tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48110970977255389672024-03-21T15:51:45.112-07:00The Heroes JourneyMr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-14940483201156323342010-10-31T06:33:00.000-07:002011-04-07T01:54:59.084-07:00Thailand, Malaysia and off to be the wild man from Borneo!So flying into Thailand was something I didnt really want to do. But from India and Nepal, these days there is no way out unless you fly or you sail. The great dream for overlander's these days lays only as a dream . To all ye old hippies who did it in the past, I hope you enjoyed every bit of it while it lasted. On the positive note though, I flew from Kathmandu into Bangkok. It was actually a good feeling to get into the subtropical zone of the globe. Kao Sok Road is something to really be missed as well, but if you like drinking beer and getting some young Asian gals or if you prefer "ladyboys'', this is your place. I spent 2 days here, I stayed at a cool little guest house called the Apple, quite nice and some great travelers here too. I then headed south on the overnight train to Chaiya, (the Thai's only recognise this town if you call it Ahhh, Chaiyaaaaaa) with some Austrian friends I made, we drank beer and drew pictures and hung our body's out of the windows in the moonlight of the 3rd class carriage where there were only a couple of locals riding in our carriage. 3rd class tickets are cheapest and best, you can even take the seat off of the chair and lay it on the floor across the aisle way if you fancy a comfortable sleep.<br /><br />So the story goes, I was headed to Chaiya to give a 10 day meditation retreat a go, they call it Vipassana. 10 days of learning and practicing meditation with no speaking, 2 meals a day, a natural hotspring and a bamboo mat and a wooden pillow to sleep on. Wow what an experience this was, on so many levels im so happy to have sustained to 10 days and experience what I did experience. At the end of the 10 days, as hard as it was at times, I even got up at the talking circle on the last night and spoke to everyone of my story and experiences. Ive never felt this kind of happiness within my self before, along with mindfulness, trueness and overall wholesomeness and well-being. It was a great experience and Ill be sure to support and talk to anyone who is remotely interested in doing such a thing. Its a great insight into Buddhism too.<br /><br />After we were all allowed to speak on the 11th day, I had no idea what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go. On the main road waited people from the retreat to catch the bus further south to Krabi, the majority, 6 or 7 of them were keen for a cool place to chill, maybe party a wee bit and hav good times. I thought I wanted to go North and experience the trip of the Mekong River, but I learnt so much about life and its impermance on the meditation, that when the bus stopped on the highway I jumped on and headed south. This was quite a difficult thing for me, I felt so stranded, it was as if my compass kept spinning around in circles on the map, but I knew I was in great hands. So the next couple of days on Railegh beach and Tonsai were some of the best chilling days Ive had for .... well probably since Nepal or in Shrinigar on the Houseboat.<br /><br />6 days of greatness, with Sanne (Sunearth) , Dev (Old man river) , Melody (Creative goose) , Ti Shan (Friend Chinese), Ersin (Crazy Turkey) and David the Dreaded monkey, all we pretty much did was go for swims, go for a trek, eat, chat, eat again and by 2 pm we'd meet on the beach have a great picnic, play guitar, the melodica, sing, draw, chat, do some bouldering and climbing, maybe go for a swim again and keep the chai tea brewing consistently. Ahh the good days!!!!!<br /><br />Well they did continue, as everyone parted and went their separate ways, Sanne and I decided to join forces. Completely spontaneously we had some Ideas and well, the bus was expensive so we hired a scooter, saddled up with my Afghani donkey sack, got the tent and the cooker and hit the road. Wow it was an awesome adventure, and a camping vibe ive never hit before. Camping in and under dwellings, the best one was in a buddist temple which was inside a cave. The monk told us to sleep there, so we did, we also slept under the roofs of places like a reggae bar and the huts in the palm oil plantations. The good times.<br /><br />We then headed to Malaysia, to Georgetown, Penang. Where coincidentally we timed it right to meet up agin with Dev and Melody, hiring scooters again and exploring the realms of the national parks and sites and ohh the most amazing sunsets. Then (Im cutting it really short now) to Kuala Lumpa and staying at La Village, its like an old squat, some amazing travelers and a working creative hub for people on the move. Sanne and I sadly then went our separate ways, Sanne to go to the North of India and myself to Borneo.<br /><br />Sorry for not writing and catching up on the blog for my reader, im a slack ass for sure on this thing, but when you travel and live so much in the present you tend to stay away from places with the tinternet.<br /><br />Much Love and when I return home one day, ill do something a little bit better, maybe even write a song or two and or post up some drawings..... just wait how about re reading and then translating my bad writing into English.<br /><br />Much happiness to you all.Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-57846337832699601242010-08-13T04:45:00.001-07:002010-09-16T07:08:05.635-07:00Leh in the HimalayasCaught in the crazy floods in Leh and surrounding villages, last few days we have been helping clear the local houses and infrastructure of mud, so many people died up here, we were camping in the tent the night the storm burst its buttons, we were forced to pack our stuff and head for higher ground. we camped the next 5 days in the back of a truck as the bridges had been washed out either side of us. the chaos hit Leh and only the hard core travelers stayed to help out with the clean up. Amazing time, but now while we help we wait till the road to Srinagar is open. Nicci C has headed south but Brould it stayed on!!! The moon riders have some new members to join the crew and a German on my Africa twin! I'm loving this traveling and crazy adventures, ill extend my visa soon to get an extra 15 days to cross the Himalayas to Nepal. Were all safe and happy and look forward to more wild adventures ahead. Much love!!!Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-72648120451255380472010-08-02T02:27:00.000-07:002010-08-02T02:47:06.784-07:00A slice of deathWow, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">absolutely</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">incredible</span>, North India <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">definitely</span> is a place one must go to in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">their</span> lives. We have made it to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Leh</span> crossing some of the highest passes in the world, and what a crazy adventure it has been, Nick and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Brould</span> have been chucked right in the deep end learning how to ride in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Himalayas</span> on some of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">the</span> craziest roads <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ive</span> ever been on. The passes, landslides, river crossings, mud baths and old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">enfields</span> traversing across this landscape has been more than mission, but in India anything is possible. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Himalayas</span> are mind blowing and as of tomorrow we get our permits to get up into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Nubra</span> Valley. I just had breakfast with the world record holder for reaching the highest point on land on his motorbike, he also has a record for riding his bike from the very south of India to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Leh</span> in 5 days. his a gun and creates such amazing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">doco's</span> for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">National</span> Geographic and so on. A true adventurer!!! Apart from the never ending running <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">bowls</span> we all survived the ride with little damage but the ignition coil on one of the bikes failed due to a fall in a river crossing. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Im</span> not going to go into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">nitty</span> gritty of the many stories along the way because certain people will kill me, but its all good fun and all part of the experience.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">I'm</span> starting to think where to from India as my visa runs out on the 22 of August, but an idea is to now head <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">across</span> the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Himalayas</span> by foot, hitching or riding on local <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">buses</span> (getting rid of all my motorbike gear) to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Garwhal</span> areas and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Kumaon</span> region and then across to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Varanasi</span>, then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">noth</span> into Nepal, get into Tibet and cross China, then to find the Mekong River and get a local canoe and ride the river vibes all the way down South East Asia to Cambodia. A little research to do but ill just let it happen organically.Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-86071582902527954682010-07-17T20:36:00.000-07:002010-07-17T21:02:57.731-07:00Incredible IndiaJust a brief catch up to let those who care know that im out of Afghanistan in one piece and super happy to be in India.<br /><br />Wow right now I have the Himalaya's just outside my window, they are monstrous and so beautiful. They have this presence that with such power and awe. Im in a place called Manali right now and today is the exciting day where we go out and get ourselves a good deal to rent some enfields. Its a bit of a hassle and the paperwork and prices up here are all a bit to dodgy. Renting is the best option to head down to Paravati Valley and then up to Leh and across the highest motorable pass in the world. This is going to be one hell of an amazing experience and I cant wait to get out there.<br /><br />Joining the team... I met Nick, Brould (Lochi) in Delhi at the airport. Man it was so good to see nick again, was almost to years since ive seen him. I snuck into they're fantastic hotel room and lived up like royalty for two nights with an enormously delicious buffet breakfast. Wow Dehli's something else.... After a a couple of days of sussing out the Indian vibe on the surface and getting to know the people, money and how everything interacts and functions, we decided not to get motorbikes in Delhi as for first time learning for Nick and Brould, its probably no the wisest decision.<br /><br />We bought a nigh bus ticket for Manali and it was time to get out of the extremely humid city which is quite chaotic and crazy. Catching public transport now is great, you get such a different feel and quite intimately getting to know local as you share and swim in each others sweat. Some great experiences in Dehli.<br /><br />So the bus ride was a killer and especially for Nick, he caught the "Dehli Belly" as they call it and got so sick. I luckily had a beautiful Amsterdam woman called Q sit next to me on the bus, we had great conversations all night. She really loved the idea of what our plan was and she wants to learn how to ride a motorbike too, so she will join me on the back for a week before she has to head back home. Im hoping ill be able to enjoy the back seat ride for the first time as im sure she will learn how to ride pretty quickly... well i hope so.<br /><br />Nick has picked up from his sickness and his appetite has grown greatly, we'll just have to take it easy and sooth the belly's with slippery elm. I got sick from some Afghan water but slowly slowly everyday my bowels are getting better and better!<br /><br />So the mission is on today to get the bikes, to tech 3 people how to ride, pack the bikes and head off... Thats the idea anyway, I dont know how far we will get....<br /><br />So Im out of beautiful Afghanistan in one piece and in Incredible India. I could stay here for months I think.<br /><br />Much Love to ye allMr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-13839569721045140042010-07-11T01:46:00.000-07:002010-07-11T02:22:15.296-07:00Its a sad day for me and my dragonflySo with the little choice I have and the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">expense</span> of other options like shipping and flying my motorbike with money I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">don't</span> have to India. I have found an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Afghani</span> to buy my Dragonfly and then I shall now fly from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Herat</span> to Kabul and then Kabul to India. Hopefully with the cash I get I can afford to buy an old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Enfield</span> and join the great Mr Cassey and continue the wild adventures of this overland travel experience in India.<br /><br />Afghanistan is amazing, I am having such a good time, apart from not being able to head into the Mountains due to the Taliban or even traveling out of H<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">erat</span>. But the people and their smiles and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">curiosity</span> and hospitality is great. We are camped in a dust bowl on the river south of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Herat</span>, its a great spot apart from the winds which constantly cover everything in dust and sand. We have the Spanish Military looking after us too and they are trying to find out all options possible to get the Spanish crew out of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Afghanistan</span>.<br /><br />Every now and then you hear a bomb blast or some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">firring</span> but we are pretty safe here. However its time to leave as you never know who is and where the Taliban are. Its been a fantastic experience here but in a day or two I fly to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Delhi</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">I'm</span> really looking forward to it.<br /><br />I hope I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">haven't</span> worried to many people about entering Afghanistan, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">I'm</span> kind of happy they <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">didn't</span> let us into <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Pakistan</span>, because where I wanted to go I could have easily have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">disappeared</span>. Afghanistan is actually safer that Pakistan right now and all the boarders.... who knows what could have happened.<br /><br />So <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">I'm</span> safe and well but its sad to part with my dragonfly.... very sad, I may have a wee cry now but to be honest its not the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">materialistic</span> connection, its all the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">travels </span>we have shared together and great experiences we have shared.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Farewell</span> my dragonfly..... <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">I'm</span> going to miss you.Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-36603613217102251802010-07-07T00:47:00.000-07:002010-07-07T00:53:09.607-07:00Blowing in the dust of the 16th century<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ok</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Afghanistan</span> is very interesting and very amazing at the same time. Were back in the 16<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> century but the heart of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Herat</span> is a pearl. Pakistan visa in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Afghanistan</span> is still impossible to obtain. Tomorrow we risk crossing Taliban country from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Herat</span> to Kabul. There are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">three</span> choices but really only one. And still that one road to the south passes through the homelands of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Taliban's</span> capital <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Qandahar</span>. The other two routs take two to three weeks to cross as the roads are gravel and cross the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">monstrous</span> arid mountain ranges where <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">alot</span> of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Taliban</span> rule in certain areas. We spoke to Spanish Military yesterday for up to date info. Its all very interesting and quite crazy, and very hot and dusty. I hope we live to tell the tail. Much love.Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-71392720132130461862010-07-03T04:20:00.000-07:002010-07-03T04:31:48.357-07:00Afganistan ......So its been impossible to get my Pakistan visa from Iran, Iran has been great but the desert and the hot winds blow alot of energy out of you. Changing a tyre in the heat of the sun costs your body about 3 liters of that very precious stuff were full of... water! Its crazy, but traveling with these new Spanish friends and their 4WD truck is great, we now enter Afghanistan and try to get into Pakistan from that way. Its proving to be a mission but we all want to get there, well especially in the north and away from the troubled regions. So now Amparlo, Davod, Husain, Manu and I travel further east from Mushad in Iran and enter the lands of Afghanistan. We are all trying our best to get across as safe as possible and have done and are doing research into the no go areas. It'll be ok, im a little nervous but I feel quite excited at the same time. We enter on Monday.<br /><br />Ill try and keep in contact as much as possible.<br /><br />Much love to ye all!!!<br />Marty and the DragonflyMr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-34705336989486454242010-06-28T13:44:00.000-07:002010-06-28T14:00:45.906-07:00The adventures are getting a little crazy in the Middle EastSo Im in Tehran Now after a fantastic adventure through Southern, central and Eastern Turkey which was amazing. Turkey is a fantastic country full of so many beautiful places and people. So many stories to share but now things have got a wee bit twisted in Tehran as I cant obtain a Pakistan Visa to get across into India. The Pakistanies are being more than unwilling to help, ive tried and tried and its a no go. So soon after I gave up I was trying to find the place to upgrade my transit visa to stay in the ever exciting and crazy Iran for a month longer till I worked out a plan, but then some beautiful Spanish people traveling in a big old 4WD truck came into my life at exactly the right time. They have just arrived from Africa catching the ferry from Dubai to Iran and are heading up to the Stan's. Im going to join them, its going to get a little hairy and scary but its all going to be worth the adventure. Im feeling it on this one, Ill try keep you posted but the tinternet is becoming harder and harder to come by. Ill be in Tehran for a couple more days maybe while we sort out visas. Then who knows whats going to happen????Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-50055788279229187602010-06-28T12:41:00.000-07:002010-06-28T13:44:03.260-07:00Pic timeSeeing i cant keep up with the blogs cause things have got a little crazy i can put some pics up from Italy to Istanbul!!! I write in my personal diary normally everyday but its hard to find and spend time on the net.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlpRmgLTHsoHVZa-7D-iC5kbE7C_7fAY2hl2kKDGb1ARKFiLl98kEJPq1zHu3evgVo3e99sknkCbFQ9VtOdxLAboAQzAf8hh2FYfL8AqWJQzmERl9pZzcGQLVbDdnis53t2G5jnIDUGT9/s1600/DSC05716.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlpRmgLTHsoHVZa-7D-iC5kbE7C_7fAY2hl2kKDGb1ARKFiLl98kEJPq1zHu3evgVo3e99sknkCbFQ9VtOdxLAboAQzAf8hh2FYfL8AqWJQzmERl9pZzcGQLVbDdnis53t2G5jnIDUGT9/s320/DSC05716.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487909603955288002" border="0" /></a>storms a brewing in the very east of Italy<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0Yws5Gpyu7eomM_Tap84dWEmRTTdv0BCEzneCi7tSWvzqalBWeA2P_ofHdjDhw2CCUUm4LXendkQIjYtjlp1Jx5MvDl5aRXmWr2w_bmd3DlMnOx74kfcdHA08arCqofmKhsrkmg5Wsxh/s1600/DSC05788.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0Yws5Gpyu7eomM_Tap84dWEmRTTdv0BCEzneCi7tSWvzqalBWeA2P_ofHdjDhw2CCUUm4LXendkQIjYtjlp1Jx5MvDl5aRXmWr2w_bmd3DlMnOx74kfcdHA08arCqofmKhsrkmg5Wsxh/s320/DSC05788.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487909617534806994" border="0" /></a>Some great deciduous forests in Slovenia<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZUrZWBYxPK8_37v3kgFd4MOqD3gedfa5xFoZ5K2iHlcLgv2YQxgz6y6kGSseQtOcgBd6Dl2gxoItZlwYaHxmuXlx_s3oJ1n2dY-d-BESzdxPtxTl02pX4n5Gs74YYwqKMgMZk9oUBDQn/s1600/DSC05739.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZUrZWBYxPK8_37v3kgFd4MOqD3gedfa5xFoZ5K2iHlcLgv2YQxgz6y6kGSseQtOcgBd6Dl2gxoItZlwYaHxmuXlx_s3oJ1n2dY-d-BESzdxPtxTl02pX4n5Gs74YYwqKMgMZk9oUBDQn/s320/DSC05739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487909614884865954" border="0" /></a>The castle in the cliff and cave systems Slovenia<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDhzYi2vd4FrTdI0HicJLQ0deHblvPUoupqEkqiUHL9rH7EuGk3L31MBw5AlCpSk1iVOD1m-9djkiz7Lhg-cMzk0UgjTv5KrE3DEPOth_G5DnUMW0aHWsOKkEGDlygSyKttLu2nvKXQOr/s1600/DSC05808.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDhzYi2vd4FrTdI0HicJLQ0deHblvPUoupqEkqiUHL9rH7EuGk3L31MBw5AlCpSk1iVOD1m-9djkiz7Lhg-cMzk0UgjTv5KrE3DEPOth_G5DnUMW0aHWsOKkEGDlygSyKttLu2nvKXQOr/s320/DSC05808.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487909625393844962" border="0" /></a>Jess snow ploughing it through the Croatian alps<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb4bfOejGjgX9YSo4Fejw72cRlOh4-OQp1Y0JV4-SwXLxs2-h-hTeddmnkU94w43dYK_ZdRUfAUDwS09rilguxXtAevo-Ys7YLQq_MsRZpkN74MQRfD6EnXij_oQySDOk6zWvm63FoYn_/s1600/DSC05826.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb4bfOejGjgX9YSo4Fejw72cRlOh4-OQp1Y0JV4-SwXLxs2-h-hTeddmnkU94w43dYK_ZdRUfAUDwS09rilguxXtAevo-Ys7YLQq_MsRZpkN74MQRfD6EnXij_oQySDOk6zWvm63FoYn_/s320/DSC05826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487909634135174882" border="0" /></a>The incredible sunsets over the Adriatic sea in Western Croatia<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA2UR02WtBf3sJ5l8bPY_XJht1QDxPY2jNCjLvlx2Qp8jhMvuohW8u7uCAC5jW5_XY2wxSLPdtResXpvv-dtBbifptcjg5BntowLbzT2Gds0VLm9PfaDXDQKJh6EyiDfXJTooW1_pDocm/s1600/DSC05830.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA2UR02WtBf3sJ5l8bPY_XJht1QDxPY2jNCjLvlx2Qp8jhMvuohW8u7uCAC5jW5_XY2wxSLPdtResXpvv-dtBbifptcjg5BntowLbzT2Gds0VLm9PfaDXDQKJh6EyiDfXJTooW1_pDocm/s320/DSC05830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487915403159100754" border="0" /></a>Omis, Croatia, great camp spot on this amazing river<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ksC0VDvTZDYlRcdHRZNBxN-7IvPVdCP3cpOe33Ce6I7amppdDxmfZcADpA5WH3JDs6u8vyVHo9FBnCm8sOfk8k48CkTRdyvIVMmiFemB8xJKw6-_Bdu-rdde4ioQnP4lyRWntOx4QFQz/s1600/DSC05943.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ksC0VDvTZDYlRcdHRZNBxN-7IvPVdCP3cpOe33Ce6I7amppdDxmfZcADpA5WH3JDs6u8vyVHo9FBnCm8sOfk8k48CkTRdyvIVMmiFemB8xJKw6-_Bdu-rdde4ioQnP4lyRWntOx4QFQz/s320/DSC05943.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487915416805621874" border="0" /></a>Beautiful estuary southern Albania<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOraGz3mmcPTwhnzqlaRHXcp-zjQjs0YKZnLS-4BNCr3KLI5JdBI2S6k_gP51QLhter2UkCr0gC_89u24At3ppSRqvzg4jTVnlbFSBPUVv5HMbtihbecEvgfEcq2-ut1akYyPfxcC2fCoc/s1600/DSC05949.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOraGz3mmcPTwhnzqlaRHXcp-zjQjs0YKZnLS-4BNCr3KLI5JdBI2S6k_gP51QLhter2UkCr0gC_89u24At3ppSRqvzg4jTVnlbFSBPUVv5HMbtihbecEvgfEcq2-ut1akYyPfxcC2fCoc/s320/DSC05949.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487915423738489058" border="0" /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >the plank of wood ferry south Albania</span></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDfoo8p2zGHkvOpMKADQpxIrmLEnGaCIrDdBuZCy14Kzz5DnnmyTdj4COvHB3Xm2AKlPcHSy1Gjyh3WYTqEYpuJaaXHzpD59xDAgqqz2pMCdlCGJd8HbOQD2NYmEU0MehY_4U4L_mprn2/s1600/DSC05910.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDfoo8p2zGHkvOpMKADQpxIrmLEnGaCIrDdBuZCy14Kzz5DnnmyTdj4COvHB3Xm2AKlPcHSy1Gjyh3WYTqEYpuJaaXHzpD59xDAgqqz2pMCdlCGJd8HbOQD2NYmEU0MehY_4U4L_mprn2/s320/DSC05910.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487915411903158450" border="0" /></a>Jess's stinky bottom needed some airing out!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6sK9Iq6hWFcrPRk0ZJv_7b-F-aor2vtUsPvtmEqs7LmEIgl4ICuVsRtoOFYNYmF_ArrhEjZ3v1sBCwaAsxQNpZrdKMIAt6LkudAVmpnG58-E2t3SE0ZahA-870MgU9VI6L-HLVdS5cAa/s1600/DSC05981.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6sK9Iq6hWFcrPRk0ZJv_7b-F-aor2vtUsPvtmEqs7LmEIgl4ICuVsRtoOFYNYmF_ArrhEjZ3v1sBCwaAsxQNpZrdKMIAt6LkudAVmpnG58-E2t3SE0ZahA-870MgU9VI6L-HLVdS5cAa/s320/DSC05981.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487915426288908706" border="0" /></a>Furry faces Greece<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsgdgkGL4uBnTVpf3Nrf4NqauX6E5nIf_mC2WTVufnbRCnqa2wNj8BVy2Ts8cytmkh-TH2FD28pnpjurYEBEf-EdeaI2v1ok_l0bL2E80Sqsl6seVff1pxKB7DrdRj4fqzFs4pbg3omk4/s1600/DSC05982.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsgdgkGL4uBnTVpf3Nrf4NqauX6E5nIf_mC2WTVufnbRCnqa2wNj8BVy2Ts8cytmkh-TH2FD28pnpjurYEBEf-EdeaI2v1ok_l0bL2E80Sqsl6seVff1pxKB7DrdRj4fqzFs4pbg3omk4/s320/DSC05982.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487920630602463106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6sK9Iq6hWFcrPRk0ZJv_7b-F-aor2vtUsPvtmEqs7LmEIgl4ICuVsRtoOFYNYmF_ArrhEjZ3v1sBCwaAsxQNpZrdKMIAt6LkudAVmpnG58-E2t3SE0ZahA-870MgU9VI6L-HLVdS5cAa/s1600/DSC05981.JPG"><br /></a>Furry faces Greece<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO6KsAZzhyXU9uGfMR_NyjhSgHjKl6JyNMQX2N4bNSKx3YuYJ1ZzmP2xLoUBZNlF7o20jgw4RzDdNE_DSCibnYLvdtVbNCFqXVtsdpMJYFjkMWJzVsQa-Zm59UrS8xEOG3ubmrh-DhTZ2/s1600/DSC06014.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO6KsAZzhyXU9uGfMR_NyjhSgHjKl6JyNMQX2N4bNSKx3YuYJ1ZzmP2xLoUBZNlF7o20jgw4RzDdNE_DSCibnYLvdtVbNCFqXVtsdpMJYFjkMWJzVsQa-Zm59UrS8xEOG3ubmrh-DhTZ2/s320/DSC06014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487920642838055122" border="0" /></a>Good times a cruising<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMr9IDcxXHrmZYASfmwJf58Cty0WDS6nVs-wOLELqTobdc95xWAAvmXb51Y2-0qenQ84maoc_kkLSf-enVSmw_aRx4xFy8iOKIESsPYH_vC0AdUVCo8zHDdeDSspZuE6pbYeL5O3J6VvdB/s1600/DSC06000.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMr9IDcxXHrmZYASfmwJf58Cty0WDS6nVs-wOLELqTobdc95xWAAvmXb51Y2-0qenQ84maoc_kkLSf-enVSmw_aRx4xFy8iOKIESsPYH_vC0AdUVCo8zHDdeDSspZuE6pbYeL5O3J6VvdB/s320/DSC06000.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487920638438730818" border="0" /></a>The hot springs we found east Greece, this place<br /> was FANTASTIC!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQTt67ZJ8a-gxOKpOzhtvWjhCGacWfe-odhJdXGQvfJ8AEgPLGOB3hRWXbv7QvHPQ5nANeIVsuIMxmLT60YTcMMZdouHj63tCsL1rf8_WO_mSO5oi4ufU5KyW0YDhnqnFc4pBi8W8QH-2/s1600/DSC06035.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQTt67ZJ8a-gxOKpOzhtvWjhCGacWfe-odhJdXGQvfJ8AEgPLGOB3hRWXbv7QvHPQ5nANeIVsuIMxmLT60YTcMMZdouHj63tCsL1rf8_WO_mSO5oi4ufU5KyW0YDhnqnFc4pBi8W8QH-2/s320/DSC06035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487920647618337090" border="0" /></a>Istanbul!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiCknAa8dQEwcNPxUCNUMvqRjUJFq4RHECe602WUmjaCRVOpzPtTbAjHN64MkTHMAyx6u_fSFshI9Vl370c8WkOcSXSfjviR-KgiXPOuiWKRrdFnC9sZWG8zYg9iVNxtqoNOt8gh-HrEy/s1600/DSC06031.JPG"><br /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6sK9Iq6hWFcrPRk0ZJv_7b-F-aor2vtUsPvtmEqs7LmEIgl4ICuVsRtoOFYNYmF_ArrhEjZ3v1sBCwaAsxQNpZrdKMIAt6LkudAVmpnG58-E2t3SE0ZahA-870MgU9VI6L-HLVdS5cAa/s1600/DSC05981.JPG"><br /></a><br /><br /></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-11449153092405070032010-06-15T05:04:00.000-07:002010-06-26T05:17:05.916-07:00Havıng a wobble gobble of a tıme ın Turkey<div style="text-align: center;">Okay blog tıme! It is quite dıffıcult but I know that I need to take<br />tıme out of these fantastıc tımes to keep ın touch with you all.<br />Everyday ıs a page length of storıes and ıt’s really dıffıcult to start<br />because there ıs so much to wrıte!<br /><br />I’m ın Turkey now and stıll need to catch up on the whole leg of the<br />trıp from Venıce ın Italy to Istanbul ın Turkey. Is so dıffıcult because<br />I camp out all of the tıme and don’t stay ın hostels where there are<br />computers and other methods of communication!<br /><br />So we had a great stay ın Istanbul. I was hobblıng around town and<br />checkıng out the scene wıth Hakan, Joe and Jess for the fırst two<br />days. I was stayıng at Hakan’s sısters and couch surfıng. Istanbul ıs<br />a great cıty, where; as they say, the east meets west! The Mosques<br />and Bazars were fantastıc and the general hustle and bustle vıbe<br />was quıte energetıc! Joe left for Thaıland, and then the next nıght I<br />dropped Jess of at the airport to fly back to Italy to eventually return<br />to her homeland: Scotland. That nıght, despite being somewhat<br />emotıonal, I physically returned to my independant travellıng vıbes.<br />This made me thınk that the best tımes ın lıfe are those that are<br />shared. But my experıences were to change from thıs poınt on,<br />every decısıon ıs mıne and every path I take from thıs poınt on ıs<br />also mıne. So that’s why I headed down a small dırt road... What I<br />anticipated to be an independent lonely trip. To my astonishment I<br />began sharing the road wıth a huge pack of stray dogs. I saw one<br />gıve me ‘the look’. I was ready for that pack... But suddenly, more<br />came out of the long grass! They love motorbıkes and chasing cars!<br />It may be the adrenalin rush from running alongside something with<br />a motor! With aggression and butterflies in my gutt, I gunned ıt!<br />Fortunately I left them all in a traıl of dust... From a safe distance, I<br />could visualise theır snarly faces after they admitted being beaten<br />by The Dragonfly with Marty! This made me smile a smile of<br />accomplishment. When you’re alone out here, it’s the small things...<br /><br />Sleepıng that nıght ın the forest, hearıng howls and barks ın<br />the dıstance, I became a lıttle worrıed. The realities of what could<br />happen to me and The Dragonfly when confronted by a pack of<br />dogs in the middle of the nıght were in the forefront of my mind.<br />The thing I kept stumbing upon mentally was that I needn’t be out<br />here uncovered, unprotected as I was provided with an ‘offer’ to<br />stay ın a prıson that nıght. This came about when I asked a man at<br />a store earlier that day for a suggestion of a nıce close campıng<br />spot around the lakes. Suspiciously he called the Turkısh army (I<br />dıdn’t realıse at the tıme that this was what he was doing). This<br />must have been to suss me out or somethıng. The man at the shop<br />saıd follow thıs man he wıll show you a nıce camp place. He took<br />me to the Turkısh army where none of them spoke englısh. The<br />men offered me some Chaı and tried to persuade me to<br />sleep ın a cell. I was a lıttle pıssed off wıth them because ıt was<br />gettıng dark and I dıdnt want to stay ın a lockup, so I left. How<br />stupid did they think I was to fall for something like that? They<br />weren’t at all happy that I decided to leave before the night was<br />through!<br /><br />I headed back to Istanbul the next day to sort out my motorbıke and<br />in an attempt to get my Iranıan vısa. I randomly stopped by Genc<br />Moto. Genc was a great lad! He was once a free spırıt on two<br />wheels, just lıke me. He was excıted I stopped at hıs shop. Tea,<br />coffee and bıscuits were served, not to mention a good chat and<br />good business (from me). I got myself a new rear tyre for 170<br />Turkısh Lıra whıch ıs super cheap! I’m almost certain that this won’t<br />happen agaın! I also purchased spare chaın lınks and more oıl. I’ve<br />got everythıng ready for the rough road now! I went down to see the<br />lads ın the workshop to fıx some bıts and check thıngs over... I<br />must admit here that Mu and Mustaffa´s help was unbelıvable! They<br />were great guys and everyone was keen to help.<br /><br />We ended up spendıng about a day and a half on the bıke. I<br />could go ınto detaıls about the mechanıcal issues with the bike,<br />but it’s not the time or place as my ınternet bıll ıs rollıng over!<br />Inevitable and most importantly everythıng ıs runnıng super smooth<br />and the only ıssue ıs a lıttle movement ın the front suspensıon. Mu<br />reckons ıt wıll last alot longer ıf I don’t go off road too much! Genc<br />was great he took me to stay at hıs house that nıght and we ate<br />some delıcıous turkısh take out! Great chats and alot of remınısıng<br />flowed through the night, uninterrupted due to not needing to cook!<br />We told of adventures and travels... Hıs apartment out of town was<br />beautıful and had a great vıew. It was well worth the travels out<br />there!<br /><br />Man Im lovıng the Turkısh food, everythıng you put ın your mouth ıs<br />great, real kebabs wıthout the lebanese breads lıke you get ın the<br />western world. Isklander ıs my favourıte dısh so far but soon<br />Antakya ıs on the lıst and they have around 585 dıshes local to<br />theır area. Woooo man... So much to look forward too! Sorry Gıany<br />I couldnt stay a vegetarian ın Turkey because the lamb ıs too good!<br />Maybe from Iran onwards I’ll return to those eating ways. I’ll just<br />remind myself of the scare and fear of almost dying ın Morocco. That<br />should help me!<br /><br />Well I’ll now take you back ınto Istanbul and onto my issue of the<br />Visa. I had to send 30 euros to Wolfgang Porshe (how fake a name<br />can you get!?) This I found was a setup to allow you to transfer<br />money ınto an agency for Iran ın Germany. This was inevitably<br />because the Government won’t let you send money dırectly ınto<br />Iran. I needed a reference number... Much easier said than done!<br />This was lıke an ınvıtatıon number to get the vısa. It cost me 30<br />euros to get this and then another 30 pounds to make an<br />International transfer. What a hassle!<br />Eventually Nazı at key2persıa got me sorted and I got the number<br />and went to the Iranıan Embacy. They saıd ıt would be two workıng<br />days. I consequently had to make another bank transfer to pay for<br />the Vısa whıch ended up beıng more complıcated than required<br />due to a mıscommunıcatıon. Then I went back to the Embacy to<br />prove ı had paıd the required amount. The man at the desk ordered<br />me to sıt. At thıs stage I was a wee bıt frustrated and ın my mınd I<br />was thinking “why??? Why do they want to questıon me about what<br />ım to do there???” I could feel that this again was going to be<br />another long day of waiting and answering questions. I had<br />previously made frıends wıth a young Iranıan lad tryıng to get out of<br />hıs conscrıptıon before the man at the desk told me come over.