TravelStream™ news feed for member salkelely on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/salkelely en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:58:26 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1139957340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1139957340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1139957340/tpod.html Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:58:26 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Brighton, England, United Kingdom

what can i say, a home away from home, a village with lanes and alles and a new adventure and friends to meet around every corner, no wonder i stayed here so dammed long
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1182677280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1182677280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1182677280/tpod.html Mon, 02 Jul 2007 05:35:40 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Dublin, Ireland

guinness cider whiskey castles lakes beautiful scenery beer rain hostel old buildings family history peat moss temple bar irish stew soda bread great accents shamrocks pear cider delayed flights black and white pudding trip to galway bad hostel folk music fire twirlers
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1183368000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1183368000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1183368000/tpod.html Mon, 02 Jul 2007 05:28:39 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Amsterdam, Netherlands

well, i am in the dam that is the amster and having a grand ole time, first thing i smell when i get off the train is bloody weed!
first day found hostel then got offered a joint 2 secs later, great guns! day also took us to a coffee shop, although when we wanted a coffee we headed to the expresso bar, odd but true. got some canidian guy to wander the streets with us which took us to his fav coffeee shops which he had found then red light district, yes it is everything they say it is and salsey and so many guys there that i felt uncomfortable but we had just had a joint so it went slowly , with amazment and a bit surreal, maybe better with good friends.
after the hoares we went for more joints brought by the strenght and effects not just what they hand you down by the river for a 20, got the munchies, as you do so most local thing to do was to buy some hot hamburger from the vending machine, it is so set up for muchies, getting real lost having to get a taxi which took us way too long usual stoned lost tourist prices i am sure we payed ok attention span not lasting very long,
i will run down next day van gogh museo, great stuff eyes opening up to european culture and all that, then the heineken experience, not muesum but experience very interactive for a muesum,pretending to be a beer bottle and all, 3 beers included in the price a bonus meet up with 3 aussies went for pancakes then had dinner the national dish rec by ducth guy to have chicken satay went down well, never had so many toasties in my life thats for sure real quriky country, i'll explain later lots of orange pants and bicycles and no darron i have not got a picutre with my finger in a dyke for you, sorry mate!! today, just stilling in the park with joint, beer, wine, olives, sunshine, not too bad but somthing i could be doing at home but here its legal the police even walked on by
(sorry bout the unease of reading this entry, bit drunk when i wrote it!)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1171201500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1171201500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1171201500/tpod.html Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:44:35 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Brighton, United Kingdom

Hello to all, I am currently in Brighton about an hours south of london, after working in a country pub in kent for about three months it is definitely a change of pace back here in reality. I was pulling beers over christmas which was quite a full on few months thats for sure, what with my birthday, christmas, news years, australia day to celebrate!!!! i do not think i have drank so much alcohol in my life (maybe on hamo) there was not a lot to do in the little village so to the pub it was, so even when you were not working there you ended up there!! although it did give me a little taste of english life (even though i was surrounded by so so many aussies, we are everywhere) It even snowed a little which was very beautiful, the pub food and constant roasts reminding me off nanas cooking(thats a good thing john). I really miss the people there as its was such a good group of friends and people you are spending 24/7 with who are in the same situation as you. I always make things hard for myself by uping and leaving, this time it felt valid as otherwise my mind wound go numb the days started to get like groundhog day. somehow i also found a appreciation of indy music (is it because i had been listening to spanish music for the past 8 months?). brightons not too far away (if your not catching public transport)so i am sure i will catch up with them sooner or later. so to do my liver a favor (but not my pocket as it seems) i departed the village of hawkhurst to greener pastures of brighton where there always is something going on, bands playing everynight (east 17 played here the other night, donna and i saved our £5. also saw bouncing souls the other week) and bars open all the time. it is the biggest gay community in europe so many parties but unfortunately all the good looking guys are taken. . . . . could have been the wrong decision if i wanted to save money for travelling around europe in summer as it was a little difficult getting a job within a week and the cost of living here not the cheapest. a few other things set me back in finding a job as well, falling a bit ill with a cold, the pub calling me asking me to come back then suddenly changing their minds, living in a hostel, quite time of the year so not many jobs available. (hard to concerntrate as 'same jeans' is on the radio. . . . ) i really just feel like hibernating for a few months. the winter here has not been as bad as i thought, the buzz word around town is 'mild weather', melbourne is equally cold in winter if not more bitter but i think i may have come up trumps under the circumstances by landing a job at a nice fine dining restaurant called Havana without them even advertising, mains costs up to £25 or $60!!! its the kind of work in which i would prefer, more of a challenge and hopefully really good tips. my first real shift is tonight, i have to buy a white shirt and black tie. they are only offering part time work at the moment with full time in a couple of weeks when business picks up. glad i have a place to stay now, as belle had to hightail it back to oz as she forgot she had a flight. . .even though it was good hanging out with her and now i am going to have to make some more friends, cant really be bovered doing it all over again. and as usual i have no idea what my next step is, i know i will not be taking my flight home in march as there are still things i want to see and do over here, plus i do not want to miss another summer. rough plans are work/party till may, maybe find a resort job on the Mediterranean for summer then grape pick in france in august and sep. . . . thrown in there is a 4 day trip to amsterdam late march with sara from scotland who i met in peru, looking forward to that. so overall i just feel like hibernating but unfortunately have to earn some money in order to live and travel when the weather gets better. looking forward to the day i get back to australia although decided to try and enjoy my time here while i can even if it does get a little lonely moving around all the time but on the flip side its great to meet soooooo many well wicked and fun people
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1164037920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1164037920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1164037920/tpod.html Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:40:04 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Hawkhurst, United Kingdom

