Have been very lax in updating on my whereabouts, not because I have been lazy but bc so much has happened! I'll break it down into palatable sections and try not to bore you all...
The Focker 50
This is the plane I fly every Monday to Amsterdam. I fly back on a twin Focker 50 back to London every Thursday. It's my job, not the flying but the being in Amsterdam bit. Since it's a job, it's not all that much fun but has been nice to see the canal city, albeit only by moonlight. Oh yes, for the unobservant - I got a job! Started a month ago and quite possibly going for a few more months. I would like to be in London more often, in the past month I've only managed to be here for 1 weekend - which conveniently segues to...
First Weekend Away
Was in Nice and Monte Carlo for the weekend with Colin and Ness. Nice was lovely; sunshine, blue skies, the snooty French leading pure bred poodles to poop all over the cobbled streets. Monte Carlo was deliciously decadent, it was dizzying to see just how the other (better) half lives. We were lucky to be there for their National Day so was treated to a huge fireworks display at the port and pictures of Prince Albert adorning all the stores.
Cute Spanish waiters
In Valencia, last weekend. Very cute. Great weather in the south of Europe (thunderstorms in London!) and lots of walking made it a relaxing weekend. I had to suppress a giggle when I heard someone on the street exclaim 'Ay Carumba!', it was to be the only time I would understand Spanish.
Home Sweet Home
Yes I have one. It's a lovely two storey maisonette that I don't see often enough.
Next weekend is Milan! Stay tuned.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Monday, October 23, 2006
I got "sarged"
Unsuccessfully. For those of you who have read the book, The Game, by Neil Strauss, you'll know what I am talking about. For those of you in the dark, maybe the rest of the book title will help: Undercover in the Secret Society of Pickup Artists.
It's an autobiography of a journalist who infiltrated this "Secret Society" and blows apart all the rules and tricks these wanna-be Pickup Artists use to try and pick up (sarge) women. I finished the book last week and distinctly remember shaking my head in wonder and laughing out loud at sections of the book that described in detail the techniques that these men would use to pick up women. 'Lo and behold, last night at the On Anon bar/club in London, Maria and I were the unwilling targets of these very techniques.
It all started with 2 men coming up to us, each was the other's 'wing'. One of them was 'peacocking' by wearing a white fedora mobster style hat. Peacocking is used to draw people's attention, often by looking outrageous, and it also acts as a good opening line to start a conversation. The particular 'opener' the guy who wasn't wearing the hat was, "Do you think my friend looks like Al Capone wearing this hat or does he look stupid?" I personally thought he looked stupid but was too polite to say. They then tried to establish some quick rapport by asking questions eliciting lots of yes responses,this is the 'yes-ladder' technique, "Do you speak English?" My response - "Yes". "High five!", followed by more stupid questions and more juvenile high-fiving action.
The next technique was to ask questions out of the ordinary, ie. not the normal pick up line gambits. The question the Al Capone-wannabe asked was, "What is the most difficult word you can think of in the English language?". "Err...I dunno", was my response. "What word rhymes with mouth?", "South?", "High Five!!"
It was around this time Maria pulled out the best defence of all against these pick-up artists, 'The Fiance'. Sam the Man saved us.
It's an autobiography of a journalist who infiltrated this "Secret Society" and blows apart all the rules and tricks these wanna-be Pickup Artists use to try and pick up (sarge) women. I finished the book last week and distinctly remember shaking my head in wonder and laughing out loud at sections of the book that described in detail the techniques that these men would use to pick up women. 'Lo and behold, last night at the On Anon bar/club in London, Maria and I were the unwilling targets of these very techniques.
It all started with 2 men coming up to us, each was the other's 'wing'. One of them was 'peacocking' by wearing a white fedora mobster style hat. Peacocking is used to draw people's attention, often by looking outrageous, and it also acts as a good opening line to start a conversation. The particular 'opener' the guy who wasn't wearing the hat was, "Do you think my friend looks like Al Capone wearing this hat or does he look stupid?" I personally thought he looked stupid but was too polite to say. They then tried to establish some quick rapport by asking questions eliciting lots of yes responses,this is the 'yes-ladder' technique, "Do you speak English?" My response - "Yes". "High five!", followed by more stupid questions and more juvenile high-fiving action.
The next technique was to ask questions out of the ordinary, ie. not the normal pick up line gambits. The question the Al Capone-wannabe asked was, "What is the most difficult word you can think of in the English language?". "Err...I dunno", was my response. "What word rhymes with mouth?", "South?", "High Five!!"
