Itchy Feet Syndrome

Amsterdam - Reflexions

2009-06-10T12:04:00.004Z

To the surprise of most, my current home is a now called Amsterdam.

How on earth have I ended up here when my last foray into foreign lands was in Warsaw, Poland ?

Luck ? Opportunity ?

Maybe a bit of both.

I am working for a foundation called BiD Network, where a small group of motivated people believe that sustainable economic growth can be achieved by helping and promoting entrepreneurship in emerging economies. BiD Network has created an online meeting place for entrepreneurs, investors and experts who all share a common goal of making a difference. Part of my work involves assessing business plans, providing feedback, finding expert coaches that can provide guidance and finding investors to finance these businesses.

The work is very different to anything I have done before, which in itself is extremely exciting. The challenge now is to get up to speed as quickly as possible with the ins and outs of the processes in place and figure out how I can make a tangible contribution to the organisation.

So apart from work, I am slowly getting to grip with living in Amsterdam. When the sun is out, this city is absolutely glorious. Unfortunately, the sun seems to have other priorities at the moment (I am thinking the south of europe), so the weather has been a bit dull.

I have found it easy to feel comfortable and relatively at ease here. The transport system is excellent (trams and buses and bicycles), the people are friendly, speak english...what more could anyone ask for ?

Highlights and LowLights so far

1. most places do not take credit cards (I am talking supermarkets, restaurants, franchise shops..etc..etc) , which makes Holland the most financially backward european country to date.

2. Team lunches are a daily occurence. Food is purchased by one different team everyday and we all eat together, which makes for a nice time to catch up especially as the office is divided into two locations.

3. Bicycles. For those that have never been to Amsterdam, everyone here rides a bike. Bikes rule the road. I can't think of any negative point about this truly dutch tradition. The city is peaceful, there is very little noise pollution, people seem healthy, bike lanes make this a safe mode of transport ... and ultimately, given the combination of the terrible rainy weather and bike riding, it creates a no-nonsense type of person, where women in heels and men in suits, just ride to work under ponchos if it rains. People even seem to get married on their bikes (see below!)

4. Rent. Finding short term accomodation has been a bit of an adventure, but lady luck stood by me on this one. I am subletting a lovely flat, 10 min walk from my office and 2 min walk from a park. It is costing me 500 Eur a month, which I have heard is a bargain as flats here seem to go for over 1000 Eur a month. Yikes!

5.Making dutch friends. I am not sure if this is really going to happen. Amsterdam has a young and growing expat community and it just seems like the two don't really mix. Despite it being very similar to London, I somehow never felt like an expat in London. I was just a (ok half) foreigner in London. But here you definitely feel like an expat (if only the salaries would follow !!!) .

I had a great evening last night where complete randomness pushed me to meet an ecclectic group of people which included 2 argentinians, one mexican, one english, one american, one polish and one japanese. All have been living here for over 2 years and seemed happy about it. I guess that is the big difference with London, most foreigner would always moan or complain about wanting to go home...but here people actually seem happy and settled.

On the family front, my mum was over last weekend and we did all the tourist stuff (well the legal ones!). We saw Anne Frank's museum, walk around the Jordaan, passed through the red light district, went to a vernissage, had beautiful diners. I was happy that she got to come over and see where I would be staying for the next few weeks. Mum always seems to follow me :)

Next weekend Miss V is making her way over from Paris and the weekend after that it will be Miss C's turn. So busy weekends ahead! Bring it on ladies!!!

Blog Revival

2009-04-29T07:58:00.007Z

Time has come to roll up my imaginary sleeves, settle my watch on the desk and start moving magic fingers to the rhythm of my imagination.

REVIVAL

As a first posting, I will aim to concisely summarize my last few months activity, in bullet point form:

Job Search: Microfinance is a bastard of an industry to break into - but the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to shine with hope and possibly opportunity.
Living at Home: Life has been rather calm and peaceful. Cohabitation with the older generation has proved successful and problem-free.
Eptm-photos - my cyber baby is slowing growing into something beautiful.

I will also admit that the urge to write has been in no small part induced by my presence here in Warsaw. This is my first foray into "Eastern Europe" and the closest I have been to Mother Russia. Before coming here my only glimpse into Polish life had been limited to Polish emigrants in London and having a polish friend who is just more Latin than polish.

