Khao Sok National Park

I normally try to spread my blog posts out, but yesterday was such an action packed day I felt it deserved a post to itself.

After losing some members of our previous group and gaining five new ones (with some great street food, clubbing, swimming, sunbathing and a massage in between) we made our way over night from Bangkok, south. Arriving at 5am after a serious lack of sleep and a busy day ahead in Khao Sok National Park, I was dubious as to how it would turn out. But my reservations proved to be unfounded as I had one of my favourite days to date.

Our first stop was a local market, where our group 'CEO', Touch, showed us the local cuisine - different in many ways to northern food - and brought us some yummy breakfast pastry-type things.

We then headed to Ratchaprapha Dam to start our tour of Cheow Lan Lake, the beauty of which is indescribable. Jagged limestone cliffs, emerald green water, wildlife-rich rainforest and intriguing hidden caves.

After exploring the Pra Kay Pelch cave and finding the resident bats, we made our way past the various islands to a floating lodge to borrow kayaks, have a swim and eat lunch. After a good few hours taking in the scenery, we headed back to where we began our lake tour and ice cream in hand ventured on in our open-back truck to the monkey temple. 

Touch had promised we'd see monkeys and irrespective of the fact we'd already seen one on our tour of the lake we were still over-excited to find the monkeys were tempted down from the mountains by our stash of peanuts.

Some serious cuteness later and it was on to our accommodation for the night, sweet little bungalows and tree houses right on the edge of the national park. We had a nice, albeit somewhat reserved evening (only two vodkas with dinner) before a much-deserved early night.

Now it's on to the islands to conclude my adventure in the same fashion it began five months ago; on the beach and scuba diving. Bring it on.

Loving the simple life - Chiang Mai and the jungle

It's been a mere five days since my last blog, yet I feel I've grown more as a person in those five days than I could ever have imagined.

I've travelled from Bangkok to Chiang Mai via sleeper train - which in itself is an experience with the air conditioning blasting and snoring permeating from the neighbouring bunk; discovered the wonderful city of Chiang Mai; and trekked through the Thai jungle, meeting different hill tribes as we go.

It's taken some readjustment no longer having my best friends to share the adventure with, but I've been eased in to travelling alone gently by my lovely G Adventures tour group, the majority of which are fellow solo travellers.

Together we've walked, jumped and climbed our way through the jungle; slept on the floor of wooden huts in the freezing cold; washed in the river; ridden elephants; learned how to make the best spring rolls I've ever tasted; swum in waterfalls; played drinking games round the campfire; and accidentally capsized our bamboo rafts.

Travelling with a group of strangers, especially on a basic jungle tour was always going to teach me a bit about myself, but I've been surprised how revealing it has been.

Since my travels began I've noticed the most memorable and often the most enjoyable experiences for me have been when luxuries have been removed and we've gone back to basics: the Mexican jungle; Yosemite national park; Sian Ka'an nature reserve; and now the northern Thailand hill tribes. I have genuinely really appreciated living simply.

And not just in the 'it was fun for three days but now I'm glad to be back to civilisation' way that seemed to be the sentiment shared by the majority of my tour group. When others were missing phone signal, warm beds, hot showers, western toilets (although I do admit I have a greater appreciation for normal loos now), I was absorbing the different plants, wildlife, culture of the tribes; and rather than thinking of home and all the pressures that come with it, I was distracted by thoughts of how I could keep doing this for quite some time. It was amazingly peaceful and incredibly refreshing.

I've had a fantastic taster of jungle life and it's inspired me to try trekking again, next time for longer. Watch this space.

Sensory overload

I've been in Bangkok for two days now and wow has it been a sensory overload.

A different language, different culture, different people, protests, Singha beer, rice, markets, chicken feet, temples, boats, fish, Buddhas, Asian-style toilets, shisha, rice, gold, China town, Tuk tuks, shrines, Chang beer, monitor lizards, sarongs, mopeds, Pad Thai.

It's been crazy, a bit lonely, but it's been interesting and at times a lot of fun. Bangkok actually isn't quite as mental as I anticipated; surprisingly there are times when it's quite peaceful. It also isn't as steeped in history as I expected - a lot of the temples are newer than I'd have thought. 