<br />Weeeee heeee!!! There ıt was! 20 mınutes and I had my Vısa. I was so<br />happy!<br /><br />I made good frıends wıth some people at the hostel too. Namely<br />Sımon, Jody, Sıtarı and Mr French man; Gırod. Good company ın the<br />harmony hostel, I bargıned wıth them to let me stay for 10 lıra a<br />nıght after attemptıng to camp on the coast of Istanbul (a spot<br />where some other Aussıes on the road had told me about). I was<br />moved on by the local Polıce, however am still baffled as to how<br />they found me! It was a huge old abandoned sıte.<br /><br />Oh and did I mention, Mr French man was great? He was a doctor and dıd some<br />healıng work on my broken bone... He was great. He had hıs feet ın<br />a puddle of water as he was doıng hıs Reıkı and the energy he got<br />was even more intense than he had saıd! It worked well!<br />I headed for Ankara to stay with Hakan and hıs family. This was<br />after a faıled attempt to get my Pakıstan Vısa. I had one horrible<br />day there where I thought I might have to turn back as it was more<br />than difficult to take an alternative route and ıt would cost me loads<br />of money that I couldn’t afford! But that nıght some magıc<br />happened and the lads from Horızons Unlımıted gave me the<br />thumbs up for the possıbılıty to get the Pakıstan Vısa ın Teran; Iran.<br />So there’s no other choıce! I have to do ıt and I’m goıng to get ınto<br />Pakıstan!<br /><br />I had to hıt the road. I’ve been ın the cıtıes too long now and need<br />to see Turkey. Thanks to Hakan and hıs beautıful famıly I left wıth<br />such great vıbes along wıth some melt ın your mouth home made<br />baklava that Youldagould made and was so happy to hıt the raod<br />agaın! I was headed for Pamakalı, the lımestone structures by the<br />Ancıent Roman ruıns. That fırst day’s where I was headıng South<br />West was great! Everythıng was full of positivity and I was feelıng<br />the groove and living the dream. The storms were brewıng as I was<br />passıng some ıncreadable ısolated harsh landscapes. I had to pull<br />the tarp out at one stage as the raın was full on and quite heavy. As<br />ıt slowely passed over the lake that I stopped at, the colours were<br />amazıng and there were crabs ın an ınland lake. Could this be???<br />Are there fresh water crabs?<br /><br />I hıt the road to dry off, stoppıng by old castles and ruıns from tıme<br />to tıme and watchıng locals do theır thıng. I turned off a less<br />trodden path to find a camp spot in the hills. There were tents from<br />tıme to tıme and sown patches of wheat and shepherds’ looking<br />after their flocks way up ın the hılls. That nıght I camped ın a<br />beautiful spot, watched the sunset and cooked up a warm and<br />hearty stew. I had a great sleep. No noıse at all to interrupt this. I<br />was happily out of the hustle and bustle. ı was happy beyond<br />words. This was the night I needed to rekindle the spark in my<br />amazing trip across the world. These nights and days pop up just<br />when they need to. I was passionate again. Loving living the<br />dream...<br /><br />I woke up the next morning to a pack of dogs running towards me ın<br />the tent. The barks were deep and powerful, these one meant ıt.<br /><br />To be continued.... sorry I need some food, I’ll try to keep up and<br />catch up wıth where I left off from Italy to Turkey.<br /><br />Okay, okay! I guess I should let you all know that I’m safe and well<br />and having a fantastic time... My leg with all this swimming is going<br />great, ı reckon another week or two and ı can go rockclımbıng!<br />Okay well maybe that’s a little ambitious. But that’s just the type of<br />guy I am...<br />Much Love to you all.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-1693958189497203352010-05-11T09:58:00.000-07:002010-05-11T11:09:31.043-07:00Feeling fine just like a nice hot cup of dandelion<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Ohh right, wooo yeah!!! </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The news as it is, I got the wretched plaster off yesterday as this nutcase of a male Italian nurse came at me with a squealing grinder, he must have done it a million times cause he just didn't give a shiat. Pretty scary, so the clamps came out, ripped the plaster off and down to radiology to get another xray to check all the bits of bone are in the right place. I was expecting my leg and especially my foot to be much more stinker than it was, the amount of dead skin on my skinny leg, full of black hairs was very appealing, it made me hungry! So a very nice nurse who'd remembered me from last time, took Gianny away to sort out the paper work, she was so kind that she asked Gianny of my economic situation and only made me pay for the xray. Very kind and compassionate woman. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I had the xray and once again they covered my balls with a lead mat so I can still have babies some day, then I waited around and saw another orthopedic doctor who looked at the xray for two seconds and then explained in Italian to Gianny what was to happen. He said not to put wait on it for another two weeks, then get a splint cast and slowly start to walk on it on the third week from now.....this man had no time for anyone, it was all about routine, Id had enough, I wasn't feeling the vibes, I dont agree with these western ways of medicine. I've already been walking on my foot with the plaster on, the sole of it was like material by the time they took it off. Chantal was teaching me about the chinese ways of healing bones and they encourage you to walk on it from early days and put herbs on it and they change the cast every 3 to 4 days. Its very different to the western ways. So from the xray you can still the fracture quite clearly, it is mending but I still need to treat it very delicately. Im going to do what I feel is best but be gentle with it at the same time.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Im keen to hit the road, I got my rear wheel back, the lads at the Honda shop bent it back into shape, filled in the dent, replaced the inner-tube, and tyre and the bearings and balanced it all for 90 euros. Not too bad at all. My Karma has been quite good lately. So Ive given my bike a good make over now, I've cleaned her all up, oil change and regular maintenance stuff and the only issue is two links in the chain are really stiffening up. I tried to loosen them up but when you take of in low gears and when the dragonfly is under tension she make a clonking noise. Ill just keep working at loosening them up. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I went for a wee ride today, first time since the accident and many mixed feelings were flowing trough me. Both a little fearful and sensitive but also pretty excited to get back on the road. I took a bottle of wine to my savior who took me to the ospitale the morning of the accident, saying "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">grazie mille" which is "thanks a thousand"</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">. So tomorrow Im planning to leave Gianny and Miskey and this beautiful place in Paradisso to make it to venice where Ill meet up with Jess who I stayed with in France. Its going to be fantastic to have the company and to share the good times with but it will also be great to have Jess there if my ankle does something its not meant too. Im glad I bought my motorbike boots of ebay now, they really hold my foot in a very good stable position, so as long as I take it "Shanty Shanty" slowly slowly then I shouldn't put much strain on it at all.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">To the very beautiful Gianny and Miskey who have been here for me in this time of healing, I cant thank you both enough, you are both far to kind and your good Karma will come around, "for every action, there is a reaction" one of Gianny most recited quotes in an Indian accent as well as very best! Its been fantastic to stay with you both and share this time with you, although I bet you'd both wished Id just piss off somewhere else sometimes. Through the good times and the not so easy, all round I have learned so much from you both and about myself. It really has been a great experience breaking my leg (who'd ever say that in their lives?). It has been quite an Ironic experience also as I first came to Paradisso to help out on the farm, but it flipped right around the other way and Gianny and Miskey ended up looking after me. I have many great memories that will stay with me forever, and I really enjoyed watching Spring unfold and the forests come to life too. I had many great days of observing life's beauty and much learning and reflecting from all the valuable lessons and great conversations we shared. And opening my mind to the world of amazing cinema works, we got well into Tony Gatlif movies. Fantastic! Thank God you both speak english. I cant thank you enough for helping me out in every way possible, your hearts are as wide as the worlds! So </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">grazie mille to you both on every level. Im going to miss you both but you will always be with me. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Oh and I finished Shantaram, cheers for that Robin, your a legend, and yes it continues on its own journey now as I have already passed it on already! What an incredible book. Fantastic read if someone keen for an epic and crazy adventure!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So shanty shanty, ill be heading up to Venice tomorrow and then head across the Balkan countries towards Turkey and into the east. Ill try put up posts when possible. But as they say "no news is good news"!</span></span></div></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-42748761543168135312010-04-16T02:47:00.000-07:002010-04-24T03:26:20.165-07:00Unwittingly spending time in Italy<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So yes, time in Italy is now going to be a wee bit longer than I'd initially planned: for reasons unknown, I now sit on my bony little bum and put my leg up. I'll get to that later as the story unfolds; a chronological series of events that lead to my current bum-sitting situation. A word of warning though- seeing as though I have the time to write I have actually written a bit of a lengthy blog. You have been warned. If you’re feeling lazy, there are a series of pictures that tell a thousand words- you could just check them out and try to piece the story together in your mind...</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Wet from the inside out; I arrived at the French/ Italian Alps to Shanu's place in Cuneo. I took a welcoming hot shower, changed into some nice dry clothes, and had a wee catch up. The night before that Jess, Nicco and I went to a crazy DubStep Party in the French Alps, which, combined with the crazy elements I’d endured on the road and very little sleep, I needed a nap so I could be present. I hadn't seen Shanu for at least two years! It was so great to see him again- considering his amazing energy for life! He is living in a pretty cool apartment that entails a collage of amazing photographs from all different cultures and landscapes from all over the world.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p></span></div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7G6hvRUzqIcKn5HQpUGThZtGRrk8VJgygp_pC11tr8UI0Ox8VOjD75Gn6ig_c5sENb820C8D084dzCZsWKP0hBXHlNBsC4-JQ6D-yBe1Sz_tiwB2YFShDx3B4W16c8HzUpPstpPNyrs1/s320/IMG_0974.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460674836954574274" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Shanu at his flat in Cuneo - peace out brother!</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I stayed with Shanu for a great couple of days where everything happened spontaneously and we had such a fantastic time. I love spontaneity, the way it takes you into places of the unknown. Who knows what will happen; when, where or why? When you arrive somewhere with prepared plans, you hold expectations, and if they do not transpire, you leave yourself open to disappointment if they vary from the original predicted assumptions of that journey. So having no expectations leaves you open to the greater wonder of life and opens things up to be much more exciting and exhilarating. Bring back the spontaneity of life I say!!!</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After many great meals, chats and walks around beautiful Cuneo on the very west of Italy; neatly tucked in just under the Alps, it was all about reminiscing the good times... and then continuing them! One night Shanu thought we were cooking dinner for his friends, but this was not the case as they took us up further into the mountains again where snow was still lying cold but now dirty on the ground, to a wee pub/ home style restaurant. I can’t remember the name but it was a fantastic place; so warm and inviting- it felt just like a home. It was very popular amongst some very amazing Italian people too, they even squeezed in a band downstairs later on, which I could hear but not see. It was so tight and intimate and was great to mingle with some beautiful Italian people- all in all; it was a great night out. As the bar closed we scored a ride home with Ilaria. As with most things in my life- it turned out to be a pretty funny mission. Let me explain why. Ilaria was really paranoid of the cops and tried to bypass them by going the back way home, but in the crazy effort to avoid them in every way possible, we passed a pull over point at a roundabout and had to stop. While pretending to have her seatbelt on, as it was broken, as well as having had a drink or two, she thought she was busted. Anticipation and anxiety filled the car. Luckily all was sweet in the end. She just showed her license and said she hadn't had anything to drink. Off we went while I slyly held her seatbelt falsely in place.</span></span></p><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAqwItajiSSRvi0Xem6-cnN8ZJHAIeMRGasvRTdF2qfDjDIL9odbM8bPkY4qZwKZenBiC4zp0NqpZVYdYcKlx0Czyg4K1ZXQXq8FBfPHUYDImfPMoTwj6KFlNS1UARsTuRPl_15cM2hDS/s320/IMG_0964.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460686108750223730" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Small village up from Demonte</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Waking up the next day, it was quite late and we had a phone call from two of Shanu's friends Valta and Monica inviting us up into the Alps to visit some of their friends that they thought we would like and relate to. So we prepared something to eat and jumped on the bike and headed into the Alps once again (I thought I was finished with the French and Italian Alps by this stage of my journey but they must have held more adventures for me to experience). This place was amazing though, honest rural Italy in the Alps, with the delight of snow that had just cleared away from the valley but still covered all the north facing slopes. The lands facing south were singing whilst waking up and having a big stretch as the new shoots of this year’s season was budding and sprouting back to life. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Helena's beautiful house was up in the hills from Demonte, she had a beautiful family and was quite an eccentric woman who was a Felter amongst many other personas. She had an amazing banner symbolising religions and political symbols from various religions from ancient times to the present. She brought them all together to symbolise a united people; one unified race. This piece demonstrated her belief that we should not have these symbols that describe or dictate our being, as it is vital in this world to live as one amalgamated body of humanity. It was very beautifully done and would have taken much time and effort. She also made many crazy hats and felted these amazing jackets, like Old Russian Soldier Guard jackets and many other interesting fancy dress type clothing; all made out of felt.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnOUnKZOyRXxst8uc3x9mGzw-BBSPdu1SASj0zja8mspQt0frlzTXIwaaIkgqqwhFrImMNVQr6IIAUBnQDDMysMw04eT0f_FqqGQonO-G4eZgj1IRWOd7SuL9qjiREeE9tbMxYNOlsXVi/s320/IMG_0965.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460686105230731090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Helena's beautiful felting piece</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We ended up starting out on a little walk, which enduringly turned out to take the rest of the afternoon. No one was complaining though, it was amazingly beautiful. We walked along this small donkey track on the side of the mountain to the next small village which was a fair distance away. We had many great conversations in broken English and Italian, but a good lesson for Aja and Seria who were learning English at school. With a mid way stop for a well deserved beer, and making friends with Baboo the humble bee, we took off in the late afternoon back home, nicely tipsy as the sun slowly fell on us as we continued walking. I really enjoyed walking in the fainting light and as night fell upon the amazing sky. The shadows of the mountains grew to meet out feet. By the time we got back, it was certainty dark and we stayed for a meal which ended up being an all night long. It was so beautiful hanging out in an Italian home, it was very warming, with home-made breads warmed in the fire and some fantastic soup and salads. This combined with beautiful company and I was certainty happy to enjoy my time there.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWc_tLI6lre16LjwmURUKrysR9kR18sfSDTivashyVoTe4xZwDmMjjEKjAEUOGNFoZsHmXlLqce7YzGhzmzumRQ4xonqog0JmgbFmuKc2GniZKWHMRLWr8Mdy0z-V9n2AN4_RXFanfTIo/s320/IMG_0967.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460686122986076370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></p><p></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Seria and Valta taking in the spectacular views</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-HUVB4X_E71uEewBIMl1xqDuZu_Ew5dUR8fBk8WM82fvK_se7GYXWUNx8fzbAYc6iR5HpaOks1U9ZO89WcRBO7sNNbBB8g-cV5H2Blx9Cv2Pm0HDcJ6EygcbdJZo-5K3J8N7zi_PxaZv/s320/IMG_0968.