Freebies!

I looked so awful returning from a beach jog that the hostel receptionist grabbed me by the elbow and rushed me to the bar for a free beer! I'll drink to that!

2 Weeks in Sabah, Borneo

Backpacking in Borneo feels like opening a Double Decker bar after a hard gym workout - a blissfully indulgent but hard earned treat.

For me, Sabah has been the gift that just keeps giving. All the grand experiences have been wonderful, but even in the daily goings-on I've learnt a great deal. Malaysia has a lot of sit-down loos, although I seem to have a knack for finding the remaining holes in the ground in desperate times. Unlike in India when I accidentally locked myself in to one and the school caretaker nearly performed an exorcism and Kenya where I lost my balance and plunged foot first straight down said hole, I seem to have finally mastered the art of not being completely incompetent in this division. Embrace the victories, right?

My wonderful hostel owners in KK made me feel like family, taking care of me when I staggered down the stairs after climbing and making sure I had enough to eat on long bus journeys. The scenery I just can't gush enough about. The mountains, jungle, rainforest, beaches, waterfalls, fruit, wildlife - I just can't get enough! I even took a 6 9 hour bus from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan to see more of it rather than a 40 minute flight, which was only slightly tainted by the looping soundtrack of farting, burping, spitting, and retching coming from across the aisle...

In my first week I explored the city, went to the beach, got lost in a night market, had a magnificent day at the Sabah Ethnology Museum, and climbed Mount Kinabalu. The infamous Gaya Sunday Market was sprawling with tourist trinkets and local foods, but for me the terrible conditions and treatment of animals for sale was far too negative to outweigh these. The regular night market is very tame, however, and is just crammed with locals, food, and clothes. Week 2 was also exciting, with 3 days in the jungle wildlife spotting, visiting the best orangutan sanctuary I've experienced, island hopping, and eating my way through the city again, including the Gaya Street Chinese New Year kick off festival! No such thing as too much dim sum. I also spent 2 weeks being chronically underdressed compared to the super snazzy holidaymakers from China and Korea, decked out in the most beautifully Pinterest outfits and heels with perfectly porcelain faces despite the 35 degree heat. That's talent, my friends.

Manutik Island, Kota Kinabalu

Mowgli Time! The Kinabatangan River and Jungle

Brace yourself, I'm very excited. Almost as excited as I was when I Skyped Tom to tell him I was going offline for a few days because I was going to the JUNGLE! I said Lara Croft, he said Eliza Thornberry, we settled on a Dora the Explorer/The Magic Schoolbus crossover. I think I lost out there. 

After an 8 hour bus from KK to Sandakan and a night there to refresh, I was picked up in Sandakan by a minivan and whisked away to the Kinbatangan river within 3 hours, stopping to pick up other people along the way and bumping our way along the last few "roads" to the crossing point. We got into a boat and hopped over to the other side of the river, climbed a plank and plunged straight into the jungle at the Nature Resort Kinbatangan! 

Loving life in the second row

The resort is absolutely glorious. A row of wood cabins lined the path to the reception centre, secluded from each other by free growing jungle and the occasional monitor lizard. The first thing that struck me was the pure quiet of it all - no phones tapping, no Whatsapp buzzes, nothing. The second thing was how noisy it all was, but gloriously so! Dragonflies buzzing, birds calling, cicadas making smoke with their back legs - so much noise which I never normally hear, and it was lush. After checking in and an ice cold glass of rose cordial I skipped off to my dorm with 3 of my bus pals, delighted to find comfy beds and a bug screen across the window - I like nature, but not enough to cuddle up to a bazillion mozzies every night.

Focus

Pub Street, Siem Reap 

Sometimes a shot just comes for you - I was waiting for my totally nutritious chocolate and banana pancake to be made when I got this!

#theyseemerollin

Cheeky Macaque

Caught this cheeky little macaque scampering up a tree on the Kinabatangan River! Beautiful guy and such a brilliant jungle trip. Post coming soon!