well now back to 'reality' and the working grind. not really sure at all how the hell i got here but it seems ok for the moment to save some pounds. my accomodation, three meals a day and some drinks on the side are costing me £50 a week at this old inn pub like place that i have found myself working at. there are about 5 others aussies working in the very small town of hawkhurst, so i dont feel out of place mentally just physically. fresh country air and views over the paddocks are bonuses.
as the town is small there is not much to do, maybe this will be good to save some pounds, or will it make me spend it on my days off getting out of there?
my plan at the moment is to stick it out for a bit and then move on to bigger and better things after christmas, but i am never one to stick to plans really.
i cannot believe how very proper and english everything really is, my house who i share with a chinese monk kicthen hand, hungrain house keeper, a chick from brissy and a couple from perth is down a little counrty lane lined by holly hedges and sits oppostie garden allotments where people grow their vegies and chrisanamums.
signs are very polite as well, they say things like 'thank you for driving carefully' i cannot think of others right now but it is amazingly polite wording of signs, oh heres one instead of slow down one sign read 'ease down' simple things like that which get me.
the manor houses around the area are grand with names like tall oak cottage and cobblers house, the fields are very green filled with plump lambs, and the people are so polite and i have encounter many cultural differences already. little things like beers with no head at all, as they feel ripped off if there is as much beer as you can get in the glass. ironically everyone drinks fosters and guys often have shandies, or a lager top as it is so manly called.
i was welcome into hawkhurst on my first night drinking at the pub by a hugh fight involving around 40 people mmmmm think i am in redneck england. . .
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1159354680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1159354680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1159354680/tpod.html Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:55:26 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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In the desert somewhere, Morocco

This place is just so amazing, worth the long long mini bus ride here. a few stop overs on the way, a kasbah were gladiator and lawerence of arabia was filmed, another berber carpet sellers house, many coffee stops, some nice mountain views and gorges. made it on day two at 5pm to the actual desert.
it is a indescribable place so here are only a few words about the magic Sahara desert, it almost felt like my own journey into the desert as we got out of the mini van and then onto the camel train, i ended up being on the first camel. the smiling berber camel man walking me along through the dunes, and literally into the sunset.
if i did not look around i could have been the only person there, the only noise that of the snapping of cameras and ohing and aring at the magnificent sunset.
i had no idea as to were we where going, i was guessing a camp in the dunes somewhere to sleep for the night, the element of not knowing what was going on only adding to the adventure. you see all the pictures of endless dunes and beautiful views but seeing the landscape change colour, all from the motion of the camels back and breathing in the mostly fresh and clean air, if it wasnt for the smelly camels which you certainly dont get from looking at a postcard. and the quiteness of it all a refreshing change from hustling and bustling market cities of morocco that is for sure!!
a quick stop as the sun went behind the dune for the camel drivers to eat as it is ramadan and they are only allowed to eat or drink after the sun goes down, the heat of day must be a killer.

