Merry Christmas

To all my friends and family - Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a wonderful day wherever you are in the world.

If you feel like a chat you can buzz me at Reflections Hotel room 205 (In the name of the Rose) in Bangkok Thailand +66-2-2703344 or email me at totaltanya@hotmail.com as would love to hear what you are all up to.

Anyway good wishes to you all and I will see you in the New Year.

Lots of Love Tanya xxxxxxooooo :)

the tour ends and travels are over

well only 4 days left - can't believe my 4 months is up already.

luang prabang, vientiane in Laos and Ninh Ninh,Halong Bay and Hanoi in Vietnam

Ok so running out of money so can't get on the net very often. Loved Laos can't say anything bad about the place. people are lovely, crafts are beautiful, food is scrumptious and it is very relaxed.

Vietnam is a mix between beautiful and horrid as if you can escape the crowds its wonderful and peaceful and there is a hell of a lot of history here, however if you are in the middle of a big city it is dirty loud and expensive.

Its only 19 days till I get back now and really need too as the credit card is bulging. so if anyone knows of jobs please recommend me.

Intrepid begins

Well sorry to say still not intrepids biggest fan but atleast after india I know what to expect so am much more prepared and as such enjoying myself way more.

The group is great a good mix of ages sexes and nations. and the guide Charles is a crackup very sarcastic so thats is fun.

So far we have escaped a major train crash seriously injuring 11 people and hurting 72 simply by missing the usual train and taking the late one. So that was good but on the downside had to miss Chang mai completely and no elephant ride. then we headed to Chang Khong which sits alongside the mekong river and is a nice quiet little town.

then we hopped on a longtail boat for two days of quietly drifting down the Mekong into Laos - which is now my favourite Asian country outside of Japan. The people are so sweet and interesting. The food is fabulous and the silks are to die for pity I have run out of money.

Anyway love South East Asia and would love to come back. Only 28 days now till I am back in Melbourne.

Bangkok, Thailand

Well I feel like I just arrived back in civilisation (sorry India) but Bangkok is definately not third world and is a welcome change. Hot showers, clean city, non masala food all good. I tried a Thai massage yesterday for only $7 AUS dollars for an hour a massive $53 saving on prices at home and better too - you don't even have to get naked.

Haven't done much sightseeing as need a break but in saying that went to Ayyutaya yesterday the old capitol of Siam which was interesting and good to see where one of my favourite Thai films was created Suriyothai.

Had fun trying to find a swimsuit after mine dissapeared somewhere in India as I am not much for the skimpy string bikini I had only one option to try the massive department store called Tokyu in MBK which to get a size to fit my melons I had to get 3XL which I have to say still wasn't big enough but the biggest they had. I feel sorry for anyone bigger than me they would have to go for the t-shirt and short option.

Any off now to sit by the pool and try and start working on my tan.

Jaipur, Bharatpur, Agra and Delhi

Wahoooo finally seen the Taj Mahal and it was everything I hoped so perfect and beautiful and when I die someone please make one for me - oh just kidding but along with the red fort Agra is a really great place to visit. Must say am glad that my india section is over though as am feeling a little tired. below is my list of loves and hates:
Loves:
Taj Mahal
Havelis
Islamic Architecture
Smiles and Hellos and Waves
Feeling like a celebrity
Miniature Paintings
Timelessness
Ladies unbelievable balancing acts with heavy loads on their heads
Hindi god pics
Limca soft drink
Naan bread
Lime Sodas
Bright coloured Saris
Indian dancers
View from top of Mount Abu
Constant Contrasts
Embroidered cloths and silks
Painted elephants and camels
Humourous monkeys
Happy village people
Sunsets and sunrises
mirror mosaics

Hates:
dust dust and more dust
stray dogs and cows
red beetle gum teeth
spitting
pissing everywhere
sewage smell
cold showers
public bus rides
too many men everywhere
rubbish
flys and mossies
sales touts
bartering
bare feet on dirty temple floors
horns

Bhenswara, Mt Abu and Udaipur

Well I am at day 15 in India and still alive. Got dehli belly but only lasted 24 hours (better than the boys who both took over 5 days to recover). Its a very interesting place when you leave the desert and see the contrasts of lakes and mountains. I have even done a bit of rock climbing and hiked to the top of one of the mountains in the Mount Abu range. This is also a great place to have fun with art as I have had my face plastered with all kinds of bindis, my neck graced with all assortment of flower and fabric necklaces, my nails with miniature paintings and my arms with henna. I also did a miniature painting art class which was great fun but you really realise how amazingly skilled they are.

Missing female interaction as you can't converse with ladies over the age of 7 here. so all you see everywhere are men men and more men.

tomorrow I am going to a cooking class which should be fun and along with the one in Thailand should add to my growing repertoire of cooking skills.

Anyway hope you are all well.

