I fully realise how much i travel. I seem to spend my life drifting through airport arrival halls as i move onto my next destination. Now due to time and money constraints i feel that the amount of actual travelling i do is limited. What generally tends to happen is i fly into an airport and transfer over to a ski resort time and time again not really checking out any of the country around me. I’ve grown accustomed to this type of travel and it wasn’t until a few weeks ago when i was, rather bizarrely, in Guatemala that i remembered how much i love travelling. Smoothies in the daytime, dirt cheap beer in the evenings sat in bars either reading a book, meeting new people or just watching the world go by.
Previous to Guatemala i’ve actually been lucky enough to do a fair bit of travelling. With my birthday next week i’ll be marking ten years since i first took my “gap year” believing that a years travelling will rid my body and mind of the need to explore. “Getting it out of my system” as some people would say.
I’ve been rediscovering lost images over the last few days and it pains me to find out how many photo albums have simply disappeared. I literally found about 40 photos. Man that sucks. The ones that have found their way i’ve scanned into my computer and will try and cover ten years of travelling throughout this week.
First stop, South East Asia. I’ve been to this part of the world by myself, with girlfriends and friends and have had an amazing time every visit. I haven’t been for a few years now but here’s a few shots (all the ones i could find anyway) to check out.
Click on the image for a larger copy and check out the captions if you’re that way inclined.
Cheap noodles on the Khao San Road back in 2004, my fourth time in Thailand. This time was a 1 month boys holiday.
The killing fields on the outskirts of Phnom Penh speak for themselves. Shocking place. 2004.
We were in Kuta on Bali for about 3 weeks in 2002. This is the only photo i can find. Beautiful beaches? Braking waves? Nope, 3 kittens on our doorstep!
Koh Phangan for a full moon party in August 2004. How much fun, and disgracefully messy, are buckets?!
Bukittinggi Orangutan sanctuary in Sumatra, Indonesia 2002. It was such a horrible journey on the boat over from Malaysia and i’ve never been so ill while i was there but seeing these orangutans in the wild was awesome.
Saigon, Vietnam in 2004.
Ever drank the beer Klang? I just found this review on it; “A completely overpowering combination of alcohol and the impurest of tastes, it is an entirely foul experience and is a brew worthy only of really poor Cambodian tramps”. One of the funniest nights i’ve ever had drinking beer. I’m pretty sure its laced with amphetamines. Please try it if you find it. Sihanoukville, Cambodia. 2004.
15 minutes after the killing fields……”you want to shoot M16?” Oh yeah. $20 worth of bullets and i was quite possibly the worst shot ever. Phnom Penh, 2004.
We had toads coming up through the toilet here. Senggigi, Lombok Indonesia. 2002.
Some lake in Java, i think. 2002.
I’m sure they’ve changed so much now but in 2001 the Perhentian Islands off the coast of Malaysia were the most beautiful islands i’ve seen. At the time there was no alcohol allowed on them and no electricity either. You woke up when it was light, and went to bed when it got dark. Beachside dining day and night with fresh fish and snickers milkshakes!
Borobudur near Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 2002.
My 5th and final (so far) visit to thailand in 2006. I was living in Japan at the time (more on that later this week) and went over to Thailand to visit my Sister and Mum.
How much fun are scooters in Thailand? Ok, so safety devices are not apparent in this image and it scares me to remember that we hit 100km and hour on that day (nice tarmac, downhill run!) but i have a lot of fond memories of my bike. Me and Faye, 2001.
Ubud, Indonesia. earlier in the day we’d had a very naked massage…….to this day my friends swear that they weren’t in a room or bath together. 8 Years on and i’m not sure i believe them (long story).
Vietnamese welding glasses kept making an appearance after a visit to a market in Saigon, 2004.
This photo was taken around 6.30am after Adam and I had burst into Fayes room getting her up for sunrise. She’d been asleep for the night. We’d been drinking whiskey, embarking on jungle missions and having a run in with a bloke walking on water…..who was obviously Jesus. Koh Phi Phi, 2001.
Market in Phnom Penh, 2004. I’ve never turned down dodgy looking food before but the fried tarantulas in this market were a step too far.
Vietnamese welding glasses….this time in Thailand a few hours before our flight was leaving. 2004.
Khao San Road, 2004.
After our all night experience in Koh Phi Phi we decided to rent a boat from Thai Tony for the day and head to “The Beach” Good idea at 6.30am. Long, long day!
Scooter in Hue, Vietnam before we embark on a mission back to bangkok through the Vietnamese highlands and Laos. 2004.
I’ve always had a habit of bumping into people whilst away. Here we are in Koh Phangan for a quick visit before heading down to Indonesia. Somehow a 12 hour journey doesn’t seem so much to meet friends when you’re thousands of miles from home. 2002.
Paradise? Or just in the centre of Phnom Penh? I’m not sure if they still do this but Happy Pizza is one of the best restaurants i’ve ever been to. “Would you like your pizza Happy, Very Happy or Ecstatic?” They garnish the pizzas well there! 2004.
Tah Prom temple, part of the Angkor Watt area way back in 2001. I have been back to Cambodia 3 years later and it had already changed so much. They only opened the border in 1998 so to go there in its tourism infancy was an awesome experience. No real roads, hours in dodgy pickups and plenty of omelette baguettes!
Next up, Japan.
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