[SEASON GREETINGS]

Dearest friends and fine readers. Allow me to wish you a very warm Xmas and a great comming New Year!

I have landed not on the beach as expected, but in a very picturesque area; I am surrounded by rolling hills made of rock bolders, a stream wanders in the valley and rice fields filll the plains, coconut palms dot the sky line. A maze of Hindu temples lay amidst the dry grass, and just when I think I have discovered them all, another one appears from behind a rock bolder. I am in Hampi, also known for and filled with joint smoking Israelis. It will be a quiet and beautiful Xmas on all accounts...

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[ODDITIES- Bangalore]

Bangalore is famous for its large software development companies, its city center is western in its feel; jeans and tight tops replace saris, trendy cafes are filled with young couples that dare to express affection in public. But its still India.

And I love India for its cows. Today I was walking along a busy road when I stopped in amazement as this cow crossed the road, a multi lane road. Actually all lanes in India are multilane, its just a matter of how many vehicles can squeeze together at once, simultaneously blaring their horns of course!

This cow had road craft! It literally would wait for some cars to pass, then creep forward allowing cars to pass behind it. No slower than I could have crossed the road our hero skillfully negotiated and inched its way across. Tell me something is wrong when a cow has sensible road craft!? Something for Larry Garson and his 'Far Side'!

India is filled with such oddities; allow me to bring you more over the coming weeks. :-)


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[Hindsight]

Thankyou to my dearest friends for pointing out ice cream 'can be harmful to your health'; after the event! Hindsight is a beautiful thing... Keep your messages commin, it's a cheerful laugh :-)

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[Bollywood]

Everyone tries to make a claim to fame, here is my punitive claim.

It was an astute tout who instantly recognized my buddy acting talents. I got the job instantly. The next day saw me head off in a private bus with 3 other 'actors' on to set location, which was a promised 30 minute drive that actually was 3 hours. Time concepts in India are somewhat different...

The location was a fort situated against a beautiful hilly backdrop. The large fort built by the English also served as a jail, where a real gallows still exists. Breakfast and we were whisked away to a nearby hotel to change into costume; colonial police. Khaki shorts and shirt complete with breast pocket chain, a blue conical hard hat and a beat up wooden object that could resemble a rifle.

On location. 2 main actors and 4 extras and about a ton of people milling around whose purpose today still mystifies me; I am sure most of these people didnt move from there viewing spot. The wonderful Indian hierarchical bureaucracy shined through today. No one seemed to know anything about what was about to happen right up until 3 seconds before it needs to be done. The head director talks to one of several assistant directors who inturns communicates with our 'agent' and finally the convoluted message reaches us. A classic case of the arse not knowing what the head is doing...

Finally my moment to shine. Walk straight for 3 metres, stop, and look stiff as the Indian villain was 'roughly' escorted past by 2 other coppers. Our hero villain is on his way to the gallows and says a teary good bye to a most drop dead gorgeous girl (ofcourse!). Also proves my suspicions that the beautiful girls in India are only to be found in film and TV.

I must have walked that 3 metres at least 8 times and stood waiting in 'starting position' a good bloody hour. The sun would move behind a cloud and suddenly the lighting men worked frantically for another 15 minutes adjusting things, or the villain didnt stumble the right way, or the villains sweetheart didnt show enough sadness etc.

Despite all frustrations by the last take I was superb. I can hear my voice now as I give my acceptance speech at the next 'extras and erroneous' film awards.. I walked with such colonial stiffness, stopped with precise co-ordination and stood proud like a man with distinguished command; it will surprise me if the director doesnt cut me onto the floor...

A tedious long day with a long drive back, a day where nothing happens for hours, then 30 seconds of work and more waiting for hours, amidst confusion and uncertainty that India is so good in serving. It surely didnt look like a glamorous profession to me. However, all future high paid acting jobs should be directed to my manager on JP'sStarDom@entertainment.com :-)

PS- cant remember the name of the film, a strange name in the local language of Tamil. Dont expect it to be released soon in a cinema near you either!

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[Onto the East Coast- India]

Slowly but painfully left the beautiful beach of Varkala on the west coast of India. Its a kind of place where nothing happens and yet that is still just too busy; saying 'hello' to so & so, having a swim, lunch with someone else and dinner with a group of wanna be film artists....busy days in all....

I ate ice cream one night...and only afterwards, as an after thought, was concerned about the hygiene of the water used. (A case of closing the gate after the horse has bolted). Well my fears that night were answered as my stomach contents were brought up and I laid in bed the following days cursing India and the shitty hygiene standards here.....

I stopped in Madurai to visit a temple, which is a huge complex with 4 large towers marking the entrances on all points of the compass. These towers are painted in gaudy colours and tiered shape, each tier has a multitude of statues and god like creatures, protecting the temple form evils I guess. Inside the main building god like creatures, including cows! are adorned and worshipped, and a real living elephant standing nearby adds to the bizarre scene.

Visited Pondicherry on the east coast of India, an old French town, where streets are still called rue. The police wear cute red styled French caps too. A European feel to an Indian city with many expats still living here and of course speaking French.

I am now in Mamallapuram (just south of Chennai) which is another temple town on the beach and I have promptly caught one hell of a flu....I have spent the last 8 days coughing, sneezing and bed ridden. I have almost seen nothing of the beautiful temples here, my body needs sleep, and lots of it. Luckily I am in a relatively nice hotel room so its not so depressing. But after just suffering food poisoning and now this...I am not having fun!

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[BOMBAY & down South- India]

Landing in Bombay, watching the slum 'houses' hug the airport perimeter fence reminded me that I am back in Asia. The smell, heat, humidity, poverty, pollution, its all here..... The bay of Bombay would have been a perfect setting to watch the setting sun if it didn't smell like a dirty toilet, like the ones that small boys use and miss the bowl.

Indian cities are not really to visit but to experience. I have never seen so beggars or people, families, sleep on the street. The market place at night is so crowded, blocking the roads with a single human body mass, yet cars and mopeds are still using them, blaring their horns. These horns, will they ever stop! I was always sticky, showering atleast twice a day.

Curious to India is the washing ghats. It is here that most of the Bombay's clothes are washed dried and pressed, ala Indian style. I.e.- they beat the proverbial out of the clothing. The ghats are a contrast of colours, brown concrete troughs filled with murky opaque water. Black tin sheet buildings surround the washing troughs. Yet white bed sheets, colourful saharis are hanging on the line to dry, can they really have emerged from that water?

After a few of days I was very over Bombay and headed south.

Into the highlands, the tea fields around Munnar. It really looked like an English garden, so well groomed. So much so I kept expecting an English butler to appear with a silver pot of tea with scones and jam. It was deliciously cool, green and quiet after Bombay.

Travelling further south by boat through canals, passing flooded rice fields and women washing clothes on the banks. I have reached a most gorgeous beach, Varkala in Kerala. Perched on the cliff are hotels and restaurants and below is a white beach with good surf. The beach faces west; warm orange and pink hues on every sunset. It's quiet. It's clean. Its so not India but I don't mind ;-)

As a vegetarian I am in heaven! Its so delicious; worked out the right hand eating, left-hand washing thing too. Curiously McDonalds don't serve any beef products in Bombay either, literally the land of the 'holy cow!'.

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[A fool and his Money]

Along the bay promenade of Bombay an Indian joined me and chatted to me. "how nice" I thought, I am surprised he wasn't begging. I will call him Bob. Suddenly up ahead 4 people jump onto the footpath and start to gamble. I stopped to look to see what was happening, but more so
because I couldn't manoeuvre around them, with Bob blocking my exit.

The dealer was slamming cards down fast and the players had to choose a correct card out of 3. Everyone is talking English, must be from different parts of India I thought. They certainly didn't seem to know each other... The dealer is distracted and Bob picks the cards up to check they are legitimate and marks the winning card by folding the corner. The game continues.

