and forty five minutes since I arrived. He asks what's wrong. I explain that I've had this cold for a week now and it's not getting better. I leave for South America tomorrow and just want to confirm that it's not bacterial and I need antibiotics. He asks more questions, but his manner is very brusque. He then tells me to take my top off so can listen. I take off two of my jackets and look at him. He shakes his head. You need to take the others off, I can't listen through them all.

Doh! The office is not the warmest place in the world. I get down to my singlet before he says okay. Then he makes me take deep breaths. Seven. In rapid succession. I'm getting dizzy. I think I might hyperventilate or pass out. Can't figure out which one yet.

Okay, it's all clear which means just keep doing the usual stuff - lozenges, inhalation, etc and have a good holiday. The whole meeting has taken less than five minutes.

Umm...so I don't need anything? Nope, you can go home.

Huh! I don't think anyone just left after coming out of that room. Well, I guess that's good. I think to ask about my knee, but he's already dismissed me and I'm a little scared of him. I put my ten layers back on and head out, ready for the long trudge home. I guess it's good that it's nothing.

On the way home I think I smell vinegar & get a craving for salt & vinegar chips. So I pick up two packets from the local Sainsbury together with a loaf of this delicious malt fruit bread thing (which I picked up at an earlier time when I was having cravings for fruitcake - it was the only thing they had!) but when I get to the checkout, I don't have enough cash.

Doh! I cancel one of the packets of chips, but now I need the checkout guy to come and fix it.

Double doh! He comes soon enough, fixes it, and I head home.

Nick is already there holding Darcia & Davina is preparing dinner. Fish with vegies. She's slicing up sweet potato. Yum!

I feed them the chips as both have their hands otherwise occupied. When dinner is ready, they are all equal portions again, but for some unknown reason I actually manage to finish everything on my plate. Even though it takes me almost three times as long. I didn't think I was that slow an eater.

As if in response, Davina asks if her & Nick are really fast eaters? Ha! We watch another episode of QI before everyone goes to bed.

I'm about to as well, except I realise I haven't checked in yet! Doh! I quickly go through the process & realise I still haven't booked accommodation in Buenos Aires after I return from Iguassu Falls. I try and find something but it just gives me a headache. At least the important part is done!

I then head to bed too.

Tourists in London

prerana — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 06:18:00 GMT

I'm supposed to meet Luv at 11am at Green Park station. I think I have plenty of time to get dressed, but there are so many damn layers to put on, and then I have to top up my oyster card, so I only get on the train at 10.50am.

Doh! I'd sent him a message earlier saying I would be late, but he'd already left. Anyway, I finally get there and realise I can't send texts again, so I'm waiting at the exit he mentioned he would be at.

Suddenly I hear this voice, "Hey Dids!" He's here! He calls me "Dids" - I think it's meant to be a short/cool form of the word "didi" which means big sister in Hindi. He's very sweet. I mean, suave, sophisticated, with dashing good looks and a great career ahead of him, but with a kind soul - for all the girls out there! :-)

He has a guide book which he doesn't refer to at all, eventually putting it away. We just make our way around following signs and his very vague sense of two month direction.

First stop is Buckingham Palace. We walk through a park and there are squirrels there! They're huge! And again, seem to have little fear of people. As we walk along the river, he tells me there are swans in there and we come across these ginormous birds that you could almost sit on, but they're not swans. I think they are some kind of giant brown ducks.

Further along, there's a mass gathering around a guy feeding more ginormous birds, but these are white with yellow & black beaks. Still not swans, but again, possibly some kind of duck that have no fear of people - going right up to them! I want to grab one and take it home with me, but decide it's probably not a good idea.

Then I spot a lone swan in the water. It also comes over for bread and flaps its wings to clear away the smaller birds in the water.

When we finally arrive at the palace, there seems to be quite a crowd around the place.

How do we get closer? All the gates seem closed, so we climb over a stone fence to get to the other side.

Luv thinks the queen is arriving or there's a changing of the guards or something. We watch for a bit. Enh!

Then head off to find Westminster Abbey which he thinks is close. We pass a lot of beautiful buildings along the way, including Downing Place at which I exclaim and take a picture.

What's Downing Place he asks? Really! You call yourself a Londoner!

He's super smart at work though, ladies, and let's face it, who really cares where the Prime Minister is located?

We wander along and come to an impressive looking building and he says, I think that's Westminster Abbey.

Are you sure, I ask him, 'cause I'm gonna take a picture and say "Westminster Abbey according to Luv".

No wait, I'm not sure!

We ask a girl standing in front of a space tent in the courtyard. She tells us it's the Guard House. Okay!

We decide to have a quick look in this space tent - I think ONLY 'cause the entrance is free. Yup, we spend about five minutes in there and then wander out. It's basically about the use of satellites to predict trends so they can be prepared in areas where there is going to be drought or floods. Well, that's just one aspect of it according to the one video we actually watched. It's pretty impressive what they do, just not what I wanted to see & Luv was disappointed 'cause he was expecting video games - boys!

We wander out to the guards and continue on our way taking photos of everything. Rather, I take photos of everything. Apparently I am Luv's first visitor & so he's practising his tour guide skills on me. You're meant to be constantly offering to take your visitor's photo with everything, I tell him.

We arrive at what he's convinced are the houses of parliament. Yeah, I think I agree - only 'cause I've seen them blown up in "V for Vendetta".

It's great that neither of us knows anything for sure. Clearly it's been too long since I looked at my friends' holiday pictures of the same things over and over again. I do like the buildings. They remind me of a honeycomb cake. I assume the tall clock tower is Big Ben which reminds me of the brand of pies, and then we wander along and find Westminster Abbey.

Well, it's the third building that proves to be the right one. The other two were distraction churches. It looks huge! I think about wandering in, but then can't be bothered. We continue down towards Trafalgar Square before I see it from a distance and realise I was there the day before, so where now? Southbank? Sounds great!

We walk along a bridge before jaywalking across several lanes of traffic & cross over the river. Then as we walk along the river, we notice there's a Christmas market on with lots of street performers as well. I realise I'm starving and want to eat something. I spy lots of places, but nothing really takes my fancy and then I see a big sign saying "MARZIPAN"! Oooh! Is it real stuff? I look - yes it is! And what is that divine smell? Cinnamon candied nuts. Oooh! So many choices! I look at the cash I have. I take a mixed bag of almond & cashews and a big chunk of the pistachio marzipan. They are warm & taste delicious.

We continue walking & eating and come across a sausage place. Oooh! We could get one and share.

Luv has no cash, and he feels guilty about me buying everything. Don't be ridiculous I tell him!

He says, I'll ask if they take credit card. I don't think so, and don't worry about it!

We get a sausage and split it in half. Only ketchup and mustard here - nothing else. But it still tastes delicious and is warm on this ridiculously cold day! We continue along and watch those still street performers & a kind of reggae group with an incredible contortionist! We walk into a food shop to eat (and get out of the cold!) only to discover they have sold out of their hot food and only have goulash soup left. Bleah!

We continue on and come to a pub! It seems like a really nice place and we go in. I'm drawn by the chocolate bread & butter pudding. We find seats & order. I get fish & chips (kids size) and Luv gets a cajun chicken burger. He's happy 'cause they take card here so he can pay for lunch.

Ladies - he is super sweet!

When my meal arrives, it is huge! Did he tell them kids size? He thinks he did.

Hmm...we eat and talk about his time here and how he's found it all. It's fascinating to listen to and apparently I'm getting "great insights" into how guys think! At least that's what he tells me and I tell him I'm already aware of this.

We continue from there across Millenium Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral, although neither of us is aware of the significance of it. Just that it looks beautiful and is even more so at night! We continue along towards London Bridge and I recognise where we are 'cause I was there only a couple of days ago!

My office is right here he says. Say...can you get into your office now I ask? Yes...And they have toilets there, right? Yes, you can come up and use them. And I want to see where you work too!

We head in & Luv hands his card over at the desk. I glance down and there's a white object hanging out of his mouth. What, were you smoking a joint when they took the picture? The guy at reception looks up.

No! It's just the stupid way the picture was taken.

We head up, and surprise, surprise, it's empty! Except for one person I think. Well, it IS sunday. I quickly use the bathroom and come back out.

That is the one place I haven't been in Luv tells me. Hmm...I'm relieved to hear it?

He shows me where his team sits. He doesn't have a desk as such, but they all have a mailbox/locker kind of thing where they can keep their stuff while out of the office. That's pretty cool. He tells me their main building is even nicer and we go to take a look. As we're walking, we come across an awesome building made of black glass and curved. It's the PricewaterhouseCoopers building. Might almost be worth changing firms to work here! :-)

Okay, where to next? It was getting a bit dark by this stage. Luv's flatmate had suggested Hyde Park. Oh, they have this Winter Wonderland near there, I tell him. Everyone's been suggesting it. We catch the train over. Oh, this is where we started!

The path is relatively signed and besides, there's a crowd of people walking there as well. We tried to look for Mayfair which Luv thought was near there, but settle for Park Lane instead. We kept walking for what felt like ages, passing an arch along the way with a driver with four horses on the top. Gabriel? The archangel? Maybe!

Finally we see the place. There's a massive crowd of people outside. I've been told that it's quite a wait to get in. I'm not queuing up, I tell Luv. If we can get in straight away, we'll go. There seems to be not very many people at the entrance itself which is a bit odd, so we walk straight in. I didn't realise how big this thing was! There are so many rides! All different types. Rollercoasters, spinning seat things, a flying fox, those rides that take you up and then drop you down. So many! Then, there's several funhouses, and a circus!

Not to mention all the craft & food stalls, as well as several areas that are just for food & drink! For example, there's one area that simulating a German Christmas market! It's all pretty cool, and Luv & I just walk around checking it all out. Not once am I tempted to stand in the freezing cold for 45 minutes waiting to get on a ride! I can't get over the number of people who are though!

After a while it seems like we've had a look at everything & I'm keen to get home. Plus Luv has work the next day! Exiting is almost harder than getting in, but finally we spot it and head back to the station. Seems to take much less time for some reason. Always does when you're heading home, Luv tells me. Yeah true. We're heading in opposite directions so catch different trains.

You've been an awesome tour guide I tell him, and I'll make sure everyone knows! :-)

I get home not ridiculously late and no one's had dinner. Well, except for Darcia.

What to eat? What to eat?

Then Davina suggests this Malaysian place that makes the best satay chicken main. Sure!

Nick calls and orders and we settle down to wait. A short while later we get a call and it appears that they can't find the house, but no, the delivery girl is just giving Nick a call to tell him she's almost there. Interesting!

Dinner is good, although again, Nick serves an ambitious portion for me. I think he's doing it now 'cause he knows I'll put half of it back onto his plate! It wasn't a terribly late night - we watched QI, which was hilarious with Stephen Fry. And then it was time for bed.

I'd now been a tourist in London.

Friends in London

prerana — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:05:00 GMT

My trip to London, I have to confess, was more about meeting the people who are there rather than actually looking around London because let's face it, winter in London is FREEZING!!!!

And you don't want to be walking about outdoors in that kind of temperature...

With that in mind, I caught up with an old high school friend the next day for lunch (I did manage to check out a bit of London Bridge) and we walked along the freezing cold river!

He points out the "Gherkin" which is a rather odd name for this beautiful glass (more bullet like I thought) building in the middle of the area. He hasn't changed a bit in the however many years we've not seen each other. We chat about where he is and what he's up to now.

Turns out, him & his wife have bought a place and they're moving next month! Wow! Unfortunately, the hour goes by far too quick so we arrange to catch up after dinner as well.

After that I also caught up with an ex colleague of mine who was there with his cousin who is also visiting from Australia. Cool!

His cousin is absolutely delightful and has a beautiful smile. I see it runs in the family!

We head over to Borough Market - which is a place that was suggested by several people. It's a smaller market than I was expecting, but there are A LOT of food stalls. Serving both fresh and cooked food. Sweet & savoury. Fishmongers sell fresh seafood next to a stall that has five giant woks of different types of paella. There are cheese stalls next to cookie & brownie stalls.

After having heard about the virtues of the market brownie, I of course have to buy one. We are chasing an elusive fishburger, but it appears that the stall that sells it is not there today. The cousin decides to have a chicken burger instead and heads off as I'm buying the brownie. As my ex colleague and I catch up with her, she tells us they're giving away free burgers and do we want one? Free? Sure!

The burgers have a double patty of chicken & also some lettuce and a sweet chilli sauce. Both her & I remove one patty as it's just too much.

It's okay, but for some reason it has a ridiculously crispy bottom bun.

Oh well. I'm thinking I'm glad none of us paid 3 pounds for this burger!

After that we head over to Regent & Oxford streets as my ex colleague needs to buy a pair of boots for his weekend away in Cologne. How nice to be able to travel to a completely different country just for the weekend to check out the Christmas markets.

This is truly a joy we lack in Australia. The streets look beautiful - all decked out for the Christmas season, but there are so many people!! So many people!!!! Where do they all come from?? Aren't they freezing and shouldn't they be home??

We head off in search for a Doc Martens store where these boots are meant to be. He buys them and then we part ways and I head off to meet another ex colleague for dinner.

She has said she will let me know when she arrives so I don't have to wait out in the cold.

Easier said than done. I head towards the station where she will arrive to wait in a store nearby.

It is a BAD idea! They play music in there so ridiculously loud, and I think I'm missing the female gene that allows me to wander aimlessly in shops without getting a massive headache. So I brave the cold again and think I really need some meds, but I've left them at home. I'm hoping there's a pharmacy nearby, but no such luck!

I get a text that my ex colleague has arrived at the station. I'll come to you I tell her, where are you? Corner of Oxford and Regent Streets she tells me.

Okay, side note - why do people think it's okay to give such a vague location? There are four corners to an intersection! Unless the intersection is deserted or only a metre apart, give a specific location! Either say which quadrant you're in, or, if not so directionally minded, mention some landmark you are standing in front of!

Anyways, turns out she was standing on the corner I was walking towards so all good. It was great to see her! She looked just the same, but was much better rugged up. We start walking towards this mexican place she has suggested for dinner and thankfully pass a pharmacy on the way.

I dash in for emergency cold & flu tablets. I don't see any codral so I'm trying to remember the ingredients so I can buy the highest dosage.

We continue on our way and soon are in front of this cool, neon lit place. This is a restaurant? We walk in and get a table. Thank goodness we're early because normally there's a queue all the way out. Lucky indeed!

We check the menu and she proposes ordering a selection of appetisers so we can try a bit of everything.

Perfect. And to drink? I see a drink with tamarind in it. Done!

The first dish is arancini ball type things with this spicy harissa sauce. Next, spicy chicken mini soft tacos. Then corn & mushroom quesadillas. For dessert she orders churros and I get a shot of something Christmassy because I figure the alcohol will help kill the cold & flu germs! It's all quite delicious and we eat and chat about how things have been in London for her.

She tells me about her experiences in getting a job, and that she's just rented a nice place that she shares with the girl who owns the place. My high school friend joins us. We spend a little bit longer there before being subtly asked to leave.

We head to a bar, but it's loud and there's nowhere to sit. My ex colleague heads off home, so high school friend and I decide to find a quieter bar. Unfortunately, it's that time of night when people have already arrived & settled in everywhere. As we wander around getting colder and colder (and I keep feeling like I'm in the US for some reason!) we stop in a pub & I decide I need a brandy!

It's the only drink I can think of that will warm me & hopefully help my throat. My friend gets the drinks 'cause I'm too scared to go up to the bar. He gets a huge something of beer. I think it's a pint but it's in a narrow and very tall glass so I think it's bigger.

Are you gonna be able to finish all that, I ask in wonder. By the time it's time to go? Yes. Okay.

We stand and chat as there's nowhere to sit. Without the lunchtime constraint it's a lot easier to chat. I find I've finished my drink already! I think I need another one I tell him. I'm not exactly warm yet.

While on my second drink, a couple of seats open up.

Ah! This is so much better! I finish my second drink as well.

I think I can get the next one myself I tell him. I go up to the crowded bar and realise everyone's just resting there!

Both bartenders are leaning against the wall not doing anything. I motion the bartender over. I'll have another brandy please. 3.50 pounds she tells me. Really? That's amazing! I take it back to my seat. I'm feeling much better now. And then my friend tells me it's time to head off.

What? Oh fine...he's got a curfew or some such. But he offers to catch the train with me until he gets to a stop he can change to his line.

Okay, thanks! I'm feeling warm and good.

And then we step outside...and all the heat disappears! How is this possible?? Every part of me is covered! How does the heat escape?

We head to the station and before I know it, his stop has arrived. I carry on home, and thank goodness it's nice and warm there! Nick, Davina & I chat about our days while Darcia plays.

The next day is a saturday, but I've got lunch plans at 12pm in Covent Garden.

I also discover I've lost my voice. Nick can't help but make fun, whereas Davina is much more sympathetic and suggests at least it means the cold is progressing through the stages towards ending.

I don't know how people dress so quickly here. After I put on all my layers, I'm running late and arrive closer to 12.30pm.

I'm meeting another high school friend - we weren't that close in high school, but we've kept in touch in bits and pieces over the years. Still, as we sit there in Jamie Oliver's restaurant sharing our lives, I completely understand when she says she never thought we'd be sitting in London one day having lunch together.