It was around this time Maria pulled out the best defence of all against these pick-up artists, 'The Fiance'. Sam the Man saved us.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Mixed bathing...and london living
I should add, both mutually exclusive! I had a very eye-opening last few days in Japan. The first of which was at the gorgeous onsen in Takaragawa - Gunma prefecture... The onsen is supposedly the best outdoor onsen in Japan and I must agree it was very impressive. There were 4 outdoor baths, though as with all things steeped in Japanese tradition, the women baths were 1/4 the size and quality of the male baths, so what they did was open the male baths to the women bathers with the condition that women had to bathe with the bath towel on. This is fine in theory, I just wished they had the same standards for the men, who got these tiny little hand towels that either covered the front of back, unfortunately not both. And not even the front very well at that. Luckily men have no qualms strutting about with their asses bared for all to see.
I've always been curious about what a bunch of naked men do in onsens. Now I know. I was lucky enough to have the outdoor baths to myself, that was until a bunch of rowdy men came hooning across the rickety bridge, jumping up and down trying to shake each other off, slapping each other's butts with their little hand towels and taking photos of themselves. So I don't know whether that is normal onsen behaviour for men. I hope not.
It was definitely uncomfortable but the scenery certainly took my mind off all the nekid men there. The onsen was set right beside a gushing river, all around were trees that were just beginning to turn into fall colours, the stone statues and rustic lanterns that dotted the baths just made it all so picturesque and timeless.
The last onsen on my trip was all the way up north in Akita in a little village that seemed far from civilisation. The huts still had straw thatched roofs, the architecture and olden ways of cooking in an irori (fireplace) was still retained. The meals were made of fresh seasonal produce grown right in the valley. The baths were old but my last night bathing in the outdoor pool and lying under the moon and stars was magical.
So back to civilisation! London to be exact. I've been here for a few days and am feeling very comfortable here. I find it all very familiar but of course randomly coming out of an underground station and being confronted by castle walls or a palace here and there certainly make the experience purely British.
So it's my 2nd day of job hunting, a scary prospect being unemployed but luckily I have good friends to doss with (thanks Hung and Colin!) and I'm sure I'll settle right in.
I've always been curious about what a bunch of naked men do in onsens. Now I know. I was lucky enough to have the outdoor baths to myself, that was until a bunch of rowdy men came hooning across the rickety bridge, jumping up and down trying to shake each other off, slapping each other's butts with their little hand towels and taking photos of themselves. So I don't know whether that is normal onsen behaviour for men. I hope not.
It was definitely uncomfortable but the scenery certainly took my mind off all the nekid men there. The onsen was set right beside a gushing river, all around were trees that were just beginning to turn into fall colours, the stone statues and rustic lanterns that dotted the baths just made it all so picturesque and timeless.
The last onsen on my trip was all the way up north in Akita in a little village that seemed far from civilisation. The huts still had straw thatched roofs, the architecture and olden ways of cooking in an irori (fireplace) was still retained. The meals were made of fresh seasonal produce grown right in the valley. The baths were old but my last night bathing in the outdoor pool and lying under the moon and stars was magical.
So back to civilisation! London to be exact. I've been here for a few days and am feeling very comfortable here. I find it all very familiar but of course randomly coming out of an underground station and being confronted by castle walls or a palace here and there certainly make the experience purely British.
So it's my 2nd day of job hunting, a scary prospect being unemployed but luckily I have good friends to doss with (thanks Hung and Colin!) and I'm sure I'll settle right in.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Onsen heaven in Kyushu
I just came back from a week spent in Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. It is onsen heaven down there, with hot springs, sand and mud baths wherever people decide to dig deep enough.
My first port of call was Beppu, a city cluttered with hot spring resorts and the 8 jigoku (hells). I got off the shinkansen and headed straight for Takegawara Bathhouse. This is one of the oldest public baths in the city, its key attraction being the pit of black sand that people willingly get buried in. I changed into the yukata provided and gingerly laid down in the hollow that the old lady attendant had dug out for me. She then shoveled the warm black sand over me and patted it down hard. I was immobile for about 15 minutes and was sweating under the heat. The old lady made sure my forehead was mopped of sweat and kept asking me if everything was ok. After 15 minutes I rose up from the hot sand not unlike those return of the living dead ghouls. That was a fun experience though not particularly relaxing since all I could think about was how much I wanted to move when I couldn't.
