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Hello everyone, Lou and I are about to go on our big trip. We will keep you updated on this site with messages and photos. love Y and L xx | Log entries 21 - 27 of 27 | Page:
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Oct 24, 2004 06:00 PM Now in Hong Kong
Hi guys,
Hope all is well on the home front. Lou and I have now arrived in Hong Kong having spent a couple more days in India exploring Agra and Delhi again. The Taj Mahal was spectacular! and Delhi was a bit more relaxing second time round. We stayed near Old Delhi and went shopping in a large market area where we bought a load of stuff which we will send home.
Hong Kong is a massive, busy city full of very tall buildings! Checked into a guest house in the Tsim Sha Tsui area. Space is at such a shotrage here that our room is about 4' x 7' and everything is built upwards! The city is very modern with colourful high rises everywhere. They are all lit up at night with lasers and flashing lights. We are having an admin. day today trying to fing the best way to get to Hanoi. Looks like we will have to get various trains/buses through China, one of which takes 24 hours, nice. Flying costs an arm and a leg. Anyway, best go for now. Off to a travel agents to organise trip through China to Hanoi.
Cheers for now,
Y and L xx
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Oct 18, 2004 06:00 PM Star spotting
Hi folks,
Hope you are all well. Louise and I are now back in Jaipur and now into the last week of our time in India. We spent another couple of days in Jodhpur relaxing and taking in the sights. We went for a nice meal in the Maharaja's palace which is also a museum and a fabulous hotel. As we walked into the place we saw that there was a film set in one of the main halls. We went into this open air restaurant overlooking the gardens and we saw none other than Luke Goss of Bros fame. (It gets better....) We ordered some food and then, low and behold, in walks a group including Richard Gere and Omar Sharif who sat at the table next to us. Needless to say we spent the rest of the evening ear wigging getting all the gossip on J-Lo, Catherine Zeta Jones, Meg Ryan who they were talking about. It was a very surreal night.
Then we took the bus journey from hell first thing in the morning to a great place called Udaipur. It's as if it had been plucked straight out of Italy. Very romantic. The Bond movie Octopussy was filmed there and almost every restaurant screens it at 7.30pm every night. The famous Lake Palace hotel is also here which is superb. It was Lou's birthday while we were there so we splashed out a bit and stayed in a lovely hotel with a roof top pool. Spent some time exploring the mish mash of streets in the old town dodging the cows, mo-peds and elephants along the way. Took in a couple of museums and just lounged around working on tans.
Then we took another bus journey from hell which made the first one seem like a pleasant walk in the park. It was a night bus which left Udaipur at 9pm bound for a small place called Bundi arriving at 5am (it was never going to be ideal). We booked a double "sleeper" cabin and were promised a direct trip, a nice smooth ride and a straight road! But got the opposite! Hellish. We ended up squashed into this coffin like cell while the bus sped along a pot holed winding road at break neck speed only to be stopped at 2am and told that we had to change buses because of an "avalanche"! We ended up in Bundi at 6am feeling less then refreshed. Staggered to our guest house and collapsed into bed untill noon. It was worth it though as Bundi was a lovely place with no tourists with a very relaxed feel. The people were very friendly. We both had a massage there which was interesting. Spent a couple of days in Bundi in the company of this guy from Switzerland who we explored the town with. We tried to go to this amazing ruined fort at the top of the hill overlooking the town but our entrance to the fort was blocked by about 50 monkeys who seemed to have taken the place over as their own. Some of the males were really big. We were in the company of 2 local kids who kept saying "monkey, danger. Monkey danger" so we made a hastey retreat. We then tryed to find this festival dance venue and ended up in a dusty field with a stage at one end. Within seconds we were surrounded by at least 60 screaming kids and some adults all wanting to know our names and shaking our hands. It was a bit overwhelming. As we moved away the kids and dust cloud followed us. The only solution was to shake the hands of almost everyone. It was the kind of scene that you would normally see on TV when the BBC visit a village in some far flung place in middle Africa.
We left Bundi feeling refreshed and headed back to Jaipur which is where we are now. Staying in an el cheapo hostel (4 quid a night) which is actually very nice. Going to the cinema later today to see an Indian Bollywood blockbuster called Doome. Then a night train to Agra later on to see the Taj Mahal. It's all go....
We will keep in touch, watch this space!
Love, Yocksan and Louise
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Oct 09, 2004 06:00 PM Greetings from Jodhpur
Hello everyone...
Louise and I spent a few busy days in Jaipur taking in all the sights and smells. We went to a place called Amber which had an amazing hill top fort overlooking the town below. there were loads of monkeys there and you could even take an elephant ride to the top. We felt a bit sorry for them so we walked. They were as you would imagine - all painted with colourful designs on their heads and trunks. Very graceful animals. Then we went to a former Maharajhas residence which is now a top hotel called Rambugh palace. In fact it's like a 7 star hotel by our standards - outrageously stunning. We had a drink in the Polo bar with actual polo players! It was all a bit odd as we then took a rickshaw home through all the poverty which was only a stones throw away.
