tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272251092012-02-16T15:50:01.556ZJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.comBlogger411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-83058239523085503312007-08-27T20:26:00.000+01:002007-08-27T20:45:03.330+01:00

Since my last posting so much more has changed, but one thing stays the same ... I just want to get on a plane and get away!I've moved from Tonbridge, my house is sold and waiting to exchange, I have a new job and things should be great. But not everything is as rosy as it could be. My flat is great and I love Isobel my flatmate, but she is heading off to start a new life in Canada, so I have

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-22571907877119481392007-02-08T23:16:00.000Z2007-02-09T00:21:16.149Z

I've had a few complaints that I didn't finish writing about my travels and that the last posting was in December. So, here I am sitting on my sofa, back at home, watching the snow outside and now is the time to finsh off my story.I was sad to leave Australia, mainly because I was saying goodbye to Karen and Helen who had been looking after me for the past month, but also ready to embark on the

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-10326062729579807602006-12-08T04:34:00.000Z2006-12-08T04:50:14.261Z

DMBC - 0Daily ant bite count - 8 - another form of insect has been taken with my sweet bloodFirst of all, I just have to get it out of the way. WHAT THE F**K HAPPENED IN THE CRICKET?? For two, nearly three, days I could hold my head up high in Australia as an English woman and not fear the comments from the victorious Aussies. Oh my god this defeat has made it 100 times worse. Everytime an

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-88893870216100798082006-12-03T05:33:00.000Z2006-12-03T05:39:50.060Z

I mentioned in an earlier posting that I might not be able to go to Fiji. Having watched the situation quite carefully and heeding the FCO advice for all non-essential travel to be cancelled to the whole of Fiji, I decided not to go. Most of you will know that I am quite accident prone and even a little bit unlucky sometimes, so it may well have been just tempting fate going there.So I missed

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-3982202396361427502006-12-03T05:23:00.000Z2006-12-03T05:32:07.522Z

DMBC - 0 see there is an upside to Australia ...Daily mullet count - a classic family combination of matching mullets for the father and son, and matching rats tails for the mother and daughter. You can't help but be proud. It's enough to bring a tear to the eye.So while I was staying with Karen and Helen, we had daily visits from a female Mallard and her duckings. They were really cute and

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-42236455841946442242006-11-26T10:45:00.000Z2006-11-26T10:47:46.915Z

Can it really be true? Can anyone really be that unlucky? I have only been on the road for a few months and it looks like I am going to encounter my second military coup next week in Fiji!At the moment it looks like I might have to delay my visit to Fiji ... bugger.Not a happy bunny tonight ....

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-19220575631458907522006-11-25T07:06:00.000Z2006-11-29T11:44:57.443Z

DMBC - 0 again!Daily mullet count - 2, a prime combination of father and young son both sporting short on top, long, long, curly hair at the back. A true beaut!Having spent last summer enjoying the Ashes in the UK I am now suffering the misfortune of watching them in Australia. The reason I feel I am suffering is not because the Aussies are rubbing in the score (I haven't actually met any

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-19374334159884448492006-11-20T10:08:00.000Z2006-11-20T10:25:29.941Z

DMBC - 3 the little buggers are back.I'm up in Terrigal with Karen and Helen staying in their beautiful house on a lagoon. We used to live together in Tooting with Lins, and it's just like being back there again.Well without the break-ins ... Or the London traffic ... Oh, and with sunshine and beautiful beaches ... And slightly fewer curry houses.They moved out here two years ago and chose a

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-75848187356744640682006-11-16T10:39:00.000Z2006-11-16T10:57:10.411Z

DMBC - 0, it's too bloody cold for them to venture out to bite me.Having lived in or around London for the last 11 years I have met many people from many different countries. One of the largest nationality groups you encounter would have to be the Aussies (closely followed of course by the Saffers). I have spent many an evening being lectured why England is so rubbish and Australia is so great.