Bob is now always picking the winning card but the dealer keeps dealing super fast, looking for his luck to change. Soon Bob yells out 2000 (Rupees) and wins. He insists I take 'my' winnings but I protest; the dealer was already counting out the money from a thick wad of notes. The speed at which all this happens is quicker than you can read this story. No time to think, I could only rely on instinct.

I resist my 'winnings' and the game continues. Bob calls out 500 (10 Euro) and naturally wins. He insists again that I take 'my' winnings. Then they all do! Against all better judgement I took the note but at the same time turned on my heels to go. That got a reaction!

All of them said 'hey' in a defiance meaning I couldn't leave. One man grabbed my arm and I shrugged if off with a 'hey' in an equal defiance. Instinctively I gave the 500 back and I left unhindered.

I looked back and saw the 5 men huddled together on the beach wall, it was a scam! One man saw me and smiled, waving for me to come back. I raised my hand to extend a one-finger salute but a wire crossed in my brain at that same moment and a thumbs up was raised instead.

The men had chosen a strategically quiet spot on the promenade, hidden away from view from the main road by a bridge, it would have gotten very ugly had I got involved...it was so beautifully orchestrated I was impressed, and so thankful I had acted on the right instincts. Asia loves a good a scam!

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[Q & A]

Answers to the most commonly asked questions;

What do you fell like in the morning waking up in a different place every day?
Strange thing but it feels normal. I guess because I have been doing it so long and this is the way I live my life now. Sometimes it's exciting because I am looking forward to exploring the place...sometimes.

How do you decide what to do what when you are up?
The travel guidebook gives me ideas, travellers do as well as tourist offices and the like. Sometimes I just love to walk around and see what happens; usually the most exciting discoveries are when I find it by accident.

Do you sleep much or are you just bursting with energy everyday?
(except when you've got he shits)
NO! Travelling can be very tiring and I try and get a good 8 hours sleep every night. But that varies depending on where I am and who I meet. When I am alone then I sleep well, which tends to be often.

I mean not having to get up and go to work everyday, hanging out for the weekend, what does that feel like?
Brilliant. I can't imagine doing anything else, really! I feel myself really flowing with life, instead of fighting it. It's such a wonderful feeling, something I have never experienced before. If it doesn't feel right then I am doing something wrong. I hope this understanding will remain when I stop travelling.


And do you think you will be able to go back into the day to day routine after your travelling comes to an end?
I heard from many people that it's really difficult... One day that will have to happen ofcourse. At the moment I have a real dilemma to know what is home for me...sometimes it frightens me a little as I don't have an idea what or where I will be in the future. Thus I like to travel if only because I don't know what else to do right now!

Also is it possible to post any pictures on the net?
With great difficulty thus I haven't done it. Sorry.

How long will you travel?
I will forfeit my last flights, which expire and the end of this year and travel south East Asia at my own pace. My money is holding out well and now I can travel on 1/3 of the costs than previously, as Asia is so much cheaper. I guess I will stop when I am either sick of it or out of money...atleast another 6 months I reckon.

Am I every lonely?
Yes! I miss my family and friends. I have had a difficult week because I felt just empty and like there was no warmth in my world. I was homesick and wanted to be with people I cared about, not people I just met. It comes and goes in waves but when it hits it is hard and unexpected. I guess after being on the road for 9 months its quite normal.

Where will I end up after my travels?
Good question; thinking about teaching English in the capital city of either Korea or Japan

Favourite and least favourite country?
Turkey is just fantastic! Dubai and the United Arab Emirates can be missed...

Will you write about your adventures?
Yes. I realise that I enjoy writing and I keep my diary always upto date, I am now on my fourth book. I have had many positive comments about my web postings (thankyou!) and thus I plan to write a book using my diary as material. Stay tuned....


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[DUBAI - United Arab Emirates]

As I found Amman (Jordan) to be dull and boring is Dubai in the United Arab Emirates colourful, bright and glitzy. But both cities are my least favourites!

Dubai is kitsch. Full of psychotic flashing bill boards, opulent jewellery shops, American malls and wide 5 lane roads that are full of expensive, air-conditioned cars. But its a city of men! Immigrant men, cheap labour from Pakistan and India, where they stay in what they call 'labour camps'. Spot the Arab was my favourite phrase. The oppressive heat coupled with the diarrea that has been giving me the proverbial shits since Palestine didnt add to my experience. 3rd time I have had food poisoning since my travels...call it a 'vacational' hazard.

I took a day trip with some young travellers out to the desert via public transport. We ended up next to the border of Oman still a good 10kms from the watering hole we hoped to visit. In the local super market, I happily watched the 2 guys try and ask a local in a mix of Arabic and English how and where was the watering hole...when I had another de je vu. We had to laugh later because I couldnt tell them how my dream ended, if we made it or not... As it often is with independent travelling, the 'getting there' was just as interesting as the 'being there'; we managed to get a number of lifts from friendly Arabs and take a refreshing dip in the only water source for miles.

It was short stay but long enough, on the 12th October I landed in Bombay India.

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[Palestine to Israel]

My first day in Palestine would have to be the most impressionable day of my travels to date, which coincidentally totals 8 months now. Firstly I had, as most everyone does, to endure the scrutiny and paranoia of the security forces at the land border crossing. Why am I here, what do I want to see, dont you think its dangerous here?...are the opening questions.

As luck would have it I met a UN worker, Mariam, who lived in Palestine and she drove me from the border to Jerusalem, blatantly condemning the occupation in Palestine and describing Israels UN violations.

Jerusalem is an amazing place with a unique vibe of its own; it is an old Arab town with great souqs filled with local stores. It is along the cobble stone street that is crowded with people that I have rubbed shoulders with with Jews dressed for prayer, Muslim woman like ninjas and pilgrims in European dress. Its a clash and meeting of pivotal history and culture- the birth place of Christianity, Judaism, next to Islams 2nd holiest site, all within a stones throw of each other.

Later on I met a delegation of peace keepers. The historical claim of the land is at best subjective. But the current situation is clear. Israel is the current victorious conquer. Its expanding its cities into the occupied zone. Its dividing the occupied territory into areas of no go zones - removing the freedom of movement of its peoples. Its in total defiance of UN resolutions and with an annual budget of 3 Billion US, courtesy of Uncle Sam (some sources claim as much as 9 Billion) Israel can afford to keep pushing on. The people of Palestine, of course, resist the occupation and the tic for tac killing sadly continues...

I am surprised as to how obvious Israel violates UN regulations and human right issues and how ignorant I was of the situation. But the real surprise is the media, how it is manipulated to support Israels view and provide a very different picture to the west. On my travels I have seen many times the gulf of truth between the medias agenda and that of my own truth. I now begin to understand the real power of media and why Noam Chomsky is so critical of it.

And before I could curl up in bed full of questions, images, stories; I met an elderly Christian woman in the hostel. Our discussion started with 'who was Abraham' and in a long winded, marvelously supported and passionate monologue she describes why she is here. Her conviction is beautiful. The signs are here, she says, the 2nd coming will be soon, just months away...and she is awaiting for God to raise her to the heavens. Why not wait in the holiest land?
This place attracts all kind of crazies...the locals call it Jerusalem Syndrome.

To avoid politics or religion here is like avoiding to breathe.

I spent a peaceful 2 days in Ramalla on Mariams generosity; its a typical Arab town …a name I didnt associate with normality.

Israel, in contrast with Palestine, is very western European and Tel Aviv is beautifully situated on the Mediterranean with a wide, white sandy beach. My last 2 days were caught in a border town as everything was closed, shops, borders and all! With out warning I was amidst the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, Yom Keporem. I spent my time chatting with the Israeli security guard and heard another side of the story.

Safely in Jordan again, I fly to Dubai tomorrow.

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[Istanbul- Turkey]

What was merely going to be a stop over for 3 days turned into 3 weeks. Partly because I didnt want to travel, I had also met various people and because Istanbul is just a great city. It feels like Europe but it is still different; its different enough to be exciting every day. When on a winning formula, why change?