There are some beautiful spots as well as some not so beautiful. I'm certainly looking forward to returning in a few days, when my senses have calmed down a little, to explore a bit more.

Melbourne, my kind of city

On our first day in Melbourne, we met with my friend and local resident, Kev, who explained: 'Melbourne's a city of coffee, food and wine.' Which is exactly why I like it!

We'd been given an unfair picture of Melbourne before we arrived, with other Aussies referring to it as 'Mel-boring' we couldn't imagine what it would have to offer us over the bright lights and beautiful beaches of Sydney. But in fact, from the moment we arrived, we loved it. The city centre somehow more familiar to us than Sydney, with similarities to London, though easier to navigate.

We initially stayed with friends out in the suburbs of the city, which allowed us plenty of time to explore what the surrounding countryside had to offer. Wineries, beaches, amazing vanilla slices, strawberry farms, chocolateries, seafront pubs, rainforest and more wineries. As you can see, there was definitely a food and wine theme to our weekend. What's not to love about that?

The rest of the week we stayed in the centre of town - we were lucky enough to find a reasonable priced hotel on Queen Street, right in the heart of the CBD. And from there we got to know the city, as well as making trips out of town too. 

Two days we hired cars - KoKo and then Kourt - and drove to Geelong one day, and Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife park then Phillip island to see the fascinating penguin parade the other. Watching the resident little penguins return from the sea, cross the beach and waddle up to their young in the sand dunes with 'fish soup' for their dinner was definitely a highlight of the week. Unfortunately we never made it to the Great Coastal Road and the Twelve Apostles, which were recommended to me, but you have to leave some reason to come back, right?

Getting to know Melbourne CBD seemed easier than Sydney. For starters there's a free tram (number 35) which takes you round the city, explaining the different areas as you go, but with locals using the team just as transport and with a lack of air conditioning - not ideal when you're experiencing a heat wave with highs of 45 degrees - we found the best way to acquaint ourselves with the city was the free walking tour. Our guide told us some interesting anecdotes of the city as well as showing us some hidden gems, such as the rooftop bar, the street art and The Block shopping arcade.

With a trip to St Kilda beach, although admittedly we spent most of that day sheltering from the blistering heat in the pub, a Neighbours tour (it had to be done) and a day at the Australian Open - what a fantastic tennis tournament - that was our week in Melbourne gone!

So with a teary goodbye I find myself reluctantly leaving my best friend and the most amazing country behind. And as I question where on earth the past four and half months have disappeared to, I head to the final chapter of my adventure, in Thailand.

Exploring Sydney

After ten days in Sydney (plus two at the beginning of December), I think I've started to get a feel of the city. If nothing else, I certainly know which attractions and places I liked and which I'd avoid. So here's my take on being a tourist in the beautiful city by the sea and my recommendations for anyone visiting:

1) Allow for plenty of beach time

For me, the greatest attraction in Sydney is the beaches. I know there are lots of nice beaches all over Oz and there are plenty of major cities in the world that are based by the sea - we've been to a fair few on this trip - but having such beautiful beaches in such close proximity to a thriving city centre seems pretty rare. From Manly to Bondi, Bronte to Coogee, even Cronulla further south, you're spoilt for choice and they're all only a short distance from the Central Business District (CBD) by public transport. My favourite was Coogee and the coastal walk up to Bondi with its spectacular shoreline is a must do.

2) Don't waste your money on the open top tour bus

Between the three of us, we've done open top tour buses in a fair few cities - London, Paris, Florence, Barcelona, San Francisco, LA - and unfortunately the Sydney buses are by far the worst. We were really looking forward to being proper tourists and learning about the history of Sydney and to put it nicely were left feeling disappointed. The two buses (city and Bondi) not only overlap one other, the city bus retraces part of its route so you end up hearing the same uninspiring recorded description a multitude of times; the buses stop for some time at each stop so it takes longer than the advertised 90 minutes; the Bondi bus doesn't stop at Bondi Junction - one of our favourite places in Sydney; plus we found the speakers on the buses tended to be either too loud or too quiet; then to top it all off the driver of our last bus was clearly on a mission to get home as he sped through the streets like a maniac - so much for the photo opportunities! At $40 it's not cheap either, so I'd suggest spending your hard earned cash on a good map and guide book and taking to the city by foot instead. You'll learn much more, trust me.