I tell her the same story I told Gillian about the people I've caught up with. I don't know what it is, do we just sense the bandwidths that are on our frequency at any given point in time and tune in to others? There were other people in London I could have tried to catch up with - people I might even have known better once upon a time, but somehow these are the people who, for whatever reason, I have chosen to contact, and who, of course have reciprocated. I find it interesting how we have both gone through a very specific, but not common situation at work. Of course, we work for completely different types of companies. I'm in a small private financial services & she works for one of the biggest companies in mining. And yet, funny how we've both had this experience recently.

She's meeting a fund investor from Australia in the afternoon and they're going for beer tasting and she asks me to come along. I decline - beer is just not my thing. I'm thinking I should message the guy I met on the train, but of course I've run out of credits and can't use my phone anymore. Plus, given how I'm feeling, I would rather take the opportunity to rest. So she decides to show me around Covent Gardens til then, and we head up to Trafalgar Square.

It is really lovely and we realise there's a big gathering of the Olympic volunteers. My friend recognises their uniforms. Turns out there's a concert there to thank them all. Also, there are a group of people giving out free hugs! Feels like forever since I had a good one, even though it's actually only been a couple of weeks, but don't want to seem odd, and plus I might not let go! Besides, apart from mum, my brother and Beth give the best hugs ever! So that's a pretty high standard to live up to. I'm too weak to take disappointing hugs right now. Soon it's time to go and my friend leaves me with the offer of staying at her place next time. That's really sweet of her I think.

I head home and take more meds. Everyone's home & Nick of course continues to make fun of my voice. I have dinner plans with a guy from my previous work when I was in Boston & his wife. Again - same situation. We were friends at work, but have mainly kept in touch via facebook over the years. They come to pick me up, which is super nice and we head off to a Thai place that has been recommended to his wife. It is ridiculously good to see them as they fill me in on what's been going on. They've bought a house too & he's changed his job to a less stressful one, which is always a good thing. We arrive at the restaurant and let his wife order 'cause she seems like she's knowing what she's doing! She orders about six starters and three mains. Even the waiter suggests she might have over ordered, but she sticks to her guns. The waiter is overjoyed and tells her he wishes she would come every week!

We look around and see a lot of locals eating there, and this is underscored by the taste of the food which is quite delicious! We have tom yum soup, moneybags, friend wontons, spring rolls, pandan chicken and thai beef salad. Then for mains we have a deep fried seabass, green curry chicken & pad grapow. We actually manage to finish off most of it, but are completely stuffed! It really has been too long since we all caught up and again the story of random strangers comes up. When I tell them how fleetingly I've known the people I've stayed with, he asks when I met the people I'm staying with - yesterday? Ha! I tell him I met them on the train to London & asked if I could stay with them! Davina & I played chess together on the school team, but again, it wasn't until she moved to the UK and came to Australia for a visit that we developed this friendship.

It is quite strange the kind of specific connections you make with people. I think of people who've shared such intimate and personal stories with me, and yet I wouldn't have a clue about what their favourite colour was or what books or movies they like. I think due to the number of people we now have access to, we make very narrow, specific connections with a lot more people. In a way it's good I guess, 'cause you can make really deep (albeit narrow) connections with a lot more people without necessarily sharing every part of you, but at the same time it's sad because then how many people do we really fully know and understand? And especially more to the point, if we only know one piece of a person, how could we ever tell if that person needed help at any point in time? I know, I'm completely off topic, but was just thinking.

Anyway, to facilitate getting to know people better I suggest to them that we should all meet somewhere on holiday! Which is also what I suggested to Gillian when she wanted to go on holiday, but wanted to see a lot of people too! They like it and we talk of where we could go. Thailand and African safari top the list, although the main event will be a bungy jump off Victoria Falls! His wife doesn't look convinced, but after my account of the bungy jump experience in Macau, he's very keen! And he's done a little one in Jamaica already. It's getting late, and even though it would be nice to go elsewhere, anywhere outside is too cold for me and I probably need to rest.

They pick up the tab for dinner, which is really sweet and drop me home. I feel totally spoilt, fat and ready to sleep. At home, Davina & Nick are still up and I'm introduced to "Strictly Come Dancing" - it's the equivalent of "Dancing with the Stars" except I don't know who any of the stars are! Still it's fun and I'm relieved when they confirm they don't like the demented brunette host either! They've had dinner that Nick made - doh it! Apparently he's a very good cook~ They ask me what I've seen so far, and I confess this leg is more about the people than the place, but I am doing some touristy stuff tomorrow.

Luv, a family friend of mine (like a little brother, really!) has been seconded to London only a couple of months ago so he hasn't seen much either. It'll be fun for us to check out the town together. Davina has been hunting around in their loft (loft! Can you believe it? It has a full down fire escape type ladder and all!) and found me a London coat! So I don't freeze to death. It's definitely a lot more stylish than my bulky snow jacket.

We talk more and I feel really blessed to have them both in my life and the easy relationship we seem to have. Soon enough it's time for bed so we go to sleep.

Trip to Derby

prerana — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:32:00 GMT

The next morning I head back to St Pancras International and even manage to find some time to get some breakfast. I'm hooked on croissants from Paris, so I get one as well as a pain du chocolat for good measure and a bottle of water.

There's wifi at the station so I can message Gillian and tell her which train I will be on and can she please be there! She assures me she will be. And then the first thing we need to do is get me a SIM card. No problem she tells me. Great!

There's a ticket printing machine & it gives me SIX tickets!

I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with them all!

I finally figure out which one to put through the turnstile and as I'm walking to my carriage, I hear voices calling out behind.

Oh, turns out I've dropped my tickets! That was nice of them to let me know.

I get on the train and head to my seat...only to find someone already sitting in it!

Hmm...I tell the lady that I think she's in my seat, and she makes a big fuss about how there's no reservation written anywhere, even though there's an electronic display next to the seats that tells you the seat is reserved.

Man, do I really need to deal with this?

Thankfully a steward comes and explains that exact thing to her and she and her friend move to another seat.

Oh thank goodness! Please let no one come sit here!

Unfortunately, a guy comes along and asks if anyone is sitting in the seats in front of me. I look up and tell him, well it looks like one is reserved but there's no one there now.

He plops his stuff, and proceeds to eat what I assume is his breakfast.

2 containers of hard boiled eggs - the kind with the crispy coating - followed by two containers of sushi.

I try and figure out where he's from. He looks like a cross between Jason Statham & Antonio Banderas, but he's got a red sacred thread tied around his wrist like Hindus get after a prayer. He's also got a magazine which looks like its about architecture or design. At his second container of sushi I make a comment and we start chatting.

Turns out he's from Naples in Italy and an architect, although right now he's working in construction.

I'm reminded of Gael - does everyone work in construction?

So he came over to London do his masters, and then went back to Italy, and then came back and has been in London for a total of six years.

His English is really good, but he still had that gorgeous Italian accent.

He's on his way to a business meeting in Sheffield for the day. I tell him about my trip and he tells me that he's just spent the last three weeks in India, on holidays that included a visit to Varanasi.

Ah, that explains the red thread. He tells me that he learned to cook while there, including making his own masalas and even making chappatis from scratch!

He describes the process in detail using all Hindi words. I'm super impressed.

He tells me about the work he does and specifically a project he worked on converting all petrol stations into service stations (where you can buy fresh foods) and it just sounded incredible!

As my stop approaches, he gives me his number to call when I get back to London. Sure thing.

I arrive in Derby and thankfully Gillian is right there at the barriers.

Yay! I'm so happy to see her! We walk to her car and she says we're going to this big shop where she's sure they will have SIMs and we can pick up food for lunch as well!

Yay! That sounds like an awesome plan! We drive along as she tells me about the area.

We arrive at the shop, and it is huge! Like a Kmart and Coles combined.

We pick up the SIM card as well as soup and bread for lunch. And some fruit pastilles 'cause I haven't had them since I was a kid. And Gillian spots some mince pie ice cream, so of course with it being Christmas season, we need to try this out.

I try and give her money, but she says no, I'm not to spend anything while I'm up there since I've spent so much just visiting.

She is too sweet! We head to her house and it looks huge from the outside! The glass on the front door matches the glass on doors inside and has this beautiful etching of flowers.

She keeps apologising for the mess, but that's only 'cause she hasn't seen my place I tell her. Her place is lovely and has a very welcome feeling and is quite light and airy. She shows me the conservatory that was built last year.

It's beautiful, but my favourite thing is the double shelves that she has in the dining room filled with books & DVDs!

We have lunch - chicken and mushroom soup - aye, tis delicious!

And then we try and get this SIM card sorted. It doesn't seem to work straight away so we leave it and go for a drive around the area instead.

It's a nice day - and by that I mean it's not raining or snowing. It's still freezing, but thankfully we're in a car so it doens't matter! We drive to Crich which is lovely and the scenery is beautiful. Despite everything wrong with this time of the year, the landscape always looks like a huge big watercolour painting to me.

We chat and I find out more about her, 'cause surprise, surprise, we've also only ever met once, when she was on a visit to Australia!

I tell her I realise it's quite strange my relationship with the people I've had the chance to stay with. I'd only met Adrian through my flatmate a handful of times during a single trip he made to Australia.

Gael, I've only met once in my life through an ex I no longer even talk to, and of course Gillian herself - we'd been out together one night with our mutual friend, Aaron.

I feel really lucky to have all these people in my life. She tells me she completely understands as it was the same thing with her and Aaron - as that night was the first time that she met him!

We continue to talk about her life and where she's been and where she's going.

She's an amazing person! Both in terms of how she's dealt with all the things in her past and just how frank and honest she is with me.

She seems really happy and I feel very happy for her. She's definitely a terrific example of going with your instinct and everything having a purpose.

Her fiance is meant to catch up with his groomsmen later that night, so she suggests we could all have dinner beforehand. Sounds great!

We get back to the house, and while waiting, put on a DVD - Bridesmaids - while snuggled under a doona eating antipasti! About halfway through, her fiance comes home and we head out to dinner at this pub. It's all done up in Christmas decorations and because we're pretty early it's relatively empty.

We make a beeline for the seats next to the only fireplace and check out the menu. Gillian recommends a dish that is like a pizza on a tortilla kind of thing. I check out the ingredients - they have one with rocket, caramalised onion & goat's cheese. Done! She gets the one with ham & her fiance gets a burger, that when it arrives, it's about five inches high!

We eat and chat and then it's time for her fiance to head off. He's taking the car and we will catch a cab home. With this in mind, we order "dessert". Gillian gets a hot chocolate with cointreau and I get one with creme de menthe. Both come with whipped cream and oodles of marshmallows! Oooh! They taste SO good!

Once we're done, we head home and finish watching Bridesmaids (it was okay) and then watch The Ugly Truth, while again snuggled under the doona with our peach wines, and swoon and sigh over Gerard Butler while making lists of other Gerard Butler movies both of us need to watch.

So engrossed are we that we don't stop even when Gillian's fiance comes home, moving instead into the bloopers and deleted scenes. Finally, it does get late, so we head to bed.

The next morning, what I had hoped was an allergy to all the animals in Arles actually turns out to be a cold!

Doh! Thankfully Gillian had some cold & flu tablets which I took and then after breakfast, we headed off to Chatsworth - the location of Pemberly, the home of one Mr Darcy! The landscape was as beautiful as ever, although today was a more overcast day. Gillian tells me again about the areas that we're going through.

She is astonishingly knowledgeable about it all. I am also super impressed with her driving. Like Gael, narrow lanes hold absolutely no fear for her, nor do the winding lanes! She checks her phone every now and again, and it seems like we should only be about a kilometre from Chatsworth, but it doesn't appear. So I try and help out by using my phone and discover we are in fact about 30kms from where we should be! How?

Turns out, we were almost there, but because it had been a while since Gillian had driven this way, she felt we were going too far and had overshot it, so she had turned around and gone back! Doh! Oh well, we knew where we were going now. Plus we got to see all this extra scenery that we would have otherwise missed!

We made it to Chatswoth, and headed for the Farm Shop...just as it started to snow! The shop was brilliant! There was so much food & wine in there! And chocolate and honey and jams. I wanted to get it all! We picked up a couple of sausages for snacking before dinner and some vegies for the curry that Gillian was going to make 'cause her fiance hadn't had it in a while. Did I mention she's one of those super considerate people? We got home - in a much shorter time frame than it took us to get there and started dinner.

She tells me about this particular tomato salsa her fiance loves that is served at the Indian restaurants with papadams, but which she can't seem to get right. I offer to give it a try. She's got two small tomatoes in the fridge. Perfect! I make the salsa, and she confirms that yup! That's the one! Yay! Now just to eat!

The curry is delicious! It's a Jamie Oliver version of chicken tikka masala - with coconut milk! After dinner we have the mince pie ice cream and then it's time for me to head back to London. They both come to drop me off at the station and I'm quite sad to leave. These two days have been really good, and I'm really looking forward to catching up with them very soon! But somewhere warm, we agree - like Thailand or somewhere else in Southeast Asia.

My train arrives a short while later, and again, I have vague issues with my seat, but both the women seated next to and in front of me get off at the next stop. Once back in London, I catch the tube home and am surprised and pleased to see that the people are actually smiling and talking to each other. So my previous experiences must have been peculiar to rush hour only. Good to know!

I get home about 10 minutes before Nick and Davina's sister, who also lives near them.

Shortly after, Davina arrives home with Darcia, and as Nick puts her to sleep, Davina's sister, Davina & I sit around and try and organise jewellery for her work Christmas party and then go to sleep.

Farewell Paris, hello London!

prerana — Wed, 2 Jan 2013 09:30:00 GMT

The next morning - I´m on a mission. It´s my last day in Paris and I have to see the Eiffel Tower.

Not because I really want to, but it´s one of those things you HAVE to do.

Like watch the Twilight movies just because you´ve read the books.

And the second thing, is to see the Saint Chapelle because I´ve been told that I must by my beloved Miss Pooh.

And after my previous train experience, I decide I need to leave the hotel by 3pm ´cause my ticket recommends I check in half an hour before my departure time of 4.16pm. Should be easily done.

I plan to be at the Eiffel Tower by 9.30am - when they open to avoid the crowds and get it over and done with.

I end up leaving the hotel at 10am. No worries, I´m only doing two things, it´s all good. I check with the concierge that I can leave my bags there and pick them up later and he says sure, no problem.

I say hello to my creperie guy & apologise for not meeting him for coffee. I tell him I´ll say goodbye again when I return to the hotel, but just in case, I´ll pray that March is here before he knows it - so he can finally bring his wife to France.

I find my way to the Tower and there´s a little queue, but nothing major.

Any other day I would walk up the stairs, but I don´t want to risk my knee which is only just feeling better.

Plus to get right to the top, you need to catch an elevator anyway. It is ridiculously cold. The elevator up is pretty cool, and so far the highlight has been the multilingual staff at the Tower.

But once again I find myself wondering why they employ people in jobs that require interaction with people when clearly they´re not people people!

Anyways, the elevator stops at the first level and we all head out.

The wind is gushing about the place and it´s much colder than below. I do a round of the Tower and take pictures of the layout. Then it feels like it´s some complex maze and steeplechase to find the elevator that goes up to the summit.

Eventually I find it and head up. Okay, here it is blowing a gale and I have visions of flying off, or worse, my camera being caught by a gust of wind and falling to its death. I try and take the pictures as quickly as I can. I know I should spend more time reading the signs, stories, etc. but I´m totally freezing to death & not interested!

I catch the elevator back down, and take some ground shots. By now the queue is stretching well past the turnstiles so I´m glad I got there when I did!

Next stop, Saint Chapelle.

I catch the train again and when I get there, there´s a sign saying it´s closed until 1.15pm.

Doh! Well, I guess that still works. I have an hour to kill - I guess I could eat.

I find a little cafe nearby and order...pizza! It´s the only thing that comes in a size I can finish!

Pretty soon the cafe fills up and it´s only small to begin with! I will the minutes to go by, and eventually it´s 1pm. I head over and now there are two queues - both saying strange things. I line up in the one that doesn´t mention prepaid tickets, but it is the entrance to the Palais de Justice. Our bags get scanned again. Now, where to buy the ticket? Okay, eventually I figure it out and I´m inside.

It is beautiful no doubt. If there was sunshine, it would have been more stunning, but also, half the windows are undergoing restoration, so it also detracts from the splendour of the place. Okay! Done!

I think the last thing I really want is to get those charcoal pictures and none of the souvenir places near where I am seem to have them! I decide to go back to Montmarte since that´s where I saw them and figure it´s close to the hotel. I get off at what I think is the closest station, only to discover I have to climb a million stairs just to get out of the station! And then...no signs! So I´m just going blind now and every turn presents me with more stairs! Eventually I recognise a part I´ve been to before & while I check out all the shops, the pictures I want don´t seem to be there! Gah! This is gonna be one of those split second decisions. Leave it, or just get what´s available. I pick a collection & even have the exact change but for some reason I pick the one shop vendor who has no interest in making a sale. She´s wrapping a picture for a couple and then decides to chat on the phone for a bit. Tick, tock, the minutes are passing by. It´s well past 3pm now and I still need to get back to the hotel to pick up my luggage. Finally she turns to me, I give her the money, put the cards in an envelope and dash off. It´s now 3.22pm.

I have only a vague recollection of how to get back to the hotel from here, so I pull out a map and I´m running and checking signs at the same time. I should totally check out orienteering when I get back to Australia I think.

