tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39310781656869396442024-03-05T15:21:28.734-08:00Soul HealthsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-82693076407262309132017-10-28T22:07:00.000-07:002017-10-28T22:07:55.518-07:00Some Thoughts on Long-Term Travel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been thinking a lot about writing a post like this for a while, on whether I should write it, and how I should word it, and what exactly I want to say. When I started writing this blog back in late 2015 I wanted it to be about health and holistic living with some honest truths about what I have found out along my own personal health journey. However, because I wanted to keep writing whilst I was away it has gradually evolved into a travel blog. Either way, no matter what I blog about, I always wanted to be honest and write my true feelings about my experiences, which I think is becoming rare in a 'everything is amazing all the time' world of Instagram and social media.<br />
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Travel IS amazing, but just like any lifestyle that you choose to lead, it isn't amazing every minute of every day, especially when you travel for an extended period of time. It is inevitable that there are going to be aspects of your day-to-day life that you become bored with, or that annoy you. The truth is that a significant portion of long-travel is actually quite tedious. There's a lot of waiting around for busses, trains, planes, your luggage, the ticket queue to move faster. There is also a lot of planning involved and the amount of decisions that you have to make on a daily basis is multiplied. Where am I going to eat, where am I going to stay, how long am I going to stay here for, where am I going to go next, what fits in with my budget, what fits in with my timescale - these are just a handful of decisions that run through your head every day and may sound trivial, but making these decisions after a 16-hour bus journey or lost in the 42 degree heat in a part of the country where nobody speaks English, for example, is HARD. When you have a settled lifestyle all of these things are taken care of and you can focus on all of the other things that make your life your own, which is why it is so easy to get into a routine when you already have a routine to work around, and less decisions to consider.<br />
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People say that travel is addictive, and although this is a cliche phrase I really feel that it is the most accurate way to describe <i>long-term</i> travel. You're always on the hunt for that ultimate feeling, the high, the earth-shattering experience that shakes you so hard that you become a different person. In between the highs, what do you do? You wait, you plan, you save, you live your life in the best way possible to enable that high. So when I think of addiction, or what I know about addiction, it is very similar, the waiting, the shifting and the constant adjustment of your life with the sole focus and motive on the one thing that gives you that ultimate intense high, whatever it may be.<br />
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Over time, the high becomes less intense as you become less impressionable. When I got to South East Asia everything amazed me, I was constantly taking photographs, writing blog posts, eager to sign up to every tour and always wanting to go out and party and experience every little bit. Now that I am 18 months into my journey, I am still amazed by a lot of things but less appreciative of it as a rare moment. That's because I have accepted this as a part of life now. My mind has come to terms with the fact that hopping to a new place every few days or so and constantly seeing something new is a given. Even typing this seems absurd, I can't believe that moving through countries and taking the time to experience them has become a normality, but this has been my life for a year and a half now. When I meet other travellers, I can tell immediately how far into their trip they are. New travellers are more excited, more appreciative, they have their eyes more wide-open. That was me at the very beginning of my trip and I miss it! Once the exhaustion has set-in from a life of constant upheaval, it is difficult to be excited and you become more selective with your itinerary, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as you know more about what you want but it does hinder your willingness to try a little bit of everything, and love it even if it doesn't turn out how you planned.<br />
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I would not trade the past 18 months of my life for anything in the world. I am a completely different person because of travel and I am incredibly overwhelmed that I have had the opportunity to do this. When I think about leaving this life that I have led, the habits and skills I've adopted and the small comforts I've found in living an ever-changing life of uncertainty, my chest feels heavy and restricted a little like it does with heartbreak. However, when I travel, I want to soak up every moment. I want to be the fresh-faced traveller with my eyes wide-open. I don't think travel is a box that you tick off in life. Once you have fallen in love with travel, or succumbed to the 'addiction', you can never turn your back on it. Travellers always find a way to travel, if only for a few days, just to gain a sense of that feeling. Isn't that the only reason anyone does anything in life?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-53128608431930686132017-10-10T00:12:00.001-07:002017-10-10T00:12:20.372-07:00Lombok, scooter accidents and the kindness of strangersNo matter how careful you are in life, accidents are bound to happen. I suppose it's pretty inevitable when riding a scooter regularly that we were going to have some sort of accident at some point, and whilst we were over in Lombok it happened.<br />
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However - before I jump into the details of the accident (which was pretty minor, we were lucky) I want to talk a bit about the beautiful island of Lombok. Lombok is a short boat ride away from the Gili islands, which are stunning but just as geared up for tourism as Bali is. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're looking for somewhere a little quieter, a little less touristy, and with a totally different vibe, then take the time to head to Lombok. The majority of the island is untouched. The north is home to Mount Rinjani, Indonesia's second biggest volcano, where you can take a 3 day hike to the top ending up right above the clouds. We started off in Kuta, a little surf town in the south of the island which is developing fast with bars, cafes and restaurants popping up all over the place. I get a sense that this is how Bali was years ago before tourism was booming. The locals are really friendly and genuinely just want to have a chat with you, ask you where you're from and which football team you support.<br />
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One thing about Kuta that made me a little wary was that in the evening there are TONS of kids selling bracelets. This isn't unusual in South East Asia but out of all the countries I've visited I've never seen it on such a massive scale in such a small town. Most of them are quite young but they are really street-wise and their sales tactics are pretty impressive, asking you to play games with them like 'Capitals' (giving the capital cities for a vast array of countries, even really obscure ones like the capital of Ethiopia?! They know the answer!) or rock, paper, scissors and their deal is if you lose you have to buy. I have no idea why there are so many children working in Kuta and it makes me think that there's something bigger going on behind the scenes. Most people advise not to buy from them as it's supporting child labour, but I did buy a bracelet off a little girl who was so sweet and intelligent and said she was working to pay her school fees.<br />
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We ventured up north for the day from Kuta to Rinjani National Park to see some waterfalls and this is where Lombok's beauty really unfolded. The further up north we drove, the greener it got with lush rice paddies all around and tiny villages with families eating together out front or getting ready to go to the mosque in traditional dress. The majority of the population on Lombok are Muslim and you can hear the call to prayer up for 5 times a day from various mosques around the island. The people up here also don't see many tourists and the kids love it, all leaning out of cars and running by the scooter waving and shouting HELLO and smiling at you. We also met a local who took us to some waterfalls and showed us around, and made us local Indonesian dishes with the spiciest curry EVER but one of the tastiest I've ever eaten!<br />
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We had the scooter accident on the drive back to Kuta. It was dark, we were on a bad road and we skidded on a bump. Like most accidents it was sudden and unexpected. We were lucky and came out relatively unharmed but the sense of panic and worry that set within me as soon as we hit the floor was hard to ignore. The locals were absolutely amazing to us. We stopped at a main road to inspect our injuries and people were stopping to see if we were okay, lead us into a doctors to get cleaned up and let us know the best way to get back to Kuta. The kindness of the people was really overwhelming and I cannot put into words how grateful I am. I wish I could go back and find them all to thank them all over again. I was in such a deep panic that I've never experienced before, being in the dark in a place that we didn't know and a little shaken from the accident. Their caring and kindness made such a massive difference and I will never forget it.<br />
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I'm so glad we went to Lombok despite having a scooter accident over there, and I really recommend going over if you want to see a little more of Indonesia and have a different experience. Bali is gorgeous and there is so much to see and do but Lombok showed me how different each island is in Indonesia and I would love to come back in the future to explore more of this amazing country.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-70600782741901743522017-10-01T18:31:00.001-07:002017-10-01T18:31:57.205-07:00I MADE IT TO BALIAfter a year of working and saving and waiting and planning I am here in BALI and I'm so excited I need to just remember to R-E-L-A-X and enjoy it. Decided to do the whole 30 days here (which is as much as they will allow on a tourist visa) as there's so much that I want to see and do - as well as take my time doing it so that I don't have to rush around so much.<br />
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First of all, I actually want to start with the food here which is just a dream. It's so fresh, so healthy, so cheap, and there's a huge western influence here with lots of brunch places, eggs, avocado, etc. I know that when you're in another country it's more cultural to try all the local dishes, but after 4 months backpacking SE Asia I ate enough local cuisine and it got to the point where a mini packet of lurpak butter excited me. Plus, I'm in serious HOLIDAY mode at the moment, so I'm happy to just be a bit of a tourist right now and ease myself into trying new things as the weeks go on. My favourite place for food was Canggu and I had to stop myself taking pictures before every meal because it was all so instagrammable:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duan Cafe - Canggu</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crate - Canggu</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shady Shack - Canggu</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coco Poke - Uluwatu</td></tr>
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In fact, me and John both loved Canggu so much we're going to swing back there at the end of our trip when we finish up in Lombok. It's really chilled out, laid back, surfer town and it's easy enough to get around, especially if you have a scooter. The roads aren't too hectic either so there's no stress with traffic. After Canggu we headed to Uluwatu which was a lot quieter and had some of the most stunning beaches I've ever seen in my life! All we did here was explore the beaches, eat great food and go to see the sunset at Uluwatu temple one evening. I also tried to go for a run one evening - big mistake. Too hot, too hilly, too tiring. My legs feel like lead running in intense heat. I never learn.<br />
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From Uluwatu we went to Ubud. I was majorly excited for Ubud. In my head it was this jungle paradise surrounded by temples, rice paddies and little huts and guesthouses. In reality the centre is really busy with crazy traffic that's a nightmare to navigate through. It's also really touristy, even up in the rice paddies at Tegalalang (there may be more rice paddies that are not so well known, I'm not sure.) Most people come to Ubud to do yoga and chill out by infinity pools. It's also meant to be extremely spiritual but I didn't get that vibe at all, probably because I was staying in the centre. A lot of people also do the sunrise trek up Mt. Batur, which is well worth the hype. It's an incredible experience despite the early start. You get picked up at 2AM and drive a couple of hours out of Ubud centre to a small village where they give you some breakfast and introduce you to your tour guides before you start the hike. The trek up isn't too difficult and only takes a couple of hours, and once you arrive at the top the view is unreal.<br />
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After the sun comes up there are LOADS of monkeys about. I like to stay well clear of these little horrors. They will scope you our for food and snatch anything remotely shiny off you and any bags that are left unattended, but some people think they're cute (?!?!) and some people even feed them although they can get vicious at the slightest wrong movement.<br />
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Bali is a pretty big island and there's so much to do, you could easily spend the full 30 days here. We decided to try and see a little more of Indonesia and got a fast boat to Gili Trawangan for 6 nights and then on to Lombok, but we head back tomorrow to spend the rest of our time in Canggu <3 So much has happened since I started writing this post and I haven't been able to keep up to speed thanks to erratic WiFi connections so I'm going to be blogging like mad to squeeze it all in as I only have 5 weeks left of my travels!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-23822506586257065742017-09-18T02:58:00.000-07:002017-09-18T02:58:19.939-07:00What I will miss about living in Melbourne<br />
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Oh Melbourne. I've hated this city, accepted this city, enjoyed this city, left it and returned pretty swiftly, but now I have finally, FINALLY, really left after living there for almost an entire year. I've had a very on-again off-again kind of relationship with Melbourne, and whilst there are lots of things I definitely will NOT miss (to name a few: the erratic weather, waiting a MILLION years to cross the road, breaking into a hot sweat and flustered panic when the MYKI inspectors get on the tram<span style="text-align: center;">) there are plenty of things that I definitely will miss. </span><br />
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<b>Being surrounded by street art</b></div>
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This is something I became so complacent about as time went on, but when I first arrived in Melbourne I was so excited and inspired by all the amazing street art EVERYWHERE. There are places likes Hosier Lane which have become a tourist for graffiti and urban art, but when you get out of the centre and explore all of Melbourne you notice that every suburb is it's own ever-evolving art space. I stopped taking pictures in the end, it just goes to show how complacent you can become over time. Here are some of my favourites when I had my eyes open in appreciation:<br />
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<b>Melbourne's creative scene</b></div>
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Melbourne is a huge creative hub with amazing gallery exhibitions and an array of art classes, workshops and events. I dropped art after my second year of University but continued to draw and paint for years before I just completely stopped around 2 years ago. It was so difficult not to be inspired and motivated with all the street art around me, so I found a life drawing class in St Kilda (St Kilda Life drawing - check it out if you're in the area. Good people, good music and just pure drawing for 2 hours) and went from there. There's also a good space called <a href="http://www.work-shop.com.au/events/grid/" target="_blank">Work-Shop</a> Melbourne which has so many amazing courses, work shops, taster sessions, classes. I did a calligraphy class there and met a lot of cool people. Once I realised that there are so many like-minded people around me just being creative for the pure joy of it and not letting anything stop them, it motivated me to start drawing again (even if I think what I create is rubbish).<br />
After being so down-and-out when I first arrived here I thought this would be the least likely place for me to reignite an old passion, but life is full of surprises, so thank you Melbourne for motivating me to create again.<br />
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<b>The brunch scene.</b></div>
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Melbourne turned me into that person who takes pictures of food before they eat it, and I don't even care. The brunch scene in Melbourne is as delicious as it is instagrammable (that's officially a word now, right?) I ate at a different cafe every weekend and still didn't scratch the surface. Whether you're veggie, vegan, paleo, gluten free, sugar-free, lactose intolerant, raw, all of these things or none of them, you will find a cafe that caters to you and you won't be short on brunch options. Shout out to some of my favourites - Fourth Chapter on Chapel Street, Monk Bodhi Dharma in Balaclava, Manchester Press in Melbourne CBD for some excellent bagels, Uncommon in Windsor and Sister of Soul on Acland Street in St Kilda. </div>
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<b>Living by the ocean</b></div>
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When I first arrived in Melbourne I lived in the CBD for the first two months. It was hectic, busy and a little isolating. As soon as I moved to St Kilda I immediately felt a tension I didn't even realise I was carrying release from my body. There's something so calming about living close to the ocean. This was one thing I never, ever took for granted and I loved running along the beach at weekends and evenings. In the Summertime we would all head down and sunbathe for as long as we could stand the 38 degree heat. I never did get up early enough to catch a sunrise despite my best intentions, but I did catch some amazing sunsets on walks down to St Kilda Pier in the evenings.<br />
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<b>FRIENDS <3</b></div>
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I saved the best until last :) Being so far away from home and from your friends and family is one of the hardest parts of moving to Australia. I would have left a lot earlier if it hadn't been for the amazing people that I lived with and who became close friends over the past year. Everybody is in the same boat and understands you when you are feeling homesick or hopeless or a little lost. Moving into a big house share was a lifesaver. We had some huge house parties, Christmas day on the beach was unforgettable, there is always somebody to talk to, eat with, or just chill with.<br />