Staying so long in one place means I could avoid all tourist traps and live a 'normal' life, at least for a while. I went to the movies, clubbing, to great bars with local bands etc. I really tried to learn to play tauler (spelling?) or what the Greeks call backgammon. For a game of chance I still got my arse kicked consistently by the locals and quickly learnt not to bet on the games outcome...

I spent some days on the Black Sea coast, in a small but superb fishing village. It had a long, wide beach that rivals Australias (e.g.- Wilsons Prom) complete with surf & tidal rivers, and it was empty too! Being a small town, all the women were safely at home at night whilst the cafes and restaurants were filled with only men. A contrast to the big city, just a couple of hours away.

All good times end, or was it my visa. In total I have spent just under 2 months in Turkey and it feels like another home to me...

I have just had the 31hour bus journey back to Jordan where I will enter Jerusalem tomorrow. (I have deliberately avoided the regional news & warnings, as it is politically manipulated and aimed to scare...better sources are other travelers!)

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[Gallipoli to the Greek Islands]

Istanbul (Turkey) is a modern metropolis, a mix of Europe with Islam- its exactly what people dont expect. Party to you drop, pray 5 times a day, shop in boutiques or chill out in a park on the harbor- it caters for all.

Upto Gallipoli to visit the war memorial sites that was a smaller campaign of the First World War. It demystified and placed into perspective the somewhat taller stories the Aussies and Kiwis have built from this battlefield. More stories of pointless loss of life......

Unlike Turkey, I had from lovers and friends a high expectation of the Greek Islands that was doomed to fail. It did. The big shock was the prices and the sometimes plain rude service; even Utrecht in Holland wasnt so bad. The attitude of *Why even try* when 4 million tourists come every year is so evident.

Santorini is a picture postcard island, an extinct volcanic island with steep cliffs, perched on top are those whiter than white buildings, dotted here and there are blue dome roofs of the small churches. Infact, on any scenic view one is guaranteed to find a small church, they love their churches....

To my surprise I stayed on Ios for a week, which is known for its party life. I found a small beach that could only be reached on foot, it was in a small cove and protected from the wind and mass tourism- with yellow soft sand and clear water. At night I met many travellers and I danced and drank my way to the small hours in the morning, getting up after lunch time to lay on the beach and to party again at night.....I havent danced since I started my travels, so I think I have caught up on my lost 7 months! But my body paid the price; I am now nursing the remains of the Ios flu.

The islands I visited (Santorini, Ios, Paros) are quite barren and dry in summer, what makes them beautiful is the setting from the blue Mediterranean Sea and the guaranteed blue sky. However enroute back to Turkey I stopped on Samos and hired a motorcycle (actually a 125, bloody slow too...) for the day. This island is very green and filled with windy roads through the pine forested hills and valleys. Infact it feels like Turkey- it is said that the island was split off from the mainland by earthquake.

Kicking around Istanbul for a bit and still nursing my flu (which isnt helped by bouts of drinking...;-) I have a 'pleasant' 35hour bus trip ahead to Jordan; I dont want to get any more complications from the bus's air-conditioning. Next stop- Jerusalem

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[Berlin]

As I smelt the familiar warm scented air of Europe on the tarmac of the Berlin airport, I immediately felt home. This brought on a mixed bag of feelings- sadness, confidence, joy and restlessness. Settling back home after such a trip will be hard I’m told. The 'remarkable girl from Berlin', Christine, hugged me tightly without so much as a word of hello. We had waited so long for this moment. Now we have the next 2.5 weeks together.

Berlin is a great place, I always liked it and now I love it. Christine lives in former East Berlin, which is now filled with untolled number of cafes and restaurants. To be abnormal in this part seems to be normal, in a non-intrusive way- nose rings, tattoos, ear plugs etc. It’s a hip place with leafy, green tree lined streets, very romantic at night as people enjoy a meal sitting on the pavement under the glow of soft lighting.

In the first days Gernot and Eleftheria 'dropped' in and together Christine showed us around the city, educating us about Berlins architecture. The Brandenburg Gate is finished now and the unusual shape of the Jewish museum sort of makes sense now after an architect’s explanation....

The days together drifted away, days were spent in central park, Tier Garten, where Germans sun bake naked on the grass. Later when we were on the beach on the Baltic Sea coast- we both felt over dressed as the (mostly east) Germans walked around predominantly naked. The image of an overweight, golden brown, naked grandma bending down to pick up rocks has scarred my retina permanently....clothes should be worn by some people for public health and safety!

Eric and Riet joined us for 2 days and we chatted like we hadn't seen each other since yesterday, except for my Dutch of course! Eric was in Berlin last in 1985, and he pointed out some interesting differences.

However under the increasing pressure of time and Christine’s studies we found the painful thorns on the beautiful rose. It was a sad but uncertain departure from Berlin.

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[Turkey]

Turkey is just fantastic! It has everything (almost) that any one could want as a travel/holiday destination. Turkey has a Mediterranean coast with gorgeous roads that hug the land as it winds along it, on one side the land falls over sheer cliffs into the deep blue and on the other is the hilly and sometimes mountainous landscape filled with natural pine forests. Turkey is steeped in history and is filled with ancient ruins, the oldest city in the world is currently being excavated near Konyan. Like the rest of the region, Turkey has a myriad of historical influences including the Greek, Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman periods. Its hot in summer, in winter one can ski. The west of Turkey feels like Europe with a mix of Islam, the east is contrastly more conservative and traditional. The people are genuinely friendly and the hassle by tourist touts is largely unknown here...and its so easy to travel, it has the most comprehensive and ultra modern buses I have ever seen, they even serve free tea/coffee/soda on the long haul trips.

Turkey has 2 geological features that is truly unique. The first is a an area called Cappadocia which is a region filled with natural rock column formations that is so phallic looking in appearance... brings a smile to most mens faces. Churches, houses, shops were built into the soft rock columns and these can still be visited. Apparently the houses in the cartoon 'Smurfs' were based on this area. The town Goreme is situated in the middle of such formations which are lit up at night, it felt like such a fairy tale that I kept expecting Snow White to trundle down the street and sell me roses at the restaurant table.

The other feature is in Pammukale, a hill that is completely white, like a snow field on a sunny day with a few black rocks jutting through. It is being created by a natural stream that is high in calcium content, it cascades down the hill into pools and more pools. A pretty site and a refreshing swim too.

My favourite place was in Olympus, a large valley surrounded by pine forests with tree hut hostels located close to the beach. It was a short walk through some ancient ruins, crossing a natural stream and I was next to the magnificent, warm blue water of the Mediterranean. There is nothing in Olympus except for the tree hut hostels which is why its so beautiful. To watch the sun set in the valley and listen to the wind whistle through the trees as the landscape cooled down after a hot day was a rejoicing moment for my soul. Many travellers can be found here chilling out in the Turkish style coach seating, perched in small erected outdoor huts.

In Bergamma I visited a Greek acropolis and amphitheatre. I was walking down the main street of the country town passing modern cars, shops banks etc when the town gave way to open land. On my right I saw several stalls of live chickens being sold…something I havent seen since southern Africa. Some of the chickens had their feet tied together, others where chained like a dog to a post while others were simply kept in small cages. A staunch smell revealed itself to be a dog eating freshly severed chicken feet and other unidentifiable bits, as the blood stained the ground, repulsive in the summer heat. Stomach churning I turned to go and at that precise moment a farmer on a real horse and cart trotted down the asphalt street as the word 'wow' passed my lips. What a contrast!

I have travelled from east Turkey (bordering with Syria) along the west coast upto Istanbul in around 4 weeks. I have flown directly to Berlin and will return to see Istanbul and Gallipoli before moving into Greece. The story continues!

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[Middle East]

Jordan
After the slow pace of Dahab it was time to travel again. Thanks to Syria I had to catch an expensive ferry across to Jordan from Egypt in order to avoid occupied Palestine. Catching a glimpse of the weather girl in a tight t-shirt on tv, who was surely hired for her *large* features, I realised Jordan is quite western in its mentality.