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-10735604639293167952006-11-14T22:24:00.000Z2006-11-14T22:36:15.240Z

DMBC -0, unbelievable!I have been in Bangkok for the pst few days doing some work for QM again and earning a few extra pennies to carry on with my travels(and pay the mortgage), but am now in Sydney, starting the next leg of my trip.I said goodbye to Cam and Woon (again, but for the final time) had a few drinks with people from other uni's - congrats to Mark for being the impregnator, Emilie and

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-67720522369431875852006-11-12T02:59:00.000Z2006-11-12T03:02:28.988Z

It seems that the travel bug runs quite strongly through our family. My sister Nicola and Paul are also on their own trip around the world. Here they are in vancouver - looks slightly colder than where I am though!I am hoping to see them for a day in Fiji later in the year and Ma and Pa for a few hours in Costa rica on Christmas Eve ... can't wait to see you all xxx

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-38564193071868468012006-11-10T09:49:00.000Z2006-11-10T10:05:18.308Z

DMBC - 17 - they've gone for my hands as well as an annoying one on my back that I can't quite reach.I'm so sad - I've left Phi Phi. I had such a fab time there and met a really fun group of people. If I didn't have the work lined up in Bangkok for QM I would have definitely stayed there for longer. I think a lot of it had to do with meeting so many people that it felt like you were at

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-58364025357381921022006-11-06T09:21:00.000Z2006-11-09T08:31:31.041Z

Last night was the most amazing night here on Phi Phi. Karis and I had finished our advanced divers course and it was her sister's birthday so we decided to go out and celebrate.It was also the festival of Loi Kratong. This is a festival which falls on the 12th lunar full moon of the year, marking both the highest tide of the year and also the end of the rainy season (thank goodness!). To

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-91441578392154488512006-11-04T08:45:00.001Z2006-11-09T08:33:03.748Z

DMBC - 10 I've given up on the marmite, it was a stupid theory anyway!The post below was another one that only pulished the title and not the body of text, so I shall condense it all into this posting.The picture is of me and Karis with Diana our fab dive instructor in the middle.I have now completed my Open Water Diver qualification and am doing my Advanced Diver qualification at the moment. I

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-19395501833835536962006-11-01T11:56:00.000Z2006-11-04T07:52:46.480Z

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-37388252824677379442006-10-31T10:14:00.000Z2006-10-31T10:24:33.990Z

DMBC - 6, I stupidly stopped eating marmite for a while and now look what happens. I stalked one giant mozzie round my room for half an hour last night. I had to kill it so it couldn't feast on me all night. And it deserved it.Anyway, today I went scuba diving for the first time ... and it's wicked! I met three girls when I first arrived on the island and two of them wanted to do scuba diving

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-47275560782160358042006-10-30T13:23:00.000Z2006-10-30T13:40:58.538Z

I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive about coming back to Phi Phi. As many of you know I came to Phi Phi last time I was backpacking and it was here that I fell in love with Thailand. Phi Phi was totally destroyed in the tsunami in December 2004 and I didn't know what to expect.As the boat pulled up by the pier there was the familar throng of people waiting to take you to a guesthouse,

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-56567558039714907762006-10-29T13:24:00.000Z2006-10-30T13:22:46.631Z

OK … here goes I will try to remember what was in the original post.I had just arrived in Phuket having left the lovely Woon and competitive Cameron in Bangkok, managing not to break their ac unit any further after my last visit and am pretty sure that I didn’t break anything else there either.Phuket was really just an over night stop before heading to Koh Phi Phi, my real reason for coming South

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-49087571513021361172006-10-28T15:50:00.000+01:002006-10-29T09:52:23.850Z

Spent ages writing this post and then the machine crashed ... will fill in the gaps another time!!

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-41255680453099853642006-10-27T10:32:00.000+01:002006-10-27T10:54:32.657+01:00

DMBC - 0 for the first time since I left the UK I have no new bites!! I'm putting this down to eating marmite again - apparantly they don't like it ... but then maybe it will keep everyone away as well??!You may have noticed that I've been a bit quiet on the blog for the past few days. To be fair there are a couple of reasons for this:1. I've been in a five star hotel, making the most of the

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-13205117500254543742006-10-20T11:54:00.000+01:002006-10-20T12:05:39.131+01:00

Yesterday Kathy and I went to a prison called Hoa Lo in Hanoi. This was originally used by the French to punish the Vietnamese who were plotting against them and was turned into a POW camp for American pilots shot down during the Vietnam War. This was another brilliant example of propoganda used to brainwash a whole nation, just as Bush and Blair do today. Most of the prison exhibits were

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-58002865103313509852006-10-19T12:35:00.000+01:002006-10-19T12:46:32.155+01:00

DMBC - 17 - they have discovered my hands as well as just my legs and ankles the little buggers.I just spent the past few days on a junk boat pootling around Halong Bay. The bay itself is really stunning with thousands of little islands all jutting out of the sea. It did of course not go without the usual disasters which follow me everywhere!I had arranged to meet my friend Kathy in Halong Bay.