From there I caught a bus to my ryokan (Japanese inn) which was also where the Tour of the Hells are. The term hell is used to describe the boiling ponds of water, heated by the underground volcanic activity. Each hell has a distinctive characteristic, though some seemed really tacky, like the hell where crocodiles are bred or where some mechanical hippo greet the tourists. I only made it to one, the Blue Hell which was really picturesque. In Japanese they called it the Sea Jigoku bc the water is a bright blue and there are billows of steam coming from it. That was a nice one but I didn't see the point in paying to see other 'hells' just because the water was a different colour.
For that entire week I visited at least 3 different onsens a day. Each of these onsens have indoor and outdoor baths of which I would laze in for a few hours at a time. I have never been so clean in my life! Some of the more memorable onsens was visiting a local mud bath where all the elderly women there had really beautiful skin. I guess there are definitely therapeutic benefits to soaking in the hot hot mud pool, hopping out to let the mud dry, then hopping back into the pool again. I only did that 3 times before the mud pool just got too hot. My skin felt baby smooth after that though.
Another cool one was at this 5 star place called Suginoi Palace. There were hilltop views, terraced pools, steam room, aromatherapy bath, jacuzzi, hot tubs, the absolute works. Felt very pampered after that one. It seemed I would not be able to top it but I did - with my next stop at Kurokawa Onsen up in the mountains. I stayed in a Japanese ryokan in the middle of the woods where there were different huts that you bathe on your own, or communal outdoor pools. It was all very relaxing until I accidentally stepped into an outdoor bath that was for mixed male & female bathing. I couldn't get out of there fast enough! Reading the English descriptions of the different baths that night over dinner, I realised I had stepped into the "Mixed Promiscuous Bath"! oops.
The Kurokawa Onsen area was in the town of Aso, with the largest active volcano caldera in the world. Unfortunately on both the days that I visited the area I was told the poisonous gas levels from the crater was too high so I couldn't hike up there. Since I had originally scheduled a full day for hiking I found myself at somewhat of a loose end, so I took a few trains out to Fukuoka, one of the main cities in Kyushu. It was actually really nice being out in the city after being in small towns for the past few days. I booked myself into a Capsule Hotel, something I have always wanted to try in Japan. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I found it all very accommodating. They devoted 3 floors for the women customers, the first floor contained the capsules, the next was the bath area (complete with sauna and pool) and the third floor was the relaxation area where I lounged about in the reclining chairs reading and watching tv. The capsule was certainly novel, I chose the top capsule so I had to clammer my way up and slip into the compartment. I stretched out and found it surprisingly roomy. There was a tv and radio in there, filled with the usual Japanese tv shows plus a random p0rn channel. I was so tired from all the traveling I did that day I was out like a light.
On Sat I took a day trip out to Tokyo to do some shopping and people watching. I always seem to think I will like Tokyo a little more each time I go, but it never seems to be the case. Tokyo is just too big to properly appreciate without spending at least a week there and the people seem perpetually in a rush. I was only there a few hours and already felt tired and harried. I went to Harajuku which was a little more fun, lots of people watching though not as outrageous as it used to be.
Tomorrow I'm heading up north, a few hours past Tokyo to some famous onsens. The first is to Nyuto Onsen in Akita, and the next to Takaragawa Onsen in Gunma. Takaragawa is famous for its river hot springs, whereas Nyuto is in a secluded valley of hot springs and rustic inns. They both sound relaxing and the perfect way to unwind before heading to the hustle and bustle of London.
This will be my last update from Japan. It's been wonderful here, I've loved every minute and I'm sad to be leaving. Thanks Dwayne for being such a fantastic host! =)
My first port of call was Beppu, a city cluttered with hot spring resorts and the 8 jigoku (hells). I got off the shinkansen and headed straight for Takegawara Bathhouse. This is one of the oldest public baths in the city, its key attraction being the pit of black sand that people willingly get buried in. I changed into the yukata provided and gingerly laid down in the hollow that the old lady attendant had dug out for me. She then shoveled the warm black sand over me and patted it down hard. I was immobile for about 15 minutes and was sweating under the heat. The old lady made sure my forehead was mopped of sweat and kept asking me if everything was ok. After 15 minutes I rose up from the hot sand not unlike those return of the living dead ghouls. That was a fun experience though not particularly relaxing since all I could think about was how much I wanted to move when I couldn't.
