Happy 2007 from the Hairy Canaries!

You are now about to read the ramblings of three Radelaideans currently pimpin´ out in the Hairy Canaries. :) :) :)

We just wanted to arse you a question, actually no we wanted to wish you a very merry new year. This time, we´re not drunk or stoned (yet), in fact we´re sadly sober in touristville, which would be Cala Blanca, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Espanol. Yeehar!

We are staying in a little town called Famara, which doesn´t have much to offer besides surfing, but is away from the tourist hordes, and hence perfect. Therefore, logically, we have been surfing (read trying our arses off, although we actually look the part which is good!), drinking, driving (not together, you might spill your beer!) and generally having a nice relaxing time enjoying some sun. Beats London any day.

Yesterday we invented a new form of experimental travel*: stalker travel. This is comprised of the following...

Observation: stupid tourists throwing rubbish out of their hire car window.

Hypothesis: f**king americans!!! (the theory posed by Goat Boy, questioned by Splacker, and supported by Fangio. A bet was made and the alternative travel method was born).

Apparatus: hire car, camera and bravado.

Method:

1. Follow said car until their first stop, approximately 45 minutes down the road.
2. Approach suspects with caution, yet optimism and intrigue.
3. Brandish camera and act like Japanese tourists, ie you are trying to take your own picture and require assistance. Choose a random, uninteresting backdrop.
4. Ask said suspects if they would kindly take the photo for you.
5. Make random conversation in order to determine their nationality. Subjects could include the weather, name of their pet, how much their hire car cost, and/or sexual orientation (all of these work wonders for determining nationality).

Results: The accent was clearly NOT American, to Goatboy´s eternal lament. They were from f*$&ing Sheffield. Bloody whinging poms!
Anyway. So that was our adventure yesterday. We rounded off the day with a delicious meal of local seafood...mmmmmmm.......seafoooooooood :)

Today after arising early to get in some surfing before having to return the wetsuits and boards, and finding that the surf was shite, we decided to hit the road (Jac) and cruise around. The island is easily navigable in one day, being so small, so its perfect. 60km long and 25 wide as a matter of fact. The island is really interesting, all volcanic and desolate and with the shiny white buildings and clear blue sea, it is an unusual and beautiful place of contrasts.

We are now about to embark upon a mission to determine the opening hours of Timanfaya National Park over New Years and then to hit the beach for some totally tubular and bodacious barrels dudes. Taste the burrito!

So after NYE we are heading to Morocco for a few more experimental travel adventures. We want suggestions, like Paris Hilton wants.....

Jac, Pange and Nath. :) :)

*Experimental travel: a concept where travel is not undertaken via the usual means, and the way in which sightseeing is undertaken is determined by a number of random factors. For more information, please consult www.lonelyplanet.com/experimentaltravel :)

101 things to do with millet, terrible travel woes and other stories

Mali was beautiful, I loved it, although after all the travel sagas I had I just hired a guide to take me around instead of my usual 'do everything myself'. it probably cost twice as much as if I did, but I was just so pissed off and tired and didn't want to have to think about organising anything!
I travelled from Bamako to the port town of Mopti and the island city of Djenne, which has the biggest mud mosque in the world. The mosque is really beautiful, an amazing structure that has to be re-rendered after each rainy season. Bamako is just a massive market, pretty crazy but still great. I really liked Mopti as well, the port is really busy and interesting. Spent a fez hours on canoes on the Niger River; the lifeblood of Mali. Then I did 5 days of trekking in Dogon country, which was amazing. Villages built into the cliff face, which runs for about 100kms. I made it as far as Nombori, not to Tomboctou though. The only bad thing was that my guide was totally in love with me and I had to fend him off the whole time!! arrrghh! Made life interesting... I apparently could have got a wedding ceremony in Djenne mosque by paying the Imam...not sure if it was really true but I almost said yes just to find out.

And I tried almst every variation of cooking there is using millet wheat which, along with onions in Dogon country, they grow everywhere; bread, pancakes, millet milk ... the list goes on ;)

...and then I thought the travel sagas couldn't get worse.....i got to paris airport about 24 hours earlier than I expected because my flight left at 1am from Bamako, so I tried to get on a flight to london a day earlier....they said yes because of delays to flights due to fog, but it meant I had to wait around in the airport...from 9:30 til 6pm, waiting waiting....no news, the British Airways staff deserted the desk so no-one knew what was going on...finally when they told us the flight would board at 6 I thought I would try and get my replacement ticket from the air france desk, but it meant I had to go outside the departure lounge, which meant that the announcements of boarding times didnt get broadcast so I didn't hear it....and then I got through all the paperwork to get the ticket and when I went to pay my card had no cash left.... ahh f*$%! so all that time spent at the desk; and then I couldn't get the ticket, and almost missed my flight to London! I was the last person to board.... but I luckily made it. Shit. it was so stressful! I fully bawled my eyes out on the plane. I am still recovering! but it is nice being with my family again for Xmas, it had been a long time since I saw them. Mum, Dad and Dan are embarking on some travels of their own around Britain and Europe. We are going out for my brother's 21st on Xmas Eve in town tomorrow night and also catching up with some good mates which will be great.

Leaving Liberia with a bout of gastro and another of bad luck.

Lets just say things have turned from awesome to scary, horrible and tiring all at the same time. I guess my holidays really have had it all, and they're not over yet.

I didn't really write much about my last few weeks in Liberia but they didn't go so well... a week or so before leaving I had my camera and phone stolen, which was so frustrating.

But I had three excellent final weeks in the field; my lovely boss Julie threw me an ICRC party with wicked food and drinks; and I organised a couple of great farewells. One was at my apartment, where I invited all my local friends, and the women from the market cooked up a wicked feast. The courtyard turned into a disco with great African music, it was a great night and a great celebration. My local friends really helped to make it a great send-off, even going to find massive speakers for me when my music plan failed. We really had the neighbourhood pumping!

I was very sad to leave, and am still missing the place.

But then the bad luck really started as I set off for what i was looking forward to most: holidays.

After my ICRC debrief in Geneva I got gastro from the first proper western meal outside of Liberia (makes a lot of sense!) and spent the whole night before my flight throwing up. So, with no sleep I proceeded to the airport with tickets in hand only to realise I didnt have my actual return ticket home, only the flights from Liberia to Geneva; this meant I missed my flight to Paris and had to fork out $600 for a one hour flight. I really hope my insurance comes through and I can recover my tickets when I get to Paris in a few weeks! I really desest that horrible moment where you realised that everything has just turned pear-shaped...

Let's just say things have been awesome, scary, horrible and tiring all at the same time. I guess my holidays really have had it all so far, and they've only just begun.

But I did manage to make the flight in Paris, so that was a good start. Unfortunately though, I had half my things taken from me as I only had a small backpack as hand luggage; the new security regulations limiting what liquids you can take on board most importantly meant I got my sunscreen taken away, and I got totally sunburnt as I couldnt find sunscreen anywhere in a country full of black people!

After sitting on the plane in Paris for a couple of hours they informed us that the weight restriction had been exceeded so we all trooped off to our hotel that the put us up in for the night and then had to come back the next day. We had to stop over for refueling in Agadir, Morocco to enable us to get to Bamako. So after a days delay I finally made it! Let the holiday begin. Phew.