Bangkok in 24 Hours

After a seemingly endless journey of 20 (!!!!) hours from Penang, we arrived in Bangkok and hopelessly searched for Breakfast and the new addition to our team... LISA.

After the initial scare of a new stalker on Koh San Road following us into various restaurants, we saw a smiling face in the distance; the first ACTUAL familiar face in such a long time was very surreal. After a rushed greeting, we changed out of our traveling gear and hit the street of Koh San for some serious shopping at the market stalls. With endless clothes and scorpions to choose from, its a great way to kill a few hours, followed by a refreshing smoothie at The Hub.

As usual, we treated ourselves to Mani-Pedis and facials for the crazy Asian price of about one pound. 

The contrast between day and night in Bangkok is incredible, it changes from the 'Streets of Cornwall' (Direct quote from Lisa Day) to a party street filled with backpackers from all over the world. After a Chang tower we headed to the 'No ID Golf Bar' for a few buckets before... The Club. THE CLUB in Bangkok... it's great... go there if only because you get a free Smirnoff ice on arrival- LOL.

 The next day, hungover and sleepy, we headed to the Weekend Market... which was honestly, the best shopping we've ever seen. With endless rows of boutique market stalls, we could have bought every single pair of Levi's, Logo Tee's and dungarees, SOOOO NICE!!!!! (if only we all weren't running seriously low on cash). ALTHOUGH there was also the added surprise of the pet section... The drugged squirrels staring at us with wide eyes was enough to send Jodie running, shortly followed by a hate-filled staring competition between Jodie and the weird pet shop owner - Tense.

We'll be seeing more of Bangkok on the way down to the islands in a couple weeks!

Big love xxxxxx meg jod AND LISAAAAAAAAAAA

The Yoga Barn (Ubud)

After a short but sleepy boat ride on the public boat with the locals and a melon, we jumped on the bus to Ubud! Probably the only place that we had any idea what we wanted to do; rafting, visit temples and the rice paddies. That was until... we found the wonderful Yoga Barn.

'A little piece of tranquillity n the heart of Ubud'

Immediately we fell in love with the jungly location and never ending list of classes on offer; Yin Yang, Hatha, Sound healing, Esctatic dance, take your pick.

We decided on an unlimited pass for seven days, creating our own little yoga retreat.

We ended up going to an average of 3 classes a day, normally including at least one Yoga and one meditation class. Aside from our beloved sound healing with White Star and Esctatic dance, a few of our favourite classes were Vinyasa Flow (with Carlos; yoga to a ukele, why not?), Crystal Bowl Mediation and Sunday Dance.... a long explanation of each will be boring unless you are here, so maybe start saving and head over to Bali and the Yoga Barn?

ALSO even if you don't like yoga... the FOOD was the best we've had on our trip so far. All organic, eco friendly and vegetarian... The Little K has managed to create a recipe for the perfect Dhal and Chapati, or feta omelette wrap, simply amazing.

Slack lining at the YB

BIG LOVE FROM BAAAAAAAALI, heading to the gilis tomorrow xxxxx

Kuta + Uluwatu (Bali) PARDY

We have arrived in Bali! (well we have been here for nearly two weeks, but the internet is about as slow as everything else on Bali time so we have been struggling to update)

On our first night in Kuta, it was safe to say that we were terrified... we arrived in the dark, got completely ripped off for a taxi (30 dollars when it should have been 6, but he followed us around and into the toilet so what could we do), and then locked ourselves away into a crepe shop of all places, to hide forever.

HOWEVER, after a brave walk down a mysterious dark alley, we arrived in the perfectly fine, and equally hilarious Poppies Lane 2. We wandered outside and realised that Kuta was the Aiya Napa of Bali, with Bounty and Skygarden night clubs handing out free drinks to 'international guests' - free drinks for being on holiday? safe to say we got carried away!

The following night we were ready.... 9pm at Sky Garden for drinks and THE BEST dance in Sky Dome with the locals. We stayed at Gora Beach Inn... after you get over the scary exterior of a dingy car park, the inside is really sweet, for less then 5$ a night we had a room overlooking the pool and banana jaffles for breakfast! Pretty perfect as an escape from the streets of  'Transport!! Transport!!' and 'Mushrooms???'

After we had enjoyed the nightlife in Kuta, as well as hiring surfboards for just one day, we quickly plotted our escape to nicer surroundings; Uluwatu. We stayed near Padang Padang beach, which is beautiful! White sand, blue sea and the rest... though i'm pretty sure we spotted a few comodo dragons!!!!!!!! As we arrived on a Sunday we headed to the Single Fin Party at Uluwatu beach; there was an amazing local band and every traveler was keen to drukenly chat to you about Bali and their love for surfing.

We spent our days either chilling on the beach with a Nasi Goreng (Pot noodle with an egg on the top) or at the Temple, with the monkeys............ THAT ATTACKED US! Absolutely terrifying; the monkeys jumped out the trees, bared their fangs at us and started climbing up Jodie skirt.... our screaming did NOT help but was rather entertaining for the locals.... "You no like monkey???"

^^(After being asked SO many times for photos with various foreign people because we are English, we have started asking for photos back, with hilarious results hahahaha)

In Uluwatu, we spent our mornings taking part in the yoga classes at Mu, a hotel near where we were staying. It was SO NICE! The teacher was really cool, tanned, told us we were beautiful in our sweatiest times and loved everything about Bali - we would definitely recommended this class! It was quite pricey at 100,0000 for an hour but definitely worth the money, we spent the whole day feeling relaxed and stretchy.

One day after class we befriended a 60 year old french man (why are our mates always about a thousand years old) and we gave both of us a lift home on his moped whilst telling us which surf competition he was organizing that day.... hilarious.

Happy Travels xxx

Kenya. Camp 2: Tsavo

Tsavo is RED. Everything is red and glowing as soon as you swing open the banda door in the mornings.  The sand is red and so is the sky, and now so are our clothes and skin.

 

We are now based in the middle of nowhere about an hour and a half's drive from Voi Town - which is pretty much skankville, but quite hilarious! with 'jambo jambo' man shouting how he's clean and my face is shiney - brilliant  But where we are is wonderful!  One night, our roommate Dave, came into our room whispering around about an elephant.  We assumed he was just pissed but he piggy-backed me along and led us to an elephant about 2 metres from the fence!! so amazing!

One evening we watched the African sunset, definetly somthing for everyones bucket list, AMAZING!

For project work, we dug trenches to help maintain the water holes for the wildlife, we dug a shit-pit for the school in order to build a boys toilet, built the foundations for a new classroom, plastered a classroom already built by other volunteers and did some 'wildlife monitoring'.  Safe to say there was a lot of ho'ing involved.

 We also learnt to start fires with Masai Mara when we went to visit there town which we later put into practice on our 'bush adventure day' during which we built dens, in case we got stuck in the bush with a hungry lion, as well as firing bow and arrows built fires out of sticks.

Den Building ^

 

 

The most inspiring part of our trip so far was visiting Imani, the womans group in Voi town, put together to help locals with HIV/Aids, as well as orphans and other in need. The leader that spoke to us was so immensely grateful for our help and had the best stories to tell. We helped them plant crops to fun their group, as well as making bracelets; another form of income.

 

Writing this from Bali (post coming soon!!) we are lovesick for Kenya already, the locals, animals and the friends we made, made it probably the best month of our lives so far!

You have to go to Tsavo, even if it's just for the stars...

Updates soon, Meg and Jod xxxxxxx