Melbourne is awesome. I gotta say I love it here. The city has a real nice buzz to it that you dont find in many places. Been busy enough this week so I haven't had a chance to look around much and to be honest Im kinda saving all that for when Conor gets here. Just took a walk around the city a small bit and found all the cool arty lanes that are riddled with graffiti. Kick ass graffiti. Some of the most awesome pieces I have ever seen. Il post up some pics on facetube when I get the chance.
Got myself a job but Im not sure if its one of those "come and work for us for a day or two and we will see how you get on" places. I think Ive been screwed and not the good kind. The job did seem too good to be true. I sat in an office all day making phone calls trying to get people to switch their electricity biller to my one because it was cheaper. It was a pretty good deal but on one occasion I got through to this old man who was recovering in hospital. I didnt want to bother him as he was recovering so I told him not to worry about it. After I hung up the woman working beside me asked me "Why the hell didnt I try to sell it so him? People in hospital are perfect. They always want to talk to someone" It was from that moment on I realized the true horror or telemarketing.
These people will do ANYTHING to get a sale. I was really annoyed. I dont want to sell stuff to people who only buy stuff off the telephone because it gives them someone to talk to for 15 min. It makes me really sad. Lets just say I wasnt exactly disappointed when I didn't get a call back to work on Saturday. Its back to the job boards Im afraid.
Went to see the Tim Burton exposition and I have to say it was FREAKING AWESOME
It had hundreds of his sketches and paintings as well as a few models from well known movies like Nightmare before Christmas, Edward scissor hands, Charlie and the chocolate factory, batman returns and so on. I saw the freaking bat-mobile. It was amazing. Im going to wait for Conor and go back again because the only draw back was that I went on a saturday and it was packed with people.
Im finally going to bust out the guitar. Im pretty much running out of money so Im going to have to busk. It means learning a few songs I dont particularly care for but il swallow my pride if it means making a copper or two singing and a playing a few cords. I welcome any (real) song suggestions. Fell free to facebook me.
Redman out....and about
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
New Views
Since coming back to Perth things have been quiet. Just been taking it easy. I just spent a great week with Duxxa and her family again.
They have been so good to me. I may have said this before but the world would be a better place if there were more people like Duxxa and her kin in the world.
Im finally in Melbourne. First impressions, awesome. I had a late flight so I had the privilege of seeing he sun rise just as I came into land. Really rich colours. It started off as a pale blue but orange spread up through it and when the sun burst up from the edges there was brilliant red and the whole city was bathed in the light. I had heard that Melbourne is a moving, living city but I think I saw the center at a very rare time. It was empty. A little spooky actually. There were only a few people jogging and the odd punter wobbling home. It was nice to be able to walk down the big streets without having to dodge people and when your carrying a 14 kilo bag, a 3 kilo rucksack and a guitar your hard not to bump into so you could say I was delighted to have the streets to myself.
After 2 hours sleep it was like the city transformed, people everywhere, trams all over the place, shops that looked haunted and empty 2 hours before were riddled with the oh so hopeful bargain hunters. it was like a different city. Only explored a small bit and met a friend for lunch. Il do some more exploring tomorrow but I am shattered. I also have 2 job interviews so I dare to hope that will have a job by the end of the week.
More soon.
Redman out
They have been so good to me. I may have said this before but the world would be a better place if there were more people like Duxxa and her kin in the world.
Im finally in Melbourne. First impressions, awesome. I had a late flight so I had the privilege of seeing he sun rise just as I came into land. Really rich colours. It started off as a pale blue but orange spread up through it and when the sun burst up from the edges there was brilliant red and the whole city was bathed in the light. I had heard that Melbourne is a moving, living city but I think I saw the center at a very rare time. It was empty. A little spooky actually. There were only a few people jogging and the odd punter wobbling home. It was nice to be able to walk down the big streets without having to dodge people and when your carrying a 14 kilo bag, a 3 kilo rucksack and a guitar your hard not to bump into so you could say I was delighted to have the streets to myself.
