Bumping into an old friend while travelling is one thing, you often hear stories of people bumping into someone they haven't seen since school on a beach in Phi Phi. It happens. Seeing an ex boyf while you're travelling is something you'd rather didn't happen (naturally depending on the circumstances you split). However meeting a guy who's the combination of all your exes rolled into one is frankly quite scary. I had the pleasure of watching in horror as the personalities/characteristics of boyfriends past revealed themselves before me very recently.
I was actually feeling very chilled and still coming down from the sheer high of seeing the birth place of Buddha and being blessed by a Buddhist monk at the temple next to the birth place of Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal a few days earlier . I'd been meditating religiously each morning and completed stage one of my reiki course a week or so earlier while I was Kathmandu. My karma was fully in tact, my aura bright and beautiful and I was completely calm. Nothing toxic had passed my lips for weeks and my carb in take was at an all time low. I'd also had a few 'moments' as I watched the priests paying at the side of the Ganges and had also lit a floating lantern in memory of my grandmother and let it sail down the river. All clear signs that I was firmly on Happiness Highway, heading straight for the city of 'nice things will happen to you'. I was a magnet for all that's good and wholesome. And that included men. Or so I thought.
But that's just it isn't it...soon as you think you've got it sown up along comes something be it a man, boss, clingy female, bank manager to ruin your natural high. In my case it was a man. He was a combination of all my exes. There he was sitting right in front of me at a restaurant in Varanasi. Nice one Neen.
So there he was. Bold as brass. From the UK. From the regions - in this case Reading (warning bells - sorry to anyone from Reading), old but had a 'young outlook' read: immature. Dressed well: read vain, outgoing read: lout, likes to party read: drink/drug problem. Feisty read: short tempered and therefore violent verbal outbursts. Exciting read: mood swings. Family orientated read: still lives with his mum. Diverse career read: can't hold down a job. Financially fluid read: tight arse/crap with money.
Thankfully this time I didn't gladly skip down the road of looserville. Oddly enough in the last couple of months have enabled me to realise the benefits of 'nice men' and thankfully my last boyf meant I had the opportunity to walk on the path of 'nice, well adjusted man' and I've seen the light as they say. Or perhaps I should day boyf light. Maybe not. Anyway.
Mr Reading was everything I found horrifying about my romantic past and more. History can sometimes repeat itself and it's common knowledge one often seeks what one is used to no matter how horrible it was. So for the first couple of housrs I was definitely attracted to him. Then as the hours unfolded I realised that I wasn't flirting with an hilarous guy with a cheeky smile and glint in his eyes. I was actually socialising with all of my exes rolled into one. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
It was like my own personal horror film starring me and my love life. The lead character was myself. The evil character - my exes. It was hideous, horrifying but eventually quite cathartic. You see the benefits of seeing all your boyfs rolled into one person is naturally at first quite alarming. Once I got my head round the idea though I realised I was fully equipped as I'd been there, seen it, done it, got the tee, dvd, poster and book. I was armed and ready for battle.
It dawned on me as I sat opposite him gently nursing a vodka as he banged on about himself. I heard all about him, his friends, where he'd been travelling, who he liked, who he didn't. Watched as his mood change from happy and outgoing to slightly agressive and loutish with the more pints he sank. I sat back and watched him skip up to his room a few times during dinner, take over any conversation and watch his eyes glaze over when anyone talked about themselves.
Suddenly I was thinking OH MY GOD ALL OF MY NASTY EXES ARE RIGHT BEFORE ME! GET OUT, EVACUATE, DO NOT ENGAGE FURTHER, ENEMY AHEAD, DANGER, DANGER, DANGER. REMEMBER THE MUSIC SNOB, NSDMCUB, MAD MAN FROM SOUTHAMPTON, THE PHOTOGRAPHER...I won't go on...
It was a like an ephinany. It was probably how Buddha felt when he reached englighenment. How appt and surely good karma of seeing where he was born?!
So I did what any woman would do faced with this situation as she innocently drank a g&t - I got up and left!
Saturday, 20 October 2007
Tibet - the roof top of the world
The day I saw 'Golden Child' starring Eddie Murphy was, to the horror of many, the day I decided I had to visit Nepal and Tibet. It looked amazing on screen. The film takes you to both countries and the amazing scenery coupled with a few choice one liners from Mr Murphy..well, it just sealed the deal! So to say I was excited when the plane touched down at Gongga airport in Tibet would be an understatement. I could harldy contain myself.
I actually decided to join a tour group to see Tibet. Usually the words 'organised' and 'group' send me running for the hills but seeing as I'm hardly au fait with Tibetean and Chinese langage - sadly as much as I like to try and kid myself I knew I wouldn't be able to get by with knowing 'hello, goodbye, thank you and where is the toilet?!! Plus the fact it's easier to travel around Tibet as part of a group - the Chinese prefer it. As it turns out the people I travelled with were fabulous. I guide, Nima and Pau Pau were great, didn't crowd us too much and did an amazing job.
Fortunately I was allocated the window seat on the left hand side of the plane which meant I had a birds eye view of the Himilayers and Mount Everest as we flew past. Before this I'd never, ever imagined I'd get excited about a mountain but low and behold there I was with my jaw on the floor doing a very good impression of an over zealous Japanese tourist with a camera as we flew past it.
