La Vida del Trotamundos

Moved!

2009-01-15T12:56:00.002Z

I've moved to a new website! It's all done up!

I'm gonna write more than ever, focusing only on travel - the love of my life!

www.wildjunket.com

See you there!

One Week Job Project

2009-01-06T13:55:00.004Z

Sean as a Bungee Instructor

To kickstart the new year, I have some interesting stuff to share.

Isn't it everyone's dream to be venturing abroad, or rather, being on a new adventure while on the road?

Sean Aiken, freshly graduated from college and not knowing what to do with his life, embarked on an epic journey around North America - 'One week job Project'. Working 52 jobs in 52 weeks.On his inspirational quest, Sean tried everything: Bungee Instructor, Dairy Farmer, Advertising Executive, Baker, Stock Trader, Firefighter, and more. Wherever he could find work, he'd go there, find a couch to crash on and immerse himself in whatever profession was at hand. And then he'd move on.

Listen to this, all his wages were donated to charity. Now that's what we're talkin' about!

Pretty inspiring huh?

http://www.oneweekjob.com/about-the-project/

2009's here!

2008-12-30T15:34:00.009Z

It's been a whirlwind of travelling and parties over the past month. My favourite time of the year has come - time to say goodbye to 2008 and usher in the new year. Looking back, 2008 has been perhaps the best year in my life thus far - in terms of discovering more of who I am, finding my favourite places in the world and being closer to my loved ones.

Let's look back at one of the best years I've had -2008:

A wacky 3 Kings day in Granada, Spain with some good friends
Sledging in Oslo, Norway and meeting a superb Norwegian host - an extremely memorable experience!
Sleeping under the stars in the White Desert, Egypt
Climbing the rose-red cliffs of Petra, Jordan
Finding my favourite place in the world - Tanzania, Africa where I taught the best students of Bomani Pri Sch
Seeing my family again in Singapore
Sleeping in a tatami room in Miho's home, Tokyo
Climbing the Great Wall of China and witnessing works of history in Beijing
Fell in love with rustic SE Asia - Vietnam and Cambodia
Having some of my best friends visit from all over - Melinda, Hannah, Heiko, Emily!
Most importantly, started freelance travel writing!

With 2009 here, here are my new year's resolutions and I can't wait take a peek at what the new year has in store for us!

Get published on more travel websites and magazines - Bootsnall and local magazines
Finish up my new website, and turn it into a success!*
Develop a stronger style of writing
Learn Italian! - Buongiorno!
Spend more than 3 months travelling Latin America*
Play with the sealions at Galapagos Island
Visit Vanessa in Argentina!*
Finding a permanent home - hopefully we can buy our own house...

I know I know, it's a lot for 1 year of resolutions, but hey - I fulfilled ALL of my resolutions last year, so why can't I be a lil greedy and set my standards higher this time round? ;)

Diving the waters of Sipadan, Borneo

2008-12-30T13:17:00.020Z

A hawksbill turtle

Spending X'mas in Sipadan was perhaps the best break of 2008. After a year of major changes - moving from Spain to Singapore, travelling in Africa, and short trips around tropical Asia, I urgently needed a break from everything. Just time to sit, relax and clear my head alil.

Thou it didn't feel like X'mas, with the tropical heat and the oceanic setting, we undoubtedly immersed ourselves in the beach bummer lifestyle both of us adore. Everyday was breezy and carefree - waking up to a stunning sunrise by our simple water chalet, diving the deep waters and swimming amidst turtles, then napping away on our verandah overlooking the sea in the evening.

Looking out on our verandah

On our little piece of haven in Sabah, we found heaven. Truth be told, I had been swaying in the seabreeze and getting high on the smell of saltwater too much to even realise that I was still on earth.

Tons of untouched islands dot the area - we dived around Sibuan Island where we found 3 turtles playing hide-and-seek under the coral reefs, and clown fish mingling around with the sea anemone. As we reached the shore of Sibuan Island, some 3-year-old boys stared at us, stark naked and smiling in puzzlement. We were told later that they were Filippino immigrants who'd taken refuge on this previously uninhabited island, living on their own catch from the sea, and basic rattan huts they'd thatched together themselves. Inhabited by perhaps only 20 of them, Sibuan is an unspoilt, rustic island that had managed to escape the clutches of tourism, as yet.

the children of Sibuan Island

clownfish playing amongst the sea anemone

blue Dory

Pufferfish

Schools of batfish

For every diving enthusiast, Sipadan is the Mecca, and the ultimate answer to paradise. It's what dive worshippers have been looking for. Blessed with rich biodiversity, you can find over 500 species just of coral and 3000 species of fish around the reefs of Sipadan. From the intimidating white-tip sharks to abundance of hawksbill turtles, Sipadan is one of the few sites in the world where you are guaranteed a visual feast of marine life. Luck was on our side as we were almost caught in a whole school of trevallies as they swam in coherence with one another. A turtle even swam so close to me, like he wanted a cuddle. I just stared straight into his eyes, and said hi to my new friend.

turtle amidst the colourful corals

school of trevallies

What makes Sipadan a world-famous dive site is its majestic drop-off that seems to cascade down to endless depths (700metres). Sipadan Island is only 14 hectares in size, encircled by vibrant coral gardens, which are cut steeply vertical into the deep sea. The drop-off is where you can find incredible diversity and density of marine life, and the most popular dive sites like the barracuda point, and white-tip avenue.

black-tip shark

I had the most fun with this interesting group of divers - all middle-aged Malaysians who had funny tales to share and a heart of gold. They were there to calm my nerves and share their precious life experience with me.

Dive haven in Sipadan

2008-12-29T14:25:00.002Z

On our little piece of haven in Sabah -the Malaysian part of Borneo, the coral reefs are endless, bright and teming with life, while turtles swam freely right by my side and sharks roam the area in their predatory fashion. For every diving enthusiast, Sipadan is the Mecca, and the ultimate answer to paradise.

It was nothing like I'd ever seen, and I think, I've almost found my heaven...

Lapland - Santa Claus's birth place

2008-12-21T16:05:00.005Z

Photo by Rob

With the festive season around the corner, I'm working on a X'mas article, in which I wrote about the intriguing Lapland (Sweden and Finland) - where pure white snow covers sloping mountains and deep forests. Nowhere else in the world can be more magical than the legendary birth place of Santa Claus. Reindeer sleighs and huskies snowmobiles. A child's fantasy cometrue.

'Imagine exploring the mythical Sarek National Park on huskies' sleighs, along the King's trail, past deep forests, lakes and bare mountains. The 3-day trip will allow you to sleep under the stars, where you might just witness the magical aurora, and spot a few moose, reindeer and lynx. With commercialized tourism yet to be developed, there are no tourist cottages or hordes of travelers around - you'll be guaranteed a genuine Christmas adventure. Snow-mobiles and ice-fishing are also activities that you can rarely indulge anywhere else on earth. To get an authentic experience of the Sami culture, you can even ski with tamed reindeers to Skaite and Lake Peuraure! Definitely the best Christmas trip you can have!'

http://www.laponia.nu/

MERRY X'MAS!! Wish everyone a dreamy white X'mas!

Angkor Wat by night

2008-12-21T15:44:00.006Z

A trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia recently made me go through waves of self reflection and wondering when the world would be a better place, for some of the less fortunate. This journey has given us a clear insight into the past - how it has shattered millions of lives, destroyed the country and especially the permanent consequences of war.

Still, the city of Siem Reap has so much beauty and culture remaining despite years of war.

Here are some pictures of the Angkor Wat by night.

10 tips to bargaining your way across the globe

2008-12-16T14:52:00.004Z

While travelling through any corner of the world, you're bound to be stuck one way or another in the maze-like Djemma el Fna souk of Morocco, or the Ladies Market in Hongkong. With a tip or two, bagging handicrafts and souvenirs might not be that tough after all!

Check out my travel article at:

http://www.travelguidesdb.com/world-travel/10-tips-to-bargaining-your-way-across-the-globe.html

Be sure to vote/comment! The best article of the month wins US$1000 in cash!

My Bella Vita

2008-12-10T13:42:00.005Z

I came across the blog of this American girl who fell in love with an Italian man in Paris, and moved all the way to Catanzaro, Northern Italy. They restored his childhood home, and transformed it into a lovely B&B. She talks about her beautiful life in the Italian suburbs, and every other thing under the sun.

Their story kinda reminds me a lil of our own (I choose to think of it as romantic as theirs.) I'll love to visit them if I'm in Italy again!

http://my-bella-vita.com/

http://ilcedro.wordpress.com/ (B&B website)

Temples you must see before you die

2008-12-05T15:03:00.007Z

Macchu Picchu - Peru

Shwedagon Pagoda - Yangon, Burma

Tiger's Nest Monastery, Bhutan

This interesting article lists the most historically rich and religiously intriguing temples in the world - definitely temples you need to see before you die!

http://www.travelguidesdb.com/world-travel/temples.html

Sailing the Caribbean onboard the Sol Searcher

2008-12-05T14:42:00.005Z

Brady on Matador Community is looking for a sailing partner to sail through NW Caribbean on his boat Sol Searcher. He'll be leaving Guatemala Dec 15th for Belize and then heading to the Bay Islands of Honduras at the end of March, and expecting to explore Panama and Colombia come May.

Anyone up for some solitude and sunset in the Caribbean?

http://www.sol-searcher.net/

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

2008-12-01T23:08:00.001Z

Stumbled upon this hostel while blog-surfing.
Amazing coastal views, right by the lighthouse,
50miles from San Francisco.
Affordable yet country-style rooms,
white picket fence and wooden furnishing.
Perfect for a wkend getaway.

http://norcalhostels.org/pigeon/

S$254 (100euros) from Kuala Lumpur to London!

2008-11-25T16:53:00.003Z

Thanks to Asia's biggest budget airline, AirAsia, now we can fly to Europe for just a mere S$254 one-way, taxes included! It's REAL - I checked tix for nxt Aug - return tix S$600 (300euros)!

Imagine flying from London to Kuala Lumpur for ONLY 99GBP! Get your ass here to Asia!

www.airasia.com

Soaking up Paradise - Boracay

2008-11-16T14:57:00.067Z

In this little piece of heaven,

we found peace and tranquility, and a kind of calm.

For a moment there, I was in a paradisical high.

It really felt like an escape from reality.

Everything they said about Boracay was real.

A tiny island that only existed in our fantasy.

Not overcrowded with tourists, nor overbearing touts

nor pumping loud clubs.

Just subtle beach bars and good food..

Seeing local kids play around in the clear waters

made me feel more blissed

to be in this authentic unspoilt haven.

Rusty tricycles are the most common form of transport

around this tiny island.

Walking through the quaint little village towards our hostel,

we saw rural Filippino life and adorable local children.

Such bamboo huts are typical Filippino housings.

From ceiling to the floor, every single surface is covered with bamboo.

Beautifully simple.

The view from our hostel overlooking village huts.

This was what I wanted - a local insight to island life.

Trying street food has always been the top on my travel lists.