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Melbourne is a hub for people in Australia over on working holiday visas and there's a huge backpacking/traveller community. Once you feel connected to it and a part of it it really does make the experience less daunting as everybody really does try to help each other out. The friendships that I made and the people I met over the year really did make the experience and it wouldn't have been the same without them. So, thank you everybody for being a part of my year. And thank you Melbourne, for being my temporary home, and teaching me a lot of important lessons along the way.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-32826256754118125532017-07-16T01:59:00.002-07:002017-07-16T02:00:45.164-07:00Why I Quit Quitting Sugar<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDpmJ8m48kya9fcQLszuMGPKQ0PhIHMuWx0EjpqZVgrAcrMyFC3Zq8ZJ34aj4hM6ad5j8Irzu9Moc6Wp1urmGPkazUQ3NriIwytPkcK27k_jMiQ8qxhr3QwLVm40l2WC-Ws4z0QmVf8M/s1600/2017-03-01+03.39.59+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDpmJ8m48kya9fcQLszuMGPKQ0PhIHMuWx0EjpqZVgrAcrMyFC3Zq8ZJ34aj4hM6ad5j8Irzu9Moc6Wp1urmGPkazUQ3NriIwytPkcK27k_jMiQ8qxhr3QwLVm40l2WC-Ws4z0QmVf8M/s640/2017-03-01+03.39.59+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LEGALLY ADDICTIVE</td></tr>
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At the start of this year, I decided I was going to give up chocolate. I've made this decision on a whim multiple times throughout my life and never managed to succeed more than three days before, but I was serious about it this time. I had come to the realisation that chocolate was present in my diet pretty much every day. There was not one day I could remember where I hadn't had a little bit of chocolate, even if it was Nutella on my toast or a cake for somebody's birthday (or just because, you know, it's a Tuesday) or a packet of chocolate buttons at the end of the day that may or may not have been family sized. The more I thought about it, chocolate wasn't a treat anymore. It wasn't something I enjoyed. It was a habit, almost like an addiction. When I meditated in Cambodia for 10 days, the thing I found the most difficult to give up wasn't my phone or my camera, it was chocolate. I craved it, deeply. I even dreamt about it. Twice.<br />
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So, I quit. I went full on cold turkey, which was extremely difficult, but I was super determined and really serious about this. So serious in fact, that I thought, why stop there? Why not quit sugar altogether? The more I researched this, the more it made sense. Four weeks had passed, and I was feeling really good about myself, really awake and motivated. Whether that was driven by the fact that there was less sugar pumping through my veins or just the pure satisfaction of having actually stuck it out for so long, I'm not sure. Either way I got really into this, I started by reading the <a href="https://iquitsugar.com/" target="_blank">I Quit Sugar</a> blog and found other blogs and forums from there. Now, I'm aware that the title of this post is about me QUITTING quitting sugar, which I'll get to , I promise. But first of all...<br />
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WHAT DID I FIND OUT?<br />
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<b>CRAVINGS DON'T GO AWAY</b><br />
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Nope. Not for me. They got a lot easier to manage, but I'd broken a lifelong habit so I think this had the biggest impact. I was also extremely distracted by focusing so hard on maintaining a sugar-free diet. I read so many blogs where people spoke about it getting easier with each week, even getting to the point where chocolate just didn't seem appealing to them anymore. HOW? I never got that. I still had cravings 6 weeks on just strong as I did in the first week.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CAKE</td></tr>
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<b>IT'S AN EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT</b><br />
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Chocolate holds a special place in my heart. To me, it's Christmas at home and cosy nights in and every birthday cake I've had since I can remember. It was a reward for being well-behaved when I was young and my main 'treat' food throughout my life. It was hard to imagine life without it because it had always been so present within it. Maybe not as a raging obsession or obvious addiction, but consistently in the background. Once I'd come to terms with the emotional attachment I had with chocolate, I found it easier to distance myself from it. This meant trying to focus on the enjoyment of an activity without the added "bonus" of enjoying it with chocolate.<br />
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<b>Sugar is EVERYWHERE</b>.<br />
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I've spoken about it being difficult giving up chocolate alone, but giving up sugar altogether is on another level which verges on the impossible. Sugar is in pretty much everything, even wholegrain bread and pasta. It's in every single condiment you can think of. It's in canned soups, pasta sauces, and even in some spice mixes like paprika. Then you have the natural sugars in all fruits (a banana has approximately 10g of sugar!!) and vegetables like tomatoes and onions. The more I researched the more it freaked me out that sugar was practically unavoidable even in the healthiest of diets. What was I going to eat? I decided that focusing on cutting out refined sugars was the best way to approach this. I'd already started off by cutting out the main offender in my diet - chocolate. Then I moved on to cutting out all sauces and dips. I also switched all of my drink mixers to soda water (also I had no idea that tonic water had so much sugar in it! Anybody else mislead on this?) and seriously cut down on drinking wine. I switched all refined carbs like white bread and white rice to wholegrain and alternative carbs like sweet potato.<br />
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I found it really disheartening that even on a very 'clean' diet, sugar in some way, shape or form was always present. I had also taken all of the enjoyment out of my life where diet was concerned. I couldn't look forward to chocolate, or splurge on an Italian meal over the weekend. I even starting freaking out about the amount of sugar in a glass of wine and began to swerve it completely. It got to the point that I was actually a bit scared of having anything with a small amount of sugar in it. So the driving force of my lifestyle change was no longer a motivation for a healthier diet or better well-being, but FEAR. That's not what life is about! I wanted to have wine with my meal without panicking about it for hours afterwards.<br />
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I also realised that it was only chocolate that held an emotional attachment, not any other food. Once I came to this realisation, quitting sugar became almost like a punishment rather than a positive enjoyable venture.<br />
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So, I quit. In the most anti-climatic way, I didn't splurge or go out and buy a huge cake or anything like that. I just had a tiny bit of chocolate one day. Just enough, what I felt like. Nothing more. I starting eating white bread and pasta occasionally. I started drinking wine again (HOW I MISSED YOU!) Some habits from quitting sugar have stuck with me. I won't touch tonic water again. I honestly had no idea it contained the same amount of sugar as most soft drinks. I also don't pick on chocolate throughout the day or have it anywhere near as frequently as I used to. But I do have it, when I feel like it. Because life is for living, and enjoying, and not punishing yourself or restricting yourself to the point of misery.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-45599233829514526712017-07-02T00:26:00.000-07:002017-07-02T00:27:13.050-07:00Following Your Dreams VS. Going With Your Gut <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What are you doing. You are insane. Why couldn't you just be content and happy where you were. This is ridiculous. Never again. Why are you putting yourself through this?...<br />
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...were just a few of the thoughts going over and over in my head on the 14 hour flight from Melbourne, Australia to Hanoi, Vietnam, four weeks ago. I woke up on the morning of the flight with my heart beating so hard I could hear it thudding against the mattress and that horrible but familiar sick feeling washing over me. I dismissed it as nerves.<br />
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I chose to leave Melbourne, Nobody forced me. After an amazing and challenging 9 months living, working and travelling Australia I decided I wanted a change. I wanted to go back to SE Asia to get an English teaching job, something that I had been wanting to do since me and John first backpacked Asia over a year (!) ago. I really felt that I had done everything I wanted to do in Australia and it was time for me to go and try this, otherwise I would regret it. It was exciting, but also absolutely terrifying. I had steady work in Melbourne. I had friends and a good few work connections here. Me and John had our own private room in a house share. I had comfort and routine and all the things that I craved when we first arrived here knowing nobody, with no jobs, nowhere to stay, no suitable clothing and honestly no idea where to start. And now I was going to go and do it all over again? I knew I was taking a huge risk. But I really, really wanted to do this. I wanted the experience of teaching English, I wanted the challenge and the feeling of fulfilment I felt I was lacking in my familiar lifestyle. I honestly felt in my heart that this was the next step for me to take, the next chapter in my adventure. I spoke to everybody I knew that had done it, I watched YouTube videos, I did my research. I became more and more excited as my flight date drew closer. I was ready.<br />
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And so I went. I followed my dream. At this point, I'd like to write that the flight went smoothly, that I arrived in Hanoi with no issues, and settled into my new environment like a duck to water. I'd like to write that I'm still sitting here now, in the hot, humid chaotic heat of Hanoi, typing this blog post before heading off to teach an English class. But I'm not. I'm actually back in Melbourne, sat on the same mattress that I lay on feeling sick and terrified the morning of my flight. The reality was that I suffered a good few setbacks before I even arrived in Hanoi, one of which would complicate my stay and cause a major upheaval very early on. The sick feeling and the doubt that flooded my mind never went away, it only multiplied with every unexpected setback that I encountered along the way. And although I still desperately wanted to teach and craved that experience, once I was there it just didn't feel right.<br />
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Now, I am well aware that following your dreams isn't an easy process. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and perseverance. To achieve something that you really want means that you can't give up at every hurdle, but must push on and face the difficulties regardless. However, I am also aware that the end product, as well as the journey toward it, doesn't always look how you imagined it to. If the journey is difficult but feels worthwhile, then I believe that you should continue despite the difficulties. However, if your feelings change, if you have every instinct screaming in opposition, or even just an underlying feeling of uncomfortable uncertainty, then it's time to reconsider. What do you <i>want, </i>really? What do you <i>need</i> right now? Consider the situation. Consider the timing. And above all, consider your gut feeling. It's instinct, and it really is the strongest navigation through life.<br />
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I don't want this post to suggest that following your dreams is a bad thing. I still believe in it, I still encourage it, and I won't give up on mine. I still want to go out and teach English somewhere. I still want that experience. I'll still seek out opportunities in the future. This isn't about giving up, it's about changing direction. I've never had such a strong pull of emotions before that has changed how I feel about a goal or experience. It was a whole flood of feeling that I just couldn't ignore or explain. Honestly, it was pretty heart-breaking. It didn't make my decision to leave Hanoi easy, despite the intensity of feeling that it was the right thing to do. I chose to listen to my instinct and I don't regret it.<br />
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In the end, my reasons for leaving Hanoi were emotional and complicated. I felt that I had to cut my losses and return to Australia, not because I missed it or was greatly attached to my experience there, but because it's the place that holds everything I need right now. I don't regret going to Hanoi, and I don't regret leaving it either. The whole experience was one invaluable and important life lesson; ultimately, yes, follow your dreams, but above all else follow your heart and your instinct. If the two work together in harmony, then persevere, but if they don't, block out all of the outside noise and listen to your deepest emotions.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-65515467031802035672017-05-28T01:14:00.001-07:002017-05-28T01:32:23.072-07:00One Year of Travel - What have I learnt? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One year ago today I left the UK with two bags and a one-way plane ticket to Bangkok. Travel was my main goal. I wanted to see and experience as much as possible. I quit my job, my apartment in Manchester, my car insurance, my phone bill, everything I had worked for and lusted after for three years was put on hold. Wanderlust had well and truly taken over. Mentally I had prepared myself for being away from home for <i>at least</i> one year. Now that year has been and gone (and it's flown by very quickly too) what have a learned from it all?<br />
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<b>Nothing turns out how you expect it</b></div>
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Oh life! You are full of surprises. As much as I try to visit new places with an open mind, I can't help but have a picture built up in my head of how I think it will be. Some things have been more amazing than I could have ever imagined. Some things have been more difficult. It's all a part of the experience.</div>
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I didn't expect to be blown away, time and time again, by how beautiful and amazing and breathtaking nature is all over the world. I didn't expect to be so confident riding a motorbike. I didn't expect settling down in Australia to be so difficult, because it's a Westernised country. I didn't expect to be returning to Asia so soon to go and teach English. I didn't expect the Great Barrier Reef to be as bleached as it is :(. I didn't expect that I'd find so much comfort and peace in meditation as I'm such a loud person that's always on the go. Everything is a lesson, a huge learning curve that shapes who you are, what you want, what you don't want.<br />
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<b>Learn to look after yourself</b> </div>
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When I left the UK, some people said to me "Enjoy your holiday!" Obviously I didn't correct them because I didn't want to sound like an arsehole and also because I'm sure that they had the best intentions, but I can say it safely in the space of my own blog. I'm not going on holiday! I'm going <i>travelling. </i>I'm going to be living out of a backpack, budgeting constantly, sharing beds and dorm rooms and communal kitchens and bathrooms and goodness knows what else and for how long. It's a lifestyle, and it can get really tiring. Which is why it's okay to give yourself a break sometimes. This might mean just getting a private room for a night or two and relishing in your own space, being able to watch a movie without everyone else commenting on it, or reading a book without having another conversation going on in the background, or having a meal that isn't cheap street food or beans on toast. Get your nails done, get a massage, go have a spa day, whatever relaxes you or chills you out or makes you feel more human - go and do THAT. Don't feel guilty about splashing out every once in a while or recharge your batteries. You need it. You deserve it. </div>
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<b>Stay in your own lane</b></div>
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You meet a lot of amazing people travelling. You also meet a couple of idiots who love to try and "one-up" other travellers, you'll know the sort, their experience was always more interesting, more unique, less touristy, the parties so much wilder, etc. As a new traveller, sometimes this makes you compare your own experiences and think, well maybe I should do this or that. Well, if you want to, great, do it, if you don't, don't. Always do what you want to do, don't feel pushed or shamed into changing your experience. Everybody's is different and that's what makes it so interesting and fun to meet new people and hear their different stories. The beauty of travel is that you can make it fun and amazing and challenging for <i>you, </i>this is your gift to yourself, so remember that and just do you. </div>
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<b>Enjoy it!</b></div>
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This sounds obvious. However, when you are away long-term you can get caught up in the stress of organisation, or the pressure of saving and budgeting. I had to remind myself a few times that I'm only here once and to stop stressing and just relax and enjoy myself.<br />
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<b>The tough times will pass</b><br />
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Being away long-term also means that there can be some challenges that you will have to face that you won't necessarily enjoy. For example, the inevitability of homesickness. Since I've been away, I've only been really homesick twice. Once was when I was ill in Cambodia with a parasite infection and all I wanted was my own bed and some familiar surroundings. The second time was at my lowest point in Australia and nothing seemed to be working out. Both of these times the homesickness faded away as the situation changed. It's inevitable that you will get annoyed or tired or homesick or angry at some point when you are away for a long time, but this changes. Home will still be there when you get back, the situation won't stay bad forever, etc. I've learned to take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.<br />
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<b style="text-align: center;">Travelling is the most freeing feeling I have ever experienced. </b></div>
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From expectations, from routine, from the limitations I had set myself. You make all of the decisions, where you go, what you do that day, when you want to settle down, when you want to move on. Nothing feels like living more than backpacking the world with all of your life crammed into an 80 litre bag. Even with all the difficulties and annoyances and challenges that can get you down sometimes, I can look back on it all and honestly say that I wouldn't change a thing. At the end of the day nothing is holding you back, you have no ties to any place and you can change your life in a heartbeat. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-48793729753535473882017-05-20T23:50:00.000-07:002017-05-21T03:15:04.270-07:00Working Holiday Visa - the lowdown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've had a lot of people back in the UK ask me about the Australian working holiday visa, what it is, what kind of work you can do out here, and whether it's worthwhile doing it. The great thing about a working holiday visa is that you can pretty much make your experience in Australia whatever you want it to be and everybody's experience differs slightly depending on where they have lived, worked and travelled during their time in the country.<br />