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460686128311984290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Walking back up the hills with everyone.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">That following day Shanu and I went to visit his parents Adriano (Plifiu) and Laura, they were a beautiful couple who were potters, and are very amazing potters at that. With their house set up like a train, it was very beautiful and contained many amazing art pieces. Their home had very earthy and proud home-made feeling. As a couple who worked and lived a humble potter’s life together, I could feel their love and passion for life with one other. They also have just started a blog which is worth taking a look at </span></span><span style="text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.studiopotterpeveragno.com/</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> They called some great friends of theirs for me after a very delicious lunch, and organised for me to visit some dear friends of theirs Gianni and Miskey who lived up from Assisi in a place called Paradiso. They needed some help on their property, and so I was happy to visit and help them out. So I had one last night at Shanu's in Cuneo and then I was off to head towards the exciting and more warming Mediterranean. Cheers for all the good times Shanu, I had a great time and it was so good to catch up again, you’re great mate!</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2brJmLATuIT2XWRYFOGxMnqUY2jAZ2PVR50U5ZvtG3kuZuuOI-yiIoK_xhkBJeQOT8Py3sldWERvhOEWdAp3d9_QUbM1mjksCUtAo88rRCbnlDIIvS8bQHWISw31q9hKquHW7BfAOclu/s320/IMG_0972.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460690919949917010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Laura, the bandit and Adriano (Plifiu) </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So I headed towards Genova. Oh my, what an insane mission that was! There was a slight chance of precipitation from the South East when I was leaving but as I headed closer and closer to the ‘Med’, over the mountains stood a massive dark cloud that filled the sky and it was heading my way. Lightning strikes were being thrown everywhere and the thunder was a deep and an overpowering tremble. I hadn’t seen a proper storm in ages. It didn't give much warning before it pissed down, so hard that it even hailed, I rode through it all and as I was following a smaller road by a creek line, I was watching the water rise. With the insane power of the storm, my waterproofs did not live up to their name. They seemed to do nothing in the face of this rainfall. I was so wet and cold and in complete awe, everything that was not in my pannier boxes was wet. I thought sarcastically to myself: "I love it when that happens!" It was tough riding.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The roads became flourishing streams of mud and debris from the surrounding forests. But I didn't want to stop; well actually there really was nowhere to stop! If I did stop, I would have just got colder and colder. I don't think I could have got any wetter than I presently was, so I pressed on. However, my bike ended up stalling up a hill as my petrol ran out. It was too difficult while I was riding to switch the fuel tap to reserve, so I was there trying to balance the bike with no hand brake with all my gear. It was so heavy that it seemed to want to pull me back down the hill as the road was washing beneath me with the gushing rainfall. What a struggle! This was a nightmare! Why must my petrol run low right there and then? I believe that I handled it quite well. Despite a few negative thoughts I didn't lose my shit. It’s all about the power of the mind. I switched over to the reserve tank and waited until the petrol started to flow into the engine again and then cranked her over and over and over till she eventually started and I was off. Phew!</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My surroundings and the landscape around me were turning green- the beauty that follows a storm like the one I just experienced! There were green plants all around; therefore I sensed that I was getting closer to the Med Sea. Rolling over the last of the hills I could see the Mediterranean in the distance and the clouds started to disperse, revealing the much desired beams of warming sunshine. What beauty! I was in a much more excited mood now as I had made it to the Mediterranean Sea and the sun was shining. I was so happy so it wasn’t hard to forget about how soaking wet I was. I picked up some fuel, lubricated the chain and headed along the coast in an attempt to get as close to the Cinque Terra region as I could before sunset. I followed the Coast Road the whole way and it was an absolute delight. Although riding quite slow up, down and around the Coast Line, it was an absolute pleasure. I was trying to bypass the highway too, so I could enjoy the coast road. Fortunately that unpreparedly ensured that I pass through the centre of Genova. Now that was an experience! </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was a crazy race- a hundred thousand scooters were at every set of traffic lights. I was forced to weave in and out of so many cars as they lead the way in their modes of transport. Scooter riders are mad! I guess it’s just what they are used to. So I got in the roll of it too, travelling up the side lanes of traffic and weaving in and out. I finally made it through Genova and hit the coast road again. I made it to a small village called Moneglia, there I found a nice camp spot right on the coast, close to the tunnels that connect the coastal villages. I set up camp and cooked some food and hung everything out to dry for the night. It was such a peaceful spot hearing nothing but the crashing waves of the Med Sea on the rocks beneath me.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHVWth4M12wWaHFaNrXouizQ6Y9sRNi4ocsrlc-Rm9woZ4IOHqI8893Rw7OjqQt4VEzOLIxPST8Nqe4H6RWs_NO3lChHk4B4tASc7-SdngnRxEk4VAM8Onv21qOiZaZKYKiIzKIPFahcs/s320/DSC05634.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460686097094737282" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Looking back to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Moneglia along the beautiful coast road</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The next morning I woke up, packed up and set off to do one of the famous tourist things that everyone does in Italy- the walk of the Cinque Terra. It’s literally a 9km walk of the five villages along very small tracks up and down the edge of the coast line and in and around the small villages and farming areas. The walk was beautiful and I was blessed to meet some lovely people along the way. There were lots of tourists! It was a pretty tough walk too, made more difficult by me carrying a back pack filled of my key essentials that I didn't want anyone to nick off my bike. It was seriously heavy, becoming progressively heavier with each step. It was the first time I'd left all my gear on the bike and just hoping that no one would help themselves. But everything was sweet. The walk took the rest of the day. By the time I got to Riomaggiore, I realised that I took the wrong track, consequently walking a couple of kilometers into the mountains and through a lot of private properties. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I eventually found Riomaggiore and caught the train back to the first village Monterosso where I had already sussed out my hotel suite for the night where I could get some well deserved R&R. That night was amazing! I had the best views of all. The famous hotel on the headland had a tombolo connected by a small spit to its headland. On the very end there was a little dwelling that I squatted in for the night, cooked up some amazing chickpea pancakes filled with some veggies and forageable free foods and a bottle of red. I was so happy after a slog of a day walking and walking with the weight of my pack. The views were amazing and it was like I was on my own private island. Increasing the spectacular view was the full moon rising in the distance later on that night. I was so happy to be chilling on the Mediterranean.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVDMbtp63fFKS_Eg5-alAEX-3DvY8vWkOLWK0qhMsjHdUOTLvVegwRo6kU2SVi5jsLGDARU_eYglMhzmHc5GRXbOHLE2TinqK_Mye3UAvAGoFnBUstNTb1YaIl4V5qc5DT4J4JfOda2gK/s320/IMG_0985.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460690921718606194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The next village is Corniglia</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I really enjoyed the harvesting of the free foods too. I called it "The forage of the free foods". There were so many herbaceous plants growing everywhere, like wild spinach, heaps of different types of </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Brassicas</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, rosemary, oregano, sages ... even citrus fruit was found in some places. I loved finding the free foods, picking them fresh and creating some wholesome healthy meals with them. There is so much more to learn though. What I'd love as an introduction to a country is a botanical guided tour of forgeable free foods. Now that would be grand!</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q2frmv69imh_TlhsCon9bLhVFXOmoV9UtJyruJwQnApGdpbyipVBL5nE0Cr0sLFOzrqTwMt3-3CDbFEbpKIoYB0jqLqqeUmBzFRn6OJZ0X1JPGVxmC9Q9GB7EXZSkxXI_lOpbZRajV9C/s320/DSC05641.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460674846478687026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px; " /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The view from my private hotel suite on my private tombolo</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I woke realising that it was time to make tracks, recalling that Gianni and Miskey were heading to England in the next few days. I really wanted to meet them, so I followed the coast to Pisa. I rode all the up to the Leaning Tower, got a picture and had a little walk around. I then had some lunch before deciding to keep moving. There were too many tourists for my liking, which considering the fame of the Tower was quite understandable. I was then off to Florence, and from Florence I took a small, yet beautiful road through the country side to Siena; a very amazing old city. Siena was very beautiful and produced some fantastic gelato! I then headed east to Perugia and Assisi to find my way to Paradiso. It was a bit of a mission to find Gianni and Miskeys house, consulting locals as to where they actually lived, heading to their recommendation, then not finding their house, then starting the little cycle all over again. I was heading back and forth, back and forth. Fortunately my positive vibes still existent, therefore, I finally found their place in the Italian darkness. I was so happy to have got there. It was an absolute pleasure to meet Gianni and Miskey, they are such beautiful people and live in a very special place overlooking the Subasio Mountain where Saint Francis spent much of his time talking to the birds and connecting with nature. He was an amazing man for his time, one of the first pioneers of ecology itself, connecting nature and people for centuries to come. There is a lot to learn from St Francis and I might write more up about him later. </span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz536au8nLODaPGt4eFYVoroMToxT1p71RYfR-5nfq9sGAAsOJ8-mYjLkO109yaoHEFaWt8cl3HN660bZ88pmyFiQ6Fq-4vUAutlW0uaOI0wE6ox6EMhRuid0AUIOsogP0dFPHUn9aewJ/s1600/DSC05651.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz536au8nLODaPGt4eFYVoroMToxT1p71RYfR-5nfq9sGAAsOJ8-mYjLkO109yaoHEFaWt8cl3HN660bZ88pmyFiQ6Fq-4vUAutlW0uaOI0wE6ox6EMhRuid0AUIOsogP0dFPHUn9aewJ/s320/DSC05651.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460674861687666226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5R0TeRBPLda52sOEE5ZzSzuMm8vtgGNarpJ4sWFPX0zzVMKuacD-OBI26W_Mh4NpLwu3ww6iLXGHOw-2ZwUvOYaH9vNUL9E5G5QPOQs4hFXEYpYHq2Oe676-IFCnxvDIUvTVg0tvjU8H/s1600/DSC05646.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5R0TeRBPLda52sOEE5ZzSzuMm8vtgGNarpJ4sWFPX0zzVMKuacD-OBI26W_Mh4NpLwu3ww6iLXGHOw-2ZwUvOYaH9vNUL9E5G5QPOQs4hFXEYpYHq2Oe676-IFCnxvDIUvTVg0tvjU8H/s320/DSC05646.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460674850541576962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px; " /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Eh, I made it to the leaning tower of Pisa!</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So, in my role as a helping hand in Paradiso, we got into work, pruning fruit and olive trees, burning off many branches of pine and other tree branches got up high for some acrobatics while chain sawing. Eating fantastic foods and being in great company, I was surrounded by blissful sounds of nature. Their house was restored from an old ruin filled with worldly goods and much beautiful art, therefore I was very happy to stay and help out.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Okay then, let’s do it- let’s get down to the crunch of the story! AKA: The sequence of events that lead to me being in my current consequential situation. Gianni and Miskey were off to England for a couple of days and I was going to house sit in this beautiful place until they returned. I was putting off catching the train to Roma for a couple of days, but this one Friday morning I woke up early and said to myself "Today is the day, the day I shall go to Roma and fight barbarian gladiators in the colosseum!" But on my way a terrible something happened out of the blue. It was around six in the morning. It was still dark but I was on my way to Assisi to catch the train to Roma. Winding my way through the valley, everything felt good; just like normal, or even better as I just done regular maintenance on the bike the day before. Anyhow, taking the bends as I normally do at a regular speed, I felt my rear tyre roll over and mush into the hard tar of the road. It threw me over to the left side of the road as I was taking a bend to the right. Heading for one of those metal barriers that stop cars from falling over the edge, I somehow got the bike to turn the other way, somehow just missing the metal barrier that would have twisted me and my dragonfly in ways unimaginable. I hit the grass with a huge thud, then felt my body come into contact with loose gravel. I then fell and slid along the tar until my dragonfly and I eventually came to a stop. It all happened in slow motion and I remember seeing individual sparks from the bike as it was scraping beneath me. I got up slowly, a wee bit shaken and saw the pants I was wearing. “Oh no!” I thought as I had borrowed them off Gianni without telling him because mine were still filthy from working with pine resin. So my first thoughts were about the pants, then I walked to collect my bag and a part of my helmet. Deep in thought, I was contemplating about how lucky I was. Suddenly, my foot felt sore and as I tried to walk on it, it kind of clicked. I've never felt something like that before, I thought to myself. I picked up the bike, got her in neutral and started her up. I thought: shit, I better go home and get some ice on it, then, like a kick in the nuts, the insane pain really kicked in. I saw some drivers lights at the next farm and rode the bike slowly towards the lights as I felt I had a flat tyre, I parked the bike hobbling to the man saying "Assisi! Do you go to Assisi? I need ospitale, ospitale". I could see the mirrored reflection of pain and fear from my eyes in his. It was pretty painful.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Without hesitation we took off to hospital where the nice old man dropped me off. It was a horrible trip, I felt every bump and it took forever to get to Assisi. Ah! I just wanted the pain to stop. The nurses in emergency took me in and cleaned me up, before we got all the paperwork done. Luckily I had my European Union card in my wallet for all the formalities to be completed. I sat and suffered in my own pain, they offered me drugs but I refused, I felt I needed to feel what it was like to have this pain and suffer in it. I'd never felt pain like this before. I had to wait for the x-ray man at radiology to start work at 0730, so I endured and suffered on the hospital bed in emergency. No one spoke English at that stage but I had a fair idea of what was going on. The x-ray man came in and took me through to the x-ray room. I sat on the table in my undies and he took the X-rays. I could tell from his mumbling, grumbling and his soft touches as he manoeuvred my foot in the right position for the adequate x-ray shot, that all was not good. "Non bello" he said. And I thought hmmmm.... He showed me on the computer the breaks. It wasn't just the sprain I was hoping for. At this stage my ankle had a lump three quarters of the size of a tennis ball coming out it.</span></span></p><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYJ3B_PqQHNhKq9VcYNKq269GSkIMWoRXkjWZRLfrG3tkT5aBWFFqaQaJCKkINOluTxKzdLP7OPJ33dWHcEbhap1sXjR5rPDBqRqoh4C3Ua92C8yG6M8luueEMF9XlMhoVygttCZxcjbO/s1600/Jpeg+right+foot+fracture.jpg"></a></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaSL0TUC7CF-SF3ZWwF2gXBB8rn7sfaAR64SWUKCzMyG2264GY4k9TFr1OztvF3P-_VCbu_byKm1ngp8FM-u7Hgr-C6JhOucRdTDyCiDfllPlVpqaAP_JNU4V5gGESsrF0nkWp1PJGZjC/s1600/jpeg+ankle+fracture.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaSL0TUC7CF-SF3ZWwF2gXBB8rn7sfaAR64SWUKCzMyG2264GY4k9TFr1OztvF3P-_VCbu_byKm1ngp8FM-u7Hgr-C6JhOucRdTDyCiDfllPlVpqaAP_JNU4V5gGESsrF0nkWp1PJGZjC/s320/jpeg+ankle+fracture.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460690933214094322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 320px; " /></a><p></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Need I say anymore other than </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">“Ouch Ei Mumma!”