Filippino street food is undoubtedly one of the best!

Not to mention that BBQed meat and organs form an impt part of the Filippino cuisine.

Kechon Kawali.

Roasted fatty pork -literally 3 layers of fats between crispy skin and tender meat.

Fried to perfection.

Chicken Adobo.

Stewed chicken in soya sauce, vinegar and onion.

Seemingly simple, but overwhelmingly tasty.

Seafood stalls line the beachfront,

as restaurants tempt the passing pedestrians with their fresh and colourful catch.

A basic BBQ stand.

Of course I had to pig out on the famous Isaw Manok!

Isaw Manok (bbqed pig's intestines garnished with sweet sauce)

White beach is lined with chill-out casual bars

with comfortable bamboo sofas sprawled on the soft sand.

What better way to unwind after a day of soaking up the sun.

Oh and the best cocktails ever!

We rode around the island on a tiny rented scooter

and found this secluded piece of haven- Balinghai resort!

A rustic wooden place perched on top of a steep cliff,

spiralling down to a small exclusive beach..

It felt so down-to-earth and untouched by the world.

Ah food glorious food!

Chicken cooked with coconut gravy.

The view of the sea from the resort.

Riding up to Mount Luho, the highest pt of the island,

was probably something we would not wanna miss out on.

From that tiny observation deck, you could see both sides of the island

the White Beach as well as the Bulabog Lagoon

which is the hotspot for kitesurfing..

Night falls and the island is transformed..

The best meal we had in Boracay, was at Jonah´s shakes.

The restaurant was all candelit and had a great atmosphere,

your feet would be feeling the soft sand, while the waves roll by right beside you.

They had excellent set dinners, for a great price

- rice with crispy fried shrimps, and stewed meat, along with a drink and fruits

for only 280pesos. (US$4)

Mango Margaritas at the Hawaiian beachbar was perfect.

Short walk thru' Manila

2008-11-16T13:41:00.012Z

Flying over the skies of the Philippines,

I will always remember the view of the numerous islands...

We had a short transit in Manila,

and decided to explore the city and perhaps get on one of the cool Jeepneys..

Their most common form of transport,

the Jeepneys are bright, eye-catching and definitely very local.

Street hawker selling some guava.

(a green tropical fruit that goes well with sour plum powder)

We walked through the streets of Malate,

an old-meets-new neighbourhood

Here's an unrestored Malate Church.

Street food with barbequed meat

- Isaw manok (intestines), chicken liver, and three-layered fatty pork

We didn't have enough time in Manila to really get a feel of the city,

but an odd but interesting fusion of modern buildings and traditional street hawkers.

A paradise for all divers

2008-11-13T15:48:00.003Z

Sipadan is a haven for all divers and sea-lovers. Rich with coral reef and amazing marine life, it's not difficult to see turtles, huge groups of barracudas and reef sharks swimming by you. Located at the northern tip of the island of Borneo, this little Malaysian island is the best kept secret of Asia, and hopefully stays that way! I've had enough of tourists and party animals, can't wait for a relaxing time with nature.

AirAsia flies there now from Kuala Lumpur straight to Sandakan/Tawau where transportation to Sipadan can be arranged easily. You can dive Sipadan all year round, it is not affected by the monsoon rain.

I´m planning a diving trip there in X'mas, all the snowy days are over!

http://www.sipadan-resort.com/

Travel review - Wildlife Safari in the Serengeti National Park

2008-11-09T11:15:00.005Z

Recently I'd started writing travel reviews for Cosmotourist, usually my own experiences travelling through anywhere in the world. I´m having a ball of a time, just recalling those days and penning them down and sharing my thoughts with like-minded travellers. It's a great site to get detailed tips and advices, check out my reviews at:

http://www.cosmotourist.com/myct/profile/u/adventurer/tab/1/t/

'Driving along the dusty mudroad in the middle of the vast Serengeti National Park, we saw thousands and thousands of wildebeests and zebras galloping along the plains, lazily grazing the grass, carefree and at ease in their natural habitat. I looked back from the opened rooftop of our 4x4 safari jeep, at the trail we left, and smiled. This IS what I'd been dreaming of. Wide vast land littered with animals, no buildings nor construction, just nature and how the stark naked earth.

After a further 5km of wide green plains, the jeep came to a halt. There was a line of fellow safari craze, all watching in awe. There they were, two cheetahs just 2m away from the path, with blood dripping down their sharply jagged teeth, looking satisfied and unfathomed. A flock of vultures 100m away from them were feasting on something, seemingly the leftovers of the cheetah's meal. Our fellow travellers stared wide-eyed in respectful silence, as we heard the leopards sip from the puddle of rainwater. An amazing sight - it's not everyday that you get to see wild animals after a kill.

Our fellow safari mate who have friends with safari experience, said we were really in luck to spot the cheetahs an inch away! Her father was in the same park, saw thousands and thousands of hyenas, giraffes, zebras and elephants, but not the fastest animal in the world. Soon enough, our luck had climbed a notch, and we were snatching binoculars from one another, peeking intently at an Acacia tree. Our alert and witty guide found the mystery animal with his naked eye, while some lucky ones spotted the animal right after using the binoculars, but me.. I was frantically searching for something I could not seem to find! 15 minutes of looking out through our opened rooftop jeep, I finally found it! The leopard was just lazily sleeping away on a branch, when all of us were admiringly staring at it! While the searching had given me a big headache, it surely made the wildlife safari more interesting and adventurous!

So head out there! - I've heard you're sure to find an animal of your interest in the great wilderness of the Serengeti! '

Obama winning the world over

2008-11-05T15:38:00.004Z

Obama won!!! America's gonna be a better place...

Confessions of a language freak

2008-11-04T13:12:00.003Z

Growing up in this complexed modern society, I'd been speaking English and Mandarin since I was a kid. It was never a bed of roses, I remembered struggling between the two- which to work harder on, which I preferred and I never understood why I had to learn to be bilingual. Now life has taken a 180degrees turn, maybe after all the travelling, it's

become more of an interest, in fact an addiction...

French

It all started with my interest in the language of love - Francais. C'mon, every girl has had that love-lorned affair with this universal sexy language, it's like your lust for Jean Reno. So I twisted my tongue and jaw to fit the raunchy French accent for years, aceing my language classes, but alas, hearing myself speak French was like scratching the chalkboard with my long fingernails -painful. My unquenchable thirst for French came to a reluctant end. These days, I can barely struggle with 'Voulez-vous couchez avec moi ce soir?'...

Spanish

The passionate language with lotsa tongue-rolling (rrrrrr) and exaggerated mouth action.The first Spanish word I'd ever learned was 'hijo de puta' (son of a bitch) much to the amusement of my amigos espanoles. The Spanish have this strong sense of pride in their country, everything from their well-loved Jamon (cured ham) to the botellon (alcoholic parties along the streets) and blood-splashing bullfights -I had to see it for myself! True to their words, it is amazingly

beautiful, culturally rich and a culinary heaven that has unknowingly captured my heart. I began my journey along the Spanish path, annoying bartenders with my broken Spanish and conjuring laughter with the funny sentences I put together. But I'm proud to say, after numerous monologues with the heavily-accented Andalusians in Southern Spain, I've painstakingly conquered this language- I catch their jokes, and I occasionally curse in Spanish now...

Arabic

Nobody around me understands why I would wanna learn the ancient Arabic language. It's a whole new world of characters, unknown to the imperialistic western world, and everyone associates it unfortunately with the terrorists.. I'd beg to differ! I've always had this thing for arabic scents, colours, and atmosphere. Living in Granada made me see

many sides of the Moroccan world that were so mystical and alluring. From then on, I made my way through Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt.. all of which have distinct flares of arabic culture. It's the way they speak that intrigue me - thou as a feminist, I disagree with the muslim idea towards women. I started picking up the Arabic language from a charming Algerian teacher in Spain, but still have yet to advance my level..

I think I should continue learning Arabic, oh maybe start on Italiano! aye!!

What shalt thou do without beautiful languages?!

Mount Kinabalu - the pride of SouthEast Asia

2008-10-30T14:55:00.003Z

Mount Kinabalu has one of the highest peak in Southeast Asia, standing at a height of 4,095metres (13,435 ft) above sea level. Located in a World Heritage site, in the east Malaysian state of Sabah, Mount Kinabalu boasts off a huge variety of flora and fauna, and is one of the world's most important biological sites.

I'm game for some climbing, get your hiking shoes ready!

Eating in Asia

2008-10-30T13:24:00.003Z

From the Filippino Isaw Manok (barbequed chicken intestines) to Vietnam's Cha Basa (stir fried frog legs), Asian cuisine has always been the top of my culinary loves. The powerful aroma, and assaulting tastes have captured my stomach for quite awhile now, and being back in Asia means trying even more amazing street food and tantalizing sauces.

Read my article for more...

http://www.travmonkey.com/wordpress/2008/10/22/10-tips-for-eating-out-in-asia/

Isaw Manok

Don't be shaken by its appearance..

Give it a go, you´ll know what you´ve been missin out on!

Beauty of Central Asia

2008-10-19T06:06:00.003Z

http://www.thelittleblackfish.org/

I've been following this young couple's trip Around the World in their blog. They're now travelling thru' Kyrgystan, just coming from Kazahkstan. The untouched natural beauty of the country has once again sucking that magnet in me. Ah! always wanted to travel thru' Central Asia, and Mongolia.. Probably take the Trans-Siberian railway from China to Russia soon!

Travel writing

2008-10-19T06:00:00.002Z

Just started exploring my interest in Travel Writing,

had my first article published on Travmonkey.com!

Check it out: http://www.travmonkey.com/wordpress/2008/10/14/how-do-i-volunteer-abroad/

Love to hear any feedback from you guys!

Spain by the horns

2008-10-11T09:08:00.004Z

I've been reading this book that has subtlely enchanted me with its whimsical and funny description of the Spanish culture- their obsession with bull-fighting, their loud bt comical demeanours and passion for fiestas and siestas alike.

The Aussie author began by writing about his encounter with an infamous matador (bull-fighter) in Sydney- with funny lines from the matador -'I yam estill esleeping.' or 'Bool-fighting runs in my blaad, I leeve it, I think abouut it and I go crazy withou tit.'

'In Spain, I discovered, people inhabited every inch of their lives. They feasted upon it up to the elbows. They drank red wine with their lunch and smoked full-strength cigarettes. I, on the other hand, ate tuna salads and got home in time for the news. Ever since my first trip to Spain I´d searched for ways to loosen up a lil, to be, in effect, more Spanish. But what worked for the Spanish didnt fit with my life at home. I couldn´t take off from work for a 2-hr siesta.´

He subtlely brings out that charm in the world of Spanish - the kind that only the rare few ones get a sneek peek in, and ultimately fall in love with.

A great read for lovers of all things Spanish.

F1 storming the streets of Singapore

2008-10-06T14:13:00.007Z

It's amazing to witness an International event right in the streets of Singapore..

the city was transformed into an elegant and exciting world-class race track overnight!

and woah did Alonso kick some ass!