After 2 hours sleep it was like the city transformed, people everywhere, trams all over the place, shops that looked haunted and empty 2 hours before were riddled with the oh so hopeful bargain hunters. it was like a different city. Only explored a small bit and met a friend for lunch. Il do some more exploring tomorrow but I am shattered. I also have 2 job interviews so I dare to hope that will have a job by the end of the week.
More soon.
Redman out
Friday, August 13, 2010
Mai Chau and Home...ish
Birdsong, crickets, smoke from cooking fires, hazy horizions, a cool mountian breeze and the smell of rich clay.
Despite running over someones chicken with the motorbike I wish I had more time to look around Mai Chau. It's bang in the middle of the mountians three and a half hours south west of Hanoi. The drive up in the bus was mental. It was about 35 degrees outside, the bus had no aircon and I was melting. The humidity percentage was around 75%
Got off the bus and after the useual bombardment of men asking "motorbike?" we made our way to a little village called Pom Coonig. We stayed in a Thai stilt house which is made entirely of wood, most of it was bamboo. It was beautiful. After the mad hustel and noise of Hanoi and the crazy bus drive through the mountians this place was a dream come through. It was so peaceful and quiet. After meeting the people who owned the home we set off on a walk. The views of the rice fields and peoples wooden homes were really calming.
Met a really cool Japanese man called Suzuki Kaita. He was also staying in our place and we got talking straight away. The more I talk to Japanese people the more I want to go to Japan and I can tell you it's very high on my "things to do after Austraila" list. Suzuki works for a travel magazine in japan and was spending 5 days cycleing around north Vietnam. Which is a bit crazy because there are a crap load of mountians.
http://suzukikaita.com/
In the house arcoss from ours there seemed to be some sort of party going on and our curiosity got the better of us. Suzuki and I ventured across to check it out and we were praticaly draged into the house. Drinks were put in our hands and we were asked by everybody (all men) to sit with them and eat. This is where the night started to go crazy. This party only happens once every 4 years so the locals, most of who were Thai men, had broke out the local brew called "ruou" which is made from rice and after looking it up I discovered that "ruou" litlerly means "alcohol" It kind of reminded me of japanese Sake but stickyier and sweet Jesus was it strong. As soon as my shot glass was empty it was filled again from a small green bottle and I must of had around 10 but strangly I wasn't wasted. It was a really happy kind of drunk and everybody was talking and singing. Watched some card games, went for a small drunken walk and after I found my drunken way into my bed I fell sound asleep. It was around 11:30pm.
I was biblicaly hung over.
Mai Chau was the last of our visits to the countryside and it was brilliant. Headed back to Hanoi and jumped on a plane to Sai Gon and the following day, after a bit of of last minute shoping, we got on plane to Kuala Lumbar (where I was robbed, my bag with a few bits and pieces in it was taken from under my nose) and then back to Perth. On the way back I wished I was going home to Ireland, I have so many more stories I can't wait to tell that just wouldn't be done justice in this mad blog.
My 3 weeks around Vietnam have been nothing but fantastic. Even tho I had my board shorts stolen on the boat, I abandoned my camera on an island, I killed a chicken and I had my bag/wallet/clothes stolen in Kuala Lumbar airport I still feel like I had my heart stolen by the land, my belly filled by the food and I've been humbled by the hard working people of Vietnam. The last thing I will say about it is:
You should go.
Redman out
P.S. Big thanks to the welsh boys who decided to put a mate up for a day or 2. Proper mates are hard to come by. And a big thanks to Duxxa and her family for letting me crash with them for a few days.
Despite running over someones chicken with the motorbike I wish I had more time to look around Mai Chau. It's bang in the middle of the mountians three and a half hours south west of Hanoi. The drive up in the bus was mental. It was about 35 degrees outside, the bus had no aircon and I was melting. The humidity percentage was around 75%
Got off the bus and after the useual bombardment of men asking "motorbike?" we made our way to a little village called Pom Coonig. We stayed in a Thai stilt house which is made entirely of wood, most of it was bamboo. It was beautiful. After the mad hustel and noise of Hanoi and the crazy bus drive through the mountians this place was a dream come through. It was so peaceful and quiet. After meeting the people who owned the home we set off on a walk. The views of the rice fields and peoples wooden homes were really calming.