</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYJ3B_PqQHNhKq9VcYNKq269GSkIMWoRXkjWZRLfrG3tkT5aBWFFqaQaJCKkINOluTxKzdLP7OPJ33dWHcEbhap1sXjR5rPDBqRqoh4C3Ua92C8yG6M8luueEMF9XlMhoVygttCZxcjbO/s320/Jpeg+right+foot+fracture.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460690938165015826" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 320px; " /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I knocked the very edge off the top</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> of the arch bone too.</span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">They pulled me into the corridor where I waited and waited. I ended up having a rather nice picnic there as I had a pre-packed lunch ready for my day out in Rome. I also had a good chance of getting into my book </span></span><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Shantaram</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> where I could potentially be taken on an adventure through; an adventure that I could only dream of at this stage. At least it partly took my mind of the pain. The nurses were organising a transfer to Perugia hospital, where some foot specialists were. I consequently experienced my first ever ride in an Ambulance. It wasn't the best as the roads after winter are a bit hole-ridden and in need of repairs. The doctors scared the shit out me, surprisingly speaking English, saying: </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"We're just examining the X-rays now to confirm if you need an operation". </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">All as I could think was, “think positive thoughts man... all will be okay, there will be no operation, you will just have to rest up for a couple of weeks with a plaster.”</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYJ3B_PqQHNhKq9VcYNKq269GSkIMWoRXkjWZRLfrG3tkT5aBWFFqaQaJCKkINOluTxKzdLP7OPJ33dWHcEbhap1sXjR5rPDBqRqoh4C3Ua92C8yG6M8luueEMF9XlMhoVygttCZxcjbO/s1600/Jpeg+right+foot+fracture.jpg"></a></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOcYabpWlqTvsTj_6RQPbMuEyoRFzRUB0iee6Ljcjr4cSI8OZq4Ef40K8icRotXK6PrXINZkBePxWubke4NmBNgsf6cq3B48ukRCsSiiV34b6hNaraOEUa_eWNZxmZ0SslcA9MLKHfr6H/s1600/IMG_1005.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOcYabpWlqTvsTj_6RQPbMuEyoRFzRUB0iee6Ljcjr4cSI8OZq4Ef40K8icRotXK6PrXINZkBePxWubke4NmBNgsf6cq3B48ukRCsSiiV34b6hNaraOEUa_eWNZxmZ0SslcA9MLKHfr6H/s320/IMG_1005.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460690934060518018" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center; font: normal normal normal 17px/normal 'Times New Roman'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I don’t know why I look so happy, Jesus man, </span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: center; font: normal normal normal 17px/normal 'Times New Roman'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">you just broke your ankle and your foot!!!</span></span></p></div><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It was all okay as there was no need for an operation. The staff just set it in plaster and took another X-ray to make sure it was set and I was free to find my way back home. But I had no crutches to walk with and the hospital didn't supply any... Another mission in the works! </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I figured out where I had to go to get the crutches, which was a mission in its self. I had to get myself a wheelchair and I did the runner out of emergency with it, an ambulance was leaving at the same time so the garage doors opened and I was out. The warm sunlight gave me some much needed praise for the day, but there was a second boom gate. The ambulance went through and as I was trying to come to terms with being a cripple and work out how to wheel the god damn chair! The security guard closed the boom in front of me and was yelling at me in Italian. I was on a mission! I limbered under the boom gate. I needed to get some crutches! While wheeling as fast as I could, I shouted back "Non Parlo Italiano, no, no, no, I need to go!" The security guard was shouting at me and jumping on the phone to notify his colleagues. Too bad buddy, I was off. It was hard work wheeling myself around and up a slight hill and not knowing my surroundings. I felt useless and weak, and, I guess.... like a cripple. I came to terms with myself as a cripple and was soon okay with it. I just needed some crutches to get home with. Asking people for the place to get crutches from by miming was funny but it eventually got me there. To my surprise and gratitude, it wasn't that far from the hospital. So I got the crutches at 50 euro cents a day and started to wheel myself back to the hospital. What a mission! Halfway there a brother in a brown cloak and a white roped belt started talking to me in Italian and then wheeled me all the way back to emergency where I returned the wheelchair like a good saint.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">You thought the adventure was coming to an end right? Wrong! The journey to get home was even more of a mission. Here goes the explanation... I caught a bus to the Perugia train station. At the bus stop the bus driver decided to take off really quick as I was trying to exit the bus and I fell to the ground helplessly. Everyone shouted at the bus driver, I really wanted to shout too but I didn't say a word. This hurt. I got off and put my bag back on my back and crutched my way to the train station. The train didn't arrive for ages so I waited and waited. It finally came and by the time it did, there were so many people ready to get on the train that I didn’t think they would all fit! I waited until the end and then once again helplessly tried to climb the enormous steps to get into the carriage door. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It made me think: man, it must me so tough for disabled people to do this every day! Eventually we arrived into the little town before Assisi, so I got off the train and jumped on the next bus that came. I didn't even look at where it was going. I didn't care. What a blessing! It took me right up the top of Assisi, I got off on the main road which was great and then it was time to hitch. I had to climb up the hill for a bit longer, it was very enduring and my back pack was heavy. I dreamingly said to myself: "A beautiful woman will pick you up and take you all the way to the front door at Paridiso". And that is exactly what happened! A woman with a birth name of Gaia picked me up. She definitely was an earthly goddess. She ended up living over the other side of the valley to us. And yes she took me all the way to the front door, helping me and carrying my heavy pack. I was dreading walking up the driveway from the main road, it’s not the easiest or shortest driveway to walk up. I was so grateful and so happy to be home, although it took me over ten minutes to pull my ripped pants off. I actually spent the entire day at the hospital in my undies, it was great!</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I rested up until Gianni and Miskey returned on the Sunday. Then together we went to a Classical Indian concert, following my lengthy and detailed explanation of everything about the accident over a late lunch. The music was incredible and lifted my spirits. I am very much looking forward to India still, despite it possibly being a little later than first planned. Gaia was there and checked to see how I was. The following day she brought me over some </span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 17px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">calendula</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, hypericum and some secret Swedish herb infusions to mix up and put on my open wounds. It all looked a bit mucus-like and scary, but right now, it’s healing quite well. Thanks Gaia. Oh and it was the first time I'd ever had to give myself a needle, in the belly, which was due to continue once per day, every day for the next three days. This was to stop the blood from clotting or something like that. The summation is that it’s not a pleasant experience!</span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfZQlNKJDjJa0wl1_QtcJHOJ2u7_XMYljvNIJ6HAcFZUPa98mxZjC1HhXsBc-qUwdd9jWjDNXvK7lZ7beYCbUZTfGKkNCEC7m4zPKyft3xxnMVLegNxbfQQe2hQkn97u6hGWGc3PiuS5v/s320/IMG_1010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460697577457982706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Classical Indian concert</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Kind-hearted Gianni and Miskey have let me stay and heal up here in Paradiso which is full of so many of life's great creations. It’s great here, in the wilderness and surrounding farmlands, where the birds are singing and where we have the time to see the beauty in everything: the clouds, the birds, the trees budding and blossoming, the sunsets... I am very grateful by the beautiful nature all around us. Gianni is good at “photo-shopping” the clouds too, he has this special remote control where he has the ability to move clouds so we can enjoy the beautiful sunshine while we eat outside. I’m very happy to be here given the current circumstances. If something like this happened in another country like Pakistan, God only knows what would have happened to me or how I'd be dealing with a broken ankle. Right now I’m in Parasiso and will be happily resting up here until my ankle has healed, or until Gianni and Miskey can’t stand me- whichever comes first. They may get sick of me wearing my kilt and elegant morning coat around the house and subsequently kick my booty out of here. No, just jokes... I’m blessed to be here and to be resting up, I can’t thank you enough Gianni and Miskey, you are both such beautiful people and so, so, so wonderful, generous, warm hearted and full of a great energy for life. For all of you followers, I happily recommend that you check some of Gianni’s work at </span></span><span style="text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.paradisoart.com/</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, they are amazing pieces!</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">One of the following days after trying to come to terms with what actually happened, I began to try to reason with myself on an unknown level. Gianny and I went to the farm to see if my dragonfly was still there and ended up discovering that I had a blow out. My rear tyre had a missive split in it and then we noticed a massive notch and a bend in the rim. Gianny walked and I hobbled to investigate the crash scene, and after much confusion we tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The only explanation to the notch and bend in the rim was that a piece of steel had to of done it and that somehow this culprit piece of steel got itself lodged in the rim and smacked the tyre. It must have burst as I was taking the turn. Close to the scene was a construction site where a house was being built, this is where the piece of steel must have come from. So the conclusion we came to was that in the dark the morning of the accident, I rode over an oddly shaped piece of steel (maybe in the shape of a C or a U), which flicked up and smacked into the rear rim. The pressure of that knock split the tyre, and wobbly woo, off I went. Considering what could have occurred, I was so lucky that the damage was only as it was. The outcome could have been much worse. But more of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit (Giany, his friend and me) might find more to the story when we finally get the bike home and take off the tyre at a later stage.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">On a deeper more philosophical level of reasoning, why has this happened to me right here, right now, on this part of my journey, in this moment in time? I still don’t know the answer to this. Sometime these questions find an answer at a later stage in life...</span></span></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfZQlNKJDjJa0wl1_QtcJHOJ2u7_XMYljvNIJ6HAcFZUPa98mxZjC1HhXsBc-qUwdd9jWjDNXvK7lZ7beYCbUZTfGKkNCEC7m4zPKyft3xxnMVLegNxbfQQe2hQkn97u6hGWGc3PiuS5v/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG"></a></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOdZvLz3rkPsNz6s-36KJDK8WKEnwX_3bzwajWo3LDXmMtwzhMmBvjwmfjwnTZUK6m6J-lA0Ow78vLuZNExFT47fnbzRBVBAUzUueAQzY8hfBpu5jIsYaEttoV7dGZx7tRj2n6IAimA1U/s1600/IMG_1008.JPG"></a></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedoJLyXUb1BQbex3YjC0W0JNShLGXX3JVMmOm7HUqzln6hT5Mc3aPFTnzlC4AXuodT21K_ZCjLgttzo-ZHx11tAdJkBNcioAGATJA5ivZ0XTDhmN3F2Q2WvbFDhfBRcUQ6l63sIDjslKH/s1600/IMG_0994.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedoJLyXUb1BQbex3YjC0W0JNShLGXX3JVMmOm7HUqzln6hT5Mc3aPFTnzlC4AXuodT21K_ZCjLgttzo-ZHx11tAdJkBNcioAGATJA5ivZ0XTDhmN3F2Q2WvbFDhfBRcUQ6l63sIDjslKH/s320/IMG_0994.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460697564090292306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><p></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Maybe the Subasio has the answer???</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As well as being in such a beautiful place here, I am surrounded by healing properties all around. The two waterfalls on the property have slippery slides of limestone as the calcium has built up over many years. And ironically, calcium is the basis of my bones... Below the waterfalls is a special plant called </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Equisetum</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> which has an ancient lineage from the carboniferous period. This plant possesses the highest concentration of Silica of any plant on earth. The Silica has a vast amount of healing properties. For instance, for me right now, it promotes bone health by contributing to the maturation and stability of the skeletal system. The Silica aids the cohesion of molecular proteins found in the body's connective tissues, so it is very useful in the treatment of broken bones and fractures. Yep- that’s just what I need. Now I need to do some research into how to prepare it and try and get down to the creek and the bottom of the waterfall with my crutches. Oh wait! Gianni has just returned from the health shop with it in a tablet form. Fantastic!!! </span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; min-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 15px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It looks like I’ll be in the cast for about a month, so there is a fair bit of time to do some catching-up on ideas and maybe plan some of my future endeavours.</span></span></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOdZvLz3rkPsNz6s-36KJDK8WKEnwX_3bzwajWo3LDXmMtwzhMmBvjwmfjwnTZUK6m6J-lA0Ow78vLuZNExFT47fnbzRBVBAUzUueAQzY8hfBpu5jIsYaEttoV7dGZx7tRj2n6IAimA1U/s320/IMG_1008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460697568817210754" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Arial"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Resting it up in my kilt</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">To a more happier healthy healing in Paradiso....</span></span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-91742796305088327332010-03-30T01:06:00.000-07:002010-03-30T01:40:17.329-07:00Slap me with a stale baguette and call me French<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FOOQxx-J0Liv9juFTnMZ1IfmooDc3_M9-rtx1pCJ6LcFihh-JDSbKWXVJRJijzWfOQZvuPyrbJhnDuHKvDrz5t7YXD0HDgjXoK7DE9pRgVnQzlZKCfTg8Nnk5csbWi0vqPXLTGh9G2Yy/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">France is beautiful country, and I love french as a language, they speak with such </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">passion</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and it is the most romantic language of them all. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Wow its quite difficult now thinking of the past and writing what happened almost two weeks ago. Its so easy to just live in the moment and think of what im going to be cooking up for dinner and who ill be meeting next and the next mountains ill be camping in.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But yes Ill give it a go, France deserves it!</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">France was something else. I came down from Luxembourg, as it finished off my terd... and spent my first night in Epinal with Lise, another couch-surfing host. We had a cup of tea and then decided to explore, we spontaneously headed for the mountains as they looked so beautiful from the plains. As the smaller roads turned into forest tracks, we continued up and up and into the slippery snow for some excitement. Stopping by amazing cascades and having snow fights and trekking high up into the mountains as the sun disappeared before us and the cool evening sky blew briskly upon on our faces. It was something real special to be up there, so peaceful and dead quiet. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The tiny French towns are so beautiful, some buildings derelict and falling apart, while some neighboring ones are almost brand new which gives quite a contrast. I love the tiny villages dispersed in the valleys. We had a great night that night, being shown french folk dances as Lise played the violin. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">That next morning I woke up to a flat front tire, I only realised this once I had packed and was taking off. Bugger! Oh well, I said to my self, I have to learn at some stage how to repair my punctures on these extremely large wheels (comparing them to my postie's CT110). I remembered a tyre place coming into town, so I decided to ask the lads there, conversing with google translator, if I could use their space and their compressor as I still have not got my self a pump. MMM, note to self... get a pump! So I went through the process and found the wee hole, patched her up, and put the tyre back together. It all went quite smoothly until I hit the road and the tyre was not actually balanced correctly as I pumped it back up. So the tyre was somewhat vibrating as I hit the tiny windy snowy alpine roads as I headed for Colmar on the far North east of France of the Lorraine region. Does anyone know a good trick to get the tyre well balanced after changing it by yourself?