I'm sıttıng ın an ınternet cafe ın a lıttle town on the Gallıpolı penınsula just south of Istanbul. It's hard to concentrate as it's full of school boys playing Doom or something and I have large speaker on the floor next to me which is blaring out some awful megadeth trash so thıs won't be one of my better posts but I wanted to update you all nonetheless.
Istanbul ıs an ınterestıng cıty and we were ın the Sultan Hostel smack ın the mıddle of the backpacker dıstrıct whıch was really quıte nıce as we hadn't crossed any backpacker paths untıl now. So we felt at home trudgıng up the street wıth our backpacks, wındswept haır, guys unshaven and all of us wıth that tıred but happy glazed look of havıng fınally arrıved. We were meant to be stayıng ın a campsıte but ıt was closed so all 25 of us were booked ınto a dorm for 3 nıghts. Thıs ıs probably a good tıme to gıve you an ıdea of what my travellıng companıons are lıke.
We're a really mixed bunch wıth the average profıle above the age of 30 I guess. There's a family of 4 Amerıcans, Deb and Larry with their twin gırls, age 11, Belle and Brenda. I was surprısed to fınd chıldren on the trıp as I'd assumed the 'no age lımıt' polıcy meant upper age and not lower age. However, on the whole they're well brought up (adopted) and add an extra dımensıon to the group whıch ıs ınterestıng. Simon, beıng a teacher, has taken them under hıs wıng and has had a few school sessıons wıth them and of course they adore hım.
There are a couple of (young) retıred couples, Vınce and Jan, who are charmıng to watch as they clearly have a happy relatıonshıp - Jan beıng a bıt dıppy wıth Vınce eıther reassurıng her or gently chıdıng her always wıth a twınkle ın hıs eye and an affectıonate squeeze.
Then there's Fıona and Aıdy probably also around mıd-fıftıes. Aıdy has Parkınsons and has undergone pıoneerıng surgery to have electrodes ımplanted ın hıs braın to control the electrıcal pulses caused by the Parkınsons. They're also a lovely couple and are copıng admırably under challengıng condıtıons for whıch I have a lot of respect.
The other few retırees are sıngletons, 4 ladıes: Jackie - French, headstrong and ındependent (no surprıses that we've already clashed); Lorraıne - sweet but dım and drıvıng everyone nuts wıth her constant strıngs of questıons; Mary - ımagıne the perfect favourıte granny, about 4ft tall, cuddly wıth a mop of curly whıte haır and that's Mary. Then Lucında who speaks lıke the queen but loves roughıng ıt and has lıved ın Italy leadıng walkıng and cyclıng tours for about 8 years. She never stops talking, ıs as sharp as a tack and proudly tells of her days as an art student ın London ın the sıxtıes. Yes, she's seen and done a lot ın her tıme!
John is the only male sıngle retıree and he's from the Blue Mountaıns, Australia. He moans a lot but ıt otherwıse harmless (and, I suspect terrıfıed of Jackie!).
There are about 4 sıngle people ın theır twentıes and then two couples around thırty - Simon and I - yes, I confess we are now ın fact a couple - and Doug and Jo who are South Afrıcan but have been lıvıng ın London.
So I thınk that's about it. This afternoon we're packıng up (we camped lıterally 2 feet from the sea) and drıvıng for a few hours to a bush camp ın Gallıpolı for the dawn servıce whıch probably means a sleepless night under the stars, no tent, wıth thousands of Aussıes and Kıwıs gettıng drunk untıl dawn. I mıght gıve that a mıss and stay put wıth the tent here untıl the truck gets back tomorrow. Then we're doıng a bush camp near Troy. The next three nıghts wıll be ın a campsıte on the beach whıch I'm very much lookıng forward to. I don't know what tıme thıs ıs all happenıng but I thınk ıt's soon and no one knows where I am so I'd better head back now.