A video I took, of the exciting race.

Rich culture and beauty in Bali

2008-09-22T13:42:00.070Z

A short trip to Bali with Mel and Jon,

who came all the way from Spain to visit!

The last time I had come to this unique Indonesian island,

I'd spent drunken sun-kissed days on the beach,

but never had I known the rural beauty

& intriguing culture of this one-of-its-kind island.

A view of the volcanic lake from the air..

Intricate carvings on their hindu temples

Temple in the heart of Denpasar

Temple rules had us dorning sarongs around our waist

as a form of respect for the gods.

Driving thru downtown Denpasar,

we found this colourful night market

that was full of vibrant energy and bright fruits...

Tropical Jackfruit

Dinner time at my fav restaurant..

this Nasi Campur was excellent,

dotted with a variety of veges, beef, and satay (meat stick).

Nightview of a Balinese resort

En route to Ubud,

we stopped by to admire these stunning architecture..

statues of Buddha and Hindu gods

Amidst the Monkey Jungle in Ubud,

we found this ancient temple..

Mystical Monkey Forest

A restaurant perched rite nxt to fields n fields of rice paddy

A peaceful and tranquil sight,

made for a rewarding and relaxing meal..

Indonesian food´s one of my favourite in the world.

Spicy, sweet and a rainbow of sensations to your tastebud.

I loved the rural countryside feel..

Elephant safari in the heart of the green fields..

it took us hours to get there

bt was disappointly a tourist joint

Bali is dotted with vast volcanic beaches

huge waves and wide stretch of sand..

the best picture of the beautiful rice terraces

that line the roads all over Bali

Temple Tanah Lot

the famous temple in the sea...

Alberto getting blessed by the temple officials..

a splatter of rice on the forehead and a frangipani flower tucked at the ear.

We are blessed.

Revisiting the clifftop cafe overlooking Tanah Lot

Alluring Balinese art gallery

Chancing upon a cultural center,

we were in for a treat!

Bali has got all types of traditional dances..

these dancers perform the famous Legong Dance,

in their amazing costumes, and enchanting movements.

Huge bronze statue of the Hindu god Lord Wisnu.

It actually composed of him riding on his Garuda bird,

with flames of holy wisdowm surrounding him.

Night perform - the Kecak dance

An insightful peek into their culture!

the Princess in the drama..

Good vs Bad..

their colorful and dramatic masks

- i bought one back home!

Best restaurant in Bali for Nasi Goreng

Bali has got so many different faces to it-

driving just minutes away from the tourist-flooded Kuta beach,

you get an insightful glimpse into the traditional Indonesian lifestyle

rows and rows of Rice Paddy terraces

and locals bending over, walking on their rice fields..

Saigon - Vietnamese adventures

2008-08-19T14:40:00.037Z

Vietnam's one of my fav countries in the world

with its interesting culture and amazing history.

It's a pity we didnt get to see other cities besides Saigon

bt the food n history was enough to lure me back for more!

Boating along the Mekong River.

A true experience just getting to know their vietnamese way of life

along the river, how fishermen make a living

the housing along the delta.

The singer performed some traditional songs

n had us swaying to the melody

Night food market

the excellent mussels

fried with garlic n absolutely tasty

best hotpot i had in life

Cu chi tunnels.

we took a US$5 daytrip (unbelievably cheap) to the rural areas

to witness some of the historical sites

that were sobering stories of the painful past.

getting into the narrow tunnel

where refugees hid for days

i cld barely enter..

so claustrophobic n dark

story of Ho Chi Minh

the streets of Saigon

filled with scooters

we enjoyed every single meal in Saigon

this last meal took us forever to find

bt it was so worth it.

Pho with springrolls and many crispy ingredients

that made a simple dish taste so good.

Asian Geographic

2008-08-19T11:51:00.002Z

Discovered this travel magazine recently,
and have been blown away by the amazing pictures and incredible travel tales that come with it.. not many travel magazines intrigue me with such allure..
They introduce unique, off the beaten track destinations such as Pakistan,
and I wanna take part in their Silk Road Expedition so badly!

http://www.asiangeopassport.com/

The inaugural “Source of Silk” trip, happening from 9–19 April 2009, will commence at the beginning of the Silk Road, starting from the breathtaking Taklamakan Desert near Kashgar, to the home of the terracotta warriors in Xi’an, through the amazing landscapes of Kyrgystan and Uzbekistan, traversing adventurous paths in Iran, all the way to the west of Lebanon.
Experience the unique sights and sounds along this historical and monumental route in this ten-day once-in-a-lifetime expedition.

Anyone in for the ride??

Escape into my own kinda world

2008-08-07T06:01:00.002Z

Sometimes I wish I could run away from everything, everyone..
into my own fantasy world of liberty..
into the kinda world where I belong..
where hopes are dreams are the most important..
where money or career never stands in the way..

Perhaps that's why I love travelling,
for in that particular moment,
you're just in your dreams,
discovering new things, new life
and living in the realm of delusion.
Just you and the Earth.

Beijing musings

2008-08-05T14:07:00.029Z

China was a whole new world..
a mixture between ecclectic modernization and in-your-face sorta tradtions.
Besides the incessant spittings from the Chinese pple,
and the weird tongue-rolling Beijing accent,
we were constantly thrilled and amused
by these true to their hearts Chinese.

First thing first, FOOD!
Pekin duck and spicy chicken!

the signboard reads DOG FOOD for sale.
i didnt try that!

the street where our backpacker hostel was located,
is part of their traditional neighbourhood hutong,
i loved that quaint traditional feeling.

in the Forbidden City

No offense to his modesty,
check out this lil kid's pants!
specifically the groin area..
bamm! our fren told us they do tt to all kids
make it easy for them to shit anywhere!

the colours

jumpin to the joy of being in ancient world
of the Forbidden City

THE GREAT WALL

one of the best parts of our trip,
climbing the majestic Great Wall.

acrobatic show

we were in the mood to be pampered,
tried out Imperial Cuisine at an Imperial Restaurant.
it was truely imperialistic prices (thanks to Heiko)
we were lucky to not have been washing their plates...

Tiananmen Square

One of the best pictures taken
it shows the tranquility of this ancient city...

The Meskel festival in Ethiopia

2008-08-05T10:33:00.007Z

Meskel (the finding of the true cross) falls on 28th September each year and has been celebrated in Ethiopia for over 1,600 years. The word Meskel means “Cross” and the feast commemorates the discovery of the cross (upon which Jesus was crucified).

The festival coincides with the mass blooming of the golden yellow ‘Meskel daisies’, a flower called ‘Adey-Abeba’ in the Amharic language. According to which, the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa was named after.

A large bonfire is lit in Meskel Square and this is repeated all over the country in churches and small neighborhood groups. Bonfires are built topped by a cross to which flowers most commonly the Meskel daisy are tied. Priests don their full regalia and people of all ages are seen in the streets carrying fresh bunches of yellow flowers.

After the bonfires are blessed, they are lit and the dancing and singing begins around them. The feasting and the celebrations continue the night and well into the next day.

It was a waste we couldn't visit Ethiopia on our way back from Tanzania, we had to cancel our trip to Addis Ababa, due to my visa problems. Ethiopia is somewhere I've always wanted to see.. Many pple conjure images of malnutritioned africans streaked with poverty, when they hear of Ethopia. But it's changed, they've come a long way.. They've so much history, and culture.. such as the tribes that live in the Omo River region who have such interesting traditions and habits..

An Omo tribal girl

Whale shark watching in Donsol

2008-07-30T13:29:00.004Z

Lately I've been seeing and reading about Whale Shark watchin in Donsol, Philippines.
I've been so intrigued with it, imagine that amazing experience of a huge animal swim by you..
The sheer size of the whale shark is enough to awe you beyond bewilderment. Many curious backpackers indulge in the experience to swim with the gentle giant, and get as close as possible.

Thanks to conservationists and WWF, rules have been laid down, and they have ensured that visitors will have minimum impact on the animals and environment. WWF, together with the LGU and the Donsol Municipal Tourism Council (DMTC), have implemented the Butanding Ecotourism Development Project.

http://www.ecotourdonsol.com/

The whale shark, locally known in Donsol as 'butanding', is the biggest fish in the world. This gentle giant is known to grow to great lengths of up to 15 t0 20 meters and can weigh up to 34 tonnes. Unlike other species of sharks, the whale shark can neither bite nor chew. Its thousands of teeth are so tiny that it can only eat small shrimps, fish and plankton by using its modified gill rakers as suction filter.

Donsol is a coastal town located at the northwestern part of the Province of Sorsogon. The people generally depend on farming, livestock production and fishing for their income and livelihood. There are no landline telecommunications and internet services in Donsol.

I'm going there someday. Anyone up for it?

A walk thru' Japanese culture in Kyoto

2008-07-30T10:17:00.024Z

A lil girl dressed as a geisha stood by the street
transporting us back in time,
to the ancient traditional times of Japan..

Kiyomizu temple overlooks the city..

with our kawaii Japanese friends..
it was funny speakin to them in Spanish, in Japan.
Heiko absolutely loved the kneelin part of Japanese traditions..

An extremely touristic picture of us n the geisha..

Byo-do Inn
shimmerin under the evening sun..

A great restaurant for Yakitori (bbq skews)..

Beautiful ladies clad in Kimonos

we dig these Tatami styled restaurants..

SAKE! We all loved it!
what better way to indulge in some true Japanese culture?

TOKYO RAIDERS

2008-07-20T10:12:00.000Z

The last leg of our Asian trip,
Tokyo was perhaps the most anticipated city on our list
since we were sick of rude Chinese
pushing and shoving, and spitting all over the place.
Time for some civilization...

Awesome Shabu Shabu
(thinly sliced beef soaked in light soup)
and Sukiyaki for the rest.
Food glorious food!

Woah wide spread of delicacies at Miho's place
her folks were so cool n cooked up a feast for us
that's wat I call Japanese hospitality.

Anime dressing

Tokyo's nightview

One of the coolest restaurants in our trip
Inspired by the 'Kill Bill' setting,
it's a traditional old Japanese dwelling
restored to suit modern tastes..

Walkin along the streets of Shinjuku

Celebrating Alberto's 27th

2008-07-14T06:37:00.000Z

We spent Alberto's 27th the Miami way..
hitting chillout bars along the beach of Singapore.
A mojito in hand,
soothing chillout music in the backgrd.

Cafe del Mar
Famous for its chillout music,
an atmosphere of its own.
This one in Singapore has the same decor as
its original branch in Ibiza.
White furniture, elegant daybeds,
and a pool bar to wind down..

40 Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa
http://www.cafedelmar.com.sg/

We stumbled upon a cool resort/hotel along the beach
amazing waterfall, connected to the pool
with stylish black decor

51 Imbiah Walk Sentosa
Singapore 099538

http://www.silosobeachresort.com/gallery.htm

Sunset at the Cliff was gorgeous.
A restaurant/bar perched on the cliff overlookin the sea,
as part of the Sentosa Resort & Spa.
An extremely zen and relaxing feel..
a great place to wind down n chill..