3) Check out The Rocks

Where the city began, The Rocks is one of the few places in Sydney with some real history. It has also been developed beautifully and now has a plethora of quirky shops, nice restaurants and fancy hotels to offer. One of the most expensive parts of the city, it's worth a visit regardless. And if you are feeling plush head to the nearby Park Hyatt hotel for afternoon tea. With views to die for, spectacular champagne and a good selection of sandwiches, cakes and scones, it comes highly recommended.

4) Visit Bondi

These days a lot of people write Bondi off as 'too touristy', and there is definitely a lack of Sydney residents there of a weekend, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a visit. If you don't fancy the busy beach and sea - which does somewhat resemble the remnants of a shipwreck as everyone crams in to the small space between the flags - there's still the cafe's, quirky shops, the crafts market, even a nice green grass verge for you to 'chillax' on. And that's all before I've even mentioned Bondi Junction.

5) Shop 'til you drop

You're not short of choices of where to shop in Sydney, from the Pitt Street mall to the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) Sydney has some good stores, including some personal favourites such as Topshop and Zara. If you do like to shop make sure Westfield at Bondi Junction is on your hit list.

6) Dine up the Sydney Tower

I had a lovely meal in the 360 restaurant at the top of the Sydney tower. Fabulous food, great wine and an amazing view. And whilst it won't be the cheapest meal you've ever had at $95 for three courses (not including drinks) I think it stacks up well, especially compared to London prices.

7) Take a day out to visit the Blue Mountains

Lack of time and transport meant I wasn't planning on really leaving Sydney, but after a trip to Scenic World in the Blue Mountains I'm glad I let my friend convince me to go. If you like picturesque views, it's definitely the place for you. And the three different modes of transport around the mountain range, especially the steepest railway line in the world (I'm not sure if that's strictly true, but it certainly felt like it) add a little excitement to the day.

8) The Opera House and Harbour Bridge are expensive

Before I came to Australia, the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb was on my to-do list, but once I found out it was over $200 my mindset changed. Yes, it may be a major landmark in not just Sydney but the whole of Australia, possibly even the world, but boy do they want a lot of money to climb it. The Opera House is another landmark demanding a considerable sum to enter it. I'll let you make up your own mind, but in my view it's not worth it. Especially if like us you happen to stumble upon an open door and get to see the concert hall for yourselves.

9) Visit the Olympic Park when an event is on

I love the Olympics and still remember Sydney 2000 remarkably well, so jumped at the chance to take a drive round the park. It was worth a visit as we were passing by, but in reality there's not a massive amount to see. What I hadn't realised is our stay in Sydney coincided with a warm up tournament for the Australian Open at the park; if I'd have known I would definitely have booked tickets. And there's other events that occur in the park, from gigs to 20-20 cricket matches (we saw the team warming up), so if you're planning a visit just to the park check in advance if there's anything going on.

10) Bring a cardigan

My vision of Sydney - in fact the whole of Australia - was that it's always sunny. Now I know that's not going to be strictly true, but 22 degrees, cloudy and windy in the middle of summer came as a surprise. Albeit only a couple of days we were there, make sure you pack a cardigan just in case. Don't expect the humidity of places like Miami, Cancun and Cairns, however hot it is during the day, it cools down of an evening.

A New Years to remember

Wow. Sydney for New Years. I couldn't have asked for a better way to start 2014. Drinks in the park, new friends and of course a little fireworks display.

2013 is going to be a tough year to beat. I've had some big lows, but even bigger highs. After all, it's not every year I get to go to so many new places, meet so many new people and make so many memories. That's why my New Years resolution is to keep doing the same. And with Sydney, Melbourne and Thailand still to come, I have high hopes for 2014.