To see Jordan is to see Petra. A large ancient city amidst the dessert hills, where all the buildings are cut into the rock faces, churches, city hall, houses etc. An impressive site, elaborate carvings highlighted by the blues, reds, and whites of the colours of the rock. A dip into the dead sea was such a laugh. Its very salty, about 30% content and any scratches in ones skin is immediately felt as the salt eats into it. To be able to lay on my back and read a newspaper whilst floating in the sea (technically a lake) was cool!

The middle east has some of the best preserved roman ruins and in north Jordan I visited Jerash, with large roman columns and temples. A usual season sees about 2000 people here every day but USAs grab for power in Iraq this year meant I could view the ruins for the entire day with no more than 20 other visitors.

Syria
Syria was a pleasant surprise, I expected a strict Muslim country frozen in some distant century time zone. It was nothing of the sort. It was modern, easy to travel in, incredibly welcoming hospitality and many attractive women wearing tight western clothes could be seen. Mind you, the Syrian regime has banned access to hotmail and yahoo email accounts and there is no mobile roaming.....a communication isolation.

Damascus, the capital, has a beautiful old city centre and is a favourite city of mine. It claims to be the oldest continuous living city in the world, dating back some 5000 BC. The remains of medieval architecture in the city can still be seen.

Syria has the most amazing castle, more impressive than any I have seen in Europe. Its the only castle I have seen with 2 walls- an outer wall, a moat and then a inner wall. Its truly a large castle and thanks to the strong fortification it has remained intact over the centuries. Its beautifully perched on a hill overlooking the rolling hills below, that could easily be mistaken for Tuscany in Italy.

North of Syria is another ruined city from the roman period, the main street is filled with large roman columns, a distant castle as a backdrop on the hill nearby. A large roman temple dedicated to a god is a testament to the wealth of the ancient city. Its amazing to think that such a great and powerful city could fall away and be forgotten for centuries.

So after a flighty 3 weeks and having to endure a painful 5 hours waiting at the border whilst men tried to look important and scrutinise every detail on our passports.....I entered a greener looking Turkey, a welcoming relief from the predominantly brown and dusty dessert hills of Syria and Jordan.

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[LOW ON AIR! - Egypt]

Together with my Dutch traveling friend, Garrick, we completed the advanced dive course, diving on some amazing vertical reef walls to a depth of 30m (4 atmospheres). The crystal visibility, the deep blue colours of the water and the teaming aquatic life makes the Red Sea one of the best dives sites in the world.

To complete our fabulous experiences we singed up for a days dive on the Thistlegorn wreck. A WW2 allied cargo ship conveniently sunk in shallow water (around 30m) by the German Luftwaffe, enabling thousands of paying Germans to revisit each year...

Our first dive was an orientation dive and we swam around the ship, viewing the collapsed middle section of the hull where it took a direct bomb hit. On our 2nd dive we ventured into the cargo rooms, dimly lit passage ways where I could see military issued boots, not looking more than a day old, motor cycles in crate , trucks and even an old aircraft engine. Its hard work to 'squeeze' through the passages, avoiding contacting the wreck, in case of steel splinters and for its preservation. We ascended a level and entered a small cabin like room, I looked at my buddy (Garrick) and together we realized we lost the experienced dive guide. Being cooped up in a small, murky room and 'lost' sent a waive of claustrophobic fear shooting into body and I had to fight the urge to "get out now!". After some confusion the guide reappeared and led us further on the tour. I checked my air and saw that I was low, 35% left (70 psi out of 200)

To put things in perspective, for a normal safety ascent I would need 6 minutes of air, and by now I didnt have enough to cover this. At 30m depth, the laws of physics dictate that one breathes the air in the tank 4 times faster then at the surface, thus each extra minute at this depth is crucial.

I swam to the head of the group and as we left the covered deck area of the ship I signaled to my guide that I had now 25% of my air. He signaled for me to relax and then he disappeared under the ships deck like a rabbit down a fox hole! This wasn't the reaction I was expecting!! This stressed me and thus the vicious cycle in diving. If one is not relaxed than one consumes the air faster. How faster and lower my air was becoming, how more stressed I was becoming...

I didn't dare follow my guide into the wreck, the last thing I wanted was to be trapped under a steal roof in a cramped spot with no air...I had no idea how long he was going to be under the wreck either. I waited for my dive buddy and signaled I was now 20%, he was also low on air and wouldnt be able to share his tank with me for long...

This was one of my most frightening moments in my life, to face the real possibility that within minutes I would suffocate. To see the events unfold before my eyes, like a nightmare that I couldnt awake myself from. Together we made a bee line for the nearest anchor line, aiming to ascend; luckily along the way Garrick spotted the guide popping up out of the wreck. He signaled the situation and on <10% of air and at 28m depth the guide shared his tank with me...

The guide and I made the required slow ascent together and for the last 5m I completed the dive on my own air, surfacing with just 5% of my air...A normal and safe tank volume is 5 times that amount! That was just too close for the level of my experience and totally outside the realms of dive safety. My dive buddy and I agree the dive guide was too much of a wild cowboy...but the wreck was cool! ;-)

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[HAVE SOME ''TEA'' - Eygpt]

This is a classic story, I couldnt believe it myself at first. I have collected another travel cudo as my sister calls it...

Back when I was in Luxor I met a young local, Mustafa, on the streets and we briefly chatted as one does...he invited me for tea and normally I never accept, but I thought "what the heck", this could be fun and maybe he is genuine. He offered to take me back to his appartment in the city centre, to offer me true Egyptian hospitality. I promised him that if his conversation should turn to business or money then I am out of there!

We venture into his appartment, his male flatmate opens the door and doesnt even blik and eye lid when he sees me...we congregate in the bedroom and start to chat. I realise I dont like Mustafa, something doesnt feel right but his flatmate seems cool so I am content to sit it out and drink my tea.

I am a slow drinker and as it was a hot tea (no milk..urrgh) I could only manage a few sips. Well Mustafa starts to lean a bit towards me and starts to peer into myface..odd man I think. But all of a sudden it happens, my vision becomes cloudy on the edges and my heart starts to race...Mustafa leans forward and it feels like he came from another dimension, the same feeling one would have if the tv characters jumped out of the set and moved into your living room. Pretty cool under different circumstances. "they have drugged my tea" I am thinking and I look around to see if I can see a mirror, to see if my eyes are dilated or that I am just being paranoid. Dilated big time!

I stop drinking tea and try and act normal...the conversation turns to oriental sex (always a male bonding topic) and we joke around a bit as I wait to sober up. I do a self diagnostic test and I come to the conclusion that if they both tried to jump me I could still fend my self at 90% capacity. They encourage me to drink my tea but I reply that I am not feeling well and thankdfully they leave it at that. I politely make an exit and they obliged....on the street my 'friend' Mustafa just disappeared and no sooner had I taken a step the receptionist, off duty, approached me with an alarmed tone in his voice and asked what this guy wanted, he said they are trouble and cheat tourists.

In a bewildered state and in some disbelief I sit down in a cafe and order soda and waited for my head to clear...frantically I checked my belongings;camera, wallet, sun glases, all was present and I sighed a relief to know I had a close shave with some serious dodgy people.

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[DAHAB, RED SEA-Egypt]

During my days in Cairo I ventured into the desert for 3 days and visited some oasis, surprisingly they grow many crops here in the desert fed from water pumped up from the underlying water table. Quite a contrast with the rolling desert, rock formations and sand dunes as back drop to these green populated out posts.

I left the hetic and noise polluted Cairo and travelled south to Aswan. From here I visited the Abou Simbel temple from Ramses the second. Its a large temple, with 4 huge statues of the pharoah himself guarding the front. The temple is dedicated to the gods and as a monument to all enemies of Egypt, "look how powerful Ramses is", or if one digs a bit deeper, "something so large surley means he is compensating for something!". The temple is wonderfully decorated with etched hieroglyphics and paitings, mostly containing ramses ofcourse! It was a hot 6 hour return ride in the desert to see the temple but it was worth it; in many ways it was more impressive than the pyramids, especially since I had no preconceptions. (see last entry concerning this) Aswan is incredibly hot and afternoon temperatures hovered around 45 degrees...painful.