Tibet is often described as the roof top of the world and for me it more than exceeded my expectations. Tibet was everything I expected and more. My head spun round for the entire time I was there. The scenery was luna, arid and breath taking. The people were so friendly and clearly resilient. Children would drop what they were doing as soon as they saw us and run up to say 'hello' and what seemed like stern stares from adults melted into beeming smiles as soon as you said 'hello' in Tibetean (tashee da lay - watch me as I hone the Tibetean language!).
The sights were something else. I'd dreamt of seeing the Palace Polata (where the Dalia Lama used to live) so when I saw it for the first time on the drive into Lhasa I got goose bumps. The contrasts throughout my trip were dramatic to say the least. One minute you'd see a 4x4 parked next to a horse and cart, a woman wearing a traditional Tibetan outfit next to a teenager in jeans and an off the shoulder tee or a monk helping a limping man cross the road. It was truly amazing and the atmostphere and given the hardship the country has suffered at the hands of the Chinese it's quite surprising the country has such a serene feel to it. Admittedly you can't help but feel the presence of the Chinese but if you choose to block it out (as I did) you get a sense of what Tibet used to be like.
That said sadly the evidence of the cultural genocide commited by the Chinese is all to apparent. For instance there used to be over 6 thousand monasteries before the 'cultural revolution' as the Chinese so eloquently refer to it. Now there are under 100. Over a million Monks and civilians were murdered, cultural buildings destroyed and since then slowly but surely the Chinese have tried to erode the Tibetan way or life. That was until they realised they were on to a money earner. But I'm not going to bore you with what I think about the Chinese in Tibet (more on that later!).
The fabled city of Lhasa was my first stop and it was utterly amazing. This was once an isolated city which is now a mixture of old and new. The palace itself had such an tranquil energy about it. Quite strange given the fact you had the Chinese guards breathing down your neck but if you blocked them out then you definitely get a better feel for the place. For me it was amazing to think the current and previous Dalia Lama's had walked the corridors. Fascinating in fact and I walked around it complete awe from start to finish.
Sadly the Chinese like to stamp their authority but sticking an ugly monument to the date of the occupation of Tibet right in front of the Palace, which everyone ignores. Worse still it's Tibetan Buddhist tradition for people to walk around a religious site clockwise so it's a massive shame the Chinese have insisted the entrance to the Palace means people have to walk around the place anti clock wise. Sadly Tibetan people aren't allowed to spend more than an house in the Palace to our lovely guide kindly suggested we walk around by ourselves to give us more time to absorb what the place had to offer.
Watching the Pilgrims and Monks go about their business at the Jokhang Temple, Sera and Drepung Monasteries was something I've never witnessed before. The Pilgrims walk for days to get to the Temple/monasteries. They then spend an enormous amount of time praying which involves raising their hand to prayer posit on, kneeling down on the floor, then reaching forward on the ground in a motion that looks very similar to breast stroke...VERY tiring!
The monks and the Sera Monasteries were something else in the sense that each afternoon they would gather in the court yard and debat. Nothing out of the ordinary there you may think. Except this was debating with a twist - they would shout at each other. If they disagreed the Monk asking the question would raise on leg and stamp it down at the other while claping at the same time. It was incredible to see hundreds of Monks shouting, stamping and claping at each other. What was also strange was while all of that was going on the place still had a really peaceful feel to it - very hard to describe.
The journey on the Friendship Highway - a spectacular road which traverses high mountain passes and crosses wide plateaus, connecting Lhasa with Kathmandu - was incredible. We travelled through Tibet’s richest farming areas, before crossing the Brahmaputra River as it wound its way down towards the Bay of Bengal many hundreds of kilometres away. In Tibet it flows at an altitude of 3939 metres above sea level, making it is the highest major river in the world - tick box!!
The people and scenery is what stood out for me the most. We drove within sight of towering peaks including Mount Everest and crossed five passes over 5,000 metres above sea level. Being that high above sea level meant the alitude sickness was pretty full on and ranged from massive pressurised, thumping head aches, to slurring my words (when I wasn't drinking!) and going to the loo the whole time which as far from ideal given the toilet situtation. The memory of trying to find a quiet spot at the foot of a mountain as goat herders and 4x4's drifted past me will stay with me forever!!
We then climbed to the Karo La (5010 metres) which is the same level as base camp at Mount Everest....not sure I'll be attempting to climb that given heady I felt there!! Still loved the hat I was wearing - see pic!!
The historic town of Gyantse, which served as the capital of a small kingdom in the 15th century was fabulous. I stood at the top of the stupar (Buddhist shrine) and gazed out over the Gyats. It was at the monastery next door that I was given the opportunity to meditate with a Tibetan Monk. He taught me the key elements of Tibetean Buddhist meditation, the mantra etc. It was so surreal. Aside from the fact I had to literally surpress my internal scream as I was so excited about the whole thing i.e. me in a temple, in front of a gaint golden buddha statu, sitting in fron of a Tibetean Monk, him teaching me (in Tibetean) how to meditate and my guide translating was more than I could take. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets even though they were closed...nice image for you I'm sure!!
Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet with a population of some 40,000 people was interesting. The Tashilhunpo Monastery is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, the most important incarnation for Tibetan Buddhists after the Dalai Lama. This totally blew me away although we were warned we had to be very careful with what we said as some of the monks are actually in cahoots with the authorities. Slightly alarming and you could spot the one's which were; the shoved past you and spent all their time on mobile phones!!