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-28869886967004266582006-10-15T13:27:00.000+01:002006-10-15T13:41:38.357+01:00

My blog has been recommended on another website ... OK fair enough it is Nils' mate Dave's site. BUT, he has been nominated for awards in South Africa for his site ... so if you fancy seeing what life is like for an SA partying, working and living in London is like then have a look at Dave's site I reckon this makes me nearly as famous as when I touched Andre Agassi' arm, or got Bucks Fizz's

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-42643548980664404092006-10-14T14:37:00.000+01:002006-10-14T14:42:39.420+01:00

I know that I shouldn't take the mickey out of spelling mistakes by people trying to helpfully translate things into English to make our lives easier, but today I saw a fantastic one.There was a big sign along a wall - about 10 foot long - telling us all about different tours we could do. Unfortunately there had been a bit of a spelling mistake on the cultural tour. Instead of reading "Tour of

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-91274240341428276082006-10-14T13:51:00.001+01:002006-10-19T13:04:29.448+01:00

Since my last posting, it's been really difficult to access my blog ... so now I'm back I'm going to try and condense the last few towns into one ... here goes ...DMBC - 12 at the moment, but all within the last 2 days and really itchy ... hmmm maybe I should have invested in some anti-malarials!!Mui NeAfter my last posting I'm very happy to say that the rains went away and the sun came out. I

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-36604652608317398812006-10-04T11:12:00.000+01:002006-10-19T13:01:13.643+01:00

Here's a little bit of advice for any of you thinking of resigning and going travelling ... check the weather before you go. I am back on my blog because it has been raining again. There I was happily enjoying a walk along the beach (managed to get 5km's before the heavens opened) and it started to piss down ... AGAIN.So I will have to use this time to check emails and plan the next bit of my

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-7071453867036897172006-10-04T09:18:00.000+01:002006-10-19T12:58:19.466+01:00

DMBC - 22 (although one is the size of an orange ... mmmn nice)Big news today, I went on a bus ... and there was no karaoke ... or talent shows ... or tv. Actually there was no a/c either and they had left the plastic covering on the seats ... which is nice when it's 35 degrees.In Mui Ne now, nothing to write, just chilled out bliss on 11 miles of golden sand.Enjoy your day jobs won't you ...

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-21031131908135362472006-10-02T15:15:00.000+01:002006-10-02T15:30:26.453+01:00

Daily Mosquito Bite Count (DMBC) - 28 (my poor little toe doesn't know what's happened - I know I have massive feet, but one bite on, one under, one in between my little toe is surely too much!)I made it to Vietnam, pretty trouble free. The morning I left Phnom Penh I had to go to my travel agent who said they had arranged a transfer to the bus for me, which turned out to be a small vespa type

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-11876775842597452502006-09-30T12:35:00.000+01:002006-09-30T12:50:05.170+01:00

We went out for a really gorgeous meal on the banks of the River in Phnom Penh last night. It really was a treat to not be eatnig noodles or rice. I had a fillet steak and salad and haven't died yet ... so that's good.Phnom Penh is actually a really cool city. It's just on the verge of change and you can see development everywhere. I had heard mixed reviews from other friends who have

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-77174032108512058732006-09-29T12:10:00.000+01:002006-09-29T12:21:01.749+01:00

Today was quite possibly one of the most ridiculous starts to a day I have ever had ... and I've had quite a few in my time!!Last night I found out that the people who were doing my laundry had not dried it, so i had to get up and pick it up at 6.30am ... still wet - a fact they they tried to hide by ironing it so it felt warm. This was in a torrential downpour which would be alright if i wasn't

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-84373052102391496222006-09-28T12:44:00.000+01:002006-09-28T12:52:09.580+01:00

We've been in Sihanoukville for the past few days and are heading off to Pnomh Penh tomorrow on the 7.20am bus.It's the end of the rainy season in Cambodia, so everywhere is really quiet - it also means that we managed to move guesthouse easily from our first night to one that only cost us 75p each a night - certainly helped after the rip off that was Sien Reap.Here there are golden beaches and