2 Bukit Manis Road,
Sentosa
http://www.thesentosa.com/

Full Moon Party Zanzibar style

2008-07-13T09:10:00.009Z

I think back on those days of bummin' on the beautiful beaches
off the East Coast of Africa...
The best beach party we ever had,
was on the island of Zanzibar, East Africa.
Kendwa Rocks had an awesome display of
African acrobats,
a huge array of deadly cocktails
and just upbeat swahili music to get u swaying all night long.

Wooden african style decor

KENDWA ROCKS is located on the north coast of Zanzibar,

55 kilometres from Stone Town and just a few kilometres south of Nungwi village.

http://www.kendwarocks.com/

Those travelling days...

2008-07-05T09:21:00.027Z

Going on an East African camping safari
was on my list of the 'things to do before I die'.
The whole experience was awesomely astounding
out of this world, and never like anything u could ever imagine.
That surreal feeling of being so close to an animal in the wild.
In their natural habitat.
Where you are the intruder.
Nothing ever comes close to that sorta feelin'.
Of how the world should be,
without civilization, without buildings, without destruction...

In the middle of Lake Manyara National Park
overlooking a flock of over a million flamingoes..
it was an awestriking view...

I turned n looked behind at our trail behind the jeep.
It just struck me how free and opened it felt,
to be out in the open,
in the middle of nowhere
no longer cramped amidst huge cities..
This was the feeling Africa gave me.
that special feeling nowhere else has ever given me.

Driving past the long straight path to Serengeti National Park,
we saw millions of Wildebeest..
These animals migrate from one grazing land to another
in search of new sources of water and grass.
We were real lucky to have witnessed their once-a-year migration.

These 2 cheetahs were lying rite by the road,
all the safari jeeps were lined up inches infronta them
admiring that proximity to the fastest animal in the world.

One of the Big 5, Buffalo.

The lioness was right beside our jeep.
Everyone crouched down in silence,
staring in respect at the ferocious animal
looking for a prey..

the view of the Ngorongoro Crater from the top.
Formed from a volcano millions n millions of years ago,
the crater walls are completely intact,
and hundreds of animal species live within the crater.

our tents on the crater wall..
an excellent location to take a peek at the crater
just as the sun rises

us and the italians from our safari group.
stoppin over for a picnic lunch.

ZANZIBAR
A spice island surrounded by clear turqoise waters,
friendly locals and fragrant spice-filled seafood.
The temptation to lie on the beach,
enjoy the smell and allure,
then dance to the african beats at night
was too strong to resist...

I was wading in the shallow clear waters
when I came across this star fish
on my own lil atoll.
The atoll was higher land than the shore,
so I had that lil stretch of sand to myself..
and my lil starfish.

my new frens who swam and chatted with me
i loved these kids..
they were so warm and direct
we became fast friends. ;)

Wind blew across the coconut trees
the sun shone on the sparkling water
as I left my footprints on the soft sand of this beautiful island.
This came close to what I call, Paradise...

From the kids of Bomani Pri...

2008-06-24T14:28:00.002Z

Every single time I stepped into the classroom with Class3,

they would start singing this lovely song

'Welcome our teacha, welcome!'

Whenever I think of them, I hear this song in my heart

it brings a smile to my face, and some tears to my eyes.

I miss them.. their smiles, their coy faces and their innocence.

The Last King of Scotland

2008-06-11T15:27:00.009Z

Another cruel depiction of politics in Africa.
The Last King of Scotland is based on true story of the infamous dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin.
I've long heard about his cruelties, yet strong character who made people love and hate him.
His regime had killed over 30,000 Ugandans, his rule was characterized by human rights abuse, political repression, ethnic persecution and expulsion of Asians from Uganda.
He had only been exulted in 1979, leaving Uganda with destruction and devastation, but yet the will to stand up and head for a better future.

'In the early 1970s, Nicholas Garrigan, a young semi-idealistic Scottish doctor, comes to Uganda to assist in a rural hospital. Once there, he soon meets up with the new President, Idi Amin, who promises a golden age for the African nation. Garrigan hits it off immediately with the rabid Scotland fan, who soon offers him a senior position in the national health department and becomes one of Amin's closest advisers. However as the years pass, Garrigan cannot help but notice Amin's increasingly erratic behavior that grows beyond a legitimate fear of assassination into a murderous insanity that is driving Uganda into bloody ruin. Realizing his dire situation with the lunatic leader unwilling to let him go home, Garrigan must make some crucial decisions that could mean his death if the despot finds out.'

Forest Whitaker's portayal of Idi Amin is as real as it can get..

every move and action seemed so real

even the east african accent.

Amin develops a friendship with Dr Garrigan, a friendship that was doomed
A real character, Dr Garrigan survived Amin's cruel misdoings

and escapes to tell the story...

The real Idi Amin

Travelling's over, what's next?

2008-06-11T14:28:00.002Z

Alot travellers are faced with the same question after a long period of travelling.
So what's next? Is there still life after travelling?
Of course there is! All our family and friends are back at home, always here for us.
But is everything the same as how it was when u left?
Most probably not.. and You'll never feel like you'll ever fit in again.

Ive grown up and gone thru alot,
now I've realised there is really no need to feel part of home
I no longer need or want to feel like how it used to be.
I like how things are, now and in the past,
no matter how different they are.

So life after travelling.
As how things go in life, next comes lookin for a job,
and settling back to the monotony of life again.
Sigh but how do you move on with it?
It's so difficult changing that whole rhythm in life..

I miss that whole wake up early in the mornin, off we go checkin out new sights n sounds,
intriguing new discoveries, puzzling out-of-the-world traditions..
knockin out late at nite aft a whole day of walking.
I love that feelin, that endless feeling of uncertainty..
that feelin that you'r away from home, you'r always on the move..
i loved it..

Being at home makes u feel aimless again
like you´r just safe and totally in your comfort zone ..
Now it's time to find work again
n to be normal and robotic again...

Beijing musings

2008-05-27T08:22:00.002Z

So we've started off our Asian trip with Heiko,who's come to visit from Germany.
We'r having a ball of a time here in the other side of the world.
Starting off in Vietnam, we're in Beijing now and off to Shenzhen tomorrow.
Hannah's there to teach English,all the way from sunny Trinidad,Caribbean! God knows why!
Then we'll catch the train to Hongkong, see Emily, n finally Japan for some good food and catchin'up with Miho!

Vietnam's been coool, with its amazing sights and sounds
millions of bikes on the streets, vietnamese bent over the streets slurping on Phos
and traditional ladies in their vietnamese hats,ploughing thru the rice fields.

Beijing's an odd city of modern and old.
I dont really know how to describe it,but an intriguing mix.
We'r still oddly puzzled and disgusted by the Chinese. They spit everywhere you go... parks, streets, even in a nice restaurant!

Heiko and Alberto were practising hard today, while we were resting on the Great Wall. They were doing their best impersonation of the typical Chinese spit, with the sound of their spits and my laughter echoing thru the walls. Puzzled tourists walked past with that disgusted look,wondering what us trio were up to. Ay such funny memories.

The images of Africa

2008-05-18T08:39:00.031Z

Tanzanian women in traditional kanga

East African women dress in colourful clothes,

Vitenges are dresses tailor-made to fit their figures

and bring out the curves of African women.

Seamstresses lining the streets with their sewing machines

Dala-dalas with bus captains shouting out destinations
to attract passengers.

In the dala-dala

Adorable african kids gearing up for a picture

In the weekly markets

huge variety of colourful fruits and vegetables for sale.

I love scoaring thru the stalls of food,

and uncovering new species of fruits...

loads of green bananas for sale

intriguing Masai tribes welcome dance

they jump as high as they can

in tune with their rhythmic music

the Masai men become warriors at the age of 18,

after circumcision, they have to kill a lion with their bare hands

to be considered a real warrior.

the Masais build their houses with cow dung

streets of Zanzibar

typical Zanzibarian mudhouse

Machame market

a local lady frying bananas (ndizi), a popular tanzanian dish

and preparing my personal favourite mishikaki

barbequed meat sticks

vendors selling fried preserved fish in the market

fish market in Dar Es Salaam

hot n steamy, frying fresh fish and calamaries

Stone town, Zanzibar

Tall coconut trees line the coast of Zanzibar

Coastal houses in Jambiani, Zanzibar

they build their houses with white rocks found on beaches

Beautiful beach of Paje

local women gathering at the beach

Roaming the deserts of Egypt & Jordan

2008-05-17T09:07:00.024Z

Suddenly the desert feeling comes back to me...
the vast sand, endless desert, miles n miles of nothingness

extreme heat in the day, extreme cold at nite

sleeping under the stars, they'r so close that u feel u could grab them in ur palms.

I yearn to have that feelin again...

entering the Bahariya Oasis of the Western Desert, Egypt
u could see many women, esp in villages, all wrapped up in their Muslim dresses

Crystal Mountain

frolicking in the sand

our safari jeep - ah all the bumpy rides

The White Desert
sheer whiteness - minerals naturally form an amazing desert

Night falls, setting camp in the middle of the desert

Our guide Mohammed fixing us sm true blue Bedouin meal.

Rice with sauteed potatoes n Roast chicken.

His food was probably the best we had in Egypt.

bbrrr freezin cold as day breaks. breakfast by the sand..

how I love the soft feel of sand...

i think i belong there..

the Mushroom phenomenon!

Alberto n his safari do

at the flower rocks desert.

JORDAN!

Rite in the heart of Wadi Rum,

our driver-guide brought us all over the desert n dropped us in the middle of nowhere

luckily the camp was soo chilled-out

comfy arabian couches n shisha for us to float on Aladdin high...

our sleeping tents

Many Bedouin nomads roaming the desert on their camels...

the Bedouin family we met in the heart of the desert,

who made tea for us n treated us with hospitality.

Sand dunes!

love sliding down these dunes, getting all sandy

our guide

on the bridge in the desert

on top of the bridge

The Africans I miss....

2008-05-04T17:10:00.012Z

These are the amazing people I've missed..

all the wonderful people we met in Tanzania

all who affected our lives one way or another

n those we made us remember the beautiful country of Tanzania

for these people we've met along the way.

The one friend who's helped me all the way,

and who made me feel so at home.

Naomi was a fellow teacher at Bomani Primary School,

from day 1, she became a good friend

we hung out, had beers, n talked all about our lives

n countries..

I promise to be back, n definitely see her again.

Rose was our host, who gave us food n shelter,

told us very interesting tales abt her work,

and abt education in Tanzania.

A wonderful woman with a great heart,

passion for her work, n determination to help her country.

Our great friends who made us laugh,
who shared funny stories,
n are friends for life.
Deo, Adam, Ndossi and Rose.
We definitely miss them.

Brightness!

Brighty Brighty

Naomi's daughter..

ooo she makes my world go round n round..

she's sooo adorable, n i just love hangin ard her!

and of course, my amazing students!