We are now in Jodhpur, home of the riding trouser. We took the train here from Jaipur which took about 7 hours. Met a lovely older couple who gave us advice on where to go and gave us some biscuits! Took a rickshaw to our guest house which is lovely. It's set in nice gardens and everyone is very friendly. The city is another extremely busy place with a bustling market in the centre selling everything from engine parts to pants. Went to another hill top fort which was very impressive - It kind of reminded us of Edinbuirgh Castle. but bigger. The Maharajha still lives here in his outrageous palace/museum nearby which is where we are going tonight for a nose. The weather is extremely hot and humid and we both feel drained. Out next stop is Udaipur which is about 6 hours away from here on the bus. We are going there on Tuesday where we will be splashing out in Indian terms and staying in a lovely hotel which was reccommended to us by some people we met in Jaipur (rooftop pool, spa etc.) All for about 20 quid for us both. Well, it is Lou's birthday after all!!
We started off at quite a fast pace but now we are taking things a little slower due to lack of energy, and we still have a long way to go. No rush. We have now effectively eaten Indian takeaway for 8 days on the trot, which tastes great but is not too good on the old stomach! Needless to say we have both been feeling a bit ropey despite sticking to veggie food and bottled water.
We got some great words of wisdom the other day from a stranger (not the first time this has happened)...... "No wife, no life", "No college, no knowledge" and the best one, "No honey, no funny"! - We'll keep you updated.
Lots of love, Yocksan and Louise xxx
ps haven't been able to download any photos yet as there are no usb ports on most of the computers here. When we find one we'll be sure to post some snaps. Y and L
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Oct 04, 2004 06:00 PM Unbelieveable!
Hi everyone, Thanks for the messages, much appreciated. Yes Peej, my German came in very handy! Lou and I have arrived safely in India which is absolutely incredible. There are millions of people here! 17m in Delhi alone. It's like Princes St on Christmas Eve apart from the heat, elephants, monkeys and a few other things. Arrived at our first guest house. Not great. No window and very hot. Had a visiting family of insects in the bathroom and a dripping roof which was directly above the bed! The city is amazing though. Great food. The sights and smells are so different. Arriving here almost takes your breath away with how different it is. Took city tour of all the sights and did a lot of walking around. Lots of hasstle from touts and Louise keeps getting brushed up agaist, not by me. One very sad thing is that there are a lot of child beggers who come up to you and ask for one rupee for some food. Its heartbreaking but one rickshaw driver told us that to give them money only encourages more children to beg. Another striking thing is that there are great extremes of wealth. Some streets have beautiful homes with large walled gardens and round the corner are whole families trrying to exist in rags at the side of the road. It seems that most people here are very poor living a very simple life which makes our's at home seem almost ridiculous. After 3 nights in Delhi we got up at 6am and took 7 hour bus trip to Jaipur which is where we are now. Very nice hotel. Another very busy place. Went to a never ending market yesterday which sold absolutely everyting under the sun. One surprising thing is that there are very few tourists here. It's 33 deg today and very humid. We are off to visit a hill top fort after this for some peace as the city is so hectic. 20 rupees in a motorised rick shaw (about 15p) then a long walk up the hill for some great views of the city. There are also extremes of weather here. When we walked into this internet cafe about 20 mins ago is was blue sky and sunny. Now its torrential rain!
Our plan for the next few days is to leave Jaipur on Friday and go to Jodhpur for a while, then to Udaipur, then back to Delhi then to Shimla, which is in the Himalaya region for some trekking. I think we will leave India about a week early so that we get to Hong Kong on about the 23rd instead of the 2nd. Anyway folks, we hope you are all well and we will keep you updated. Keep in touch. Love Yocks and Lou xxx
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Sep 30, 2004 06:00 PM Hello folks
Believe it or not löu and I are in Munich! Our flight from Edinburgh to London had to make an emergency landing in Madchester because of engine trouble. Sweaty palms to say the least! We are now going to get to Dehli (hopefully) 6 hours later tomorrow at about 6am. Other than that we are having a great time here at Munich airport tring to kill 5 hours before we get on the flight later on. Hope you are all well and we will be in touch again soon. What a start!! Off to eat some sausages now for tea.
Löve Y and L xx
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Jan 12, 2004 09:00 PM Wineries and Cideries
Hello everyone.
Hope you are all well and haven't been affected by the storms. We are both fine but a little frustrated with this computer as we have now spent 2 hours trying to do this update and lost it both times. Its getting shorter each time we write it. Third time lucky, hopefully.
We had a great day out in our little jeep in the Kalbarri National Park last week. We saw some amazing rock formations and spectacular gorges. It was so hot that you could fry an egg on the rocks. We would have tried if we had brought one! We did some bush walking but you really felt vulnerable out there in the searing heat. You really wouldn't want to get at all lost.
the next day it was off to Perth on the last of our bus trips. Only a 7 hour jaunt down the road with our regular driver, Dino. He always saved us the best seats at the front of the bus as, in his words, "you could end up sitting next to some very smelly individuals up the the back"!