The bus ride to Shegar was incredible. In the morning we crossed the Jai Tsuo Pass with stunning views of the Himalayan peaks to the south. We then passed through the Shegar checkpoint and then cross the Tingri Plains before ascending to Lalung Leh (5050m). At this pass we had spectacular views to the east (weather permitting) of Everest (8850m), Lhotse (8516m), Makalu (8463m), Cho Oyu (8201m) and Gauri Shanker (7146m). To the west we could seeXixapangma (8013m), Langtang (7245m) and Dorje Lakpa (6980m). That’s five peaks, each over 8000 metres in height - amazing!!
The drive to the small town of Nyalam, near the border, was the most horrifying journey of my life. The road was still being built, it was on the cliff edge with no barriers and oh, did I mention the 250 metre drop to the bottom? Thankfully our bus driver was amazing. We arrived in one piece. Those behind us weren't so luck as about an hour there was a landslide...think that qualifies as a near death situ!
So all in all an amazing trip. A massive contrast from start to finish. The scenery, people are utterly amazing, inspiring and really friendly which frankly makes a massive change. Thankfully tourism has turned the country and its people into a suspicous cynical bunch.
I imagine it's extremely hard especially under the rule of the Chinese. It's actually something I found very hard to come to terms with. For instance I heard of some children, under the age of 10, who were thrown into prision for writing on a public wall....they disapeared two months ago and haven't been seen or heard from since. An elderly man gave a speech about the political situation in Tibet and has since been accused of 'separatism' and locked away. The list is endless.
The cultural ways of 50 years or so ago are still there. Just. Obviously the more people who visit Tibet, then the more likely they are to stay and the more people who are aware of the dreadful situtation the Tibeteans are going through under the iron rule of the Chinese ie. how would you like all the shop, road signs in your country to be written in another languge, the better. So go. Visit Tibet and see for yourself just how utterly, jaw droppingly gorgeous it is, the people and the overall atmosphere there. It's really quite breath taking.
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Dealing with odd balls....
Doesn't matter where I go or what I do I always seem to manage to attract the odd balls. Whether I'm in London, Brighton, Phnom Penh or Lhasa the idiots who've lost their way to their village always seem to find their way to my door. The thing is that I wouldn't normally mind but recently these idiots have become quite devious and cunningly disguise themselves as reasonable people, dare I say even 'normal'.
Usually I can over look the odd strange person. Strange men I can handle, sadly because most of my exes fit into this category. It's the odd female traveller who rather worryingly turns out to resemble the strange character from single white female, who really concerns me.
I have to admit I've not come across the clingy female for quite sometime. In fact not since school. So you can imagine my surprise when I was presented with this species again when I was travelling.
At first she seemed pretty normal. Bit too over friendly perhaps but as I'm trying to stop my judgemental approach I discarded my initial thought. Note to self: always trust your instincts no matter how harsh they may seem.
At first she was great fun, liked a good laugh, on similar page to me or so it seemed. Alarm bells started to ring when she repeatedly said how alike we were....like she was looking into a mirror. Er, okay. I don't think so. She kept talking about how similar we were in attitude and outlook on life. Again, I don't think so. I would nervously laugh when she said this and tried to hide my immediate facial expression which was one of complete horror!
The all to familiar alarm bells started ringing again when she advised me on how touchy feely she was...her words not mine. She admitted her friends found it irritating which obviously begs the question of 'why continue to do it?'. It clearly hadn't occurred to her to stop though...mores the pity. She also banged on about how open she was as she had no problem with calling everyone 'darling' or 'babe'. Sorry, perhaps it's me but calling people 'darling' or 'babe' doesn't equate to being open. It just means you can't be arsed to say their names or worse still, can't remember them.
The next thing I know she's talking about going travelling with me. Now alarm bells are really ringing. I'd known her for 5 mins and she's talking about travelling with me for a few months. NOOOOOOOOOO. Again, I found myself laughing nervously and made a note to self to not mention any future plans.
Then there were the lingering stares. I'd look up from my book and she'd be staring at me. I'd catch her watching me on the bus, at dinner. It was really quite unnerving. Did I have spinach in my teeth? I'm I so odd looking at the moment that I warrant being stared at like one of the monkeys in London Zoo? No. Not at all. In fact I check my teeth meticulously after each meal and last time I looked in the mirror I wasn't looking too bad at all!
I tried to ignore it to start off with but by the end of the trip it got way too much. She really started to irritate me to the point where I couldn't even look at her. The odd squeeze of my leg, stroking my hair, trying to pick a hair off the front of my t-shirt when she could've just told me it was on there where my breast was, standing really close behind me...the list is endless...it just got really irritating to be honest. I have my personal space, please respect that thank you very much.
There was little I could do though as I was travelling with a group plus I didn't want to be horrible. I definitely didn't want to cause a scene. So I kept my mouth shut and got on with it. Don't get me wrong, she didn't ruin my trip. I just had to take a deep breath and ignore her irritating little ways for a few days. Like I said the odd balls always hide their strange ways until their feet are under the table. Then they strike. So it took me a while to see where she was really coming from. Well, 2 days. Plus I could take solace with other members of the group. So it was hardly the end of the world. Just irritating!!