Class 3 - the brightest, most disciplined n wonderful kids!

they laugh so much, they play hard,

n they wanna learn so much,

it's hard to imagine how some could have nvr gone to school

had their neighbours not reported on them.

Education is mandatory for children,

but some dont have the money to go to school...

it's sad bt the govt's working hard to change that now

and Im elated that the kids all know the importance of learning

and they all cherish life in school.

hahah mischievious bunch!

Nickson the naughty one,

that's Yasiri the smart ass one behind

the one on the right, Meckash, so earnest n sincere

smartest kid in class, Mikidadi

his best friend Bernard.

I love them to bits.

In some other classes, I just sit beside them

see them learn, n smile to myself

the bright future of Tanzania,

the girls of Class 3

Osiana, Neema, Diana, Asia..

all orphans in Light in Africa.

They are all happy, n love life as it is.

Diana on the right, is an HIV victim

but she's stronger than any other kid

and loves learning more than any one else.

I hope God blesses her, n grants her a chance at life.

Nora! A fellow teacher in school

she cheers me up whenever i feel down

she doesnt speak excellent english,

but she tries n makes us laugh all the time.

She's just soo down-to-earth, n sincere

i miss her sooo much already!

n her kid David!! awwww

This trip to Africa has been incredibly fruitfull

n without a doubt, a trip of a lifetime.

I know I'll be back soon,

n when Im there, I know Life will come to a standstill again

n it'll be as beautiful as ever...

Swahili time - Moshi

2008-03-27T10:24:00.001Z

Swahili time - oh yes, they have their own way of telling the time. The day officially starts at 7am - which is 1am for them (saa moja asubuhi).It continues on until 7pm - the start of the evening/night for them, thus called 1pm Swahili time. It is amazing and hilarious when I was told they start classes at 2am - i was like What??? - then I saw their clocks!

Swahili music is blasting along the streets, so much drum beats, so much happiness.. Everwhere we go, people stare but still greet us with a warm Jambo! Life here is so basic but yet happy and fulfilling. People are laidback, they go at a pace slow enough to sit back chill and enjoy life. You can hear people saying 'Be free, my friend.' everywhere.

We took the daladalas (mini vans) to Moshi town, right next to our village of Bomang'ombe. As usual, we were squashed in the tiny van n just enjoyed having lil chats or just smiling to local pple. It is always an experience for us. Staring out at the green fields, at the proud-standing Mt. Kilimanjaro, locals walking the streets in their colourful tanzanian suits and cows and goats moving freely, amidst the cars and people.

It's been absolutely amazing. We were brought to the school to take a look and see how we could help. The teachers and chairman gave us such a warm welcome. Africans are just friendly and sincere by nature. One of the teachers, Naomi has been so helpful, talking to me about the school, about tanzanian customs, and even invited us to visit her house someday.
The school's state was beyong description. It basically consisted of 2 basic classrooms, made of bricks cemented together, built on earth and fortunately, chairs and tables for the children. The Education office did not have enough funds to complete the construction, so the kids are left to study in the open. Toilets were basic hole-in-the-ground, with no doors or flush. BUT The students were the happiest children I've ever seen. Having classes with them made me realise how eager they were to learn, how happy they were to be meeting foreigners like us and how much they appreciated everything.

Alberto and I decided to do as much as we could during this short period we will be there for. We bought the window grills, glass for the windows, wood for the doors, cement, and Alberto has been working hard since to help do up the school. I've been teaching English classes to the kids, and most of them have a pretty good knowledge of the language. I am pleasantly surprised to see how good the curriculum and the teachers are, and how well they are learning the language. They definitely know the importance of the language and are working hard to progress. In comparison, Spanish kids dislike learning English, dont see the importance of it and thus have a much lower level. I saw that the kids were really learning, and the teachers were great - but they barely had enough pencils to go around, and not a single textbook for them. So we decided to buy some textbooks, and stationery for them to improve their classes - they were jumping with joy.

Yesterday, Naomi brought us to the market, and it was incredible - the colours, the sights and the sounds- so many peole selling all sorts of things - colourful fruits, beautiful batik dresses, you could find anything in the sprawling market.

I wanted to take some pics of the Maasai tribal people - with big colourful self-made accessories, typical red-blue clothing - made-famous by movies. But they wanted money for any picture taken, not just coins, but notes - the smallest note in Tanzanian currency is 1,000 Tsh (Tanzanian shillings)! We were told later that they believe that anyone who wants a picture of them, wants to sell them abroad since they've seen many pictures and postcards of themselves and know that others are making money outta them.

It's been only 2 days in school, but I've fallen in love with the children. I play with them during the breaks, we bought football and played all day with them, I try talking to them with basic words and just getting to know them. I love it here, and this feeling's like nothing I've ever felt before. Everything back to basic.

Swahili time - Moshi

2008-03-27T10:24:00.000Z

Tales from Kilimanjaro

2008-03-27T10:23:00.000Z

So yes, we made it! After a long haul flight from Egypt (to think that Africa is that humongous), we got our ass here - now in Arusha, Kilimanjaro.

After smearing ourselves all over with insect repellent (oh yes, we are very afraid of Malaria), our dear host gave us a warm welcome and brought us straight to her lovely home. Rose is a great lady with a big heart, her typically African gestures and cute accent brought us close under her arms and made us feel very at home in her comfortable tanzanian home.

Sharing a very delicious dinner, she told us stories of her life in Tanzania, about her work and schools in this country. I am looking forward to seeing the schools, visiting the children and getting to know them. It's a waste we wont have much time with them, but I'm just glad at least we have the opportunity to know each other.

It's been really hot here, tropical humid weather, sleeping under the mosquito net rids off the mosquitoes but doesn't help with the sweltering heat. Tanzania hasnt been quite the same way I'd imagined. Perhaps our host Rose has a much more comfortable life than the others, but people on the streets seem quite comfortable with life too.. the painful poverty that I'd imagined doesnt seem to be plaguing this region - but that's a good sign.

We've been the centre of attention thus far, especially in our lil village called Bomangombe. Most children stare at us, but give us a big smile and say 'Jambo!', and make us feel really welcomed here. Alota Tanzanian women are dressed real nicely in their traditional dresses, with beautiful batik design and headscarves. Bomangombe's at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and not what you would call a busy town. But all the conveniences are right at our door step - grocery stores, bars, watever we need. It's right between the 2 busy towns Arusha and Moshi. We'r here in Arusha, the capital of street touts and safari tour operators. It's been a tiring hunt for Safari tours, phfff.. n the touts are more insistent than ever.

Not many people speak English here, but with the help from Rose, we've been polishing up on Swahili and actually manage to get by with a few words. 'Jambo! Kwa heri! Baadye!'
Time to head back home to our lil village. Getting dark!

Crossing the border Egypt-Israel-Jordan

2008-03-19T19:07:00.000Z

It sure was interesting to be in 3 countries within 2 hours.

After 10 days of Egypt, we were ready to get away from the constant bargaining and hassling. "5 Egyptian Pounds my friend, okok how about 3 Pounds..?" We were kinda templed-out as well, albeit the intriguing Hieroglyphic writings and mystical Egyptian myths. The last coupla days in Aswan were amazing, we stayed at a cheap hostel ( 6euros/person/night -double the price of our usual Egypt hostel lol )with a rooftop swimming pool overlooking the Nile River... Woah the Nile River has this amazing allure to it, especially in Aswan. Beautiful sandy desert landscape lining the river bank, with lil soothing Feluccas sailing across the Nile, and brightly lit hotel lights up the peaceful tranquility.

So to get to Jordan,we decided on the land route, crossing the border by foot from Taba, Egypt to Eilat, Israel and thereafter to Aqaba, Jordan. It was definitely an eye-opener - the 3 neighbouring countries all sharing the same sea - were so different to one another in terms of wealth, and culture. The minute we crossed the gate over to the Israel customs, it was like a whole new world. The toilets were sparkling clean, unlike the hole-in-the-ground toilets in Egypt and aircon was whoozing outta the customs hall, and Israelis sure look different. The customs officers were all beautiful 18 year old looking Israeli young ladies and smartly dressed Jewish guys. A short ride from one border to another gave us some insight to the modern beach city of Eilat - I thought I was in Miami! It was such a waste we didnt include Israel in our itinerary, we just didnt have the time and decided Jordan was our priority.

When we crossed over to Jordan's border, it was back to the Arabic world where things are just not the same as the rest of the world. Alluring and magical, but they definitely have their own way of living. Jordan seemed to have more developed and richer than Egypt. Like what Alberto said 'Egypt is like the poor cousin of his neighbours'. It is interesting cos Egypt probably receives many more tourists than his neighbours , and is also bigger than both of them, but evidently it's not as developed as Israel nor Jordan.

Now we'r in Jordan, and we visited Petra today.. the sights were incredibly amazing..never like anything I'd seen. We'd kinda expected similar landscapes to Egypt or monuments and streets.. but it's been very refreshing. Petra is huge, and filled with incredbily coloured rose-red rock formations and cliff-like structures. You feel like you'r entering a different galaxy and you'r a tad bit closer to pure nature. All the work of nature. Ancient Nabataen tribes had cut into the rocks to form huge and awestrucking tombs and temples and had made a whole city out of it. Many people have the wrong perception that Petra is just the famous gate that appeared in Indiana Jones (we were humming to that catchy tune all day!), but it's far bigger than any monumental sites we've been! It took us all day 12hours to see almost the whole site, but you definitely need more time than that.

We'r all dogged out, exhausted from all these travelling. Heading to the Wadi Rum desert tomorrow to spend a night camping under the stars again - I know it's gonna be fuckin good. I guess I'll write again when we reach Tanzania in 2 days' time!

Sleeping under the stars in the desert

2008-03-15T17:00:00.002Z

Night wind howling. Staring at a whole sky littered with stars.
Complete tranquility and peacefulness.
Not a single soul in sight, not a single sound...
Just you and nature.

We were in the Western Desert, 6 hrs from Cairo
the bus passed miles n miles of barren desert,
rural lil villages n friendly country people.
The 4 by 4 jeep took us thru all sorts of desert landscapes,
the white desert, sand dunes...
At nite, we set camp, where our Bedouin host cooked us authentic food
made us Arabic tea, made fire
set by it to get some warmth
n laughed n joked with our host n fellow travellers.
Our Bedouin hosts made our trip one helluva experience,
they were so real, so sincere.. just down-to-earth.
I remember them tugging us into our sleepin bag,
laying thick blankets on us,
made us tea the minute we woke up..
it was more than hospitality, they made me feel like home.

We' r in Luxor now.. it's all ancient temples,
beautiful intricate hieroglyphic carvings,
and pure testiment to world's history.
The Ancient Egyptians strongly believed in life after death,
and so spent many years dedicated to building their tombs
decorating it, filling it up with jewellery...
I've learnt alot about Egyptian history
and perhaps formed my own picture of how it was like in the past.

