hello, how are tricks?
I moved over to Sing buri which is north of Bangkok on Monday 18th March to an eco house where i will be based for the next few weeks. It is on the banks of the Noi (little) river. It is in pretty grounds and my accomodation is really nice. The showers are cold which is great because with the constant humidity i need it. I do not feel it is as hot here as Zim and Zambia but the humidity makes it uncomfortable, 37 degrees on Friday!!.
On Tuesday the 19th we had a tour around the Singburi town and after lunch we learnt some Thai words. In the evening we were asked to join a Thai English group whom get together once a month and aim to practicwe their English. At the same time Karaoke is happening tooand listening to some of the Thais singing in English is quite funny if you are English but the Thais (especially the older ones) take it very serious indeed. When your guide is singing Glen medeiros nothing is gonna change my love for you, there isn't much you can do but to laugh hysterically.
Wedenesday the 19th march, Sandra and myself and the guides had a walk around the local village, if there is one thing i do not like about Thai is the number of dogs there are and they bark at you, will make a note to avoid, do not want rabies!!! in the evening we went out with some of the other volunteers here who are working at the local orphange. karaoke again, this evening, lots of fun and laughter and some of the younger guides joined in too and had a ball. I even had a go and apparently i am quite good, however i think this was in comparison with the Thais and not how good i actually am.
Thursday and Friday was spent visiting alot of temples and museums, the museum was brilliant although i am a bit bored with temples already although i am impressed with the architecture and the detail on the buildings. On Friday we also went to an AIDS temple, it is a bit like a local hospice but it has a lot of educational stuff in there too. Rather strangely at the front was a building with past residence bodies on show. Each person in there had donated there bodies to the cause and wanted others to learn from how there bodies had changed as a result of HIV. And... even stranger was ornaments in the grounds that had been made by an artist from bone resin of past residence. Very strange place but interesting all the same, however i can see how people might feel uncomfortable by it but the residence are not on show and consent is always given if necessary.
Saturday 24th march, we went on a tour of some local farms and sampled some fruits. One was a rose apple garden surrounded by irrigation channels. We went on a little boat up and down the channels and sampled the fruit.
For those of you who wanted me to brush up on my cooking skills i have a recipe for Soy Pad Thai noodles and Papaya salad, i had a go at making it and it was quite nice. Next week i am actually going to stay at a temple, so i will be back next week to tell you all about that.
Love Andreax
Sunday, 25 March 2007
Friday, 16 March 2007
I have made it to Thailand !!!!
hello
what are you all up to?
Had a very good last night in Zambia, went for cocktails at the Royal Livingstone hotel, watched the sun set and got some great pictures of my friends too. Geoff, one of the volunteers (quite abit older) is a keen bird watcher and astronomer. He pointed out a really bright star (which i thought was possibly the Northern star (i know a bit dim) but instead of being a star it is actually Venus, the planet. I tried to take pictures but it never turned out right.
I am currently in the hotel in Thailand where i will be staying for the next three nights before moving somewhere more rural to do more culturally things. The trip over was a long one and i am so tired i can hardly see, it is only 1445. I left Zambia on Wednesday 14th March at 1030, crossed over to Zimbabwe for my flight which was delayed for two hours. Had one night stay over in Johannesburg at a guest house called the Emerald hotel (very good, they look after you, have nice rooms, is good value for money and its really secure). Unfortunately despite it being really nice i did not sleep well, which did not give me a very good start for my 12 hour flight to Hong Kong. Now the time difference between Johannesburg and Hong Kong is 6 hours, but after about two and a half hours on the flight and after food the hostesses shut the shutters on the plane windows so everyone would sleep. I did not sleep because my brain was telling me it was only 1630, so i stayed awake the whole twelve hours and for the next four for my flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok. So very tired, the computer i am using has English alphabet on the keys but also the Thai alphabet, it is making my eyes not focus very well.
If this blog entry doesn't make sense i am really sorry.
Take care
Andreaxx
what are you all up to?