Hanger is real

We all have those days where you just have to put your foot on the basket and take all the food 😊

Sunset at Laban Rata

Mountain Sunrise

Sunrise over the glorious summit Mount Kinabalu this morning! Morning trek started at 0230 and we hit the sunrise bang on - this one is whilst coming back down to regain some feeling in my fingers! 

One Week in Bangkok

Resisting the temptation to belt out Pet Shop Boys whenever I hear "one [X] in Bangkok" has been strenuous. AND THE WORLD'S YOUR OYSTER! There, it's done, it's out. 

Many people do Bangkok in 1-3 days, but I stayed for a whole week! Here's what I got up to:

Day 1: Exploring street food and markets in Siam Square

Having landed after 24 hours of travelling, food was of course the first thing on my mind! Cue a trip to the Siam Square Happy Street festival full of food and clothes!

 

No filter, just lush.

January 13, 2016

Impulsive Fishing!

Today's impulse decision: night fishing trip with a load of Thai fishermen off the coast of Koh Chang! 5 yellow bait fish and a barracuda later and I am very happy with my first ever fishing trip!

Post is coming - I promise!

January 11, 2016 at 12:56AM

Find the Face(s)!

Touch of Dali in this shot at the UNESCO World Heritage site in Ayutthaya! How many faces can you find in the rubble?

January 09, 2016 at 12:28AM

Ayutthaya Day Trip From Bangkok - Architectural Paradise!

7am and I'm waiting for the minibus to pick me up and whisk me off to the ancient city of Ayutthaya, boasting some of the oldest Siam temples. Ayutthaya was the second of four capitals of Thailand, with the capital moving when wars were won and lost or environmental changes made the current location unsustainable. It's the architectural capital of Thailand and most famously hosts the beautiful Buddha in the Tree, and the original reclining Buddha temple.

There are so many ways to do Ayutthaya for all levels of comfort, budget, and interest! 

Getting there 

If you're on a budget then you can get to Ayutthaya on the train for 20 baht (less than 50p) which is awesome. This would definitely come under the "experience" bracket though, as that ticket is for a 3rd class, non air-conditioned carriage and no guaranteed seat for 2.5 hours. Upwards of this, there are more comfortable options on the train, public busses, and minivans which leave central city locations frequently and for under 550 baht (around 11 GBP). The alternative is to book through a travel agency locally or online, which is usually a bit more expensive but there's some sense of organisation. All have their pros and cons - train is the most scenically pleasing and cheapest option for shoestring travellers, but having a guide for the temples and an organised day plan may be more suitable for a backpacking treat.

Buddha's Head in a Tree - Ayutthaya

After years of war left Thais in Ayutthaya in bad places, some took to beheading images of the Buddha to sell on for money. Story goes that the authorities caught one person in the act and they placed the head on the ground where it was left for many years. Over this time a tree grew around the head, which is taken by many Buddhists as a symbol of the symbiotic relationship between Buddhists and nature. As the Buddha supports nature in His teachings, the tree supports the Buddha and now the local community too.

January 08, 2016 at 06:29PM

When someone says "just work with what you've got"

Ayutthaya, the architectural prototype and second capital city of Thailand (Bangkok being the fourth!). Some of the most famous images of Thailand are of several Buddha images in a row, usually painted gold and sitting or standing complete. Here in Ayutthaya we have the same imagery, but the Buddha images are of stone and almost all are damaged if not destroyed.

January 08, 2016 at 06:12PM

Flowers at Wat Pho

January 07, 2016 at 07:21PM

Cooking at Green Garden today!

Making the magic happen in my Thai cooking course today!

January 07, 2016 at 06:05PM

Wat Arun

January 06, 2016 at 11:41PM

Wat Arun

Sunset at Wat Arun 🌞 Just after this photo I met a lovely girl from Finland and we had a beer on the other side of the river watching the sun go down - great way to spend the afternoon!

January 06, 2016 at 09:24PM