Shortly I recognise a couple of streets and I´m on the home stretch! I get to the hotel, grab my bags and make my way to the station. It´s now 3.38pm. It´s okay I tell myself - they always recommend you check in early. No biggie - I just need to focus on when the train leaves - 4.16pm. I get to Gare du Nord and of course have no idea where to go!

I look up and follow the signs for "grand lignes" hoping that means my train. I can´t even run cause my pack is that heavy <okay, I´m clearly not cut out for the army!> Still, I try and walk as fast as I can, and eventually see the signs for Eurostar! Yay!

I walk some more and come across...baggage scanners.

What the?

Oh, of course, this is still an international journey, so screening and immigration still apply!

Gah! I think of the swiss army knife in my big pack but decide I don´t have time to deal with this right now!

I just dump everything on the scanner and walk through. I beep. Oh, jacket - I just take it off ad throw it through as well.

I finally get to immigration. Here´s my ticket and passport. And immigration card? What? The lady points to a stack of cards next to me.

Are you kidding me? I move aside and complete it in record time. Thank goodness I´ve had to look up Nick & Davina´s (friends who I am staying with in London) address so many times that I have it memorised, except for the postcode.

I suspect when they say "complete information" on these cards it´s more a guide, really. I go through and arrive at the gate. It´s 4.06pm.

Do we wait here or go down to the train? I ask a lady who is also on my train. She asks those waiting in the same area.

They are all on later trains and tell her she needs to head down to the platform now.

We both take off and of course my compartment is about five carriages away!

I can totally do this, I convince myself.

I´m sure I´ll get on and there will be 3 mins still left!

I eventually get to my carriage & put my pack down (extremely gratefully!) at the end of my carriage and head to my seat.

It is 4.12pm. Oh, thank goodnes!

I´m sweating and exhausted, but relieved to be on the train! It takes off - thanks goodness in a forward direction! There´s an english couple in front of me. I practically drink my entire bottle of water in one go, and start writing in my journal.

After a while, we engage in conversation and I find out that the couple have been together only since June and have spent the weekend in Paris where they walked everywhere (!).

That would explain why the guy has been massaging the girl´s feet since before the train departed.

Turns out he´s a rugby player and was at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne!

Ha! How cool. He´s retired now, but still has a few matches that he plays and runs tournaments.

The girl organises events at some rooftop bar in London owned by Richard Branson.

Turns out they both come from the same little town, but only met this year for the first time! Neat. They do look very good together.

They start giving me advice on where to go and what to see in London. Rugby guy, especially, seems to take this very seriously as he keeps coming up with new places in random spots during the conversation. They are both lovely people. I tell rooftop girl that if I feel like clubbing, I´ll drop by her place.

We finally reach London and I´ve got instructions from Nick to catch the train to Holborn where he will meet me. There should be wifi there, so I should be able to get in touch with him.

Okay, so I get an oyster card and figure out where I need to go. I get to Holborn. I go upstairs cause I figure we´ll meet somewhere at the entrance, but I can´t see him anywhere, nor can I get messenger to work on my phone, and of course I have no credit to send any texts.

Okay! Desperate times call for desperate measures! I spy a girl standing next to the entrance & ask if she could please help me out & call my friend for me?

She looks a bit wary but agrees to do so. Of course it goes straight to voicemail. Okay, can she send a text? I'm at Holborn at the entrance. We wait. This is crazy! There's like hundreds of people here - it's going home peak hour! I suspect I could probably get to their house by myself and its got to be better than waiting indefinitely at the station.

I ask the girl to send this text to Nick and she's happy to do so cause she gets free texts on her phone. Great! Her friend has arrived by this stage, so I thank her and head down again to catch the train.

As I'm walking along the platform, I hear someone call my name. I turn around and it's Nick! OMG!!!! This moment feels so surreal! I feel like I'm in a movie or something. I'm so relieved I wanna laugh and cry all at the same time! Eeek!! I give him the biggest hug which is quite difficult on account of all the bags I'm carrying.

What are the chances that we would ever find each other amongst all this chaos, I exclaim!

Well quite good actually, Nick tells me as that is what he'd sent me as a message, which of course I hadn't received cause I couldn't log in!

Anyway, I'm just so relieved and now we get to go home! I'm so happy I don't even really notice the masses of people around us exuding their "don't mess with me, I'm on the way somewhere" vibes.

Eventually we arrive at our station and its just a short walk to their home. It is lovely! It's what's called a terrace house and there's an empty apartment downstairs and theirs is the one upstairs. It's the coolest entrance! I always feel like I'm going into a secret attic or something, going into their house.

I hear Davina inside. She's feeding their baby, Darcia, who is just the most beautiful thing ever! She's got the biggest eyes! They're like Davina's, but the colour of Nick's. And when she smiles, the whole room lights up!

Unfortunately, Darcia's now completely distracted by the new arrivals and refuses to eat anymore! Oops!

Oh well...Nick then sets about getting ready for Darcia's bath while Davina makes dinner. I feel completely useless but it's okay cause I figure now is a good time to give Nick his BBQ shapes! Dinner is sweet & sour chicken and it's delicious, even though I need to give Nick half my meal cause its just too much!

I still need to organise my tickets to Derby where I'm supposed to be going the next day, and when I checked, the tickets were about £14 one way. But when nick looks it up its about £85! What the??

So turns out my starting station was completely wrong! Hmm...now what to do? He checks a few more options and the cheapest is around £65. I think...I AM really looking forward to seeing Gillian who lives there & we've been talking about it since I started planning my trip. I do a mental check of my budget. I'm sure I can fit this in from somewhere. Okay, let's do it! We book the tickets.

We stay up and chat and I update some of my journal online.

When it's time for bed, Davina puts fresh linen on the mattress in my room and I even get my own set of keys so I don't need to worry about when I get home! Wow! That was unexpected, and completely brilliant!

I repack my bag so I can just take a single pack and go to sleep!

Weekend in the countryside...

prerana — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 09:34:00 GMT

The next morning, after I awoke way too early and checked facebook, I went to sleep again and finally got out of bed when I heard noises upstairs.

I went up and it seemed like Gael had been up for a while and had washed the dishes and tidied up the lounge. How domesticated!

Okay, after showering (it was in this little wooden kind of set up and thank goodness for hot water! I couldn't believe he had L'Occitane products in there!) it was time to go get breakfast. We went to the supermarket and Gael set off to buy up the entire shop! It was like watching a little boy in a candy store.

He'd scour the shelves and pick up random items to put into the trolley. Several different types of cheese, two different types of jams, jam tartlets, ham, smoked salmon, dips, foie gras, shallots, red wine vinegar, white wine, lemon, a whole roast chicken, the list went on and on. Is this all for us I ask? Yeah, and whoever else wants to eat tonight. Oh of course, the party. Well that was a relief! We also got some mini pastries from the bakery. I'll take two of everything he told the lady behind the counter. Ha! Now he was speaking my kind of language. Croissants, pain du chocolat, escargots, it all looked delicious.

Outside the supermarket was a stall that sold fresh seafood. Do you like oysters he asked? I so wish I could say yes when people ask me this question. I've only eaten oysters once that I didn't immediately spit out, and I think they were teeny tiny baby oysters and I had one. That was all I could handle. Umm...no, not really I told him, probably best if you don't get any for me. He got some and we headed back to the "house that sails". The breakfast was delicious. Not surprisingly, I found myself thinking how on earth do the people here remain so thin??

Afterwards, we sat up in the Captain's cabin 'cause it was the only place upstairs that was warm. With glass all around, it let the light and heat in and warmed up the seats. The view was amazing - the river and the trees across from it. There was a certain kind of stillness and peace.

I could totally understand why he came here to get away from it all from time to time. We stayed here for a while until there was noise outside. I looked up and his brother and the girlfriend had arrived...and brought a heater! Oh bless them! Thank goodness!

A massive big dog follows them onto the boat - it's a bull mastiff and probably as big as me! Her name is Eses and I have to say, she turns out to be a most intelligent dog! The heater is put on and then it's time for lunch. All the food comes back out again and we pick and nibble at it until we're full.

Gael's brother heads outside on the boat, only to realise that Eses has left a present on deck! With much noise and fuss the two boys clean it up and put the rubbish in the bin.

Then Gael realises that he bought something last night, but now has lost it. Hmm...it was on the table last night, have I seen it?

No, but if you cleared the table then it's probably in the rubbish? Haha! Together with Eses' present! :-)

We play a game of Yahtzee - my first time - and they decide whoever loses has to go into the big to retrieve the "something".

So there's five dice and you have to roll these different combinations and then total the score at the end. It's not as easy as it sounds, and I learn a lot more words in French - but none of which I can mention here.

It's a lot of fun, and when the game finishes, it turns out I've come second and the girlfriend with 10 points more has won! I find it hilarious that the boys insist on a recount of everyone's scores. Gael has come last so off he goes to the rubbish bin, but thankfully finds what he's looking for.

His brother asks if I'm looking forward to tonight. Sure, I say. Apparently he likes to dance, but Gael doesn't? His brother chuckles and tells me that when he's had a bit to drink, he will dance. Sure enough, that's exactly what happens - Gael entertains us with dance renditions to a variety of different songs - even Eses gets in on the act!

Towards the evening the other people arrive - two couples and the whole "bisous" process starts again. By the time I've greeted everyone I'm quite dizzy and by the time everyone has greeted everyone else it feels like half an hour has gone by, but I'm sure it's only a few minutes. All the drinks are put out on the table and it starts.

Two things - I am amazed at how much the French drink, and how much they smoke! What are the stats on lung cancer here I wonder. And later, I find myself thinking for the millionth time, how do they eat so much and stay so thin? Never have I seen people slice wedges of cheese and just eat it straight as if it were...a piece of cake or something! I'm truly amazed. I follow the gist of the conversation, but confess there are parts when I'm sure Eses understands more than I do!

The individual conversations I have with people are easier to follow. The guy of the couple I think are married tells me that they're only engaged and have been for two years and have a two year old daughter. He shows me a picture of her. He is dark with black curly hair, and his fiancee is fair with blond hair - so you can imagine how gorgeous their daughter looks like!

He knows Gael's brother from way back when. I ask how he met his fiancee and he tells me it's a long and complicated story. His English is not good enough to explain it, and my French is not good enough to understand it. But basically they've known each other for about ten years. The other guy has been to Australia before and worked there for a year before he left under very...unusual circumstances! They are all a really lovely bunch of people.

Eventually, after a lot more drinking, smoking, random dancing, strip teases (by the men!) it's time for everyone to leave. I cannot believe they will be driving home! But apparently they're all good to go. Gael's brother and girlfriend will be staying at the boat. I assume we're going to sleep but no, it's time for a late night/early morning snack.

There's shuffling going on in the kitchen before the meal comes out. There's freshly shucked oysters with red wine vinegar and shallot dressing, angel hair pasta and warmed up stew from the night before. In Australia you'd probably have McDonald's or a souvlaki, but only in France would you have a three course meal in the middle of the night right before going to sleep!

The next morning we have a little bit of breakfast as most of the food is now finished, clean up the boat and head off. Gael takes me around Arles which is really empty as it's a Sunday and nothing stays open he gripes.

We drive to Nimes next and he tells me about the business in the south of france and how things work. I love hearing about his view on the place and the government and how things are here. He's got a really pleasant way of speaking and expressing himself and it's very easy to listen to.

Finally I can see Nimes from a distance. It's much bigger than Arles with a lot more tall buildings. We drive around trying to find a park. It's clearly a lot busier here even though it's a Sunday. Walking around, we bump into one of his site managers who is there to show a building restoration project so we sneak in as well. The building, while run down now, still looked amazing, and you could just imagine how lovely it would look once all done up. Gael explains how it all worked, and again, I love listening to the details.

After that we walked around, as he pointed out the main city centre and monuments. I had no idea bullfighting was such a big thing here! There was an ampitheatre where it took place twice a year when the entire town would be flooded with tourists. We ate by the main centre where due to it being Christmas season, there was a little carnival set up for the kids, with a full on kiddie roller coaster!

There were a lot of pigeons around - I swear, European pigeons are the fattest I've ever seen! And they're not afraid of people at all. They come right up to you and will steal the food from your hand if you're not careful. After Gael provided dessert - churros with chocolate sauce, we went to drop in on his brother who lives here with his girlfriend and I met...his girlfriend's kitten - Maya! Oh! She was so cute and curious and cuddly and all round adorable!

We watched a movie and then even though I didn't want to leave the warmth, it was time to go home. Gael's stepmum had made us dinner which we ate and then we spoke about salaries and taxes. The system in France just didn't sound right compared to Australia, so Gael got his payslip to show me. Goodness! It looked more like a list of taxes than a payslip! It really was incredible how much tax is payable there by employers and for what purpose. I don't think I'll be working there anytime soon. At least not as a resident!

The next morning, I met Gael's stepmum who was the last to go to the office that day. I had some cocopops which I tried to keep away from Grisboy who was really keen to share what I was eating. Then she too, left. I packed my bags and was writing in my journal when what I thought was the clock bell went off. I checked my watch, no it wasn't on the hour. Then it rang again.

Oh, it must be the doorbell! The crazy thing was, I had no idea where the front door was! We'd only ever come through the back. I checked the lounge and the hallway for sign of anything that could look like a front door, and then thought, maybe I should just check the gate. For a moment it looked like there was no one there, but then sure enough, there was a courier. I opened the gate, signed for the package and got growled at by Cliff who was outside. He's a funny dog. You could be in the house and he would love you, but the moment you're both outside, he's growling like you're a stranger!

It felt like I'd only been writing in my journal for a short time when the door opened and Gael walked in. Oh! Was it lunch time already? I was supposed to have called him. Oh well. We head off to lunch and I gotta say, now that it was a weekday and there were a lot more cars on the road, Gael's driving style didn't change a bit! Those tight alleyways held no fear for him as he zoomed around blind corners with carefree abandon. Wasn't he worried about cars coming the wrong way? He paused as if he'd never even considered it. Nah...it's all good. Okay...

We finally pulled up at a restaurant and it was lovely. He translated some of the menu for me and I checked out the other patrons while our meals arrived. There was a girl across from us with bright red hair and some dredlocks in it.

What do you think she does? I aked.

No idea he said. But if you had to guess, I insisted.

He thought about it for a moment, nope, still no idea.

Ah, he doesn't play this game.

Okay, we shared stories of where we'd been and where we were going. I love these conversations 'cause they give you such an insight into the other person and often it's such a privilege to be let in.

Isn't lunch going a bit long, I asked? Nah, I'll go back after I drop you at the station. Oh, that's sweet!

We finish lunch and I really want the creme caramel for dessert but turns out they'd run out. Oh, I won't have anything then.

The next thing I know, there's a tarte tartin put in front of me. They said it's really good and you've got to try it.

Oh okay, well if you insist.

The cake was so light and spongy and the apples delicious as was the creme anglaise that came with it. Mmm...good call, I tell him.

It's time to head off to the station and say goodbye. It's been an interesting trip, and one I'm really glad I made.

The train heads off and thank goodness I'm facing the right direction.

I think of how much time I have left in Paris, and the things I haven't yet seen.

It would be great to see the Eiffel Tower tonight, but I suspect by the time I get back I will be too tired.

It is indeed the case, as after I check back into my previous hotel, I just want to go to sleep. So I do.

Travel to Arles...

prerana — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 06:42:00 GMT

The next morning (30 Nov), I check out and there's a different concierge at the front desk.

As she prepares my bill, she asks if I've had any breakfast. No, I reply. Then I think to expand and in French I say no, I have not eaten. She giggles and tells me I sound like her daughter. Before I can ask how old her daughter is, she tells me - three! Then she mimics her daughter, and I guess it KIND of sounds like what I said. She tells me it's very cute. Great...

I then make my way to Gare de Lyon to catch the train to Arles. I get there an hour early 'cause I think there's check in or something involved but I'm sadly mistaken.

I sit and wait and chat to the guy next to me who's just come back from spending a month in Peru with his dad and his dad's wife.

Hmm...I wonder at the wording. I keep checking to see which platform my train will arrive at but no indication. It tells you about 5mins before the train is due to leave which platform it will depart from and there's a mad rush of people trying to make it onto the train.

I sit in my seat next to the window, after having deposited my big back pack on the rack at the end of the carriage and settled in, waiting for the train to start. And it did...backwards! What the? Oh no! I normally try and sit forwards 'cause I did get terrible headaches going backwards, but for the past year, going backwards on trams has been fine. Maybe this would be too, and I was being unnecessarily paranoid.

I did notice a spare seat facing forwards, but before I could figure out if it was okay to sit in it, the guy in front of me went and plopped himself in it. Doh! As the train got faster, I felt the beginnings of a big headache. In fact, it was fast turning into nausea and I thought I've got to move before I throw up on the lady next to me.

I stood up and saw another empty forward seat at the end of the carriage. I made my way over and sat down. I felt a little better but not much. It was time for sleep! I snoozed for a little while, curled up in this single seat before I woke up and realised the double seater next to me was now empty. I moved across and lay down, but that didn't work so well 'cause my head was below the level of my shoulders and it started the nausea again. Gah! It's so disappointing when your body lets you down like this.

Finally the train pulled into Arles, and Gael, my friend who I was staying with there, had messaged to say he would pick me up from the station. That was sweet.

As I waited, I wondered if he had changed much from the ONE time I'd met him! Or would it be as painful as finding Adrian? Within a few minutes I saw a guy walk up to the station doors. It was Gael, and he looked exactly the same! Phew!

Hi! He took my bag and we went to his car. As I went to the left side, so did he.