Had a very good last night in Zambia, went for cocktails at the Royal Livingstone hotel, watched the sun set and got some great pictures of my friends too. Geoff, one of the volunteers (quite abit older) is a keen bird watcher and astronomer. He pointed out a really bright star (which i thought was possibly the Northern star (i know a bit dim) but instead of being a star it is actually Venus, the planet. I tried to take pictures but it never turned out right.
I am currently in the hotel in Thailand where i will be staying for the next three nights before moving somewhere more rural to do more culturally things. The trip over was a long one and i am so tired i can hardly see, it is only 1445. I left Zambia on Wednesday 14th March at 1030, crossed over to Zimbabwe for my flight which was delayed for two hours. Had one night stay over in Johannesburg at a guest house called the Emerald hotel (very good, they look after you, have nice rooms, is good value for money and its really secure). Unfortunately despite it being really nice i did not sleep well, which did not give me a very good start for my 12 hour flight to Hong Kong. Now the time difference between Johannesburg and Hong Kong is 6 hours, but after about two and a half hours on the flight and after food the hostesses shut the shutters on the plane windows so everyone would sleep. I did not sleep because my brain was telling me it was only 1630, so i stayed awake the whole twelve hours and for the next four for my flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok. So very tired, the computer i am using has English alphabet on the keys but also the Thai alphabet, it is making my eyes not focus very well.
If this blog entry doesn't make sense i am really sorry.
Take care
Andreaxx
Monday, 12 March 2007
My last few days in Zambia (Again)
hello
how is everyone? Hope you are all well? Just here to tell you about my last few days in Zambia. On Wednesday i fly from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg, have a one night stop over in one of the airport hotels then fly to Hong Kong and then onto Bangkok. I arrive there on Friday, must take some toiletries on the plane so i can freshen up, although i am getting used to smelling really bad.
Friday 2nd March
My brother turned 25 today, (he's catching up), but apart from that not alot happened on this day. In the morning i worked at Maramba clinic and then in the afternoon, Linda Community school, which is attached to the orphanage had a net ball and football match so i went to support them. Good matches but both teams lost.
Saturday 3rd March
Typical Saturday, did lots of sunbathing, eating etc, in the evening we watched a film called flatliners. Bad film if you ask me, until about the last 20-30minutes.
Sunday 4th March
Just another chilled day, in the evening we watched the Lunar eclipse, so clear here, did any one else see it?
Tuesday 6th March
Good day all round! Spent the morning on Home based care, went to Ngwenya which is about 30 minutes from Maramba clinic, had a lot of laughs with the home based care ladies. I aldo got my preliminary results for my public health modules, i got Environmental health, 74%, Communicable diseases 70% and Disaster Managesment 67%. Very pleased with these results and i decided to celebrate by having 2 ice creams (greedy i know) but in the evening Kristen, one of the girls on the project is an aerobics instructor so we did some exercises. Worked off those ice creams anyway (i hope).
Thursday 8th March
Public holiday here in Zambia, Womens Day. We went to the orphanage with some food and had lunch with the boys and then went back to the orphanage in the afternoon. Friday was just a normal work day but went to watch the boys play football and the girls netball again. The boys won this time but the girls lost and were a bit upset.
Monday 12th March
another public holliday, today was youth day. The volunteers walked on the march in support.
Lots of schools in their uniforms with banners, felt quite proud to be with them actually.
Anyway, this will be my last entry until i reach Thailand, so keep in touch, keep safe
Lots of love
Andreaxx
how is everyone? Hope you are all well? Just here to tell you about my last few days in Zambia. On Wednesday i fly from Zimbabwe to Johannesburg, have a one night stop over in one of the airport hotels then fly to Hong Kong and then onto Bangkok. I arrive there on Friday, must take some toiletries on the plane so i can freshen up, although i am getting used to smelling really bad.
Friday 2nd March
My brother turned 25 today, (he's catching up), but apart from that not alot happened on this day. In the morning i worked at Maramba clinic and then in the afternoon, Linda Community school, which is attached to the orphanage had a net ball and football match so i went to support them. Good matches but both teams lost.
