You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September, 2007.
Im too tired to tell you how the full moon party was, it pretty much killed me early doors but was worth fighting the illness for!
anyway a few outstanding photos are posted on here
Ive not been able to upload the photos yet so you will have to use your imagination for now!
a day drive from nairobi to Arusha (Tanzania) then this
the next morning, a tour around a maasia village, and a visit to a snake and alligator park. sounds good? the afternoon we went a camp site called Kudu camp site (a kudu is similar to a deer in africa) that was our base camp for the night, a night to chill out in a nice bar with the rugby and 1 pound pints of kilimajaro beer. the next morning was an early one a 4am start but more than worth it, a short drive to the ngorongoro crater for sunrise. absolutely amazing, ive seen this place on TV so many times but being there was magic! for anyone that doesnt know the crater was an old volcano that blew its top 250 million years ago leaving what is now a uniqie ecosystem. no migration, no animal leaves and the contrasting scenerary in a relative short distance is amazing too, grass plains to forest areas. before the sun had chance to set we were driving away, towards the serengeti! the sun set here was amazing and we camped right out there amongst the animals! i have some photos if you dont believe it! we saw lions, leopards elephants, rhino, hippos, giraffes hyenas zebras, crocodiles and more gazelle impala than yuo could count, on top of that were and abundance of smaller birds and mammals that were so bright and chirpy! beats any sparrows and robins at home! the next day we were up at 4 for an early mornning game drive again to see the same animals and the sun rise….it was like something out of the lion king!
The long drive home that evening really took its toll and im still feeling it now but but for a brief break in a 14 hour drive we stopped at the base of Mt Kilimanjaro, again to watch the sun come up no fatigue or illness could spoil that view, the tallest free standing mountain in the world (that is since the crater blew its top all that time ago!!) 3 amizing views and such is our itinerary its not over yet!
we got to our camp site and it was beatiful, in Dar es Salaam, on the beach we still camped even tho the beach huts were a couple of quid each (actually 2 pound!) that night i wasnt up to the fun in the beach side bar, not many were – i was in bed at 7 ish and slept almost through until 6 the next morning.
a few hours trasvelling and here we are, in zanzibar. we had a swim in the clear warm indian ocean as the sun went down – even more amazingly we had warm showers 
i emptied the tank it felt so nice. we have 3 days here so i might be back on again but rest assured il be having some fun, snorkling tomorrow, a sunset cruise the day after (with a free bar) and a spice tour on the last day! i hope to get some rest on the beach too, after all our room is a stones throw away and for a tenner a night its not breaking the bank!
Did i mention how clear the skies are out here? its beautiful.
Don’t get me wrong with what i am about to say, I enjoyed every place we went to and Lamu was beautiful (if only we had time to stay there a while longer!) Ive just had a lot on my mind to go with it. If Ever I thought it was going to be easy travelling with the same people for 9 months it certainly isnt and for me the honeymoon period dropped rapidly. The girls are great I’m really glad they came along too but sometimes i feel trapped within myself, I find it difficult to let go and relax with so much at stake. It’s not easy trying to make the right first impressions with people you spend so much time with. I skipped dinner – twice (yes unbelievable I know) but i just chose personal space over food with no offence meant to the girls, this might read quite diplomatically as i know many people will be reading this, but genuinely i mean it the girls are great and Im sure they enjoyed a little time together. Tomorrow should be easier, we have already spoke to others who may be on our trip and its so much easier being able to talk to someone else for just 10 minutes – and 10 minutes is all i will manage otherwise sarky annoying me may appear! I think too much sometimes. Although its a lot easier writing about it – which when all said and done this is why i started this blog in the first place. Any way i think sulky boring me is left behind now- and perhaps i should be looking forward to the trip of a life time-2 years in the planning tomorrow a reality as we head towards the serengeti and tanzania, within a week of so we will be on zanzibar island!
So what else have i been upto instead of sulking? it was amazing to leave Nairobi train station in darkness, we were plunged straight back into an old colonial style journey, with what still felt like racial segregation, you got a taste of how it really was then – feeling slightly sickened by it all. thnkfully things are no longer the same and the segregation are the locals using alternative trains to get home. havign seen this i will never complain about british rail again. crowding people being sick on the tracks and the train looked so uncomfortable. If you miss your train too – hakuna matata (no worries) just run along side it and jump on – no word of a lie!