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A working holiday visa allows you to legally live and work in Australia for one year. The main purpose of this visa is to allow you to save and fund your travels further, which is pretty awesome. You can work for any one company for up to 6 months, and once the 6 months is up you have to find work at a different company. Australia is a brilliant country to save in as it has one of the highest minimum wages in the world at $17.70 p/h, but I've never worked a job that paid me less than $20.<br />
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The visa is pretty straightforward to obtain so long as you've been well behaved in life and have no criminal convictions that will hinder your application. You can do it yourself from the Australian government website, or if you're like me and leave it until completely the last minute you can pay an additional fee and get a company to do it for you. I bought mine from STA travel, it took 2 weeks to be accepted and cost me less than £250.<br />
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Now lets talk jobs. I've done so many jobs since I've been here. I started with temp casual work working a stall selling kids modelling clay at events and festivals, I worked three weeks at a cafe before I quit, I've done bar work, and I've office temped. Although I enjoyed all of my roles for different reasons, office temping has been by far the best. It's decent hours, decent pay, and I've had nothing but positive experiences with every temp assignment I've worked. The people have been helpful and welcoming, it's been great exposure to different office environments across various industries, and I've learnt loads of new skills. I fully recommend it to anybody with any office or administration experience.<br />
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Before I came to Australia I met a few people in Asia who had managed to secure roles in the industries that they worked in back home. When I first arrived I was very keen to remain working in media and slogged pretty hard on applications and made a good few phone calls to various places. Whilst I did have some very positive conversations, none of them were willing to take me on whilst I was on a working holiday visa. You have to understand that big companies have to play by the rules, and it doesn't benefit them to take on a new recruit, train them, and only get a good 4 months from them before having to let them go. Now, if you know somebody in Australia that can set you up with a sweet deal, have a lot of contacts and connections, or are willing to accept a sponsorship visa early on into your working holiday visa, then that's great, but the chances are you're not going to be able to work within the same industry that you did at home and you have to be okay with that. I knew I was only going to be here temporarily and so took this opportunity to work casual jobs and enjoy the variety of work I was offered from my agency all whilst keeping in mind my main goal of save save save so that I can get out and explore this big beautiful country.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 minutes down the road from my place in Melbourne</td></tr>
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The two big players for settling down and finding work in are Melbourne and Sydney. When you get here, you'll meet a lot of people that love Sydney but hate Melbourne, or love Melbourne and hate Sydney. I've yet to meet somebody who loves both. They are both amazing cities for different reasons. Melbourne is full of street art, amazing cafes, culture, bars and live music venues tucked in alleyways. The weather is erratic and it can get a lot cooler here. When I arrived in September it was freezing, I had to buy a coat and honestly I felt that I'd made a terrible mistake. Read about my first experiences of Melbourne <a href="http://soulhealths.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/turbulence.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The summer gets hot, hot, hot. It reached 38 degrees on Christmas day. Sydney is full of iconic landmarks (Hello Sydney Opera House and Darling Harbour!), beautiful beaches, amazing swimming pools integrated into the landscape that overlook the ocean, surfers, free barbecues by the beach and overall the weather is much better. Both of them have an abundance of work. You'd have to weigh up the pros and cons after visiting both, and if I could offer one piece of advice it would be to see as much of Australia as possible before settling down in one place, or at least seeing both of these cities before deciding on one. If you're coming straight to Australia then I would really advise coming with a decent amount of funds behind you so that you can take time to decide what you like. I came to Melbourne straight from backpacking South East Asia for 3 and a half months so my funds were low, but if I could go back and change one thing it would be to see both places before deciding on one.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many stunning views from the Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach walk in Sydney </td></tr>
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Now, this post is getting pretty long so I'm going to wrap it up with a short answer. If you want to come and travel, and you want to work somewhere that allows you to extend your travel, or stay in Australia for an extended period of time so that you can see as much of it as possible, then get a working holiday visa. For me, on the whole, it's been an incredible experience. It's been tough at times, it's been challenging, it's been interesting, it's been amazing and wonderful and definitely something that I'll remember for the rest of my life. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-49185561326414304972017-05-13T22:12:00.003-07:002017-05-13T22:23:09.981-07:00Travelling the East Coast of Australia After 6 months in Melbourne working, saving, planning, saving more, I finally, FINALLY set off to travel up Australia's East Coast at the start of April for a 4 week long trip. A holiday from my working "holiday". The East Coast is the most travelled part of Australia and the majority of backpackers will travel up or down starting in Sydney or Cairns either by hiring a van or car or on a greyhound or premier bus. After weighing up the pros and cons of hiring a van (pros - more independence and flexibility, cons - cost, space, fear of breaking down on the road) we decided against it and bought a hop-on-hop-off Greyhound bus pass from Sydney to Cairns, stopping off at:<br />
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Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Australia Zoo (day trip), Noosa, Fraser Island (3 day tour), Agnes Water (Town of 1770), Airlie Beach, Townsville, Magnetic Island, Cairns.<br />
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Australia is an astoundingly beautiful country. This is hard to realise when you're in the midst of a city and only hit me when I really got out and explored. I was craving a change of scenery and wanted to take advantage of the national parks and spend as much time in nature as possible. I headed to the Blue Mountains as soon as I could whilst we were in Sydney and I was not disappointed. The mountain views were breathtaking. It was strange to experience the landscape change so drastically only 2 hours out of one of Australia's biggest, busiest cities.<br />
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I loved seeing Australia's diverse landscape change the further we went up the coast. Cairns was tropical with humid days and warm rain. There are huge curtain fig trees in the middle of the city and at dusk they are loud with the sound of bats awakening and flying through the city. Moments like that hit you and make you remember that you're in another part of the world that's foreign and exotic and exciting. We walked through the rain forest to Behana Gorge and it was hard to believe you're in the same country when you compare it to Melbourne's cool climates.<br />
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Behana gorge was one of my favourite places. Some of the National Parks like the Blue Mountains are very touristy and you have to trek for a couple of hours before you find a quiet spot. The gorge was huge and there were only a couple of other travellers there when we found it, and for a good hour we had the whole place to ourselves. Maybe the walk put's people off - 45 minutes up and down steep gradient paths was hard work but you can jump straight into the cool lagoon pools at the gorge.<br />
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My favourite places were the smaller more laid back towns and the islands as it made such a refreshing change to big cities and busy party-vibe backpacker hostels. Magnetic Island had something really special about it, with huge rocky landscapes and coves and beaches. I fed Rock Wallabies at sunset and saw a baby Wallaby poke it's head out of it's Mum's pouch. I loved Byron Bay for it's laid back vibes, abundance of surfers and effortless beach cool. I loved Agnes Water's quiet, small-town comfort. It was so relaxed and I had no problem surrendering to the fact that my phone had no signal and dedicating my time there to exploring and taking it all in.<br />
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I fed Kangaroos. I held a python, a baby freshwater crocodile and a small turtle. I swam through the Great Barrier Reef which made me feel heavy in my chest as it's just so bleached now. I was surprised that it made me feel so sad. Travelling up the East Coast really reminded me how incredible nature is and how amazing the Earth can be, but it can be destroyed so easily.<br />
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Backpacking Australia is very different to South East Asia. Australia is full of tours, day trips and guides to destinations that are difficult to reach if you don't own a vehicle. Because of this, I did feel a little like I was on a package holiday at times rather than really travelling. SE Asia felt so much more adventurous to me. I imagine if you hire a campervan or own a car then it may feel a little different as you'd have a little more freedom and independence to explore the country.<br />
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It also goes without saying that travelling Australia is expensive. We went just out of peak time (November - March), so hostel prices had dropped slightly and there was always space for us to book a day or two before, which gave us flexibility. A lot of people we met had pre-booked their entire trip beforehand so that they didn't have to worry about it during their trip. This is probably a very wise idea in peak time as things get booked up fast and prices for tours and accommodation escalate quickly.<br />
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It sounds like I'm stating the obvious here but for me, travelling Australia was so much better than working it and being settled in one place. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't seem to fully relax in Melbourne. Being stuck in one place was also shaping my opinion of Australia as a whole even though I knew it was such a huge country with so much more to offer. Seeing more of it made me appreciate how beautiful it is and how different each place can be. I fell in love with it a little more as each new place revealed something new and wonderful.<br />
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It's easy to fall back into a routine quickly when you settle down in one place, and it's also tempting to stay put for a long time not just for comfort, but to save money. I've met a good few people who come here and find a job that allows them to save a lot whilst maintaining a decent lifestyle. Before they know it they've spent their whole year in one place and they're quite happy to just go home with their savings. The East Coast was an expensive trip and it was a little disheartening to see 4 month's of hard-earned savings blown in 4 weeks, so I can understand why this is unappealing to some. However I think that it's a shame to come all this way and not even scratch the surface of such a vast, diverse country. Don't forget the holiday part of your working holiday visa! It's a big beautiful world out there, take the chance to see it.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-85102109117297746312017-04-27T01:52:00.001-07:002017-04-27T03:01:12.913-07:00Agnes Water <p dir="ltr">I haven't dedicated a blog post to once specific place in a country since Pai in Thailand, but I have to give this amazing place up Australia's East Coast a special mention. Agnes Water is a quiet, relaxed place in Queensland. It's not a party place. It's very small, the main town centre consisting of one small row of shops, one cafe, one supermarket and a handful of restaurants. Life moves at a slow pace; nothing is rushed. The wifi is intermittent and phone signal is non-exsistant, which is a blessing or a curse depending on what kind of traveller you are. There are some beautiful picturesque spots to seek out, an abundance of surfers and a lot of sunbleached blonde kids skateboarding barefoot around the streets. It's how I imagined the majority of Australia to be away from the bustling cities and vast expanse of the outback. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOWaXVXUksg8kER3jhT99oBWXWk7Uy3gJ1EwvWhZZTP6MXAnFENn-mbaFziQlB2-ODP5Npz20s4wYDPHYhk-p3r1fVpRcbSmlwKVx4HtTP3kRqBmzcLxmuhWVyjOdCaGVzHAO5O6nQCY/s1600/IMG_20170426_163236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOWaXVXUksg8kER3jhT99oBWXWk7Uy3gJ1EwvWhZZTP6MXAnFENn-mbaFziQlB2-ODP5Npz20s4wYDPHYhk-p3r1fVpRcbSmlwKVx4HtTP3kRqBmzcLxmuhWVyjOdCaGVzHAO5O6nQCY/s640/IMG_20170426_163236.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-85BRyBrR-Rw6dFmfbS82MjrNx2UClhqcfYQtdOemXJmPdJmPdHji0kPP8LI0cUf4x6G0W8Ygji0ZyJjhah5LUCujUCqiNOiZsQgntLDrgnXmOyuqb4oPXD2r6Emp94v3IOp7CM11x9o/s1600/2017-04-25+03.13.43+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-85BRyBrR-Rw6dFmfbS82MjrNx2UClhqcfYQtdOemXJmPdJmPdHji0kPP8LI0cUf4x6G0W8Ygji0ZyJjhah5LUCujUCqiNOiZsQgntLDrgnXmOyuqb4oPXD2r6Emp94v3IOp7CM11x9o/s640/2017-04-25+03.13.43+1.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr">So what is there to do in such a small, quiet town? There's actually a lot to explore and see here despite it being so quiet. Agnes has the cheapest surf lessons along the East Coast at only $17 for a 3 hour lesson. The beach is beautiful and comes without the crowds. The Scooteroo day tour is pretty popular and provides you with an opportunity to ride bikes through the town of 1770 in the full authentic biker get-up, leather jackets with flame motif included. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisPQd9tUU9QIQ7t-tnBsYpyqBfpXP6bGde34KLURAOJKaeSwzxAsk0z6bxhc7UHExQ_TgPyQOWCxsEtUrT4Rp6DHdn7W899qbUHLnlXKAFF_dt93o9rLnwB8mzZV6U5EKDcI483jxVvs/s1600/2017-04-24+01.31.59+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisPQd9tUU9QIQ7t-tnBsYpyqBfpXP6bGde34KLURAOJKaeSwzxAsk0z6bxhc7UHExQ_TgPyQOWCxsEtUrT4Rp6DHdn7W899qbUHLnlXKAFF_dt93o9rLnwB8mzZV6U5EKDcI483jxVvs/s640/2017-04-24+01.31.59+1.jpg"></a><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">However, my visit to the Kangaroo Sanctuary here was by far my biggest highlight. It's ran by a guy who rescues young kangaroos from mothers who have been hit on the road by cars. He's really passionate about what he does and will tell you a lot about kangaroos, how they eat, how they impact and contribute to the environment and how they reproduce and look after their young (a female Kangaroo can suspend her pregnancy for up to 12 months - insane!) The kangaroos are very gentle - natured and comfortable around people. You really get to interact with them, feed them and stroke them and they'll come right over to you and nudge you for food.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHaWyLbkZU2K_oyFSb-CD7XF37rpBsncV58Cavbh5A5EV9l_Dslw_Y-iacSjge8yCHXX-F7FXs1C_GT2CSsYkYSxa-savVj9FUnA07gcjLsB2ZhO_4kqBNZRrErDu-gL1mbqXzOzDhBs/s1600/2017-04-25+03.39.22+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHaWyLbkZU2K_oyFSb-CD7XF37rpBsncV58Cavbh5A5EV9l_Dslw_Y-iacSjge8yCHXX-F7FXs1C_GT2CSsYkYSxa-savVj9FUnA07gcjLsB2ZhO_4kqBNZRrErDu-gL1mbqXzOzDhBs/s640/2017-04-25+03.39.22+1.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHsPMS92nSI8KyXaTwvstkFkMev1WXmAs7WbT6GFq7yckTrLCZMHiuMRFlqyHMDVTZVyeFdXLUdHU8QDacLLkVO7BNPy891w0L3xW83Orx1PizHtKHm2Lcb71wCT_5ruk33JHKD6fFFo/s1600/IMG-20170426-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyHsPMS92nSI8KyXaTwvstkFkMev1WXmAs7WbT6GFq7yckTrLCZMHiuMRFlqyHMDVTZVyeFdXLUdHU8QDacLLkVO7BNPy891w0L3xW83Orx1PizHtKHm2Lcb71wCT_5ruk33JHKD6fFFo/s640/IMG-20170426-WA0000.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4z0hDHoQeyVqGN_xL8ziYnVIaUo7ex7EKs_wO2sG5P9qdza9UzZIluEJqdCQuMdqnfEyHIrNHFat6X2uQXrYpfp_0df0bdBRcaOcM8qdBK3rkjT0h2y2pXkdt90BWFhL2ggj5omgL77w/s1600/2017-04-25+03.32.59+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4z0hDHoQeyVqGN_xL8ziYnVIaUo7ex7EKs_wO2sG5P9qdza9UzZIluEJqdCQuMdqnfEyHIrNHFat6X2uQXrYpfp_0df0bdBRcaOcM8qdBK3rkjT0h2y2pXkdt90BWFhL2ggj5omgL77w/s640/2017-04-25+03.32.59+1.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUy_bWCRfFpInhllT3jv4w7W39VfPNzCtYjE-Op0DDS3zKFwH9SdzqR9wet0IM2t0ZTY1wO54dH52qfXk46_MM9meThxlLBmHKWn1pIi5BUenqFp5p7L3Q3GDB59Rxuws4cJocRzcvBE/s1600/2017-04-25+04.15.06+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUy_bWCRfFpInhllT3jv4w7W39VfPNzCtYjE-Op0DDS3zKFwH9SdzqR9wet0IM2t0ZTY1wO54dH52qfXk46_MM9meThxlLBmHKWn1pIi5BUenqFp5p7L3Q3GDB59Rxuws4cJocRzcvBE/s640/2017-04-25+04.15.06+1.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZly1pwmthQiUgxpFgx7__bPoKHzVzCWZOvEzCtU32QSGpkmhlQsp8IPQDQQEp-GE1DAyaj1zdlBPC-vqRNhRc7CJfkDzb9mi80jebNWJXz4zblfLt2BylqpUxlXE_vkxTG2xkpedOJQ/s1600/2017-04-25+04.47.27+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZly1pwmthQiUgxpFgx7__bPoKHzVzCWZOvEzCtU32QSGpkmhlQsp8IPQDQQEp-GE1DAyaj1zdlBPC-vqRNhRc7CJfkDzb9mi80jebNWJXz4zblfLt2BylqpUxlXE_vkxTG2xkpedOJQ/s640/2017-04-25+04.47.27+1.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">It was amazing to see the kangaroos relaxed and happy in their environment. I love animal sanctuaries and I really believe they are the best way to see animals and support their care. Despite being very well cared for and having a lot of space, the kangaroos at Australia Zoo were understandably very indifferent to interaction as they see an average of around 5,000 people a day. They are also highly tolerant as some of the younger children can approach them a little boisterously and be heavy - handed when they pet them. There was a subtle but definate difference in their behaviour that I really picked up on.</p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">The sanctuary visit really touched me and it was one of those rare travel moments that reminds you why you wanted to travel in the first plac</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">e. I</span>t's easy to become complacent whilst travelling long-term as travelling quickly becomes a lifestyle that you adjust to and like any lifestyle it has its pros and cons. It's easy to lose your way when you are stuck in once place and forget your purpose, but once you leave you're able to gain perspective again. </p><p dir="ltr">Most people skip Agnes Water to head straight to Airlie Beach. I hope my post inspires you to make time for this beautiful part of Queensland! It really surprised me and I loved my time here.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-67314911538410262752017-04-12T01:37:00.001-07:002017-04-13T18:37:58.029-07:00Itchy Feet<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2bRuT3fDY63Ti62hWCg2xafu9tOyIkBtGeoOfTW8FLquIg80zjKUdXBgKH_cCcOnZbeRcTfEQt_BghUpN65Dyp3opSgH46UhtxkgbUY6hM-dpqsS0EIw9H_lyAGtLqZZQyvoWCO2f3g/s1600/2017-03-19%25252004.57.02%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2bRuT3fDY63Ti62hWCg2xafu9tOyIkBtGeoOfTW8FLquIg80zjKUdXBgKH_cCcOnZbeRcTfEQt_BghUpN65Dyp3opSgH46UhtxkgbUY6hM-dpqsS0EIw9H_lyAGtLqZZQyvoWCO2f3g/s640/2017-03-19%25252004.57.02%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">I haven't posted in ages AGAIN mainly due to being lazy and also pretty uninspired during my last month or so in Melbourne, and I have ended up living here for SIX MONTHS now, which is way longer than I expected to be there when I first arrived. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Melbourne is a great city, and even though I hated it at first, it really grew on me over time. It's an exciting place, very cool and there's SO much to do here with some sort of event or festival or gig on every single weekend, as well as an abundance of hidden bars and healthy cafes where everything tastes amazing (this took a significant chunk of my $$. I regret nothing.) It's so easy to enjoy yourself and spend a lot of money here. I had to constantly remind myself that I was there to save not spend. I was fortunate enough to get in to a great share house and make a lot of friends who are also backpacking, which made such a difference. I also landed a great temp - job working with some amazing people. It's the people that make the place! I will do a full review of Melbourne as a city, what it is like to live there and how it compares to Sydney in another post :).</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirf_Vj9Uh3z-HxkuX9_7XUEJV85IH0e93yT_luP-IK3-pCNBUlntsEpZTyrmtiTJMy1QJJA54u7bMgQxDMKI_Nh0w8hZWe_SxHhvspJiO8LCWtJIVxJM2ufgojCeP7QIrQexYzhyphenhyphenLgt_Q/s1600/2017-02-12%25252006.22.15%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirf_Vj9Uh3z-HxkuX9_7XUEJV85IH0e93yT_luP-IK3-pCNBUlntsEpZTyrmtiTJMy1QJJA54u7bMgQxDMKI_Nh0w8hZWe_SxHhvspJiO8LCWtJIVxJM2ufgojCeP7QIrQexYzhyphenhyphenLgt_Q/s640/2017-02-12%25252006.22.15%2525201.jpg"></a> St Kilda Festival - it's free!</p>