By the end of the trip she was really starting to grate on my nerves. I actually caught her taking a photo of me while I sleeping. I mean really, I can't imagine anyone really wanting a record of me with my mouth open and dribbling but there you go....
Thankfully when we arrived at our last destination before we all went our separate ways. I also managed to bag a triple room with two other girls in the group. I knew this would cause trouble though. So it came as no surprise to me when she gave me the filthiest look and stropped off when I told her I was going to kip in with them. Jeeeeesus I felt like I was back at school again. If only I had the same complexion I told myself at least that would make it slightly better. But sadly no, I didn't have the school girl complexion to boot. I just had to deal with the childish outbursts of a 30 plus female who displayed slightly odd behaviour.
Since the outburst I've been able to keep my distance from her and duck the filthy looks and snide comments. That's the problem when you're travelling - if you come across a nutter you have to be very creative in terms of how you avoid them especially when you're in a small capital. You don't want cause a scene but then again at the same time you have to brace yourself for the next installment of 'how much can I annoy you today'...aren't people great?!
Usually I can over look the odd strange person. Strange men I can handle, sadly because most of my exes fit into this category. It's the odd female traveller who rather worryingly turns out to resemble the strange character from single white female, who really concerns me.
I have to admit I've not come across the clingy female for quite sometime. In fact not since school. So you can imagine my surprise when I was presented with this species again when I was travelling.
At first she seemed pretty normal. Bit too over friendly perhaps but as I'm trying to stop my judgemental approach I discarded my initial thought. Note to self: always trust your instincts no matter how harsh they may seem.
At first she was great fun, liked a good laugh, on similar page to me or so it seemed. Alarm bells started to ring when she repeatedly said how alike we were....like she was looking into a mirror. Er, okay. I don't think so. She kept talking about how similar we were in attitude and outlook on life. Again, I don't think so. I would nervously laugh when she said this and tried to hide my immediate facial expression which was one of complete horror!
The all to familiar alarm bells started ringing again when she advised me on how touchy feely she was...her words not mine. She admitted her friends found it irritating which obviously begs the question of 'why continue to do it?'. It clearly hadn't occurred to her to stop though...mores the pity. She also banged on about how open she was as she had no problem with calling everyone 'darling' or 'babe'. Sorry, perhaps it's me but calling people 'darling' or 'babe' doesn't equate to being open. It just means you can't be arsed to say their names or worse still, can't remember them.
The next thing I know she's talking about going travelling with me. Now alarm bells are really ringing. I'd known her for 5 mins and she's talking about travelling with me for a few months. NOOOOOOOOOO. Again, I found myself laughing nervously and made a note to self to not mention any future plans.
Then there were the lingering stares. I'd look up from my book and she'd be staring at me. I'd catch her watching me on the bus, at dinner. It was really quite unnerving. Did I have spinach in my teeth? I'm I so odd looking at the moment that I warrant being stared at like one of the monkeys in London Zoo? No. Not at all. In fact I check my teeth meticulously after each meal and last time I looked in the mirror I wasn't looking too bad at all!
I tried to ignore it to start off with but by the end of the trip it got way too much. She really started to irritate me to the point where I couldn't even look at her. The odd squeeze of my leg, stroking my hair, trying to pick a hair off the front of my t-shirt when she could've just told me it was on there where my breast was, standing really close behind me...the list is endless...it just got really irritating to be honest. I have my personal space, please respect that thank you very much.
There was little I could do though as I was travelling with a group plus I didn't want to be horrible. I definitely didn't want to cause a scene. So I kept my mouth shut and got on with it. Don't get me wrong, she didn't ruin my trip. I just had to take a deep breath and ignore her irritating little ways for a few days. Like I said the odd balls always hide their strange ways until their feet are under the table. Then they strike. So it took me a while to see where she was really coming from. Well, 2 days. Plus I could take solace with other members of the group. So it was hardly the end of the world. Just irritating!!
By the end of the trip she was really starting to grate on my nerves. I actually caught her taking a photo of me while I sleeping. I mean really, I can't imagine anyone really wanting a record of me with my mouth open and dribbling but there you go....
Thankfully when we arrived at our last destination before we all went our separate ways. I also managed to bag a triple room with two other girls in the group. I knew this would cause trouble though. So it came as no surprise to me when she gave me the filthiest look and stropped off when I told her I was going to kip in with them. Jeeeeesus I felt like I was back at school again. If only I had the same complexion I told myself at least that would make it slightly better. But sadly no, I didn't have the school girl complexion to boot. I just had to deal with the childish outbursts of a 30 plus female who displayed slightly odd behaviour.
Since the outburst I've been able to keep my distance from her and duck the filthy looks and snide comments. That's the problem when you're travelling - if you come across a nutter you have to be very creative in terms of how you avoid them especially when you're in a small capital. You don't want cause a scene but then again at the same time you have to brace yourself for the next installment of 'how much can I annoy you today'...aren't people great?!
Sunday, 7 October 2007
Toilet Traumas
This isn't the nicest thing I've had to post on my blog but I feel it's my duty to share the traumas I've been facing on a daily basis since arriving in Tibet. If you're reading this while eating then please don't. You may regret it.
I'd heard on the grapevine about the toilet situation in Asia. China had in fact been mentioned a number of times as having the worst loos on earth. I sympathised and quickly reassured myself that I didn't have to worry too much about it because I wasn't travelling to China. Of course I'd completely forgotten that Tibet is now part of the Republic of China. I soon remembered when I experienced what I can only refer to as a trauma. A trauma beyond all traumas and one I don't think I'll ever forget.