The All Important First Impressions:

The People: rather homogeneous, beautiful women with little dress sense, strong men, very little contact, no smiling..there's a certain roughness inherent in people.
The City: Pleasant city center, re-modeled old town that doesn't have a Disney Land feel (despite being completely re-constructed), surprising glimpses into Communist history with their uninviting buildings and various communal areas.
The Food: Not applicable really - have been eating Sushi and drinking Starbucks (I know not very open minded food-wise!).

The purpose of my visit was twofold. I came here to meet with a great organization called MFC (The Microfinance Center), a research /training hub that aims to harmonize the microfinance industry in Eastern Europe / Balkans region. They produce innovative research and are a bit of a local think-tank.

This professional excuse for a visit also allowed me to meet up with an old friend who I had met over 10 years ago whilst working in the US. It's amazing to see how sometimes very little changes and how conversations and jokes that were last voiced 10 years ago still manage to generate a smile.

It was also a good opportunity to further develop my collection of travel snaps - most of which can be seen on my website www.eptm-photos.com

Thriller like never before !

2008-12-01T23:18:00.001Z

Muhammad Yunus - Creating a World Without Poverty

2008-11-30T11:04:00.008Z

I attented a conference in Monaco yesterday called "Creating a World Without Poverty" hosted by Mr. Muhammad Yunus.

I secured a front row seat, got my red notepad out and waited eagerly for the Peace Nobel Prize winner to talk to us about his new book " Creating a world without poverty - Social Business and the future of capitalism".

My first impression of this great man was how he managed to touch people by his presence. We barely noticed as he entered the room, smiled shyly and took his seat. But once he started talking I was mesmerized. Unlike many charismatic people, his power of influence was subtle yet extremely powerful. He spoke slowly, calmly without using his intonation to stress points of importance rather, using humor to enable us to relate to the stories he was telling about Bangladesh's poor . It was extremely effective.

He spoke to us about Bangladesh; its history, economic environment, and the poor. He explained to us how walking through small villages surrounding his campus he came to notice villager's reliance on loan sharks. He compiled a list of all the people in the village who used the loan shark (47 names) and calculated their total debt (27 USD). What pushed him to action was the simple realisation of the extent of suffering caused by so little money. His first loan was of 27 USD. That's how it all started.

Today the Grameen Bank has 7.5 million borrowers, 100 % women borrowers and 100% owned by its borrowers. It is one of the only banks in the world that can post a 98% repayment rate. The Grameen Bank is having a tangible impact on poverty reduction and social empowerment all around the world, and it started with a 27 USD loan.

Mr Yunus then went on to explain his thoughts on social business. It is not a new idea, I had heard of it under a different name, " the third way". It's the idea that profit maximising and social impact do not have to be mutually exclusive in business. Through this idea, he is seeking to expand the notion of capitalism and socialism and merge them together, creating a new entity with new rules. He provided examples of work the Grameen is currently undertaking with Danone (creating vitamin and mineral enriched yogurts to help fight malnutrition) and Veolia (water treatment) to help illustrate his ideas of the future.

I was convinced. With millions of people at the so called "Bottom of Pyramid" being excluded from mainstream business offerings, the opportunities for business development are unlimited. More importantly it provides young, dynamic social entrepreneurs with a blank canvas, an opportunity to redefine the rules and create success in both financial and social terms.

The conference ended with a few questions and a small unorganised press conference. Thanks to my strategic front row position I was able to shake hands with the man himself muttering "it was a pleasure" - (lost for words would be a way to describe the encounter) - and I missed out on the opportunity to get a signed copy of his book (ie. no cash to buy the book :( ... ).

I left the conference inspired and actively thinking of ways to do things "the third way".

Tbc.

Gutted

2008-11-25T17:30:00.002Z

Unfortunately - I didn't get the job of my dreams (well the current dream job that is).

Gutted.

Someone with more private equity AND microfinance experience.

Not much I can do about that.

Neeeext.

Things are heating up - EPtM

2008-11-24T22:13:00.002Z

I have just finished my new website, a photography website . Oooooh...aaaaah.....

It's called EPtM-photos

It's my amateurish attempt at putting what I see and like on the big wide web and if lucky even selling something (maybe? perhaps ? hopefully?) - who knows it might pay for a tube ticket one of these days.

Please check it out - and feel free to provide feedback.

I aim to continuously add to the portfolio whilst making the most of my new baby ZeNikonD60.

Spread the word .... i will be eternally grateful !

Heart-ing

2008-11-12T20:44:00.002Z

Responding to one of my daily read's request - (Spentrails, yes you) here is my vague and probably half honest attempt at heart-ing. Unfortunately for those seeking my inner thoughts, deep truths and querky personas ... i don't usually pass on email chains or respond to such requests. But hey, as I am here sitting in Cairo listening to the Iman preaching to the eternally buzzing city of the pharaohs - i will indulge in the moment of self-reflection.