<p dir="ltr">It took so long to settle down in Melbourne and build all of the components of a steady routine from complete scratch. Once I'd accomplished that, it was so relieving to have my own space, the same bed, and all of my belongings hung up and in drawers rather than squashed into a 60L backpack. But once the novelty wore off I was itching to leave again. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It's so easy to get stuck into a comfortable rut at any point in life. It's nice to have a set routine and all of the comforts of home and habit that make living day to day so much easier. I don't know if I was ever fully "comfortable" at any point in Melbourne, as I always had this nagging urge at the back of my head reminding me that this wasn't what I came for, to settle down or live a life I could live at home in the U.K, anything ordinary. I came to travel, to push myself and see new places. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It's no secret that you need some hefty funds behind you to travel. <span style="font-family: sans-serif;">L</span>iving and working Melbourne was a necessary part of my journey. I knew when I left home that I wanted to be away long-term (I'm defining long-term as a year or longer away from home), and so I knew I'd have to stop somewhere and top up my savings at some point. However, after a good couple of months on a steady income I have finally left to travel up the East Coast of Australia. See you soon Melbourne. It's been real <3</p>
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It goes without saying that looking after your toothy-pegs is really important. Whilst standard brushing and flossing is a pretty bang-on modern method for keeping teeth healthy due to all toothpastes using fluoride as a main ingredient to protect and strengthen tooth enamel, I wanted to explore other methods of oral care and incorporate them to keep my mouth as healthy as possible. After all, hundreds of years ago toothpaste wasn't even around and people used alternative and effective ways to keep their teeth clean. It is true that a huge reason for this is that their diet was completely different to ours now, however, no matter what you eat, if you don't have good oral hygiene, you aren't going to keep your teeth for very long. I'm not encouraging anybody to abandon brushing their teeth with toothpaste at all, these methods can be incorporated into your normal routine. First things first...<br />
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<b>COCONUT OIL PULLING</b><br />
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I've yet to come across somebody that doesn't love using coconut oil in at least one aspect of their life. And if you don't, well you should be. Coconut oil is great, it's full of healthy fatty acids and can be used both topically and ingested for multiple health benefits. You can oil pull with other oils like sesame and clove, but coconut is one of the most popular due to it's high amount of fatty acids and pleasant taste.<br />
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WHAT?<br />
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All you have to do to oil pull is take a teaspoon of oil in your mouth, wait until it turns to liquid and then swish it around for 15-20 minutes. Yes, this is a bit weird at first but I'm now 6 weeks in and I'm so used to the texture and the taste I just don't notice it anymore. So it gets better with time, I promise!<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpeD2QcUBCUM9exxMLfiCWjgTa2wKoMqYS9cdBkcu2IOHmfNEURk2L7lhrF23_Rs8X_5pkKl2jCGduLf-ej_DduBFbKnqb6xrfXleTiTVbIEi2CVcSkcBror10waNZd8LsQBYLs7XAQU/s1600/2017-02-25+07.47.50+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpeD2QcUBCUM9exxMLfiCWjgTa2wKoMqYS9cdBkcu2IOHmfNEURk2L7lhrF23_Rs8X_5pkKl2jCGduLf-ej_DduBFbKnqb6xrfXleTiTVbIEi2CVcSkcBror10waNZd8LsQBYLs7XAQU/s400/2017-02-25+07.47.50+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The consistency of the oil when solid - it liquidises quickly when you start oil pulling</td></tr>
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<br />
WHY?<br />
<br />
Oil pulling is meant to be AMAZING for oral health. When you swish the oil around your mouth it basically "pulls" all of the bad bacteria and other icky stuff from around and in between your teeth and gums. Which is why, when you finish, you're meant to spit it out in the bin and not swallow it. Doing this daily over a long period of time reduces your risk of tooth decay, gum disease and other nasty infections. It is also meant to whiten your teeth as it helps remove stains and marks caused by plaque.<br />
Now, when you research this online, you'll also find a number of other claims from people that it "cures" tooth decay, heals cracked and broken teeth, helps your teeth and enamel grow back and regenerate, etc. I'm not sure if I necessarily believe this. Enamel is inorganic, once the body creates tooth-buds during your time in the womb the cells die off :(. However, I do think that it can hugely benefit the prevention of tooth decay and also heal your gums and generally make your mouth a cleaner place.<br />
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SO?<br />
<br />
Am I seeing results? Yes and no. I've only been doing it for 6 weeks, and I don't have any drastic health problems with my teeth or gums. However, I have noticed my teeth look a lot brighter, and feel so much cleaner, so I'm going to carry on. I think that the longer you do this for, the more benefits you see over time. I've also noticed a few other benefits, I find it easier to get up in the morning, my energy has improved throughout the day, and I don't feel as groggy during the mornings on the way to work. I've read that coconut oil pulling can contribute to better energy throughout the day and improve your well-being. So I will probably do another quick update after I've been doing it another 6 weeks (12 weeks overall) to see a difference.<br />
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<b>HIMALAYAN SALT WATER MOUTH RINSE</b><br />
<br />
WHAT?<br />
<br />
Warm water and pink Himalayan rock salt! As a mouth rinse. I use this 3-4 times a week after oil pulling.<br />
<br />
WHY?<br />
<br />
Salt water rinsing in general is great for oral health because it kills bacteria in your mouth. Himalayan salt contains 84 minerals including calcium and phosphorus which can help remineralise your teeth, so rinsing with this is giving you the most benefit and depositing all the goodness and minerals into your mouth whilst keeping it clean and healthy.<br />
<br />
SO?<br />
<br />
I love this, makes my mouth and teeth feel super clean. I've actually reverted to using Himalayan salt instead of normal table salt in cooking as well as it's pure and natural.<br />
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<br />
<b>TOOTH REMINERALISATION</b><br />
<br />
There's a little red squiggly line underneath "remineralisation" which makes me doubt whether this is actually a word or not. I've only very recently come across this term, and it was in a dentists chair in Melbourne Australia. Since then I've done a LOT of research on this to figure out exactly what it means.<br />
<br />
WHAT?<br />
<br />
Although you can't make lost enamel grow back or replace itself once it's gone, you can deposit minerals back into your teeth and saliva that help strengthen it. There are two ways that you can do this.<br />
<br />
-Tooth Mousse<br />
<br />
I bought this from the dentist in Australia for about $30 and I really don't know why this hasn't been introduced into the UK market, or isn't being recommended by dentists more often. It was formulated and developed in Melbourne, and it's a paste that you put over your teeth after brushing and leave on for 3-5 minutes. It's main ingredient is calcium phosphate which is deposited onto your teeth and helps them remineralise, therefore strengthening your enamel and helping prevent the beginning stages of decay.<br />
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<br />
- Homemade toothpaste<br />
<br />
You can make your own remineralising toothpaste using coconut oil, xylitol, baking soda, calcium powder and diatomaceous earth. This works in the same way, depositing minerals into your mouth and teeth, but does have a few extra ingredients that benefit your teeth, like xylitol which can help prevent demineralisation and also stop bacteria sticking to your teeth. Wellness Mama has a really good blog post all about how to make and use a homemade toothpaste, which you can view <a href="https://wellnessmama.com/2500/remineralizing-toothpaste/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
WHY?<br />
<br />
When decay starts, it begins with a loss of minerals from the tooth due to too much acid wearing them away. So by remineralising, you can both prevent and effectively halt or in some cases, reverse the start of the decay process.<br />
<br />
SO?<br />
<br />
This is all new to me and very scientific. Basically, I'm thrilled at the idea that there is something extra that I can do to help keep my teeth strong and healthy, and I'm using my tooth mousse most nights as a preventative method. The blurb on the official tooth mousse website claims that it can both prevent and "reverse" tooth decay. I think that this is reversal in the VERY early stages of decay that might not be visible yet or noticeable to an untrained eye.<br />
<br />
I'm still really interested in the idea that you can further reverse decay and potentially heal your teeth. I know that enamel is inorganic, but your teeth are still a living organ in your body, so I don't want to yet dismiss any claims that healing your teeth is completely impossible. At the moment I am enjoying using other methods to improve my oral health and look after my teeth, and I will update this post with any more results that I see.<br />
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Has anyone heard of tooth mousse and noticed any difference? Do you oil pull regularly or use your own toothpaste? I'd love to know.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-28636689777030776862017-01-22T03:13:00.001-08:002017-01-22T03:23:00.915-08:00Turbulence <div dir="ltr">
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How long do you stick something out for before you give up or decide that you need to try something new? When do you decide that enough is enough? Where do you draw the line? How much are you willing to put up with? These were all the questions that ran through my head and went unanswered for weeks and weeks when I arrived in Australia. Melbourne muddied my fresh expectations of a laid-back, sunny life down under with a cold and windy spring that locals assured me was the longest spell of cold weather they had experienced in years. Not what you want to hear when you've arrived from South East Asia with not much in your backpack but bikinis, denim shorts, crop tops and sandals. My first purchase in Australia was a coat.<br />
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It wasn't just the weather. I massively underestimated how difficult it is to land yourself in the midst of a new, foreign environment, completely unprepared, and start a brand new life from scratch. I knew nobody in Melbourne, I had no job interviews or flat viewings lined up, I came straight off a flight from Bangkok after 3 and a half months of trekking through jungles, exploring caves and balmy beaches, meditating, and eating all three meals for less than £5 a day. Financially, Australia is a shock that nobody can quite prepare you for. A $16 salad was a painful reminder that I needed to find a job as soon as possible.<br />
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We lived in a hostel for over a month. We moved 4 times in less than 2 months. I had to buy a whole new wardrobe from scratch, only to have $400 worth of clothes stolen. When I wasn't job-hunting, I was flat-hunting, and when I wasn't hunting I was getting deeper into a state of worry and anxiety that made me feel utterly lost. I never expected to feel that way when I was living my dream and pursuing what I had worked and saved for for years. I want to travel. I want to see as much of the world as I possibly can. I didn't want want to give all of that up, so I kept going, I kept trying.<br />
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When I read travel blogs and look at travel pages and instagrams, they only focus on the positive aspects, the freeing adventure. Whilst it's true that travel is amazing for the most part, I really feel that it's important for me to share the difficulties because it's such an important part of my story. I can only do it now that I am much happier and more settled so that I can write about my experience with some decent perspective, and not in one angry rant (which is pretty much all I did for a good couple of minutes every time somebody asked me how I was enjoying Australia. Sorry to those that were on the receiving end.) It also shows that dreams don't always turn out the way that you expected or like the picture that you had in your head. Once that shatters, what are you going to do? I came to Australia with all these expectations of what I thought it should be like and of what I wanted it to be like. The reality was completely different. Once I accepted that, I could mould the situation and make it work for me.<br />
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Things got better. Everything seemed to come at the same time, I got decent work, we found a nice place and moved in immediately. Summer (finally) came, bringing a 38 degree day over Christmas. I've started saving again, and the gnawing anxiety has subsided. I keep having to remind myself that I won't be here forever, that this is just a temporary situation. It took us so long to settle I'm even more determined to make the most of the remainder of my time in Melbourne, and enjoy everything that this city has to offer <3<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-89410429871478186172016-12-27T03:33:00.001-08:002016-12-28T02:43:48.057-08:00Celebrating Christmas away from home<p dir="ltr">When I set off to travel I knew I was going to be away for at least a year, which inevitably meant spending Christmas in another country, more specifically Australia (about as far away from home as I could be!) I accepted this a long time ago and I thought I would dread it but when it came around it really wasn't as bad as I thought. A lot of people have asked me what it's been like to be away from home so here's a short and sweet blog post (after almost a 2 month long blogging break :/) about my Christmas down under. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The Christmas build - up was really surreal. The 1st of December marked the first day of summer for Australia and the weather really warmed up (albeit slowly and erratically, thanks Melbourne) over the weeks. Christmas decorations below blue skies and pictures of families enjoying a Christmas barbecue is just not something I'm used to, but when you speak to Australians they can't imagine it being cold and dark during Christmas time, so there you go!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Another thing I noticed was that Australia, or Melbourne at least, really doesn't seem to do Christmas as big as we do back in the UK. There's so much more hype back home and Christmas is everywhere, in people's homes, on the radio, on the TV, every brand has their own special Christmas advert and all the shops play Christmas music from at least November. I barley saw anybody adorn their house with lights in Melbourne and I could count on one hand the amount of Christmas songs I heard. I also didn't have an endless list of parties/christmas dos/family gatherings to attend being so far away from home, so I could see it all happening on social media but I wasn't involved, so it really didn't feel like it was happening. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Luckily I live in a big house share where every housemate is British or Irish, so we made big plans for the day. It's a backpacking tradition to go to the beach so after we made a Christmas day feast (barbecue meat and salad) we headed 5 minutes down the road to St Kilda beach.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufMH3oM48iCvSd_95Trz9czpkC10AzUZHCa_2N3L8vKRY2sieRj46cp2Q2lZONP-pP7lytNdINBA4kiOm-r8Q_t6PW7D62m6gVuS6LYfg8LRzo1l24Fa73NQpyaRGVSYrq4b-U4QTCQs/s1600/Snapchat-2701111176345233532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufMH3oM48iCvSd_95Trz9czpkC10AzUZHCa_2N3L8vKRY2sieRj46cp2Q2lZONP-pP7lytNdINBA4kiOm-r8Q_t6PW7D62m6gVuS6LYfg8LRzo1l24Fa73NQpyaRGVSYrq4b-U4QTCQs/s640/Snapchat-2701111176345233532.jpg"></a></p>