I took a chilled and relaxed 2 day sail boat ride down the Nile to visit Luxor, or as it was once called, Thebes. Next to Luxor is the valley of the kings and queens. The most amazing and intricate tombs I have ever seen, even surpassing the Abou Simbel temple in some ways. Beautifully decorated with paitings on all walls and ceilings, incredibly long hallways connected to many chambers, the burial chamber usually being the most elaborate, filled with instructions for the pharoah on how to return from the dead.

I have now hit Dahab, small tourist town on the red sea, famous for its reef and scuba diving. I am taking my open water scuba license and I am loving it, hooked on diving now. Its a bit freaky at first to breath pressured air under water but I am taking to it fast, hope to do my advance course as well.


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[FOOD & TOILET Stories- Africa]

Due to popular demand (well my sister really) let me describe some stomach churning stories!

*FOOD*
I cant say I have seen any dishes that would really astound you, unlike the Chinese (wait for my travels then) but the food preparation is another story. One of my favourite scenes was in Tanzania when a man had 2 chickens tied together by the feet and losely placed on the back of the bicycle as he rode. They fell off squaking, he calmly stopped, picked them up by the feet and threw them back on the bike and continued. It was magic to see. A live chicken at the market goes for less than 1Euro and I have seen a woman in a bus with a chicken on the lap...and feeding it with some nuts...no doubt she will be re-eating those nuts again soon.

Fish and meat markets are always an experience on the senses...I have seen a fish market in Tanzania where the floor was black with slime from countless years of fish, and a man was rolling an octupus in this very slime to tenderise it. He gleefully offered to sell it to me..."thanks, but I have just given up on fish as it happens!" The stench was overpowering with a pleasant 30 degrees and high humidity.

I once made the mistake to eat in a local restraunt, again in Tanzania, which had no fridge or 'real' kitchen. I tried some tuna fish with rice, for just 50 cents euro, even though I had already seen the local fish market. If the locals eat so can I, I figure. About a week later I had the longest night of my life! refer to entry dated-March 29, 2003 [MOSHI, Tanzania]


Seeing butchers hanging their carcasses in the full sun of a 45 degree day in Egypt just proves my theory that we really are meant to be vegetarians!

*TOILETS*
I use to be a bit selective about where I 'download' but Africa has taught me to be otherwise. Firstly, most toilets in Africa are of the french or indian style- porcelain basin, hollow shaped, a hole at the back and panels on the side where one is to squat. Toilet paper is not used and a bucket of water or a water hose is used for the cleansing. This after a while becomes quite exceptable and surprisingly the toilets are generally cleaner than the sit down toilets, generally...

My favourite war stories are the drop toilets in the Serengeti National Park...the flies almosted carried me away from the toilet hole as I opened the door, as did the smell! Once on the border of the Kenyan and Tanzania border I had stomach problems and nature was calling hard...another stinky drop toilet with no water at hand, and all I had was 2 tissue papers....had to be economical then.

But as the southern toilets are stinky are the Egyptian toilets bizarre. Sit down toilets but toilet paper is still not used. Typically they have a water pipe that comes into the bowl and then faces up for the squirt...the idea is to turn the water on as one is finished and give oneself a flush. Two problems come with this. Firstly if there is a download involved, it can stick to the side of the pipe and this doesnt get flushed by the toilet but even worse is is that some excrement can get caught on the opening of the pipe and when one turns on the water shit literally flies! Then there is the gentle art of positionings ones arse over the water stream in order to get a wash without trying to flood the floor or wet the pants.

And the winner of the smellest toilet goes to the Egyptian train....if the carriage door was left open the rank smell would waffle in, it smelt worse than a colony of seals, and for those of you who havent had the pleausure to smell this, imagine an acrid, strong and permeating smell that gently burns your nostrils and forces your stomach contents hurling upwards.

here endiths my stories.


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[NARIOBI- Kenya]

It was a treacherous, bone jarring, long and dusty night bus ride from Moshi Tanzania to Mombassa Kenya. I couldnt get out of Moshi fast enough, see previous entries for motivation!

From here I traveled north with a Dutch medical student and we relaxed on the beaches of Lamu Island and then Watamu, taking in some coral reefs. It was a relaxing time and pleasantly easier when traveling in pairs, which was also good as I had 'picked up' a nasty chest cold in Mombassa that turned feverish. It was also very handy to be able to have private conversations in Dutch, especially when approached by dodgy touts!

The last couple of days I have been at Lake Naivasha, which is a large fresh water lake surrounded by lush green vegetation & hundreds of bird species; a favorite holiday spot for the locals. Next door is Hells Gate, a national park with a large gorge, but what was particularly enjoyable is that I bicycled through the park without a guide...and they have game here including lions and leopards, but I 'only' say zebras, buffalo and impala. In all it was a pleasant stay in Kenya, although a short 2.5weeks.

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[ROLLED! - Tanzania]

Nothing seems to work the way it 'should' or the way they said it would. So it was of no surprise when the cook of the safari approached me in the hotel and said he would pick me up and the other guy (Robert) from another hotel, instead of our agent, Jasper. Organization in this country is bizarre at best, so I didnt even question the new arrangements.

Bright and early we were picked up by the cook and driver, stopped by the ATM for cash and then into some back streets of the next town for breakfast, awaiting the arrival of the other passengers and the 4wd. The cook confirmed what we needed, tent etc and went off to do his thing. He came back later, we paid him, he went to off to get the 4wd, but left our luggage behind with us and we waited...and waited. After an hour, annoyed, I called Jasper and with a sinking gut feeling I realized that we were rolled by a conman...$270US each. Son of a bitch!

On the bright side I got my luggage back, my photos and travel diary are worth a lot more to me and are of course irreplaceable and we could have been cleaned up of all our money if they had weapons. I have seen a big knife wound on a travellor with such a story. I guess it was a 'cheap' lesson/experience.

[SAFARI- Tanzania]
I still wanted to go on Safari! I negotiated a 100US discount for the both of us, as Jasper was partially responsible, as he knew of this conman and failed to warn us or take appropriate security measures. Business is often conducted in the streets allowing the conman to easily identify the clients, their names, hotels and the travel arrangements.

However, on the day we left for Safari, he didnt uphold his deal and we had to spend 1.5hrs arguing by the bank for the agreed deal. Then he had to buy US dollars and we lost more time as he shopped around. Finally, with the 2 other passengers and their agent, we go to the shopping center to get supplies, when suddenly Jasper announces a 5th person will join. Well the other agent didnt know about this and they started arguing in Swahili and then the other 2 passengers started arguing with their agent as their tour price should be cheaper, as 1 extra person joined. In final frustration and desperation we left, losing lots of safari time. The driver to his credit made up for the lost time.

That afternoon we visited Lake Manyara, beautiful lush scenery and home to 1000's of pelicans and other water birds. Back at the lodge, we find out Jasper hasnt paid the other agent in full so the 5th guy either had to pay even more or be kicked off the tour, now everyone has been screwed. Eventually a compromise was reached, the 2 passengers would waiver their discount and the 5th guy had to pay 'marginal' extra.

The next morning, trying to put the past events behind us, we headed for the Serengeti, when the car broke down in the first 5 minutes! Did I walk under a ladder or break a mirror?! I had to laugh, could it get worse? Thankfully the car was repaired within the hour and we were on safari!

Our luck turned for the best and I had the most amazing 3 days. The endless plains of the Serengeti are spectacular, the Ngoro Goro crater, the largest non-volcanic, non-meteor crater is teaming with wild life. Our guide had the most incredible eyes, we couldnt believe the things he spotted, we had troubles to see it with the binoculars! We saw all the animals up close, including the rhinos, lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, serval cats, zebras, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, warthogs, and more. The hassles were well worth it after all, I felt totally satisfied and fortunate to have seen so much!

