It was the fans... they held me down in high street and tried to steal my gizzard

Back on the net...

Life been pretty interesting this year.

I kicked it off with a Psytrance party in Krabi, Thailand, which made for a great new year. Some cheap acid and bucket loads of whiskey provided a relaxed and wacky way to welcome 2006. The sunsets down on the beach were pretty spectacular too.

That was followed up with a couple of trips down to Singapore. One for Dougal and Dewi's wedding, the other for a work conference. It was good fun catching up with Doogs and Dewi, and the ensuing night club hopping around singapore was great.

Next was a week checking out Angkor and the surroundings, then heading down to Phnom Penh. I wont bother posting any of the pictures of Angkor as I am sure you have seen heaps of them before. Instead, I thought I'd include a pic of this kid who has obviously had a tough day temple hopping.

Right now, I'm sitting around in my hotel in bangalore, waiting for the cool of evening before heading out to look around. I only have a weekend to look around, as I am here for work. A bit of a different view of India than the sort of stories you would get from Down and Out... Still, I make the most of the freebies that I can get from work. I'll see the other side of the coin when I get the time to make the trip for pleasure rather than business. I have plans to head out to India with my punjabi friend from work perhaps next year. This year, I am already planning for a few weeks in Japan.

Work has been crazy and I dont expect it to calm down really, but its been paying off in terms of interest and freebie travel opportunities. Personal life has been fun too. I've finally been making some friends outside of work and building up a new little social circle, which has been a bit of fun.

Anyway, that is the short short short version of the start of this year. Perhaps I will get some time to fill you in on some of the stories that happened along the way... but no promises as I am not on the net a lot at the moment. If not, then you can quiz them from me around the later half of this year, as I have a freebie flight home... so i'll see you then...

RW

Keyword of the week

Search term of the week is 'FedX a dead rat'.. and i was getting depressed by a lack of amusing searches hitting my site :D

Still life: Hashish with Oranges, Riad Malika, Marrakesh, Morocco, 2005

Not feeling well, been sick all week and basically still can't be assed writing anything much. Got some stories, but their telling will need to wait until my energy levels are up a little bit. But I think this picture really gives some insight into things... notice the ornate silver plater, the oranges, the nice lump of hash, the papers that survived the party, albeit all stuck together... about the only thing missing is the goats.

Word Verification

You know the word verification on blogger... do you think they are trying to tell me something?

Spot the pilgrim

Ok... you think you are any good at picking the pilgrim? Well, here is a little test... tell me which of the following photo's contain the pilgrim.



Exhibit 1: Rythym of peace dancefloor, Tifnit, Morocco, 2005




Exhibit 2: Chilling out at the Riad Malika, Marrakesh, Morocco, 2005








Exhibit 3: Midday at djemaa el fna, Marrakesh, Morocco, 2005











Exhibit 4: Ear of the pilgrim? Marrakesh Souks, Morocco, 2005









Exhibit 5: Taking a rest on the mountain side, Jebel Toubkal National Park, Morocco, 2005



All correct entries win a 10 year stay at a moroccan prison of their choice.

Post Birthday Post

A Pilgrim in the mountains, Imlil, Morocco 2005.

... and sometimes luck just goes your way

I was a little late getting to the gate for my flight from Amsterdam to KL. I'd checked in for the Amsterdam flight while in Barcelona, so there was no real rush... just turn up at the gate before the flight leaves. So I turn up about 15 minutes before my flight and hand in my boarding pass... and the flight attendant asks if i'd like to volunteer to fly back a day later as the flight had been over booked... and for incentive, they would give me 600 Euro and pay for dinner and night in a 5 star hotel...

As you can guess, i took the offer. I am now sitting in Amsterdam Airport waiting for the new flight, and thinking that this was the cheapest trip overseas that i have ever taken...

The boy who cried Moroccan Prison

There are a whole lot of reasons why i didnt think anyone would believe that post, but i´m not going to go into it. For everyones future reference, if anything bad happens to me or my friends in a foreign country the list of responses i would make are as follows:
1) Contact my own parents
2) Contact anyone else involved´s parents (or individually contact someone who knew them and could contact them for me if I didnt have the details)
3) Contact my embassy
...
100) Put a post on my blog (once everything was over and it made a good anecdote)

If I thought my post would cause this much stress to everyone I never would have made it.

That said, I will not stint on the apology. I really am sorry everyone, for the stress caused by that post. While from our end it was pretty obviously a joke, from your end it wasnt. I do have to echo my mum´s comments too... it is pretty heartening to know that we have such good friends out there... I feel pretty bad that I put them through all the stress. So... I´m sorry folks.

Good thing I am not going back to Australia for another year at least... or I might get lynched.

Dont call in the army...

That was something to come back to... so that is what happens when you tell a lie.

Everything is fine... you are probably all getting emails from myself and down and out right now.
Please - cease all panic... we have been hiking through mountains with no phone or internet so we had no idea the world was suckered by that last post... we thought it was kinda obvious that if i was posting it on a blog it wouldnt be true...

dont you think i would have called or emailed some of you personally??