Today we sailed along the Nile River on the famous Felucca
we caught the sunset, typical local life along the river,
buffalos along the wheat fields,
but what made it most memorable
was our chatty n funny Egyptian boatman.
He's sailed for 29 years, and still talks about it with this passion
you could see glimmering in his eyes.
He told us about Egypt's tourism,
how it was like in the past n now..

I love talking to the local people when we travel,
especially wise experienced men...
the stories they tell just weave the most beautiful experience
you could find in this strange world.

Rhapsody in Cairo

2008-03-11T21:02:00.001Z

It's been a rhapsody of odd smells, beautiful ancient art and overwhelming Egyptian sellers. We've had lots to laugh the past coupla days, over their interesting culture and ideas.

One of the funniest- we were crossing the street, all frazzled (they've got some crazy driving style here) when this Egyptian guy was friendly enough to give us a helping hand, pointing to us where to get some good food n how to cross the road in the Egyptian way. We thot we'd found one of the rarest sort here - someone who doesnt bother selling us anything - until we were unconsciously led to his exquisite lil painting shop. It was beautiful, all decorated with intricately painted ancient Egyptian art - the famous Final Judgement, Ancient Zodiac Horoscope, Hieroglypic painting...

Surprise surprise! obviously we knew we werent led there just to be his friend. He offered us some Arabic tea, sat us down to explain us the art of Ancient Egypt. Like all the other tourists, we were too polite to break their plot n say au revoir. We foolishly were tricked by their humourous jokes, well-rehearsed lines and engaging conversations. An hr later, with our names written in hieroglypic n Arabic on 2 gorgeous paintings, the time to discuss the price finally came. I was ready to say adious and leave with no penny spent, but the Mr Nice Guy Alberto could not bare to let their hard-earned efforts go to waste. Of course the experienced Egyptians had their ploy all planned, n asked for a hefty sum of US$600 for the 2 paintings..

Well after some haggling, n lotsa bargaining, we left with 3 paintings, n paid US$50.
This is all part of Egyptian travels - perhaps that's what makes them so unique.
You look back, n laugh at it.

Today we got on a camel, rode the whole 12 kilometres of desert around the Pyramids and the Sphinx. The sight was amazingly breathe-taking. Any traveller would say that. An ancient wonder of the world, and the only 1 surviving. I could die without any regrets.

But what made our trip unforgettable, was perhaps doing the balancing act on the camels. They were huge n tall, n my ass was slanted to the right, almost during the entire ride. 2 freakin hours. But it was worth it. The local guy, with his lil freckled son guiding the camel, laughing at my clumsy posture, gossipin with his father in Arabic - priceless.

We probably heard this phrase at least a 100 times here in Egypt - Welcome to Egypt! Everywhere on the streets, every single person trying to sell us somethin.. they loved it. People are real friendly here, they love to have a chat, ask u where u'r from, about your trip - althou almost every other conversation ends up with a big NO cos they'r tryin to sell u sth. Some of my favourites -

'Dont worry, my friend. We are all friends.'
'Treat this as your home, feel free to do whatever you want. It's your home'

Heading to the desert tomorrow, let's see how it's gonna be sleeping under the stars in the vast desert.

Adious mis amigos

2008-03-07T21:11:00.017Z

Last coupla days in Madrid went spent
meetin up with friends
sayin our last gdbyes..

cool Volcano cocktails in a Hawaiian bar
it was wayyyy interesting

check out the super long straws!

Emily, Manuel, Frank and David
it was nice seeing everyone for one last time
althou we didnt have many frens in Madrid
it was enough having a couple of close ones.

my last meal in Madrid with Melinda!
we had our last girls night out ;)

We went to our fav 2euros bocadillo place at Plaza Mayor..
some chorizo and salchicha bocadillos
and patatas bravas!
fuckin good!

then our lil botellon to kickstart the nite!
ahhh rite in the middle of Plaza Mayor..

we went bar-hoppin, literally.
We stopped at every bar for a shot
and moved right on to the next!
No wonder i ended up all tipsy turvy at the end of the nite!

we went to the rooftop of the posh Penthouse Hotel!
had a nice view of the city
quiet atmosphere n of cos extravangantly expensive drinks

we met some funny dudes along the way
n they were hilarious, cheering so loudly they got kicked outta the bar!

I´ve left Madrid..for good :(

2008-03-02T17:40:00.002Z

Yes, we've done it
packed our bags, stuffed the car to the brim,
and left the life we had, in Madrid
now it's part of our past.

It's weird how everytime I move to a new city,
be it Miami, London or Madrid,
I would be all pysched to experience a new life
but when the time comes to leave,
I'm always not ready to say goodbye,
or perhaps just not sure if Im doing the right thing.

It always turns out great, fantastic
I meet new people, have the experience of a lifetime
move on, n lead a cool life..
but that moment when u need to say gdbye n leave
always makes me wonder if everything's gonna be alrite.

Well I had the most wonderful last days in Madrid
partying with Melinda for 1 last time,
roaming the lively streets of Sol, bar-hoppin thru the vibrant nightlife.
Melinda also came down to Granada to spend our last wkend together
n it was fantastic showin her around,
stuffing ourselves with beer, wine n tapas..

I manage to leave Madrid without shedding a tear,
but saying goodbye to Melinda, perhaps was the harder part.
The reality suddenly hit me,
that Alberto n I were not gonna be back in our cosy lil room,
or in the great atmosphere of the company I teach in,
nor sit under the sun n enjoy some cañas with Melinda no more..

The future ahead seems so blur..
I really don't know what's in store,
but I guess I like this feelin of not knowing whats ahead of you
so you know that you can strive ahead with all the courage you have
and face the challenges without turning back.

Saying Goodbyes

2008-02-25T21:57:00.003Z

Today I had the last class with some of my students.
As I hugged them, kissed them on the cheeks,
n wished them luck in their future endeavours,
it hit me that it was probably the last time I'd ever see them..

Moving from 1 city to the next through the past few years,
I've said goodbye too many times
to way too many people..
Some I've seen many times after,
but some have just left me beautiful memories.

Through the years, I thought I would become better,
But I still havent coped with saying goodbyes.
It hurts to be torn apart from people you love.
Dreams and ambitions might be important,
but nothing weighs more than people you love.

The hardest times have been over,
now goodbyes don't seem as hard as it used to be,
but still, leaving friends n students who have made an impact on my life
seems to be harder than I'd ever imagined.

Valentine's

2008-02-24T17:34:00.009Z

Alberto booked a table for us at 1 of the most romantic restaurants in Madrid
for our Valentine's dinner..
awww...
we had a great time
sipping Cava (Spanish champagne),
having some exquisite modern cuisine..
n just enjoying some time with each other :)

Appetizer - Lobster cake..
glaced with rich sauce..wooo..

Alberto's chicken

i had crispy duck with caramelized mango sauce..

dessert - chocolate cake with hot fudge wooozing outta it

the food was heaven,
the atmosphere was romantic,
the company I enjoyed thoroughly,
the night was just perfect.

From the perspective of a guiri in Spain - living in this wonderful country

2008-02-22T22:56:00.004Z

I've met a fair amount of foreigners living here
in fact all my friends are foreigners, just like me.
We all packed our bags, uprooted n decided this is where we wanna be,
somewhere new, exciting and by all means different from where we come from.

Having lived abroad for abit,
I've noticed that many foreigners actually don't respect or appreciate
the culture/food of the country where they've chosen to live in.
That shouldn't be the case at all,
If you dont even enjoy the culture, nor the food,
what the fuck are you doing here?!

Funny enough, friends who are seasoned travellers, n have lived here for abit
do not have a single respect for this country n their culture.
I would expect an experienced traveller who've seen enough of the world,
to have that least bit of understanding and perhaps delighted puzzlement
for a different way of life and actually learn to love it.
But I was wrong.

We have a fren who has been incessantly complaining about Madrid,
how cramped it is, how crowded it gets everywhere
she doesn't like the food too much..
According to her, Paella is just a mess of rice and seafood
-listen to that! JUST seafood...the Spanish must be thinking damn these guiris lol.

I love the national pride in Spain,
it is hilarious; everyone, im saying, EVERYONE is proud of their country,
they love their food, their beer, traditions, beaches, mountains..
what's not to love abt Spain??

The foreigners (known as guiris here in Spain) beg to differ...
they loud-mouthedly claim how much they love living here
bt taunt n jeer at their weird traditions,
at their dirty narrow streets and bars,
their over-friendliness and the apparently oily food.

I'd say they don't know a thing about the incredible country they live in,
about the passionate, world's friendliest and warm Spanish,
about the wide-varietied, colorful and possibly to-die-for Spanish cuisine.
It's funny how foreigners love to only hang out among themselves,
most of them rarely have a single Spanish friend, n barely speak Spanish..
They talk about how well they know the streets, the language, better than home,
but have no clue abt what's really going on, in this country I proudly call my 2nd home.

Perhaps I'm biased, defensive n opinionated,
(Alberto being Spanish, has nothing to do with this ) :)
Regardless of which country u've chosen to live in,
U've chosen to uproot n lead a new life here,
if you don't even enjoy the food, know the locals, or speak the language,
isn't life a tad bit miserable for you????

That's all I have to say about this,
let's all cheer to a great revelation,
and to this beautiful n amazing country.

Snowy Norway - Memoirs of a drunkard

2008-02-13T19:40:00.027Z

Thanks to Ryanair,
we got our ass off to Norway for a short wkend
for pure 26 fucking euros!!!

So right after we touched down,
our Couchsurfing host Terje picked us up
and off we went to his house to party!
Couchsurfing is a great idea,
you meet locals, get to stay at their place,
try Norwegian food n have the greatest time ever! :)

Terje was such a superb host,
his apartment looked right outta an IKEA catalogue!
Aft some drinks, we were lk long-lost pals. lol.
we got freaking drunk, ok i got crazily drunk
from the lethal Absinte n spanish brandy
and puked alll over his beautiful parquet flooring (how embarrassing!)

Terje n his huge collection of alcohol!

me n Melinda completed wasted
she cleaned my puke!! awww that's what friends are for.. lol

them in his deck!
freakin cool balcony, all filled with pure snow..

more drinking...

Next day, all hungover,
we wondered the streets of Oslo.
It was all snowy, white n tranquil
Scandinavian beauty.
we explored the Viking Ship Museum
(where i spent most of the time bent over the toilet bowl)
n chilled out on the tram,
nursing our hangovers. hee..

the Vigeland Park.
Sprawling park filled with bronze statues
from a famous artist..

Night scene.
we just chilled at a cosy bar..peace n relaxation..
we rarely do that in Spain,
cos all the bars here are always filled to the bream,
maximum noise level!

Harbour of Oslo.
Terje's neighbourhood.

Terje's apartment.
Typical Norwegian breakfast - sourcream porridge.
View from his deck.

SUNNY!
I loved how u just step into the white snow right outta the front door..
ahhhh...pure white snow everywhere..

a superb view of the Oslo Fjord.
A fjord is basically a bay surrounded by small steep-sloped islands
it was such a pity we cldn't go on a boat ride
along the world-famous Norwegian fjords...
they only operate in summer..
the clear blue sky, reflected on the calm n peaceful lake.