From there I caught a bus to my ryokan (Japanese inn) which was also where the Tour of the Hells are. The term hell is used to describe the boiling ponds of water, heated by the underground volcanic activity. Each hell has a distinctive characteristic, though some seemed really tacky, like the hell where crocodiles are bred or where some mechanical hippo greet the tourists. I only made it to one, the Blue Hell which was really picturesque. In Japanese they called it the Sea Jigoku bc the water is a bright blue and there are billows of steam coming from it. That was a nice one but I didn't see the point in paying to see other 'hells' just because the water was a different colour.
For that entire week I visited at least 3 different onsens a day. Each of these onsens have indoor and outdoor baths of which I would laze in for a few hours at a time. I have never been so clean in my life! Some of the more memorable onsens was visiting a local mud bath where all the elderly women there had really beautiful skin. I guess there are definitely therapeutic benefits to soaking in the hot hot mud pool, hopping out to let the mud dry, then hopping back into the pool again. I only did that 3 times before the mud pool just got too hot. My skin felt baby smooth after that though.
Another cool one was at this 5 star place called Suginoi Palace. There were hilltop views, terraced pools, steam room, aromatherapy bath, jacuzzi, hot tubs, the absolute works. Felt very pampered after that one. It seemed I would not be able to top it but I did - with my next stop at Kurokawa Onsen up in the mountains. I stayed in a Japanese ryokan in the middle of the woods where there were different huts that you bathe on your own, or communal outdoor pools. It was all very relaxing until I accidentally stepped into an outdoor bath that was for mixed male & female bathing. I couldn't get out of there fast enough! Reading the English descriptions of the different baths that night over dinner, I realised I had stepped into the "Mixed Promiscuous Bath"! oops.
The Kurokawa Onsen area was in the town of Aso, with the largest active volcano caldera in the world. Unfortunately on both the days that I visited the area I was told the poisonous gas levels from the crater was too high so I couldn't hike up there. Since I had originally scheduled a full day for hiking I found myself at somewhat of a loose end, so I took a few trains out to Fukuoka, one of the main cities in Kyushu. It was actually really nice being out in the city after being in small towns for the past few days. I booked myself into a Capsule Hotel, something I have always wanted to try in Japan. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I found it all very accommodating. They devoted 3 floors for the women customers, the first floor contained the capsules, the next was the bath area (complete with sauna and pool) and the third floor was the relaxation area where I lounged about in the reclining chairs reading and watching tv. The capsule was certainly novel, I chose the top capsule so I had to clammer my way up and slip into the compartment. I stretched out and found it surprisingly roomy. There was a tv and radio in there, filled with the usual Japanese tv shows plus a random p0rn channel. I was so tired from all the traveling I did that day I was out like a light.
On Sat I took a day trip out to Tokyo to do some shopping and people watching. I always seem to think I will like Tokyo a little more each time I go, but it never seems to be the case. Tokyo is just too big to properly appreciate without spending at least a week there and the people seem perpetually in a rush. I was only there a few hours and already felt tired and harried. I went to Harajuku which was a little more fun, lots of people watching though not as outrageous as it used to be.
Tomorrow I'm heading up north, a few hours past Tokyo to some famous onsens. The first is to Nyuto Onsen in Akita, and the next to Takaragawa Onsen in Gunma. Takaragawa is famous for its river hot springs, whereas Nyuto is in a secluded valley of hot springs and rustic inns. They both sound relaxing and the perfect way to unwind before heading to the hustle and bustle of London.
This will be my last update from Japan. It's been wonderful here, I've loved every minute and I'm sad to be leaving. Thanks Dwayne for being such a fantastic host! =)
Friday, September 22, 2006
Back to Nagoya
Arrived into Tokyo yesterday and been bumbling about like a tourist all the way to Nagoya. Two years has effectively wiped most of my Japanese language skills and navigation sense from memory so it's been interesting finding my way around. It feels like home though, albeit surreal and transitory.
Not much has changed, though I had forgotten about the crazy Japanese dress sense. The Japanese are a very uniquely stylish bunch and it always surprises me how well put together their disparate styles are. Only the japanese men and women can pull off their funky looks with such confidence and panache. The weather right now is hot and muggy, but since the calendar dictates it to be Autumn, all the knee high boots, heavy plaid and woollens have been pulled out. Here I am traipsing about in my thongs (or as Dwayne keeps correcting me in exasperation- my flip flops), shapeless skirt and bonds t-shirt, looking distinctly hot and flustered, whilst the Japanese sail along without breaking a sweat. How do they do it?!