Met a really cool Japanese man called Suzuki Kaita. He was also staying in our place and we got talking straight away. The more I talk to Japanese people the more I want to go to Japan and I can tell you it's very high on my "things to do after Austraila" list. Suzuki works for a travel magazine in japan and was spending 5 days cycleing around north Vietnam. Which is a bit crazy because there are a crap load of mountians.
http://suzukikaita.com/
In the house arcoss from ours there seemed to be some sort of party going on and our curiosity got the better of us. Suzuki and I ventured across to check it out and we were praticaly draged into the house. Drinks were put in our hands and we were asked by everybody (all men) to sit with them and eat. This is where the night started to go crazy. This party only happens once every 4 years so the locals, most of who were Thai men, had broke out the local brew called "ruou" which is made from rice and after looking it up I discovered that "ruou" litlerly means "alcohol" It kind of reminded me of japanese Sake but stickyier and sweet Jesus was it strong. As soon as my shot glass was empty it was filled again from a small green bottle and I must of had around 10 but strangly I wasn't wasted. It was a really happy kind of drunk and everybody was talking and singing. Watched some card games, went for a small drunken walk and after I found my drunken way into my bed I fell sound asleep. It was around 11:30pm.
I was biblicaly hung over.
Mai Chau was the last of our visits to the countryside and it was brilliant. Headed back to Hanoi and jumped on a plane to Sai Gon and the following day, after a bit of of last minute shoping, we got on plane to Kuala Lumbar (where I was robbed, my bag with a few bits and pieces in it was taken from under my nose) and then back to Perth. On the way back I wished I was going home to Ireland, I have so many more stories I can't wait to tell that just wouldn't be done justice in this mad blog.
My 3 weeks around Vietnam have been nothing but fantastic. Even tho I had my board shorts stolen on the boat, I abandoned my camera on an island, I killed a chicken and I had my bag/wallet/clothes stolen in Kuala Lumbar airport I still feel like I had my heart stolen by the land, my belly filled by the food and I've been humbled by the hard working people of Vietnam. The last thing I will say about it is:
You should go.
Redman out
P.S. Big thanks to the welsh boys who decided to put a mate up for a day or 2. Proper mates are hard to come by. And a big thanks to Duxxa and her family for letting me crash with them for a few days.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Trips and travels part 2
After the mad adventure that was Ninh Binh we went back up to Hanoi. We booked a trip to the wonderful Halong bay. Halong bay was formed about 6 million years ago by an earthquake but the legend goes that a dragon lived in the nearby mountians. For reasons I cannot fathom it charged towards the coast, while doing so it's tail gouged out valleys and creavasses in the land and when it finally plunged into the ocean all those valleys and what not filled with water and only the limstone pinnacles were left visable forming the islands we see today. The only 2 words I can think of to decribe it are majestic and mysterious but even thoses don't do it justice. It's not far from China's doorstep and covers around 300 squared km.
We spent 3 days exploring the islands (there are about 2000 of them) we went to cat ba national park where, after a pleasnt motorbike trip around the park, I left my camera. It had about 200 photos of the last 3 weeks and I'm very sorry to have lost it. It's not the camera I want but the photos. After Cat Ba we went to monkey island, that's right monkey island. It had an amazing beach but lurking in the forest just behind the beach are those blasted monkys waiting to steal anything you leave ungaurded. Anything from shoes to children.
Slept on the boat the first night in the middle of the bay. I thought it would be virtualy pitch dark and we would be only surrounded by the sea and the islands but there were other boats everywhere. Halong bay is the biggest tourist attraction in north east Vietnam so everywhere we went there were other people.
Spent that evening fishing for squid with a bamboo rod and drinking beer with a few friends I made. As it never falls below 25 degrees here we all slept on the roof of the boat. Watched a big orange moon rise between 2 islands and fell asleep watching the stars drift along. Bliss
I like to think I have a good sence of direction. I'm no Bear Grills but I can find my way around new places pretty well but my god is it easy to get lost in Hanoi. 3 or 4 streets can look identical and I have to admit I got lost more than once. Thankfuly the locals are incredably helpful and often will give you a lift for free to where you want to go.