</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The snow through those alps was the thickest snow Id ever seen, it was so magical and so so beautiful, it must have just snowed. I haven't had much experience in the snow so it was very new exciting for me. So riding carefully with a funny bumpy front wheel through some extremely windy alpine roads with patches of snow was a bit of a challenge but quite enjoyable at the same time.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So from Clomar I headed North into a very beautiful wine growing region with a chain of small cute German looking villages. That evening I headed for the highlands where the forests are to find a nice camping spot, I ended setting up camp overlooking the wine growing regions and a small village called Riquewihr, it was a beautiful site. While cooking up a feast and drinking wine, I took the chance to pull out my melodica (a mini instrument with a keyboard controlling a row of reeds with a mouthpiece to blow into) and start teaching myself how to play it. One of my missions this year is to teach my self how to play the keys. It was real nice to be in the forests with the snow and have a warm camp fire. And in the morning for the number 2's, I must have had one of the best toilet views in all of France. I love my morning poo spots, its all about having the best view and really enjoying your surrounding as you release your unwanted biomass and feed the half frozen worms.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIy71EivlujLs9tHwXKtu1T7mHdgZOFuaqcVN7lQuFPFp_t5P52aOBYJLgaRdYDwqR4cFfvH3zV-mX2iTH5Gr0piKo46pRaaRtBGHWKc6MI35nEnyd1yHeJ3mz-b_5mN4gmkSDcsaviWw3/s1600/DSC05601.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIy71EivlujLs9tHwXKtu1T7mHdgZOFuaqcVN7lQuFPFp_t5P52aOBYJLgaRdYDwqR4cFfvH3zV-mX2iTH5Gr0piKo46pRaaRtBGHWKc6MI35nEnyd1yHeJ3mz-b_5mN4gmkSDcsaviWw3/s320/DSC05601.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454338566279488002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Beautiful tiny german villages of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Riquewihr</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Being unsure of my route and where I wanted to go that morning, I decided to let it be a day of intuition. So I headed out after exploring more villages down towards Mullhouse on the country roads (the highways are boring and you have to pay for them). I was so close to Switzerland, so Switzerland it was. Mike sent me an email explaining must see's and go too's, so to Interlarken on the lakes I went. Stopping at Delemont and getting some info and a map of the Swiss areas, I bumped into another motorcyclist and got some nice advice and routes to follow. I jumped on the old tinternet and got some emails off Jess and Jerome who randomly were in the French Alps in the same national park back to the South East. So that was certainly decided to be my next destination. But as for the majestic sheer size of the monstrous mountains of Switzerland, I was in for a treat. After cheating and not paying for a years worth of highway usage to the Swiss government, I found myself in Interlarken, the sun was starting to set. I headed for Grenwald down the valley and I've never felt so small in my life as these three to four thousand meter high mountains uplifted and made me quite excited for exploring. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8rIur5cVNqtMNQKf9CHtGkVlxJ6vKMxC-dDmxN0_UnAp8zMRL3QFOMQNU7iBtTLCtWny-T-KaQQEjQgfUzkrYL_BY-kFOkowVbdVTPbRtNRF9fyUsBiuKFZd-1tORt7MVElhXqqjOD-0/s1600/IMG_0932.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8rIur5cVNqtMNQKf9CHtGkVlxJ6vKMxC-dDmxN0_UnAp8zMRL3QFOMQNU7iBtTLCtWny-T-KaQQEjQgfUzkrYL_BY-kFOkowVbdVTPbRtNRF9fyUsBiuKFZd-1tORt7MVElhXqqjOD-0/s320/IMG_0932.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454342455875983586" style="text-align: justify; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></p><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Entering into the Swiss alps</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As I got further into the valley the snow got thicker and thicker and resorts and ski fields started to appear. It was a pretty flashy part of town, but on my map I could see smaller roads heading right under the mountains where i was to find a barn in the middle of a field full of snow. I really did not feel like camping in the snow so I had a bit of a sneaky peaky and figured that the barn was not in use and saw the loft full of hay. It is here where I snuggled up nice and warm later that evening after a late night walk and explore. This place was magic, and it must have been somewhere around minus ten degrees Celsius too. Some of these mountains are still only half the size of the Himalayas, so Im definitely in for a treat once I get to India!!! </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb97ENWioFwAUn-xWtNDwZ4UMMO3mZ-d6dbwdhyphenhyphenDWsXScyebn3bK5VF7y5ZvmuOcSLGq2r_eymzyDa79fEM-PGyPekjhb-idGhmwlLyPitic-g6cdBYQNAqGWZjPX8XOEujqiBL6gHNxj4/s320/IMG_0938.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454342465400579682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><p></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The view from my barn window, it doesn't really capture the </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">sheer size but this mountain is just above 4000 meters high.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">As the morning rush of skiers prepared themselves to get up to the slopes for a day on the powder, I was finishing off my porridge and everyone seemed to give me the double look like a curious cat would, and being the only motorbike Id seen on the road for a good while, i think I understood why. It was bloody freezing and the roads were somewhat icy in places. My fruit and veggies froze too, not good. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After some morning walking on the snow, I decided to head back to France over the Alps again for another mission. I was ready for some of the passes to be closed but Switzerland seem to have the money to keep the smaller mountain passes open and clear of snow. Talk about the windies, I had an entire day of winding up and down and over and round so many mountains, it was crazy and frankly by the end of the day I dreamt of a clear open road in the middle of the desert. On the last dregs of fuel left in the tank, I must have just made it to the border of Switzerland and France where i could pick up some reasonably priced petrol. Ive been spending almost all my money so far on fuel, its been around 1.40-1.50 Euro's per liter. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FOOQxx-J0Liv9juFTnMZ1IfmooDc3_M9-rtx1pCJ6LcFihh-JDSbKWXVJRJijzWfOQZvuPyrbJhnDuHKvDrz5t7YXD0HDgjXoK7DE9pRgVnQzlZKCfTg8Nnk5csbWi0vqPXLTGh9G2Yy/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FOOQxx-J0Liv9juFTnMZ1IfmooDc3_M9-rtx1pCJ6LcFihh-JDSbKWXVJRJijzWfOQZvuPyrbJhnDuHKvDrz5t7YXD0HDgjXoK7DE9pRgVnQzlZKCfTg8Nnk5csbWi0vqPXLTGh9G2Yy/s320/IMG_0940.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454342467173845186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Wee villages in the alps</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb97ENWioFwAUn-xWtNDwZ4UMMO3mZ-d6dbwdhyphenhyphenDWsXScyebn3bK5VF7y5ZvmuOcSLGq2r_eymzyDa79fEM-PGyPekjhb-idGhmwlLyPitic-g6cdBYQNAqGWZjPX8XOEujqiBL6gHNxj4/s1600/IMG_0938.JPG"></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8rIur5cVNqtMNQKf9CHtGkVlxJ6vKMxC-dDmxN0_UnAp8zMRL3QFOMQNU7iBtTLCtWny-T-KaQQEjQgfUzkrYL_BY-kFOkowVbdVTPbRtNRF9fyUsBiuKFZd-1tORt7MVElhXqqjOD-0/s1600/IMG_0932.JPG"></a></span></span><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After a couple of winding days on the road I was keen for a good chilling, I lost the email I got off Jess and so I was heading for Jerome in Val D'sere, as I was passing by other villages in the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Parc National de la Vanoise,</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I suddenly remembered the town that Jess was in and spontaneously gave it a go. Montchavin it was, I asked around town and found her quite easily. Wow Jess was fantastic, she sorted me right out with accommodation and food as she was running a chalet full of quests. It was my first experience of a ski resort town and they are something different I can tell you that. With the only pub in town, literally next door it wasn't to hard to make some friends while Jess was working. All I wanted that first night was a Guinness to down as it was after all St Paddies day. We ended up having a few and then got a ride up the mountain to the next village with Nicco to a more english style pub where they actually had Guinness. After a night of drinking and being seriously tired, we decided not to get a ride down the mountain with the crazy drunken french guys and so we decided to slide on our bums down the piste (a man made ski slope) back to Montchavin. We had wild adventures as the piest bashers (what I called "Peace Bashers", they are these monster like machines that come out at night and plough the snow for skiing) were after us and we couldnt escape. So into the woods in the snow we ran ad then took a massive sliding all the way back down to Montchavin on our bums. Was so much fun. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZnaeGB2sWMtQ7tmYRD4-JvUk6FiyirLdwN5dwf4o7OQSvMf0zkdHym68ZL2Mjk2CLu8X8LPrRX4SzxotsiKNaCVgno22eCsI9Cncy5UQQz6ByZde32DVgOWXQCfEdCxdm6HL-KDW-WmY/s1600/IMG_0947.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZnaeGB2sWMtQ7tmYRD4-JvUk6FiyirLdwN5dwf4o7OQSvMf0zkdHym68ZL2Mjk2CLu8X8LPrRX4SzxotsiKNaCVgno22eCsI9Cncy5UQQz6ByZde32DVgOWXQCfEdCxdm6HL-KDW-WmY/s320/IMG_0947.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454338579931609042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The wee village of Montchanin</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-T-7QkjfJ1JQEaikvKHt-uxthr-SAoJFWCAceWvhkQgYMJAjRxx3eRQdRabbkwoyB3fkPy09xSg8tFoOgnFIav2yQzWjEyoxV-6Me7Ncvq7x8tfzaFoTaooM71_q4EYYnD1E8_xp0herd/s1600/DSC05616.JPG"></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIy71EivlujLs9tHwXKtu1T7mHdgZOFuaqcVN7lQuFPFp_t5P52aOBYJLgaRdYDwqR4cFfvH3zV-mX2iTH5Gr0piKo46pRaaRtBGHWKc6MI35nEnyd1yHeJ3mz-b_5mN4gmkSDcsaviWw3/s1600/DSC05601.JPG"></a></span></span><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After a couple of days chilling and getting into my book Shantaram, I went across the way to visit Jerome at Val D'sere, an even bigger resort town full of british skiers. I managed to find some french people in a pub there while I was waiting for Jerome to finish work off the slopes, we got into a bottle of the local Genopi, a very strong mountain herb liquor. It was delicious but after a few I wanted to stop so that when I finally met Jerome I could actually say and remember his name. Jerome was in good order, just like the good times that we spent in Morocco together. Was fantastic there, and the mountains were much higher too. It rained one day there which meant that the snow started to melt a bit. I decided to go for a walk and the pass beyond Val D'sere was closed, I kept walking and was admiring my surroundings and watching the vultures saw in the mountain top thermals when I heard this amazing deep heavy sound, as I looked up I saw this white and muddy wash of colors smash well above me. It was an avalanche, and in all its might it thundered down the crevasse from way up in the mountain tops covered i cloud and I then realised what it actually was. I ran as hard and as fast as my legs would take me through the snow, it seemed to happen in slow motion, but i guess Im just a real fast runner. I managed to take some photos as my camera was in my pocket. But wow what an unexpected event, I guess it just took me by surprise as Im not used to this snow stuff. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-T-7QkjfJ1JQEaikvKHt-uxthr-SAoJFWCAceWvhkQgYMJAjRxx3eRQdRabbkwoyB3fkPy09xSg8tFoOgnFIav2yQzWjEyoxV-6Me7Ncvq7x8tfzaFoTaooM71_q4EYYnD1E8_xp0herd/s320/DSC05616.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454338571996340002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Avalanche falling from way above the clouds</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After taking it easy at Val D'sere I had to head back on the road the way I came as the pass to the South of France was closed due to the snow, so I had to go the long way round. I wasn't complaining though, as that meant I had to stop into Jess again and she was off work and had the entire five star Chalet to her self. Wow, a well needed chilling in the sunshine of the alps, it was well worth the stop, especially the spa on the roof top. I thought yeah man, live it up while you can because later on you are going to dream of that spa and that nice cold snow when your in the middle of the desert of Iran with no one around, trying to fix a mechanical problem or repairing another tyre puncture. So that I did, i chilled well out. It was like I was actually on a holiday which was fantastic and just what I needed. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We also did some very extreme late night tobogganing down the slopes, well mostly Jess. After being in serious pain from hitting my tail feather on the demented dips in the snow, I didn't really want to hurt my bum anymore. But Jess did the most extreme thing I've seen in a long time. With the little red button toboggan she is holding, she took off down this piste which was so steep and so so crazy, I was going to go after her, but looking at the speed she was getting and how out of control she was I pulled out and watched in hope that she wouldn't die. She was eventually stopped by a wall of snow that the Peace bashers were making, and to top it off, the peace bashers were after her. On that same piste, the next day there was an international competition for some super speed skiers wearing lycra suits. Man you've got some balls Jess. That was ridiculously insane. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7t4OIGx58xmBOj1lBsBRyz8VtcR_yjT10OA7xZYxUM65jrGDePF4mWnLueeGh6UVkBsdrickSgm6ZpOZS0LErcVaxCqIXfIz4Cw_Itlzoofd3hujZhO_r__qaK2S7d9YQjVsqXn47ge2/s1600/IMG_0955.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></a></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7t4OIGx58xmBOj1lBsBRyz8VtcR_yjT10OA7xZYxUM65jrGDePF4mWnLueeGh6UVkBsdrickSgm6ZpOZS0LErcVaxCqIXfIz4Cw_Itlzoofd3hujZhO_r__qaK2S7d9YQjVsqXn47ge2/s1600/IMG_0955.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><div style="text-align: center;text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Qm2EToGMfcZRX6NRFVOw0WpMSW5Ir_GGTFgorRo_O54DZL7vYr77xGVbJdi35FU3ah8eC9tebBeiSOD49Orr44JvylxbnfG6diVAIBmzb1uk9dNRYqDlgDDa5sqNBd9SC-nAwcHW8Kh6/s1600/IMG_0954.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Qm2EToGMfcZRX6NRFVOw0WpMSW5Ir_GGTFgorRo_O54DZL7vYr77xGVbJdi35FU3ah8eC9tebBeiSOD49Orr44JvylxbnfG6diVAIBmzb1uk9dNRYqDlgDDa5sqNBd9SC-nAwcHW8Kh6/s320/IMG_0954.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454338589817862658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><p></p> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Jess with the uncontrollable red button</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7t4OIGx58xmBOj1lBsBRyz8VtcR_yjT10OA7xZYxUM65jrGDePF4mWnLueeGh6UVkBsdrickSgm6ZpOZS0LErcVaxCqIXfIz4Cw_Itlzoofd3hujZhO_r__qaK2S7d9YQjVsqXn47ge2/s320/IMG_0955.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454338596450820962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Me with the unstoppable yellow one</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After all the good times, I had felt I had to make a move and head to Italy. I didn't know how because so many of the passes were closed. After getting close, the only option was to go through a tunnel. That day the skies opened a pelting of rain and a mix of sludgy snow, I was well wet and cold and so the tunnel, the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Traforo del Frejus,</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> apart from the thirty odd euros it cost me, I was happy to be out of the blizzard in the alps and be dry in a warmer hole in the ground. I was having similar feelings as a wombat would in the mountains of Australia. I ended up having my lunch in there as I really did not want to start making a baguette in the rain on the other side. But as I came out into Italy it was sunny and dry, it was such a contrast as to what I had just been through. I've never experienced a proper blizzard before and to get that on one side of the mountain and to then have sunshine on the other... it was a real trip out.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Thanks for all the good times and taking care of me Jess, Jerome and Lise and everyone else I met. I really enjoyed my time in France.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-61356955679934617432010-03-19T04:17:00.000-07:002010-03-19T10:12:26.515-07:00Luxembourg... Bank your terd!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuFyGjiqIQgpypS2y2gkyJzKe5RHKshz52L9yxJ-NvUX8BLPWMoJNXqUDcT7HbJ0uyMICY-37wvjbsu11ecparVoLH5pGNWug-ZJeU83SFoXC9RyyXsI3zmbHWag0ihaOVzsl4UVek5Q3/s1600-h/IMG_0923.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAInKrecZ8Vr5pW2dryoQvN4kYAE1RqXxlDTmtw1TJzUQ4nKChKBObB7mGGmYgYS6WTXi28me6WJFT6qvloz8iAldv3j9p4xNaJm7tYkPafWZBf6XbrjLAcEZt8PCgUzhOLP0dV7C_FUfd/s1600-h/IMG_0922.JPG"></a></span></span><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Luxembourg is a pretty nice place, after traveling through the flat as a tack Netherlands, North Germany and Belguim, it was real nice to find some mountains and some beautiful forests about. I love deciduous forests in the winter time, all the trees are striped naked, all the leaves are on the ground and it has a real nice ambience about it.