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-18637569278661651142006-09-25T13:49:00.000+01:002006-09-25T13:55:39.913+01:00

We finally made it to the beach tonight ... but it is peeing down with rain, so just waiting for a break in it to get to the bar.It was an epic journey down here, starting at 5.30 this morning. We took a boat from Siem Reap to Pnomh Penh, which took about 6 hours. Because it is the end of the wet season, all of the houses on stilts are only just above the water level, and there were quite a few

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-48946323627031845722006-09-24T09:37:00.000+01:002006-09-24T10:03:57.892+01:00

Nils and I have been in Siem Reap for a few days now and I can tell you that the description in the Footprint guide I bought is a little out of date. In that it sounded like a small town/village servicing Angkor Wat. What has happened over the past couple of years with the massive boom in tourism is the creation of a tourist dream town. The only problem is that you could be anywhere in the world.

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-48616317483643419842006-09-23T15:17:00.000+01:002006-09-23T15:25:32.188+01:00

Nils and I have made it Cambodia, been to Angkor Wat blah, blah, blah ... (will write about that tomorrow ... it really was cool) ... but one thing has really stood out. There are loads of people here who mistakenly believe that they will go on to change the worldIt's really quite funny to see all these backpackers who really believe that they will go on to something life changing after their

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-35131375392994871452006-09-20T07:44:00.000+01:002006-09-20T07:50:10.684+01:00

I just went tank hunting with Cameron and Woon in Bangkok ... and eventualy we found some. Far from the situation on CNN and BBC, the tanks were actually covered in flowers that the people had brought along. We stayed in our taxi and just drove past the tanks, but there were loads of tourists having their photos taken with the soldiers. The city is really quiet today so we have come back to

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-18358777486863447072006-09-20T05:31:00.000+01:002006-09-20T05:40:48.029+01:00

So there we were last night watching tv and chatting, having just returned from a meal off Silom Road, when I get a text from Nils saying that he had heard there was a military coup going on in Bangkok.I have to admit at first I thought that he must have been confused with somewhere else, afterall we were in Bangkok and had just been out in the CBD. But no, turn on BBC World and there it is,

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-35451429414818537902006-09-19T10:06:00.000+01:002006-09-19T10:09:46.196+01:00

Woon, Cameron's lovely girlfriend told me yesterday that the Thai name for foreign backpackers, roughly translates as Foreign Bird Shit. I don't think I look like a foreign bird shit just yet, mainly because I have actually had a shower and am wearing clean clothes and importantly, I have not had my hair braided! But this is only day 2 so there's plenty of time for it to happen!!

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-35170481903037295002006-09-18T10:43:00.000+01:002006-09-18T10:54:18.527+01:00

Hello from Bangkok! I left yesterday evening and am now sitting in my mate Cameron's office on Silom Road. Had the usual cattle class experience of flying, with some selfish person in front not noticing that my knees were actually becoming part of her spine through some process of fusion. So I did my kneeding the person in fronts back technique until she moved it back up.Still a bit worried

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-10206132411308052792006-08-27T02:39:00.000+01:002006-08-27T03:07:22.619+01:00

I'm not afraid to admit now that I am totally bricking it. I can't help but wonder if I've made the right decision ... but the wheels are in motion and I'm definitely going.Last time I did this, I don't really remember being this worried. I think that has more to do with being a bit naive and 22 than being brave. I remember then people told me I was really brave going travelling by myself,

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-1155896101081652612006-08-18T11:07:00.000+01:002006-08-18T11:15:01.093+01:00

All booked and the proper countdown has begun. I really am leaving!I went over to see Lins last night and she worked her Flight Centre magic, getting me a great deal to go to all the places I want. So I'm leaving on September 17th and going to:ThailandCambodiaLaosThailandTasmaniaSydneyFijiCosta RicaBoliviaPeruJust winding down at work now and ready for the off ...

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27225109.post-1154963363667323172006-08-07T15:50:00.000+01:002006-08-07T16:12:23.570+01:00

I think I'm going through an early mid-life crisis.I started off this year heading towards a marriage and settled life and here I am eight months on, ready to finish my job and head off overseas for a while by myself. It's been a bit of a rubbish year so I'm really looking forward to getting away.A couple of months ago someone at work really pissed me off, so a few beers with my friend Sarah

Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02774221722103406442noreply@blogger.com0