Jasper talked about how he appreciated client recommendation, so here is my recommendation- Dont do any business with Kili Climbers & Safaris, or stay in their Amin's Cottages!

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[PHYSICAL CHALLENGE- Mt Kilimanjaro, 5895m]

It had to be attempted; I couldnt walk away without 'having a go'.

The first 3 days were reasonable 4 hour walking days, reaching the last hut at 4703m. As luck would have it I met an Aussie girl who was on the way down and she offered me some of her unused anti-altitude sickness tablets. These came in handy! I was getting headaches and feeling nauseous at the last hut, the tablets helped to minimize the effects and I could get some much needed sleep.

On the Wednesday 2.4.03 at 12am we ascended for the summit. God was smiling on us as it was a crystal clear night, the Southern Cross beaming down us and the shooting stars offering a good omen. I could keep a good pace, thanks to my conditioning of 'walking Africa' for the last 3 months. So much so that we had to stop in a cave for 20 minutes, otherwise we would reach the summit before sunrise.

We reached the first peak of 5685m around 5am, the weather turned colder and my breathing was a lot harder, the going was tough. Pushing on, the sun was rising, I could see the summit post, my steps quickened, I passed my guide, I glided over the soft snow for the last metres and around 6:20am I grabbed the summit sign post, sobbing with elation, relief, overwhelmed by the beauty and gasping for breath. Within minutes the sun rose to reveal spectacular orange and pink hues on the surrounding glaciers; I was on the top of Africa @5895m!

For some quick facts:
* In the last 36.5 hours I was on the mountain I
- traversed 5117m
- walked 18 hours
- was in 4 climate zones
* Only 42% make the summit, I feel so lucky to have reached it!

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[MOSHI, Tanzania]

Moshi is a town in the shadows of the mighty Kilimanjaro, on a clear day one can see the snow capped mountain. However I shall remember Moshi for different reasons:

It was here that I got introduced to the African mini bus taxi. A van that is licensed to carry 15 people in other continents, in Africa they are all competing for "Ripley's believe it or not" show. At one point I counted 25 passengers! I guess its a case of "you pay for what you get", 70 cents Euro will get you a 1 hour ride, but your comfort is of no concern!

My very first night in Moshi and I started to get cold and shivers, on a 'hot African night'. Fearing the worst (malaria) I found my way down to a pleasantly modern hospital, complete with sterile needles. Diagnosed as food poisoning; obviously my daring efforts to eat at local restaurants (including fish) on Zanzibar Island paid dividends!

This night turned into the longest nightmare of my life. I was delirious, nauseous, uncontrollable shivers bordering convulsions while sweating under the bed sheets as the fever consumed my body. If felt like it went on forever, I was thankful I was in a hotel room with my own shower and toilet for quick access if needed. By morning the fever broke and I was weak, exhausted but relieved the worse was over. The next days were spent recovering and pondering if I should 'attack' the big Kilimanjaro.

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[Zanzibar Island, Tanzania]

It was sad to leave Sth Africa after having such good times; it was a rather lonely entry into Tanzania. I am nearing the equator and this is evident in Dar es Salaam. It was very hot, high humidity that remained throughout the night, sleeping was terrible; I would be sweating within minutes of having a 'cold' shower.

Onto Zanzibar Island and Stone Town. This island has had occupancy by the Portuguese, Arabs and then the English. Stone Town has a real European feel with narrow streets, dotted with mosques and they drink tea with milk! Zanzibar is known for the spices and great beaches. The last 5 days I have been doing it 'tough' on the northern beaches, swimming, eating, reading, swimming, eating etc, a holiday on my travels! Having said that, it is low season for tourism in Tanzania (rainy season started today) and as it is
A predominant Muslim country, its almost devoid of any travelers. Thus is has been quite lonely in my travels as I have breakfast alone, eat lunch alone and you guess it, dinner alone.....but a great opportunity for me to reflect and centre my energies.

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[PRETORIA - South Africa]
Yours truly has had a hetic and somewhat amazing time since my last posting. Again all too much too write in detail, but sit back and enjoy this brief tour.

I spent about a week in Zimbabwe and Zambia. I especially loved talking to the locals who are so friendly and interactive. I spent 2 days at the mighty Vic Falls, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Watching the sheer amount of water falling, the rainbows catching the overspray and being drenched by the very same overspray on a hot African summers day is too beautiful for words to
describe.

I flew back to the big bad Joburg of Sth Africa where I met and travelled with a remarkable girl from Berlin. Togther we have spent the last 10 days travelling around Sth Africa with a rental car. As usual, my favourite highlights since my last posting are as follows-

* African Tribal Dancing- to hear the melodies and harmonies, the "brrrrp" sounds as in Paul Simons Graceland album. The energy of movements and the sharp, wild foot stamping dancing.

* Tip Truck School Bus- I was amazed to see a 'load' of Zambian school childeren, in neat white uniforms, jump off a tip truck after a day's school. They were all standing in the back with no extra safety barriers; Im sure parents in the west would be horrified.

* Lions in Kruger Park, Sth Africa- After driving in the exhausting heat for 2 days and resinged to not seeing lions, we were surprised on my 3rd day as we were just leaving the park- 2 lions found a dead hippo in the water and was picking at it like one does when one isnt really hungry but simply because it was food.... the crocodiles were waiting in the water and one croc floated all the way up next to the hippo and the feeding lion. It sat there waiting as the lion 'nibbled' on. The lion got up on all 4's to stretch, saw the croc and raised a paw and in one sweeping motion brought it down in defiance with a loud roar....the croc left real quick! Magic to see who is king!

* Elephant- Again in Kruger, we came up unexpectedly next to a bull elephant; it was unhappy with us encrouching on its personal space, so in a defiant shake of its head and flapping of its ears it threatened to charge, I found the reverse gear quickly and made some distance!

* Right at the Robot (Traffic light)- South Africans dont seem to know their own town, let alone which hand is left or right. The number of times we got lost due to bloody directions.....(sigh) And you think you can easily buy a map of a town....think again!

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[ZAMBEZI RIVER, ZIMBABWE- "Russians dont float"]
We have just completed the first rapid (number 11) without a hitch....shoulders are aching from the hard paddle and the adrenaline is flowing; we are keen for more. The guide orders 'hard paddle' and as I am in the front of the boat I lean as far forward with the paddle and heave it back in the swirling white wash below. The boat kinks to the left and suddenly I find myself in the water, submerged and under the raft wondering how I am going to breath... Carefully I walk my hands under the boat and I emerge in fresh air to be greeted by concerned looks...

We successfully complete 2 more rapids and the guide was preparing us for the 4th; strong whirlpools are present and eddy currents. Again the call for 'hard paddle', this time I brace myself better to avoid tipping out. In the white wash, the boat tips right and the 2 guys on my right hand side just disappear. Concerned, we jump to their side to find nothing...."how can 2 guys with life jackets just disappear?" I wonder. The guide stands up and his face has gone taunt with tension, and then suddenly the aussie bobs up next to us, the guide yelling to "get him in". Where is the Russian.....we wait and nothing, we are drifting towards the wash of the next rapid and the guide is waving in the rescue boat...and still nothing. Surley life jackets are supposed to make one float?

And then bang, the russian appears behind us, his face is a deathly white, blood is around his nostrils and his breath is a mixture of a strange weeze and gasps; he is in shock.

We wait for the rescue boat after the rapids and manage to salvage one of the lost paddles, and to the Russians credit, he joins us, amidts our cheers, some minutes later totally self composed again. I have a greater appreciation for river currents now!

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[ODD SPOT- Africa]
The Africans typically have 2 names, a name in their mother language and a translated english name. These names translate to ones given by the acid hippies back in the 60's, such as Blessing, Happiness, LoveMore (friends called him LoveLess) and my favourite, Pleasure! (Im sure he gets alot of mileage out of his name with the ladies...).