Now, I don't want to get on my high horse and maybe I am naive but one would assume that when you enter the country controlled by a 'superpower' sanitation wouldn't be a problem. Wrong.
Firstly let me get one thing straight. Tibet is an amazing country. I cannot begin to tell you how utterly amazed I have been by the sights and people; culturally it's by far the most inspiring and interesting country I've ever visited. I will save my rant on how Tibet has benefited from the Chinese taking over Tibet (it won't be long!) but you would think with the influx of tourists the government might improve the public toilet situation. Apparently not - well, it's not a money earner is it so why should they. A Chinese statue right in front of the Polata Place would benefit the people much more don't you think.
You see the public loos are open. And for those of you who haven't had the privilege of experiencing an 'open loo' let me elaborate. There is no sanitation. There is a whole in the ground. Worse that that you have to squat over a trough so you get the added benefit of seeing what everyone else is relieving themselves of. Even better there are no doors. You literally pee in front of everyone. And I mean everyone. Seeing a Westerner peeing is hilarious to most locals. Most of them don't have a tv so sadly I think this could be the next best thing judging from their hysterical laughs!!
The thing is the fact 10 or so Tibetans are laughing at you peeing isn't really a problem. You see you're too busy trying not to vomit at the stench from feces from your neighbour flowing down below you. You're also trying to avoid being stung by the huge bees flying around your ass. Gone are the days of relaxing on the loo, flicking through Heat or Glamour. Rolling my eyes at a piece of toilet paper on the floor of the loo is The Worseley or the fact the hand towels aren't quite the right shade of white in Claridges. Oh how I yearn for those days...
Now it's a military operation. Liberal application of Tiger Balm below your nostrils (so much that it's burns your skin) to try and prevent the stench from making you retch. Toilet roll already torn into pieces to avoid any dropping incidents or worse still losing your balance (could you imagine falling into the trough?). Ensuring your trousers are rolled up to avoid any back splash or even worse, the bottoms of your trousers falling into the piss around the squat. After the deed is down a quick exit, ensuring you don't slip, your trousers are done up and you're not vomiting. Breathing a sigh of relief as you exit the piss house and douse your hands with sanitiser. Welcome to my world!
I'd heard on the grapevine about the toilet situation in Asia. China had in fact been mentioned a number of times as having the worst loos on earth. I sympathised and quickly reassured myself that I didn't have to worry too much about it because I wasn't travelling to China. Of course I'd completely forgotten that Tibet is now part of the Republic of China. I soon remembered when I experienced what I can only refer to as a trauma. A trauma beyond all traumas and one I don't think I'll ever forget.
Now, I don't want to get on my high horse and maybe I am naive but one would assume that when you enter the country controlled by a 'superpower' sanitation wouldn't be a problem. Wrong.
Firstly let me get one thing straight. Tibet is an amazing country. I cannot begin to tell you how utterly amazed I have been by the sights and people; culturally it's by far the most inspiring and interesting country I've ever visited. I will save my rant on how Tibet has benefited from the Chinese taking over Tibet (it won't be long!) but you would think with the influx of tourists the government might improve the public toilet situation. Apparently not - well, it's not a money earner is it so why should they. A Chinese statue right in front of the Polata Place would benefit the people much more don't you think.
You see the public loos are open. And for those of you who haven't had the privilege of experiencing an 'open loo' let me elaborate. There is no sanitation. There is a whole in the ground. Worse that that you have to squat over a trough so you get the added benefit of seeing what everyone else is relieving themselves of. Even better there are no doors. You literally pee in front of everyone. And I mean everyone. Seeing a Westerner peeing is hilarious to most locals. Most of them don't have a tv so sadly I think this could be the next best thing judging from their hysterical laughs!!
The thing is the fact 10 or so Tibetans are laughing at you peeing isn't really a problem. You see you're too busy trying not to vomit at the stench from feces from your neighbour flowing down below you. You're also trying to avoid being stung by the huge bees flying around your ass. Gone are the days of relaxing on the loo, flicking through Heat or Glamour. Rolling my eyes at a piece of toilet paper on the floor of the loo is The Worseley or the fact the hand towels aren't quite the right shade of white in Claridges. Oh how I yearn for those days...
Now it's a military operation. Liberal application of Tiger Balm below your nostrils (so much that it's burns your skin) to try and prevent the stench from making you retch. Toilet roll already torn into pieces to avoid any dropping incidents or worse still losing your balance (could you imagine falling into the trough?). Ensuring your trousers are rolled up to avoid any back splash or even worse, the bottoms of your trousers falling into the piss around the squat. After the deed is down a quick exit, ensuring you don't slip, your trousers are done up and you're not vomiting. Breathing a sigh of relief as you exit the piss house and douse your hands with sanitiser. Welcome to my world!
Friday, 28 September 2007
Next steps....
Very, very excited about my next journey - leave Bangkok Saturday 29th September and fly directly to Kathmandu where I'll be joining a trekk/tour of a group of 15 for a month. Brooke and her sister Kylie are coming with me - should be brilliant!