Where is your mobile phone? In france (oops)
Where is your significant other? Somewhere out there
Your hair colour? Brown
Your mother? My best friend
Your father? Deeply loved
Your favourite thing? My new Nikon
Your dream last night? Logs floating on the mekong
Your dream goal? Carpe Diem
The room you're in? Sweet Marriott
Your hobby? Capturing moments
Your fear? The big D
Where do you want to be in 6 years? The top of the world (literally)
Where were you last night? Drinking tea and smoking shisha in Cairo
What you're not? Sad
One of your wish-list items? Having coffee with Obama Mama
Where you grew up? South of France
The last thing you did? Said goodbye to my grandmother
What are you wearing? Cargo pants
Your TV? CNN
Your pets? None
Your computer? MacBook
Your mood? Smiling
Missing someone? Yes
Your car? Has two wheels and is called a scooter
Something you're not wearing? Earrings
Favourite shop? Khan Khalili
Your summer? Lasted 13 months
Love someone? Always
Your favourite colour? Green
When is the last time you laughed? 30 minutes ago
Last time you cried? 30 minutes ago

A beautiful day

2008-10-29T21:26:00.004Z

Le Cinq de Depart

2008-10-09T18:50:00.007Z

D-1: London

I should have spent the day thinking about what clothes I would be wearing for Suhki's wedding on Saturday or making sure that I have a bed to sleep in tomorrow night ... but instead I spent the day having a girlie lunch and getting a hair cut.

Lunch was a fun affair with old friends from high school. Girls i used to spend a lot of time with both in and out of school mainly playing bball together. Ten years down the line, I am happy to say that most of them live the most normal lives possible.

What is normal, I hear you ask ?

Well, it is with a small invisible tear in my eye that I will admit to sometimes feeling that today, normalcy mostly means the two Bs ie. Boyfriends and Babies.

Today I was surrounded by girls all settled into long term relationships, babies,a roof over their heads and a "proper job". It did occur to me, between the steak tartare and the fondue au chocolat, that their state of affairs would produce copious amounts of cold sweat trickling down my back. Luckily, my back was having none of it. Although I have neither a permanent roof,a job, a baby or a boyfriend I couldn't help but think "isn't normalcy self-created?"

Apple red

2008-10-08T10:05:00.004Z

How can one disperse the fears of huge potential financial losses looming over everyone from the small saver to the huge investor. Isolated in my little village, I cannot avoid the media fears, the incessant commentary, opinions from "experts" who make no effort whatsoever to numb the growing panic and fear of contagion.

But has anyone been reminded lately of the successful investor's motto: " Buy low, sell high".

Either way, everyone needs a little humour in time like these. How about some geeky finance humour to add to the flavour of our times.

Friday morning - strollin' and rollin'

2008-10-03T14:49:00.005Z

Recovering from a late night spent with old friends reminiscing about the summers when we were 15 years old, playing basket ball with a group of cute boys from the next town down the road...I decided to go for a walk in "my village".

Setting the scene, I live in a sleepy roman village on the outskirts of MC. It boasts some cute streets, with overhanging balconies, and a roman monument built by the emperor Augustus to celebrate his victory over the Ligurian tribes which lived in the mountains of the area and attacked the merchants plying the Roman trade routes.

Adding to the existing dreamy village setting, the sky was beautifully blue and the air crisp, which made for some eye-catching moments for my little camera.

I enjoy being able to indulge in the luxury of being able to go for a walk on a friday morning, to pay 5 Eur to enter the roman sites on hand and to come out of it with a smile on my face.

Thirty Five Years

2008-09-29T21:10:00.004Z

Today my parents celebrated their 35 Year wedding anniversary. I guess in these day and ages it's not small feat.

How did it all start? Well the story goes .... that they met in a bar on the Kings Rd in Chelsea. Supposedly my dad was trying to get another woman's phone number and asked if my mum had a pen. TYPICAL!

I don't think they've had an easy relationship. Cultural differences, living in a foreign country and well basically being very different from each other ...has definitely made for some huge screaming fights. But all in all, I feel blessed to have witnessed l-o-v-e like that. It's cheesy but it gives a bit of hope.

It hasn't been easy, probably not always fun either but looking at them today, it definitely feels like it's worth it!

Could you say "Yes" ?