So once we got on we were treated to a nice enough meal, decent beds and a real shake up as the train chugged along. in the darkness we saw little but the light soon came as we ate breakfast and this is when we saw the villages. the simple life, the random man with a herd of goats living in straw and mud huts – truly amazing, the children running along with the train smiling shouting jambo made me smile so much – instead our children in the UK are vandalising the tracks!
Photos are here
Mombassa is like any other place, tough when people constantly want to sell yuo something, useful when you need a taxi, not so when you want peace and quiet, as i have said before i do like to close my eyes from, the world from time to time. Ramadam doesnt help, while i dont begrudge a muslim prayer time, the loud speakers over the streets certainly remind us this is no longer Wigan.
The train was 14 hours the next dat we took the bus to Lamu, 6 hours in the book – in reality 9 which did include the ferry across, not the most comfortable of journeys and as the ropads slowly deteriorate i thought i was going to shake myself to pieces. We did infact see sarah’s breakfast- albeit just water but perhaps this was the side effects of our malaria medication.
One day (or even night) was not sufficient in Lamu but this is all we had. This was the moment i felt trapped too all of a sudden it just hit me, i need to take stock and appreciate what is happening. the next few days were the long journey, 9am thurs day morning to travel until today (friday) lunch time with an hour to grad some food and drink.
Would I change it? nah i loved that journey really the places we saw were amazing and while i am trying to upload photos again the internet is slow so sorry there are not very many. I hope everyone is well at home, I will have a few stories to tell, i have so much written down-not all rational but stories they are so why would i ruin it all and tell you now?
I am now looking forward to the next 54 days!
The internet is soo slow! today we have a few hours spare before we head onto mombassa – 14 hours on the train, nice! Nairobi is quality, a very tough city to travel but soo much fun. after i post yesterday we went to see some traditional dancing ‘the bomas of kenya’ it was amazing, makes you feel a million miles away from home, and to get a taste of traditional Africa is why i am here, to explain the feelings i was border line eye watering i was so happy and my whole body was shivering, an amzing time!
Then there was carnivores restaurant although not part of a back packing budget it was something that had to be done. 15 pound for all yu can eat on loads of different meats! until you put your flag down they just keep bringing roasted meet from the biggest bbq ever. Beef, lamb, pork, turkey, ribs, chicken, sausages, chicken gizzards, ostrich and ostrich meat balls! unfortunately no crocs or camel that night!
i am trying to get photos, the internet is so slow.
phone calls home are not too easy too. quote the guide book ‘Nairobi has many phone booths, just not too many are working’ something i can vouch for!
On our way to Bomas yesterday we drove past the largest shanty town in East Africa. Now you learn about these places in school, you read about them and see them on television but there is nothing quite like seeing it. a mass of sprawling corrugated iron roofs, we didnt get too close but you can only imagine the poverty those people live in, only 5 minutes outside the city centre, right past kenya national stadium.
what else? wooden scaffold that looked as though the local tribe had ties it up with twine, the wood was tree branches!! the bus station and matatus, im not sure eve the drivers know what is going on a free for all indeed
yes, first photos at last!! click below
also Amy has an account with flickr (more photos) have a look on here too!
click here and dont forget if yu want a well written discription of our adventures try looking at Amy and Sarah’s blog the link to which can be found on the left!
I’m Here. Enough said? not nearly. this place is a world apart, absolutely amazing.
It started with laughs in heathrow airport. Sarah and here bacon which she said must have come from a small cow. Suddenly the tag on her blog seams very appropriate… sarahmtravels.wordpress.com – ‘because someone needs to saysomethign stupid to keep Jason & Amy entertained. that was the first giggle.
we seamed to be very travel savvy, suddenly flying through all checks no problem, finding the short queue to board and at the other end only 40 mins to sort a visa and collect baggage. Happy to say George was there on arrival to pick us up, without him im not sure what would happen.
The people are very friendly, very helpful volunteering with even asking, i was bordering on suspicion, what does these people want? obviously there are a million people trying to get you into there taxi. we stuck with george.