What the? Oh that's right! They have right hand drive in Europe!

We were going to the office first as he still had a bit of work to do, was that okay? Absolutely! I was plenty used to hanging out in offices. Plus I had the chance to continue with my writing on his laptop, which had a QWERTY keyboard.

I met his brother just as we pulled up in the office car park. Exchanged hellos after which his brother leaned in for the "bisous" - the French way of greeting by kissing on either side of the face. Ah yes, that's right.

I leaned in and we did one kiss, two kisses, and I leaned back. His brother seemed surprised, as he was still leaning. Oops, had I missed something?

In the south, they kiss three times Gael explained. Oh! Right. I leaned back in for the third kiss. Good, everyone was happy again.

I met his dad, and his dad's partner, and her dog - a kind of jack russell looking dog.

His name is Honeybell, Gael told me.

Really? That's so sweet, if a little unusual for a male dog.

I sat and typed, while Gael went on with his work.

After a while, the dog came to find me again.

"Hi Honeybell!" I said.

"His name is Honeybell. Like Honeybell Lecter" Gael informed me.

Umm...then I realised - oh Hannibal! That made more sense, but was much less sweet!

After Gael was done, we got in the car and he said he was going to pick up some clothes from his dad's house where he was currently staying because we would be staying somewhere else.

Oh, where? It's a surprise.

Oh, okay.

We arrived at his dad's house, a lovely place and immediately I was greeted by Hannibal and what looked like a massive black wolf!

His name is Cliff, Gael's stepmum explained, but it's short for Heathcliff, you know?

Oh, from Wuthering Heights? Exactly.

Okay. And then the most beautiful silver cat slinked up with very distinct markings on its back - a Bengal cat!

I'd never even seen one in real life. It was stunning!

His name is Grisboy.

Gris...grey...greyboy? Yes.

Okay. I wander into the lounge where there's a sofa and a daybed kind of thing, and I'm about to sit when I notice another cat! A little black one with what looks like one blind eye. That's Rita, she's very old. Uh huh! Any other animals about the place? No?

Gael came in holding Grisboy and then put him down on the sofa. I went to pick him up, but just then Hannibel came snapping up trying to bite him, so what does Grisboy do? Bite me to put him down!

Ouch!! I think he might have bit all the way through my finger!

Oh no, the bone got in the way - lucky me.

I drop him, and my finger is definitely bleeding. Doh. I grab a tissue and try and stem it.

Am I okay? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sure I will be. I think I'm glad I got that tetanus shot. We stay for a while until Gael gets his stuff together an then it's time to make tracks.

We're back in the car and I ask, so where are we going?

For a moment I think he's not going to tell me.

We're going to stay on a boat.

What IS it with the universe and putting me on boats???

Umm...a boat?

He must have heard the doubt in my voice 'cause he says, don't worry, it's a big boat, you won't feel the water moving or anything.

We drive along the dark roads at about twice the marked speed limit which is just brilliant and when I comment he just remarks that the car handles it well! Ha! He's a very good driver as well.

We finally get to the marina and the entire place is filled with boats! Some in the water, some out.

So your boat is IN the water? Yes, he confirms.

We finally pull up to a boat. I don't know much about boats, but it doesn't look that big to me. Admittedly, I can only see the back of it, and it is dark. He jumps on and lowers the little gangplank.

Just my luck I slip and fall into the water. Thankfully no such thing happens.

We drop off everything in the room that we walk into. There's a big TV on one side and kind of sofas on either side of a big round table.

Oh, this is nice. But it's quite cold.

Gael disappears into the next room - the kitchen, which is off a kind of little hallway and stocks the fridge with about six bottles of champagne and some cans of coke.

Apparently, his brother and his brother's girlfriend are coming by tomorrow as well as a group of friends in the evening. Right!

He pulls out a bottle that's already chilled. Do you want some champagne?

Umm...on an empty stomach? I've had one croissant the entire day and lost a pint of blood from a cat bite. I don't really drink at the best of times and all I want is some water but I don't see any and don't want to be difficult.

Sure. He pours two glasses. Sante - to your health! I take a sip. It's not that bad :p

We continue to chat as he lights some candles. These serve a dual purpose.

One, so he can light his cigarettes, and two, so we can warm our hands 'cause it's still freezing here.

As I mention this, Gael heads off somewhere and comes back to tell me that at least the rooms are warm. Rooms?

Oh yeah, let me show you around. There's a set of stairs that go downstairs out of the "lounge". There are two bedrooms at the bottom. Uh huh!

Then we come back up and go down another set of stairs next to the kitchen, also off the hall and there are another two bedrooms.

Then we come back up , and there's yet another bedroom opposite the stairs with a bunkbed. All with their own ensuites. Goodness! This wasn't a boat! This was like a full on house that sailed! Amazing!

As we chatted, he would pour a little bit of champagne in my glass before refilling his.

You really don't have to do that 'cause you know I won't be able to finish it. But it's only polite he told me.

Hmm...I would clearly need to start refilling his glass.

Am I hungry, he asked?

Oh goodness, am I ever!

His stepmum had packed us dinner. Oh wait, is there anything I don't eat?

Umm...no not really, what is for dinner?

It's called Guardian de Taureau. It's bull.

Bull? Did he mean like a male cow?

No, bull. Umm...I wonder how I feel about that.

But right now I'm too hungry and determined to make the most of it.

He heats it all up, and puts rice on my plate and spoons on this stew like dish.

He's about to put what I think is marrow on my plate, when I stop him.

Oh, you've to try these, they are mushrooms. Oh, okay then.

I cut the pieces of meat and they taste surprisingly good. The texture is like really firm beef, but not tough.

The stew was not sweet at all as I was expecting. The red wine was still quite present and especially so in the mushrooms. There were also olives and carrots and it was quite delicious.

This was followed by a collection of mini desserts. Mille Feuille, lemon meringue, a kind of tiramisu and a couple of other little creamy slices.

It was unbelievable! How did people here stay so thin eating like this??

Finally it was sleeping time. Gael had brought a whole stack of linen and blankets and put them ALL on the bed. Given how cold I was feeling I didn't find this overkill at all.

I also found a bottle of water which I drank most of thankfully and it was a relief to go to sleep, after what had been a very long day!

An American, an Australian and a Dane all go for a walk...

prerana — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 09:58:00 GMT

The plan for today (29 Nov) was to go see Notre Dame & Sainte Chapelle and then the Musee d'Orsay and walk up to the Eiffel Tower.

My knee was by now, really quite sore and painful so I wore my knee brace under my jeans, but kept my hiking boots on.

Ouch, ouch, ouch. Every step down the stairs hurts, but it seems to be okay on the flat.

I went to my "usual" creperie guy and he said if I was free, we could have a coffee.

Sure thing.

He finishes at 6pm.

Okay, if I have time, I'll drop by.

Ouch, ouch, ouch.

Down the stairs to the station. I'm getting quite good at catching the trains now. They have a pretty good system worked out, and my favourite - the signs for the trains are colour coded to the lines on the map. So if you think, I need to get on that green line on the map, you look for the green sign.

I get out at my intended stop to check out the Notre Dame and there's a girl in an orange vest holding up a sign.

Fishbowl free tours it says.

Free? I ask her about it and she details the route and says it's free and you can give whatever you like at the end.

Hmm...seems interesting and there are two people already there and the tour is about to start NOW.

Sure, why not? Plus this way I'd get to hear about the places as well.

Our tour guide was a student called Madi from Santa Barbara, USA who had been here for 15 months studying history. She was utterly charming and delightful and lovely! She told us a lot about herself and what her favourite things were.

At first, when she said we wouldn't actually be going IN to any of the buildings, I wasn't sure, but then figured I could always go check them out later. It was only 11am now! We walked and talked. The other two people were a couple from Denmark, so we wove in all our stories as well.

When we got to the Louvre, I had considered breaking off the tour, but it was interesting to hear about that as well, so I stuck with it til we reached the end. At which point the Danish guy gives her 20 euro. Which is good 'cause I was thinking about 10 euro too.

I think, that was good, I've still got time to do the stuff I planned, when Danish couple ask if I want to join them for lunch! I think about it, and well the point of holidays is to experience different people as well, right? Sure! We wander around trying to find a place for lunch and I find out more about them.

The guy is a marine engineer which I find brilliant 'cause the only one I know is my dad!

Well, and his friends who went to school with him as well I guess, but this is a YOUNG marine engineer!

He's just started working on a farm and as he explains it, I realise he does nothing with ships at all!

But as a marine engineer, you have to know machines, electrical, fluids, everything, which is what he does - hence marine engineering.

Huh! Okay, that makes sense.

His girlfriend works in PR for the National Library. That is so cool!

Except she works and lives in the city and loves it, and he works and lives in the country and loves it.

I'm confused. How long have they been together?

Six months, she tells me. They met earlier this year, but only started going out six months ago.

I smile and think of Beth. I find it funny these dates and timelines put on things. Like that song from "Hum Tum" - girls forget to love but never forget dates!

After lunch, it turns out that all of us want to see the Notre Dame, so we head over. There's no queue at all, so we're lucky. We go in and there's a million stairs to climb after we check out the mass section.

We head out and check out the Paris skyline. It's quite lovely, but very cold. Then we realise there's more steps to go further up! It's even colder here and while we take a lot of pictures of the skyline and the gargoyles (the rationale of which was explained to us by Madi earlier that day. They are chimera and fight against the evil spirits who may come to attack the cathedral) I'm keen to head back down.

The trip down is excruciating and I feel like I could easily pass out from the pain in my knee. Doh it! Once down, we find a restaurant recommended by Madi and head over to it. Okay, we'll meet back here in a couple of hours for dinner! Perfect! I figure I have time to get back, relax a little and meet my new friends for dinner.

I get back & turn on the TV while lying on the bed...and wake up at 9.30pm!

I was meant to be at dinner at 8.30pm! While we had exchanged facebook details earlier, none of them seemed to work and I had no credit on my phone to call.

But I felt terrible, so I went and bought credit and sent a message to Danish guy, but no response. Hmm...he could very well have given me the wrong number 'cause it was a new one for him, and I, not understanding French mobiles had give him a wrong number for me!

Gah! Now what? Aha! I could always try calling the restaurant. I look up the number and call. Someone picks up and I ask in French if he speaks English.

A little, he says. Great!

Now how to explain or ask? I'm trying to ask if there are a man & woman there, but he thinks I want to make a booking for a man & woman.

No, are they there now? No, we close very soon, we have only four people here so you can come tomorrow. This is not going anywhere.

I decide I have to revert back to French. My friends are there, I say in French. And the next bit literally translates as "the man, he has hair on her face". Thankfully (!) the guy catches on to what I'm saying. Oh, American couple? He asks. Danish, I reply.

He goes over to them and asks are you from Denmark, and I hear Danish guy say yes. He hands them the phone and I say it's me and I'm so sorry for missing dinner.

He thinks it's so sweet that I've called. Ha! They figured I was probably too tired when I didn't show up after half an hour so they went ahead and ordered. Oh good!

We wish each other good journeys and we'll catch up on facebook when they back to Denmark. Great!

I pack up everything for my trip to Arles the next day and go to sleep.

Strolling down the Champs Elysees...

prerana — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:32:00 GMT

The next morning (28 Nov), if it can be called that, I woke up around 4am!

Gah! I checked facebook for a bit and finally managed to sleep again. Next I woke up around 9am, and got dressed.

I was determined to find the Sacre Couer and then head further into Paris to the Arc de Triomple, walk down the Champs Elysees and then maybe do the museums around there. But first, breakfast!

There was a creperie just at the intersection so I went to buy one there. The guy came out and seemed a little surprised to see me. I asked for a crepe with butter & sugar and he asked if I spoke English.

Yes, and then we proceeded to talk for the next 15 minutes about his life. He had come to France when he was seven, from Mauritius, had a daughter with his previous wife (they were currently divorced) and had just recently got married to a 34 year old from India while they were both on holiday in Mauritius when she met the rest of his family.

He was about 47. He's never met her family, but speaks to them on the phone. He's hanging out for March when he goes to India to bring her back to France.

Huh! So how'd they meet?

She was in Paris for work for a few days and they met at his other shop and swapped details and it went from there! It was all meant to be.

Sure, of course. And he hopes the same thing will happen to me. Right. With his blessings I wander off in search of the Sacre Couer!

I'm trying to keep the map in my head, but like I said, those streets are tricky! I'm passing a tiny shop when I look up and see a windmill type thing. Interesting!

Just then a young girl comes out of a shop in front of me and I ask her what this is and then ask her if she knows where the Sacre Coeur is? In that general direction, she points, oh, I'll walk with you, I'm going that way.

Okay thanks.

She asks if I speak Hindi and I say yes.

Her parents are also from Mauritius, but she was born in France, and she speaks a little Hindi.

Finally we come to the crossroads and part ways. I continue along as I've been directed, but still no sign. I ask a man clearing weeds from the pavements where it is. Up the hill and to the left. Thanks, and then I see the signs. And lots of souvenir shops.

One thing I've gotta say - they have these things which look like pictures of major monuments/buildings drawn in charcoal, and even though they're cheap and everywhere, they just look SO good! I decide I want to buy one of each before realising the logistical problem of carrying them in my pack. Maybe I can buy and post them back home?

I continued on my way thinking about this, when lo and behold! There rose the Sacre Coeur in front of me! It was big and white and looked beautiful. What was no less amazing though was the view from on the steps in front of it. You had a panoramic view of Paris for miles around. Admittedly, a lot of the buildings were still covered in mist/fog/smog (?) but the sun shone through in places, and it looked beautiful.

There was a guy on the steps playing...the harp! Yes! That's not generally an instrument that's easy to lug around, but there he was, with his CDs in case you wanted to buy any, and it was really fitting and lovely. I went inside the basilica, there weren't many pepole around at all, and wandered around. Twas lovely, but smaller than I was expecting. I then thought, oh how do I get to the dome to look out?

I wandered back outside and to the left there were signs for the crypt and dome. I knew I didn't want to see the crypt, but the dome would be nice. However, given the mist everywhere I thought it might be better to see it later.

I asked the lady inside what time it closes and she replied in English that it was open now, and I didn't have to worry about it closing.

Okay, not quite the answer I was looking for. I walked outside and they had pictures of the view at night time. At least with the lights it would be prettier, even if there was still a bit of smog around. So I went back in and tried to ask the lady what time the sun sets. She didn't understand. Umm...what time is it night? She still didn't understand and finally in exasperation she exclaimed, "It is open now madame, what more do you want!"

Hmm...firstly, there was no one else around who I was possibly holding up with my questions.

Secondly, why were the jerks on my trip only women?

And thirdly, I thought, the view from the steps was plenty fine, and I didn't want to be dealing with another f***ing bitch like I'd had to at Tiger Kingdom.

So with that, I turned around and walked out.

It had me thinking for a while but then I guess you're always going to come across people who don't like you, or you annoy, c'est la vie, non? No point getting all hung up about it.

Just then this little girl appeared in front of me who looked in her mid teens with the most doleful expression on her face. She placed a clipboard in front of me and it looked like some kind of petition for the deaf and dumb society.

Oh, okay, sure...I started filling in my details, until I got to the third field and saw people had put money down.

Hmm...I wasn't keen on giving to anything just then, so I apologised and I handed back the clipboard.

She followed me and gave me that expression again with even bigger eyes this time.

Puss in Boots from Shrek has nothing on this kid!

Gah, I dug around my purse and was gonna give her coins for one euro, but then that expression, so I gave her five euros.

I walked away and was checking out the funicular which now I couldn't ride 'cause I had no coins.

I then turned around to walk down the stairs and there was Puss in Boots girl again, except she'd written on the back of her clipboard "minimum 10 euro".

Okay, that was enough. I said to her she could give me back the 5 I'd already given her, at which she then finally walked away.

I caught the train to the Arc de Triomphe and when I exited at the station I found myself at that massive infamous roundabout with about six lanes of traffic.

Twas quite interesting to watch the cars trying to exit at the correct turnoffs, especially when they had to change lanes as well.

After a while, I saw people actually under the Arc and wondered how to get there. Surely not across this crazy road! Nope, couldn't see any people on the roads. And then I saw these steps leading underground. Aha! There was an underpass to the Arc.

I walked across and when I came out under it, it was huge! It was so detailed and still so clear. There was also an eternal flame lit, surrounded by wreaths. I hadn't realised it was for the fallen French soldiers. There were passages written on the ground which had dates and explained that the soldiers had given their lives for their country. It was really quite moving.

From there, trying to get my bearings, I started walking down the Champs Elysees, towards what I hoped would be the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre.

At first, it was just a big street with lots of people. There were a lot of brand names, but not being a purveyor of brands I didn't recognise most of them.

I did come across a Swarovski sotre though, and even though I felt a bit out of place with my big jacket and hiking boots, I decided to check it out anyway. The security guard was really sweet.

Nothing mind blowing in there though, so it was easy to leave with no purchases.

Next stop, McDonald's! No, not to eat, just to check out. The first thing I noticed was that it was expensive! And nothing looked any different to any other menu.

But their McCafe had a selection of teas in those silk teabags! Ha! I went to take a picture but the girls behind the counter said no.

Why? I asked. But they didn't know, just that you couldn't take a picture.

Interesting. The same thing had happened in McDonald's in India which I'd thought was really odd at the time, but maybe it's a company thing. I kept walking down, and there was a street show with two guys doing hip hop and breakdancing. It was really entertaining, you could tell they'd spent time rehearsing and had great showmanship.