We took the metro all the way up to the mountain..
(only 30mins from the centre - state of the art technology)

Terje brought his sledges for us to play!!!

the view along the sleding slopes..
i had imagined just sliding down small slope (like in Granada)
but no wayyy, this was wayyyy impressive!
an entire route consisting of bends, slopes watever u can find
to make the whole Sledding experience fast n exciting!

my first real sledding experience! :)
the one in Granada didnt count :P

Holmenkollen Ski Jump.
the Winter Olympics took place here.
the slope was almost vertical!

another view of the entire Oslo fjord n surroundings

Soaking up the sun amidst the snow..
ahhh saying gdbye to Winter Wonderland..
it was a fantastic trip,
we made a new friend, who made our trip sooo authentic
n a true travelling experience.

Jetting off to freaking cold Norway!

2008-02-07T11:55:00.000Z

In a few hours' time I would be jetting off,
Gonna be freezing my ass off all the way up North in Norrrrway!!!
It's probably gonna be the most Northen part of the world Ive ever been to..
damn no wonder Alberto doesnt wanna come with me,
he's too freaked out by the cold!
Gonna be venturing into the North with Melinda,
n we'r gonna surf the couch of a Norwegian! ahh how exciting!

SO we've reached the last leg of preparations before our big Africa adventure lol..
Quitting our jobs, looking for new occupants of our apartment,
getting yellow-fever vaccinations, applying for the visas (annoying process!)...
and definitely leaving our somewhat settled-down lives in Madrid,
for the big unknown.

well the big unknown's just gonna last a coupla months,
but still, we don't have the slightest clue what's in store for us,
so thats fucking roof-thumping adrenaline-pumping exciting man!!!

3 Kings' Day in Granada

2008-02-03T20:27:00.000Z

Melissa came over from London for a visit
she came just at the perfect time,
for the most celebrated day in Spain,
los Reyes Magos
(the 3 wise men in the Bible, who brought presents
for Jesus when he was bornt in Bethlehem)

first thing first,
TAPAS!!! Tapas hoppin from 1 bar to another...

then Alicia came n join us,
so we all hung out with Alberto's pals
that day was reeeally great fun..

after taking her on the standard visitor's route lol,
we went to check our the Parade!!
they were throwing loadsa candies from the carriages..

3 Kings day itself,
i got sooooooo many presents from Alberto's family :)
his mum gave me a shopping voucher worth 300euros!!!
(i bought sooo much stuff for our Africa trip)
n his sis gave me a huge backpack for tripping!

To end the trip,
we had some tapas in my favourite cave
and went to watch some flamenco...

Xmas 2007 - NewYear's 2008

2008-01-13T20:05:00.000Z

It's amazing how a year passes by so quickly...
ticking off the list of things I wanna do each year,
I guess I've come a long way...
almost 2.5years away from home,
I've become a different person,
or rather, I haven't stopped changing,
that's all part of the process, isnt it?
I love life, and I'm just gonna continue living it out!

Alberto n me, so happy in the snowy mountains Sierra Nevada
we spent some sunny happy time snow-fighting
n just hanging out amidst the Xmas atmosphere..

it was a beautiful day
sunshiney n snowey...

still dont have the guts nor money to go skiing lol..
its not the guts,
bt imagine swishing-swooshing thru snow
in below 0deg..it sucks...

NEW YEAR'S EVE!
Welcoming in the new year :)
The Spanish tradition never fails to intrigue me,
instead of counting down like everyone else does,
they start counting 1 to 12 only after 12am,
n with each dong, they swallow a grape..
that can be quite a mouthful..
n thereafter, the ceremony of hugging each n everyone in the house begins...
it takes almost 10mins to hug everyone! lol

His entire family celebrates it together,
it's warm n cosy,
this year round we got wigs, n disguises.. lol

Afterwhich we hit a party with Alberto's sis n cousins

A kick-start to the new year!

2008-01-13T19:59:00.000Z

January has come n gone by just like that..
It's been a whole month of dashing ard,
trying to get all the bits n pieces of our trip together,
planning, booking hostels, getting visas, and vaccinations..
its SO FUCKING EXCITING!
It's getting nearer n nearer,
n I just can't believe how soon we'll be embarking on our adventure!

2 mths of travelling Egypt, Jordan, Tanzania and Ethiopia!!!
I'm planning trips to the Dead Sea, Camel trekking in the desert,
sleeping under the stars...safari in Tanzania...

Anyhow, haven't had the time to upload pics from Xmas n NY
Melissa came to visit from London,
n we had a wacky time showing her around Granada,
tapas-hopping, drinking from day till night
n just had fun hanging out n spending the festive Xmas together..

Life's been great,
just had a BIG dinner in my all-time fav haunt, TGIFridays!
after 2 weeks of torturous dieting,
I figured I had enough of munching of carrots,
but woa, ribs and brownies did it for me man!
diet no more!!!!

awww... me with my strawberry daiquiri,

Jack Daniel glazed ribs,

and brownie surprise,

I dont need anything else in this world to be happy ;)

Kenya Election crisis

2008-01-03T23:14:00.000Z

'A rally in the Kenyan capital Nairobi against the re-election of President Mwai Kibaki has been called off as police fired tear gas and water cannon.

More than 300 people have been killed in Kenya and at least 70,000 driven from their homes since Sunday.

Operators began cancelling flights following Foreign Office advice that people should only take essential journeys to the East African country. '

The shocking news have left us disturbed,
images of violence, bloodshed n cruelty are shown on the news everyday..
it leaves the world sad to see how the Kenyans are killing each other in the name of democracy.

We are worried abt our impending trip to Kenya..

A Smashing 2007

2008-01-01T15:42:00.000Z

So I was thinking thru about what Ive done the whole of last year..
2007 has been such a fantastic year, so much memories, so fulfilling..

I started 2007 drinkin n feasting here in Granada,
found a rewarding job teaching some fantastic pple,
learned a new language which has brought me so much tears n laughter,
hung out n partied lk crazy with the 3 locas in Madrid -that was the most fun i'd had all year,
met some friends who will stay in my life forever -Melinda and Alicia,
travelled to the beach of Alicante and Valencia with our fav Ivar in the midst of spring,
had a fucking superb roadtrip ard Turkey, seeing one of my fav places in the world Pamukkale,
booked a flight to Morocco at the last min, n ate sheep's brains n laughed at Melinda lol,
gave Alberto a birthday surprise in romantic Venice,
spent a month of summer in Eastbourne, England n had a wacky time with the kids,
went roadtrippin' from South to North of Spain, n on a Mediterranean cruise with his family
had the best summer ever!,
brought my frens from home n family all over Spain ;),
attended Rahmat's wedding in Amsterdam, n got high in the coffeeshops,
and ended the year with a smashing party in Alberto's home again!

so there, 2007 has taught me alot, changed my life in many ways
n now I am all geared up to embrace 2008
it's gonna be a fucking good one..

New Year Resolutions 2008:
1. Travel Egypt and Kenya!!!! know its gonna be fucking great..
2. Go home n be with my family n frens! (still failed to fulfill this resoln for 2007..sigh)
3. Save up n finally have a nice apartment..
4. travel Asia with Alberto! -- Japan, China, Australia.. (his turn to see new stuff)

Xmas away from home...

2007-12-23T20:33:00.000Z

So it's my 3rd Xmas in Spain.
As I see many people rushing home for the festive season,
I can't help feelin all depressed that
yet again, I'm not celebrating Xmas with my family...

I remember, 4 yrs ago, when i was in NewYork for Xmas,
it's probably the most Xmasy city I've ever been to,
all the glitzy xmas lights, the ice-skating rink in Rockerfeller Centre
the atmosphere, cold winter & snow...
i was all excited when we got there, bt when Xmas came,
i realised the only thing that mattered, was to be with my family.
No matter where you are,
no matter how cool it might be,
nothing really compares to being ard ur family.

So once again, i am faced with the same feeling..
Next year I will definitely be with my family n frens
no matter where my travelling addiction takes me, i promise i'll be there ;)

Hanging out amidst the Xmas atmosphere!

2007-12-16T21:01:00.001Z

Alberto's frens from Granada came for a visit
we spent the entire wkend partying, sightseeing n just having fun ;)
X'mas is coming,
every corner of Madrid is crowded with people
n a festive atmosphere!

My frens came n joined us
n we spent Sat aftnn drinking away in an Irish pub
awwww it was soo goood..

Squeezing thru the throngs of crowd in Plaza Mayor
where a Xmas fair was held..

Melinda, me, Alberto, Alberto 2, Alicia and Rebecca

Javier, Rebecca, Melinda

along the streets of Sol
Que Alegria! ;)

then we played with Sparklers!!!
awwwww

MERRY XMAS!

Dinner n drinks..

Amsterdam trippin' - double happiness

2007-12-07T10:29:00.000Z

So it's our 2nd trip to the land of bohemia n hippiness..
double happiness this time 'round
we had a fantastic trip
visiting all our favourite coffeeshops, smokin n chillin
and attending Rahmat's wedding, n hanging out with the dutchies again!

all the colours fill the souvenir stores..

At the Dam Square..

i love the canals intertwined ard narrow streets
behind shops n btw alleys..

Had a picture with Saint Nicholas!
their original version of Santa Claus
ahh i felt a strong sense of Xmas atmosphere
with dutch folk songs n the smell of Poffertjes
in cold n wintery Holland!

Real Ice-skating out in the cold!
ahhh i was SO excited, my first time on ice ;)
Never had the chance to try it in NewYork Rockerfeller centre
since it was wayyyy overcrowded..
this time round it was sooo cool
it wasnt as difficult as i'd thot
n felt so surreal, i thot i was in some scandinavian country
skating on a frozen lake...
awwwwwwww...

Coffeeshop time
ahh me and Alberto's fav past time..
we got stoned n happy ;)

Then we met the Frankenstein!
LOL Faruk is as always, very frankensteiny...;P
we had Tibetan food n some traditional winter snack Poffertjes
it was real nice hangin out with him again
us 3 had a good laugh!

Amsterdam is 1 of the cities in the world
that looks wayy radiant n vibrant at night!

A joint at our all-time fav before hitting the bed!

RAHMAT'S WEDDING
we went to The Hague for my Dutch-Indo fren's wedding
woa it was traditionally Indonesian,
everyone was decked out in trad costumes,
Arabic greetings were seen everywhere..
i really felt as if i was in Asia!
it was quite an experience man, i adored the colours, food n
of course, being able to witness my fren's wedding
was wayy overwhelming!

The funny part was when we first arrived in the main hall
the girls and guys had to sit separately
all my frens were guys,
so that left me all alone haha

waiting for the bride n groom to arrive..

Rahmat n Ifa all decked in traditional bridal wear..