The drive down was like nothing else. the roads are crazy, no lanes and flashing amber lights at roundabouts – no priority way fro anyone – a free for all. Why is everything in english? everybody speaks it! strange really. Our hostel raised many suspicions and im still not sure the shanty town-esque surroundings instill no confidence at all. we arrived in the pitch black for a man to say
“you will be sleeping down here” we walked down the tightest of alleys with barbed wire and glass shards on top of each wall, some things not unfamiliar in Auschwitz. the man banged on a solid iron gate to gain access and there was nobody inside. it was unclear which rooms we would be sleeping in, neither offering 5* facilities. It’s awesome! I just giggled to myself thinkin what are we doing?! The iron gate shut behind us and im not sure whether the primitive security measures were to keep us in or others out. daylight was an eyeopener.
Next morning i was awaken by the business of people preparing for the day – at 630! the knife sharpening in the background was not encouraging! The people again were very friendly there was absolutely no need for caution. the family next door had come over from uganda to tour and preach the bible! fantastic! having worked all summer with Freddy, a Devout christian from Uganda this was the last thing I needed, someone to try and convert me again. Freddy and I had many a conversation about this in the end I suppose i couldnt put faith in something i couldnt prove! I still think you had something t o do with that Freddy – thank you!!
Why does everyone want to do everything for you? I mean a taxi to the train station please, the reply? would you like a car for the day? No! thank you! On we went our tickets booked to mombasse for tomorrow night a restaurant to eat as much meat as you like tonight – looking forward to this, Ostrich Camel and Crocodile!! WOW
So here i am, walking around Nairobi – deperate to get back but wanted to let everyone know I’m smiling, in fact never quite so much. I fo i could post photos through this super slow connection i would. I will in time.
This place is amazing and it the beginning, I’ve missed so much that i wanted to tell you but you will have to wait until i get back!
Hope everyone is doing good, please check out the licks to Amy and Sarahs blog on the left they will tell the story in a different way to me. We are stuck in the thick of it, sharing every moment. I’m so happy, this is what i have been waiting so long for!
[...a continuation from the post below]
From day one in london i knew it was going to be tough, things wernt too well in my personal life, i scrapped the barrel at my degree and my relationship was in pieces. This was quickly forgotten at the start of Camp Beaumont, what a wonderful bunch of staff many of whom i am still in contact with now. A group so supprtive and full of energy you would have a hard time not enjoying their company. Thank you so much. My flat mates, I owe a lot to these people, im not the easiest person to live with a times, working all hours, my introverted side in the evenings, my scrimping and saving on nights out – although i will never forget an invitation to nothing, the one cinema i did go to i wasnt bought a ticket and went home before it started – thanks SUZ!! 
but on a brighter note, thank you having me in the flat, i enjoyed it all especially the support in the early days. Then the course began, My training partner in Alan – top lad, good laugh and a bloody hard worker to boot, certainly kept me in shape as the winter months drew in. the BTs at westminster academy, we really did need to stick together in that place what a tought one, Mr Wasey my squash game will return soon enough, Phillipe, get some training done so you can keep up!! But on a serious note i hope the family are all well!
The xmas period, a tough one balancing work with family, thank god they are so understanding, only seeing me for 2 days before i was back in the thick of ASDA.
Then the fun really did begin to kick in, January and the worst of the relationship problems were behind me. Then came the Gapyear.com lot. A group of strangers discussing travel plans online. turned into a very very good night out in the generator hostel in euston. the best bunch of random starngers i have ever met, the best bit? is till keep in ontaact with many of them and willsee them all in Sydney at xmas! I cant wait. JKGTC what can i say? certainly not a bad word about anyone, some very good friends came from that school, and one closer than most which i am happy to stay stayed amicable once things broke down. Miren, Ali, Dahlia – we spent many a happy hour in the park! thats not neglecting anyone else in JK you were all fab! April and who would have guessed, another random bunch of strangers, a social rugby team – only to become champions 10 weeks later, how we enjoyed the £100 prize money, Jo, Jas, Ben, Elton, Eion, Denise, Nicole, Jane, Eddie, and the others that stood in on occasions, then there was the second seasons team, what a great laugh that was. shame we hardly won a game!!