Food (as requested by my sister Maria who well knows my love of the delicious)
My god. If you are looking for a place to get a million different flovours Vietnam is the place to go. No dish tates the same even if it's identical. Everything is delicious. You can get an amazing 2 course meal and drinks for about 90000 dong which is about €3.50. If you are willing to spend a little more, say 200000 dong (€7.80), you can get a 3 course goumet meal and sweet Jesus it is good. The best places to eat however are on the side of the street. Dotted evrrwhere are little street side shops/reaturants. Resturant is too big a word for these places as most of them don't have menus or even forks and knives. You can get a massive range of meat and veg and some home made drinks for under 20000 dong which is less than a euro.
It's too hard to decribe all the different things I've tasted. In the Mekong Delta outside Sai gon I had honey fresh from a hive. The bees were so calm I litlerly just had to stick my finger in the hive and scoop out some honey (that's right Dad I diddnt need 6 weeks of training and I diddnt have to wear any protective clothes or use smoke, I was handed a slat with about 600 bees on it and was told to "work away")
In My Tho I tasted curried snake, in Halong bay I tasted fish who's names I couldn't even begin to pronounce and by mistake I tasted a bug or two while on the bike also.
The food here is undoutably the best I have ever had (except for mams and Nannys of course) and for an unbelivable price you can eat like a king.
Lastly I have been here in Vietnam for 3 weeks. I haven't had a single vacination jab nor have I taken a single maleria tablet and I have been fine. Some (like my very protective aunts) would say lucky. If you watch what you eat, only drink water that came from sealed bottle (including ice) and use insect repellant you will be fine.
More soon trust me.
Reman away
We spent 3 days exploring the islands (there are about 2000 of them) we went to cat ba national park where, after a pleasnt motorbike trip around the park, I left my camera. It had about 200 photos of the last 3 weeks and I'm very sorry to have lost it. It's not the camera I want but the photos. After Cat Ba we went to monkey island, that's right monkey island. It had an amazing beach but lurking in the forest just behind the beach are those blasted monkys waiting to steal anything you leave ungaurded. Anything from shoes to children.
Slept on the boat the first night in the middle of the bay. I thought it would be virtualy pitch dark and we would be only surrounded by the sea and the islands but there were other boats everywhere. Halong bay is the biggest tourist attraction in north east Vietnam so everywhere we went there were other people.
Spent that evening fishing for squid with a bamboo rod and drinking beer with a few friends I made. As it never falls below 25 degrees here we all slept on the roof of the boat. Watched a big orange moon rise between 2 islands and fell asleep watching the stars drift along. Bliss
I like to think I have a good sence of direction. I'm no Bear Grills but I can find my way around new places pretty well but my god is it easy to get lost in Hanoi. 3 or 4 streets can look identical and I have to admit I got lost more than once. Thankfuly the locals are incredably helpful and often will give you a lift for free to where you want to go.
Food (as requested by my sister Maria who well knows my love of the delicious)
My god. If you are looking for a place to get a million different flovours Vietnam is the place to go. No dish tates the same even if it's identical. Everything is delicious. You can get an amazing 2 course meal and drinks for about 90000 dong which is about €3.50. If you are willing to spend a little more, say 200000 dong (€7.80), you can get a 3 course goumet meal and sweet Jesus it is good. The best places to eat however are on the side of the street. Dotted evrrwhere are little street side shops/reaturants. Resturant is too big a word for these places as most of them don't have menus or even forks and knives. You can get a massive range of meat and veg and some home made drinks for under 20000 dong which is less than a euro.
It's too hard to decribe all the different things I've tasted. In the Mekong Delta outside Sai gon I had honey fresh from a hive. The bees were so calm I litlerly just had to stick my finger in the hive and scoop out some honey (that's right Dad I diddnt need 6 weeks of training and I diddnt have to wear any protective clothes or use smoke, I was handed a slat with about 600 bees on it and was told to "work away")
In My Tho I tasted curried snake, in Halong bay I tasted fish who's names I couldn't even begin to pronounce and by mistake I tasted a bug or two while on the bike also.