Saturday 3rd March
Typical Saturday, did lots of sunbathing, eating etc, in the evening we watched a film called flatliners. Bad film if you ask me, until about the last 20-30minutes.
Sunday 4th March
Just another chilled day, in the evening we watched the Lunar eclipse, so clear here, did any one else see it?
Tuesday 6th March
Good day all round! Spent the morning on Home based care, went to Ngwenya which is about 30 minutes from Maramba clinic, had a lot of laughs with the home based care ladies. I aldo got my preliminary results for my public health modules, i got Environmental health, 74%, Communicable diseases 70% and Disaster Managesment 67%. Very pleased with these results and i decided to celebrate by having 2 ice creams (greedy i know) but in the evening Kristen, one of the girls on the project is an aerobics instructor so we did some exercises. Worked off those ice creams anyway (i hope).
Thursday 8th March
Public holiday here in Zambia, Womens Day. We went to the orphanage with some food and had lunch with the boys and then went back to the orphanage in the afternoon. Friday was just a normal work day but went to watch the boys play football and the girls netball again. The boys won this time but the girls lost and were a bit upset.
Monday 12th March
another public holliday, today was youth day. The volunteers walked on the march in support.
Lots of schools in their uniforms with banners, felt quite proud to be with them actually.
Anyway, this will be my last entry until i reach Thailand, so keep in touch, keep safe
Lots of love
Andreaxx
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Zimbabwe is a beautiful country!!
hello
how are you all, i can not believe it is almost two week since i last did a blog entry! Well i hope you are all sitting comfortable with a cup of tea because this is going to be a long one! The project in Zimbabwe is really good but i felt i wanted to see more of the country. I was aware that the group from Zambia was going on a trip around Zimbabwe so i decided to go along too and i am glad i did.
Friday 23rd February
I was picked up by the Zambian overland truck around 10am and set off on a 2 hour journey to Dete in a place called Hawange. We stayed at Miombo lodge which had a variety of small thatched lodges, that had two beds in each and outside toilet and shower, i know its not everyones taste but they were really comfortable and the shower was great. On the way the truck broke down and we all had to push it until it started, took us a while as we were laughing so much, however, i did manage to take a back seat at one point and took a picture.
In the evening we had a three course meal and an African dance and drama group called Ingonyama performed for us. They sang a few songs and did animal impressions such as a Giraffe, using two/three of them, (i know this is difficult to explain but hopefully i can show you pictures at some point) it was just brilliant. After the show we went straight to bed as we had to be up and ready for 5.30am to leave for a game drive in Hwange National Park.
Saturday 24th February
Up at 5am and ready for the game drive, what can i say apart from amazing! The vastness of the area is just breath taking. In terms of game we saw a hyena stalking zebras, cheetah (which is apparently quite rare), hippos and crocodiles. In Hwange at 5am it is absolutely freezing, we were all in the truck snuggled up with blankets and a frog decided to join us too. It was sat on top of the blankets.
After breakfast we set off again, this time for a 5 hour drive to a place called Matobo hills, in Matoba. The lodge we stayed at was called Granite Ridge, made up of a number of cottages with thatched roofs and housed 2-3 people. The most notable thing about Matobo is that it is surrounded by rocks, that are different colurs as a result of minerals and lichens, and therefore patterns are formed, there is a rock known as the "Mother and Child" which looks like a mother with a child on her back, it is hard to believe that it is natural and not man made. After lunch we were taken to Matobo National Park to do a Rhino walk. Fantastic place, it is hot and surrounded by rocks and then being close to the Rhinos is just like a scene from a film or an artists impression, it is very surreal but beautiful. We then moved to an area for some more food overlooking the lake. On the way back the guide took us to some caves so we could see drawings from the local bushmen from hundreds/thousands of years ago-got some good pictures of this!