Yoga ıs goıng really well and yesterday (sorry Kathy, I know you'll hate me for thıs!) I touched my forehead wıth my knee standıng on one leg for the fırst tıme so I'm very chuffed wıth that. Wıll wrıte agaın as soon as I can although I've no ıdea when that wıll be. I'm also dyıng to get some photos up here so you can see what's goıng on so I'll do that as soon as ıs feasıble. Thanks for the emaıls, thınkıng of you all. Love Lx
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Dracula-land
Greetings from Transylvania! Today we are in a lovely little town called Brasov in Romania on our way to Bucharest for two nights. We've spent the last two nights 'bush' camping - the first of many. This involves Jacko (the driver) heading the truck off the main road a couple of hours before dusk while a sense of anticipation and guesswork of where we're going to stop to set up camp builds around us. Usually at this point the anatomy is more than ready for solid ground, a stationary toilet and the physical joy of simply standing up straight.
So what happens next is that we meander bumpily down a rural track through spectacular scenery (Romania is very hilly and forested) spotting stork nests and, if we're lucky, storks mating. By and by we come to a village populated (sparsely) by typical Eastern European peasants who either stare nonplussed at the lumbering great orange truck or ignore us completely engrossed in weeding or un-tacking the donkey from the days work. The younger inhabitants run off to tell their friends about the spectacle. The intention is to find a suitable field in which to camp but the reality is that Jacko manuevoures the 16 tonner expertly round tiny bends until eventually we come to the inevitable impassable pony trap bridge over the local river which stops us in our tracks. At this point Jacko and Jane (crew) alight from the cab and approach the nearest local standing in amusement shaking heads and gesticulating in fear of their main thoroughfare being demolished. What follows is usually an entertaining exchange of smiles, shrugs, head shakes and a brief conversation in two entirely different languages with neither understanding the other and no one really caring. Jacko, after a brief survey of the depth of the surrounding mud and reversing capacity, hops back in the cab and does a 14 point turn directed by Jane from outside the truck.
So, by the time we head back up through the village, all the inhabitants have gathered to witness the lumbering behemoth backtrack from whence it came. Some smiling and waving but most just staring blankly. Last night we headed back out on the main road for a further few hundred yards at which point Jacko's seventh sense of sniffing out fantastic little camping spots kicked in, the truck slowed, he turns off the main road and we find ourselves in an enchanting little forest glade with a vibrantly flowing river and a (most importantly) flat field. Yes, it's been raining so we're a bit dubious about the saturation of the field and suspiciously eye the muddy trenches left by the truck tracks but nothing is said and we all kick into action. I'm on truck duty for two nights so this involves digging a couple of holes (there's 4 people in our team), disposing of the truck toilet waste in one of them and erecting a toilet tent around the other for use overnight. We then sweep and mop the truck before attending to our tents and pitching camp. So although it's been pouring with rain all day, spirits are fairly high and we comment on how lucky we are that it's stopped raining in time for camp and how beautiful our little spot is. There's even a little waterfall, wild flowers and pretty birds. Heaven!
Hats off to the two 'wallahs' for miraculously producing a wood fire from damp logs big and hot enough to cook on further embellished by the production of a delicious and hearty meal from the cook team a couple of hours later. The food has been really good and generous with hot porridge, bread, muesli and fruit every morning setting us up for the day.