Deordarant seems to be occassionally used here, its not uncommon to walk along the town streets on a hot day to be greeted with the ever so powerful body ordour of a local...best to walk up wind is my tip!


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[VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe]
Yesterday I have arrived in Vic Falls, and despite all the bad news about this country life seems very normal here, the people are very friendly and there is still food in the shops. The only noticeable problem here is that one has to queue for 3 hours (or more) for petrol, but hey, I dont drive anyways...

From Swakopmund we travelled north and arrived in the 'real' Africa.... small villages with mud houses and grass thatched roofs. The people in general are subservant farmers and literally own nothing more than the clothes on their back. The country side is quite flat but very green, and the malaria mosquitos love to dine on you as well.

My favourite highlights are-

*Talking to a friendly local Namibian girl, Jennifer, in her village. I took a walk with 2 other people to a local village. These villages are very brown; brown thatched fences and roofs, brown mud walls on the huts, brown dust and dirt floorings. Yet Jennifer had this amazing white top on with cream pants in such a stark contrast to her enviroment. Her english was excellent and as she said, her and her village enjoyed the visits from 'us'.

* Etosha National Park, Namibia- to see the animals in the wild, I saw lions, elephants, zebras, impala, hyenas, giraffe and wildebeast

* Okanvango Delta, Botswana- This was real camping, no eletricity, showers toilets or clean water...chlorine needed to be added. The delta is the largest in land delta in the world and is home to hundreds of bird species and wild life and as it is so remote, it is only reachable by cannoes. At night we could hear the hippos 'barking' and lions roaring outside our tent perimeter. In the day we spotted an elephant; it feels so fantastic to be able to see animals in their enviroment and not from a truck, I felt a great sense of appreciation for them. The elephant took a curious interest in our group and was walking towards us; I would have stayed if it was not for the local guides who got all excited and
insisted we take some distance...obviously not showering for the last 2 days was not offensive enougth
for this 2-3 tonne beast.

* On leaving the delta a local guide placed some pyras grass into some freshly caught fish, and threw it in the water, where it floated due to the grass . Upon a whistle from the guide and right on cue, a sea eagle perched nearby, flew across the lake towards the floating fish and in one, well timed swoop, clutched the fish in its talons and was gone to another tree across the lake. It was the most majestic thing I have ever seen. Apparently the guide has been feeding the same pair of eagles this way since 1995, a happy co-existence!

* Baboon on path, Zimbabwe- I am walking across a bridge from the Zambian side into Zimbabwe. The magnificent and roaring Vic Falls are behind me, and I can still feel the over spray from the falls. As I walk along a footpath I see a dog, no, its a male baboon running at neck break pace towards me on the same footpath. I falter a little in my walk as it literally passes me with inches to spare. I look back to him wondering "what the fuck are you doing" as he looks back at me running the other direction with the same look on its face!

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[SWAKOPMUND, Namibia]
This is the 7th day of a 21 day organised overland tour from Cape Town to Vic Falls. We have travelled lots of kilometres so far, getting up very early (sometimes as early as 5am) and then driving off as the sun rises. I will mention briefly my favourite highlights-

* Orange River which borders the Namibia and South African border- for hours driving through Sth Africa the landscape was dry, dusty with endless rocky hills, sometimes so barren the moon will be a more prettier place, if only because it had a view of the water on the earth. Next to the river is a green strip of vegetation following the course, a welcome relief in the landscape. Spent a day cannoing on the river, keeping cool as the sun was blasting down at 42 degrees.

* Fisher Canyon, Namibia- the second largest canyon in the world, watched an awesome sun set behind the mountains as the colours filtered into the canyon.

* Antelope, Namibia- one night in the middle of nowhere and near the canyon, a small group and myself decided to sleep outside next to the swimming pool which was the only green grass for miles. At 3am 2 daring antelopes walked in and started grazing the grass, and because we were laying in our sleeping bags, I watched the large beast come as close as 3m to eat grass!

* Dune 45, Namibia-. I have heard how beautiful a desert and the sand dunes can be....but seeing is believing. We watched the sun rise on a dune called '45', which is the highest static dune in Africa.

So far I have seen the following wild animals- dasey, springbok, ostrich, antelope and a eagle owl. I hope to see the big five soon, stay tuned.. ;-)

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[JEFFREYS BAY Sth Africa]
Since Wilderness I moved to Plettenburg Bay (via Kynsa), where with a group of 4 I took a walk along the pennisula. Some fishermen pointed out a shark to us, a hamerhead, which is not surprising given the amount of seals swimming nearby. We were greated with a full bloated seal rotting on the rocks further up....stomach turning indeed. An absolute highlight is when we took a dip in the beach, despite the 'dangerous' warnings. The waves, channeled by a small inlet, crashed so close to the beach with such force that we were able to body surf so easily....we were like kids with candy!

It was here I had my first tinge of home sickness...I just wanted to hang out with my friends and not with people whom I knew for 2 hours! That night I dreamt I was with my friends and some time after I woke up bewilderd and was asking myself "where I am?". Remembering I was in a hostel I relaxed and sat up, to greet my head squarely against the bed above....

Onto Storms River, this is a remote town with all of 3 shops situated in the hinterland. Beautiful walks with breathtaking views of the rugged coastline are here....the waves pounding the coast are truly huge and a sight in itself. The backpakers I was staying in, "The Rainbow Lodge", probably had the most unsusual combination of unusual people working there, some how the total chemistry didnt work well. On my last day here I took a map from the government forestry to do a walk. In the beggining of the trail I came across a large family of baboons, which first looked like large dogs in the distance. The 3 hour walk... turned into 6 as the map was not readable, even by locals, so with frustration I had to retrace all my steps to get back to town instead of walking a loop. I had a local dog as companion, whom decided she would walk with me the entire day, and as extra bonus, we (dog and I) scored a lift with a local near the edge of town for the last leg.

Onto Jeffreys Bay, which is known for its surfing accompanied with the Billabong and Quick Siver outlets. Today is the first time I have seen rain, so I have been very lucky todate. 2 days here, beach bumming, drinking and soforth, I head back to Cape Town to start a 21 day tour through Namimbia, Botswana to Vic Falls.

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[White Man Cant Jump]
So I am standing on this edge, my ankles bounded together, and I look down to confirm my toes are overhanging.....the sight of distant ground below weakens my will and turns my legs to jelly. I have never been so scared!! Both men beside me start the count down...5...4.. and a feeble voice inside of me whispers "I dont want to do this!". 3...2... and I think "fuck I might as well do it"....1 and despite all my best intentions of making a giant, gracefull leap into the nether (which makes for a better 'ride') I manage a mere bunny hop.

My mind is numb, I start a gracefull dive below, like jumping into a pool. All of sudden, as if Captain Kurk orders the engineer to engage into warp speed....the ground rushes at me, the wind whistles in my ears and the beautiful view of the river and canyon morphes into a blurred, 3D vision, almost like a drug induced trippy halucination. My only thought is "wow!". The surprisingly gentle tug of the ankles reassures me that all is well, followed by a rather violent twist as the bungy rope spins me around. Watching the bridge as I come up, I look down with distraction as I make a second dive....

I finally get pulled up to the bridge with a feeling of elation and peacefulness, the nervousness, fear and adrealine being swept out of my body.

For the records, this is the 3rd highest bridge in the world, 216m to be exact. The total dive including rope stretch is from 160 to 180m reaching top speeds of 120km/hr. I figure if I was going to bungy, why not take the highest one!

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[WILDERNESS, On the Garden Route, Sth Africa]

After leaving Cape Town it was off to the wine region of SA into a pretty European styled town called Stellenbosch. From here I did a wine tour in the region, which is a gorgeous area surrounded by mountains. In the beggining I read the descriptions of the wine before tasting, to see if I could regonise the "complex wine, a multi-layered flavour with a hint of peach and banana rounded off with a strong tannen after taste...." How does a wine get complex, maybe Elfy can explain this one..? Needless to say I was rather 'charming' by lunch, and by the last wine tour a "complex wine" tasted very much like a "light all rounder", infact they all tasted very much like grapes to me.. :-) Slept well that night too!