2008-09-28T15:12:00.004Z

Weekends have become rather fun recently as I have been able to go hang out with my 3 year old nephew William. He looks like an angel in this photo (beware of appearances!!!)

I say fun but maybe I mean "fun for a bit". Admitedly 3 year olds are cute, cuddly and playful. William is cute, playful but definitely NOT cuddly (well not towards me at least). He has gotten into the habit of answering "no" to everything I say, to refuse to give me a hello/goodbye kiss or any type of affection.

I think next time I will try reverse psychology and completely ignore him, say no to everything he says and refuse any type of contact.

Will see if that works.

Nah.

Sun where are thou ?

2008-09-19T10:36:00.003Z

I guess luck had been on my side. For the past 3 weeks I was baking in beautiful southern sun, enjoying the colours of "La Grande Bleue", thinking to myself ... it's really pretty cool to be back.

Now three weeks later, the sun has disappeared, it's getting colder and the rain/fog has started. But luckily for me, a friend is arriving today. We spent 1 Year + living together in London in one of the best flatshares I've had so far.

Catching up has never been this fun :D

New Look ...

2008-09-17T22:22:00.004Z

Is it because I have a bit of time on my hands (perhaps) or is it because Itchy Feet cannot scratch her feet as much as before (most probably!) ...

Either way, I thought it was time for a brand new look and a new address (look up ...)

It's not 100 % complete as yet .... but don't hesitate to let me know what you think.

Thailand...I can't stop smiling

2008-08-16T11:12:00.014Z

The land of the thousand smiles...and only a few more weeks to enjoy it.

Arriving in Thailand, we had taken the overland route from Cambodia and the contrast in wealth and infrastructure between the two countries was very apparent. As we walked the few metres across "No Man's Land" we quickly realised that there would be very few pot holes and a lot less apparent poverty. Entering Thailand, a land of solid unbroken roads, modern cars, working street lights and relative order, we couldn't stop ourselves from glancing back with sadness to a broken but unforgettable Cambodia.

I had already spent a fair bit of time in Thailand 6 years ago whilst on my 'first gap period' and as I was arriving to the end of my traveling slog, my main objective was to relax and ease my way back into reality. Arriving in Bangkok was therefore not what I would call a pleasurable experience. We took base in the in-famous Koh San Road, a backpacker's mecca of fake t-shirts, fake ID cards, Starbucks, McDs, KFC, Burger King, massage parlours, web cafes, street vendors and NEON lights ... it is an experience to spend time in this area, one that can be enjoyed for one day maximum.

We quickly left BKK and headed north to Chiang Mai for a little "peace and quiet" and elephants galor. Pressed for time, we had pre-booked our train to Chiang Mai and our day outting to the Elephant Nature Park. It was therefore imperative that we catch our train to make it to the Nature Park. As we arrived at the train station in BKK, I glanced at the train ticket, only to realise that unless a miracle happened which stopped the train from leaving on time, we would miss it by 5 minutes. Carrying our already too heavy, 15 kg backpacks, we made a run for it.

Arriving panting and sweating, we handed our ticket to the Thai ticket controller who, comfortably sitting behind his wooden table informed us (unsurprisingly) that the train had just left. By then, two motor - taxi drivers had already accosted us, trying to convince us that we could still catch the train, if they took us by motorbike to the next station - No it's not free : 300 Baht each.

Quick ... quick...think....decision

Before we knew it, we were zig-zaging in and out of traffic, holding on for dear life to this small thai man whilst trying not to fall off because of the 15kg backpack we are carrying. My helmet is too big and is nothing more than a thin oval shaped red piece of plastic with a strap ... I am feeling the fear!

We made it on time to the station. By then the price had increased to 600 Baht each, for a reason we still don't know. Haggle, haggle ... ok 400 Baht each. Done.

We sit for a minute waiting for the train to arrive. We jump on only to find that our seats are occupied. Why? How? MOVE! Finally the ticket controller arrives, and leads us off the train. He flashes his light on the ticket, points to the date and says repeatedly "No train, no today". We take a closer look at our tickets and become aware with dread that these tickets are for tomorrow, not today.

Crestfallen, we realise that the agency had made a mistake and we hadn't double checked the tickets. Damn it! To avoid losing the money we had paid for the train, the hotel and the elephants WE HAD to get to Chiang Mai that night. In the end, luck was with us. We avoided the 3rd class, wooden benches no AC carriage and managed to find two seats in 2nd class AC . Pfffff....