Once back at the lodge, the guide, Brian told us that at the back of the cottages there was a path that led to an area which overlooked the whole Matoba area. The path was sign posted all the way and actually turned out to be a bit of a rock climb instead. This path went up and up, it was actually a bit worrying and hard work. However, once we got to the top it was just breath taking, i have never seen anything so beautiful, everyone was just speechless. It was like being on top of the world. We stayed there until sunset taking group pictures with the camera on timer. It was such an amazing place that we all agreed to get up at 5am next morning to watch sunrise.
Sunday 25th February
Getting up at 5am has never been so easy, knowing that after a 15 minute hike up the rocks will take you to one of the most beautiful sites you will ever see, its like an addiction, you can not wait to see it. Sun rise was special too and then we went back down and had cups of coffee to warm up as it was quite cold up there.
After breakfast we then set off to a place called Gweru, to one of the other National Parks, Antelope park. It is another Lion project like the one in Victoria falls where i have been working. To be honest i preferred Vic falls as Antelope park is more man made, not as much bush and just open land. Managed to fit in another booze cruise (thats three now in 7 weeks). We stayed until Tuesday and the we had a 10 hour drive back to Victoria Falls. I decided that i would go back to Zambia with the group earlier than planned (only 5 days) but Zimbabwe is definately a place that i would like to return to again and again.
Thursday 1st March
So now i am back in Zambia, doing home based care, clinics, orphanage, just generally having a good time. Still yearning to see Matobo hills though, beautiful place!!!
Lots of Love
Andreaxxxx
how are you all, i can not believe it is almost two week since i last did a blog entry! Well i hope you are all sitting comfortable with a cup of tea because this is going to be a long one! The project in Zimbabwe is really good but i felt i wanted to see more of the country. I was aware that the group from Zambia was going on a trip around Zimbabwe so i decided to go along too and i am glad i did.
Friday 23rd February
I was picked up by the Zambian overland truck around 10am and set off on a 2 hour journey to Dete in a place called Hawange. We stayed at Miombo lodge which had a variety of small thatched lodges, that had two beds in each and outside toilet and shower, i know its not everyones taste but they were really comfortable and the shower was great. On the way the truck broke down and we all had to push it until it started, took us a while as we were laughing so much, however, i did manage to take a back seat at one point and took a picture.
In the evening we had a three course meal and an African dance and drama group called Ingonyama performed for us. They sang a few songs and did animal impressions such as a Giraffe, using two/three of them, (i know this is difficult to explain but hopefully i can show you pictures at some point) it was just brilliant. After the show we went straight to bed as we had to be up and ready for 5.30am to leave for a game drive in Hwange National Park.
Saturday 24th February
Up at 5am and ready for the game drive, what can i say apart from amazing! The vastness of the area is just breath taking. In terms of game we saw a hyena stalking zebras, cheetah (which is apparently quite rare), hippos and crocodiles. In Hwange at 5am it is absolutely freezing, we were all in the truck snuggled up with blankets and a frog decided to join us too. It was sat on top of the blankets.
After breakfast we set off again, this time for a 5 hour drive to a place called Matobo hills, in Matoba. The lodge we stayed at was called Granite Ridge, made up of a number of cottages with thatched roofs and housed 2-3 people. The most notable thing about Matobo is that it is surrounded by rocks, that are different colurs as a result of minerals and lichens, and therefore patterns are formed, there is a rock known as the "Mother and Child" which looks like a mother with a child on her back, it is hard to believe that it is natural and not man made. After lunch we were taken to Matobo National Park to do a Rhino walk. Fantastic place, it is hot and surrounded by rocks and then being close to the Rhinos is just like a scene from a film or an artists impression, it is very surreal but beautiful. We then moved to an area for some more food overlooking the lake. On the way back the guide took us to some caves so we could see drawings from the local bushmen from hundreds/thousands of years ago-got some good pictures of this!
Once back at the lodge, the guide, Brian told us that at the back of the cottages there was a path that led to an area which overlooked the whole Matoba area. The path was sign posted all the way and actually turned out to be a bit of a rock climb instead. This path went up and up, it was actually a bit worrying and hard work. However, once we got to the top it was just breath taking, i have never seen anything so beautiful, everyone was just speechless. It was like being on top of the world. We stayed there until sunset taking group pictures with the camera on timer. It was such an amazing place that we all agreed to get up at 5am next morning to watch sunrise.