Walking further down I spotted...a roasted chestnut stand!

Oooh! Yes please! I'll just take a small bag I told the guy, but he filled it so much I couldn't finish them all.

Then I was surprised to see all these white tents set up along the street before I realised it was the Christmas market! Awesome!

They had food, clothes, food, trinkets, toys, food, it all looked great, but there was no way I could have finished anything by myself and I still had a nearly full bag of chestnuts, so I didn't buy anything.

I finally reached the Place de la Concorde and checked out the obelisk as I remembered it referenced in many of the stories I'd read. It did look slightly unreal and out of place with its dark green stone and golden cap with the hieroglyphics all down its sides.

After that, I walked down to the Jardin des Tuileries, only to see a mother with her two kids eating...candy floss!

Now I know I still had a packet of roasted chestnuts, but I'd already missed out on candy floss twice!

Once in Hong Kong at the Race in Pink Heels and the second time at Amphawa market in Thailand.

I asked where she got them and she pointed to the left just before the gardens.

Now, just so you know, I'm not a complete impulse buyer, I went to the Garden's souvenir shop, wandered around, ate another chestnut soI could close the top of the cardboard cone, put it in my bag and THEN headed back to the candy floss maker.

Just a small one please - I couldn't believe I'd be paying 3 euro for it! The guy left the machine running for a while and then made the biggest candy floss stick ever! My goodness! This is a small? I exclaimed, handing over my money. I took it and headed off into the gardens. They were looking a bit bare - expected, I guess given the time of the year, but it was a nice walk nonetheless.

Except it started to lightly drizzle, which wouldn't have been a problem either, except it was falling on my candy floss and crystalising it making it all more sticky & not to mention my hands which were getting close to numb from the cold.

At the bottom of the garden I came across, no, not faeries, but close, the Louvre!

Again, it was a very surreal feeling of having read and heard about it for so long and then seeing it.

At first all I saw was the glass pyramid, and for a moment thought THAT was somehow the Louvre, not really registering the massive buildings around the courtyard in which the pyramid sat.

I tried to clean my hands as best as I could - note that hand sanitiser seems to do nothing for stickiness!

I tried to look for dew upon the grass but no such luck either! Anyways, finally I opened my bottle of water and washed them, and they were well and truly numb by now!

I made my way over to the Louvre, but first passed under another arch, the Arch de Triomphe du Carrousel! Once I got closer to the Louvre, I had heard stories of the crowds and queues, etc. so I was most surprised to find myself inside the Louvre within a few minutes.

I kept waiting for the phantom crowds to appear, but they never did. I went down the stairs (after a baggage scan) under the pyramid and there were quite a few more people here, but again, not like I'd been expecting.

I wondered if it was worth buying a ticket becauase if it was going to close in a couple of hours, it wouldn't be worth it when I noticed they said it was open til 9.45pm on Wed & Fri. Oh! What day was it today? I wracked my brains for about 5 minutes before I realised, oh, I can check it on my phone! Which I did, and it was Wed! Yay! Late night museum!

I bought a ticket and thought since the Mona Lisa is the hardest thing to see because of all the people, I'll make a beeline for it, see it (cause you can't really NOT see it!) and then I can see the other exhibits at leisure.

So I went to find this mysterious lady. There were signs with her face all over the place. She was in a pretty big room, and again, quite a few people were there, but I got right to the front in a matter of seconds.

So either all those horror stories of queues are exaggerated, or perhaps this is one of the joys of being in winter together with late night museum. Okay, I suspect it's the latter.

As for the painting itself...it was...enh! I'm no art critic or nuttin, but it didn't really do anything for me. I looked at it for a few minutes, but nope, still nothing.

Okay, that done, I could go see what I really wanted to - the marble sculptures.

The museum is over four levels, and each has pretty large wings. Thankfully the map they give you showed where things were kept, but it was still kind of tricky to find them. There were so many stairs everywhere!

Not to mention that when you were on your way to somewhere to see something, you'd see something else and think, oh I'll just check this out while I'm here, and end up somewhere completely different to where you wanted to go!

There was SO MUCH art. OMG, there was SO much art! There were also groups of little school kids and older kids doing art, I assume 'cause they'd all be stopped at a statue, drawing it. Occasionally an alarm or something would go off briefly, and I wondered what it was for.

I discovered what it was for when I got particularly close to a 3D painting I was trying to take a picture of and the same alarm went off. Aha! Thank goodness it stopped a second after I jerked my hands away.

I loved the statues, they were really something and there were so many of them. One thing I discovered about men in those days was that they had rippling muscle laden bodies, but tiny or missing manhoods. So either the use of steroids was prevalent a long time ago, or there were just many more eunuchs around than I realised :-p

I was walking along and most of the statues were made of the shiny, polished marble, which is nice, but then I came across the most beautiful sculpture I've ever seen.

The marble it was made of was one thing (it was smooth, but not shiny, and looked like crystal powder) but the statues themselves were incredible! There were two people, a naked girl, and a winged boy holding her from above, his arm across her breasts so you couldn't see them, but it was their look. Or more specifically the look the boy had on his face as he gazed at her.

Oh my goodness, it was breathtaking, and for it to have been captured as it was, to know that it would stay like that forever, it was just so beautiful and loving and tender and just simply amazing.

My gaze travelled to the girl's "skin" and it was amazing how much like skin it looked.

I just cannot describe what I felt. I was completely mesmerized and slowly circled it taking photos of every part of it, knowing I'd have to leave at some point. I must have taken over fifty photos of that single sculpture and still felt like it was not enough.

Especially of his face, that look. The gaze of love as they looked at each other.

Goodness, just the sweet tenderness of it all. It was almost too much.

There was another guy there with his partner who must have felt the same way 'cause we both kept circling it trying to get closer and closer to the statue without attracting the attention of the guard posted next to it.

Finally, I looked at the sign - it was Psyche revived by Cupid's Kiss by Antonio Canova. Ah well, that would explain it. The statue across from this amazing piece, while made of that same exquisite marble, doesn't seem to convey that depth of expression the previous statue did.

I continued to wander around, mainly focusing on the statues and by now both my legs (especially my knee!) and head hurt and I want to head back, but also realise I may not be back here for quite a while and don't want to miss anything.

One thing I realise as night falls is that you definitely want to see the exhibits near the glass during the day with natural light. At night, the artificial lighting really dampens the beauty of everything. The other thing I realise is that despite the number of people in the museum, it always seems to smell fresh. That's pretty cool. If only they could have taken such good care of their toilets. Two blocks were closed down with just one toilet being used - that didn't have a seat! Great...

Oh, when near the souvenirs, I notice a lot of pictures of the statue I'd fallen in love with! Good to know I can still be a cliche! I want to get a big one, but again, transport problems. I settle for a postcard size that I can look at anytime I want.

After I got out, I realised I had no idea where the nearest metro was and given how cold and tired I was, I didn't want to go walking anywhere. I asked a guy, and he said there was one in the Louvre.

Really? It was clear I didn't fully understand his directions, so he said he was going to the Louvre anyway, and to just follow him.

Finally found the metro after walking through what seemed a corridor to very expensive shops and arrived at my station.

Okay, I was hungry, but what to eat? I wandered up and down the strip of shops near me, but didn't really want to sit in a restaurant, nor eat such a big meal.

Where was a sandwich when you needed it? Finally, I came across another creperie, and the guy in front of me ordered a ham & cheese one.

Ooh! It looked good! I got one and took it to the hotel where I could eat in peace. I think I got about halfway through before I gave up.

It was almost 9.30pm by the time I got to sleep...only to wake up at 3.30am! Gah! How was this possible??

I went on facebook for a while and finally went back to sleep around 5am!

Hello Paris!

prerana — Sun, 9 Dec 2012 10:36:00 GMT

When I board the Swiss airplane, I see that there's a spare seat between myself and the other passenger in my row. I hope there's not going to be anyone else there.

I hear him speak German to the air hostess so I ask him in German if he speaks English.

"Nein" he says.

Great. I wrack my brains trying to remember more German.

Is it okay if I sleep here, I ask, pointing to the seat.

Yes, of course! He says.

We had somewhat of a chat after that.

I found out he lives in Bangkok and was going up Switzerland for a holiday.

I don't think he was married, but he had a Thai partner who spoke German.

He hadn't felt the need to learn either Thai or more English.

After finding out I was born in India, he told me his brother had a girlfriend or wife who was from Kerala in the South of India. How cool. With the Spanish lady and Indian guy and now German guy and Indian lady, maybe there's hope yet for my Eurasian babies! :-p

Soon after, dinner was served and I lay down and went to sleep. It was my first time in Swiss, so either the seats are smaller than Singapore Airlines or I've grown in size! In any case, I slept pretty much the whole way and woke up just before we landed in Zurich.

I had an hour stopover and it was quite a well laid out airport with pretty clear signs everywhere. The most interesting things by far were these smoking rooms in the airport where people could go in to smoke! They were like smoking lounges for cigarette brands. The first one I saw was a Camel one, and next to my gate was a Winston one. The trip to Paris was very quick, and it seemed like it was mainly business people in their work suits who were flying at that time. The lady next to me was originally from Paris and had lived in London for five years before moving to Zurich. She was in marketing and on her way to Paris for two days of meetings. I swear I need to get into this field!

Getting out of the Paris airport seemed ridiculously complicated but it didn't help that I didn't know where I was going.

Finally I figured out I needed to catch a train and and there would be some changing involved.

Okay, here goes nothing! The first train was an old one, and it was FREEZING!!!!!!

The landscape wasn't too inspiring either. It was old working buildings that looked run down much like the neighborhoods they were in.

Still, they looked beautiful in their own way and so did what they represented. A means for people who couldn't work in flashy offices to make a living.

The train went on for what seemed like ages.

Finally I reached Gare du Nord and needed to change to train line B heading towards what I thought was Nation.

I kept following the signs for line B until it felt I was about to leave the station itself! Finally when I ran out of signs, I asked a lady where this train line was?

Turns out she was catching the same train except heading the other way. She showed me which stop she was getting off at and it was the stop before mine! She said to follow her and we chatted a bit in French before she mentioned she moved from Peru and spoke Spanish! So again I had a mishmashed conversation but it was nice.

When I got to my stop I asked the lady at the counter where my street was and it seemed to take her forever to find it on her machine and then ask the other guy where it was. Turns out it was just outside and the next street to the left. It was near a traffic intersection roundabout kind of thing. After a conversation with the concierge and spending some time trying to figure out what to do I was told my room was ready. So I dropped my bags, rugged up and headed out.

So the first thing I see when I reach the roundabout again is the Moulin Rouge to my left! Really?? This is THE Moulin Rouge? So close? Cool.

I continue on and the next stop that arrests my attention is the 'fromagerie' or, cheese shop.

OMG!!! It seemed like there was every kind of cheese in there!! How was I going to be able to try it all?? After wandering around like a frustrated cat around a fishbowl, I headed off again.

The buildings were awesome and the streets had cobblestones. I took pictures of one set of buildings only to come across the exact same ones a block later.

Plus I was hungry and so wanted to eat something but everything was so big in size! Or pastries! They had some divine looking pastries and not just in special shops, but in every bakery! Amazing!

After finally spying a bakery I went in and saw some half edible sized pizzas. One I understood the ingredients of - 3 cheeses but the other one had mushrooms and something I couldn't figure out. So I asked the lady. Fish she told me. Ah, I'll take the cheese one. It was so good but so rich, still, I felt like I should finish it all.

While I was wandering, I now realised I had no idea where I was.

As I was walking down a street, an Indian guy asked me how I was in Hindi.

I should have kept walking but I made the mistake of turning around.

I asked him in English if he knew where my station was but he didn't.

We exchanged about three sentences, him speaking in Hindi and me in English before he asked if I understood Hindi.

Umm...obviously cause I've just been answering all your questions.

He had been working there for four years but didn't really speak much french.

Then he pointed out his friend who also worked with him and gave him his house security card and turned to walk with me.

No way! You don't have to come with me I told him.

Do you have a mobile number? No.

Are you here with your family? It seemed safest to say yes, and he visibly deflated at that.

Are you married? Was he for real?? I made some unintelligible noise and quickly wandered off.

What the??

I found another lady and asked her where the metro was and she pointed me in the right direction. I finally saw it, but it wasn't a name I recognized.

There was a map near it but it was quite high up. Is everyone so tall here?? I thought to myself while standing on tip toes to try and read it.

While I was performing this balancing act, an old lady came up to me and started exclaiming in French which I didn't understand.

She then pressed a button next to the map which lowered it to my height. Like those sliding ads at the train station. How embarrassing! As I looked, I realised I'd walkedabout 5 or 6 kilometres away from the hotel, and completely bypassed the Sacre Coeur which was plop bang in the middle of my wanderings!

Hmm...how to get back? I studied the map and tried to make sense of where I was and where I was going. With a somewhat plan in my mind, I headed off. The thing about the streets in Paris is that they all seem to merge into each other, especially at any kind of intersection - so you have to be careful that when you continue "straight ahead" you are actually still on the same street.

It also didn't help that the name of the main street near my hotel changed about three times beforehand. So even though it FELT like I was on the right road, the name seemed to suggest otherwise.

I wandered down this other long street and I think I must have been walking through an Afro French community cause there were so many African hairdressing salons there! And clothes shops and restaurants all catering to this market.

Then when I turned on the main road towards my hotel, I noticed I was in Pigalle, which is where one of my friends mentioned I should check out and I saw...sex shops.

Not just one or two, but HUNDREDS of them! Okay, slight exaggeration. But it was pretty much the entire street on both sides that had sex clothes shops, toy shops, show shops, broken up by a supermarket or traffic lights!

Finally made it back to the hotel and even though it was only around 5.30pm, I was tired. So I wrote a little, washed my hair, gave up trying to dry it with the dismally weak hotel hair dryer and then fell asleep around 7.30pm.

Goodbye Thailand!

prerana — Sun, 9 Dec 2012 09:42:00 GMT

The next day (26 Nov) Adrian is convinced that my big backpack will topple the motorcyle taxi over and since I can't take the water taxi, we have to walk about 10-12 minutes to the train station.

I insist on carrying my big backpack cause well, it's mine and he takes my little backpack. Even though it's not yet 9am it's quite hot and before long we're both sweating.

By the time we arrive at the train, Adrian is drenched! Hmm...not good. We finally arrive at his work and both stand in front of the fan to try and dry off.

I figure since it's a quiet day, I can go and see Skyfall which I missed in Melbourne. There's only one other person in the theatre.

Just before the movie starts, there's an announcement about standing up for the King's song. Are they for real I wonder and then I see the girl in front of me stand up.

Well, I guess it's the respectful thing to do, so I stand up too. The melody is quite nice and it shows clips from his childhood to now. Finally the movie starts and it's awesome. I'm glad I got to see it.

By the time it finishes, it's already 2pm. As I exit, I come across a kiosk making boiled sweets (like Suga in Melbourne) and they've only just started the process.

I've never seen the whole thing from start to finish before, so I stand and watch.

The entire process.

For an hour!

It's great that you can do stuff like this on holidays.

There's a lot of stretching and pounding and cutting and levelling going on. Iit's really a lot of effort that goes into this!

Finally they finish and I head back to Adrian's office. Final repacking and recharging takes me to five o'clock and Adrian asks if I've had my massage yet?

No, not yet.

Well you've still got time he tells me.

Sure, why not!

I don't feel guilty 'cause I figure the more time he has to get his work done the better.

I wander across and find the place he'd pointed out a few days ago. I think I should have a Thai massage, but at the last minute change it to an oil one 'cause that's what I feel like. Yup, just one hour.

An older lady comes along to take me to a room where she rubs my feet and ankles with a green scrub and then washes them and takes me upstairs. She gives me a pair of undies made with some kind of black pantyhose material and a hair net. She tells me to put these on and take everything else off. When she comes back she indicates to me to like on my stomach on the massage table and lays a sheet over my legs. She starts with my back and after she has enough oil on it I feel her climb on the table and I get the feeling she's kneeling over me. The pressure is firm but not unbearable, but it is hard to breathe at times when your breath is out of sync with her pushing. But it feels nice.

She then uncovers one leg, and tucks the undie away as high as it will go. Umm...okay. She then drizzles on more oil and proceeds to rub it into my upper quad and butt. I'm just thinking that she probably doesn't need to go so high when I feel distinct skimming between my legs. Hmm...I wait on the downstroke, and sure enough, there's touching again on the upstroke.

While definitely not my usual massage experience, I figure it's all okay as long as nothing goes in, I guess. She proceeds down my leg and then onto the other leg where it's exactly the same. Then she does my arms and asks me to turn over.

She does the other side of my arms and legs (no slightly inappropriate touching) and then removes the sheet off my chest and proceeds to massage my stomach.

Ouch, that hurts a wee bit and then proceeds to massage my chest.

Did Adrian forget to tell me something? Is this usual?

I have no way of knowing, but it seems okay and in keeping with the rest of the massage.

Finally we're done and she lets me know. I put my clothes back on and my body feels great.

I recall Velina saying I should get a facial if I get a chance, and they do have facials here but they are an hour long as well. I ask if she can do a half an hour one now, and she says okay.

In a way, the facial is more relaxing than or perhaps as a result of the massage.

I feel wonderful, and it's time to head back to the office and head out for dinner.