We arrived in Chiang Mai and were welcomed by the rain, which we would see a fair bit of over the next three days. We walked around town, indulged in a fresh cup of Starbucks coffee, walked around the touristy and overpriced night market and enjoyed the laid back vibe that continues to kick in this northern city.

The next day we headed to the Elephant Nature Park. The Elephant Nature Park is a conservation center that hosts 30 elephants who live, eat and play in their natural habitat - whilst "Eco Tourists" feed and bathe them. We enjoyed it ... they enjoyed it and it's for a good cause.

Soon it was time to train it back down to Bangkok, where we then had to catch a night bus (and subsequent boat) to the paradise island of Koh Tao. I had been waiting for this break from travelling reality for a few days now. I felt I needed to isolate myself a little from the world to prepare myself for the big return home.

Koh Tao was the perfect spot for that. It is a small island, which boasts amazing diving sites, a laid back attitude and very few activities other than:

Reading a good book propped back on a Thai pillow gazing at a turquoise coloured sea and Buddha Rock.
Marvelling at how awesome it is to be in such a chilled environment
Drinking pineapple shakes and eating banana pancakes.
Diving ... Diving ... Diving ... Diving ... Diving
Did i mention diving ?

My last week was spent doing little more than the above. I got the opportunity to hang out with a great group of people from Sunshine Divers, comparing travelling stories and drinking beer together waiting for the day to end.

The time to leave arrived too quickly. I was reticent and sad to leave this paradise-like bubble but excited nonetheless to see my family and friends. The journey back into Bangkok was nightmarish and long. We arrived on Koh San Road at 5 am and found ourselves walking aimlessly around smelly streets to find a hotel room. Luck was with us, we found the last available room in the only hotel that seemed to have 24h service.

The following day was a blur of lastminute shopping, plowing through huge shopping malls for gifts for family, friends and oneself.

Soon it was time to say Goodbye Thailand, Goodbye Asia, Goodbye Fellow Backpackers, Goodbye Utopian World of Discovery and Daily Surprises...

...my heart is racing at the idea that this great adventure is ending. That soon I will be having to adjust to reality, to the daily routine of life ... and say goodbye to my faithfull companion that has stuck by me over thick and thin during the past 11 months, through the cold, the dust, the dirt and the wet (...)

(...) until the next adventure.

For now, I am heading home to Nice, to enjoy the rest of the summer and to figure out what happens next ...

Cambodia - the road to Angkor

2008-08-11T09:10:00.015Z

Having endured a 10 hour bumpy ride from Saigon (which btw should have taken only 6hr), we arrived in Phom Penh tired and somewhat moody. We didn't really enjoy being hassled by touts, tuk-tuks and the many cambodian kids selling anything from wooden elephants to photocopied bestseller novels but hey this is Cambodia! We better get used to it.

Phom Penh is rather relaxing for a SE Asian capital city. It boasts a shaddy waterfront, a few Khmer Palaces and a dilapidated central market. Highly recommended activities include visiting the humbling and terrifying Killing Fields, people watching cambodian style (ie. watching scooters carrying 3,4,5 or even 6 people zig-zag-ing in and out of traffic!), honing your bargaining skills in the central market to purchase soap, fried crickets, pirated software/DVD/CD, fake watches etc ... and finally avoiding every tuk tuk driver and / or book-selling cambodian.

I met up with a friend of mine A, who decided to join me for the last three weeks of my trip. It was odd to leave the world of "solo travelling" and I think it ultimately made me lazy but it was enjoyable nonetheless. We hit the road fairly quickly, heading north to Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat - Cambodia's finest and most reverred example of Khmer temples. The bus ride was challenging in that we got stuck with the worst seats possible, impossible to recline and too high to lay your feet. After 3 hours, all my blood was in my toes and I was growing increasingly pissed off with the whole journey, wishing I could swap seats with all those people sleeping comfortably.

Once in Siem Reap, we found a hostel and a designated tuk tuk driver in less than 5 minutes (yes the're everywhere). I, by then was feeling a little queezy from the anti-malaria medication. I had avoided taken them in Central America and most of SE Asia but I quickly realised that Cambodian mosquitoes were surprisingly vicious and decided to make the most of my medical kit now that time was running out! Wrong decision as I started feeling ill, bad tummy and all. So in the end, I took the medication for 5 days.

We visited the temples of Angkor, the lost city of Khmer Kings, all beautifully set in a breathtaking park outside of Siem Reap. We grew quite fond of "our driver" especially when we noticed that he was studying english whilst we were visiting the temples. Needless to say, our tip at the end of the 3 days more than made up for the tough bargaining we had done initially. We're suckers through and through!