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuFyGjiqIQgpypS2y2gkyJzKe5RHKshz52L9yxJ-NvUX8BLPWMoJNXqUDcT7HbJ0uyMICY-37wvjbsu11ecparVoLH5pGNWug-ZJeU83SFoXC9RyyXsI3zmbHWag0ihaOVzsl4UVek5Q3/s1600-h/IMG_0923.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuFyGjiqIQgpypS2y2gkyJzKe5RHKshz52L9yxJ-NvUX8BLPWMoJNXqUDcT7HbJ0uyMICY-37wvjbsu11ecparVoLH5pGNWug-ZJeU83SFoXC9RyyXsI3zmbHWag0ihaOVzsl4UVek5Q3/s320/IMG_0923.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450390490209709138" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Nude forests </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Luxembourg was my first true experience of Couch Surfing and it was awesome. I stayed with Julie in this amazing amazing mansion of a place, it was so big and real warm. Two nights of luxury. Luxembourg is definitely a place with much dough. Its well famous for banks to set themselves up there as you can make massive transactions into banks without them needing to know where the money has come from. So I gather alot of dodgy business goes on too. The actual city Luxembourg in Luxembourg is pretty nice and has a massive gorge and a creek running below and of course a big bank sitting above. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We had some nice adventures on the dragonfly and I took off through some of the forest tracks to get used to being off road and slipping round in the mud. Was good fun and found a real weird outside church where an alter was in a small cave in the large boulder. It must have been like a secret practicing place of some sort. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAInKrecZ8Vr5pW2dryoQvN4kYAE1RqXxlDTmtw1TJzUQ4nKChKBObB7mGGmYgYS6WTXi28me6WJFT6qvloz8iAldv3j9p4xNaJm7tYkPafWZBf6XbrjLAcEZt8PCgUzhOLP0dV7C_FUfd/s320/IMG_0922.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450306020193645570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The outside church hiding in the forest</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So yeah big night out in the town on the first night and slowly recovering over the next day. Thanks for all your kindness and that packed lunch you gave me, it lasted a couple of days, cheers Julie. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2TCD7pBTenWKs3es_0Rpj5W0PzkCJknhkiqaTQdaQ0lZ0iFeAc_DWSzrVIU6FA9gwSi1r9AEANH2XdWtRPApQyszruKo-PUuNTlIFoJv6VkeGI3qUBgKr97kc4bFxFu2hE3KcePaw-W3/s320/IMG_0926.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450306040322100786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Julie at the castle getting ready for those smooth and exciting windy roads again.</span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And check out my new handle bar covers, they keep my hands from freezing over. Another genius recyclable idea from Mr Marty.</span></span></p>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-90191657957049076522010-03-19T00:30:00.000-07:002010-03-19T11:27:17.632-07:00Belgiumese Peas<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6w7Ewfb3CquLALt0y0AG3WThJ0QlvYIwSduoT7neiCd_5ijbP7OBHsH-7-nwS4CcLpoVWyMCDsgFtH4e-lJ5RjC7PrIEXNFI5RJsVUb73tsHGkeitJbkBi8BxTr9kEybWo5ZMRUTA_KEg/s1600-h/DSC05563.JPG"></a>I love Belgium alot not just because of their peas, but probably due to some very beautiful people I know. I left the amazing Amsterdam in search for Antwerp where Max1million is studying at uni. Here we had many a great partys with max the party king and his flat mate from Uni. Some real good times drinking and eating such amazing foods. MMM mmm MMMM mmmm MMMMMMMMMM!!!</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On the weekend we spent some good times with Monica and Farbio and Max at Max's grandparents beach house. Late night bike rides on the beach, playing poker and winning most of the time (Ha ha), cooking up a Barbie and walking through glass doors, what a treat that was. It was so good to see ye all again and have such nice times together by the beach at Oostduinkerke-Bad.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHi7YQF0K8Nf9_-XmCMqqq_6gjfjS0HNaKNr9R6109lE4cfydhSmoZQGkwT3tTPWeHklChakQddoju6mFrNsYvk74-41g6Ykbwa0vZA1MeGE97_uvtGcDEizS98jx4h7OIUBNOV9zMZ0a/s320/DSC05565.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450289531952150962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Monica, Farbio and Max blissfully enjoying the cool breeze</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6w7Ewfb3CquLALt0y0AG3WThJ0QlvYIwSduoT7neiCd_5ijbP7OBHsH-7-nwS4CcLpoVWyMCDsgFtH4e-lJ5RjC7PrIEXNFI5RJsVUb73tsHGkeitJbkBi8BxTr9kEybWo5ZMRUTA_KEg/s320/DSC05563.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450285140737596066" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Max and me dune jumping</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Saying last goodbye's for now to Monica and Farbio the groove master, we went to Bovesse to have a special meal at Vivian and Francis's house with Max and Caroline, was so nice to visit you all again and eat such delicious food and wine. Vivian is such an amazing cook.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Another odd thing besides </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Belgimese</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> peas is that they breed this ridiculously large cow called the "Belgium Blue" Now looking at this cow its more like a cross between a cow and a rhino, Its massive and besides all the muscle it has, it is infact too muscly to give birth by its self, these cows need a cesarian every time they produce a calf. Crazy high maintenance cows, and they have such large heads. Check out the slab of corn beef you'd get off this beauty!!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdMJWCd57AIBUBeQYXCOBjf1P4qx25pi1DN1CxNyoq6kOFhAzyt0Wq-UinIAYjgjpj_afY3F1lSL-GegGfUsi8QJxZjg_RS3cLulbwjk4_4xL6kxxfURYIkio79tvbgz-Sj__pLwiPOCx/s320/DSC05579.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450289543681340770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Belgiums got the Blues, keep eating you heiferlump!!!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We travelled back to Antwerp where I left my motorbike and chilled alot, sleeping in and reading and checking out the city. Took Max for a ride into the Havens (Big Ports) and taught him how to ride a motorbike. Max did real well and enjoyed it immensely.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhbfoREnyQIAr7MHnSbBXr4SpoMLajkoUx0l58AETjtBUsABRMXC6m6XDtfsscwulT002RJzXBEdkzOkUguAk2YBxASxEvJC5YJ7IMBxWFLlw9jePkidpCJoZXm4MbB7WR4VotUl9C_z9/s320/IMG_0917.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450293012297173490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I had one more day at Bovesse as I headed south towards Luxembourg. I did a wee bit of work for them and got painting on the dragonfly again, eating very delicious foods and spending some beautiful time with Vivian and Francis, such a beautiful couple full of so much love. Had a great ride with Vivian too through the back country lanes. Thankyou all, I had a real nice time in Belgium once again.<br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-92163528821506436792010-03-10T02:03:00.000-08:002010-03-11T10:17:47.893-08:00Amsterdam.....Tripmadam<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Well for all those who have been to Amsterdam over the years, I guess you know what its all about... or do you?</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I had the very awesome privilege to stay with Tom and Anne and their two wee ones Jasper and Rosie on their newly aquired adventure contraption called the "Papillon" (French for Butterfly). </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5c8NJuFKzVirUOH8iKIIbp5zWfsSzXINh2USJP61gyKROmiwg4HqtRKx7XsjNSdFKcujf-ZYlmPvVtTSw4ZVX9kfNBzgDCtw1M999eKPF5JGnRRKU6yOVvUVjIZG7Pnj7iqppO0D5Rhb/s1600-h/DSC05436.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5c8NJuFKzVirUOH8iKIIbp5zWfsSzXINh2USJP61gyKROmiwg4HqtRKx7XsjNSdFKcujf-ZYlmPvVtTSw4ZVX9kfNBzgDCtw1M999eKPF5JGnRRKU6yOVvUVjIZG7Pnj7iqppO0D5Rhb/s320/DSC05436.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447020558764249442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 25px; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">C'est avec plaisir que je vous présente le Papillon</span></span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Tom and Anne and the crew are also at the beginning stages of planning crazy adventures all round the world on their 30 odd meter ship recently purchased from a beautiful couple on the ADM (a pretty old squat in the industrial area to the west of Amsterdam). What a place the ADM is, full of so much life, love and amazing creations.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzz0PivI08POyTENLZD2MN2ueyj0uVxV0ePmkc2rmeb8NOqaA4C_-5cK8oLfT9j40bZJ4YSTykjF47eilDTvxsyjDqx4peBASuAYliQO3uqIysHmZrgLOXlaSNnXx0YR2fGirfroyBOAA/s320/DSC05536.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447021460452332482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Crazy everyday creatures</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Everyday was so unique and so amazing its really hard to explain what really went on. The best part about the Papillon was the cruising all the way up the Noordzeekanaal into central Amsterdam having a wee puff of Amsterdam's finest. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVf4VuOcRkyk_G-zYHiUVLbaWKNMK9g97Hw1xFMXMeLl-rs3_LZsYE6s9uXaOYqnWupKflz9bSf_yESAo0XATzQFO-_q3aHah50wiNYVDaN0-Bzujt1AGuUlhi0brmzT7gjEUfjCEEU2e/s320/DSC05522.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447022377335108434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Cruising into central Amsterdam</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I love being on boats and would love to <i>join da crew</i> in the Caribbean when you finally get there. Anne keeps saying its a race back home, I plan on getting back around Xmas 2010 for my 25th to have another wild combined party with Nick and Ben. Anne seems to think she'll still beat me cause she reckons ill love it so much and wont return. Who knows? </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So the Papillon is almost ready to go, The crew are planning a departure in the spring/summer up to the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Norwegian </span></span><em style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Fjords for a bit of a practice run before they take on the North Atlantic Ocean passage to Canada. But even before then they are looking to spend next winter, not in the coldness of Amsterdam but in the warmer Mediterranean around Crete. So many wicked adventures to come. They too will have a blog and some very interesting stories to tell, so I look forward to hearing about the adventures of the Papillon very soon, Ill put a link to their blog up when they set it up, this one will definitely be wroth a read. </span></span></em></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BmGcP-yU3XTRkqf_5fN5RihyUTVrPnK1WPvfAjS89dmqVoOfxT_0tMEmRsxJadgWeC6PgvqldaKxxOPbuTCDNz_Y9Nz1SIpB-eZqXLHViapqXcKgAX4llforYns64251htHQ2UsI4NfA/s320/DSC05506.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447024179400932434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Tom enjoying the ride with wee Rosie while Anne is at the helm</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So the ADM a very interesting place to say the least (http://www.admleeft.nl/index.php). There are so many amazing people staying there from all over the world and quite a few are working on some very interesting projects. Its a very diverse mix of all sorts, from sailers to gypsies. Its a place of great creativity and a place for dreamers to actually turn their dreams into reality. They also have massive festival there at the RoboDock. Check the site out. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">On Monday night its a must to go to the barge up the end of the dock for an all you can eat seafood buffet of locally sourced and fresh as seafood from the North sea. The owners who we met are the only sustainable fishers left in Holland as they fish traditionally with hand nets and drag the fish up to the mud flats and sort the catch out. It would have been an awesome experience to have gone out with them for a week of fishing. Their Barge was incredible too, Squeezing down the stairway into a candle lit cabin that open up into the guts of a massive barge and there be seafood everywhere, anything you want, you pick and choose. The ambience of the place gave a feeling that i will not ever forget, between the candle lights, dark stingy pirate vibes and the music, seafood, dogs and amazing crazy people, Woo. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Mario the chef also put on another dinner for us one night in his caravan, and well apart from the great food the company of these mad hatters was amazing, laughing constantly all night long. I love the ADM and cant wait to go back one day in the future if it is still there. Cheers for the good grub Mario (Mario wants to be the chef on the Papillon when they set sail). </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Fred was also creating a world record masterpiece, making a motor-bycle that could ride 300km on one litre of fuel. He has simplified the engine remarkably, it doesn't even have a gear box. Check it!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXHGj49ZveWD2eBGp84iJSsOhD3dCGJwiC9S6QrnFu2dB9ji__NpRIr35K6itf0GUKRnGJas65R54brpJL6abN2WQgfpvPpuM7SgNmNkC-f2Jo-oSCNTEepYUvtC4f9U2veCw7oXfaTM7/s320/DSC05531.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447025943945699794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Fred with his 25cc motorbycle</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I took off on the weekend to give my good friend Jason Lessels and his woman Birgid a visit in Oldenburg, Germany. So my experiences and the good times in Europe keep on coming. Bigid organised between all their uni mates to complete a very north German tradition called "Kohlfart", It's pretty much an excuse to play silly games and walk around the country side with a very old billy cart that the wheels are about to fall off on and its full of alcohol. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sgA8bbdhTVXJqcB7kE0MK048SL4My6g3zUVes8YjW-QSQP5g_OjCJl2wC-iu5UiMaG5oq2QJrrt1AsoeV4kfMWn-qOGOFX1ED4Npxsag6n_FllbL9KJc4i9MoUwyKamLsXHJ-oVAlr5n/s320/DSC05456.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447066108670517042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Jason dragging the cart back home, now almost empty of alcohol </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">While constantly drinking with these extremely big germans (the germans are so tall), we played games like Bosseln, a bowling game where you have two teams and bowl the ball along the lanes as far as you can and try not to get it in the ditch full of icy water. There was a throw the teabag with your mouth competition, the 3 pieces of cardboard race where you always had to have one foot on 2 pieces at one time, and the ever so amusing egg and spoon race. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bgWjkc1GrKmKZTcqFSwQCo_dwe75T11wx85lo1PVbofIykYV60YUTq12Zc1MurOP3IgUxm3V3NWwiYA2vq8kLjYl9arMyJ_p1JPA00TQCnCJAg16HfkMLWHzYkYs1XsOh2rmu9iGCY9R/s320/DSC05458.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447072993998847186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The 3 pieces of cardboard race</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">After all the drinking we headed into town and ate Cabbage (thats what you eat after the first frosts in winter time) and potatoes and Pinkle and kochwerst. It was so delicious. Was such an amazing day full of loads of fun, what a german experience!!! Cheers guys. Ohh and on the cycle ride home we had to stop by and do some binning. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Next day I took off up the very north of Germany to see the North sea. The land and sea are separated by these enormous dykes. They are so big and they are all over the place. Man... rising sea levels could mean far more less of northern Germany in the near future. The islands up the very top are quite unique as you can actually walk a couple of Kilometers to them apparently when the tide is low. That arvo, the sky decided to precipitate and it was quite difficult to find a camping spot as there weren't many woods around. Anyhow I eventually found a place by a frozen lake and set up camp in the freezing rain. All I was thinking was, what are you doing you crazy bastard, head south, the Mediterranean is calling you. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgflij1GOp_PLk14TZwbVi-gTFjzxRdH5iBdPxHLWm6nKkKr5lN9J_je5JaJ0FykN_W4KKypkTaGvjmERXfipT4gz337BPYkqU4mHEiFLpAM0dbLHWSmYsGSkVM4eTXA61B3lLk6_PBh0Xb/s320/DSC05495.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447075852442348658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">This is my camp set up when it rains and while im next to a frozen lake.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Little do I know I still have to cross the snowy French and Swiss alps into Italy where fresh snow is still falling. Bugger to that.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So heading back to Amsterdam I headed along the North Sea coast line and along the largest man made dyke across the sea that I had ever been across, the winds were strong but it was a beautiful sun-shining day. There were large washed up ice bergs on the edge of the dykes too, something Id never seen before, they looked so sharp and dangerous. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLx3UsQxppsD_HJ07y2ZvPimTV_vKuaWEeofJWzDAkuITfH8ozumnm2DFYQzq_SmOiyU-iCE9EA6t6YIiUhG4vxMwHIOm6iWEDIU5c1T4i7RLjXHEvH1qFD0YQ1b5mwaNesRvoeHv_wFRr/s320/DSC05499.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447077633867813570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The bike on the dyke</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Without knowing I was back in Holland heading down the east coast along beautiful sandy beaches, it wasnt to long till I was back at the ADM to chill and sort my self out till I took off to Belgium to see max1million and Farbio and their beautiful families and Monica my sister is heading over too.