Bou, Faruk and Jimmy!
ha it was funny to see them in Holland this time round
all adult-like n decked out in suits lol

awwww....
i was so happy to be there ;)

Indonesian food was soo good
we didnt have the chance to stay for long
since we had to catch the train back to Amsterdam

Night falls, Central Station

i dig the red-light district!
it gives prostitution, raw sex, a whole new meaning lol

finally last dinner
n more smoking in coffeesshop heh

it was a really short trip
but so intensive n fulfilling
we saw alot, brought back alota memories
n the best thing was seeing my frens again!
i know it's nt gonna be the last time ;)

Segovia day-trippin'

2007-12-06T16:13:00.000Z

Kinda getting sick of living in this big city,
surrounded by tall buildings, endless traffic jams n workworkwork..
So we hopped in the car, drove 1hr
to the quaint, tranquil city of SEGOVIA
with our new fav friend from Canada, Alicia

First stop: the Alcazar
aft questioning the Spanish dude (Alberto who else)
- we actually feel he's half Spanish nw
he only hangs out with us foreigners!-
we kinda concluded that Alcazar is similar to a Castle
medieval, royally constructed, smelling of Knights n cannons...

it kinda felt surreal, fairy-tale like
to be wondering in a medieval castle
lost amidst high-ceiling velvet-walled chambers...

Nxt stop: the Cathedral
almost every city in Spain has its own
symbolic Cathedral
standing in the centre of the hustle n bustle of the city..

overall view of the city..
basking under the sun..

me & Alicia jumping in joy!

ah the oh-so-famous AQUEDUCTO
built centuries ago,
this Aqueduct has been standing since the Roman Empire
surviving thru years of war n struggle...

In the countryside

we were happily rolling around amidst the autumn leaves
this felt sooo surreal..
i'm lovin' it!!!

Thanksgiving!

2007-12-06T15:53:00.000Z

Woohoo thanksgiving in Spain aint a big deal
but we still gathered at O'Connells for some feasting!!
it was great meeting some new peeps ;)

Melinda and her Canadian frens

Paloma from Miami, Katrina from SanDiego
and of course Lauren from Texas!

ahhh brings back some nice memories...

Changes of season, changes in emotions..

2007-11-29T20:07:00.000Z

Autumn has slowly gone by
and winter has sneekily creeped in on us....
As fallen autumn leaves sprawled across the green grass,
give way to brittle cold wind amidst the sunshine,
so has the warmth and chirpiness left us behind.

Thick winter coats, leather gloves and knitted scarves
replace short mini-skirts and tank-tops..
I like to feel the heat sizzle on my skin
and not the prickling cold wind that numbs my mind..

As the seasons come and go,
the emotions that fill me, are beyond recognition.
Days pass by like how the metro creaks past
my days are filled with metro doors opening n shutting
people dashing around in n out...
Lately I would like to slow down and think back
on what has been n what hasnt...
Soon i will find myself lost and alone
bcos Life has just gone n past without you noticing.

P.S. On a bright not, Im looking forward to mushrooms n hashbrownies in Amsterdam!!!

AFRICA HERE WE COME!!!

2007-11-21T23:15:00.000Z

AHHH FINALLY CONFIRMED!
Booked our tix to Cairo and Kenya for March!
ahhhh can't wait to venture into the big unknown
all that wilderness and nature....
9th March - Madrid-Cairo
18th March - Cairo-Nairobi

o mannn my dreams are coming true....;)

Chillin' by the beach - Malaga

2007-11-20T18:36:00.000Z

2 weeks back, we drove down south again
all the way to Malaga for a trip with our old frens
Fede, whom I met in Miami, was back in Spain for the wkend
he's working in London now, and can't wait to get outta there!
We soaked up the sun in warm Malaga,
enjoying the warmth (25deg in Malaga, but 15deg in Madrid!)

Ah eating by the beach...

Fede & Maria..
fuckin good Calamares and Paella!
After lunch, we just lay on the beach
and i fell asleep (siesta time!)

a walk ard Central Malaga

Meet Tom!
the joy and laughter of Alberto's family!
man, he's won my heart too
he makes me think of my dogs sometimes...

Amsterdam -hit me baby one more time!

2007-11-15T21:32:00.000Z

WOOHOOO~!
We just booked fucking cheap airtix to Amsterdam -- 26euros return tix!!!
Holy fuckin shit! cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaapppppp LOL
cheaper than a bus ticket to Granada hah!

My dutch fren's getting married
and I jumped on the chance to visit them again,
and attend his wedding yooohooo!
it's our 2nd time,
we sure as hell gonna enjoy 1 more time!

The land of cannibis and hash brownies... here we come again! ;D

Racism

2007-11-15T20:02:00.001Z

A few weeks back, we came across an Anti-Racism protest in downtown Madrid
Apparently Racism is a hot topic in Spain now,
especially what happened a few weeks back,
that shocked the immigrants in Spain.

A young Spanish (approx. 26-yr-old) decided to bash up a young innocent Latinamerican girl in the metro of Barcelona. For no fucking reason.

So it created an uproar of protests from many immigrants,
especially since Spain has the world's 2nd largest immigrant population. (an unknown source lol)
Latinamericans, Moroccans, Africans, Chinese..
it is the much talked-about topic now in this country...

As an onlooker, I can say that Spain is a very opened country
with liberty and democracy, Spanish are an open-minded bunch
and receptive to different races and religion.
People look at me as part of them here, they smile say hi,
and talk to u like everyone else..;)
I'd encountered discrimination in London,
but always felt comfortable and safe in Spain..

Racism affects every 1st world country,
Spain is not to be spared, in this superficial world
where people judge you by the colour of your skin.

Arabic!!
(All against Racism)

me looking dumb lol..

Solitude

2007-11-09T20:02:00.000Z

I used to feel that way all the time -- solitude.
Moving abroad, experiencing new sights & sounds
have brought not only excitement,
but also laughter and companionship to my life.

Last night, the same feelin came creepin' back again..
As hot tears slipped down my cheeks,
I asked myself what Im doing here,
what Im working towards,
and I couldnt find any answers...

I cried with unknown desperation,
but even he, suddenly felt like a stranger
in this big unfamiliar world.
I felt real sense of solitude,
where no one could reach within me
and find the real me, not even myself..

I think of my real friends who always brought light n shelter
and whom I leaned on for support thru the ups & downs in life..
I have made an abundant of friends and travelling mates in my life,
some stayed, some were passers-by
but there are always the few who really touches my heart n soul,
and it just seems so difficult to cross the path with a destined friend...

Alberto's been my companion, soul-mate
intimate lover, and patient listener..
he made me forget how it felt like to be in solitude
but now I realise how I need friends too, to bring me outta the shadow...

Granada a cosy second home..

2007-11-08T22:10:00.000Z

So last wkend we drove south to Granada again..
we go there at least twice a month, n everytime it feels like going home again..
As we drove away, from the snow mountains behind us
i saw the white quaint old houses fade away into the distance.
Listening to this typically andalusian music,
(this song ive just put up on my blog)
a whirlwind of emotions gushed thru' me..
I felt that feelin' of warmth and affection for this charming city..
full of character, undestroyed originality, and just being so himself
Granada always has a special place in my heart.

the lil black bar that's always inspired me
to set up sth of my own
the Jap-Russian couple has their unique way of
making people feel cosy n at home in their tiny stylish bar ;)

an evening chillin' in a cosy Arabic teteria (teahouse)
is essential in every trip to Granada..

walkin in the countryside
with Alberto's family
definitely brought us closer to nature

we saw horses, wild boars, sheeps
the wildlife was incredible..

Indecent Proposal

2007-11-08T10:10:00.000Z

It hit me suddenly that I needed more friends here in Madrid,
and at the same time, I wanna fuckin' learn my Spanish (for fuck's sake)
So like all the other foreigners here,
I was out lookin' for Intercambios (language exchange with locals) on the net.
My previous attempt of posting an advert
and recieving tons of replies from horny single spanish men
turned out to be ridiculously useless.
This time round I wrote to a guy who seemed nice,
and who mentioned how he and his wife like hanging out with different people
and enjoy company of foreigners.

So there I was,
thinking that hmm sounds good, Alberto could come too
4 of us exchanging experiences and having fun!
We exchanged contacts, n started talking on MSN.
The 1st conversation i had with him:
(I talked to him in Spanish, here's the gist of it)

him: hey i like ur picture, do u have a closer pic?
me: yes, but why?(suspicious)
him: i wanna know who im talking to.
me: ok.... (puts a pic of me & Alberto)
him: you are an Asian girl, very exotic, me & my wife like your customs n heritage alot
me: thanks, that's nice to hear..
him: so when we meet for dinner, is your boyfriend coming too, with me n my wife?
me: yes... the 4 of us will be more fun, isnt it? (suspicious again..)
him: sure,... (blablabla.. he went on n on abt my asian heritage..)
me: (telling him why i wanna do a language exchange)
him: So dont you find it weird that Im talking about you and your culture this way???
me: I don't get you... (I thot I might have misunderstood)
him: (after 5 minutes).. I guess you guys are more traditional people...
but if u have a Spanish boyfren, and u write in perfect Spanish,
then why would u still wanna do a language exchange?!
I thought u wanted to do a different kinda exchange!

FUCKING HELLL..... EEEUUUUKKKK
FUCKING PERVERT WANTS A THREESOME!

So i went offline immediately, n deleted his contact n blocked him on msn obviously lol.
I ain't into that kinda gory sick man! lol
Then i got an email from him!
he said he and his wife have fetishes that might be incomprehensible by more conservative pple,
but that doesnt mean that we can't behave normally and act like adults.
We want to make more friends, and hope you can still hang out with us...

eeuuuuuuukkkkk....

Lonesome Halloween

2007-10-31T23:04:00.000Z

So here I am,
all excited 'bout Halloween, my fav reason to party
ready with my Angel costume, decked out in wings & a halo
when all my friends started backing out..
all either sick or too tired,
it's disheartening really.
Like a lil disappointed child on Xmas day,
I took off my wings, and hid under the blanket
with my true friend and soulmate.
On days like these,
I miss home, real friends who are always there for me
who know me thru' n thru'
whom I will go thru hell n haven for, and viceversa..
I miss u guys ;)

My Birthday '07

2007-10-28T18:34:00.000Z

Birthday party with my favourite friends..
Left-Righ: Lauren, Melinda, Alicia
me & Emily..

it was lil gathering in a normal bar
I had lotsa fun, just knowing that I have these friends ;)

Fofi and his friend came too
Fofi is always one of my favourite friend in Miami
& some of my closest frens - Alicia and Emily.
Alberto's colleagues came too,
n they made me laugh lk crazy...

Birthday dinner with my parents!
Mexican fooooood..i had Fajitas and Margaritas!
they came to visit in Sept
and left the day aft my birthday...
I was glad to show them ard,
so they know what kinda place I live in now etc..

I brought them all over Madrid & Granada
we saw lots, n told them lots abt Spanish customs,
people here and traditions..
of course we tried lotsa Spanish food
and they even met Alberto's folks...
they travelled to Rome and Barcelona too
n really enjoyed it..

Parents in Granada,
enjoying Arabic tea, view of the Alhambra
and world's best Paella!