Stopping overnight in Mossell Bay I arrived in Oudtshoorn, a town in the hinterland behind a mountain pass. Great twisty, cliff hugging roads to get there with views of the valley. From here the hostel organises a 52km mountain bike tour from the top of a mountain. The first leg was downhill on a dirt road and took some concentration. Along the paved road, I stopped at the caves (Cango Caves) to take in the adventure 'crawl'. After walking along to see the impressive formations of stallignites, columns etc, (the oldest formation was around 1.5 million years old), the guide leds us deeper into the caves. The temperature outside was a timid 30 and inside the caves it was 19 with 110% humidity. From here we had to bend with stopped backs, backpacks on the front instead of the back, to 'walk' on. We then had to drop our packs and then squeeze through some vertical cracks to the 'chimney'. The chimney was a semi vertical shaft made of smooth rock no wider than a peson. As I started climbing, I kept slipping down and I got scared I would get stuck for a moment, increasing the adrealine rush....with various attempts at grabbing, sliding, panting and knee holds I surfaced the other end quite elated and out of breath, it was hard work, harder in the humidity. We continued crawling and squeezing our way back to the backpacks, and it was with some relief to be able to get some fresh (albeit hot) air from outside.

From the caves it was a hot, long 14km ride with a persistent head wind to reach the Ostrich farm. Here I was able to see a guide pull a partially born chick from the egg, mucus still running from its mouth, to be displayed and touched by its dismayed audience. The male ostrich is impressively aggressive and even the guides keep a healthy distance, they can kick very savegly. It was another painful 12km ride home against the headwind....and my under carriage was suffering big time at the end of the day!!

I have now reached Wilderness, a sleepy beach town set against the cliffs of a national park. The hostel has an amazing view of the surf beach, its no more than 50m to the water. Its very romantic and relaxing, they dont even have tv. I walked in the national park today taking in great mountainous and beach views, the highlight being watching the steam train crossing the bridge as the high tide was rolling in under it. Try some boggy boarding tommorrow if its a good day.

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[REFLECTION]
Today in a tour group I visited the townships around Cape Town, which is where the economically disadvantaged 'coloured and blacks' live. Surprisingly, there are 4 levels of housing here-
* brick houses with full amentities
* brick hostels where families rent only ONE bed in a room for 1 euro per month
* tin/wooden shacks with electricity connected and/or running water
* tin/wooden shacks

Almost feeling embarrassed walking around the dust bitten living areas that is the 'housing region' of these people, we stopped at a funded project where women were employed to weave crafts using scarp textile materials. Being sunday today, in this compound a church service was being held. As the rest of the group remained inside to view the crafts, I stood outside to listen to the gospel singers.....and I was struck with tears in my eyes to find such beauty and life in these peoples voice amidst the dirt and poverty, it was truly beautiful.

Today was indeed a 'sobering experience.'

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[ROBINs ISLAND, Cape Town, SA]
Visited the old prison Island in the bay of Cape Town where they also kept the coloured and 'black' political prisoners, such as Nelson Mandella. What impressed me most is the determination and humanity of these political activists. Mandella, after 18 years of imprisonment, suffering the harshest of conditions, was able to walk away and become president of a new South Africa whilst putting aside and moving beyond his personal hurts, disappointments and bitterness. I have read the stories before, but seeing the prison and hearing the stories again brought it home... A truly remarkable character!

A big thanks to Bertuel Smit for grooving up my website!

I now understand what makes this country great, they have MILO...!!! I have found my second home.

On a general note- I am getting to bed before 12 these days and out of the sack by 8am, I just want to make the most of my days. I know this is a great shock to many of you, sorry for not warning you! Secondly, life seems busy, busier in some ways than my life back in Utrecht, strange eh? But I take plenty of time to sit and relax, smell the roses etc. For example, after the tour today, I sat on the wharf for some 3 hours enjoying the view, the cool city breeze and the jazz music being played in the nearby podium. Life can be tough I know ;-)

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[CAPE TOWN, South Africa]
Did a tour round the Cape of Good Hope yesterday, it turns out is isnt the most southerly point of Africa. The Cape is very spectacular with green vegetation, sheer cliffs being bashed by seas and a constant wind in the face cooling one down during the African summer. One day I want to come back and ride the road along the cape, beautiful twisty corners with great ocean views, ofcourse on a motorcycle! We stopped by one of the great beaches to see the african penguins lazying in the sun...when they cry out they sound like a jack ass donkey!

I was quite lucky in visiting the Table Mountain which is behind the city. The cable car is often close, otherwise it is a 4 hour climb. In the morning the cable car was closed so I took the opportunity to catch some zzzzzz's, but around midday it had cleared up and the cable car was running. An Irish guy (thick accent, thus lip reading is essential!) and I took the car up, and within the half hour watched the clouds blow back over. Due to thermal properties beyond my comprehension, the clouds stick like shit to a blanket to the table top, and roll of the sides due to the down draft wind, looking like a table cloth from afar, hence the name 'Table Mountain' (1000m high). It was spectacular to see and gets rather cold due to the high winds, despite the summer temperatures down below.

Cape Town is very very beautiful. Just dont walk around here at night they say, which is backed up by the sirens I constantly here only at night, God knows what happens when night falls....

Thanks to you all for the messages!! I will keep my kit on but I am showing alot more flesh these days. Miss you all, luv Jappas

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[CAPE TOWN, South Africa]
I have walked the streets of Cape Town and so far I havent been mugged, shot at, pick pocket or foreceably removed of my clothes (although the last does sound interesting).

It feels like a beach city which could easily be placed in Australia. I am taking it easy today and sussing out my enviroment whilst getting over my flight. Already found a trendy cafe and had a great afternoon lunch. Its 26 degrees with a pleasant breeze, is it still raining in Holland...? :-)

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[VIENNA, Austria]
New Years eve was an experience! I think it was an indication of my year to come, unexpected, bizarre yet great!

Firstly Gernot and I walked through the city centre to experience the Vienna style of NYE.... there were wooden huts erected where one could buy gluh wine or alcoholic punch, whilst take in the free concerts that were being played in the centre. It was again very cold at night and the tourists (ala me) where easy to spot...they were rapped from head to toe and still looked cold.

Our private party invitation with Thomas fell through so we took our chances with what was our best option, Gernots cousin, an ex-fashion designer student, was having a party at her house. I immediately pointed out that fashion students are mostly girls and if Gernot's cousin wasnt cute then surely one of her friends was. We had no time to lose to get there in time. Her place was in a poorer, slum end of Vienna and as we walked the streets, losing our way in the cold to find her house, people took delight at annoying the f*** out of us by throwing firecrackers from windows, at our feet, in sub way exits etecetera. A war zone! So it was with great relief as we entered the house at 11:50pm.

I walked into the living room with many expectations only to be greated by 15 Negerians, 2 of whom where women and one of these was breast feeding......what a surprise! Better still, at the strike of the hour, instead of the Nigerians shouting "Happy New Year" they formed a circle, lit a candle and prayed. One young man went aside in the hall to pray by himself. Admist prayer he received an SMS, which he cooly checked and continued praying, then another SMS, which he again cooly checked and then continued praying.....this repeated itself for a number of times! At the end of the prayer they all got up and in single file left the party, without so much as a good bye.....well, there was no party to hang around for any more.

Thanks to Thomas's guidance Gernot and I found ourselves in the slum end of Vienna in some strange pub. It was small, mostly young people with no interest in dress and the entire place lacked any sense of atmosphere. We were sucking a beer as Gernot was spewing over how bad our NYE turned out to be....but not to be put off I dragged him on to the dance floor and we didnt look back since. The music was grunge but with a good beat and the crowd, drunk as they may be, made the most of the tiny dance floor. We could have happily danced all night if it was not for the fact that the speakers blew up around 3am and we took this as an omen to leave as we had a 10 hr drive back to Holland on the same day. We had a great time afterall!



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