I'm heading to Osaka today to cool off at an aptly named place called Spa World. It's like a water fun park with bathing sensibilities. I have planned an onsen holiday for the 2 weeks that I'm here, visiting as many famous onsens as I can, so even though it's hot here, I'll be constantly squeaky clean.
Not much has changed, though I had forgotten about the crazy Japanese dress sense. The Japanese are a very uniquely stylish bunch and it always surprises me how well put together their disparate styles are. Only the japanese men and women can pull off their funky looks with such confidence and panache. The weather right now is hot and muggy, but since the calendar dictates it to be Autumn, all the knee high boots, heavy plaid and woollens have been pulled out. Here I am traipsing about in my thongs (or as Dwayne keeps correcting me in exasperation- my flip flops), shapeless skirt and bonds t-shirt, looking distinctly hot and flustered, whilst the Japanese sail along without breaking a sweat. How do they do it?!
I'm heading to Osaka today to cool off at an aptly named place called Spa World. It's like a water fun park with bathing sensibilities. I have planned an onsen holiday for the 2 weeks that I'm here, visiting as many famous onsens as I can, so even though it's hot here, I'll be constantly squeaky clean.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Finding Nemo
Lady Elliot Island Eco-resort, Great Barrier ReefLady Elliot Island is only one of 3 islands right on the coral cay. The coral lagoon in front of our cabin was inhabited by the most beautiful marine life. I searched for nemo, but unfortunately didn't find him. His other friends though were more than accommodating as I chased them around the lagoon and stalked the poor turtles at sunset.
My favourite memories of this week-long vacation:
- Finding myself being circled by a school of bright yellow fish, I didn't know which way to turn in the sea of glittering yellow,
- Chasing a group of leather jacket fish around the lagoon,
- Sighting a school of Picasso Trigger Fish, very aptly named for the abstract strokes of bright blue, green and yellow across their body,
- Floating on the calm surface of the ocean after completing my final scuba dive and seeing a pod of dolphins in the distance,
- A manta ray gliding gracefully below me, seemingly out of nowhere,
- Going down to 18m for my dive, it was so strange looking up to the surface to find the faint glimmer of sunlight so far away,
- Enjoying the sun setting one night and suddenly spotting a turtle popping its head out of the water. As I followed its journey across the lagoon, I saw another turtle following in its wake, and then another, and another... All up there were 7 turtles swimming along as though on a conveyor belt. I was so happy to see the one turtle, let alone the 7 I ended up seeing that night!
It was hard to wind down for the first few days, I have never experienced such a relaxing vacation. Lazing about soon became second nature, especially with the abundant good food and sunshine. My days consisted of lounging on the sunchair in good weather, or retreating back to my room when the sun got too hot; reading a good book, watching the waves break on the outer reef and the tides rise and fall in the lagoon. I'm not capable of rewiring my brain to cope with normal life yet, it's just as well my sedentary lifestyle can continue for the next few weeks...
Monday, January 09, 2006
Idyllic Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, Laos
It's been an idyllic 6 days here in Laos, I really love it here. So relaxing and chill. All Pommy and I have done is eat delicious cheap food, explore andbuy up at the night markets, walk around the wide boulevardes and marvel at the way ppl observe the road rules. Oh did I mention the massages? The wonderful cheap amazing massages?? I've had one a day for every day I've been here - I've gone through the list of available massage techniques, checked out all the massage places and finally hit the jackpot yesterday as we wandered off the usual roads and found this secluded tranquil day spa. That's where I'll be heading in a couple of hours, to enjoy a 3.5hour spa package... ahhh.... bliss! Pommy is at an intensive 8 hour Lao cooking class right now - we both have our priorities straight for this trip = )
We did manage to get off our lazy asses and do some sightseeing, a few days ago we took a slow boat up the Mekong river to check out some caves and then a minibus to see a popular waterfall. Pommy and I decided to take a little detour to the top of the mountain, so lots of scrambling up, oftentimes on our hands and knees until we made it to the summit and were somewhat perplexed at what the attraction was. I figured there must be something deeper into the forest area, so off we trotted down a muddy path. Wouldn't you know, that path didn't lead anywhere but into this muddy bog that I got stuck in. It was disgustingly gooey as I stepped almost knee-deep in mud and the more I struggled out, the deeper I went. I had visions of being swallowed by the earth while Pommy was on dry land trying to grab me out. Why do things like that only happen to me?