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<p dir="ltr">The atmosphere was phenomenal, the beach was packed and it was a whopping 38 degrees. It was like a huge festival with everybody playing music from speakers, dancing, drinking and chilling in the ocean. The majority of people are young backpackers from all over the world so it was really diverse and an amazing way to celebrate Christmas day.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryVQ8wLTWkPqxhfab3DbiiA5djcIe0T4QLdDn3tYfd6ZNFeyMcodZYZXnDyQpa-vCMnJfKI39JEACtHJszIMfaT1nzTlnpGvp9s-L1y1nsB5HVG-Lc0sUPibVKAQ3v6FmWZQjyq_FFvs/s1600/IMG-20161226-WA0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center; font-family: sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryVQ8wLTWkPqxhfab3DbiiA5djcIe0T4QLdDn3tYfd6ZNFeyMcodZYZXnDyQpa-vCMnJfKI39JEACtHJszIMfaT1nzTlnpGvp9s-L1y1nsB5HVG-Lc0sUPibVKAQ3v6FmWZQjyq_FFvs/s640/IMG-20161226-WA0004.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">Christmas is a time of tradition, family and more significatly, home, so homesickness during the build - up was inevitable and I did crave familiarity, but when it came to the day I had such an amazing experience I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to see what Christmas is like on the other side of the world. Definitely one I will always remember.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DRWC7o3SZmrYQVtHZVgPfDodxfYd1dQ8qdxe7L026IzO9yI29tKW-XHdAmw3yCaLNCbrAtar01ZEjtS4d96irl6qkcyu69KE_mluyBBcodgm3MU6dFkmOEeLfZLGgShzF9otipa1KtA/s1600/2016-12-25%25252008.45.14%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DRWC7o3SZmrYQVtHZVgPfDodxfYd1dQ8qdxe7L026IzO9yI29tKW-XHdAmw3yCaLNCbrAtar01ZEjtS4d96irl6qkcyu69KE_mluyBBcodgm3MU6dFkmOEeLfZLGgShzF9otipa1KtA/s640/2016-12-25%25252008.45.14%2525201.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-76719171345746371212016-10-12T01:17:00.001-07:002016-10-19T18:08:31.685-07:00Travelling space <div dir="ltr">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOAixMhARzYidfQylequ_jDHbAN77Ho6ROkfB1TrMoT2qYugBGq6YuQyu2OKavkVkaFsSJO5lmnybgRsEXYYQm0xJ8_mZ49pOjTWanubgF9ovTPgjSzWwq3yJWq85kpIO-aM3oTkYHk0/s1600/2016-10-12%25252007.08.49%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOAixMhARzYidfQylequ_jDHbAN77Ho6ROkfB1TrMoT2qYugBGq6YuQyu2OKavkVkaFsSJO5lmnybgRsEXYYQm0xJ8_mZ49pOjTWanubgF9ovTPgjSzWwq3yJWq85kpIO-aM3oTkYHk0/s640/2016-10-12%25252007.08.49%2525201.jpg" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LzrzcXsxYYRhLG-FCuuJ_y971RRy-5IVJfExG8_X_BEi3eXyF2kGKoM32V0jUsyaDKREdMKgwRvFI6bj-CFHS01hVhFyq9IB1VRu1MFWJVgx96fKK6WNvyqiRAv66UfwHmshTZ-7Pec/s1600/2016-10-12%25252007.08.50%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LzrzcXsxYYRhLG-FCuuJ_y971RRy-5IVJfExG8_X_BEi3eXyF2kGKoM32V0jUsyaDKREdMKgwRvFI6bj-CFHS01hVhFyq9IB1VRu1MFWJVgx96fKK6WNvyqiRAv66UfwHmshTZ-7Pec/s640/2016-10-12%25252007.08.50%2525201.jpg" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Ever since we arrived in Australia I've been craving my own space. Three and a half months of hostel hopping had worn me out and although we will travel Australia later on in the year, our first port of call is to find work, settle and save as much as we can. As soon as the idea of work embedded my thoughts my mind shifted. Hostels didn't seem so appealing. I couldn't wait to find work, find a house share and create my own space to live a new life in. Unfortunately it didn't dawn on me that building a completely new life pretty much from scratch takes <i>time</i>. Searching for all of these things at once alongside the personal admin that comes with them (phone number, bank account, generally becoming a person again) is a lengthy process. In the meantime I had to live in a hostel. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
Unlike hostels in South East Asia, the majority of people are here on a working holiday visa and this brings a mix of people who are working and living long-term at the hostel or looking for work and getting settled alongside those who are travelling. This made living at the hostel great fun and a huge pain in equal measures. There were a lot of pros; you make a huge amount of friends, are welcomed into a community of like minded people which gives you a good base network in a new city, you pick up a lot of tips and helpful information from your new friends and also have a lot of fun, cheap nights out. Then there are the cons; sharing a small kitchen and cooking a meal with around 15 other people simultaneously, all of whom are cooking a completely different meal (and there's never any forks), sharing a bedroom with 6 other people all with different routines, when you have to get up at 6am for work the next day (especially on a weekend), not having any room to empty out your bag and just generally not having any space. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
When I was backpacking South East Asia, none of these things bothered me. Travelling is about a sense of freedom, being wild and spontaneous, not living by routine but on whim, choosing to do whatever you want whenever you want to. Hostels cultivate the perfect environment for this. However, as soon as you have to work, you want to create a routine that sits alongside it. I wanted stability and comfort. I wanted to empty my bag and hang all of my clothes up. I wanted a space to write and blog with nobody else around. When your time is more limited, you seize it, direct it and make the most of it. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
After three weeks we found a short-term lease in an apartment in the C.B.D. As soon as I moved in it was a huge breath of fresh air. I felt so much more relaxed. One of the greatest things about travelling (and about anything really) is that everything is always temporary. You can change anything that you want to, and if something isn't working out I need to remember that in time and with a little work and in time it will change. In another three weeks we need to move again! House-hunting is next on the list!</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Grace xo </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-4891400724703999712016-09-30T01:11:00.001-07:002016-09-30T02:00:37.938-07:00Backpacking and staying clear <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58CbsMqDSujMDSxb0iHubt6bF-qJbeVgVnk5VZ7Ka5l3r2eY5KINJzY11x-0u93ma-lDgu1KalKQP641f6N35Dr6V6nF8pnqckR2AYpAO0OodgFidL4UyfGkBPqi4WnQfSYvL6F3rAM0/s1600/IMG_20160930_185003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58CbsMqDSujMDSxb0iHubt6bF-qJbeVgVnk5VZ7Ka5l3r2eY5KINJzY11x-0u93ma-lDgu1KalKQP641f6N35Dr6V6nF8pnqckR2AYpAO0OodgFidL4UyfGkBPqi4WnQfSYvL6F3rAM0/s640/IMG_20160930_185003.jpg"></a><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Achieving and maintaining clear skin is down to a few major contributing factors. Hormones, diet, skincare, general wellness, looking after yourself, exercising, getting enough sleep, all play an important role in keeping you clear. Everybody's routine is different and personal to thier skin and it can take months, even years, to crack a routine that works for you. So why oh why, would you want to trade all of this in for a lifestyle of late nights, disrupted sleep and a lack of control over your diet? Travel is good for the soul, no doubt about it, but it can wreak potential havoc on your health, and today I'm going to talk about something very important to me; keeping your skin clear whilst travelling.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm going to start by saying that this isn't an article of guaranteed tips, just a few personal worries and solutions that I have experienced so far that will hopefully help you be more prepared. For years I suffered with terrible skin and it was a long journey of trail and error until I finally got into a good routine that kept me clear. A life of routine and a life of backpacking are poles apart and I was (and still am) terrified of undoing all of the hard work it's taken to get me to this point with my skin. But with a little preperation and a lot of research, I managed.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Taking Herbal medicines/supplements travelling</b> </p>
<p dir="ltr">This was my main worry. If you've been following my blog for a while or know me pretty well you'll know I take Agnus Castus (an amazing herb that you can read about <a href="http://soulhealths.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/agnus-castus-lowdown-and-faqs.html?m=1">here</a>) religiously to keep my periods regular and my skin clear. I cannot not take this, the consequences are disastrous, so my main concern was taking the supplement away with me. I read up on forums online about the safety of taking this and whether or not I would be stopped in the airport. A few suggested bringing a note from your doctor/medical herbalist which is a useful tip for travelling to and from English speaking countries. I didnt bring one and I was never stopped or questioned.<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"> I also </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">kept it in my check - in luggage at all times, not my hand luggage, which avoided me having to discard it.</span></p><p dir="ltr">As I take the herb in liquid form I was also so worried about it smashing or leaking. I purposely bought more away with me then I needed for 4 months so that I would always have a backup, and thank goodness I did as one leaked badly. I always made sure to cushion it with clothing and used a lot of masking tape to keep the lid secure. <br></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Skincare</b> </p>
<p dir="ltr">Keep it as simple as possible. Some people have a routine down that they know keeps them clear. Try and take only 3/4 essential products that you know your skin will go crazy without. I have extremely sensitive skin and find that 98% of masks, cleansers, toners and moisturisers breaks me out (so much so that I've had to adjust <a href="http://soulhealths.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/the-holy-grail-of-honeys-manuka-honey.html?m=1">this</a> natural manuka honey and aloe vera mask as the aloe vera irritated my skin!) This was great as it meant I didn't take any products away with me. Unfortunately protecting my skin meant that I had to to apply SPF daily which did cause a minor breakout initially but nothing too major, and it went away after a few weeks.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Diet</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">When you eat great and put goodness into your body, you feel great, so diet is an important factor when it comes to your overall wellness. Depending on where you are backpacking and on your budget, diet can be an easy breeze or a little more tough going. I travelled South East Asia where it's cheap and easy to eat healthy. Many of the dishes include a lot of vegetables and there are always vegetarian options on the menu. Fruit is a little expensive but available everywhere and very refreshing in the heat. However, most of the dishes are fried so I had to be careful of that. Also, another small downside was that it was so much cheaper to eat out so I never cooked my own meals, meaning I couldn't have full control over what I was putting into my body. Now I'm in Australia I can shop and cook for myself and I have much more control. </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Other little helpers</b> </p>
<p dir="ltr">I really reccomend getting an app called Glow, free from the app store. It's a period tracker and I find it so useful in gauging when I'm due. So many external factors can affect your period, changes in diet, environment, stress, all of which go hand in hand with backpacking so I'd highly reccomend this for peace of mind. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Finally, make sure you take time out to look after yourself. Backpacking is a wild rush of fun, partying, adventuring and exploring. This can be exhausting. Make sure you get an early night once in a while, have a few alcohol free nights, or do something nice for yourself to chill out. Give your body and yourself a break.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I hope this helps! Ask any questions below, I'm happy to help as much as I can. <br><br></p><p dir="ltr">
Grace xo</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-44766945547795438632016-09-17T00:48:00.001-07:002016-09-20T06:44:26.830-07:00Hey Melbourne! <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcWvuhBXnV5d3yEH_o4rA9zin-qpJEs5uEaKnaIC8Rr2RSkNLps7ZYZsOpDxQZoUqNVhxUwyY73aJ-hEDEOe3XY34maBxAz1npMZMuusvO-i_7WnD16wACEegPqNUXzbN3OcBPsZVBw4/s1600/2016-09-17%25252006.06.29%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcWvuhBXnV5d3yEH_o4rA9zin-qpJEs5uEaKnaIC8Rr2RSkNLps7ZYZsOpDxQZoUqNVhxUwyY73aJ-hEDEOe3XY34maBxAz1npMZMuusvO-i_7WnD16wACEegPqNUXzbN3OcBPsZVBw4/s640/2016-09-17%25252006.06.29%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFu5H2P3eke2bUwhPgBcA9WmD8hm-VMUrZwxwYu4xUUJx-N7guQVGOpaKZNd-Gjw3bnYZLThV95MfyVWpwQUyMzD-YRQYj7gTm0wfJvewiNt9bI-6561jKbXStvNpklVg2kgatlirbKw/s1600/DSC01295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFu5H2P3eke2bUwhPgBcA9WmD8hm-VMUrZwxwYu4xUUJx-N7guQVGOpaKZNd-Gjw3bnYZLThV95MfyVWpwQUyMzD-YRQYj7gTm0wfJvewiNt9bI-6561jKbXStvNpklVg2kgatlirbKw/s640/DSC01295.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BV1lSDKQhOUtEftQ2yya2zf46mvTzZhv0IurfXoDYSLpHkR0ILlYPUm5Aw8yla1_lYUHM0Ybl3YkqcTkgHhFg1mHqQoHKSSc92P7qHhdBgrL5avIpyjaBXrWzj5l0pe9qteQ4XzCn3U/s1600/DSC01289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BV1lSDKQhOUtEftQ2yya2zf46mvTzZhv0IurfXoDYSLpHkR0ILlYPUm5Aw8yla1_lYUHM0Ybl3YkqcTkgHhFg1mHqQoHKSSc92P7qHhdBgrL5avIpyjaBXrWzj5l0pe9qteQ4XzCn3U/s640/DSC01289.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD4pBQGDx-GO2zCSJtSOkuHNlla7VuZKZ0Kzj6AEQPYU3eaJxL290KuI3MIBSoG8fY4iPECnpXdYfaQ93Y_kGP-HPuI35sHk1LyWuk8wz3nvmL42yTlSfKzbZyI3eg9jUgLWWfrGTi3k/s1600/2016-09-17%25252006.06.25%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD4pBQGDx-GO2zCSJtSOkuHNlla7VuZKZ0Kzj6AEQPYU3eaJxL290KuI3MIBSoG8fY4iPECnpXdYfaQ93Y_kGP-HPuI35sHk1LyWuk8wz3nvmL42yTlSfKzbZyI3eg9jUgLWWfrGTi3k/s640/2016-09-17%25252006.06.25%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZYcpZxDiu5U5Sh3vyDuQ713e4pNNLXD7C1YAcmfNWs05ZrlVj-e88a7FExW24elAso4Fmq0Umr-NK4cd4Stk2VWy5bslb2SjoAQkVMUXOAePTdKiBBRE3jUxRm3ojFdcaZ3111QpyA4/s1600/2016-09-20%25252010.01.53%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZYcpZxDiu5U5Sh3vyDuQ713e4pNNLXD7C1YAcmfNWs05ZrlVj-e88a7FExW24elAso4Fmq0Umr-NK4cd4Stk2VWy5bslb2SjoAQkVMUXOAePTdKiBBRE3jUxRm3ojFdcaZ3111QpyA4/s640/2016-09-20%25252010.01.53%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Bkcib7tC9zr4EnH8E-GrqHVdDHohz-mVMrjbug0sZZ8vkk077BGCrcYPaPN2em4r241Fi0paI6tI8LQZW6IO-BR-vFqIqYBMJpFe7SRsoOx78GQvtJUg6zb6Xk0SmZxDV-y3uGRGoj8/s1600/2016-09-17%25252006.06.21%2525202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Bkcib7tC9zr4EnH8E-GrqHVdDHohz-mVMrjbug0sZZ8vkk077BGCrcYPaPN2em4r241Fi0paI6tI8LQZW6IO-BR-vFqIqYBMJpFe7SRsoOx78GQvtJUg6zb6Xk0SmZxDV-y3uGRGoj8/s640/2016-09-17%25252006.06.21%2525202.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPvKGSe6BYMH9hTm1m45m6H7mmBBWUNWIoUQA0Me1dFBIgMOnKJMXzxjw71K7ZPg-8y4ppypx2vzJobkLEbAIVQaG9GhyphenhyphenSNw1VmXlXmylhXi01-0a3rZXT2UplMyXkKuTljoHUnsG8yw/s1600/2016-09-17%25252006.06.26%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPvKGSe6BYMH9hTm1m45m6H7mmBBWUNWIoUQA0Me1dFBIgMOnKJMXzxjw71K7ZPg-8y4ppypx2vzJobkLEbAIVQaG9GhyphenhyphenSNw1VmXlXmylhXi01-0a3rZXT2UplMyXkKuTljoHUnsG8yw/s640/2016-09-17%25252006.06.26%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVutMrQi5OAa_JcmmsLFteThEgH-Ylpzjp8YalnSx4aY4xu5N80bgwTr3ch5PxZ2tBNafUodeeYnA5E6XTLK_Tj8nSAtyGaGWNPc6xZnGCie5yRtf5PCH_uwmlt7FXv4zjIoBx0QuXds/s1600/2016-09-20%25252010.01.56%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVutMrQi5OAa_JcmmsLFteThEgH-Ylpzjp8YalnSx4aY4xu5N80bgwTr3ch5PxZ2tBNafUodeeYnA5E6XTLK_Tj8nSAtyGaGWNPc6xZnGCie5yRtf5PCH_uwmlt7FXv4zjIoBx0QuXds/s640/2016-09-20%25252010.01.56%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_GpnCdKeiYufBdIoxM_RFwY2H03KpWOHi53wtfCMjTZx4zYbTHvEiSkB92hDiiqDEGlpn94bS2BTrcAFp8S8h6E6ynNu-y5I3K7HybuXFNybvXlRPAKzVtyF1OU_AkZ5p5g1YmCkt4g/s1600/2016-09-17%25252006.06.23%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_GpnCdKeiYufBdIoxM_RFwY2H03KpWOHi53wtfCMjTZx4zYbTHvEiSkB92hDiiqDEGlpn94bS2BTrcAFp8S8h6E6ynNu-y5I3K7HybuXFNybvXlRPAKzVtyF1OU_AkZ5p5g1YmCkt4g/s640/2016-09-17%25252006.06.23%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">Well, here I am, I made it! All the way over to the other side of the world in one 9 hour overnight flight from Bangkok. We boarded the plane in the humid sticky Bangkok heat and arrived in Melbourne early Wednesday morning, greeted with sunshine and much cooler temperatures, which gradually became colder as the day went on. I had to go out and buy a coat! I'm literally starting from scratch coming from South East Asia with nothing in my bag but flip flops, bikinis, crop tops and vibrant patterned pants. Not an ideal wardrobe for a city in the beginnings of Spring.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The first few days were very full on sorting out Australian phone numbers, bank accounts and tax file numbers. You can't do anything without an Australian phone number, not even open an bank account, so this should be the first thing on your list when you arrive. Since then I've been applying for jobs constantly. At the moment I'm staying in a hostel but I really need to get a flat soon as it works out to be pretty much the same price per week to rent a room in a flat anyway (madness!) It's a little overwhelming thinking of this on top of searching for a job and trying to re-organise all of my stuff right now. One step at a time, I'll get there. I just need to keep telling myself that and not expect everything to come at once. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Life admin aside, Melbourne is such a cool place. The first day here was such a breath of fresh air, everybody is so friendly and wants to have a chat with you. Obviously there's no language barrier here which helps, of course, but even strangers will want to have a chat and give you tips on where to go. The first evening here we walked around the central business district and I felt so excited and ready, it's a feeling I get when something big is about to happen. The city seemed so alive and welcoming and it is an amazing feeling knowing I have so many new places to explore and more time to do so. On Saturday we checked out Hosier Lane which is full of graffiti, tags and street art. As soon as you turn into it BAM! it's like entering a whole new vibrant world. It's also an instagram lovers dream for good shots! The art changes constantly which I love, there will always be something new to see like a real outdoor public gallery. Art is for everybody to enjoy. Then we ate at a place called Movida Next Door which did very tasty reasonably priced Spanish tapas. The oysters were great and I also tried a dish called Pulpo which is grilled octopus. Melbourne is a foodies dream with so many great places to eat. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTw13bcIqlbSKYkl7452VvT6nLPSPPVcAa1Bubh2wZTeoxXY7qHa-SVcJaezI10C3Cjv6gFJgwpY1uJU1SJRxfAaiTtQBerRWIDoPgN7vFu49P7nAy_eQ6ZTOjF5-ZpB2gmJ7OMOEwn0/s1600/2016-09-17%25252012.53.40%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTw13bcIqlbSKYkl7452VvT6nLPSPPVcAa1Bubh2wZTeoxXY7qHa-SVcJaezI10C3Cjv6gFJgwpY1uJU1SJRxfAaiTtQBerRWIDoPgN7vFu49P7nAy_eQ6ZTOjF5-ZpB2gmJ7OMOEwn0/s640/2016-09-17%25252012.53.40%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr">I know it will take a good few weeks to get everything sort sorted and get myself fully settled but I can't wait to make a home here. Melbourne has been voted the most livable city in the world for a past few years and so many aspects of it remind me of my home town Manchester ❤ All I need now is for the weather to warm up. Bring on Summer! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_e7xFDUAIJ_areUF4mH_0SI09YSSVcXHwRoCGmfdSFoErtVDo1X-LdGGfBwfDM5QJuvZEXDv28hX-n2xlfBWwVZvf78zgUCscDmoJ4C5eK5mXyxO3F4rP10mYAjtuCdbQjNiqoxbpjc/s1600/2016-09-17%25252006.06.21%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_e7xFDUAIJ_areUF4mH_0SI09YSSVcXHwRoCGmfdSFoErtVDo1X-LdGGfBwfDM5QJuvZEXDv28hX-n2xlfBWwVZvf78zgUCscDmoJ4C5eK5mXyxO3F4rP10mYAjtuCdbQjNiqoxbpjc/s640/2016-09-17%25252006.06.21%2525201.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-66528525649063023492016-09-05T21:49:00.001-07:002016-09-11T04:40:43.898-07:00The beauty and mystery of Cambodia<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5IjZrHe1zu1XwWnewb5iKD6_og4qZlvv05ip9GYjIQqDIrqcMtahPsTt4RADWcKXHmOry56jn1Pazn-sOJ5lVWUs5ZLrOngjtCzFO6q5juo8LQvYRsa7OZzWZVlz8Ka8Z7i7urMtJ1w/s1600/IMG_20160911_180644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5IjZrHe1zu1XwWnewb5iKD6_og4qZlvv05ip9GYjIQqDIrqcMtahPsTt4RADWcKXHmOry56jn1Pazn-sOJ5lVWUs5ZLrOngjtCzFO6q5juo8LQvYRsa7OZzWZVlz8Ka8Z7i7urMtJ1w/s640/IMG_20160911_180644.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">I'm so aware that I am behind on blog posts and other than the meditation course and one short post about being sick I realise I haven't posted anything on Cambodia! My month in Cambodia was pivotal in my travels, largely because of the meditation course but also because of what I saw and experienced throughout the country. </p>