Well, Down and Out will be chuffed... he didnt think anyone would even respond...
Thanks for the concern all... and sorry to have caused so much trouble... real news is we are well and good if a little bit sore from a 6 day hike...

Please unalert everyone you have alerted...

ooops it happened again

Just writing to let you all know that Down and out has been arrested again on drug related charges in marrakesh. I am currently negotiating for his release; but i would appreciate anyone who can donate to the save down and out fund to leave their bank details in the comments sction. I will check there in the next few days....

Shukran

Blogging Hiatus

Sorry i havent posted for so long, but this is just to let you know that it will be even longer before we next catch up. I will be on holiday having heaps of fun and therefore will not think twice about this blog until i return. Promise to return in about a month with chockies, trinkets and loads of cool photos and stories.

Until then, take care of yourself...

Love randomwierdo

Fucking Haze

Oh the joys of living in KL... currently we are in a state of national emergency due to a haze of smoke that has covered KL and the Klang Valley for the last week. At work we have been issued with little mask things (no day off or anything... just a mask so that we can continue to work in spite of the pollution).

The haze is pretty regular at this time of year, thanks to slash and burn farming in Indonesia. It isnt helped by the fact that there are a few fires here in malaysia as well... its sort of like sitting next to a campfire where the wind keeps blowing the smoke in your direction... except that you cant get up and walk away... its everywhere.

The most depressing thing about it is that there were flights cancelled yesterday due to poor visibility... I swear, if they cancel my flight due to haze then I am going to have someones bollocks for it... or maybe lobby for war against indonesia... or become a firefighter... I dunno what but I wont be happy.

In other news, Dougal was out here over the weekend. He mentioned that the family have been applying a bit of pressure to marry Daewi (or however her name is spelt...) and as a consequence he has taken the 'conversion course' to convert to Islam. I dont know about anyone else, but that seems like a pretty big step... giving up pigs and beer for your loved one... not that he had done either of those things (we didnt eat pork, but we did drink beer)... but still...

Some drunk people in my front yard

Just to tide Kissa over for a bit, i'll put in a quick post... here is a picture of some drunk people I found in my front yard. I knew I shouldnt try to have a BBQ as a housewarming... I dont think the natives are used to the whole concept. Half of them went inside, stole the mike out of my studio and hooked it up to my TV so that they could sing karaoke, and a few others hid in my bedroom and played playstation... this few look like they were getting into the swing of things though... I had to brush them out the door at about 4am, long after everyone else had left.

Between then and now

While i'm here posting some old pics, I may as well include some from Taiwan... While there were no psytrance parties, the freak factor was still present... I guess you get that when you are travelling with swedish artists and a familiar misfit of indeterminate origins.

It gave my mandarin a good workout though. I only know two phrases and I made good use of them. 'Ni Hao Ma' or 'How are you?' and 'Wo Bu Hui Hua-yi' which means 'I dont understand chinese'. I hope it means I dont understand chinese language, and not I dont understand the chinese in general... which I dont, but it's not something that I wanted to advertise to everyone.

These pics were taken in a park in Taipei (Chiang Kai-Shek memorial park?). I think the characters above the big gate say 'Exit' in chinese, but I cant be sure.

As always, the masked man in the top picture provided an entertaining trip despite the fact that we didnt really make it off the beaten track that much. Fortunately, I was spared from his desire to partake in the dodgy karaoke bars.

I dont really recommend the food... but if you do find yourself in Taipei, the shopping is pretty good... check out the night markets outside the central city, and definately head up into the country side where there are some very fine natural hot springs to bathe in.

Heading for down and out

Inpired by down and out's ramblings on 'See, I told you so...' and in anticipation of my upcomming trip, I thought I would post a few pics from my last trip out that way...
Here are a few quick images from Samothraki... i know i'm going back a ways here, but with the dirth of party opportunities here in Malaysia, this is the second last outdoor gig that i went to... the last being an day with earthcore on my last trip back to Australia. I know... its sad really that things seem to have dropped down to a party once or twice a year... but I intend on rectifying that situation by heading out to morocco, then spending my new years at greenspirit in thailand.
I have spent too long hanging out in Malaysia I think... It's really starting to feel the same as anywhere else... just another place to be. It would be time to move on if it wasnt for the fact that i've just signed another two year contract to work here. Oh well... nevermind. A few more trips abroad will keep me from going completely crazy (or will keep me from becomming totally boring... a much scarier possibility, given that an exciting weekend here consists drinking a bottle of whiskey and listening to commercial R&B... shudder....) Perhaps I can wrangle a new job in a different location, but for the moment i'll just have to stick with Malaysia.
That said, things arent that bad here. Living the high life is pretty cheap, and even though i've been here for two years already, there are still plenty of weekend getaways that are still waiting for me. And the food... that has to be a highlight. There are very few places in the world that you can eat so well for so little... though this does lend weight to it being time for me to move on... for the first time in my life, I am carrying around a small pot belly induced by too many roti canai and six course chinese dinners.
I guess that really, the main thing I miss is my regular dose of freaks... and in particular, the close circle of them that made the last 10 years of my life a pretty fuzzy psychadelic blur. And yet, back to oz is not the direction i'm heading yet... If there was a reason I left, I havent fulfilled it yet. If it was just itchy feet, or a need for something new, I havent had my fill... So until then, I will keep following the path as it opens up before me.