-some words-
sizzling tarjine
sleeping under the stars
singalongs
sweet berber whiskey
star gazing
sweltering heat
sensational sunset and sunrise
sureal views
sand dunes as far as the eye can see and
snoring camels

i enjoyed sleeping out under the stars, such a simple thing but so amazing and the sky was so clear that millions of stars were able to be seen. although missing the southern cross
all in all i am very glad we made it to the desert that is for sure!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1158836220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1158836220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1158836220/tpod.html Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:49:31 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Marrakech, Morocco

Everyday the streets are alive, hungry cats, insistant shop keepers, one thousand welcomes from everyone, the constant call of fish and chips(who knows why), the shouts of "come to my shop, prices almost free!" and "you want moroccan husband, five thousand camels!" everyone selling everything from ancient tea pots, musical instruments, dried fruits glore, wooden snakes to kaftans.
the henna ladys coxing, "hey lady, you want henna" orange juice sellers with big grins saying "pay me what you want", snake charmers wanting to rap pythons around unexpected tourists, men posing as dentists sell random teeth that sit next to a pair of pilars that look like they have never been used, i think it is more of a photo opportunity ploy, i hope so anyway. horse draw carriages trotting past, as well as scoters and donkeys pulling carts with full loads. we are pulled aside into a berber spice shop by a boy of ten years old who trys to sell us over priced musk and beautifing face care products, a very good saleman already, these moroccans have the gift of the gab that is for sure.
all the buzz of the market place making us in need of a rest and some "berber whiskey" really sweet mint tea to perk us up again from a nearby cafe. it gets pretty hot out there easily 35 degrees, nice to sit down for a bit.
enough market for one day as we head back to our smelly dorm to rest.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1157280540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1157280540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1157280540/tpod.html Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:47:32 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Las Negras, Spain

So we made it down to a little exclusive beach that we were looking for, thanks to a few handy hints from a guy who worked at the funky backpackers where we were staying in Granada. After a few very warm bus rides later and a few lucky connections we made it to down to Las Negras on the mediterainen coast at about 8pm.
we were planning to stay on the beach overnight, the weather is warm enough to do this but as we had no where to put our huge packs (yes they are huge, mine weighs at least half my weight i am sure of it, well including my little pack with all the loney planet guide books) and the fact it was full moon and the possiblity of a king tide we decided against it.
So we looked around for a cheap accomodation option, quite hard in a little resort town. the camping ground had no bunglelows left, the only hostel was full, the hotel was very expensive,we thought we had excused all resources and the universe not with us today, we ended up asking at the supermarket just in the nick of time about renting an apartment(all this in broken spanish, very funny hearing sal ask in spainsh if we could rent tents).
The man had one availible for quite a reasonable price, us three girls a little dubious about what we where getting ourselves in for when the man was taking us to the apartment as the town seemed quite 'ŕizty', we thought maybe just some little room or something but to our surprise he lead us to a whitewashed block of apartments, complete with kitchen, bathroom and our very own roof top terracce!!!!!!! we danced around for about ten minutes celebrating our success and the universe being on our side.
great to have our own place for a bit, no sharing dorms with snoring people, boy smells, top bunks with no ladders up to them, a que for the shower, that person rustling the plastic bags when you are trying to slept, changing beds every single night, locking my pack everytime i leave the room and so on, the list is endless.
the beach near the town was full of pebbles with black sand, we are just so very lucky in australia to have the beaches we do and not many people on them.
Took the walk to the nearby beach, playa de san pedro which we heard was the best in spain. as we walked around the corner of the mountain in the heat of the day our eyes came upon a most pleasant view, a little cove, with water azul blue, people snorkelling, and to top it off castle ruins looking down over the beach (with white sand). as we came closer to the beach looking for a spot we noticed something a little odd, the fact that no one was wearing any clothes. . .
as it was hot we dived for the water bearing our white white arses, and gave into the spainish way and got our kit off. nice and free, although Belle ended up looking like a tomato at the end of the day as she thought she had meditreanen skin!!! a very beautiful beach with the most clearist of waters, one of the best i have been to.
the rest of our time in las negras was visiting the beach hut that served very strong mixed drings, they free pour here, no need for a measure, watching the full moon rise over the water, numerous beers had up on the roof, cooking cheaply and learning how to juggle!!!! sad to leave, should have dumped my pack and stayed at san pedro for a week(there is even a natural spring there for water to drink)
but i guess that is the nature of travelling
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1157221860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1157221860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1157221860/tpod.html Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:45:03 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Granada, Spain