The next two nights will be in a campsite which is relative luxury and I'm looking forward to a hot shower. The itinerary for the next few weeks is roughly:
So what happens next is that we meander bumpily down a rural track through spectacular scenery (Romania is very hilly and forested) spotting stork nests and, if we're lucky, storks mating. By and by we come to a village populated (sparsely) by typical Eastern European peasants who either stare nonplussed at the lumbering great orange truck or ignore us completely engrossed in weeding or un-tacking the donkey from the days work. The younger inhabitants run off to tell their friends about the spectacle. The intention is to find a suitable field in which to camp but the reality is that Jacko manuevoures the 16 tonner expertly round tiny bends until eventually we come to the inevitable impassable pony trap bridge over the local river which stops us in our tracks. At this point Jacko and Jane (crew) alight from the cab and approach the nearest local standing in amusement shaking heads and gesticulating in fear of their main thoroughfare being demolished. What follows is usually an entertaining exchange of smiles, shrugs, head shakes and a brief conversation in two entirely different languages with neither understanding the other and no one really caring. Jacko, after a brief survey of the depth of the surrounding mud and reversing capacity, hops back in the cab and does a 14 point turn directed by Jane from outside the truck.
So, by the time we head back up through the village, all the inhabitants have gathered to witness the lumbering behemoth backtrack from whence it came. Some smiling and waving but most just staring blankly. Last night we headed back out on the main road for a further few hundred yards at which point Jacko's seventh sense of sniffing out fantastic little camping spots kicked in, the truck slowed, he turns off the main road and we find ourselves in an enchanting little forest glade with a vibrantly flowing river and a (most importantly) flat field. Yes, it's been raining so we're a bit dubious about the saturation of the field and suspiciously eye the muddy trenches left by the truck tracks but nothing is said and we all kick into action. I'm on truck duty for two nights so this involves digging a couple of holes (there's 4 people in our team), disposing of the truck toilet waste in one of them and erecting a toilet tent around the other for use overnight. We then sweep and mop the truck before attending to our tents and pitching camp. So although it's been pouring with rain all day, spirits are fairly high and we comment on how lucky we are that it's stopped raining in time for camp and how beautiful our little spot is. There's even a little waterfall, wild flowers and pretty birds. Heaven!
Hats off to the two 'wallahs' for miraculously producing a wood fire from damp logs big and hot enough to cook on further embellished by the production of a delicious and hearty meal from the cook team a couple of hours later. The food has been really good and generous with hot porridge, bread, muesli and fruit every morning setting us up for the day.
The next two nights will be in a campsite which is relative luxury and I'm looking forward to a hot shower. The itinerary for the next few weeks is roughly:
- 16th April - Romania
- 20th - 22nd April - Istanbul
- 23rd April - Bush camp, Turkey somewhere
- 24th - Gallipoli for ANZAC day
- 25th April to 11th May - Turkey. A combination of bush camps and campsites ending in Lake Van on 11th May
- Monday 12th May - Iran border.
Well, there's so much more to tell as its been a sensory, cultural, social and logistical overload from day one. Suffice it to say it's been challenging (particularly for me, the cold), rewarding (pulling off cooking for 25 people over camping gas), breathtaking (the Danube river), stimulating (yoga on the banks of the Danube in Prague) and heartwarming (Simon). I'm cold, smelly, happy, excited, tired, on the road and in love. Just what I wanted. Perfect!
Sunday, 13 April 2008
On the road. Yes, really!
Okay, here it is...a foreign keyboard and the owner of this lovely and scenic campsite telling me that 've hav to cloze before ten' and it's 22,05 already. Hey ho!
In a nutshell...We've been on the road for a week now, unbelievable! 4 Countries in the first 2 days...left London in -1 degrees C and spent the first night in -14 degrees C. Day three was in Vienna at 28 degrees centigrade. Lovely! And very romantic. Since then, Germany, Prague, Vienna (my favourite so far) and Hungary.
We've been travelling for 7 days and today we are in Budapest. Tomorrow we head for Romania and will be camping in bush camps for 4 nights or so.
It's almost impossible to transcribe what is really going on...if I tell you about the extreme temperatures and relentless schedule it'll sound like nothing but uncomfortable and undesirable. The reality however is enlightening, liberating and exhilarating. Like I said, it's almost impossible to transcribe. Perhaps when I'm not so pressed for time, I'll be able to communicate this better but for now, I'm happy, Alive and most importantly for me, Free. G'night. Love Lxx
In a nutshell...We've been on the road for a week now, unbelievable! 4 Countries in the first 2 days...left London in -1 degrees C and spent the first night in -14 degrees C. Day three was in Vienna at 28 degrees centigrade. Lovely! And very romantic. Since then, Germany, Prague, Vienna (my favourite so far) and Hungary.
