TravelStream™ news feed for member amydavid on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/amydavid en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:28:13 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/3/1245166042/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/3/1245166042/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/3/1245166042/tpod.html Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:28:13 -0400 Arabia and Beyond

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Abu Dhabi, Abū Z̧aby, United Arab Emirates


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Dubai, Utah, United Arab Emirates

more to come
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Abu Dhabi, Utah, United Arab Emirates

to come
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Luxor, Nile River Valley, Egypt

Nile Cruise,
Luxor
Aswan
Felluca ride
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Alexandria, Egypt

just photos
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Cairo, Egypt

to come
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Madrid, Madrid, Spain and Canary Islands

to come
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Caracas, Central Venezuela, Venezuela

NDLL KIDS BLOG

Hi everyone,

We have posted some photos of the kids at Ninos de la luz for you. We had so much fun spending time with each of them and as you can tell from these photos they were a mischevious little bunch.

Each of the children on the ranch have a unique but equally compelling story. All of them have suffered whether it be from physical, sexual or emotional abuse but slowly through God and NDLL they are healing.

Three of the children you see in the photos were the three little boys living in David´s house. They were definitely characters in their own right and had different ways of communticating with eachother and us. David also lived with 3 older boys who resorted to calling David ¨Gringo¨which is a term used in Latin America for anyone who is white and foreign. Although the word is an insult in Mexico the boys assured us that it was used with the upmost affection in David´s case. They didn´t have any such name for me and I think this may have been because I regularly made them cakes and other sweet treats.

We had lots of great experiences with them all, but some highlights include

Taking them to the beach and seeing them running around carefree Watching them act tough in front of everyone and then coming to get hugged when none of their friends were watching Being amazed at how patient they were with us trying to speak Spanish, and Seeing them all try and beat eachother at everything from eating the quickest to scoring goals on the football field
It´s hard to really describe how good the 4 weeks with them was but Dave and I will always remember this time.

So did it change our lives as Dave predicted. Si!

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/1/1217097600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/1/1217097600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/1/1217097600/tpod.html Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:09:18 -0400 Two People on a Travel Adventure of a Lifetime.

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Los Roques, Vermont, Venezuela

Hi everyone. As the larger than life title reads David and I are now engaged. We are both happy and excited and thank everyone for their well wishes.

It all unfolded on our trip to an amazing group of islands called Los Roques. This little known group of islands are simply breathtaking and are situated about 170 km north of Venezuela in the Carribean. The sand is white, the water is the most amazing coloured green either of us had ever seen and best of all there is hardly anyone there.

We flew in on a small plane at about 6am after catching a 5.30am flight from Caracas. The night before we left we met the 2nd in command military officer for the islands who gaves us a letter to give to his men authorising us to use his kitchen and bathroom and camp out the front of his quarters. This turned out to be a great blessing because just before we got there we found out we could use fire on the islands to cook our food. So we gave the letter to the military men and set up camp before enjoying some breakfast on the beach.

We spent one day there and got to travel in the military´s private boat to the surrounding islands for a look and a couple of swims. That night they gave us two coral trouts for dinner and we were about as happy as we could be.

The next day we hired a boat to drop us off at a deserted island called Fransiqui. We were delighted to find we were the only ones there apart from a friendly island dog from a fishing village who adopted us for the duration of our stay.

On the second day we were there, we got up early and went for a swim. After walking back along the beach Dave asked me to sit down on a seat he had made out of flat white coral. It was here he proposed to me in the most romantic setting a girl could want. I don´t mind telling everyone I have myself a catch!

We spent the next two days on the Island before heading back to the main island for a celebratory cocktail (which turned out to be a pepsi and a beer) and our flight home.

Los Roques is amazing and I don´t think two happier people have ever left there.

Amy.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/1/1213482420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/1/1213482420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amydavid/1/1213482420/tpod.html Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:03:58 -0400 Two People on a Travel Adventure of a Lifetime.

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Caracas, Venezuela

Together again atlast.

4days in caracas was enough headed to Colonia Tovar. A small german settlement supposedly about 2 hrs out of Caracas.
Nice place.
Back in Caracas having just had a meeting with NDLL (Volunteering organisation refer link below). PLanning to start work there on Thursday......

Started and here are our intial thoughts.

Hello from Aunt Amy and Uncle David or in Spanish Tio David and Tia Amy.
We have taken up positions in the Ninos De La Luz La Finca or Ranch in the Mountain Top Cloud forest setting of Venezuela. Yes we made it and have commited to a period of 1 month here. We seemed to have perfectly fit and in the words of the Ranch Co-ordinator (Sarde) we are like an answer to their prayers.