After a wash of our clothes from the tomato festival (i even had to throw out my top)and a 8 hour bus ride away we find ourselves in Granada and singing that beach boys song ´come on pretty mama´ just cos it rhymes a lot.
Into the streets full of tapas bars where you find yourselves just a little peckish and you go for a beer because you get a largish portion of food for free with the cheapish beer!!
the paella here is great, i can not wait to try other local dishes, might go on a foodys tour of spain
staying at a backpackers called the funky hostel, the only real thing funky about it is the smell of all the boys in the dorm. . . . . . this place like another little Australia, we are everywhere.
A group of about 5 aussie guys invaded the hostel and we all took advantage of the 2 euro cocktail night trying as many as we could from the list, then we went out for more drinks which involved a dodge flamenco bar and dancing on the bar (not us dont worry nana!)and lots of rawkous aussie behavior that we somehow in a weird way actually missed.
got moved into a little apartment which is part of the hostel for a few nights which is great, a roof top terrace, kitchen, couches the lot.
i am going to say it again and will probably say it about even place i visit from here on in but i could live here, just got to find that job. would also be a great place to study Spanish and get my tounge around the lisp of ´´proper´ Spanish
I cannot go with out the mention of the Alahambra here in Granada, it is a huge Islamic building which is very very impressive, grand gardens and manicured grounds surround a palace made with craftsmanship beyond imagination and with so much detail. it is the reason why most people come here and we just have nothing similar to this in oz.
walking the streets is very pleasant, if you go in the morning before the 40 degree heat that is, marble footpaths, grandeur churches, beautiful people everywhere even some cool graffiti to spice it up, you just have to steer away from the gypsies who try to read your palms.
ok better go time for my mid afternoon siesta!!! followed by some tapas and sangria of course
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1158078900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1158078900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/salkelely/round_the_world/1158078900/tpod.html Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:42:56 -0400 Gday, well here goes, the once in a lifetime adventure starts now

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Chefchauan, Morocco

well we will fill in this entry soon, its been a bit of a wild ride so far. . . .the entry for this one is in the making and its going to be a hummer, also photos are due to be updated soon as well
belle has the hand written copy for this entry that we wrote together, so intill i get a copy of that somehow here goes!!

after a hot and sweaty bus ride to the boarder with our huge packs in tow( trying to look inconspicuios to no avail)
we then crossed the boarder by foot, past all the people trying to get through customs not noticed by throwing there goods over the fences then running, people were ever carrying whole fridges and washing machnies, are they cheaper in the spainish part or something? whos knows, i even saw guys pretending to be invailds in wheelchairs to conceal goods under blankets on the wheelchairs. . .
then it started to rain, then we had to exchange currency in order to get on a bus. then we had to find the bus, we just followed the crazy guy, pretending to ride his motorbike with sound effects and all to the bus stop. somehow sal had to sit next to him, speaking to her and himself in arabic.
get off at the stop in order to catch another bus to the place we want to go to, bucketing down raining, wait for it to ease, ask local shop keeper if he spoke spanish (the only way we are going to be able to communicate, how bad we have to resort to speaking spainish as french or arabic not our strong points) a young boy did, we ask him where the bus staion was, right next door!
wanting to go to chefchaoen, apparently next bus only 4 hours away, we wait sipping on our extremly strong mint teas trying to avoid the stares of the men around.
bus ticket guy chatting with us and trying to sale us hashish while practising his english on us. found out as we get on the bus that it stops just near the town we are wanting to go to, not direct, oh well what can we do now.
we get on, a seat confusion happens as usual people behind me offering some comforting peanuts and big smiles which somehow makes everything ok for the time being.
find out the 300km bus ride is going to take 12 hours, thanks to the riff mountain range. peanut people very giving, maybe too giving, sweets, their dinner, more sweets. not being able to say one word to them a little frustrating to say the least, we find out they are a brother and sister team from casablanca, they want to take photos with us ect ect.
they both start throwing up as we get into the thick of the curvy mountain range, too many sweets maybe?
we get to our "destination" at 3am in the morning 10kms away from where we wanted to be, the bus man telling us in spainsh taxis start at 5am, just wait here at the petrol station in the meanwhile, they are open 24 hours it will be fine. welcome to morocco, where nothing goes to plan!!!
the brother and sister spewing team decide to hope off and keep us company, we try to tell them not too as it is there last day of their holiday which could be spent a lot better ways then at a petrol station but our lack of french and arabic heeds this.
we wait around drinking mint tea
the wait for a taxi is over as big brother has got us a ride from a truck, we pile in the back which is full of mint!!! and caterpillers, i am never ever going to be able to drink mint tea without thinking about this "taxi" ride
before the smell of mint reminded me of the mint that overgrew our whole backyard and garden in warrandyte and the day that dad had to mow it down but now. . .
anyway arrived in town at 6am big brother eventually finding us a hotel way out of our price range, we were in a helpless situation, the kindness of these strangers way too over whelming and nothing we could do, they offered us to be henna, dinners, hashish, everything we could not refuse, they just brought it all too us.
a weird encounter that left our pockets empty but in a nice way somehow.
enjoyed the town but had to get out, these moroccan people just way too full on, not too even start to mention the boys we got ourselves involved with!!!
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