<p dir="ltr">After two days in Phnom Penh we went straight down south to Kampot. Kampot is a really chill town that doesn't have much of a nightlife, which turned out to be for the best because John was sick the day we arrived, and I got sick two days after. In between bouts of inevitable illness from weeks of backpacking we rented scooters and explored Bokor National Park. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The ride up to the park alone was an incredible experience and for me was more scenic and enjoyable than the Hai Van pass. The drive is along one, long, winding continuous road which inclines steadily and I could feel the temperature dropping, so if I were to give only one piece of advice for visiting this park it would be - take a jumper. What a mistake. Despite being freezing I didn't let it detract from the incredible views. We mainly visited the park to see the abandoned church and casino which are both really cool to explore. They were built by the French as a retreat from the heat (something I wish I would have read before my visit, don't forget that jumper!) The casino is huge and really eerie, with nothing much to indicate the glamour of gambling, and the church is still full of Christian religious statues which really surprised me as I thought it would be totally empty.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZJk1iPgn4uXW0JgppdHJr1FMFrlTckvRgJHreUPcumnPa3loszmuiDJ1wrtwfNHFRjKJIwL6sXB8RNYjQkUqoQS7HBiK2ID_tRi8q8Puj3t6_rKPy7GXdcypIvRqoZkCcTfmqEaX8rM/s1600/DSC00779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZJk1iPgn4uXW0JgppdHJr1FMFrlTckvRgJHreUPcumnPa3loszmuiDJ1wrtwfNHFRjKJIwL6sXB8RNYjQkUqoQS7HBiK2ID_tRi8q8Puj3t6_rKPy7GXdcypIvRqoZkCcTfmqEaX8rM/s640/DSC00779.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2iYP2u1-HqshwwnCzEr38ptSbAMQdTIqTDhLV7KGu5VcklDJdETjvbbZkMrQ_Ezd8bAYHOREAjyxV3tpKnkJBwr76gF6umYQi4OHuqi_PyD1G0v86QRhiAat_MK3wgxmiXJk3CSEfjA/s1600/DSC00710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2iYP2u1-HqshwwnCzEr38ptSbAMQdTIqTDhLV7KGu5VcklDJdETjvbbZkMrQ_Ezd8bAYHOREAjyxV3tpKnkJBwr76gF6umYQi4OHuqi_PyD1G0v86QRhiAat_MK3wgxmiXJk3CSEfjA/s640/DSC00710.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZLonrRxn8u48o9nWdscaBSn7e1i-PQ4IkDCbElF-rjinnF-5CSmEmG2W_HWi7UjeeJFqp5dqMqEP0C3eOORcmtv4BkslbCQ5zf8BEa4vsKFVLa6MQydmlGJ5TeOXl80hSBf7tOyVFAI/s1600/DSC00723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZLonrRxn8u48o9nWdscaBSn7e1i-PQ4IkDCbElF-rjinnF-5CSmEmG2W_HWi7UjeeJFqp5dqMqEP0C3eOORcmtv4BkslbCQ5zf8BEa4vsKFVLa6MQydmlGJ5TeOXl80hSBf7tOyVFAI/s640/DSC00723.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS86Bl27ifKf-867OEc9c5rTeiKSGqx3RRj6jm3_kux2T9VpLoDkozRYCCzN8H5z9LGbCMj2-0FyUMX4nIt-DDad36AkOmPGhL7RWCP5vrNBSXIz0Eu5rYJKCBlhrbmlis4c-9AwJvaXs/s1600/DSC00712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS86Bl27ifKf-867OEc9c5rTeiKSGqx3RRj6jm3_kux2T9VpLoDkozRYCCzN8H5z9LGbCMj2-0FyUMX4nIt-DDad36AkOmPGhL7RWCP5vrNBSXIz0Eu5rYJKCBlhrbmlis4c-9AwJvaXs/s640/DSC00712.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lq3tNBPSIzECOiOyZ5T2l0sQxTDCmImxDx3_HaTBcnMDg6tcpt7ZdQA9zKy4oTrUSQd16p0nHKZ8JetBgdxdejtiZqvulWRMNamThjMCf8kQz_oqDGPyba7SG8vaoMqfo3IMLunvMBo/s1600/DSC00741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lq3tNBPSIzECOiOyZ5T2l0sQxTDCmImxDx3_HaTBcnMDg6tcpt7ZdQA9zKy4oTrUSQd16p0nHKZ8JetBgdxdejtiZqvulWRMNamThjMCf8kQz_oqDGPyba7SG8vaoMqfo3IMLunvMBo/s640/DSC00741.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHrMCb-7ZiFmHyVV830kyR_CaP8AQy4-MOWbewMjLuaiVb8nbgBUqPWGUOGCkEPaLSGKYhUVWkCz85tDFiuzpxu2tOLo2cntH6O5R0D8sfnsPxduDFUOgfCtAiial-CMIJrgENxYO1r8/s1600/IMG_20160911_181258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHrMCb-7ZiFmHyVV830kyR_CaP8AQy4-MOWbewMjLuaiVb8nbgBUqPWGUOGCkEPaLSGKYhUVWkCz85tDFiuzpxu2tOLo2cntH6O5R0D8sfnsPxduDFUOgfCtAiial-CMIJrgENxYO1r8/s640/IMG_20160911_181258.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4p-geyXQHBB-OcDDKzsh5-ztWm7UKAlvKQf_1YVCzCzDVewwhKWEnvfhAi0zvd2vYFysoIiNh49Pz4pEAN6kuLUzaY0kBb9xCj6hTzoOpMRFzL9gBSitrtkCFPtp_IRel8A_hmYHO7R4/s1600/IMG_20160911_180251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4p-geyXQHBB-OcDDKzsh5-ztWm7UKAlvKQf_1YVCzCzDVewwhKWEnvfhAi0zvd2vYFysoIiNh49Pz4pEAN6kuLUzaY0kBb9xCj6hTzoOpMRFzL9gBSitrtkCFPtp_IRel8A_hmYHO7R4/s640/IMG_20160911_180251.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPn3_5cds33Zqiga7jyLhFmecTk4vHti7Rxk8jRbH-49GR70KixbV2BinoZRbZMO1jzjMKRui7GWIgOiEwngl061wFsAsMW-hdIV1rHKh54DVUPNAi1NSpTvJ7baoMdQ4OQN5pB31wLs/s1600/IMG_20160806_193847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPn3_5cds33Zqiga7jyLhFmecTk4vHti7Rxk8jRbH-49GR70KixbV2BinoZRbZMO1jzjMKRui7GWIgOiEwngl061wFsAsMW-hdIV1rHKh54DVUPNAi1NSpTvJ7baoMdQ4OQN5pB31wLs/s640/IMG_20160806_193847.jpg"></a><br></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVFHF6Qzd7T7aDtt4uhL0bgfgkfvJjFto87xqYf8zD-oFEDplXjToCuf8rRelQn-GqvYJeitNl1DXG4Exw3BIWM9D4HdQLQliHC6jm5cXDvK0ujWyKh8j4URUCnm_uqnhKNVfR7lKfK8/s1600/IMG_20160911_174734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVFHF6Qzd7T7aDtt4uhL0bgfgkfvJjFto87xqYf8zD-oFEDplXjToCuf8rRelQn-GqvYJeitNl1DXG4Exw3BIWM9D4HdQLQliHC6jm5cXDvK0ujWyKh8j4URUCnm_uqnhKNVfR7lKfK8/s640/IMG_20160911_174734.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr">After Kampot we headed to Sihanoukville and caught a boat to the island of Koh Rong. The community of this island really touched me, it's a pretty small island and all of the locals know each other and look out for eachother. The kids are so independent (although this is pretty common for South East Asia) and the younger ones seem to know their way around pretty well. The electricity is pretty erratic, we witnessed two short power cuts whilst sat in a bar one night in the space of fifteen minutes. There's also no hot water and the wifi doesn't work that well so it really is a little out of civilisation but this really adds to the experience, so if you want a more authetic taste of island life then go. <br>
We took a boat trip out one day and went fishing with hooks and bait on wire, visited a private beach and went swimming in the ocean at night with bioluminescent plankton. WOW. Every movement created a starry underwater universe that drips shining from your body once you emerge. There's some scientific reason behind why the plankton glows, but I don't know it and I don't plan on finding out. This was magical for me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Cambodia is popular with backpackers and tourists for Angkor Wat, an ancient civilisation of temples and ruins. All of the temples (especially Ta Prohm or "Tomb Raider" temple) are shrouded in such a powerful mystery that no temple will ever feel the same again after a visit here. I visited Ayuttaya in Thailand which was cool and very worthwhile, but it was nothing compared to how compelling Angkor Wat was for me. Some of the temples are set back in the Cambodian jungle and we passed through local villages to get there. We hired scooters which is the easiest way to get around most places in South East, but you can hire a tuk tuk for the day and barter them down to a cheap rate. The temples left me hungry for more knowledge. Who lived here? How did they build it? What did the people look like? Imagine being the guy who discovered all of this!</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdQsys_Y6EeYaiyZPXhZy2oEYFbJQqnfXkbaCxoOBW5r2RLkrIzL7f869CES94FezsyJV3nvEXhyphenhyphenDJGlLqB9Sg6WS7V1DlsTvY32rmRGq6J5DXccabic4G4Twx2b0bMQObcSl3R-zYvc/s1600/2016-09-11%25252003.54.57%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdQsys_Y6EeYaiyZPXhZy2oEYFbJQqnfXkbaCxoOBW5r2RLkrIzL7f869CES94FezsyJV3nvEXhyphenhyphenDJGlLqB9Sg6WS7V1DlsTvY32rmRGq6J5DXccabic4G4Twx2b0bMQObcSl3R-zYvc/s640/2016-09-11%25252003.54.57%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzBijVlUK6xg3_rP9gscWJ4nlYkmmM4YWSX3jMU8agPKNYG0umq1RMvDPK2W_lZD-kTzrVNrRRLBLtFtQz0NnWz8B4sFtwrthukJ5CTD8yciGWRUo9JuUYhPLqNudC3cJYOPSWGrFXRs/s1600/2016-09-11%25252003.54.56%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzBijVlUK6xg3_rP9gscWJ4nlYkmmM4YWSX3jMU8agPKNYG0umq1RMvDPK2W_lZD-kTzrVNrRRLBLtFtQz0NnWz8B4sFtwrthukJ5CTD8yciGWRUo9JuUYhPLqNudC3cJYOPSWGrFXRs/s640/2016-09-11%25252003.54.56%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L69vWIJrlpdU9rzz43UrKT4IHSdOob3Fr7pBilXV7g4aeutkAMMIoMxANs-vBaIcgXH8ybsdQefnthAjHaWRXY1Is6Z2LobHmhA4QOc4VgrUbtzLoX4KZTefTKVJhrpegRDBGE2195M/s1600/DSC00868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L69vWIJrlpdU9rzz43UrKT4IHSdOob3Fr7pBilXV7g4aeutkAMMIoMxANs-vBaIcgXH8ybsdQefnthAjHaWRXY1Is6Z2LobHmhA4QOc4VgrUbtzLoX4KZTefTKVJhrpegRDBGE2195M/s640/DSC00868.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFAqNKOK6gGhFddrZs5ipLqmEQy9ua9umSof1Tbizn615A4CqSntWLJwc4cPU8l1aw9QkrXoKc70xwNJN-KoysOmwXR0vISAj5qIixCpUUu-3wnlYI-xB0vm5MwtW9GbcE_jjura_zNo/s1600/DSC00894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFAqNKOK6gGhFddrZs5ipLqmEQy9ua9umSof1Tbizn615A4CqSntWLJwc4cPU8l1aw9QkrXoKc70xwNJN-KoysOmwXR0vISAj5qIixCpUUu-3wnlYI-xB0vm5MwtW9GbcE_jjura_zNo/s640/DSC00894.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hiDu6xvQhy4R-i7X_TMj8HrtHMxbsaJ0J781eIEv1lFdu3pN9TfyRTzTgesaIYak5rYe9Y2dh98vsALB_BWeDqsdfV1fTT-0hYbtdlgGJN4-8eke1PojUa4knh14VrQLPQgf66eMRUY/s1600/DSC00794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hiDu6xvQhy4R-i7X_TMj8HrtHMxbsaJ0J781eIEv1lFdu3pN9TfyRTzTgesaIYak5rYe9Y2dh98vsALB_BWeDqsdfV1fTT-0hYbtdlgGJN4-8eke1PojUa4knh14VrQLPQgf66eMRUY/s640/DSC00794.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwfoWhwyweIB1UfBelspARhpco39t6xw8ormt3l3ODI8bYU7NifBaWhxZTpOcY0Fid9p9LB_K100Pe7ygmSzj5K0_Wfl5cs54wOPhpRKWBsTX-2qra0pHuRXMkxdRUki9q7hVxM_HQEU/s1600/DSC00823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwfoWhwyweIB1UfBelspARhpco39t6xw8ormt3l3ODI8bYU7NifBaWhxZTpOcY0Fid9p9LB_K100Pe7ygmSzj5K0_Wfl5cs54wOPhpRKWBsTX-2qra0pHuRXMkxdRUki9q7hVxM_HQEU/s640/DSC00823.JPG"></a><br></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kbpn6CbsTH5XCJUKO_jAQPteOT-rJ4xIQoW1fmzeoewNR_PAxBmfsBttqhOhs2tVmuf9BlI9FgJjT76BIFNLGITVCR9KwukB4IxQ5uZev_VuPDTC2noQrN5Z0CnnnXABvh6A3KCWw7E/s1600/DSC00837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kbpn6CbsTH5XCJUKO_jAQPteOT-rJ4xIQoW1fmzeoewNR_PAxBmfsBttqhOhs2tVmuf9BlI9FgJjT76BIFNLGITVCR9KwukB4IxQ5uZev_VuPDTC2noQrN5Z0CnnnXABvh6A3KCWw7E/s640/DSC00837.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr">I got the impression from most backpackers I spoke to that Cambodia didn't seem to be a country many stay in that long, some stopping only for a few days in Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat. There really is so much more to explore here, and places have a less "touristy" feel (Angkor Wat aside). On a more personal level, Cambodia is definitely the country I learnt the most in so far. I got sick there, my biggest fear, but I got over it. With sickness came another kind of sickness, for a few days I craved home and home comforts, but I got over that too. Being able to meditate in a country with such a painful recent history was also a huge privilege, one which I am only fully realising now, and a powerful way to end my stay in Cambodia. </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-90909486578590578512016-08-31T21:26:00.001-07:002016-09-05T05:19:29.687-07:00Silent work <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Tg7_9jPPfkFqjP0GbvVM4-UgPx2DuYxQvKseSnpAIrr2hUEbgV-Bx7QPMcxXaVaUaDTHsAI_O5MUOIm2o29k7klYv35f1DzK2EejvaeMPS6nd7X0lCT_dkqbG2JcUFOxhKsrkxS1UoA/s1600/DSC00925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Tg7_9jPPfkFqjP0GbvVM4-UgPx2DuYxQvKseSnpAIrr2hUEbgV-Bx7QPMcxXaVaUaDTHsAI_O5MUOIm2o29k7klYv35f1DzK2EejvaeMPS6nd7X0lCT_dkqbG2JcUFOxhKsrkxS1UoA/s640/DSC00925.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr">When I talk about completing a 10 day Vipassana meditation course the question most people ask is "Did you enjoy it?" It takes me a while to answer this question. 10 days of no phone, no talking (noble silence), no eye contact, no jewellery, no books or writing materials and no music is a huge test in itself. Then you have the meditation, which you practise for 11 hours a day. Meditation is associated with complete chill and relaxation, but this was work. Hard and - at times - frustrating work. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I completed my Vipassana course at a centre in Cambodia, Battambang province, about 2 and a half hours away from Siem Reap. On arrival I filled out a registration form and received a small paper booklet about the rules and guidelines of the course along with my room number (30) and locker key. I was then led to my assigned locker where I had to put my phone, camera, money and other valuables for the next 10 and a half days. Goodbye! </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4WqjfUXJRYvj4JxwLnAFTZV2y_qNbHlD1HSwsz55ZdDrA8tJJzkLJfkm1thhkLHbX5SCNul70stAMohhROv6IUXCXaoC_wZlwzJdadXa5vz6OBon2Z90LettKTXd_XvcrdGpK2-yG1g/s1600/DSC00917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4WqjfUXJRYvj4JxwLnAFTZV2y_qNbHlD1HSwsz55ZdDrA8tJJzkLJfkm1thhkLHbX5SCNul70stAMohhROv6IUXCXaoC_wZlwzJdadXa5vz6OBon2Z90LettKTXd_XvcrdGpK2-yG1g/s640/DSC00917.JPG"></a><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">My room is very basic...honestly more like a cell containing my bed, mosquito net (VERY necessary), umbrella, eating utilities and a meditation mat and cushion if I want to meditate in my own room during the allowed hours (which I never chose to do especially after finding a huge gecko-like creature hiding behind my mat on day 6, but I'll tell that story another time). The Bell rings for the first time that evening and we all go to the hall for our first session. At 7pm on the first day noble silence beings. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Leading a simplistic lifestyle was a huge breath of fresh air at first. With no phone to distract me I drink in all of my surroundings in detail. On the first evening the sky turned pink over the fields and I surrendered to the moment competely, no instagram snap, no snapchat, just TAKE IT ALL IN. Breathe. </p><p dir="ltr">
I also adjusted to a new routine quite quickly. Every day I made my bed, swept out my room, arranged my clothes for the next day. These small and simple tasks become a staple in a routine with no distraction and carrying out these tasks so methodically became a welcome break from the hours of mental challenge. Noble silence was also easier than I thought it would be, especially as you become so focused on the practise. My biggest struggle lay in focusing my mind. For the first few days my thoughts crashed around inside my head, uncontrollable, vibrant and constant. No matter how many times I called it back and began to focus on my respiration I would be an unwitting passenger to my train of thought in less then a few minutes. Then I'd stop mid-thought, realisation would hit me, and I'd have to start over. Patience. In time my thoughts faded. They were still there, but I could hold them at a distance. After three days of focusing on our respiration to make our minds sharp, we moved onto practising Vipassana.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Practising the technique of Vipassana over time enables you to deal more effectivley with cravings or aversions, therefore eradicating misery over time. Vipassana is insight meditation. You focus on the sensations that you feel all over your body and work to remain "equanimous" to them, no matter whether they are enjoyable or painful. For example, I felt a lot of pain in my back during meditation, but instead of focusing on it and thinking "I am in pain", I had to work to be equanimous towards it, and accept that the feeling will arise and pass. The law of nature. Anicca, anicca, anicca. Amazingly this did work over time and the pain did subside during sessions, althouhh it never disappeared completely. It is much more difficult to remain equanimous to positive sensations. After a few days I felt this very subtle tingling sensation over most of my body, growing stronger over time. It's incredible how in tune you become to your body and how susceptible your mind is to each subtle sensation. Rather than enjoying the sensation and longing for it to happen each time I meditated, I had to again work to accept that it will arise and pass. You are not there to "chase" certain sensations or expect them, but to observe the reality as it is for you at that moment. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Additionally, there was a lot of emphasis on misery and how misery is not external, but internal. Misery is created internally due to various factors, something a person isn't happy with within themselves, or about themselves, or the way they may have handled a certain situation for example. This struck a personal chord with me as there have been a good few events in my life that have upset me and affected the way I deal with certain situations (the struggle with my skin being one of them, affecting my self-confidence and having a knock on effect later on in my life in how I think people perceive me and not speaking up when I don't like how I am being treated.) I had a very powerful profound moment during mediation that is difficult for me to explain but had a long lasting effect on me, a mindshift that I know will change how I deal with things going forward. I gained a lot from the course, but this was definitely the most defining moment for me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">A 10 day course if Vipassana is not meant to set you up for a lifetime of happiness. Meditation is a practise for a reason, you are meant to continue to meditate every day, 2 hours, once in the morning and once at night if you want to continue progress and grow. Since completing the course I have managed to practise for only 2 hours in one week (shared dorms in hostels don't create the most appropriate atmosphere for meditation.) However when I get to Australia and settle I plan to make meditation part of my new routine. I cannot express how beneficial I have found it. So did I enjoy it? Honestly, no. It was powerful, it was challenging, it was life changing, and it was intense. I am so glad I did it, as it created a shift that you only get from powerful challenges that stretch you. But wow, was I glad when it was over. 10 days is a long time for a chatty girl like me to stay silent!</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'll end this post with an excerpt from the meditation booklet that sums up the practise of Vipassana more consicley, one that I found so profound:</p>
<p dir="ltr">"The entire path (Dhamma) is a universal remedy for universal problems and has nothing to do with any organised religion or sectarianism. For this reason, it can be freely practised by everyone, at any time, in any place, without conflict due to race, community or religion, and will prove equally beneficial to one and all." - Dhamma </p>
<p dir="ltr">Ain't that a beautiful thing?</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM5WXK0Vo0c7e7G-lhNQMTDKy_uvUi6d-8N3MwQv-BHaDn5IThMEAMUDBu4WIg30nnLhNbdv6-arE0VfX-xttaIRriyPZR14PVlyKVvVrk_iDIYHR3-RaMhmGkmLEZsZgt_rdkNbhX1U/s1600/DSC00923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnM5WXK0Vo0c7e7G-lhNQMTDKy_uvUi6d-8N3MwQv-BHaDn5IThMEAMUDBu4WIg30nnLhNbdv6-arE0VfX-xttaIRriyPZR14PVlyKVvVrk_iDIYHR3-RaMhmGkmLEZsZgt_rdkNbhX1U/s640/DSC00923.JPG"></a></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-47917549519312591942016-08-10T20:25:00.001-07:002016-08-14T20:01:31.857-07:00Lull<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChi5cxg3dIxGHKOgc0O9npD-T0-cLaNME7Fp8dBwnMkKMSWQW-1hoKbfkQC_kdbGA3eCeu_cwN7MhBzh3c53wz5hUIf06Bt6FMviByG9S7n0jOU-S2qWZounwZ7w_rylW_IiqLQoxENg/s1600/2016-08-14%25252007.28.53%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChi5cxg3dIxGHKOgc0O9npD-T0-cLaNME7Fp8dBwnMkKMSWQW-1hoKbfkQC_kdbGA3eCeu_cwN7MhBzh3c53wz5hUIf06Bt6FMviByG9S7n0jOU-S2qWZounwZ7w_rylW_IiqLQoxENg/s640/2016-08-14%25252007.28.53%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">I'll keep this post brief as nobody likes to linger too long on the bad points, the rough side of travelling, but this is all a part of my journey and I want to share it. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I haven't written for a while now. Cambodia has been a little rough. First John got sick. Then he got better. Then I got sick. Then I got better. Then I got sick again. And here I am, gradually recovering, I can function but I'm weak and tired and if I'm completely honest, craving a local U.K Tesco so I can go in and buy:</p>
<p dir="ltr">Grapes<br>