There are two things left to try, and Adrian promises me one of them at least. It is the same style as the papaya/green mango/carrot salad, but with roasted corn kernels! I'm so excited.

On the way we see another restaurant and it is selling crab! Excellent! We can do a dinner crawl.

We have the corn salad at the first restaurant and the waiter is a bit surprised that that is all that we're ordering.

It's good, but I feel like the corn could have been roasted more. It's missing a slight sweetness in the corn.

We finish up and head over to the crab place. Turns out it is the same place we went to the night before but it has a restaurant here as well. We order the same baby vomit dish, but with crabmeat. It's good, but the crab is nothing like the amazing crab in Singapore. Perhaps it would have tasted different if we'd ordered it in the shell?

It's time now to head to the airport, and once we arrive, there's just enough time for dessert - sticky rice and mango - albeit at about four times the price of that on the street at which we ate. The mango tastes just as delicious though.

As we're finishing, we hear what sounds like a crowd of over excited screaming girls. Was there a celebrity coming through I ask? Maybe it's Psy of Gangnam Style notoriety, he's supposed to be visiting. We look high and low and although we hear more intermittent screaming, we see no sign of any crowds.

Then it's time for me to head off and I'm a bit sad 'cause it's been an amazing stay. But, time for the next adventure.

Amphawa market

prerana — Sat, 8 Dec 2012 10:09:00 GMT

The next morning (25 Nov) it's still wet, but not raining.

I decide I'm not eating prison food (aka dry, sticky toast) so we head out.

We stop at a diner and Adrian orders a big breakfast and I steal a piece of "real" toast from him. I even get butter and strawberry jam! Oooh! Butter! Yum!

He asks if I want any tea and I'm about to say no, but then think maybe it will keep stomach and headaches away, so I have a cup. It's plain black tea and I can't believe how much of it I've drunk on this trip. Like I said - all those things I "couldn't" do or "wouldn't" do are fast flying out the window. We catch a taxi bus to the place where we need to catch the minivan from to get to the Amphawa market.

The minivan itself is set in a market of sorts. Immediately I'm distracted and want to check out everything.

There's a particular kind of sweet that reminds me of the kind we have in India - I think it's called "moori" - puffed rice mixed with warm cane suger (jaggery) and made into balls. I've always loved these when they're just made and still warm and sticky and chewy. Not so much when they go cold and become crunchy, even though that's how they're supposed to be eaten.

These sweets in the market look the same except they're disc like in shape. They'll have them at the market, Adrian informs me. Okay, plus it's not like I'd eat an entire packet. I only want one!

We get in the minivan and after about 10 minutes of waiting for the van to fill up, we're off! And about five minutes into our journey, it starts to rain. Gah! I'm most distressed, but as we leave Bangkok & head towards our first destination Mae Klong and the sun comes out, I'm infinitely happier.

Ridiculously, in fact! I dunno why, but I'm so happy I want to clap my hands and shout. I miss Miss Pooh - I could totally have done that with her around. With Adrian and a van full of strangers, I'm not so sure. I settle for telling him how excited I am. He seems amused.

We finally reach the city of Mae Klong and get into another taxi bus. And it's actually quite amazing how many people you can fit on one of these things. We have several school girls all hanging off the back, and a few stops down, a lady who looks to be transporting her entire restaurant with bags of vegies and dishes of cooked food in giant steel bowls gets on.

Finally we alight at the market. It seems huge and there's a mass traffic jam. Thankfully we wind our way between the cars quite easily and reach the stalls. I recognise some of the biscuits as the type brought back by staff who went to business trips to Thailand at my previous work.

But then - the real food starts! There's massive woks on either side of the lane I'm walking down and I eagerly check out everything. All the sights and the smells! Everything smells so good!

I wait for the usual disgusting market smell at some point, but it doesn't come. It all smells different, but delicious.

There are also all kinds of fruit (and goodness knows what else!) preserved in sugar syrup. I swear, one pack contained what looked like slugs! There are shredded vegetables and fried meats. In fact in some places, there are just raw meats.

There are sweets and candies and I exclaim as I recognise some candy I used to eat in Singapore. I want to stop and try everything, but the crowd around me makes it impossible. For now I try and move slowly devouring everything with my eyes. We get to the end of the lane and Adrian asks what I want to do. Doesn't he know me at all? Eat!

We walk along the river where there are boats docked, cooking everything you could hope for! People sit on the side, on tables made for children - the children of dwarves!

Even I have trouble sitting - my knees are almost around my ears! But we order the food and when it comes, all other thoughts flee.

We have river prawns, which look HUGE with their long legs and feelers. The actual body of the prawn is smaller in comparison. I break off the head and know I should suck it, but just cannot bring myself to do so. I notice Adrian doesn't either.

But the prawn bodies are big and firm and taste delicious. The dipping sauce we've been given is good - not as good as the heavenly chicken one - but good nonetheless.

We've also got squid - which I've never been a fan of, and unfortunately it still doesn't do anything for me. I let Adrian eat most of it.

We also have Pad Thai which is interesting as just before serving, the lady cooking it dumps a generous sprinkling of peanuts and sugar onto it. It's nice, but not the sugared parts which are too sweet.

I think there were four prawns and I wait til Adrian has finished shelling the last one. Then while he's distracted for a moment, I grab it out of his hand, dunk it in the sauce and take a big bite. It's just too delicious and he can get it here any time I point out.

You're gonna pay for that, he warns me. It tastes so good I almost believe him. We finish and continue checking out the market.

There are a lot of tshirts. And more food. And fruit & vegetables.

It's also getting quite warm so Adrian decides to get an ice cream. I'm not sure how it will be, so I don't order. He's about to get chocolate but then at the last minute changes to coffee - one of my favourite flavours.

The guy piles on what looks like the biggest ice cream cone ever!

Surely Adrian can't finish it all by himself!

I eat some of it to make it easier for him. It is delicious!

We walk along some more and I turn around and the ice cream is melting quite fast.

Oh no, poor Adrian can't eat it fast enough, so I help him out by eating some more.

He doesn't seem as appreciative as I expect.

In fact, next time I turn to help, he holds it out of reach.

Hmf! I jump up and down like a little kid without even realising!

Clearly Adrian thinks so 'cause he lowers it and let's me take another bite.

I bite into the cone for good measure as well.

Eventually the ice cream is finished and we come across the oddest looking things - Nipple Ice Cream!

It's these little rubber balloons filled with ice cream, with a "nipple" kind of protrusion that the lady snips off to release the ice cream. It looks so cool, I want one.

They have a flavour called vodka lychee which sounds interesting but I'm not convinced I would like it or eat it all.

I settle for vanilla butterscotch and convince Adrian to get one as well. I don't have to try very hard.

He gets the vodka lychee. We suck and swap and suck and swap until we're almost at the end of the market.

I'm ready to go home. I tell him we still have plans for Skybar and dinner. Yes, good point.

On the way back, the minivan runs directly to Bangkok. We have almost an hour's wait before the van is due to come. I could explore more, but I'm tired and it's very hot.

So we sit and I watch the girl who sold us the ticket and I swear she's some long lost cousin of Lawrence Fishburne (Morpheus from Matrix).

Once in the van, we are so thankful for the fan, but the couple next to us immediately pull out jackets and hide under them! Ha! So this is what I appear like to people in Australia! The trip back seems long and it starts to rain again. I fall asleep and wake up occasionally to ask if we're there yet.

Finally we get back to the city and we decide to get dinner before heading home. But it's a long and convoluted trip involving the taxi bus, a real bus and then a cab - but only 'cause it's raining and we don't have an umbrella else we would have walked.

Oh, when we get off at the bus stop, Adrian's not convinced that we're at the right place so he goes to check with the stationmaster. I see him ask a question and then the stationmaster takes his hand, either like a little kid or a lover, I can't decide which one, and takes him over to the map board.

Umm...okay...should I leave? Should I stay? Before I can decide, Adrian turns around and comes back. Yup, we're at the right place. We wait for a cab, but no one seems to want to stop. Poor Adrian stands in the rain while I'm at the bus steps under shelter. I offer to swap, but he declines. Finally a cab arrives and we're off to the promised dinner of seafood.

We arrive at what looks like a giant warehouse wrapped in clear plastic with lots of tables and rain and puddles everywhere.

Hmm...really?

We finally acquire a table and Adrian points out the dish he wants to order for us.

Yes, it looks like baby vomit, but it tastes really good.

No, he's not really selling it, but by now I've learnt to trust his taste in Thai food.

Unfortunately they've run out of crab meat for the dish that costs 270 Bhat, but we can order it with actual crab in shell which would be 700 bhat! Okay, so no crab.

We order it with prawns instead and also black pepper grouper.

The food arrives pretty quick and we waste no time fighting over the giant mushroom in the grouper dish with our forks.

Then the prawn dish, yes, it does look like baby vomit, but tastes delicious. It's like a less sweet version of panang curry with a soft scrambled egg kind of mixture through it.

He takes the last prawn as well. Boo! This is all to get back at me for this afternoon! No, it was an honest mistake he insists.

Finally we finish and he says a taxi from there to home will be about 150 bhat. I don't care I tell him, let's get one. I'm too tired to bus and whatever it. Turns out it only costs us 100 bhat!

It's been a long day, and I'm a touch disappointed that tomorrow will be my last day. For a fleeting moment I think I could live here, but the thought is gone almost as soon as I think it. It's time to pack and get all my scattered clothes in order again.

I go to sleep for the last night in Thailand.

Electronic market and Din Tai Fung

prerana — Sat, 8 Dec 2012 09:46:00 GMT

The next day (24 Nov) neither of us is in any rush to get up.

I think we're playing that game where if I make no noise, the other person won't realise I'm awake.

Eventually, hunger gets the better of us & we talk of our plans for the day. Floating market & external battery for my phone is all I really want, plus food! :-)

Okay, we start with breakfast - some kind of dodgy toast with marmalade and no butter.

I swear, I don't know where all my "must haves" and "can't live withouts" have gone!

After which, Adrian says he's going to put the laundry on. Yay! I have some clothes. I put the stuff I've been carrying into his basket.

What about those that you wore he asks, pointing to items still lying on my bag. What, is he my mother now?

But fair call, I realise I may as well wash everything.

While we wait for the laundry, I type out my journal and...it starts to rain.

Doh! Why won't this rain leave me alone?? We could always take a chance and go to the market - it might not be raining there, he says.

Nah, we change our plans to visit the electronic market and have dinner instead.

As we're walking and trying to avoid the rain, we pass a satay stick vendor!

Ooh!! Can we have?? Just a small amount! We order six sticks of chicken satay and gobble up every one of them. Mmm...so delicious!

Again, my paranoia of getting sick is really playing no part on my intake of food. As we continue along, I see a guy selling corn cobs! Ooh!! Corn! We get one, cause as Adrian points out, it will be easier to eat it indoors than outside in the rain. Good point.

We wander around inside. I follow mainly 'cause I have no idea where we're going or what I should get! Adrian checks out a few kiosks and asks prices. There are four levels to this place and the higher up you go, the more authentic the product, and higher the price.

On a side note, the Thai sales assistants are fascinating to watch. They eat, preen, chat, all at their shop and will serve you if they are free, or while doing their make up if they must. It's quite fascinating.

Anyway, we decide on a battery, purchase it and head out to dinner. Din Tai Fung - one of my favourite dumpling places!

We're expecting a long wait and the restaurant, like all over the rest of the world, is quite busy, but we're called in after about 5 minutes. Having placed our order while outside (this place is the epitome of efficiency!) the food arrives quite quickly.

First there is Dan Noodles - thin long noodles that come in a kind of sesame paste concoction. The noodles are great, Im' not a massive fan of the sesame. Then - the dao miao - snow pea shoots with garlic. I love these! But they seem a little different here to the kind in Singapore. More stem, and just a touch stringy. Then my favourite - Xiao Ling Bao - steamed shanghai dumplings with soup inside. Mmm...I load up my spoon with ginger soaked in vinegar & put a dumpling on it. Next I nibble the dumpling skin to let the steam out, and then to suck out all the soup. I always do this 'cause if the soup is too hot, I'll inevitably burn my tongue. The soup is not too hot this time though, that's good. Then comes our final dish - steamed prawn & gourd dumplings. It's okay, but I wouldn't have it again. The skin of the dumpling is fine, the prawns delicious, but there's something about the gourd - reminds me of silverbeet, except crunchy, but with the same taste of sand. Nope, not a fan.

It's not that late, and we listen to a couple of businessmen on the next table talk about rockets an planes and how to arm them and set them off. Interesting!

It's been a relatively short day, but we're both recovering from the week we've had so decide to call it a night.

We head home & I write some more, and hope the weather will be better tomorrow.

Back to Bangkok from Chiang Mai!

prerana — Wed, 5 Dec 2012 09:04:00 GMT

Once on the plane in Chiang Mai heading back to Bangkok, I had to get past a guy & a lady to get to my seat.

The guy stood up and the lady took my bag while I got into my seat. As she passed it to me, she said "Hola!".

"Muchos gracias" I responded.

She looked at me "Hablas espanol?" she asked.

"Un poco" I told her.

Ha! This was so cool! Who would have thought I'd need my Spanish so quickly. Unfortunately, all my Spanish seemed to have fallen out of my head 'cause I could only make simple sentences and forgot the words for everything.

Then as she was telling me about her life, she mentioned she spoke French!

"Parlez vous francais?" I asked.

"Oui, et tu?".

"Oui, un petit peu." So then began an absolutely mishmashed conversation of French & Spanish. Well, from my side anyways. She at least stuck to one language per sentence.

I found out she & her husband owned a restaurant near Barcelona. Her sister had married a guy from India, and her son had travelled around Australia for a month but didn't really speak English and the guy on the other side of the aisle from us was a lawyer and spoke very good English! It was a lot of fun and both her and her husband were lovely. At the end of the flight I got their details and she told me to write. Her husband said to make sure to include that we met on the plane. Funny guy!

Okay, next stop was Adrian's office. I remembered how to get back there, but with my phone now dead, I'd have to get a pass up to his floor. They asked for ID at the front desk so I gave my passport. The lady took it and gave me a lift pass. My passport? No, I keep it and you can collect it when you come back.

All the alarms in my head started going off and as I took tentative steps away, every movie with lost passports started coming to me.

Nope! I went back and asked if I could leave something else? Driver's licence?

Anything with photo ID. Oh yeah, sure! Feel free to keep my driver's licence.

I headed up feeling much safer. After Adrian finished, we headed back towards the train & caught motorcycle taxis back to his home. Except due to the traffic and how late it was, he directed the bikes to travel along the pavement for the last two kilometres! Thank goodness we only saw one startled pedestrian but no one else.

Then it was time to get changed and head out to dinner. If Adrian hadn't been impressed with my choice of food earlier, he was even less impressed with my choice of lunch today. But my KFC wrap had this spicy sauce & it was really delicious! He was not convinced. Okay, well this is what I'm here for! Great food, so where are we going? He had in mind a place he eats at least once if not twice a week. Okay, done!

We caught a taxi this time & it dropped us off across the road from the restaurant. There was heavy traffic and we had to cross. As Adrian stepped out on the road without me, I quickly followed, thinking we were going to dash across the road, but no, he almost slowed down as we crossed. Are you trying to get me killed? No, apparently if you walk slow, it gives the cars time to see you. Uh huh!

Once inside, he asked what I wanted to eat? Aren't you the expert? Okay, how about grilled chicken and something that's like green papaya/mango salad but with carrots & some kind of dish with pork neck?

Umm...grilled chicken? Was he serious?

Well it's what they're famous for.

Oh okay, sure. I was completely dubious - I mean really! Grilled chicken? I've had it in Australia - bland, tasteless. Our meal arrived a short while later and it was just as I suspected! The thigh of a chicken, chopped up in five pieces. And it still had bones in it!

Those who know me, know that I don't like anything but fillets so this was going to be interesting!

Adrian then informed me that the dipping sauce at this place is the best he's had.

I looked at the puddle of brown goop in the dish. Sigh. Okay, here goes.

I cut half a piece, dipped it into the sauce, put it in my mouth...and OMG! It tasted absolutely delicious! Oh goodness! It was divine He was totally right! The sauce was amazing. Sweet, salty, tangy with chilli and coriander, and the chicken even tasted like chicken. It actually had some flavour of its own. It wasn't bland or dry or tough. It was just perfect. I expressed my delight.

Then tasting the carrot salad, which seemed heavily dressed in chilli. It was great! I didn't eat any of the chillies but the carrot in the dish made it so colourful and really fresh! We had sticky rice which Adrian dipped into the juice of the salad, but I wanted to dip everything into that chicken dipping sauce. It was so good. I took another piece and didn't even notice there were bones as I picked all the meat off.

Who was this person? Normally picking bones was such a chore, but right now it seemed like the most natural thing in the world!

Next, the pork neck dish. I was a bit dubious still, but Adrian had done well with the other two dishes so I took a piece. Umm...yeah, not really. I tried dipping it in the magic sauce, but even that couldn't save it for me. I let him know, and he said it wasn't as good as he was expecting. Phew! It meant our tastes were still on the same page!

After we'd finished I could so easily have ordered and shared another of the chicken dishes, but when Adrian encouraged me, I came to my senses and said, no more chicken, but what are we doing for dessert?

What did I want he asked?

Hmm...I couldn't believe how there were no English desserts even floating in my head. There was only one dessert befitting of such a meal - sticky rice with mango!

As awful as it still sounded, I'd had some at a Thai restaurant in Washington DC and it was surprisingly good.