Sunday 25th February
Getting up at 5am has never been so easy, knowing that after a 15 minute hike up the rocks will take you to one of the most beautiful sites you will ever see, its like an addiction, you can not wait to see it. Sun rise was special too and then we went back down and had cups of coffee to warm up as it was quite cold up there.
After breakfast we then set off to a place called Gweru, to one of the other National Parks, Antelope park. It is another Lion project like the one in Victoria falls where i have been working. To be honest i preferred Vic falls as Antelope park is more man made, not as much bush and just open land. Managed to fit in another booze cruise (thats three now in 7 weeks). We stayed until Tuesday and the we had a 10 hour drive back to Victoria Falls. I decided that i would go back to Zambia with the group earlier than planned (only 5 days) but Zimbabwe is definately a place that i would like to return to again and again.
Thursday 1st March
So now i am back in Zambia, doing home based care, clinics, orphanage, just generally having a good time. Still yearning to see Matobo hills though, beautiful place!!!
Lots of Love
Andreaxxxx
Thursday, 15 February 2007
Working in the Bush
Hello, it is me, the "crazy weirdo that jumps out of planes" How are you all? I am good. Really enjoying Zimbabwe. The lion cubs are grat, there are 2 four month old cubs called Nduna and Nandi, 9 month old cubs called Lokotula and Langa and three 14 month old cubs called Amanzi, Nala and Narnia. I must admit despite them being cubs they are actully quite big. Still building up confidence with them though.
The best thing i like about this project though is the amount of time you spend out doors in the bush learning about the trees, plants and the insects. The other day i had forgotten to brush my teeth so one of the guides showed me two trees, the Lead wood tree (also known as the tooth bush tree) and the Diamond leaf tree (aka Colgate tree). Although i did not use the Colgate tree i did clean my teeth with the lead wood tree-amazing it really works, although Eunice and the lion guides were laughing at me because they said i was too girlie. I was horrified when they said i had to spit the bark out(never really spat in public before).
I also like watching all the insects, the other day i was on a client walk (when tourists pay to walk with the lions) and saw a dung beetle in the middle of elephant poo, rolling a ball of it down the path. The reason they do this is push the elephant dung down a hole so it can lay an egg. The larvae then eat there way out of the ball of dung. Fascinating or what!
Tuesday we went on a day trip to Zambia, so i managed to catch up with my mates in Zam, which was good. I have 10 spare days after this project so i am hoping to go back to Zambia to work abit more on that project. Its easy to arrange.
Still good to here your comments
Lots of Love
Andreaxxx
The best thing i like about this project though is the amount of time you spend out doors in the bush learning about the trees, plants and the insects. The other day i had forgotten to brush my teeth so one of the guides showed me two trees, the Lead wood tree (also known as the tooth bush tree) and the Diamond leaf tree (aka Colgate tree). Although i did not use the Colgate tree i did clean my teeth with the lead wood tree-amazing it really works, although Eunice and the lion guides were laughing at me because they said i was too girlie. I was horrified when they said i had to spit the bark out(never really spat in public before).
I also like watching all the insects, the other day i was on a client walk (when tourists pay to walk with the lions) and saw a dung beetle in the middle of elephant poo, rolling a ball of it down the path. The reason they do this is push the elephant dung down a hole so it can lay an egg. The larvae then eat there way out of the ball of dung. Fascinating or what!
Tuesday we went on a day trip to Zambia, so i managed to catch up with my mates in Zam, which was good. I have 10 spare days after this project so i am hoping to go back to Zambia to work abit more on that project. Its easy to arrange.
Still good to here your comments
Lots of Love
Andreaxxx
Saturday, 10 February 2007
Zimbabwe
hello
how are you all, hope you are well. I am currently in Zimbabwe and i quite like it, a very different experience from Zambia. The country is very green with lots of bush and wildlife. This project is also quite varied, some days i spend time at Masuwe lodge where the lions are, taking part in walks, cleaning lion enclosures, feeding the lions, spend time in Zambezi National Park, monitoring game or conservation work. We also spend some time with horses, grooming and riding them. The day is quite long and you end up going to bed quite early, but its all enjoyable.