After Siem Reap, we followed other traveller's advice and embarked on an 8 hr boat ride through Cambodia's remote river system to make our way to a small town called Battangbang. The ride was an eye-opener. We saw remote parts of Cambodia, where people lived in very basic conditions, on small floating shacks with little more than a flimsy roof to protect them from the elements. Unlike Vietnam, the land is not really cultivated as the entire country was ravaged by bombs during the Vietnam war (and subsequently by the Khmer Rouges) - which makes for very raw images of nature.

Our last stop in Cambodia involved getting our hands dirty ... and indulging in some local cuisine. We took a cooking course where to be honest the only good thing that came out of it was the Chicken Amok I made. I managed to completely destroy the remaining three dishes on the menu through a combination of lack of skills and sheer fussyness (ie. not liking the initial ingredients and therefore omitting them !).

I will therefore leave you with a picture of yours truly in Action.

Enjoy!

Vietnam Part 3: Hoi An to Nha Trang

2008-07-24T12:59:00.005Z

I arrived in Da Nang late, joined a group of fellow travellers (2 couples from the UK) and shared a taxi to the ancient city of Hoi An. Hoi An is a quaint city, nestled in the Central region of Vietnam. It's the home to an old imperial city and a myriad of tailors.

My first objective was to find a tailor to cook up some clothes for me. Easily done, there were approx 20 tailors to each street ie. plenty to chose from. After some very sweaty attempts at trying clothes on ( trying winter clothes in 30C heat is NOT a good combination!), I settled from a few suits, a winter jacket and a dress ... all to be posted home using seamail (I know, playing with fire!). They will hopefully arrive by the time i need to start interviewing for jobs at home. Fingers crossed.

I met some rather interesting people in Hoi An. I shared a room with an english couple, who after one night, decided to not be a couple or rather to reach the "it's complicated" stage. I was then left in the middle, relaying information to the one then the other. An initially awkward situation, which turned out to be rather entertaining.

I also met up with some old friends from Central America. I finally caught up with an Irish couple who I had travelled with from Guatemela to Costa Rica in October last year. They are also reaching the end of their trip and I foresee that we will be spending a fair bit of time together over the coming weeks. Cool :)

I left Hoi An soon enough, having sent my boxes home and quickly growing tired of the constant pressure to buy photocopied books/chinese lanterns / TShirts / Cards/ Kleenex/ Water ... you name it...all at inflated prices.

I boarded a night bus to Nha Trang - which in itself was an interesting experience. I had heard of these "sleeper" buses - fitted with 3 rows of narrow bunk beds and cruising at high speed over numberous potholes whith music blaring and neon disco lights to add to the experience. An experience only valium could make pleasurable.

Nha Trang is described as the home of Vietnam's best beaches - a gross overstatement in my eyes. I arrived early enough to witness families soaking up the morning sun, undertaking their daily exercise routine on the beach. The beach was rather beautiful but this impression dissipated as I began to see garbage floating on the beach or people washing their clothes. I guess we are spoilt in Europe.

I also wanted to see for myself if Nha Trang could live up to its reputation as Vietnam's best dive sites. I had two dives to figure it out. The first dive was average, visibility was low, coral dead in parts and very little fish. The second dive was a lot better, huge coral reefs, colourful fish and a few small caves made for a fun dive.

Verdict: Remember that it's fun to dive even when you can't see much!

Laos - Luang Prabang - Vang Vieng - Ventiane

2008-07-24T12:07:00.004Z

What can you say about Laos?

Despite being one of SE Asia's poorest countries (by far), it has a peaceful quality to it.

It's chilled.

Relaxed.

So much that SE Asia is not anymore.

I flew from Hanoi to the northern city of Luang Prabang (LP for short). LP is located on the Mekong River and used to be the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Laos until the communist took over in 1975.

Rather surprisingly, LP boast small streets, fashionable coffee houses (no Starbucks, but who needs it here! The coffee is ace!), Buddhist temples, a night market, the Mekong River and most importantly French Baguette and Vache Qui Rit (for less that 1 USD!).

I stayed in an awesome hostel called SpicyLao. The vibe was amazing. As I arrived, people were playing badmington, everyone smiled, said hello ... made me feel welcome straight away.

The mood was already chilled but things were about to get better. After sharing a feast from the local market (12 pple hungrily tucking their fingers into sticky rice, fresh fish, chicken, sweet chilli sauce, nems...) it was decided that we would use the remnants of someone's St Patrick's Day face paint on each other before heading out to the bowling alley (the only place open after 11 pm as LP has a curfew).