Done! He said. And then after, I can take you to this jazz bar I know.

Jazz? Ugh! Visions of syncopated music and random notes appear in my head. Really? I'm trying to be open minded but he's making it really hard.

Okay...we jump into another taxi and head over to where there are food stalls everywhere. This place has the best sticky rice & mango he informs me. I want his job I decide, as it seems to consist solely of going to every eatery and trying food. We're seated at a dinky steel table atop a couple of wobbly plastic chairs.

All my doctor's warnings come back to me. I check with Adrian if it's really safe. I've only been sick a few times he informs me nonchalantly.

Gah! Not very reassuring! The sticky rice arrives and I look at it in trepidation. I take a teeny tiny bit and taste it. OMG! I know, you think I'd be over this amount of excitement over everything right? What can I say? The food tastes SO good! I have a piece of the mango and I almost swoon and fall off my chair. It is SO good, I inform Adrian. After every second mouthful. The sticky rice, the texture, the taste of the creamy coconut milk, punctuated, surprisingly, by the barest sprinkle of salty fried golden lentils. After we finish, I'm sure I could have ordered and eaten another three of those!

Okay, to the bar! It's got amazing lycheejitos he tells me.

Yes, but it's jazz I lament in my head.

We catch another cab to the jazz bar. It's a teeny tiny place almost like Chez Regine in Melbourne, except that it's got a second floor, but not that much more space up there. I already don't like it and I don't like the music. Thank goodness there's no space.

We walk along from it, and come across another place. It seems nice and has the most lovely jasmine smell from all the jasmine planted around the edge of the deck. Drink? We scan the menu & I see a lycheejito. Done!

Adrian seems to take longer and ends up ordering a beer. Both drinks come in ridiculously big & tall glasses. This is ONE drink? As we drink & chat, I realise the music there is really good and kind of eclectic. I look over and there's this young kid who looks like he's about 12 DJing there. As we listen, a piece comes on which I haven't heard for years, but recognise instantly.

I love this piece, I exclaim! This is jazz Adrian tells me. What? This piece - Take Five? Yup, and then proceeds to tell me about old jazz and new jazz.

Can we talk after this piece is over I interrupt?

Sure. I sway along feeling full, happy, content. After a while the music changes tempo and it's more modern stuff. We've almost finished our drinks.

You know what, I say. I want to really go dancing!

Okay, I know of a place says Adrian.

Of course he does! I could have said I want to go to an opium den and smoke a pipe while lying in a bath of yak's milk & rose oil while being serenaded by blind violinists and I would have still got that response.

I love that he's just so easy to do stuff with. Agreeable. That's a good word.

I finish the big lychee that I've been hoarding in my drink all this while and we hop into another cab.

I love all this cab hopping I say, makes me feel like I'm in a spy movie.

Yup, Adrian tells me, it makes things so much easier because they are so cheap! The cab driver we get is a real chatty fellow and I tune out of the conversation. After a while Adrian informs me they've been talking about prostitutes. Of course they have.

We arrive at Adrian's choice of venue. Oh my goodness! There's a lift that goes upstairs from the ground floor and it opens up to a kind of rooftop balconyesque area, followed by the main dance area and bar under a huge chandelier, beyond which are the toilets and another dance area playing trance.

We both need to go to the bathroom and I can't help but laugh when I see the signs. There's a silhouette of a rooster for the boys and one of a cat for the girls. Hilarious! In the toilets are some absolutely stunning girls. This one Naomi Campbell lookalike, except with curly afro hair is particularly stunning. She walks out in front of me.

I catch up with Adrian & he informs me that she is a hooker, probably earning about $1,000 per night.

Gah! Then he proceeds to tell me that probably most of the girls there are the same.

Hmm...and we're here because? Well the music's good, no doubt, and the place is amazing and I really want to dance!!!!

We find an open spot, but I can tell quite quickly that it is going to be difficult 'cause there is so much to just SEE!

The girls are incredible - some for all the wrong reasons. We have cheerleaders, schoolgirls, dresses with so many panels cut out you wonder what's holding it together and girls who are very clear about what they're after.

Then, there are the guys. Older guys - probably mid to late forties. It is hilarious watching them trying to dance with the girls. Most seem to be from Europe.

We create a game of I spy a bald guy, which is fun until we spy a guy with moobs (man boobs). He's wearing a tight Where's Wally tshirt (ie. red & white stripes) with a full beard and lots of hair to boot. At first we are just too shocked & curious to stop staring, but he doesn't notice us.

Then he starts "dancing". I almost fall over in laughter. He stands with one hand in his pocket and head turned to the side, while shaking one knee. OMG! It's the funniest thing ever! The night continues like this. We dance until one of us is distracted, laugh, then dance again.

Inevitably, the music turns to crap that you can no longer dance to, so we leave. It is quite late after all, but thank goodness tomorrow is Saturday.

We fall into another cab and head home.

Tiger Kingdom, Chiang Mai

prerana — Tue, 4 Dec 2012 08:16:00 GMT

The next morning (23 November) after a mad rush to pack, I headed down to wait for my taxi that I had arranged for 500 bhat. I hoped it was a nice one. I pondered again what I was paying for and it was tempting to ask a red taxi driver how much, but then, guessing it was probably 300 bhat; and I'd have an air conditioned (hopefully!) enclosed car just for me, the difference shouldn't be too bad. 8 o'clock came and went and with my flight fixed, I was getting a bit worried, but it finally arrived about 15mins later and out stepped...a girl! I was so surprised!

She seemed lovely and as we got underway and I asked her how long she'd been driving, she informed me that she worked at the hotel and we'd met and didn't I recognise her? Hmm...I think...the previous night? Yes, she says. Right! Okay so she's now 27 and has been driving since she was 19! Wow! And she's engaged and her fiance is also a driver.

We finally get to Tiger Kingdom, which I've been told opens at 9am. There's a sign that the place opens at 9am, but after checking, my driver tells me it will open at 9.30am. No worries, it's now almost 9am, I can wait. I wander into the reception area & see a couple of tigers in the enclosure right behind the front desk. Having heard about the alleged drugging that goes on to keep the tigers sedate, these two definitely do not look sedate as they paw and maul each other. This goes on for a while. I then wander around and check the tshirt prices - nope, will not be getting any of those either. Plus they look like crap compared to the ones at ENP. I check the prices of how much to see the tigers. They're split by the size of the tiger and to see them all as I'd originally thought would be close to 2000 bhat! Hmmm...and then I notice this 299 bhat/cage for photos. Does that mean we're not allowed to take our own photos?

I go over to the lady at the front desk and say, "Can I ask a question? Are you allowed to take photos with the tigers? Can someone else take it of you?". She glares at me, and in her nasally voice informs, "You can take photos but if you're alone then you have a problem, don't you? Why don't you read the sign!" she crescendos banging the same 299 bhat sign on her desk.

WHAT THE F**K???

I'm completely taken aback by her attitude. My brain turns and walks off. I want to grab her hair and smash it on the table. But, I convince myself that it's about the tigers and not some crazy rude bitch. I walk away and my driver comes to me. I tell her about the incident and surprisingly, my driver says that the woman gave her attitude as well.

Just then an older, American guy comes to check out the prices. She leaps from her desk and starts fawning all over him. Yes sir, can I help you sir? I hear them talk about the photos and he says that he'll pay for it as well. As he heads over to pay, I have a brainwave and dash across to him.

So, seeing the tigers today huh? Which ones? Large & small? I can live with that. So I heard you got photos? Well, if we go together, we could just take pictures of each other & you don't need to pay!

He thinks a moment and says to the cashier, no photos!

She looks confused and dare I say it, almost worried as she hurries off to the bitch and comes back with a new bill for the guy.

I unfortunately have to head to the bitch again to book my tickets. Big & small I inform her. She doesn't even speak to me this time, instead passing over a book to fill in my details. Briefly I wonder what the assault laws are in this country, but again, I try and just focus on the tigers.

So US guy & I chat for a while. He's a widower & lives in Florida.

Where am I from? Australia. You speak very good English he informs me.

I do? Umm...I've lived there for a long time, I tell him. They speak English there? He asks.

I look at him surprised, not sure if he's joking. Umm... yes, what did you think they spoke? I dunno, Australian?

Is this guy for real? I change topics and ask about him. Turns out his wife got breast cancer 3 months after they were married and fought it for 12 years, passing away earlier this year. He's almost crying as he tells me.

Doh! I feel bad for my previous geographically challenged assessment of him and now his wife. I ask what he's doing here and he says he's looking to move over. Huh, interesting! We chat a bit more and then it's time to go in!

First stop is big tigers. We're asked to leave our bags outside & I hesitatingly do so & we enter. There's four tigers and four couples. While one guy sets up my tiger, another distracts the other with a big silver ball that he taps and the tiger just follows it & stays where he leaves the ball. Amazing!

Then US guy & I go over to the first tiger. He seems pretty placid and I sit next to him, lie next to him & hug him! Then before we know it the other tiger has come back and there's some movement between the two tigers that the keeper tries to keep apart. My tiger eventually runs off and US guy has his pictures taken with the new female tiger. We then have our picture taken with a couple of other tigers - it is an amazing experience.

Then the keeper asks if we want him to take pictures of both of us? Sure! So he does. And before we know it, we're done. The large tigers were quite docile, but when you had two of them, they seemed to come to life so to speak.

We were directed towards the smaller tigers cage and these seemed a lot more "lethargic". Well, some of them. Others were more excitable and received a hit on their nose by the keeper for their trouble. Although there was one which the keeper picked up and dragged across the floor and the tiger just kind of let itself be dragged. I gotta say, I found that very strange. Again, same deal - we lie next to the tigers & get pictures taken with a couple of different ones. Then we're free to roam around and check out the other tigers.

There are lots! Some really big ones, some tiny ones and a handful of newborns. And, a lion! It was a bit of a skinny lion, but a lion nonetheless. The little tigers were by far the most active, and so cute! There were an Austrian couple by the newborns and we wondered why they were not with their mother, and thought it might be because they're trying to get the tigers used to being handled by people straight away?

Hmm...overall, it was awesome to see the tigers, for sure. Bitch experience notwithstanding, I would probably recommend seeing the little tigers as they are a lot more interactive, and yeah, go with someone who can take pictures of you.

After we left, I checked the time and realised I had plenty of time before my flight back to Bangkok. My driver had mentioned earlier that there was a butterfly & orchid place, so I asked her to drop in there, now that I had all this time. It was a relatively small place but with a huge range of orchids all growing hydroponically! They had some plants in jars that people were buying as well as a lot of jewellery made from actual flowers or butterfly wings.

After this, my driver asked where I wanted to go? Hotel, shopping mall near the airport or airport? Hmm...she seemed to be keen on the shopping mall, so fine. I thought if I had time I might be able to watch Skyfall as well! No such luck! Took me forever to find my way around this place and I spied a KFC, so I stopped there to eat. Again, I got this weird feeling that people were avoiding the area I was sitting in, but I just wrote in my journal until this group of kids sat on the table next to me. It was time, so I caught a little red taxi to the airport. I was quite looking forward to getting back to Bangkok.

Went to Bangkok Airways to get their wifi code & the lady ushered me into their lounge area which was pretty nice, so stayed there til it was almost time to board.

Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai

prerana — Sun, 2 Dec 2012 07:50:00 GMT

The next morning (22 November) I woke up just before my alarm went off at 7am. I could hear a rooster crowing and for a moment it felt like I could have been in India. I got dressed, headed downstairs and grabbed a bite of breakfast.

Soon a minivan pulled in and a tiny Thai girl in a bright yellow tshirt jumped out and called my name and I hopped into the van. It was so quiet and everyone seemed terribly unexcited to be there. Oh great, this is was going to be one of those groups. To be fair, I thought, it is early and they could all be tired. I glanced around, next to me were seated a young couple who upon first glance I surmised as possibly being Australian surfie types due to the many bracelets worn by each. In front of them were another couple who I guessed were from Europe from the look of the guy I could see. Behind me were sitting two Indian guys and what looked like a girl from the US. And another couple in the back row. The silence was broken by the guy behind me who was detailing to his friend about how expensive last minute flights were and where he was going next, etc. Surprisingly, no Indian accent. It was, in fact, American.

After a while, Little Miss Yellow Tshirt turned and introduced herself to us. Her name was Gong (call me Gongster) and she would be our tour guide for the day, and had a video for us to watch. It showed the elephants in Thailand and how they are used to beg on the streets, and how Lek (meaning “small” in Thai) had created the Elephant Nature Park (ENP) and rescued the elephants there.

I gotta say it was pretty sad how those elephants had previously been treated.

And then my cynical brain kicked in when it was it was probably to prime us for spending/donating lots when we got there.

And then my other brain retorted that given the place was a refuge and ran mostly on visitors, it was only reasonable that they would try and make the most of the visitors, and at the end of the day it’s up to you what you decide to do, right?

Okay, truce? Okay.

Thank goodness!

We continued along and stopped at a service station for a toilet break & if we needed to buy anything ie. insect repellent! My wonderful brother, among many other things, had lent me a can of super duty repellent but I hadn’t packed it ‘cause I thought you weren't allowed to take aerosols on planes! Silly, silly! I wandered around the shop twice, but no insect repellent did I see! I spied “surfie guy” at the counter and asked if he had seen any during his turn around the shop, but he said no. He had the loveliest English accent. He said they had enough and I was more than welcome to use theirs.

Just then Gong came up with cans so a few other people bought them as well. We wandered outside when “not surfie, English guy” lit up a cigarette and his wife came around the corner. She was gorgeous up close with ginormous eyes and that creamy smooth skin that only the English seem to have been blessed with. I could have just watched and listened to them all day.

They were on a one month holiday, on their last week. they were both in marketing and worked in his father’s company. A place that provided electrical services to large commercial buildings like shopping centres. They were both so lovely and animated, it was good to have someone to talk to. We continued on our way and passed a few other establishments that also seemed to have elephants, but these were either chained in shelters or hitched up for taking people on rides.

Once we arrived at the ENP, after the introduction, we were to feed the elephants! Bananas, pineapples & pumpkins! Everyone had their pictures taken of them feeding the elephant by their partners. This has got to be one of the more annoying parts of travelling alone. But thankfully I asked lovely English girl if she wouldn’t mind, and she was happy to do so. Our elephant we discovered was not partial to pumpkin at all. She would take it, and then discreetly drop it at her feet and bring her trunk back for something sweeter. The elephant trunk was covered in short coarse black hair and felt like slightly cold worn tyre rubber, but wrinkled. Elephants also have a “finger” on the tip of their trunk, with which they can pick up smaller things, but our poor elephant had had hers chopped off. Apparently the “fingers” together with hair from the elephant tail is meant to be lucky to the Thai people. I remembered a guy at my high school also wearing a ring with elephant hair in it. It’s a bit sad the idiotic beliefs that we as humans hold sometimes.

After we’d finished feeding, we went to see the baby elephant, Nawan (which means either “piece of gold” or “the face of God”) who was born 3 weeks earlier. His mother, Si Phere (Landmine) was so called ‘cause she’d stepped on a landmine while working in Cambodia. Her foot was definitely damaged, but not as badly as it could have been. They didn’t realise she was pregnant when they took her in and I think this is the first birth at the park. The baby elephant was SO cute! It was tiny compared to his mother & running around after a ball with this seemingly too long trunk. We watched them both for quite a while, and finally moved when the next group came along. We then went to see Boon Ma (special elephant) so called because of the percentage of “white” (actually more like a dirty pink) on her body. We all had pictures taken with her while trying to avoid bumping into, or coming in front of the other elephants that were coming over. All this avoiding being crushed or trampled makes for hard work so it was good we had lunch next.

Lunch consisted of about eight different dishes from noodles to vegies & tofu. I’m not sure if there was any meat, as I don’t recall taking or seeing any. We also had salads (which I took a miniscule amount of due to the whole raw food paranoia) and fresh fruit (which I did partake of, my paranoia not extending to the delicious, sweet golden pineapples!) and Thai dessert - consisting of jelly & coconut milk.

I got to know the other people a bit over lunch. Turns out the American girl (who also had ginormously beautiful eyes and the the loveliest silky sand and sable coloured hair!) and one of the Indian guys (who I swear reminded me of someone, but I didn’t realise til later it was a character from an Indian CSI equivalent show!) were married and had recently quit their jobs, sold up everything and were on an eight month holiday! Wow! That floored us all as we eagerly pressed for more details. They were doing mainly south east asia, but would spend some time in India after which they were going trekking in Nepal! Incredible! The other guy with the big camera was their friend and had known 8 month guy from uni days. I also found out that lovely English couple were not in fact married but engaged.

After lunch we went to see another video, which detailed the start of ENP and focused in more depth on the torture of the elephants, specifically how they are used for street begging & a form of “initiation” to domesticate them for doing work. This part was quite difficult to watch as it involved poking the elephant with a stick that had a nail at one end. The “trainers” would poke it in its legs, sides, eyes, basically anywhere to make the elephant yield to them. I swear at one stage it looked like the elephant was being hit on top of its head with an ice pick looking thing. Very sad and yet it continues under the guise of “tradition”. The video cast a big shadow of gloom across the room and there was pin drop silence, when all of a sudden one of the many roaming dogs launched itself at the screen that was showing the movie. What the? We all started. It had seen a chicken on the screen! It did it again when next it saw another dog on the screen and then again when there were more chickens. It provided some comic relief to an otherwise very sombre video.

