Places – X10loupe

All over Thailand

Arriving in Thailand for the first time, my anticipation runs high. The initial experience involves landing, taking a cab to the hostel, and collapsing in exhaustion. Tomorrow promises exploration, but for now, rest is paramount. With just a few days in Bangkok before heading south to the Similan Islands for more diving, my excitement is…

Philippines

A last week end with the friends in Auckland is just what the doctor ordered. More time getting to know or reacquaint myself with great people, another shift in the pasta and risotto kitchen and all together a real good time. Time to leave has come but not before a last farewell coffee with Arantxa…

Bali

So the plan was to go from Singapore to Jakarta and then overland to Bali, spend a few days there and fly to New Zealand. Then, on the way back from New Zealand, stop in Australia and do a scuba diving course. So much for that, as it turns out I’m bypassing Java, and going…

Singapore

Well, where to start? I flew out of Delhi on Malaysian Airlines, not without a little concern if I’m to be honest. Their track record with good fortune is not the best these days, and it is said that this might explain their lack of popularity and the lower prices they offer. Being on a…

India

Things are starting to get a bit faster. It is always like this, at the beginning of a trip it’s a bit of a struggle to get your brain into gear. It took me nearly a month to fall in love with my North American trip, I blame it on the extended loneliness. It is…

Dubai

Leaving Tehran is easy, the much advertised trafic on the way to the airport does not really ever materialise. So it happens I am early and this increases, as if necessary, the time I spend in an airport today. I am sharing the seat with the neighbour from hell. An Iranian tyre salesman that works…

In Iran

It’s early in the morning, ten past four to be precise, when I land in Tehran. Getting out of Istanbul was a doddle, but my immense randomness hit me again in the face. I had planned to load up on cash at the airport, some dollars and some euros, as I had seen that there…

Istanbul

Landed out of Europe. On the positive side the alphabet is much clearer, on the negative side it’s a whole new culture to get into. Hold on is that not why I’m doing all this? Quite glad I had some euros, 25 of them have gone into the visa to get into the country. I…

Athens

First stop in the the winter trip is Athens. I have never been to mainland Greece, but the real reason for coming is not that. Kenneth and Viky are a couple of friends that I made while studying in Edinburgh back in 1995. He’s Danish and she’s Greek. They were both over to Scotland studying…

Europe in between

So, that’s it, another big trip is over. After Europe, Oceania and South America in bicycle, Europe and North America in motorbike and a bit of kicking about in between I’m back on the mother land and on my way to spend a few weeks between the UK and Italy before I set off again…