The rest of the evening is blurry at best. It might look a little like this...

Food - Face Paint - Tuk Tuk - Bowling - BeerLao (the BEST) - Spicy Noodles - BeerLao - Home.

I had initially planned to stay 2 nights in LP, but in the end stayed 4. That is the nature of the place. Had a redcross massage, bought some souvenirs at the night market, sipped coffee, chilled on the veranda, went to a waterfall, chilled some more... and most of all enjoyed spending time with a great group of people. Jimmy, Kelly, Jan, the Dutch, the Irish, the Canadian...raaah...a great group.

The rest of my Lao trip was cut short due to monsoon amounts of rain. It rained...rained...and rained again from LP to Vang Vieng (the home of tubbing but I wouldn't know as i spent the day hiding from the rain watching friends) and finally to the capital Ventiane.

The rain eased off a little but I was only spending one afternoon in the capital as I had already booked my onward journey back into Vietnam. Ventiane was surprisingly manageable. A small city for a capital, benefiting from the Mekong River, ample green spaces and most notably a still strong french influence (with their own version of l'Arc du Triomphe!). Buildings have remained low, the post office still has it's french name and build ... and the food...well let's say it made a french gal happy.

Vietnam Part 2 : Halong Bay

2008-07-24T11:46:00.003Z

Halong Bay deserves a posting to itself, it is situated to the north of the Gulf of Tonkin, 3 hrs away from Hanoi. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, features thousands of limestone karts and isles in various sizes and shapes and is absolutely breathtaking.

Unfortunately, the only way to visit the islands are by using an organised tour. The format is somewhat appealing as visitors get to stay for a min of one night on a traditional vietnamese junk boat but the fact that there are over 400 junk boats in the bay at any one time is a clear negative.

I opted for a 1 night / 2 day tour which ensured that I experienced Halong Bay in the most efficient way (strap for time!). The trip was fun and I met some extremely interesting people. I had the opportunity to speak french canadian, to discuss Dubai's horse racing industry with a Belizean, all whilst chilling with some US graduates ans singing Karaoke.

Exhausting if you ask me!

Vietnam Part 1 : Hanoi to Sa Pa

2008-07-11T15:46:00.010Z

Vietnam is home to a blastering 84m people - all living in a rather small, dragon shaped country that boasts lushious country-side, huge mountains and beautiful scenery of submerged rice fields and arduous working farmers wearing cone hats.

I arrived in Hanoi, early July to find myself taken under the protective wing of one of my father's friends. He got me to my hostel, paid for the hostel, bought me a SIM card and treated me to the best french 3 course lunch I've had for over 10 months!

Despite being the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is surprisingly manageable. Very few high rise buildings block the views, the center is a combination of old french colonial, modern low rise, a large lake ... all surrounded by a swarm of ant-like motorbikes.

The first day was spent exploring the old french quarters, gaining understanding of the multitude of tribal communities and customs at the Museum of Ethnology, being mesmerized by the traditional water puppet shows, indulging in some people-watching along Hoan Kiem Lake whilst sipping succulent vietnamese coffee and of course, enjoying some Pho on the many street stalls.

Soon it was time to head north to the mountainous region and market town of Sa Pa. Northern vietnam is famous for its mountains and is the home to many of the country's tribal communities, rice paddy fields and treks.

I was joined on this adventure by two English gals who had been teaching English in China for the past year and an Aussie graphic designer from Sydney. We boarded the night train, soft sleeper (meaning with AC, wooden panels and somewhat unsurprisingly no Vietnamese people) and endured 9 hours of uncomfortable rocking on very hard and thin mattresses.

We arrived early and quickly made a move towards the begining of our 2 day trek. As we arrived to the first village we were greeted by a hord of screaming girls who couldn't have been older than 12 years old. The questions (we would later discover) were standard: " Where are you from ? How old are you ? (automatic response is "oh very young" ... even when I answered 60 years old (only once!)) What is your name..."

Introductions done and dusted we started our trek amongst Vietnam's northern mountain range (3000 m above sea level), navigating our way through paddy fields whilst enjoying beautiful, breath-taking, mountain scenary. The young girls proved to be close allies, talking to us as they helped us navigate through the treacherous muddy paths.

Our trek was broken up by regular meetings with the local Hmong, Dao and Tay tribes which was most certainly one of the highlights of Sa Pa. These woman are stunning both in the character that emanates from their faces but also from the rich embroidered ethnic clothes they wear.