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Cheers to Tom and Anne for letting me stay, I had such a great time, especially with the kids, and to all the great people I met and shared wonderful experiences with at the ADM, what a place. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMWJ3b8fpU4yNq5NEk1hru2e0oLUd8DaDx5MuIkG7neJXfslRpBfKVR2-9XdlNTqBfAGOKkybwhFrgmiuHNhkW8frTOoHT9eSdo6hkWDM4ZpAEB5q7K_3WBP9-WdLl9jPUrLFGfGZ_N-R/s320/DSC05534.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447079313296459202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Dragonflys flirting at the ADM</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-66554731175868324402010-03-03T00:22:00.000-08:002010-03-11T00:48:07.818-08:00Scotland, land of the golden spurtle.<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Wow, porridge, and oats, I love it! Porridge and the use of oats is such an amazing source of wholeness and well-being that the world should endeavor to use this wonderful grain for every meal possible. The Scottish have the world porridge making championships where you traditionally make porridge using a spurtle and cracked oats, pouring the oats into the pot of hot water with the left hand while stirring with the right until the porridge has formed a rich and silky texture. And so on it it goes..... all the porridge ways of being, its an art in itself (porridge with butter and raw sugar, for savory porridge with butter salt and pepper, porridge mixed in with seeds and fresh orange, deep-fried balls of porridge for dinner) let the imagination go wild just like Bubber the shrimp fisher on Forest Gump. And as for the spurtle, well its really just a stick so you apparently dont break up the oats while stirring. I wanted to make porridge for Australia but going to the competition meant Id have to stay in the Beautiful highlands for alot longer, some other day eh (the winner gets a golden spurtle!!!).</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So apart from the porridge we had a fantastic Ceilidh experience, In all our wisdom with sold out tickets we decided to photocopy some more on yellow paper to get in. It worked a treat and wore my kilt like a true scott with my penguin suit thanks to Mr Shephard, but by gees it was bloody cold when the wind blew a breeze, Brrrr!!! A night full of randomness and great times with Jess Fitz, Chantal, Zoe, Hannah. Then the Red Door for some late sunday night crazy menstrual drumming, everyone being painted in red and dancing wild dances. What an experience that was!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So while encountering few adventures here and there and watching the metamorphism occur with the awakening of the dragon fly from its larvae. Jess Fitz and I had great times in the cold preparing and painting her up, now she seriously does fly.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw1I5b6LeFXGSC9-8dzsYvmsT9OUTgWft3HR1TqiwnuuWyWTGaqBrHmVjo3WUnhn7pe4NfnaOiw0iQSknIPFQp3ytBcDm2OgrY6Xbhln4dn0B2sdCCGb88xAzlkofbK6aavuw0pN5NUZoj/s320/Marty+and+Dragonfly.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446295465644709858" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Mr Marty and the Dragonfly</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So Jess and I took off on more adventures to see some of the Scottish west coast across on the ferry to Dunoon, was amazing to travel round and see some of the wild west coast, the cold is definitely numbafying though. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPprQVH-VCGWUyDPqJTjXoHuGsjQ-DrROO9fqqBGoXbKPvQMEC6omrY1fzbGChkfWFhevJggnOOwnTCN1BP8G-HiptspgJn8k2eZZXfx_B8W62G1BcWjyRzrXh5-JjgzYbHwF8BiKymEJi/s320/Crazy+bug+motioning+jess.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446302664269336162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Jess gone bug crazy!!! See what the cold does to people.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The highland mountains covered in snow and small windy country lanes along loch sides was absolutely amazing. Jess on a photography mission for uni took some real nice shots too. Some will go up soon.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQKdxS5FSq8fTFc4xqjlDzAzb2U1uyozONCr5vXjLNA0gpqBttHFdgxRUBP9bkWKneUHvsnHcBcP_fyvAiWGyrsadWieXfCStnZFVLh967pRffbwRGsg41Sm62PM-_LlG7xTZ9FtEp9hu/s1600-h/Water&mountains.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQKdxS5FSq8fTFc4xqjlDzAzb2U1uyozONCr5vXjLNA0gpqBttHFdgxRUBP9bkWKneUHvsnHcBcP_fyvAiWGyrsadWieXfCStnZFVLh967pRffbwRGsg41Sm62PM-_LlG7xTZ9FtEp9hu/s320/Water&mountains.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446296936828200930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Ruin on the loch.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZd9j9wojN2G4GkYBKBef5y2qjhZTbrtThmzzzlIBqT64zzLuqhxM9SyV0tzbKL7YzhCL5YtXIloepmkUvMPJuHDzpznV0mfX2yvtUTB8W6cNihFVcRKOtr8aKsxCM-fABDt1muvGPXw3/s320/Trippy+marty+in+the+mountains.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446305697907160338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px; " /></span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Are you seeing things? I think I am.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So after all the work on the bike and turning Jess's bedroom into a shed (cant thank you enough Jess, your bloody brilliant!) fixing pannier boxes and sorting out bits and pieces, all is underway and moving forward in a very positive direction.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I then took off to stay with some very beautiful friends in Edinburgh Chantal, Zoe and Jay, was real nice to just chill for a couple of days and be fat and happy :) So much goodness and so much happiness. More adventures out along the River Fourth almost to the coast line with Chantal on the back of the fly, we had the coldest picnic ever on a rock where i felt the ultimate bum groove to fit my tiny little bum into, was the best natural groove ive ever sat in, it was actually the best part of the whole picnic as hands mouth and well head swelled up and turned purple and orange (I wanted to calve the groove out with a chisel and take it with me). Was so so cold. To warm up we decided to play Frisbee on the rocks and run round like mad hatters. Then Chantal was super keen to learn how to ride the dragonfly. So wow first person with the shortest legs got it after a few goes. I was pretty impressed that Chantal had the courage to give it ago considering she couldn't touch the ground, On ya first motorbike she had ever ridden!!!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5OI-LMChZF_gMqj2ISgxRRSaT-Qo5SkIN3-vJkUN9yug-vdoxH8kVbKyRRVElSwp8T538fRJqXbica1IfvPD3B6zDccbQ-Gwm67iKLt8ZZ5i30lNzV7b1VY2zOIfMC7LvesO1HrrZATM/s320/IMG_0901.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447294385190332306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Chantal and the de famous Arthur's seat with Edinburgh in the background</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Went to a gig at the Forest Cafe (Pretty awesome place for good music, food and great people in edinburgh). Then a late night play on teh best playground equipment in the Medows. So much fun!!!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The coldness is so so cold when riding the bike. You cant help but have numb fingers no matter how good your gloves be. It hurts too. Robin and I went on adventures on the Saturday up and around the hills south of edinburgh with the intention to go for a bit of a hike. Robin also had a go on the dragonfly, he got it, your a natural Robin, you should get yourself a bike mate! Had so much wholesome goodness food wise at the girls house mmmm yummm yummmmm yummmmmmmm! </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The next day I set off to take Zoe for a ride and then up to Dundee to visit James who Ill hopefully meet up with on the Iran and Pakistan leg of th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">e trip. Had plenty of Haggis that night too, oh man i love haggis, full of so much goodness. Then we watched </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile-find.g?t=m&q=The+Life+Aquatic+With+Steve+Zissou" style="text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> t</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">o get into the boating vibes as Amsterdam and the Papilon is calling. I had such a great time in Scotland and thankyou everyone for all your kindness and good times we shared, Much love to ye all. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So I took off on the Monday morning a little too late from Edinburgh as I had to race down to Newcastle to make my ferry, I got a few flashes from the speed cameras too (suckers all you will see on your big flashy cameras are photos of two big dragonfly eyes and a man on a mission, there's no making out who I am Mr DVLA Ha Ha). So on the groove and I made it to the ferry without a map just 5 minutes before the last ramp was pulled up to get vehicles on the ferry. What a massive relief not to have missed it. My bike was completely covered from salty grit being put on all the roads, I had to wash straight away in Amsterdam or else it would have eaten all my dragon fly away. I had a nice ferry ride and met some great spanish motorcyclists to share stories with.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppEGxc5_WfCpaEZKlzZBpxgRdY-CqA0k2bKsp_gPK8SUigFPBc07jxJtve9d28vylY6MlkLF7ccyU-CjJDfFyy8PDSQFMGndHh4eDr_BDkGPipCplWgB1w-i4IJSE7gzr3FJxwKISV8IH/s1600-h/DSC05418.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppEGxc5_WfCpaEZKlzZBpxgRdY-CqA0k2bKsp_gPK8SUigFPBc07jxJtve9d28vylY6MlkLF7ccyU-CjJDfFyy8PDSQFMGndHh4eDr_BDkGPipCplWgB1w-i4IJSE7gzr3FJxwKISV8IH/s320/DSC05418.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447293269652662578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Having my last goodbyes as we venture to the European lands</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Goodbye to the UK and hello to the rest of the wider continent where so many adventures are to be had. Im heading into the lands of the unknown, Who knows what will happen???</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Thanks so much to wonderful Chantal to who was so kind to give me her camera so i can actually take some photos. All i need is a card reader thing which i shall get one day soon and more beautiful pics shall be shared with you all, thanks Chantal.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-82608635304214918932010-02-12T02:57:00.000-08:002010-02-13T01:03:36.317-08:00Lands of the cold and the wild but warm hearted<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia">Archh, How ye doin? I've hit the Scottish lands and oh there so much juicer than the somewhat deprived and less willing English folk. Last night was amazing, Eddie from across the way at Jess Fitzpatricks house in Glasgow was my superhero.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia; min-height: 16.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia">I love it when you really want something and you put the good vibes out there, the higher being produces nothing but goodness and presents you with what you need at the right time. In my language I call it the GRooVE! Its all happening I tell you.</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia">Eddie the man pulls out his mig welder and we start reconstructing the panner rack system, fixing a crack in the exhaust and a bigger piece of steel on the base of the side stand on the motorbike, the previous job on the rack system literally fell apart. Eddies magic is a solid piece of work now and for the trip it is about to endure I reckon it'll do the Job! On Ya Eddie, your true blue mate!</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ-aOqR90IvB1nKTxJloIhKhyFfaTO-8GISv9NOCgzHVgnGCj-hghG5GGUEAcKGv89tobM88jluV7EqCMe1HD23mmujLplp-DWz37PyJsA5CzM1Kq6gNf3KbOXrPAxoIMkoV-Ymvlc5_c/s320/IMG_0887.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437650863626798034" /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia">And as for dropping by Glasgow and staying with a bunch of art students, well.... Ill show the results of that soon. </p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Georgia">I have now bought my ferry ticket from Newcastle to Amsterdam for the 22nd of Feb, once im over the English Channel Im truly off. But first some beautiful friends and the highlands to visit. Saturday consists of a true Scottish ceilidh, time to get the Kilt out in the cold and have good times (after a whisky or few)!</p>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-76138510080346672352010-02-12T01:18:00.000-08:002010-02-12T02:49:03.989-08:00Let the journey unfold<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So as an introduction as to what this is all about, I am off on a life changing Adventure, to experience and travel the less trodden lands of the regular wonderer. The whole idea of the motorbike is a means to get off the beaten track and enter the wild lands of this world. I am up for the experience, the experience to meet, be and feel the landscapes and cultures from so many different countries across my general rout that you can see on the map to the left.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What does all this entail physically, well lets just say the good times and the hard times. Its not an easy thing to do, and by ones self even more challenging on the mental level. Im certainty not going to return as the man that everyone knows me as today. This is an epic adventure on so many levels. Me and my motorbike currently going through a state of metamorphosis (you shall see soon) will endure something like 30,000 miles to cross from the UK to Australia. We (me and the motorbike who name is currently evolving) are good sprits and shall make it home alive with hearts as wide as the worlds.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">The rout goes something like this: London to Scotland, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, across to the Andaman Islands to Phuket in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia (I will try my best to get across to Sarawak and Borneo to then get down into the Indonesian Islands and Island hop to East Timor to ship me and my bike from Dili to Darwin to a spacial place I call home. Weee, alot of countries once I put it like this. Anyhow thats something like the general rout or direction I will be taking. As you all probably know Im a bit of a free spirit and like to follow the groove so I am also open to plans and ideas changing because once one is on the groove anything can happen.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">As for those who like to know about motorbikes, I have chosen my machine </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">as an endurance machine, a machine that I can trust and know that we will be together through the good times and the tough times for many years to come. I see my motorbike as almost like the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Mountain Banshees or the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ikran that the Na'vi have in Avatar, but probably with out such a strong more natural connection. So my Motorbike to the human world is called a Honda XRV750 Africa Twin, Its like one of those enduro machines, great on the road but able to endure the harsh conditions off the tarmac. She feels great and thanks to all who have helped me at the XRV winter maintenance day in the warehouse and especially to Whealie in London for your help on my machine. I've got a good hold of the reigns now. Cheers to all.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: normal; font-size: 14px; ">So this is what she/he looks like.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNL1xLsyWqUJA9Hq74bUaN8_ZkLnBcZXRA4z-GKpxk3qWGV1VFyIuHsZbuSxYxnept-dlKjRMQvFymnCH-O4AIMLEjDdTn9fn-9aTvZKrdQEKSnoUhT763jnhqebXeFlZZ1yXWNckCLV5A/s320/AT+before.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437306300221794450" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4811097097725538967.post-50396784060860110342010-01-19T13:39:00.000-08:002010-03-19T11:25:18.373-07:00The Heroes Journey<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It goes something like this....</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Each of us are born with an internal question and this is the quest I am on. We choose to answer these Quests differently but their colors have been written through history to guide us. The Heroes Journey is a Quest. On this Journey our young hero must make some external renunciations of the world and commit to his own inner knowing. Most often alone, he will set off on his quest free of all prior bonds and connections, or the Heroes Journey demands complete commitment to the present. Because of the huge sacrifices required there is an element of sadness and loss that must be lived through to overcome. The hero must journey into the waste land of his soul before he finds his Eden. Although the Quest may have a goal and a destination, the true Quest and its fulfillment happens inside the hero. He finds through challenge and courage his own inner wisdom and discovers that all he strives for or could desire resides within him. He returns home with a heart as wide as the worlds.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The heroes journey is a fantastic sum up of the journey I am about to embark upon. Thanks Rebeh for bringing your wise words,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> knowledge</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and wisdom to table.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Reference: http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html</span></span></div>Mr Martyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14144991689153928824noreply@blogger.com0