I should explain how the place is setup as your understanding of a ranch is most likely different to what it is here. There is one communal area consisting of 2 stories, refectory, office and three small residences for Uncles, Cooks, Grandad and Grandma and Amy. Basically a room for each. Except that the open air refectory is much bigger having to feed on selected meals approximately 30People being mostly children.
There are three seperate houses fully equipped capable of housing at least 20 people each at a squeeze. However not all are fully stacked with people.

I´`m in one of these houses which has 5 boys and me. The boys range in age from 10 to 20 and have been here for periods ranking from 1 year to 4. We eat in the house often with Amy cooking breakfast lunch and dinner when she is not cooking for the entire place on selected communal meals in the refectory. The house is loud and unhygenic but is practically functional and well constructed. Thankfully I get my own bathroom and room. There is one other person Sawtella who is like a mother figure to the boys whom helps amy with the cooking and tells the boys off often. There is a massive pool, many chickens, a concrete football field, communal laundry which is broken so hand washing only, many fruit trees such as bananas, enough mangos to feed a few armies (they´re good to) they eat the skin and everything here straight of the ground, limes, oranges, avocados, cucumbers, corn, cheeries, peppers......, 5 dogs. There are no cows or anything like that so not a ranch......
There is Jose and Matir Whom are parents in one house to 7 boys.
There is Carlos and Avida whom are grandparents to all.
There is Omar and Josephina whom are looking to leave and have there own house and look alter Luis one child.
There is Sawtella whom I mentioned earlier.
There is Sardy whom is the coordinator.
There is Marisol who is a temporary cook.
Thats it besides the other admistration workers in Caracas who visit occasionally.

So 13 boys all up I think. Mostly around 10years old.


The place is about 2 hours drive out of Caracas however it is actually not that far out. It just takes awhile as you are dirving through mountains on bad roads with other crazy drivers. The ranch is not deep in Jungle but is situated in it. It afronts a bitumen road and has a very small and basic type community service centre close by about 5 km up the road, again on the mountain ridge. The surrounding area is very poor. The electricity has gone out just about every night we have been here. Houses and comercial type buildings are not well constructed at all and everything is basic. However dont get me wrong the ranch is good and has obviously had some long standing members who have poured there heart and soul into it.

We are surrounded by dense jungle and tons of creepy crawlies. The view from my house is of another mountain top with houses littering the side and top of it. Through the banana trees and makeshift clotheseline strung between trees and past the 100year old trees I can see this peak and love to watch the sun set and the lights pop up at varying intensities and colour from within trees. The houses in this view are mainly orange and make for an interesting and striking contrast against the deep green of the jungle. It is the now the picture in my head I have when thinking of Venezuela. Often there is cloud below the ranch and these houses making for an isolated mystical type setting.

I have been asked to design and prepare a budget for a new concrete road leading into the property, along with other driveways and a common intersection area. Quite a task given the topography of the area. All up it is probably about 3500m2 of concrete. Someone must have seen my qualifications because I have now been asked to review there plans for another house which they intend on building on the ranch and visit there rehabiliation house in Caracas and prepare a maintenace schedule and building report as the buildings have many supposed problems.

We both feel as though we are meant to be here and have fit in well. From Monday to Thursdays there is a christian worship hour at night which is pretty fun. To see some of the little ones pretending to play instruments is nice. Tomorrow I have arranged to walk the ranch with Carlos the Grandad who tends to all the fruit trees and the like. Im hoping to gain a better understanding of the many trees here and the available food to cook with. That is to maybe supplement the arepas. However I just had dinner and I think it was the best arepas Ive had. Maybe Ill score some fresh coffee beans from one of the many coffee plants so that I can cook them up. Coffee is pretty darn good here. Those of you who like coffee would like what is dished up here. Its rustic in its preparation but strong, thick and smooth in taste. Me Gusta!!!

Amy is working her bum of in the kitchen. We both cringe at the level of hygiene both in the houses and kitchen. It is not helped by the 3 chicken houses around the place and that the boys collect eggs on a daily basis. Anyways the main dose of food everyday is arepas. A damper type patty made from white dough and water. It sounds bland and it is a little. But who needs food. We generally have arepas for breakfast a chicken and rice type dish for lunch and arepas for dinner. Amy is now the king arepa maker and has made friends with all the ladies on the ranch.