Wholemeal bread<br>
Bananas<br>
A tropical calipo ice lolly (or a twister)<br>
Lurpack butter<br>
An Elle magazine</p>
<p dir="ltr">So I can sit in the glory of my home comforts and just get BETTER. </p>
<p dir="ltr">But I can't. I have to keep going. I have to look after myself of course, but I have to stop thinking about all these little comforts and focus on what I do have around me so that I don't get homesick. I never thought that I would be halfway around the world, living out my dream, and craving something as mundane as a U.K supermarket. It's crazy how much something negative can change your perspective - if you let it. Getting sick out here was my biggest fear, and it's happened. It's not as bad as I thought, it could definitely be worse. For now all I can do is look after myself, drink water and be patient (which is the hardest part of being sick).</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-14264430493526301102016-08-02T02:37:00.001-07:002016-08-02T03:43:21.832-07:00Transition period<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMy0KbLHA1lwnZx_zyeCErE_P8BrBJOeN9cU4rRxuEtLl1H24wU32og5UrDaxiX2t-kePJuOeXMszkMQ69p8KOf8-foTCkBoRDZp70fje2VgkKPAt6c-8OQfUYlOXrssS_8PZMdAwnnA/s1600/2016-08-02%25252005.18.55%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMy0KbLHA1lwnZx_zyeCErE_P8BrBJOeN9cU4rRxuEtLl1H24wU32og5UrDaxiX2t-kePJuOeXMszkMQ69p8KOf8-foTCkBoRDZp70fje2VgkKPAt6c-8OQfUYlOXrssS_8PZMdAwnnA/s640/2016-08-02%25252005.18.55%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ux-cn0FhzitFz6LlR56kdx10E3bHGDsM8znrVTe6BspTd0iqDwHPWO49VLkW33CYT9-nz9pSTbt1VToMuOZ1BKBBvCZKk_8xGgvhZGxyBr4Zd7MDlSBC-CTo7bmOwVM3eX0GvoU9dnE/s1600/2016-07-24%25252005.42.52%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ux-cn0FhzitFz6LlR56kdx10E3bHGDsM8znrVTe6BspTd0iqDwHPWO49VLkW33CYT9-nz9pSTbt1VToMuOZ1BKBBvCZKk_8xGgvhZGxyBr4Zd7MDlSBC-CTo7bmOwVM3eX0GvoU9dnE/s640/2016-07-24%25252005.42.52%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQMKgmBYCM6YnekZIO8Vsj3wJxp7CroNph6_9f9ryx4HDW9H2Evn3XK3yVu6KhHxRzv1oWP-h8MTiHXFaB6l413je6NH06hNMpaFtxGdGnXs-47KUUwxLwXEgGTeYu1e4IjlwS-vQESA/s1600/DSC00485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQMKgmBYCM6YnekZIO8Vsj3wJxp7CroNph6_9f9ryx4HDW9H2Evn3XK3yVu6KhHxRzv1oWP-h8MTiHXFaB6l413je6NH06hNMpaFtxGdGnXs-47KUUwxLwXEgGTeYu1e4IjlwS-vQESA/s640/DSC00485.JPG"></a><br></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cB2RDtOPzPAFqRTwp-zYsAU3duVdyhvThNDqp4KA659xpwsR8kMCXIx1Aw9OEWxPQVnXSHNARlhYkE0XxE4YdS3ApOCN414cWat42FLVTOJDInbBc7MtlCVdo6sWMR-Y8YGjK0w82lQ/s1600/2016-07-12%25252010.05.18%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cB2RDtOPzPAFqRTwp-zYsAU3duVdyhvThNDqp4KA659xpwsR8kMCXIx1Aw9OEWxPQVnXSHNARlhYkE0XxE4YdS3ApOCN414cWat42FLVTOJDInbBc7MtlCVdo6sWMR-Y8YGjK0w82lQ/s640/2016-07-12%25252010.05.18%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">I've been travelling for a little over 2 months now. My time in Vietnam has come to an end and tomorrow I get a 6 hour bus to Cambodia from Ho Chi Minh city where the contents of my backpack is currently strewn all over the floor of a private room (a treat to myself after weeks of shared dorms and disturbed sleep.) As soon as I arrived in Ho Chi Minh a sense of realisation settled, a little sadness, not because I don't like Ho Chi Minh, but because it's the end. This isn't the end with a capital E, I'm still travelling, I still have over a month left and after that a new beginning in Australia, but the final few days in each country and the preperation to leave for a new one brings an inevitable heaviness in my heart. <br></p>
<p dir="ltr">I feel like most long-term travelers will be hardened to this, they will have adjusted to constantly moving and saying equally as many goodbyes as greetings. I'm definitely not there yet and I can't imagine myself ever being there this early on in my journey. Even though I've felt a little flatness before leaving countries before it's hit me harder this time. Vietnam has been where we have ran into so many familiar faces from Thailand and Laos as well as making a lot of new friends and we've made the journey from north to south in under 4 weeks due to us crossing over a few days late from Laos, so the whole few weeks have been fast and fun - filled.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Before I came away, 3 months sounded like plenty of time to backpack South East Asia. It was all ahead of me with only the next destination to think about, and here I am, 2 months later and 3 countries down. It has absolutely flown.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I know that with each ending comes a new beginning. A few days into Cambodia the sadness will subside and I'll be fully immersed into exploring somewhere new. Until then, goodbye Vietnam, you've been a blast, here's to the stillness and peaceful mist of the Sapa mountains, the breathtaking limestone islands of Ha Long bay, skinny dipping in the ocean of Cat Ba, the wonderful mazes and craziness of Hanoi, lush green plains and amazing caves of Phong Nha, buying beautiful wares and lantern lights in Hoi An, sunbathing and partying in Nha Trang and ending it all in rainy Saigon, enjoying the last days and revelling in the wonder of it all, the excitement and freedom of backpacking. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Grace xo</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-87315026145396092362016-07-26T21:59:00.001-07:002016-07-29T05:19:39.326-07:00Bikes, buses and the Hai Van Pass <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQRdX4DviwYqMsw60s_D0hhJz6zNfzae_WvK_fiIFm8VA3G4_ffFoZdEwkTKaUbKp8YME3ctCF9ltQzyzGJBnUdjR9eeJF2bCq36iL5tt7X1rslX2f15xb7DACMwJckTiLYlBpVwkWfQ/s1600/DSC00636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQRdX4DviwYqMsw60s_D0hhJz6zNfzae_WvK_fiIFm8VA3G4_ffFoZdEwkTKaUbKp8YME3ctCF9ltQzyzGJBnUdjR9eeJF2bCq36iL5tt7X1rslX2f15xb7DACMwJckTiLYlBpVwkWfQ/s640/DSC00636.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfZ-LkVB3Q7oQxs0h3ttcodqYvkZH2GWdRwtwL1ZilZ3k6VNn7ybuWvylMGE3k0xsnYYXH9DwdUe8af72adT8sLrkEwEjYTEcY9qO_mvwWFeZ19GosbXvXHcET_fx-Vet3gJYK_rVc94/s1600/DSC00623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfZ-LkVB3Q7oQxs0h3ttcodqYvkZH2GWdRwtwL1ZilZ3k6VNn7ybuWvylMGE3k0xsnYYXH9DwdUe8af72adT8sLrkEwEjYTEcY9qO_mvwWFeZ19GosbXvXHcET_fx-Vet3gJYK_rVc94/s640/DSC00623.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr">In South East Asia no space is left unfilled. The streets are lined with markets selling food by day and souveniers by night. The roads are a hive of activity of scooters weaving in and out of coaches and taxis. Fold-out seats in minivans and additional plastic stools in restaurants are commonplace. Hanoi fascinated me, it was an enchanting maze of multiple storey townhouses where fairylights and lanterns lead the way to hidden cafes. Every nook and cranny is utilised into a shop, a booking office, a street food stall. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Public transport is a less romantic scene. Night buses are a cheap and popular way to travel around Vietnam; two floors of fold out seats with a slot to cram your feet into and a blanket to comfort you through the night as the bus thunders down the roads. I've heard stories of locals cramming into the aisles and sleeping on the floor although I haven't experienced this yet. Even though the buses are cheap and easy, for real freedom and independence most backpackers choose to travel Vietnam by bike. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Bikes are everywhere. They are cheap to buy, easy to obtain and efficient to drive on the busy roads. When we arrived in Hanoi I didn't feel confident enough to tackle the chaotic traffic on a scooter alone. However, the lure of the popular Hai Van pass motivated me to build up the courage to learn so after a few shaky lessons and around Hue I rented my own scooter ready for the ride to Hoi An. </p><p dir="ltr">Vietnam is such a beautiful country and you miss all of the scenery on night buses, but by bike you are surrounded by it and can stop at any point to take it all in. I pulled over so many times to take photos and I would have stopped more but I forced myself to drive on and enjoy the moment. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCI6tkxnTQX6q0BwTZ5H15zjo4OLQvBmYb-M3Q1PZ_-hI5cKqV5cq3gLZ-1rZqnC6MFra3YfrDmn-7YkG2J-Uh7zDHCtyMCCNZaGmwo0POGL7HbEUVzpB-JbJn7blFopWM-s_S6GyPpc/s1600/2016-07-28%25252003.44.33%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCI6tkxnTQX6q0BwTZ5H15zjo4OLQvBmYb-M3Q1PZ_-hI5cKqV5cq3gLZ-1rZqnC6MFra3YfrDmn-7YkG2J-Uh7zDHCtyMCCNZaGmwo0POGL7HbEUVzpB-JbJn7blFopWM-s_S6GyPpc/s640/2016-07-28%25252003.44.33%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqZ9tOIWx9Oldn7GWLiscntAWwgoyKClapPMbji5OHLRepHx3JTkrnI40GhPT1YzHjvHqrwIMpcbanFw_kEBhJtdXDmMJgQNHczs4Gs4Fc0ou-POVLTqxiCfBy0H0Y5QOYRa9_WxFfcM/s1600/DSC00614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqZ9tOIWx9Oldn7GWLiscntAWwgoyKClapPMbji5OHLRepHx3JTkrnI40GhPT1YzHjvHqrwIMpcbanFw_kEBhJtdXDmMJgQNHczs4Gs4Fc0ou-POVLTqxiCfBy0H0Y5QOYRa9_WxFfcM/s640/DSC00614.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tdbf5EGctei7rLbz9UYtI9gMjWGFTZYO1i4mB0p6vhzE4HLPV_tdryEZlsBAYYLWRRBxQUbSXiXijaM2eSRa9ZacVzB37UBFTTD50Ik9IA8Nq1Aq-sCznHG4_Z-PuMsxmBPfEZBypN8/s1600/DSC00613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tdbf5EGctei7rLbz9UYtI9gMjWGFTZYO1i4mB0p6vhzE4HLPV_tdryEZlsBAYYLWRRBxQUbSXiXijaM2eSRa9ZacVzB37UBFTTD50Ik9IA8Nq1Aq-sCznHG4_Z-PuMsxmBPfEZBypN8/s640/DSC00613.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbdoi59aOYAoeV08BHYX-kIKhcKOgnHqaMyLR0P7j-vLljs6M-CUHKl2a0LeGHOA-dtiwtI9aWTlm02125l66EwSnkD6DGbeV9Kp9RbxEO4gKnbRqyCJadn_wn6nO1OEbQW1eSgWHKDk/s1600/2016-07-28%25252003.44.34%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbdoi59aOYAoeV08BHYX-kIKhcKOgnHqaMyLR0P7j-vLljs6M-CUHKl2a0LeGHOA-dtiwtI9aWTlm02125l66EwSnkD6DGbeV9Kp9RbxEO4gKnbRqyCJadn_wn6nO1OEbQW1eSgWHKDk/s640/2016-07-28%25252003.44.34%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJPImcM10hTkpUYLGT7gqf71QyVzyh0vML_ivG_M1NctX1iKI4vdJV-k3oJdO3cxHEvZ7GrjaWCZCqAXWUH-OOh_VHDoewY0ajv-O7oDuKVdAGg-_GEYaXiGWz0yxUbzW_nV-lkkFVFk/s1600/DSC00622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJPImcM10hTkpUYLGT7gqf71QyVzyh0vML_ivG_M1NctX1iKI4vdJV-k3oJdO3cxHEvZ7GrjaWCZCqAXWUH-OOh_VHDoewY0ajv-O7oDuKVdAGg-_GEYaXiGWz0yxUbzW_nV-lkkFVFk/s640/DSC00622.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxQc7ujG6tA4NW7BFUTU8aLovvnDYRXa-ZaX3LV1y3Idx1DLYOCslEpHAKJPYhBvM2Odj-AFYIhAvPptWi47-cb60P38zXQZ60dFN6fANA8FetmkqCIQ6-C5kF9Te_WqiINsUhWKDLYo/s1600/2016-07-28%25252003.44.30%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxQc7ujG6tA4NW7BFUTU8aLovvnDYRXa-ZaX3LV1y3Idx1DLYOCslEpHAKJPYhBvM2Odj-AFYIhAvPptWi47-cb60P38zXQZ60dFN6fANA8FetmkqCIQ6-C5kF9Te_WqiINsUhWKDLYo/s640/2016-07-28%25252003.44.30%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindYhlUjTSJYEyKmpFH_-7vZujBSArwYovNlP5bLs4r-vwg6HXi19vG-KqRht9fS7c3K3knGBef7Qvntx-e_IvjqGMxL5xOWFMt3wOR-zfZVTGhYWdPm_xRFnJ4zteENb6jfWFLJ9v8LA/s1600/2016-07-28%25252003.44.35%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindYhlUjTSJYEyKmpFH_-7vZujBSArwYovNlP5bLs4r-vwg6HXi19vG-KqRht9fS7c3K3knGBef7Qvntx-e_IvjqGMxL5xOWFMt3wOR-zfZVTGhYWdPm_xRFnJ4zteENb6jfWFLJ9v8LA/s640/2016-07-28%25252003.44.35%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">If you really want to do Hai Van pass by scooter but don't feel confident enough to drive yourself then there are plenty of options available. Easy rider is the most popular, you can jump on the back of a scooter with a rider who works for the company and they strap your bags to the back. Family rider is also another option and you can make a full day out of it stopping at the various sights and tourist attractions along the way, like Elephant falls and Marble Mountain. As soon as you arrive in Hue you'll be pretty much inundated with offers, but like anywhere in the world where there's a high demand there are also elaborate scams so stay safe, do your research and don't feel pressurised to give anybody any money on the spot. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">If you still want to ride Hai Van pass on your own scooter and you're not that experienced at riding, I would rent out a scooter the day/a few days before and go for some practise drives. I'm am a VERY nervous driver at home and I never would have thought I would be able to drive a scooter with ease. Hue was a good place to practise and we found some quiet roads for me to get the grips with the basics. The roads on Hai Van pass are smooth and there are no ridiculous hills, although there are a few sharp turns but nothing too difficult. Most companies send your bags down to the hostel/hotel you are staying in as well so you don't have to worry about the additional weight. </span></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">If you're still undecided then take this one last thing into consideration. The drive from Hue to Hoi An on total took around 4 hours but took us 6 as we stopped off a few times. I would say only roughly 40 minutes of this is the actual Hai Van pass. Once you get into De Nang (a coastal town before Hoi An) you're in the midst of some extremely busy Vietnamese traffic. It's not on the same level as Hanoi and the roads are fine, and I can get pretty nervous and found it manageable, so if you want to drive it yourself then I would say do it, be bold, be brave, be safe of course, wear a helmet and whatever you choose just enjoy the ride! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-kI7Lof2rIecHwsEDhzVTj4wslCEfpLlh35RslJ8Yn0wOBRTKCOUZquEB7gVD1e4nSQ-0qoupb3L7s1Y8a4xLhSOGUZmU15H2H25kD5fpgFFfWFpRAsZpbQ2qgdOWEjxxQtRgGMNxS4/s1600/GOPR1146_1469436947792_high.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-kI7Lof2rIecHwsEDhzVTj4wslCEfpLlh35RslJ8Yn0wOBRTKCOUZquEB7gVD1e4nSQ-0qoupb3L7s1Y8a4xLhSOGUZmU15H2H25kD5fpgFFfWFpRAsZpbQ2qgdOWEjxxQtRgGMNxS4/s640/GOPR1146_1469436947792_high.JPG"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-43397802657098650562016-07-12T02:23:00.001-07:002016-07-16T23:38:39.497-07:00Exploring North Vietnam <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4C21SLTmdg7Gpss__DdzRmohKnZShnATB6V-NKHlyL27LuJLlAr12DAhyphenhyphen2Cn-jdT5hTjMX2LPy7YbID9fxbpLJYWQl8cHFqS1Bxc4jodf7fFtU9JXOP786niQ_W3-ITNXRWCEr38G7k/s1600/DSC00462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4C21SLTmdg7Gpss__DdzRmohKnZShnATB6V-NKHlyL27LuJLlAr12DAhyphenhyphen2Cn-jdT5hTjMX2LPy7YbID9fxbpLJYWQl8cHFqS1Bxc4jodf7fFtU9JXOP786niQ_W3-ITNXRWCEr38G7k/s640/DSC00462.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkZOBxjKvLbcmixbHUTeA4L7WKx9xPy_UeAtfGArVwGqz1AE6fz_r0ppbK1sOeus1VbnLpz2qTlaovoE-j0zzg_JzbltXMKzOHmP6tHp0091EKRlu9P4BSwlQJ1QL3gVn7UG5D77cX-o/s1600/DSC00431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkZOBxjKvLbcmixbHUTeA4L7WKx9xPy_UeAtfGArVwGqz1AE6fz_r0ppbK1sOeus1VbnLpz2qTlaovoE-j0zzg_JzbltXMKzOHmP6tHp0091EKRlu9P4BSwlQJ1QL3gVn7UG5D77cX-o/s640/DSC00431.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTJE3E-qRy-6ZRlIQO2jAJG_03rXsAdzBjl8hD8JzL02vp4AM8yIW3tIyKEh9uRW4eZQstOyJuRHk1hbPnm-xNGy0p0FJn53_BKBomcjC-Ubc4yK_1Um4qYaNZLVX5zhS8Jd2b1xwC5g/s1600/DSC00474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTJE3E-qRy-6ZRlIQO2jAJG_03rXsAdzBjl8hD8JzL02vp4AM8yIW3tIyKEh9uRW4eZQstOyJuRHk1hbPnm-xNGy0p0FJn53_BKBomcjC-Ubc4yK_1Um4qYaNZLVX5zhS8Jd2b1xwC5g/s640/DSC00474.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF1AwG3WET8cod35bWLWuGzLWIPhmTpvZDERmGZY6ePpaUgX_wfxFeQipLxPoBm7oDXwq8oKruyfWnICZf6G1gVu4k0nhUmKO2MqeZpr2z2PctLEzm0EtQeSFMmHgRtBcPUNWmRSXSME/s1600/DSC00461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF1AwG3WET8cod35bWLWuGzLWIPhmTpvZDERmGZY6ePpaUgX_wfxFeQipLxPoBm7oDXwq8oKruyfWnICZf6G1gVu4k0nhUmKO2MqeZpr2z2PctLEzm0EtQeSFMmHgRtBcPUNWmRSXSME/s640/DSC00461.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLBlYEOCztmXn9uFN-75M-mD0mY4g075Yryx20eI_ZQR81d_K5GIMvjE5miZ-qZF9qd4pWUbUGNPv4c8CDfG_DhSs4n67z5DJ99uuAE7RTSMVKVmXAVW69GEjUXWW154oOOXepwYahfU/s1600/DSC00465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLBlYEOCztmXn9uFN-75M-mD0mY4g075Yryx20eI_ZQR81d_K5GIMvjE5miZ-qZF9qd4pWUbUGNPv4c8CDfG_DhSs4n67z5DJ99uuAE7RTSMVKVmXAVW69GEjUXWW154oOOXepwYahfU/s640/DSC00465.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr">After a long and languorous week in Luang Prabang my senses were awoken with a start when we arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam. The capital is loud, hot and hectic with the craziest traffic I have ever seen! There's a consistent flow of scooters from every corner and the streets are packed with cafes, restaurants and markets. It has actually been really refreshing to be back in an exciting city with so much going on and I have rapidly fallen in love with Hanoi and all of it's hidden gems. However, a few days in any major city can be pretty intense and I was longing to stretch my legs somewhere, so we booked a trek among the rice padis in Sapa. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Sapa is quite far north of Hanoi so we had to get a night bus for the majority of the journey. I've been on sleeper trains before so expected a similar experience but it was much more cramped and there was a huge thunder storm all through the night. Lashing rain and flashes of lightning made it difficult to sleep so when we did arrive at Sapa town I was too tired to be enthusiastic about any trekking. However, once we arrived at the rice padis and the hills and misty mountains I was in awe. Thailand has beautiful beaches and the Laos landscapes were stunning but this was so peaceful. The first day of trekking was overcast which was perfect for me as I love landscapes shrouded in mist and cloud, the scenes were so otherworldly.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ2khDYVltYkcbPBuO2wMD5HjiCMpbfearVA82F93L_jp8ZTzdbUjGeEh8DgOZ7KIB6vaZIIj5o2Twutrq_PPyRS973aMkFNJVv1agN8awB9PlnbpqRwT4T9l4cw2h4fyZA0UwF5T6ro/s1600/DSC00419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ2khDYVltYkcbPBuO2wMD5HjiCMpbfearVA82F93L_jp8ZTzdbUjGeEh8DgOZ7KIB6vaZIIj5o2Twutrq_PPyRS973aMkFNJVv1agN8awB9PlnbpqRwT4T9l4cw2h4fyZA0UwF5T6ro/s640/DSC00419.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kIEfcca0ACtFxmUG_-EgnrWksNtkQpAGbbVi5sUhD4lS5ME6shyKKOVwTiNSSoCAvUg-7Jq0okFbAgJ228XJBkNHx42fNNumW1uZfTK6BvyV6on_flt-PKq1ebWfaoXjIrSEduoVSRQ/s1600/DSC00418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kIEfcca0ACtFxmUG_-EgnrWksNtkQpAGbbVi5sUhD4lS5ME6shyKKOVwTiNSSoCAvUg-7Jq0okFbAgJ228XJBkNHx42fNNumW1uZfTK6BvyV6on_flt-PKq1ebWfaoXjIrSEduoVSRQ/s640/DSC00418.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyfoGxOwq2y823ExhWUWbGJpgszLwqb46vfw44HjCvWaRy4xsjTGnlntOlnh39AzGD31Uz4Tuk0kjBS4tfFS9T2Jd3rPzGjFCnwNzs7IUbF0o_QTPa-wPpaSo9vS7781CWOz0a_RIyd0/s1600/DSC00447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyfoGxOwq2y823ExhWUWbGJpgszLwqb46vfw44HjCvWaRy4xsjTGnlntOlnh39AzGD31Uz4Tuk0kjBS4tfFS9T2Jd3rPzGjFCnwNzs7IUbF0o_QTPa-wPpaSo9vS7781CWOz0a_RIyd0/s640/DSC00447.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VE4S0EJOWXacVywkE_6JjPZUE648RZPcflvxVF7L4kgVMF_LcsUSDR-UBvVVo2W6YGIj1GDTyYrCxotYI7pILAyESfNkInSzJiLP_dse5ma2Uy2lyOqwM50rb2mCCoVYnZPzhAIi5yQ/s1600/DSC00441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8VE4S0EJOWXacVywkE_6JjPZUE648RZPcflvxVF7L4kgVMF_LcsUSDR-UBvVVo2W6YGIj1GDTyYrCxotYI7pILAyESfNkInSzJiLP_dse5ma2Uy2lyOqwM50rb2mCCoVYnZPzhAIi5yQ/s640/DSC00441.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWs85gOjy6vFXDPBCHjG5e_ytfUaAcfmgeyUxM0ySTALQ6YjzLSpdvMzoox6OjUtwv1tzIBk1UiVn2FnEiy7u2bNH0IlUcH7fDqXJA_Axl9fe6voCBT58AmvcZT7078lIJz-eiiu-t2JE/s1600/DSC00443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWs85gOjy6vFXDPBCHjG5e_ytfUaAcfmgeyUxM0ySTALQ6YjzLSpdvMzoox6OjUtwv1tzIBk1UiVn2FnEiy7u2bNH0IlUcH7fDqXJA_Axl9fe6voCBT58AmvcZT7078lIJz-eiiu-t2JE/s640/DSC00443.JPG"></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">The first day of the trek was tough going climbig heady heights to gain better views of the rice padis and waterfalls. We trekked all morning for hours ending up in a village where local H'mong tribes live. As well as a tour guide leading the way we also had a group of women from the village helping us along the trek as some of the paths were slippy from the rain. Once we stopped at the village we were guided to sit down outside a school which was closed due to the holidays. The women then unloaded the contents of their bags to reveal the usual tourist "souveniers", embroidered bags, cushion covers and metal bracelets that you can get almost anywhere in South East Asia. We all saw it coming, however I was not prepared for how much we were all pressured into buying something. Usually after a few firm "no thank you's" sellers back off, but these women used guilt and the fact that we were in a secluded area to their advantage. Unfortunately no matter how careful you are out here there will come a time that you are caught out, and you just can't beat yourself up about it or let it ruin the experience.</p>