Koh Samet

Lazy beach day, Ao Phai, Koh Samet, Thailand

I met Naree here, on one of my many trips to Thailand last year... Ah, Air Asia... About AU$100 for a return flight to Bangkok, cheaper if you book in advance.

Dawn breaking over Hat Sai Keaw, Koh Samet, Thailand

Looking back over Ao Phai, Koh Samet, Thailand

One of the reasons I like Koh Samet is that you can hardly notice the touch of man. A few small buildings protrude from the greenery, and that is it. Not like so many other beaches in Thailand, where the beautiful beach has been spoiled by highrise hotels and roads along the beach.

Dusk on Hat Sai Keaw, and dinner on the beach, Koh Samet, Thailand

The mystery girl

Still on the beanbag, loungeroom, Taman Pinggiran Putra, Selangor, Malaysia

Many of you may have heard stories of a girlfriend, or perhaps the story of a marriage, or if you were really lucky, you might have heard a story involving a pigs head. No matter which story you heard though, pretty much noone has actually met this mystery girl. So for todays post, I thought i'd give ya all a bit of an intro to her.

This is Nareerat or Naree for short. She comes from Surin in the far east of Thailand, a few hours drive from the border of Cambodia and Laos. Its a small town, and there isnt really anything remarkable about the place... Once a year they have a huge elephant rally... i think that is about the only claim to fame the place has. Anyway, she lives there with her mother, grandmother, younger brother and daughter. Yep... a daughter. She was previously married to a Thai guy, but to put it in her words 'Him no good, drink beer all day and not do nothing'. Her daughters name is Bahn (don't ask me for the long version, i'm not even sure if i'm spelling the short version right).

She is a cute little thing, with a squeal more piercing than any car alarm.

Nowhere man

A beanbag on the loungeroom floor, Taman Pinggiran Putra, Selangor, Malaysia

A dead weekend, even though its only starting. My assets have been frozen in an attempt to ensure that I have some money for the upcomming trek. Not that I feel like doing much... I have too much on my plate at the moment, and i treasure this downtime. I stayed in bed until midday, the rain last night made it a mercifully cool morning and suited to sleeping in. Doodles and TV while away the afternoon and as evening rolls on, I am pretty sure I will have achieved nothing more than taking my laundry to the dobi. Some people think i have no life... but that just amuses me...

lazy days, beanbag time, the art of doing nothing... and enjoying it. Surprisingly it is a skill, but one that i have honed through years of dedicated training.

My mind is turning over the next adventure... but i'll save that story for its proper time.

Summit up

Mt Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, East Malaysia

The predawn scramble in the dark isnt really that much fun. Following a rope up the solid rock face in the semi light, roaring wind trying to tear me loose. Tired legs from the previous days walk mean a few stumbles and scrapes along the way. But the roof of south east asia makes it worth while... pictures tell a thousand words, and express the place far better than I could hope to with words.

Familiar Highs

Mt Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Unfortunately, there was be no time for a visit to the islands just off the coast. This is a hit and run visit... I have a bus to catch, and a mountain to climb.

I wake up at dawn in a tiny hotel room up in the mountains. Its cold, which is strange for Malaysia. From my little balcony I can see the mist rising from the jungle, clinging to the mountainsides. I have a quick breakfast of badly made toast and eggs and the hotel owner drives me up the road to the park office where I will start my climb.

The mountain is still shrouded in mist when I leave up the surprisingly well kept trail. Its only about an 8km walk, but in that time you ascend 2km vertically. Its pleasantly cool, the jungle and mist keeping the sun off the trail, occasionally parting to reveal a new and amazing view out over the jungle clad hills.

The hostel at Laban Rata is a welcome sight when it comes... the walk up has left me tired and a little damp. I have a quick dinner and head up to my room for an early night before the predawn assult on the summit.

Getting to the top of South East Asia

A foodstall on Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

I'm sitting in a foodstall eating barbeque prawns, drinking tiger beer and watching the sun set... Kota Kinabalu (KK) is possibly my favorite spot in south east Asia. The city of KK sits on the coast of Sabah, facing west over the South China sea. The sunsets here are just amazing, their shifting colors reflected by the seas. Anyone who finds themselves in Sabah really must go for a seafood dinner beside the coast at around sunset. The amazing view is matched by the delicious, fresh, cheap seafood.

'They were beautiful, the most beautiful skies as a matter of fact... The sunsets were, purple and yellow and red and on fire, and the clouds would catch the colors everywhere...'
The Orb, Little Fluffy Clouds

A place to begin

Starbucks, Sunway Lagoon, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sitting here sipping on a mango citrus blended ice drink and watching a tiny section of the massive south east asian consumer market shopping away their sunday afternoon. I'm killing time waiting for my session of 'War of the Worlds' to start.

This is where i am now, and so it makes a suitable place to begin.