We've been travelling for 7 days and today we are in Budapest. Tomorrow we head for Romania and will be camping in bush camps for 4 nights or so.
It's almost impossible to transcribe what is really going on...if I tell you about the extreme temperatures and relentless schedule it'll sound like nothing but uncomfortable and undesirable. The reality however is enlightening, liberating and exhilarating. Like I said, it's almost impossible to transcribe. Perhaps when I'm not so pressed for time, I'll be able to communicate this better but for now, I'm happy, Alive and most importantly for me, Free. G'night. Love Lxx
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Thank God for Freecycle
Twelve days to go until departure. I'm over the panicked stage of being totally overwhelmed by the unkown and daunting task of itemising and disseminating all of my belongings. I have no idea how this task would've been tackled in the days before the Internet but I'm very grateful that I'll never need to know. All I can say is thank God for Freecycle. And eBay. Lifesavers!
I've rehomed the bulk of my furniture and clothes and am left with both multiple stashes of small sundry items and the two most expensive things I own - my car and my sofas. The multiple stashes will, over the next week, be sorted according to some kind of category system, bagged and offered up on Freecycle under intriguingly vague posts like 'OFFERED: assorted ladies handbags, shoes and boots' of which I've no doubt will attract a number of interested parties. The responses so far have been overwhelming and I've been inundated with emails from people wanting not only the things I've offered online but every conceivable household item. Including the kitchen bin. Incredible!
The car and sofas are proving to be a bigger problem but there is only one way to tackle it as far as I can tell and that's with perseverence. So back onto eBay they go and fingers crossed.
As for the remaining travel preparations, the urgent things like Pakistani and Iranian visas have been obtained while everything else is at the bottom of the priority list. I've got most of the basics - travel vaccinations, malaria pills, backpack, Therma-rest, sleeping bag but still need to get a tent (very important). Naturally, the facilitator of universal provisions (the Internet) will once again be consulted and a suitable tent shall be delivered to my doorstep in due course. No worries!
Finally the administration of closing all my household accounts will be done and it always amazes me how complicated this ends up being. An unpleasant but necessary task that I'll just turn my attention to and zap in half a day next week. Swiftly and painlessly, I hope!
The good news is that I have enough points for an Australian Migrant Visa so I'm assembling all the evidence required for that and am almost ready to send off for my skills assessment by the Australian Computer Society to verify that I qualify before I can submit my Visa application. A headachey amount of paperwork but very nearly all done. I'll be very pleased to get that off in the post.
I've rehomed the bulk of my furniture and clothes and am left with both multiple stashes of small sundry items and the two most expensive things I own - my car and my sofas. The multiple stashes will, over the next week, be sorted according to some kind of category system, bagged and offered up on Freecycle under intriguingly vague posts like 'OFFERED: assorted ladies handbags, shoes and boots' of which I've no doubt will attract a number of interested parties. The responses so far have been overwhelming and I've been inundated with emails from people wanting not only the things I've offered online but every conceivable household item. Including the kitchen bin. Incredible!
The car and sofas are proving to be a bigger problem but there is only one way to tackle it as far as I can tell and that's with perseverence. So back onto eBay they go and fingers crossed.
As for the remaining travel preparations, the urgent things like Pakistani and Iranian visas have been obtained while everything else is at the bottom of the priority list. I've got most of the basics - travel vaccinations, malaria pills, backpack, Therma-rest, sleeping bag but still need to get a tent (very important). Naturally, the facilitator of universal provisions (the Internet) will once again be consulted and a suitable tent shall be delivered to my doorstep in due course. No worries!