It seams as though i could go on forever, i probably could, through those people i met many others all bringing fun and laughter to my life. It all came to a head when everyone came to my leaving party, I had so much fun that night, Tom, Pete, Liam, Nick you boys made that night, Awesome. (Eny you were a good laugh too!). and then there was my birthday in cornwall, thank you mr sheep again you made my night.
I could go on, and i know i have missed many, suffice to say you are not far from my mind, i really will miss my life in london and genuinely will look froward to my return. the strangest thing is one thing i may miss more than anything is the one thing at one point i was looking forward to gettign away from. My ex-girlfriend, who i am happy to say is once again a friend. It has been one thing tha ti have struggled to put in words this year, but i genuinely do not want to hold any grudges, and i do not like fallign out with anyone despite what happens. it took a lot for her to convince me to even talk to her, and im happy you did. thank you for that.
Everyone has shaped my life in one way or another this year. to say i am greatful is a gross understatement, i have learned so much. I will look forward to seeing everyone again in 12 months time.
Stay tuned for my latest posts, and have fun yourselves!!!
What’s the point? I dream of work. Ever slept next to a person and asked if they wanted cash-back, in you sleep? No? just me then. It’s horrible, you work 8 hours go to sleep and dream 8 hours (of work) then return to work for another shift, it’s none stop work on the brain even though no brains are required in ASDA!
Here’s another one – every dreamt of being naked whilst sat on a checkout? again, just me? horrible. The analyst will already tell me something about my dreams….
just a saddo that needs a new life
This takes the phrase ‘i could do this in my sleep’ to a whole new level. the fact that i could easily is emphasised by the fact that i do! I am quite the expert at typing on a numner pad now, i can do it without looking and for most of it without thinking, and the numbers i can remember? I have more codes in me than the enigma machine. 5050854294693 – mango 23050464 avocado 2300 3774 lettuce 730 coconut…..the list goes on and the numbers are not exactly simple…an expert? nope just a saddo that needs a new life! I’m at the point where everyone asks me for information at work, flattering? Nope, i need a new job!
Truth be told the short long time I have spent at ASDA have taught me a lot. Whilst deep in conversation with a Ugandan colleague whose family are in Uganda we found ourselves on the topic of the amount of work i had put in this summer to achieve my goal. whilst greed was mentioned i was quick to dismiss this notion as situational prejudice. Had i been earning to to pay tuition for a child, or health care or even just daily necessities then one would look upon it slightly different. what ever the outcome it was agreed it was a good quality to instill in dependants later in life, a valuable lesson for children and aadults alike the world over. this is certainly something i have learned from my parents and something i will look forward to passing on to my own children one day.
Again this is something i have read in Paul Sculthorpe’s book, as i completed it tonight. However many times he constructed Wigan’s demise he has a certain character about him which i find incredible, away from the game he has personal qualities that any good man would aspire to achieve-all of which he constantly brings back to his upbringing and his own children. A true Ambassidor of life, Rugby league are lucky to have such a star.
So about me and my new job, there will never be a dull moment in teaching that is for sure, but first? A gap year – starting tomorrow morning lasting upto 12 months, what yuo didnt know? god only knows how you missed the news!
The butterflies have arrived
I’ve not been excited for a long long time, perhaps a trip abroad when younger or a trip to Alton towers has come close, but this excited? I dont think so. Nerves play little part in my life too, i think im quite relaxed, but not today. These are unknown feelings inside me, although i know a stomach wrenching moment when i get one – the butterflies certainly have arrived now. My body is enveloped in excitement. the boys today will vouch for such a claim, there was and still is a child like aura surrounding me, I’m not the most mature at the most of times but today my inner child was bouncing of the walls.
24 hours until i leave and this should be my last post (my nerves tighten as i write that)
let me just pause to describe this feeling to you.
my stomach is on the outside of me beating with my heart
my smile is fixed rigid from ear to ear
my eyes water at the thought
my nose tingles, and i feel like im about to sneeze
my body goes into an invisible spasm
I cant breathe let alone talk
even my throught begins squeeze water from me
my knees wobbles
At that moment i know the wait was worth it.