We stayed the night in a homestay, sleeping on mats on the floor protected by the elements by a flimsy and hole ridden mosquito net. Luckily the local "Happy Water" ie. Rice wine was practically on tap and the drinking games we played with our fellow travellers ensured that we all slept well.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Sa Pa experience. The friendliness of the locals was felt despite the clear tourist money flowing in the region. The views were breathtaking and the experience of meeting local tribeswomen will definitely stay with me for years to come.

Hong Kong ... the bling and the traditional

2008-07-03T13:33:00.003Z

It was always going to be impossible to surpass the experience I had 6 years ago in Hong Kong. I was staying with a friend (from Hong Kong), with her family, during Chinese New Year. I know. Top that.

Instead, I enjoyed it as a tourist. Visited the 10,000 markets in Kowloon, tried to resist the temptation of seeking AC vents (ie. in the tube, in malls, in fast food restaurants...) and embraced the stickyness that makes Hong Kong so special.

I met some lovely girls (from Aus and Ireland) and we explored the city together, even venturing out to the beach for one day.

All in all in was fun and allowed me to slowly get used to the fact that I was now in Asia.

Next stop Hanoi - Vietnam

Spending time with family

2008-06-28T04:15:00.003Z

It's hard to describe the sense of relaxation that comes from spending time with family after being on the road for so long. Distance (ie Australia) has made that I have never spent much time with my Mum's side of the family but somehow it didn't seem to matter. It felt right and relaxing to be there.

I drove up to the Gold Coast to see the matriach of the family, a pretty sturdy 86 old and an absolutely amazing 98 old (I want to be like him when I get to that age). It's hard when you try and pile up 30 odd years of absence in one day ... and ultimately it has to disappoint somewhat. But the effort was made and that's what counts. What we lack in memories, we get in the comfort of doing the right thing.

It has especially been fun to spend time with my cousins. Due to the age difference it is the first time that age hasn't mattered and that I have been able to share a great deal with them from hanging out with friends to having conversations about how odd and beautiful our family is. Being an adult ain't half bad.

Time to move on. Early start tomorrow - flying from Brisbane to Sydney to Hong Kong.

Last leg.

Sydney - vibrant and kicking

2008-06-26T03:24:00.004Z

After a few days of faffing about in Auckland, I finally arrived in Sydney. And excited, I was. A friend I had met on the Magic Bus in NZ picked me up from the airport and kindly hosted me for 3 days. It's funny how you can meet people, not really know them for a long time but really click.

I got introduced to what life could be like in Sydney (if i ever...). On the first night we went out for drinks and (amazing) Vietnamese food - here we were all huddled up around a small table, someone from Italy who'd lived in China, an Aussie from Chile, a few Spanish, French, Asian...everyone was represented. It was an exciting melting pot of ideas and experiences. It reminded me of London, a heterogenous buzzing society of people connected by their current location and thirst for new experiences.

I visited the sights, the opera house, the bridge, the Harbours, Bondi...and the weather was just stunning (which made for some pretty good photos!).

Highlights include the free ice cream (thank you Virgin), hanging out with B, seeing cute surfers in Bondi, ice cream, hanging out with an awesome group of people, the lime green bridesmaids (what not to do!) eating home made chicken pie and having tortilla (i know!) .

I could definitely live in Sydney. It's one of those places that seems to be right for so many people. Although I get the feeling of a you and us type of society where you have "foreigners" craving for some Aussie culture and interaction...and finding it hard to get.

Final stop in NZ - Sleepy Christchurch

2008-06-17T04:38:00.003Z

Sleepy Christchurch has been the final stop in my NZ adventure. And sleepy it sure is. I had planned to only stay 1 night and move on to Kairoura but shere laziness and the inability to swim with dolphins (too cold) convinced me that the best I could do was stay put for a few days.
But luckily (for me) things turned out pretty well. I had a fun night out on Manchester St's famed Disco Crazy institution aptly called Boogie Nights, saw way too many prostitutes for comfort and walked home with Spiderman. Or was it a drunk Kiwi pretending to be Spiderman ? ... I am confused.I then had the delight to meet two english cousins who happened to be exactly what I needed...a massive laugh! They just kept coming (the laughters) ... from trying to go out on Sunday night (spleepy town = impossible), trying to find a decent pie (same night - same result) ... riding the tram...eating fudge...and well planning to meet up in Sydney.

Overall Christchurch was a little like Geneva but with less Pezaaaaaz ... neutral, slightly bland but does the job quite well.

Next stop Sydney.