The Nepal/Tibet journey is a classic route linking two of Asia’s most exotic cities ranks among the ultimate of all travel adventures. Travelling from the austere and beautiful, high Tibetan Plateau to the lush hill country and farming terraces of Nepal provides for some truly dramatic contrasts. This magnificent journey takes me within sight of towering peaks such as Mount Everest (eek!) and crosses five passes over 5,000 metres above sea level. The road from Lhasa is rugged and demanding, but it’s an adventure in itself as we'll pass through farming villages, nomad camps, ancient towns and visit monasteries with a rich religious heritage - all set in the sweeping and vast landscapes of the Roof of the World. Hurrah! Have wanted to go to Tibet since I watched 'The Golden Child' with Eddie Murphy - seriously, I'm not kidding. Will be chanting with Monks if I get the chance...that's assuming I'm not ill from the altitude...we'll be 5000 metres high and Everest is only 8k!!!
After two weeks in Tibet I then head back to Nepal for my next journey - from Kathmandu to India.
This is describes as one of the great, classic overland journeys. In Nepal we'll get a feeling that that we have taken a step back in time, as it is a country that is forever changing and yet in many ways remains the same. The people, history and culture all make profound impacts on travellers, but the country is also home to the majestic Himalaya – the highest mountains in the world. Even whilst trekking on the foothills, we encounter a mystical and almost spiritual feel about them. Crossing the border into India, we find the pace of life quickens yet the people are just as friendly and just as proud of their culture and their heritage. This short adventure gives us a taste and a feel for what is India’s heart and soul. We finish in Dehil.
I'm then heading north to meeting his Holiness the Dahli Lama - I've already been in contact with his office and have recieved a number of emails....I'm trying to arrange a meeting with him - imagine!! So excited. I already have the email addresses of two Monks so what's stopping me????
The Nepal/Tibet journey is a classic route linking two of Asia’s most exotic cities ranks among the ultimate of all travel adventures. Travelling from the austere and beautiful, high Tibetan Plateau to the lush hill country and farming terraces of Nepal provides for some truly dramatic contrasts. This magnificent journey takes me within sight of towering peaks such as Mount Everest (eek!) and crosses five passes over 5,000 metres above sea level. The road from Lhasa is rugged and demanding, but it’s an adventure in itself as we'll pass through farming villages, nomad camps, ancient towns and visit monasteries with a rich religious heritage - all set in the sweeping and vast landscapes of the Roof of the World. Hurrah! Have wanted to go to Tibet since I watched 'The Golden Child' with Eddie Murphy - seriously, I'm not kidding. Will be chanting with Monks if I get the chance...that's assuming I'm not ill from the altitude...we'll be 5000 metres high and Everest is only 8k!!!
After two weeks in Tibet I then head back to Nepal for my next journey - from Kathmandu to India.
This is describes as one of the great, classic overland journeys. In Nepal we'll get a feeling that that we have taken a step back in time, as it is a country that is forever changing and yet in many ways remains the same. The people, history and culture all make profound impacts on travellers, but the country is also home to the majestic Himalaya – the highest mountains in the world. Even whilst trekking on the foothills, we encounter a mystical and almost spiritual feel about them. Crossing the border into India, we find the pace of life quickens yet the people are just as friendly and just as proud of their culture and their heritage. This short adventure gives us a taste and a feel for what is India’s heart and soul. We finish in Dehil.
I'm then heading north to meeting his Holiness the Dahli Lama - I've already been in contact with his office and have recieved a number of emails....I'm trying to arrange a meeting with him - imagine!! So excited. I already have the email addresses of two Monks so what's stopping me????
Thursday, 27 September 2007
Being judgemental.....
The one thing I've noticed since I started travelling is how cynical and judgemental I am. Actually if I'm honest I'm not at all surprised. I've always known it, have been told so but I've only really realised the sheer magnitude. Much of it is probably down to fear - aren't most things? I don't want to end up in a situation I can't handle or worse still on a missing persons list. So I'm pretty cautious of most people. But then I always have been so again, nothing new there.
Most people will be able to resonate with the fact that when you live in London you harden up massively. If a stranger approaches you you suspect he's about to rape you. After six or so years living in London I once gave a guy in my parents village the most filthy look I muster after he politely said 'good morning'. It was a natural reaction. He looked horrified and scuttled off!
So what's brought about this sudden concern when before I used to rate my filthy looks on a scale of one to ten as I walked to the tube in the mornings? Throughout my travels in Thailand and especially Cambodia, I've witnessed some really compassionate acts. One's where the giver hasn't 'benefited' in any other way other than to help someone. Perhaps it's the fact the majority of the population in both countries is Buddhist which heavily focuses on compassion. People are taught to give from a very early age - in the mornings the streets are filled with monks collecting alms. People young, old, rich or poor give food to the monks. It's an old tradition and one which reminds people of the benefits of giving.
Perhaps it's being in a third (or second) world country that I've realised how unfortunate others are and how important it is to help. More to the point I've met and seen people who really do have very little in terms of material objects. They struggle to feed their families, don't have central heating, running water. All the things I take for granted yet they always greet you with a smile on their faces and can't do enough for you. It's made me realise it's much easier and takes much less energy to be nice, friendly than it is to be annoyed and angry the whole time.