Thursday night we spent a night camping on an island in the middle of the Zambezi River, this was my first ever camping experience. I really enjoyed it, a very surreal experience, watching the hippos from the island is such a wonderful sight.
I am quite suprised i didn't have many comments complaining about my sky dive. I tried to put some pictures on the blog in Zambia but it took about 20 minutes just to upload one picture so i gave up. Will try again soon, but not here.
If i do not email or do blog entries often it is because the communication here is not too good, but i am fine. Love to here from you all soon.
Andreaxx
how are you all, hope you are well. I am currently in Zimbabwe and i quite like it, a very different experience from Zambia. The country is very green with lots of bush and wildlife. This project is also quite varied, some days i spend time at Masuwe lodge where the lions are, taking part in walks, cleaning lion enclosures, feeding the lions, spend time in Zambezi National Park, monitoring game or conservation work. We also spend some time with horses, grooming and riding them. The day is quite long and you end up going to bed quite early, but its all enjoyable.
Thursday night we spent a night camping on an island in the middle of the Zambezi River, this was my first ever camping experience. I really enjoyed it, a very surreal experience, watching the hippos from the island is such a wonderful sight.
I am quite suprised i didn't have many comments complaining about my sky dive. I tried to put some pictures on the blog in Zambia but it took about 20 minutes just to upload one picture so i gave up. Will try again soon, but not here.
If i do not email or do blog entries often it is because the communication here is not too good, but i am fine. Love to here from you all soon.
Andreaxx
Sunday, 4 February 2007
Jumping out of a plane!!!
hello
how are you all? It is Sunday 4th February, My last weekend in Zambia, awww!
Yesterday i jumped 8000 feet from an aeroplane over Zambia-what a wonderful feeling-i could quite easi8ly take it up as a hobby (Joke Mum) although i am sure i will do it again. You are taken up in a little aeroplane with no door and you are attached to the instructor, he is called Gary and originally from Southport. It takes about 20 minutes to get to 8000 feet and all the way up i kept thinking, can't do this, can't do this, but then at 8000 feet you can't see anything just cloud, Gary asked me to put my feet out of the plane, this is unbelievably easy but at this point you are dangling out of the plane, head and feet back so you are curled like a banana and then you go. Free fall lasts about 20 seconds and the the parachute opens and you are taken back up. It is such a fantastic feeling, you feel so light and the view is amazing. I have a dvd with it on, definately one of my best personal achievements.
Tomorrow i am going over to the Zimbabwe side of Victoria falls to start the Lion Project although i may arrange to come back here for a few days at some point. Not sure what internet services are like over there but hopefully will still be able to keep you up to date with everything.
Lots of Love
Andreaxxx
how are you all? It is Sunday 4th February, My last weekend in Zambia, awww!
Yesterday i jumped 8000 feet from an aeroplane over Zambia-what a wonderful feeling-i could quite easi8ly take it up as a hobby (Joke Mum) although i am sure i will do it again. You are taken up in a little aeroplane with no door and you are attached to the instructor, he is called Gary and originally from Southport. It takes about 20 minutes to get to 8000 feet and all the way up i kept thinking, can't do this, can't do this, but then at 8000 feet you can't see anything just cloud, Gary asked me to put my feet out of the plane, this is unbelievably easy but at this point you are dangling out of the plane, head and feet back so you are curled like a banana and then you go. Free fall lasts about 20 seconds and the the parachute opens and you are taken back up. It is such a fantastic feeling, you feel so light and the view is amazing. I have a dvd with it on, definately one of my best personal achievements.
Tomorrow i am going over to the Zimbabwe side of Victoria falls to start the Lion Project although i may arrange to come back here for a few days at some point. Not sure what internet services are like over there but hopefully will still be able to keep you up to date with everything.
Lots of Love
Andreaxxx
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