Finally the administration of closing all my household accounts will be done and it always amazes me how complicated this ends up being. An unpleasant but necessary task that I'll just turn my attention to and zap in half a day next week. Swiftly and painlessly, I hope!
The good news is that I have enough points for an Australian Migrant Visa so I'm assembling all the evidence required for that and am almost ready to send off for my skills assessment by the Australian Computer Society to verify that I qualify before I can submit my Visa application. A headachey amount of paperwork but very nearly all done. I'll be very pleased to get that off in the post.
Thursday, 6 March 2008
One Month To Go
Wow! This is it. The long, long, looooong-awaited travelling is finally going to happen. The culmination of a plan hatched a year and a half ago back in October 2006. Realisation: 6 April 2008. The ball is well and truly rolling and there's no turning back. Hoorah!
Today is the end of my last full-time week at work. Over the next 4 weeks, I'll be working 2 or 3 days a week and the rest of the time I'll be working steadily towards selling / rehoming all my possessions, notifying service providers of my intention to leave the UK, making travel preparations, getting vaccinated, applying for visas, arranging shipping - of what?! To where?! Doesnt' sound like much but it's a helluva daunting prospect right now so I'm taking it one step at a time.
So, where am I going? From London. To Sydney. Overland. 7 Months. 32 Weeks. 21 Countries. 22 People...and breeeathe. Feelings right now are a mixture of excitement, anxiety, trepidation and sadness about leaving wonderful friends and a country that has become dear to me in the 14 years that I've lived here...I've just realised - almost to the day! I arrived on 4 April 1994 and I'm leaving on 6 April 2008!
The company I'm going with are called Exploratory Overland Expeditions (EOE) and they were the first, back in 2006, to run a London to Sydney overland trip. I've met Karen and Will, a lovely couple, who run the company and briefly met 14 of my travelling companions. I've also seen The Truck. A huge orange 6x6 converted overlander - I'll see if I can find a pic to post here. Accommodation for the trip will be mostly (about 60%) camping and some hostels or local hotels where camping is not possible. Driving days will be anywhere from 1 to 3 days solid and stationary days will be anywhere from brief overnight stays to 2 weeks. Real grassroots stuff. I'm taking a 60L backpack, a tent, sleeping bag, Thermarest, a couple of books and my yoga mat. That's it. Will let you know how the packing up goes!
Today is the end of my last full-time week at work. Over the next 4 weeks, I'll be working 2 or 3 days a week and the rest of the time I'll be working steadily towards selling / rehoming all my possessions, notifying service providers of my intention to leave the UK, making travel preparations, getting vaccinated, applying for visas, arranging shipping - of what?! To where?! Doesnt' sound like much but it's a helluva daunting prospect right now so I'm taking it one step at a time.
So, where am I going? From London. To Sydney. Overland. 7 Months. 32 Weeks. 21 Countries. 22 People...and breeeathe. Feelings right now are a mixture of excitement, anxiety, trepidation and sadness about leaving wonderful friends and a country that has become dear to me in the 14 years that I've lived here...I've just realised - almost to the day! I arrived on 4 April 1994 and I'm leaving on 6 April 2008!
The company I'm going with are called Exploratory Overland Expeditions (EOE) and they were the first, back in 2006, to run a London to Sydney overland trip. I've met Karen and Will, a lovely couple, who run the company and briefly met 14 of my travelling companions. I've also seen The Truck. A huge orange 6x6 converted overlander - I'll see if I can find a pic to post here. Accommodation for the trip will be mostly (about 60%) camping and some hostels or local hotels where camping is not possible. Driving days will be anywhere from 1 to 3 days solid and stationary days will be anywhere from brief overnight stays to 2 weeks. Real grassroots stuff. I'm taking a 60L backpack, a tent, sleeping bag, Thermarest, a couple of books and my yoga mat. That's it. Will let you know how the packing up goes!
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