Before i sign off in the UK, i just wanted to pay tribute to the people that have made this last year so happy or me. i have written before how its the people we meet that shape our lives, and i ceratinly believe this. I will miss each and everyone of those people but i always know they will be there to come back to…
for this i want to start a new post.
Ive been reading his book this week, and what a read it is! If you dont like rugby, or live in the region you probably wont like it but i find it very interesting. The man has a perfect life. Perfect Job, with a great wife and 2 kids and the wider family to boot.
I love how a sporting ethos rubs off into his life and principles too. My dad always put things into a rugby context for me, whether it was school or life issues he would relate, and still does, this all to rugby. What happens on the pitch, stays on the pitch. Him and his brother play against eachother and are always hitting each other hard. It’s part of the game but once that final whistle goes they are best friends again.
My final whistle is about to blow, its been a long hard fought mental victory for me but now i need to leave what happened on the pitch, right where it happened and move on! less than 48 hours and it seams the only thing in the UK i was set to enjoy gettign away from is now going to be the only thing I am going to miss.
A post everyday is not easy but this week i have excelled. with a million things going on it is hardly suprising. It’s not myself dominating thoughts however, its other’s thoughts dominating my own.
It seams there is almost a daily story now about the internet. more specifically blogs and social networking sites such as myspace and facebook. One such story is the abuse some people suffer in the form of cyberbullying. It has been said that people do not feel guilty about writing how they really feel because they are only interacting with a non responsive computerscreen. the solution? have mirrors fixed to their screens. What a load of rubbish. A follow-up article in the london paper wrote how people have a freedom of speech and should be allowed to express their views as and how they see appropriate. whether comments true or false, abuse is abuse, in person or a million miles away, verbal or physical and in this case cyber-abuse. surely our human rights do not overlap so far as we can say what ever we like, often insulting and hurting the victims on the process. what about your subjects human rights? being able to go about their business without fear of abuse? where has our sense of morality gone?
I’m all for criticism, especially constructive – for without it how could we ever improve? sportsmen and women, actors, teachers, chefs, police cheifs people everywhere are subjects of critiscism, which is fine – until it becomes abuse. there is a clear line. Alex Ferguson has recetly suffered physical abuse which no doubt included a few verbal exchanges. noone is immune to such action, in person or a million miles away in the back of an internet cafe. It’s wrong. does anyone disagree?
Another headline surrounds facebook and MySpace. does anyone have a good word to say about either? My personal favourite, facebook, came under attack this week for releasing personal details onto search engines such as google. Users are criticised for ’social whoring’ the process of obtaining as many friends as possible as mere tokens. users are criticised for the abuse above, yet another means of cyberrbullying. Facebook itself is accused of poor security measures. I could go on if i thought deeper.
I have a good word to say about it.
I started sceptically i must admit, seeing the latest fad as ‘a bit geeky’ but now i must say i use it more than i ought to really, quite addictive it has become. while im guilty of a few friends a barely talk to effectively making them tokens i have got one or two that without facebook I may never have reached again. Many people with whom i lost contact details, those i worked in America with especially – the magic of a friend search on facebook reignited old friendships accross the world, with one friend in common you soon find others and in turn are found yourself. Nearly 5 years since I have seen my Step Sister, no prizes for guessing how I made contact with her, for some reason Friends Reunited doesnt attract the same level of criticism? On top of this there are many friends from university, college and school all refound on facebook, instant conversations are spawned and you would be suprised to here how your old school friends are doing years after last seeing them.
We have the technology, why not use it? personally i think it’s fantastic – one central website to maintain contact with all those who seam a million miles away while I’m off travelling the world.
It has got to be said though, Face book has become somewhat of an addiction, with certain exploits giving a well dubbed nickname ’stalkbook’. I mean who hasnt? looked at someones photos out of interest, thats why they are there right? Everyone has looked at someone elses wall, again what its there for? what about someone else’s conversations? we are all friends on facebook arnt we? how about a random person, i know i have! The funniest being- clicking on a ‘random’ person to find you have friends in common! Someone should really offer therapy for an addiction to facebook, how am i going to manage in the middle of the serengeti with no internet connection? Facebook – I have a good word to say about it, open and friendly.
I draw a line at people adding me I have never heard of though – thats just weird.
I mean walk up to someone in london today and say, “Hello. Can I be you’re friend?”
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