Yesterday we climbed up to the highest point here in Luang Prabang to see the sunset, that was gorgeous.
We don't have TV here and I've been loathed to get on the internet to find out what's been happening. I just love how we're in this little world without much outside influence, but with all the creature comforts that we're used to. The ppl here are friendly and there isn't the aggression and mercenariness (is that a word?) found in Cambodia. After Angkor Wat, I was glad to get out of there...and we nearly didn't get out as at the check-in counter, the airline told us we weren't booked on the flight. After lots of waiting about and imagining another boring day in Siem Reap, we finally got it all sorted out. When we landed in Vientane, I just breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Hope all is well with you all. This will be my last entry for this trip as it nears it's end, we're taking a couple of long distance buses to get to Bangkok on Wed (we ran out of funds and are doing it the old-fashioned way!)
Monday, January 02, 2006
Angkor Wat?
Wow what an exhilirating, tiring 3 days I've spent with Pommy exploring Angkor Wat and the temple ruins! We've been waking up each morning at about 4.30-5am, taking the tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat and watching the sunrise from various choice spots around the area, then spending the mornings going to different temples, climbing up and down the treacherous scary stairs to reach vantage points, dodging scary loud korean and japanese tourists as they come by the bus-loads ruining the serenity, and then feeling faint from hunger bc we missed breakfast. Invariably we would ask our tuk tuk driver to take us to different famous cafes for lunch and then we would head back to our guesthouse for a noon rest. We would wake up in time for a 3pm start, for more exploring, more breathtaking moments as we sweat it out along the different ruins. I've loved every minute of it. Everyone should make it here to Angkor Wat before nature or the over-zealous tourist crowds take over and ruin the beautiful structures. Just a little side note, Angkor Wat is one of the temple ruins (probably the most famous) but the entire area is also called Angkor Wat.
Our first day I was running on adrenaline and both Pommy and I covered so much ground, we battled it out with the masses to see sunrise at Angkor Wat and sunset at Bakheng, a hill top temple that was reknowned for it's sunsets. The highlight of the day however was in Ta Phrom (where Tomb raider was made) and where nature has slowly grown to engulf parts of the temple. It's beautiful, though sobering to see the destruction of nature.The 2nd day, I soldiered on, though suffering from food poisoning. I felt weak but managed to climb to the highest turret of Angkor Wat for sunset, it was beautiful there. I found it ironic that I would feel so crap on the final day of 2005, it seemed fitting somehow to cap off a rather crap year. But I digress....
The third day - New Years day was absolutely perfect. The sunrise we watched on Pre Rup, it was gorgeous seeing the sky streak with pink, become lighter and the yellow glow of the sun rising, silhouetted by the temple ruins. We also travelled further afield having exhausted all the recommended temple ruins within the region. Since we started off so early, we had the temples all to ourselves which made the experience all the more magical. We travelled back to our guesthouse, debating on just how to spend our final afternoon in Angkor. Pommy wanted to climb Angkor Wat (the temple) to the top turret as I did the day before, and I wanted to see the Bayon again. I also wanted to sit somewhere in front of Angkor Wat and just absorb it all. So I decided to wait for Pommy, writing out postcards and in my journal. A few of the local boys ended up befriending me as I was waiting for Pommy, they wanted to practise their English and I welcomed the unexpected company. So there I was getting a history lesson about Angkor Wat, and just absorbing it all. It was a great way to end my visit, a bonus that the sunset we watched was also gorgeous.
So enough superlatives! You guys must be so sick of reading about how magical and breathtaking it all is - just get yourselves down to Siem Reap and see it for yourselves!
So our plans next - rest some more tomorrow, I'm thinking a massage is on the cards to appease my aching muscles, and then the next day we fly out to Laos to the capital of Vientane. We spend a couple of days there, sort out our transport (bus) to Luang Prabang which is apparently the place to visit. After which we might fly out to Bangkok and spend a few days in Thailand.
Hoping you guys had a wonderful new years celebration - I was suffering from food poisoning so didn't actually do anything (poor Pommy stayed in the guesthouse with me as we fell asleep to the judging of Miss World). The start of 2006 has been amazing though, certainly sets for a great tone for the rest of the year.
= ) P
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