<p dir="ltr">After two days of trekking Sapa we had a one day break before heading out to Ha Long bay, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Castaways is one really popular excursion for most backpackers and I've heard that it can get pretty wild. We chose to do a cruise through our hostel Hanoi Rocks. Both offer a really fun way to see the bay and it's a great way to meet other backpackers, as well as staying on a private island overnight. Despite traveling during low season we still passed beaches overcrowded with tourists and locals on holiday, so the fact that we had a private beach alone made doing to tour worthwhile. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzeEXDSo2iJrCRbaSZm5_ZQMvzmuUM3oZ6P_ZZLiOYbhOd1US9wLFIXPn4yQHaR7wl-7cFc2jxBov45JyuXRKzBwQyCvxwtRhtEM_5uHxRtQHChWrI8jU6ZqtcAvvriXTsw_HoLQ8HsE/s1600/DSC00485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzeEXDSo2iJrCRbaSZm5_ZQMvzmuUM3oZ6P_ZZLiOYbhOd1US9wLFIXPn4yQHaR7wl-7cFc2jxBov45JyuXRKzBwQyCvxwtRhtEM_5uHxRtQHChWrI8jU6ZqtcAvvriXTsw_HoLQ8HsE/s640/DSC00485.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tXk4qyMToAqhyphenhyphen8TDWLOLeW3YPUhCmuPoZa-4vgO8pbfUvypr4K0slkPO69gMFz4T2Sx6jtDeHkBB05Mx7VAvgi4tKANXY-ly2cNNe91rJwAARzQOZPcXioDf1S236l-R1Jo94GIx990/s1600/2016-07-15%25252004.37.39%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tXk4qyMToAqhyphenhyphen8TDWLOLeW3YPUhCmuPoZa-4vgO8pbfUvypr4K0slkPO69gMFz4T2Sx6jtDeHkBB05Mx7VAvgi4tKANXY-ly2cNNe91rJwAARzQOZPcXioDf1S236l-R1Jo94GIx990/s640/2016-07-15%25252004.37.39%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodYczI5Qye69Thnxjoxs7pAYahU6k8MdBo41wgmBESHlzdgJgr8mEz85K9zIJ9fasW9SNMu7UVunAJV8b_QhXVGzfZHFze_BWuJ75goNeXsbAIZpJ82fbtREIKFe9cIQ6Oj35_yMNJlQ/s1600/2016-07-17%25252012.37.05%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodYczI5Qye69Thnxjoxs7pAYahU6k8MdBo41wgmBESHlzdgJgr8mEz85K9zIJ9fasW9SNMu7UVunAJV8b_QhXVGzfZHFze_BWuJ75goNeXsbAIZpJ82fbtREIKFe9cIQ6Oj35_yMNJlQ/s640/2016-07-17%25252012.37.05%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6nypHQBkUIsGK8NcqKYkIgWkXGizHowv1oIK0k_uTKWdceXgoW6EVQ3ay5CWk0gp2WBB8pJvorxcBCQDlYaJlfGIQUjo00pjMWl5Sp7QQMfE3r941V2AYrYfF5gDE1WaE6_rOI6_c6A/s1600/2016-07-17%25252012.37.06%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6nypHQBkUIsGK8NcqKYkIgWkXGizHowv1oIK0k_uTKWdceXgoW6EVQ3ay5CWk0gp2WBB8pJvorxcBCQDlYaJlfGIQUjo00pjMWl5Sp7QQMfE3r941V2AYrYfF5gDE1WaE6_rOI6_c6A/s640/2016-07-17%25252012.37.06%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">The majority of backpackers that I meet light up when they speak about Vietnam and after spending only one week here its easy to see why. Hanoi doesn't have the same suffocating feel about it as other major cities and the landscape so far has been fantastic, filmic. Our next stop will be a Phong Nha national park, but not until we've spent another few days exploring Hanoi for my 26th birthday!</p><p dir="ltr">Grace xo</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-25782471092770142892016-07-04T00:14:00.001-07:002016-07-07T23:26:12.755-07:00Slow Time in Laos<p dir="ltr">Situated in a maze of backstreets and guesthouses is a backpackers mecca of sprawling futons and wooden tables amongst a leafy garden overlooking the Mekong river. It is called Utopia. I've been here everyday since I've been in Luang Prabang, mostly to eat from their menu of Westernised dishes as my trip here coincided with my appetite hitting a huge wall after four weeks of noodles, rice and everything fried. One nugget of advice Utopia offers is that Lao P.D.R stands for "please don't rush" and this sums up my time in Laos perfectly: chill, slow-paced and relaxed. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8O_jTWD3HFv8fNfPP-v5cqV6V79oU8afsHZq3YXDuSCjuFTLnsGj9n9XgD_a9BAniApVDeJ1PIT7hOUeo7HFc6JecFXV4HcX5z0owYfG0QLDok559uvjAo6RYkp_VdV5Sv8ssA7ojpc/s1600/2016-07-08%25252001.00.29%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8O_jTWD3HFv8fNfPP-v5cqV6V79oU8afsHZq3YXDuSCjuFTLnsGj9n9XgD_a9BAniApVDeJ1PIT7hOUeo7HFc6JecFXV4HcX5z0owYfG0QLDok559uvjAo6RYkp_VdV5Sv8ssA7ojpc/s640/2016-07-08%25252001.00.29%2525201.jpg"></a></p>
<p dir="ltr">It's not too difficult to embrace a more leisurely approach to traveling in Laos, mainly because there isn't a huge amount to do here. Laos is a truly breathtaking country; mountainous views and the rush of the Song river stole a few moments of silence from me when we arrived in Vang Vieng. Luang Prabang is home to the phenomenal Kuang Si waterfalls which blew my mind. The pictures just don't do it justice. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41TUBfm8n11UwLc8NgTgg-0vqz5jmojFhyh5UJAEdunax_30aO6hGblpc7wWPcqGn8bcbNqMzEsXJKtYg6SEITfxup625GJHAPBUd23JD6iVUUaw38MI9ynYcnBnOdhtlJEuEdcLhv5U/s1600/2016-07-01%25252003.31.53%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41TUBfm8n11UwLc8NgTgg-0vqz5jmojFhyh5UJAEdunax_30aO6hGblpc7wWPcqGn8bcbNqMzEsXJKtYg6SEITfxup625GJHAPBUd23JD6iVUUaw38MI9ynYcnBnOdhtlJEuEdcLhv5U/s640/2016-07-01%25252003.31.53%2525201.jpg"></a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkg7oy107VJIou9nKBkg9zQqL9h27Xyyfcx-w1rUOQj6hAlANo1FZblYV6B-VZqiSJp1wcuoZes2sRz6VyerLy7mrzWEEqdW0szrI_YMWqS6EL4MtkoniikHNQl72-_YAbbYGTa7k-tA/s1600/2016-07-01%25252003.37.03%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkg7oy107VJIou9nKBkg9zQqL9h27Xyyfcx-w1rUOQj6hAlANo1FZblYV6B-VZqiSJp1wcuoZes2sRz6VyerLy7mrzWEEqdW0szrI_YMWqS6EL4MtkoniikHNQl72-_YAbbYGTa7k-tA/s640/2016-07-01%25252003.37.03%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr">However, once you've spent a few days in each place there really isn't much to keep you here, unless you find yourself stuck waiting for some post to arrive like me. What I've found with traveling is that you really do have to adjust yourself to a new way of life. At home there was barley a minute in the day I wasn't working, running, seeing friends and family or catching up on much needed life administration (bills, car tax, that form you've been meaning to fill out in weeks, etc.) But when you're backpacking, unless you want to cram every single day with sightseeing, treks and tours which is both exhausting and expensive, you need to fill the hours with something when you don't have the luxury of having everything at your expense. For me this includes writing, reading ferociously, going to the gym. I spent time volunteering at a not for profit organisation called "Big Brother Mouse", where you can speak to young students and help them practise their English (a hugely humbling experience which I'd urge anybody to go and do if they find themselves in Luang Prabang.) </p><p dir="ltr">It's been a shock to the system after trying to cram as much of Thailand as possible into a month. Thailand has also developed to adapt itself to suit all the demands of tourism, whereas Laos is a little behind on this. There's not huge party scene, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Now, I've never been somebody to turn down a party and I'm not about to stop. I've been to a Full Moon party and collected a good few Sakura bar T-shirts in Vang Vieng (Drink triples. See double. Act single.) But whislt big cities like Bangkok can soak up drunken behaviour, drunken backpackers seem more exposed in the lazy Laos towns. We went tubing and I chose not to drink, and I felt so uncomfortable watching people shout and slur and fall about in the makeshift huts next to small farming houses and in idyllic surroundings. If I was sober in a bar or a club then fine, it would make more sense. But to lose yourself to drunken abandon and leave yourself at the mercy of kind locals or strangers to look after you...I don't know. It's given me a whole new perspective. </p><p dir="ltr">Grace xo</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyFvO8JDg_rcrdb-qd3xEnURMT_JGI_LUrhKLlAe8G-2hX2Sibj3E-OrfnCgoHKSjjseb9-FEh4g0Rd1qZ9H7Gl1kv6K5NQEjXX3O11heVjghaUnjtcarkg73iVkZIMQbd7DQqUHIb_U/s1600/2016-06-29%25252002.18.25%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyFvO8JDg_rcrdb-qd3xEnURMT_JGI_LUrhKLlAe8G-2hX2Sibj3E-OrfnCgoHKSjjseb9-FEh4g0Rd1qZ9H7Gl1kv6K5NQEjXX3O11heVjghaUnjtcarkg73iVkZIMQbd7DQqUHIb_U/s640/2016-06-29%25252002.18.25%2525201.jpg"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzlCrCe00O8mgmWy6963KJWiDisxqy5R2yNT3Tw5pUfTfBbxSlWIJD1jrw6p6DJn8YBWZkGg_4MsgVRpdsoDhjEzYzwPpBljlpCcMwOd6Avu6f9paB2RA6zegbnRybqj6h7YskRCnYFw/s1600/2016-06-30%25252002.07.11%2525201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzlCrCe00O8mgmWy6963KJWiDisxqy5R2yNT3Tw5pUfTfBbxSlWIJD1jrw6p6DJn8YBWZkGg_4MsgVRpdsoDhjEzYzwPpBljlpCcMwOd6Avu6f9paB2RA6zegbnRybqj6h7YskRCnYFw/s640/2016-06-30%25252002.07.11%2525201.jpg"></a></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center;">THE PRACTICALS. Where to eat, what to do, etc.</span><br></p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center;">VIENTIANE</span><br></p><p dir="ltr">Not much at all! Buddha Park is okay if you want to kill an hour or so. The night markets have a few good food stalls amongst an abundance of fake Nike trainers, apple watches and clothes. I wouldn't spend any longer than two nights here. </p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOFAVuNo52rMTfA2fOudwEEJw66lGH-jHDHfxUBNThH0qGd_b2Un8auH0q-_jwUP3182Y4A_3lKKo2ASesgrqGdCYYCluplPuuQ6o7VQlAqXKzoG4VTNlK5RXPwkv_65BW-BUgPHPhAg/s1600/DSC00354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOFAVuNo52rMTfA2fOudwEEJw66lGH-jHDHfxUBNThH0qGd_b2Un8auH0q-_jwUP3182Y4A_3lKKo2ASesgrqGdCYYCluplPuuQ6o7VQlAqXKzoG4VTNlK5RXPwkv_65BW-BUgPHPhAg/s640/DSC00354.JPG"></a><br></p><p dir="ltr">VANG VIENG</p><p dir="ltr">GARY'S IRISH BAR. Gary! Just when I was recoiling at the thought of another friend noodle dish, your chicken and mushroom pie saved me. Forever grateful.</p><p dir="ltr">WHOPPING BURGER. Didn't make it here but heard very good things.</p><p dir="ltr">SAKURA BAR. Everybody goes here. About 5 doors down from Real backpackers hostel and the Kangaroo bar. You can't miss it. Free whisky from 8-9pm (which is as lethal as it sounds.)</p><p dir="ltr">TUBING. Fun, but just be careful, as in don't get so wasted that you could cause yourself an injury. New regulations mean that there are now only 2 bars open at a time each day, so it's very different now compared to a few years ago. I read that 22 people died tubing in 2012. Think about it. </p><p dir="ltr">KAYAKING. Another great way to enjoy the scenery, and it starts further up from the same route as you go tubing along.</p><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaY8v35qfDw8TDo5KUZbIJZPUyLJvINvhCuibPChm_bdvR8w4Iy8orGr59a9K0v5yoKVVoY7qe4d3SFn-mJ7uFjIPPt25i4eJ9M5GKVBW8hO8qi2ASKQuP6dlt9foWtCEmt1UugQDDi0/s1600/GOPR0966_1467204403574_high.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaY8v35qfDw8TDo5KUZbIJZPUyLJvINvhCuibPChm_bdvR8w4Iy8orGr59a9K0v5yoKVVoY7qe4d3SFn-mJ7uFjIPPt25i4eJ9M5GKVBW8hO8qi2ASKQuP6dlt9foWtCEmt1UugQDDi0/s640/GOPR0966_1467204403574_high.JPG"></a></p><p dir="ltr">REAL BACKPACKERS HOSTEL. We stayed here and it was a great place and really central. Some stay at Chilllao due to their offer of free whisky 7-11pm, but don't be too dissapointed if it's fully booked as most places seem to offer free alcohol of some sort. Usually whisky. </p><p dir="ltr">LUANG PRABANG</p><p dir="ltr">KUANG SI WATERFALLS. Wow, wow, wow. Up there with one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. </p><p dir="ltr">BIG BROTHER MOUSE. This made my time in Luang Prabang. I went a good few times and I would of gone every day if I'd of known about it sooner. You go to speak with young people ranging from 15 - 20 years old to help them practise their English. They are all so polite and so willing to learn. I've never worked with such keen young people before.</p><p dir="ltr">NIGHT MARKET. One of the best I've been to so far. Everybody is open to a good haggle too. </p><p dir="ltr">UTOPIA. Go to hang out, eat, drink and meet other backpackers. They also do yoga classes on the rooftop deck in the morning.</p><p dir="ltr">Drop a comment below if you have any questions!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03917115625017912283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3931078165686939644.post-88579810875552795562016-06-22T07:48:00.000-07:002016-08-04T22:32:45.221-07:00Island Life<div>
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White sands, crystal clear waters and lush green mountainous surroundings; Thailand's islands are postcard picture paradise. Like most people, Thailand was brought to my attention years ago after watching <i>The Beach</i>. I was seduced, not by Leo DiCaprio but by the idea of ultimate escapism on an idyllic, untouched island. Years later and the journey to Thailand's islands is a path well trodden, dismissed by some who say that tourism has ruined Thailand. Despite this I still longed to go. It was a thirst I knew I could not quench until I had drank in the experience for myself.<br />
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PARADISE<br />
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We headed straight to Koh Tao and it did not disappoint. Many travelers flock to Koh Tao to do their diving PADI, as the tiny island is the second cheapest place in the world to receive this qualification. The streets are lined with various diving resorts and centers along with restaurants, cafes, bars and shops. Everything is accessible. I chose not to do my PADI as I wanted a good amount of time to explore the island, so we rented a scooter out, got a map and set off.<br />
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I thought the roads were difficult to navigate in <a href="http://gimmehomehealths.blogspot.com/2016/06/pai.html" target="_blank">Pai</a> but they were nothing compared to Koh Tao. They were absolutely treacherous. We headed south of the island first to Shark Bay to go snorkeling, and despite a few steep declines and winding narrow roads this wasn't too bad. We made it to Shark Bay in one piece and I stepped foot on the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in my life. It was a "pinch me" moment. I also got to experience snorkeling for the first time, which I fell in love with immediately and was thoroughly enjoying until somebody warned us that there was a shark swimming nearby (we were on Shark Bay after all.) I decided it was time to get out then.<br />
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Afterwards we headed north to go to the viewpoint at Mango bay and this is where things got tough. Steep inclines, sharp bends and rocky dirt paths are not a good combination for scooters. Some confident drivers were speeding ahead with a self-assurance that showed they were used to these roads. We had to abandon the scooter and walk, and were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the island (and a little companion to enjoy the view with!)</div>
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PURE ABANDONMENT<br />
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After Koh Tao came Koh Phangan. Koh Phangan gained popularity for it's famous Full Moon party, which started out in the early eighties as a hippy gathering to celebrate the full moon. Sounds beautiful doesn't it? What was once a small intimate setting is now a huge tourist attraction. Haad Rin beach pulsates with a sweaty throng of travelers and chart music saturated with processed beats. Did I go? Yes. Did I have fun? Honestly, yes. A group of us from the hostel headed down, and at first I wanted to leave. Maybe at 18 I would have been more excited by the music and the atmosphere but I was dubious now. However I was determined the give it a chance so I succumbed and bought a bucket (gin and tonic), had a dance, and together we headed along the length of the beach to see what else was on offer.</div>
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At the end of the beach, a bar set above the rocks and the ocean offers a different experience of the Full Moon party. We danced until the dawn, then sat and watched the sunrise. Watching from above made me feel a bit like Wendy when Neverland comes in to sight. It is a distant land of pure hedonism. It is dreamlike, yet you feel so involved with this energetic moment. I've never felt so attached to a moment of pure pleasure and freedom before. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XgRh8rL8UOHufvq1IIlrR3p_38w9kZge0J3o1jQWtmTvHm5JRxw90ZFHVCusU0ORzeX9BYk3JpElDjf8TupipZnf2wWWgyobfCW59SAOODDPiFiSc5ITKb7pXyCPFK8T7nZZotOdcbA/s1600/IMG_20160620_125842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XgRh8rL8UOHufvq1IIlrR3p_38w9kZge0J3o1jQWtmTvHm5JRxw90ZFHVCusU0ORzeX9BYk3JpElDjf8TupipZnf2wWWgyobfCW59SAOODDPiFiSc5ITKb7pXyCPFK8T7nZZotOdcbA/s640/IMG_20160620_125842.jpg" /></a></div>
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THE REST, EATS, SLEEPS AND PARTIES<br />
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Blue Water Restaurant, Koh Tao<br />
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I loved this place! You can sit out on the beach at night to eat, the food was really fresh and amazing and not too pricey, and they had live acoustic music <3<br />
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Shambala Yoga, Koh Tao<br />
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As well as exploring the island I also took the chance to do a lot of yoga. Shambala was around the corner from my hostel and only 300 Thai Baht for a 2 hour class. I hadn't done yoga for a while but found the classes really well guided with alternative poses given for the less advanced members. We also did meditation, which I LOVE, at the start and end of each class.<br />
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Lazy House Shenanigans Hostel, Koh Phangan<br />
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If you want to go to the Full Moon party, make sure you get a place on/very close to Haad Rin beach. It's the heart of the action. We were in a hostel about 20 minutes away from Haad Rin for the first night and felt out of it, so we moved to Lazy House which was a 5 minute walk from the beach. I'm so glad we did. In low season getting accommodation was easy but in high season you have to be really prepared.<br />
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Dancing Elephant Hostel Street Party, Koh Phangan<br />
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I had so much fun here! Dancing Elephant hostel advertises itself as the biggest party hostel in Koh Phangan. They hosted an amazing street party on the Friday night, we stayed until around 1 AM and it was still going strong when we left.<br />
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Jungle Party, Koh Phangan<br />
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Some people say that this is better than the Full Moon party. It depends what your looking for. The Jungle party was impressive and had a lot to offer with great DJs, Muay Thai fighting rings and fire performers, but it costs 600 Thai Baht for a ticket and that doesn't include taxi fare there and back. You also have to buy drink coupons, which I think is a hassle. I also lost 1,000 baht there (not that I'm letting that cloud my judgement. At all. Well maybe a bit.) </div>
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Visiting the islands have only made me fall in love with Thailand even more, but I feel that I haven't even scratched the surface of this vibrant country. My visa expires soon and I will be heading in to Laos, but I am making it my mission to return to visit Koh Phi Phi, Krabi and Phuket. Thailand, I miss you already!<br />
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Grace xo</div>
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