We then went outside, and the next activity was to bathe the elephants! Since a few of us only had one pair of shoes, we thought of taking them off and going in barefoot, but none of us were brave enough to do so until we saw Camera guy doing that exact thing. Okay, we said, we’ll wait for him, and if he’s okay then we’ll do it as well. He stepped into the water and didn’t immediately come out shrieking in pain so we surmised it was okay. The water was wonderfully cool but it was a bit hard to balance in places because the rocks in the river were quite slippery.

After that we headed back to the baby elephant, taking more photos along the way. This time when we got there, the baby was having a bath in this huge washtub. He was inside and trying to get out. It looked easy enough, but he couldn’t seem to coordinate all his legs and lift them high enough to get out. He finally got out and ran around a bit. I noticed a photographer taking pictures of him but didn't realise until quite a few minutes later that it was Lek! She looked quite different in work clothes - pants with knee length gumboots, flannel shirt, her hair plaited and a bandana tied around her forehead. Wow! The owner actually working with her workers and helping out? How quaint! Now Nawan wanted to get in again. The second time he wanted to get out, he managed to get both left feet out before pushing too hard and falling right out of the tub on his side where he lay for a moment before scrambling up again. It was the most hilarious thing! Soon after we fed the elephants again and then it was home time.

Lovely English couple asked if I had any plans and if not would I like to join them for a drink? That would be great! It ended being us, 8 month couple & camera guy. We went to a place recommended by both Gong and the owner of the others' hostel owner. When we got there, the lady told us there was an hour wait and we could out our name on a list and come back in half an hour. Yup, hour long wait but come back in half an hour. Their sister restaurant was across the two way traffic road and we could get a drink there while we waited. We headed over, causing one side to screech to a halt.

What? That's how everyone crosses right?

No one took note of when we got there or how long it had been, so when English & 8 month guy went to check, they came back telling us that our table had been given away because we were too late. We all went across again, causing more tyre screeching as we crossed. A few minutes later, the lady told us there was a table at the restaurant across the road. So back we went with the usual tyre screeching and had dinner.

I had the green mango salad which was delish but we tasted a bit of everyone's food. We found out a bit more about each other including that lovely English guy was an illustrator with his own blog! You should totally check it out: www.iamotter.co.uk as it is totally delightful, much like the author himself!

Then as it was so late at night, the entire group walked me back to my hotel even though I tried to insist it was no big deal, before heading back. All in all, a very successful and fun day!

Technologically incompetent ninny goes to Chiang Mai

prerana — Sun, 2 Dec 2012 05:53:00 GMT

The next day after giving me transport options, it came down to either catch a boat to work or a motorbike taxi. Adrian seemed hesitant about letting me go on the motorcycle taxi, as you ride on the back without a helmet, but after my experience with the Macau ferry, I was most reluctant to get on the boat. Hmm...I peeked outside, saw the water taxi literally bouncing along the water and that decided it! Give me the motorcycle or give me death!

We walked to the motorcycle taxi stand and there was only one guy there. As Adrian started to tell me that I should go first and giving me further instructions, my heart started pounding. Surely he was not going to set me off in this chaos on a motorbike...ALONE!!! Umm...can’t we just wait until there are two and go together? Adrian seemed quiet and confused for a moment, but then said yes, we could. We waited for less than a minute before another motorbike puttered up. Here goes nothing! They were really small bikes, I’m sure we’ll be fine, I prayed as first myself, then Adrian took off.

It...was...brilliant!!!! OMG! It was so much fun!!! The traffic wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected and the rider was nowhere near as manic! He did weave through the traffic & split lanes, but never carelessly. And whenever we got too close to a shiny car (of which there were surprisingly many!) he would carefully inch his way next to it, so as to hit neither’s review mirrors. But once we were clear, vroom! He’d be off again! The only thing was that the bike had dodgy brake pads, which squealed everytime he braked hard. But apart from that it was exhilarating! It wasn’t a race or nuttin, but I confess I was a wee bit disappointed when Adrian’s bike arrived at our destination first. Even if mine was only a second behind.

We climbed up the stairs and I found myself at a train station which was really well set up. There was a map that showed you where you were and every other station had a number next to it indicating the cost to get there. There was even a change counter as the ticket machines only took coins. Very efficiently organised! Poor Adrian had to keep paying for everything as I was wandering around with a 1000 Bhat note and nowhere to break it.

Finally we got to his building - set in a very modern glass shopping mall set next to a kind of street exhibition. There was a skywalk from the station into this building and we had to walk through “The Tunnel of Happiness” - a covered mirrored walkway with the words “Happiness”, “Joy”, etc written everywhere, after which we stopped at a cafe for breakfast.

Yay! Chance to break my note! The lady at the counter seemed worried about the note asking if we had anything smaller. Nope. Okay, she nodded and then put it away together with our bill and walked away. Is she going to give me any change?? My anxious mind panicked before the sensible one chirped in with, of course she is, she’s gone to get it!

I dropped my bag in Adrian’s office and with instructions on how to get a Thai SIM card, I wandered off into the shopping centre. I should have realised this was going to be a difficult task. I asked for a SIM card for the iPhone and the girl knew immediately what I was after. I tried to pay with a 500 Bhat note, but they didn’t have change.

She took my phone and was changing the chip when this guy walked up next to me. He asked another girl for a card and she went to check. We started chatting and she came back and said the card he was after was not available and to choose another one, then walked away.

They don’t like us, he whispered to me. Excuse me? They don’t like us “pharangs”, foreigners because of the exploitation you know.

Umm...I don’t think I would be likely to partake of those activities I told him.

Oh yes, but some men are really sleazy, and they paint all us guys with the same brush, that’s why she’s treating me this way. It’s like, I don’t want to serve you, I’m only doing it ‘cause it’s my job.

Uh huh! In the meantime, my server, who I thought was fine, said she couldn’t get the SIM card to work in my phone and was it locked ‘cause it worked instantly in this other phone, see?

Umm...locked? Oh...maybe...can you unlock it? No, she couldn’t but if I took it to one of the smaller kiosks, they would be able to do it. Right, thanks. The guy said you can get the phone unlocked anywhere in Bangkok, but it was illegal, so they probably wouldn’t do it there.

Illegal?? Surely not, my contract was over!

I wandered over to another kiosk I’d passed earlier and asked the guy if he could unlock my phone. He had a look and said 500 Bhat, but it will take one hour. Erm...did I wanna be without my phone for that long? Never mind the cost which seemed slightly excessive!

I’ll think about it I told him after I replaced the Thai SIM with my Aussie one. What now? Gah! Why didn’t I remember to do this in Australia?? Doh! There was no help for it. I had to call upon my knight again. I texted him. Phone not unlocked, am downstairs at your office lift. How embarrassing! He must have thought I was some kind of technologically incompetent ninny!

Oh well, if that was all & my SIM card problem was solved, I’d be okay with that. We had a brief discussion and I recalled vaguely that I could unlock it over the net. I tried on his computer and long story short, ended up with it unlocked, but lost all my apps in the process! Sigh...oh well, I was thankful for small mercies! I’d live without ALL my apps til I was home again.

While the phone was unlocking, Adrian suggested we go to lunch. As hesitantas I was to leave my phone alone in an unattended office, he told me no one could come in, and even if someone did break in, there were far more valuable things to steal than my effectively a paperweight phone. He had such a reassuring way of putting things. Fine. Lunch awaited.

Having been in Asia for about 5 days now and not eaten much Asian food at all, Adrian decided we had to eat Thai. I let him order for me and got a green curry fried rice with marinated pork and salted fish. Hmm...while he assured me it was great, I couldn’t help but notice that my neighbour had ordered the same meal and left most of it uneaten. Oh well.

The food came quickly enough, and while I had contracted a promise to help with finishing the meal, I surprised myself by eating it all myself. I then happened to look up and into the kitchen window, and wait, could it be? There was a woman in there...putting into a juicer what looked suspiciously like guava pieces! I squealed in delight! I want! I informed Adrian. Be a good chap and make it happen :p which he did, and I was presented with the elixir of heaven.

It tasted absolutely divine! People (myself included) who’ve had packaged “guava juice” have no idea what you’re missing out on. That disgusting, sweet pinkish good is nothing compared to the real thing. This tasted so much like guava that you expected to crunch on the fruit any moment. It tasted like exactly what it was - liquid guava. There were a few tiny pieces of the fruit that I gobbled up, savouring every crunch & juicy goodness. I was well and truly sated and would have liked nothing more than to curl up somewhere and purr and sleep. No such luck!

I collected my bag from the office and thankfully the trip to the airport went smoothly & without incident. Once I was on board, an older man got on and sat one seat away from me. He had got on with another similar aged man and I wondered if they were friends or partners. A few minutes after sitting, he said hello and we started chatting.

He was German and the other guy was his brother. At first we just spoke about the usual stuff - did he live here?

Yes, he had been in Bangkok for a year now and had moved to Chiang Mail. What did he do here?

He was retired. Oh, what did he do before?

He was a sports writer. Ha! Now that’s quite interesting. I tell him about my trip and ask him more and find out that he’s been to South America where he followed the German Football team for three months to report, used to play professional football himself when he was young, had one of his team mates die in a drunk drive incident when he was in his late teens and it was a wake up call for him that he wasn’t invincible and that he should think about the future.

He never got married, never had kids, has been single for the past 18 years, but currently supports a “bar girl” who he is not intimate with. He also misses his friends who are all back in Germany, as are his two brothers, but he goes back every year for Christmas.

I asked how he liked it, and he seemed okay, but he said he just missed having people he could talk to. He said most of the people he knew here were good to go out with for drinks and laugh with, but he couldn’t talk to them.

I understand that, but in a lot of ways, he made some interesting choices and it seems like he’s been true to himself and done everything he wanted to, and has no regrets, and in most ways he seemed...content. I ask if he missed company, and he told me about his most recent relationship (currently no longer) and then he spoke about change in people and how so many people didn’t do what they wanted, or even knew what they wanted because of fear of change.

I asked if he missed not having kids of his own and he said no. I think I believe him. It was a really interesting & moving conversation. He was so matter of fact about everything. I guess one could say it’s a German thing, but he seemed passionate when he spoke of his travels and this blog that he’s putting together and the lack of change in others.

We parted ways at the airport and I had a lovely driver take me to my hotel. It seemed different at first to the pictures on the web, but then I guess, what doesn’t? Upon closer inspection I recognised parts of it, like the wood crosses on the gables, the mediterranean looking pool with it’s dark blue tiles and terracotta colouring around.

I went to my room which was on the second floor and right next to the laundry area. As soon as I walked in, I thought, oh, this is nice. the room itself was also a warm orange colour with a double bed in the middle. There was a TV and a safe and an A/C. I immediately turned on the A/C and went to the bathroom while I waited for the room to cool down. They had some kind of concrete and iodised copper thing happening in the bathroom which I’m not convinced worked, but it was functional enough. It was only seven thirty, but I was tired enough that I didn’t want to venture out anywhere.

I played the on again, off again game with the A/C before finally going to sleep.

Goodbye Hong Kong, hello Thailand!

prerana — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:24:00 GMT

Tuesday, 20 November was a pretty quiet day I packed early in the day and went through a very frustrating conversation with my credit card company to get my credit card and cash situation in order. We then took my (still!) ginormous backpack to the station so it could be checked in and sent straight through to the airport only to discover they don’t do it for Air Asia. Damn cheap airlines.

What to do? So we put it in a locker at the station and went to eat at Velina’s favourite Japanese restaurant where we ordered the tempura dish with miso soup and oodles of shaved cabbage. We then wandered around a bit, both of us getting more and more tired until I decided I may as well go to the airport Velina came down with me, and waited the whole time until the train left.

Back again in the familiar surrounds of an airport. Before I go on though, I’ve gotta say one thing. You do come across some jerks in life, but it’s so funny how one kind act at a particular point in time can have such an impact on you.

I had put my backpack on the rack on the train, and when we got to the airport, I was waiting for the guy in front of me to collect his bag, which he did and gave it to his girlfriend, and then he picked up my bag, and I was about to tell him that it was my bag when he turned and handed it to me!

I dunno why that tiny, simple gesture touched me so much in that moment. Almost brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

Anyways, at the airport and the guy at the check in tells me that the flight it expected to take off 10 minutes early. Amazing! Okay, I head to the departure gate, prop my legs on the seat and wait. I’m reading a book and not really paying much attention when there’s an announcement and everyone around me gets up in a mass panic and starts stampeding back down the hallway. What the? Doh, I’d missed the English version. I checked with a group still left at our gate & they confirmed that yes, our gate had changed.

Great. I wander down, and see a big line outside. I look at the time and it’s almost 8.30pm. The monitor still said the flight will leave at 8.40pm. Hmm...not likely! I texted Adrian, my friend in Bangkok, my next stop, who was supposed to meet me at the airport and warned him to check the time of arrival before he left for the airport. I also let him know I would text again once the plane was ready to take off. The stewardess starts checking our boarding passes as we stand in line and finally we start boarding.

As I’m walking down the ramp to the plane I realise I only have wifi in the airport and not out here too late, I try and send Adrian a message but I’m well and truly out of the zone. Damn dependence on technology! What happened to the days when people could make plans beforehand including contingencies? I hoped Adrian would remember to check before he came.

After everyone was on and the plane finally took off, I looked at my watch. It was 9.30pm. The flight was uneventful - I read, filled out the immigration card and watched the girl next to me make notes on what looked like a uni marketing assignment.

I’d bought some chocolate Godiva pearls and still had cashews from that ill fated ferry ride for a salt fix, but felt like I should really eat something. The guy in front of me had ordered noodles, and now I was hung up on the idea I debated with myself - to buy or not to buy? Finally hunger won out. There were no more Tom Yum noodles, so I got vegetarian The stewardess came back with what seemed like the biggest bucket of instant noodles I had ever seen. Was this for one?? I took it from her in embarrassment hoping the girl sitting next to me was oblivious to this crate being passed over her head. It didn’t taste too bad and surprisingly I finished all the noodles, mushrooms & even these beany things in it.

When we landed in Bangkok, I swear the stewardess announced it was fifty minutes past eleven. Really? I thought. Almost midnight? Doh! I felt terrible that Adrian was out waiting for me at this crazy hour especially on a working night. Once I entered the airport, I got even more confused as the clocks said 11.05pm. Gah! So what time WAS it?

Immigration wasn’t too painful, I was out pretty quick. One odd thing about their card was they ask you to specify your yearly income. In dollars. What currency of dollars? Before tax or after tax? I so didn’t want to put this down, as goodness only knows what they use it for so I left it blank. The lady at the counter didn’t seem to notice of if she did, she didn’t say anything. I collected my bag, which came quick enough and as I put both my bags on the trolley and was walking out, I made the unfortunate mistake of meeting the eyes of the security guy who then pointed to me and indicated I had to go back and put my bags through the screening check.

Doh! Just what I needed! Thankfully, as I was turning around, there became somewhat of a traffic jam and people started complaining loudly. Anothersecurity guard then tapped me on the shoulder and indicated I should just go through. Phew! As I exited it seemed like the airport was pretty deserted, so I should be able to spot Adrian pretty easily.

Alas no. The only caucasian I glimpsed had glasses on, and I didn’t recollect him ever wearing them. I wandered over to the other exit and definitely no Adrian. At least I spied an ATM and withdrew some cash. It said it was going to charge me 150 bhat for the transaction. Oh, that’s not too bad - only A$1.50 Or A$3 at the most right? Okay mental arithmetic is clearly not my forte when I’ve just been on a long flight and it’s the middle of the night!

Still no Adrian though, so now what? I wandered back to the other exit, looking for anyone who looked like the distressed, water bottle sucking picture on my facebook. There was only one white guy, and after a few seconds, there was a moment of recognition! Yay! He said he thought I was taller, and I thought he was skinnier.

Okay we’ve only seen each other a grand total of three times in real life! Why did he think I was taller? This question plagued me as we made our way outside, expecting there to be no crowds or traffic.

Ha! As we exited, there was what seemed a chaotic football crowd on the pavement and some version of Donkey Kong with all the taxis on the road. Double doh! Who knew when we would get a taxi, let alone get home!

I apologised again, but Adrian seemed totally unperturbed. While asking about him and the taxis and crowds, etc. it suddenly hit me - I’d only ever seen him in our apartment when he was sitting down and I was standing up, or we’d both been sitting down. That’s probaby why he thought I was taller. Better than thinking I ws some half merged creature with Beth as had been his first guess.

We finally got into a taxi. I heard Adrian speak Thai for the first time! It sounded both hilarious and terribly impressive and reminded me of something. You know what it sounds like when you speak Thai, I asked, like a language from Star Wars! Should I call you Ja Ja from now on?

Absolutely not, he declared. We chatted as I tried not to pay attention to how fast & maniacally the taxi driver was driving.

Adrian was a wonderful first introduction to Bangkok as he told me about the local prostitution economy and how it worked, not failing to point out every brothel we passed. It was as if he had some kind of brothel radar. Although none of his information was through first hand experience he assured me.

We finally arrived at his place which was most surprising because it looked like a hotel. He said it used to be but now was residential. I think I was too wired to sleep & needed to pack for the flight out the next day anyway. Poor Adrian stayed up until I was done, even though I said he should go to sleep.

Finally, after about an hour of packing, chatting, and another half an hour of arguing about the A/C (Me: aren't you cold? Him: aren't you hot?) we finally went to sleep.