The food here is undoutably the best I have ever had (except for mams and Nannys of course) and for an unbelivable price you can eat like a king.
Lastly I have been here in Vietnam for 3 weeks. I haven't had a single vacination jab nor have I taken a single maleria tablet and I have been fine. Some (like my very protective aunts) would say lucky. If you watch what you eat, only drink water that came from sealed bottle (including ice) and use insect repellant you will be fine.
More soon trust me.
Reman away
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Trips and Travells
I haven't been able to write on here much in the last 3 weeks. I have been moving around so much I don't really have time to come online for updates.
I've been all over Vietnam and I've met so many interesting people and been so many beautiful places. After spending nearly a week in and around Sai Gon I moved to a beach resort called Mui Ni. It was a nice mix of action or relaxing. Good spot for surfing (wind, board or kite) or spudding on the beach. The waves were dissapointing but the local area that we explored was amazing.
Stayed in Mui Ni for 2 days and then got on the wrong bus and ended up in a city on the coast called Nha Trang. The beach was filthy and it was HOT. Walked about 8km that day in the scorching heat and it was not fun. Went to a big Cham historic site. It was nice but the heat had me beaten down. Hopped onto a night train for some rocky traveling and a lovely sleep on the floor where I was eaten alive by bugs.
10 bleary hours later I arrived into Da Nang (I forgot to mention that the 10 hour train journey only cost around €20 dollors) what we thought was an extreamly friendly local showed us where to get the local bus but it turned out he was only showing us where the bus was so he could book us into his sisters hotel in the town we where heading to, Hoi An
I've been in many beautiful places and have had my heart captured by flowing rivers, breathtaking mountians and humble markets but never have I been so lulled and in love with somewhere but the beautiful and relaxed town of Hoi An in central Vietnam. You can get lost down it's many worn cobbled lanes, lose track of time in it's old French style houses or visit some of the local countryside that hosts sone amazing sites like My Son or the Marble Mountians. We spent 3 days there and I was heartbroken to leave. Spent the 3 days exploring on a motorbike and it certianly was a mad expierence.
Flights are amazingly cheap here. Booked a flight from Da Nang to Hanoi for about €46. Hanoi is a moderen busteling city that is alive and kicking. I only spent one night there and got a bus to Ninh Binh. It's a tiny town compared to Hanoi but the surrounding countryside has some amazing places to visit. Van Long national park is like something from a fantasy novel. We rented out a motorbike again and drove around, under and over the massive limestone mountians. Ended up in a tiny and I mean tiny villiage where none of the locals spoke english. These people live off the land and spend most of there lives supporting their familys by growing there own food. 6 generations of family often live in the same house over the years and some traditions are still going strong. Driving around on the bike and doing my own exploring was so freaking rewarding and Sophie and I had some great laughs along the way. At one point I was about to overtake another bike that had a big basket on the back of it. On closer inspection we noticed a brown tail sticking out the top, attached to that tail was a cow. There was a guy driving at about 45kmh on a main road with a cow wraped in a basket on the back of his bike. I almost wet myself laughing.
I know this has been a long update and there is plenty more to come but il cut it here for the moment. My advice is if you go on a trip, please, do your own thing. You don't need a guide to show you everywhere and you don't need to book into tour groups to see the country. Get yourself a bike.
Redman out
I've been all over Vietnam and I've met so many interesting people and been so many beautiful places. After spending nearly a week in and around Sai Gon I moved to a beach resort called Mui Ni. It was a nice mix of action or relaxing. Good spot for surfing (wind, board or kite) or spudding on the beach. The waves were dissapointing but the local area that we explored was amazing.
Stayed in Mui Ni for 2 days and then got on the wrong bus and ended up in a city on the coast called Nha Trang. The beach was filthy and it was HOT. Walked about 8km that day in the scorching heat and it was not fun. Went to a big Cham historic site. It was nice but the heat had me beaten down. Hopped onto a night train for some rocky traveling and a lovely sleep on the floor where I was eaten alive by bugs.