The boys are naughty but nice. It must be so comforting for them to have such a safe haven to grow up in. They have come from varying backgrounds, some unimaginable and very sad. However whatever their upbringing was prior to the ranch, it is no longer, and they have a new and ready family at the ranch. Amy and I reckon that these boys although they fight everyday, half serious, will be friends for life. Amy and I are left with the boys often and are expect to direct them. This proves difficult when the boys dont want to do what we are trying to tell them. They use the language as a barrier or at least it seems that way. Just mention the name ´Sawtella´ and it will get done.

Amy and I sit down for meals with five screaming boys on a daily basis and practice our patience and I try not to laugh as it only encourages them. It has rained cats and dogs for the last 4 days mainly through the night and clears a little in the arvo making it muggy. But I think we both prefer this weather, the hot that is, having both grown up in similar climates. Our spanish is still improving.

It is truly a life changing experience here. Living in the mountain jungles of venezuela in a haven tucked away from the not so safe rest of Venezuela. The world seems small to me being here with the rat race life seeming further and further away. I cant seem to get away from this constant longing of mine to be on a beach. Sunday I will be there next with an excursión with the boys planned. Yes!! Somehow this experience will affect our lives and shape what we become. I can see it. We enjoy being here it has made us slow down. I look forward to our next step from here. Maybe we will Island hop through the Carribean to the Dominican Republic where NDLL has another ranch of a similar fashion. Maybe we will head to Dubai and look for that job. Maybe we will take a amazon cruise to Paraguy and work as a cowboy and girl for awhile. Maybe we will come home to Australia. Dont know. We are not thinking about it to much at this stage. Just enjoying whats infront of us. My inclination is to head to Dubai if this fails come home through Asia. Either way before leaving Venezuela first we must check out Mount Roraima (6 day hike), Sucre (Coastal State) in Venezula, Angel Falls (highest Falls in the World) and either Los Rogues or Island Margaria. And that will be Latin America and the best it has to offer of the must do list for David. Then maybe the infamous spice route all the way home or the olympics in China. Help! Somebody come get me and shake some sense into me. The Latin American way of life has got to me. Life is not meant to have soo many good options.

Amy and I are seperated mostly during the day with our different faces of work and rejoice in meeting for meals and a short break or two.

Petrol is very cheap in Venezuela. It costs about $1.50 to fill with petrol a 50litre tank here. So everyone is driving these busted V8´s around. $1.50!!!!

Hi all, Amy here. David has given a pretty acurate description of what it is like here. It has been an interesting experience so far and I have really enjoyed it. By the way, I have acquired skills for cooking for 30 people so if anyone needs a chef for a small wedding or other ocasión just let me know.

As Dave has said already we are often left in charge of 5 boys of varying ages. There a couple of older boys in the house so that´s easy but there are two little fellows that are a handful. They are mostly good and obedient but they do take a while to do what they are told and this is usually occumpanied by plenty of whining. In summary this is what I have learnt so far about young boys:

They will eat anything and everything. Affection is shown to eachother through varying degrees of physical expresión including but not limited to punching, pushing, tackling and hitting with soaking wet towels or other objects they can get a hold of. There are key words they understand such as Sawtella, lunch is ready and get out of here. There is no such thing as privacy. For example I am sitting in a private locked office eating a lollypop and have just had three children knock and request a lollypop. News spreads fast here and I suspect before I know it the rest of them will come; and They are loud, very very loud.


Our Spanish is improving with a noticeable difference from when we first arrived. We are picking up phrases and understanding more of what people are saying to us. I have had quite a few misunderstandings with people here but we are all keeping a sense of humour and being gracious so we are getting by.

There are more flies here than I ever thought I would see in one place. I really detest them and have tried to make an artform out of killing them. They don´t have fly screens here and instead pour gasoline over benches, tables and the floor. This concerns me quite a bit as there are gas stoves close by but none of us have been blown up yet so that´s a positive.

I suppose you can tell when the pace of life has slowed down so much you are reduced to talking about flies. We are working hard but there is an unhurried pace and a feeling that things will get done in time. I found this hard at first because I am so used to working in a fast paced, frenzied environment but I´m starting to enjoy it now. That said I´m looking forward to visiting Caracas for a bit of hustle and bustle.

Next Friday David and I are joing a group of street outreach workers who go out at night and meet and try to help street children living in the streets of Caracas. Some of the children here were met that way and we are both looking forward to bring hope to some children. I understand that it will also be sad to see the children but we have to start somewhere.




Anyways have to go. Love David and Amy.



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