So what's surprised me the most on my travels is how ridged I've been in the past and recently. Admittedly we all make judgements - it's human nature and if we didn't we'd have no way of gaging people and situations. What I've noticed is how I've had to changed my judgements based on previous stereotypes. I've found myself in situations I would never have normally been in. For example I met this guy, from Cameron. He was great. Had so much fun with him and he was totally on my level. More so than any other guy I've ever met. He introduced me to his friends (all of which were incredibly welcoming), we went to an African restaurant (I was a minority), I ate with my fingers (obviously used my hand sanitiser first!!), danced all night and talked about many different things. I had a fantastic time. It was a real eye opener especially as culturally we really are worlds apart.
In fact I've had so many eye openers along my journey I've had to battle to keep my eye balls in their sockets!! A taxi driver in Bangkok got out of his car, brought some fruit and gave the lot to me. He insisted. Maybe I looked malnourished or ill!! The man in the post office who, while I was trying to tape up my package, grabbed the tape and did it for me - he didn't speak English, I don't speak Thai. He just did it, smiled and gave it back to me. How kind.
I met a girl on a bus in Cambodia. I heard her first. She annoyed me immediately. It was early in the morning and she was banging on about crap. I was literally rolling my eyes with annoyance. Decided to avoid her. Ended up chatting to her and she was lovely. Really open, nice, honest. What you see is what you get. Perfect. Ended up hanging out with her for a few days in Phnom Penh. We had a great laugh and I'll definitely keep in touch.
With most of these situations I was initially stand offish, over cautious (ie looking them up and down suspiciously), judgemental and cynical; what do they want? What are they after? Must be something dodgy. They irritate me so there's no way I'm speaking to them and/or giving them a chance. Each time I've been pleasantly surprised. So I've decided to take the plunge and go with the flow (massive deal to a control freak) and be open minded.
I'll keep you posted on my progress!
Most people will be able to resonate with the fact that when you live in London you harden up massively. If a stranger approaches you you suspect he's about to rape you. After six or so years living in London I once gave a guy in my parents village the most filthy look I muster after he politely said 'good morning'. It was a natural reaction. He looked horrified and scuttled off!
So what's brought about this sudden concern when before I used to rate my filthy looks on a scale of one to ten as I walked to the tube in the mornings? Throughout my travels in Thailand and especially Cambodia, I've witnessed some really compassionate acts. One's where the giver hasn't 'benefited' in any other way other than to help someone. Perhaps it's the fact the majority of the population in both countries is Buddhist which heavily focuses on compassion. People are taught to give from a very early age - in the mornings the streets are filled with monks collecting alms. People young, old, rich or poor give food to the monks. It's an old tradition and one which reminds people of the benefits of giving.
Perhaps it's being in a third (or second) world country that I've realised how unfortunate others are and how important it is to help. More to the point I've met and seen people who really do have very little in terms of material objects. They struggle to feed their families, don't have central heating, running water. All the things I take for granted yet they always greet you with a smile on their faces and can't do enough for you. It's made me realise it's much easier and takes much less energy to be nice, friendly than it is to be annoyed and angry the whole time.
So what's surprised me the most on my travels is how ridged I've been in the past and recently. Admittedly we all make judgements - it's human nature and if we didn't we'd have no way of gaging people and situations. What I've noticed is how I've had to changed my judgements based on previous stereotypes. I've found myself in situations I would never have normally been in. For example I met this guy, from Cameron. He was great. Had so much fun with him and he was totally on my level. More so than any other guy I've ever met. He introduced me to his friends (all of which were incredibly welcoming), we went to an African restaurant (I was a minority), I ate with my fingers (obviously used my hand sanitiser first!!), danced all night and talked about many different things. I had a fantastic time. It was a real eye opener especially as culturally we really are worlds apart.
In fact I've had so many eye openers along my journey I've had to battle to keep my eye balls in their sockets!! A taxi driver in Bangkok got out of his car, brought some fruit and gave the lot to me. He insisted. Maybe I looked malnourished or ill!! The man in the post office who, while I was trying to tape up my package, grabbed the tape and did it for me - he didn't speak English, I don't speak Thai. He just did it, smiled and gave it back to me. How kind.
I met a girl on a bus in Cambodia. I heard her first. She annoyed me immediately. It was early in the morning and she was banging on about crap. I was literally rolling my eyes with annoyance. Decided to avoid her. Ended up chatting to her and she was lovely. Really open, nice, honest. What you see is what you get. Perfect. Ended up hanging out with her for a few days in Phnom Penh. We had a great laugh and I'll definitely keep in touch.
With most of these situations I was initially stand offish, over cautious (ie looking them up and down suspiciously), judgemental and cynical; what do they want? What are they after? Must be something dodgy. They irritate me so there's no way I'm speaking to them and/or giving them a chance. Each time I've been pleasantly surprised. So I've decided to take the plunge and go with the flow (massive deal to a control freak) and be open minded.
I'll keep you posted on my progress!
Ripping off the band aid
When I was 'poked' on facebook by three of my ex boyfriends, I knew my decision to go travelling was definately the right one. I also had a feeling getting away from it all would give me the opportunity to really clear my head.
My love life has been....well let's just say colourful and leave it at that - some may even say eventful. Some of the characters have certainly provided much entertainment, for reasons they probably wouldn't be so proud of, over the years! Classic example is a guy I dared to invite back to my parents house for Boxing Day lunch. He ended up mainlining beer, I suspect trying to prove to my Dad he could hold his booze (he couldn't), and after one hour was slumped over the breakfast room table with a serviette in his hand trying to polish a crome pepper pot. I'm reminded of that little experince each Christmas!!