We arrived in Perth and checked in to the Billabong Backpackers Resort. We spent a couple of days exploring Perth and its stunning beaches and Fremantle and its great cafes and bars. Perth really has got it all. We felt that we deserved a change from the buses and hired a car for a few days and made our way to the South coast. The first stop was Albany. There wasn't much to do in the town itself but the surrounding area was gorgeous. We found our most amazing beach so far called Misery Beach (we think it was given this name because of all the Whaling that was done there up until the 70's). It was totally deserted. We then went to a place called Blowholes. We weren't sure what we were going to find there but when we walked along the cliffs, high above the sea, we saw a sign saying "Blowholes - DANGER, STAND CLEAR". We suddenly heard an almighty roar and we lunged for cover. We later realised that this was the sound of the sea being forced up through a crevice in the cliffs. Sometimes it can 'blow' the sea 6m into the air! Shaken, but stirred, we headed for our next adventure of the day..... Tree Climbing! In a forest in Pemberton there is a 60m tree called the Gloucester tree that you can climb. There are metal stakes hammered into the trunk in a spiral all the way up to the top where there is a viewing platform. Clinging on for dear life, with sweaty palms, we made our way up and found Kojak at the top! Not the real Kojak but a Jananese student who had been waiting up there for the sunset for 2 hours! What a view from the top. You could see for miles.
We awoke the next morning to find that we were under attack by......ANTS! We had stupidly left a box of half eaten biscuits on the floor (not usual for Yock not to finish off a packet of biscuits). After eating the biscuits they invaded my ruck sack. They were everywhere. Yuck.
We headed to the wine region of Margaret River that morning. The area is saturated with wineries. Of course we had to go and sample some local produce! What a great day out, especially as Yock was the designated driver!! We also visited a great Cidery. The guy who owned it is a scientist and he helped to create the Pink Lady apple which they now make their delicious cider from. We decided to treat ourselves last night and we stayed in a really nice guest house in Margaret River. It was run by a guy who grew up in Harris.
We took in some amazing coastline and surf spots today on our way to Dunsborough which is where we are now. The surf looked a bit too dangerous for us though and we will wait to give it a go in Manly on Saturday. In fact, i'll probably sit on the beach and watch while Yock tries to catch the perfect wave!
We also went on a coastal walk today and then checked into the Beachouse YHA which is lovely. We have just played Volleyball and im now off to eat my dinner which Yock has just prepared! How lucky am i? Back to Perth tomorrow to fly to Sydney tomorrow night.
Best go. Take care.
Lots of love
L and Y xx
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Jan 01, 1970 01:00 AM Santiago de Chile
Hello to you all,
Louise and I are now in Santiago and having a great time! The weather is great and the sun is shining on us once again (27 deg.!)
After visiting the Torres Del Paine National Park we returned to Puerto Natales for a few days of recovery time. We then went to a lovely place called El Calafate which was a five hour bus journey across the border and into Argentina. From there we visited the Perito Moreno Glacier which is a kind of massive tongue of ice which pours off the Southern Ice Field. It was huge! We stayed there for a good few hours and heard the ice cracking and moving as it edged forward at a rate of two metres per day. We also saw large, house sized chunks of ice fall from the glacier and into the lake. It was as spectacular as the postcards promised. We then returned to El Calafate for a couple of nights where we ate a lot of chocolate and Argentinian steak (not on the same plate) which was superb. Steak the size of a small child. Louise ordered the lamb which was like a whole lamb, huge. It all came on this sizzling platter and could have easily fed a small family!
After El Calafate we had a day on the bus back to Punta Arenas in Southern Chile. We stayed there for a couple of nights. The weather there was terrible, still 10 deg. and raining. Yet again we had to put ALL of our clothes to brave a two hour boat trip which we took to Isla Del Magdelenas where we walked around the small uninhabited island. Uninhabited that is apart from the 80,000 penguins who live there! It was amazing, penguins everywhere! We were almost triping over the poor little things. We took loads of photos; Louise with a penguin, me with some penguins, penguins in nests, penguins sleeping, more penguins relaxing..... penguins looking cold etc, etc... On the way there we also saw these black and white dolphins jumping out of the water swimming along side the boat.
Then it was back to Punta Arenas for our last night in Patagonia. The following morning we headed of to the airport where we took a flight to Santiago. We are staying in a great hostel at the moment in the Bellavista area of the city which is only a twenty minute walk from the centre. Santiago does not really have any knock out attractions but we love it. It is very relaxed and has a kind of rustic feel about it, not too touristy and full of markets, great cafes and local type bars. It´s St Paddy´s day today so we´re off to find the only Irish bar in town (Flannigans!) later on to sink a couple of pints of the black stuff!
We´re off to the coast in a couple of days for some beach time then back to Santiago for Easter weekend which is supposed to be great, full of parades and celebration.
Take care,
L and Y xxxx
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