10 bleary hours later I arrived into Da Nang (I forgot to mention that the 10 hour train journey only cost around €20 dollors) what we thought was an extreamly friendly local showed us where to get the local bus but it turned out he was only showing us where the bus was so he could book us into his sisters hotel in the town we where heading to, Hoi An
I've been in many beautiful places and have had my heart captured by flowing rivers, breathtaking mountians and humble markets but never have I been so lulled and in love with somewhere but the beautiful and relaxed town of Hoi An in central Vietnam. You can get lost down it's many worn cobbled lanes, lose track of time in it's old French style houses or visit some of the local countryside that hosts sone amazing sites like My Son or the Marble Mountians. We spent 3 days there and I was heartbroken to leave. Spent the 3 days exploring on a motorbike and it certianly was a mad expierence.
Flights are amazingly cheap here. Booked a flight from Da Nang to Hanoi for about €46. Hanoi is a moderen busteling city that is alive and kicking. I only spent one night there and got a bus to Ninh Binh. It's a tiny town compared to Hanoi but the surrounding countryside has some amazing places to visit. Van Long national park is like something from a fantasy novel. We rented out a motorbike again and drove around, under and over the massive limestone mountians. Ended up in a tiny and I mean tiny villiage where none of the locals spoke english. These people live off the land and spend most of there lives supporting their familys by growing there own food. 6 generations of family often live in the same house over the years and some traditions are still going strong. Driving around on the bike and doing my own exploring was so freaking rewarding and Sophie and I had some great laughs along the way. At one point I was about to overtake another bike that had a big basket on the back of it. On closer inspection we noticed a brown tail sticking out the top, attached to that tail was a cow. There was a guy driving at about 45kmh on a main road with a cow wraped in a basket on the back of his bike. I almost wet myself laughing.
I know this has been a long update and there is plenty more to come but il cut it here for the moment. My advice is if you go on a trip, please, do your own thing. You don't need a guide to show you everywhere and you don't need to book into tour groups to see the country. Get yourself a bike.
Redman out
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Rules of the Road
Vietnam's Rules of the Road
1. You, the driver, have the right of way over Pedestrians, Animals and all other types of transport. Nothing and noone can get in your way
2. Try to have more people/items than allowed on your motorbike at all times. Including when parked
3. Which ever side of the road you are on IS the right side
4. If you see even the slimmest chance of over-taking someone do so with aggression, determination and as much speed as possible.
5. Beep at other cars, motorbikes, trucks etc. when ever possible. Sometimes you must beep for no apparent reason.
6. Speed limits are a challenge not a regulation.
7. Pedestrians have the right to NOTHING! Beep at them when ever possible and use speed and aggression to deter them from ever going near a road again.
8. Bridges are an "option"
9. Try to multitask as much as possible, the more distracted you are the better.
10. If you are driving a motorbike it is of upmost importance that you are in someone way at all times.
11. You have the right to park where ever you wish.
12. Finally if you do happen to crash remember that it is not your fault. Argue as loudly and as aggressively as possible until the other person/persons/animal backs down.
1. You, the driver, have the right of way over Pedestrians, Animals and all other types of transport. Nothing and noone can get in your way
2. Try to have more people/items than allowed on your motorbike at all times. Including when parked
3. Which ever side of the road you are on IS the right side
4. If you see even the slimmest chance of over-taking someone do so with aggression, determination and as much speed as possible.
5. Beep at other cars, motorbikes, trucks etc. when ever possible. Sometimes you must beep for no apparent reason.
6. Speed limits are a challenge not a regulation.
7. Pedestrians have the right to NOTHING! Beep at them when ever possible and use speed and aggression to deter them from ever going near a road again.
8. Bridges are an "option"
9. Try to multitask as much as possible, the more distracted you are the better.
10. If you are driving a motorbike it is of upmost importance that you are in someone way at all times.
11. You have the right to park where ever you wish.
12. Finally if you do happen to crash remember that it is not your fault. Argue as loudly and as aggressively as possible until the other person/persons/animal backs down.
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