Rather unexpectedly the last couple of months have given me the chance to review the various characters I've had the pleasure of meeting over the years. Some good, some not so good, some I would cross the road to avoid. It got me thinking about how many situations I've stayed in (with guys) mainly because it's easier to stay and/or I've been in a bubble - although I've known their wholey, in fact massively wrong for me, I've carried on regardless.
Similar situation cropped up just before I left. The guy in questions was, on many levels great in my opinion. In fact I'd even go so far as to say he's the only guy I've ever really gelled with to date. Only draw back? There were many. Different point of reference, his lack of drive, pretty weak willed...just things that when you added them up it meant it could never work.
I knew this from day one but figuted that there was no harm in continuing the relationship as I was leaving. I had a 'get out of jail' card.
The thing is the more time you spend with someone inevitably the more attached you become. Before I knew it I was fully embroiled in his 'problems' of which there were many. I was of course happy to help but there comes a time when you have to just walk away. People have to help themselves and besides there's only so much you can do at the end of the day. I was completely there for him but it wasn't reciprocated. I knew this the whole time. Why did I stay? It was comfortable, easy, my friends were coupled up, we'd grown really close and it was someone to look forward to seeing after another crap day in a job which depressed me.
Leaving was hard and his reaction was surprising. It was very emotional. But I knew I had to go and above all I wanted to. There was no way I was staying though and I knew that with distance and perspective I would think differently. I wouldn't be constantly pulled back into the situation. It's hard to say no sometimes and I think if I'm honest this has been the case with many of guys I've spent time with. They were okay but to be honest witha a lot of them, I was passing time. I figured that it wasn't quite right but it was okay for the moment. Then I got attached.
Anyway, I'm a firm believer that actions speak much louder than words. So after all the talk 'I'll do this, do that' blah, I've had a few pissed up calls and one email. I'm not surprised. I'm actually relieved. It confirmed what I'd always thought. I'm just glad I took myself out of the situation, got some perspective.
So when he last called and spoke about himself for the first 10 minutes before asking me how I was I didn't hesitate to pretend it was a bad line and end the call. So when I arrived back in Thailand, having been in Cambodia for a month and met a lovely bloke in that time, and switched on my phone only to receive a text message from him I didn't respond. I just smiled and deleted the message, along with his number.
Incidentally I deleted all the pokes long before - some band aids are much easier to rip off than others!!
My love life has been....well let's just say colourful and leave it at that - some may even say eventful. Some of the characters have certainly provided much entertainment, for reasons they probably wouldn't be so proud of, over the years! Classic example is a guy I dared to invite back to my parents house for Boxing Day lunch. He ended up mainlining beer, I suspect trying to prove to my Dad he could hold his booze (he couldn't), and after one hour was slumped over the breakfast room table with a serviette in his hand trying to polish a crome pepper pot. I'm reminded of that little experince each Christmas!!
Rather unexpectedly the last couple of months have given me the chance to review the various characters I've had the pleasure of meeting over the years. Some good, some not so good, some I would cross the road to avoid. It got me thinking about how many situations I've stayed in (with guys) mainly because it's easier to stay and/or I've been in a bubble - although I've known their wholey, in fact massively wrong for me, I've carried on regardless.
Similar situation cropped up just before I left. The guy in questions was, on many levels great in my opinion. In fact I'd even go so far as to say he's the only guy I've ever really gelled with to date. Only draw back? There were many. Different point of reference, his lack of drive, pretty weak willed...just things that when you added them up it meant it could never work.
I knew this from day one but figuted that there was no harm in continuing the relationship as I was leaving. I had a 'get out of jail' card.
The thing is the more time you spend with someone inevitably the more attached you become. Before I knew it I was fully embroiled in his 'problems' of which there were many. I was of course happy to help but there comes a time when you have to just walk away. People have to help themselves and besides there's only so much you can do at the end of the day. I was completely there for him but it wasn't reciprocated. I knew this the whole time. Why did I stay? It was comfortable, easy, my friends were coupled up, we'd grown really close and it was someone to look forward to seeing after another crap day in a job which depressed me.
Leaving was hard and his reaction was surprising. It was very emotional. But I knew I had to go and above all I wanted to. There was no way I was staying though and I knew that with distance and perspective I would think differently. I wouldn't be constantly pulled back into the situation. It's hard to say no sometimes and I think if I'm honest this has been the case with many of guys I've spent time with. They were okay but to be honest witha a lot of them, I was passing time. I figured that it wasn't quite right but it was okay for the moment. Then I got attached.
Anyway, I'm a firm believer that actions speak much louder than words. So after all the talk 'I'll do this, do that' blah, I've had a few pissed up calls and one email. I'm not surprised. I'm actually relieved. It confirmed what I'd always thought. I'm just glad I took myself out of the situation, got some perspective.
So when he last called and spoke about himself for the first 10 minutes before asking me how I was I didn't hesitate to pretend it was a bad line and end the call. So when I arrived back in Thailand, having been in Cambodia for a month and met a lovely bloke in that time, and switched on my phone only to receive a text message from him I didn't respond. I just smiled and deleted the message, along with his number.
Incidentally I deleted all the pokes long before - some band aids are much easier to rip off than others!!
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