Jaisalmer, and Jodphur

Well more fun has been had in crazy India. Have seen enough bulls and dogs to last e a lifetime. and as for feeling dirty well I now know what that means. Had myself on top of a camel for two days (express track yoga I call it for Hip flexing) or otherwise known as the most horrid butt pain. The camel and I couldn't decide who looked best with all the flys on them so kept swapping. No more will I ever complain about road works or overcrowded public transport.

Oh and I even did a spot of work whilst away for a fellow kiwi who was running the haveli we were staying in. Made her a 6pp dl roll fold brochure in 4 hours a little under my best time but was using touch pad not mouse.

Anyway no photos until 2020 from India when they reach our current technology state.

Dehli, Mandawa, Shekhawati, Bikaner

Well India is very different to home. The airport took 1 hour to get the bags to us then a man tried to steal mine only to have me chase him (and I had half the army behind me as I had been chatting to them while we waited as they had all been in hong kong vacationing on a golf trip) so needless to say with an armys help I got my bag back. then the hotel tried to scam me out of money by saying I had given them a 100 ruppee note not a 500 but screamed and got out of that one too.

So am on tour now and it is really starting to get good as was a little slow at first. Dehli is an experience as it attacks every sense. One hour feels like 2 so by 4pm it feels like bedtime. So many stray dogs and homeless its a bit sad but don't have enough money for all of them.

We then had our first public bus experience which was 9 hours of 200 people crammed onto a 72 seater bus. Kids sitting on you. numb bums. pushing. Screaming. Smoke and dust in your eyes, heat stroke and so on. Very hard to describe unless you have been through it. but we had the cutest room once we arrived in a haveli or painted house that used to be owned by the rich merchants on the silk road.

Am totally in love with islamic architecture now it really is very pretty and romantic. Starting to get my shivas clear from my ganeshs and krishnas. Loving the food and even though I am eating heaps seem to be losing weight.

the dust is a pain though it gets all over everything so will need to bath everything once I get to thailand.

what have I missed out well so much as this place has so much to see and talk about its impossible to write in a summary but am having a great time with 11 great fellow travellors of which along with another guy I am the youngest.

Even thought this is called the second silicon valley internet is scarce and no wireless so hope you can see some pics soon as I have some good ones.

Happy Halloween

Well its halloween and I have spotted many a chinese person doned in fangs and pointed hats. I spent my last day in Hong Kong hiking up millions of stairs to see the giant buddha on Lantau Island. Its is well worth the sweaty effort. Also learnt a little more about Buddhism - its so old but so many good lessons to be learned.

Am now sitting in the airport lounge waiting for my flight 4 hours early as couldn't take the crowds any longer so decided to take a break pre dehli.

Anyway hope you are all having a freaky halloween with lots of treats and not too many tricks.

Hello missy want watches bags come see...

Well day two in Hong Kong was a busy one. I started at the Art Gallery where I saw lots of traditional prints and some very interesting installations made entirely of human hair. Then to the history museum where I saw Hong Kong from the prehistoric times to today. very interesting but too much to take in in one hour. Then to the space museum to see the omnimax of Tom Hanks walking on the moon. Neat to watch on a globe screen and interesting seeing info on the 6 landings on the moon between 1969 and 72. Then I had a look through the craft markets on my way to the star ferry to Hong Kong Island. I went by cable car up Victoria peak to see the islands from far up and it was a beautiful view. made kinda romantic due to the haze/mist that is currently hanging over the city and the sunset. Then it was off to the ladies market and electrical shops before dropping dead back at the luxury coffin.

Hong Kong is really good for shopping but at the same time the whole spitting thing and the meat sitting out in the hot air and sun are both yuk. Oh and the being yelled at as hello missy all day is a bit tiresome as well. but would come back to shop.

This was Hong Kongs Hottest October since 1886 apparently somewhat due to the CO2 emmisions in the air.

Happy halloween to all for tomorrow.

Hong Kong

Well this is one crazy place and it attacks all your senses at once. Hopefully this is a good learning experience pre india and SE Asia. My hostel room is the smallest thing I have ever seen and the shower is over the toilet -oh how hygienic.

I went down to victoria harbour tonight to see the light show that happens every night at 8pm and also check out the walk of fame. my hands are the same size as Jackie Chans and Jet Li. Maybe there is potential in me to be a kung fu fighter :)

Blog has not been working for me so sorry for lack of pics. I will keep trying.

Anyway am hiding in my room now away from all the noise, smell, heat, and crowds of people.

Osaka

Well like Kyoto I loved Osaka. There are great places to shop here and also to people watch. I even got to crash the filming of a bike scene in a movie.

Here is a list upon leaving Japan of the things I find funny:
• People wearing white face masks
• girls in super high stilettos even if walking on cobblestones or for long hours
• crazy amerika-mura or harajuku dressing kinda dressup party for 10 year old meets cartoon meets goth
• non smoking compartments that reek of smoke
• bike lanes that everyone walks in
• vending machines for drinks every 10 metres
• drinks called sweat
• each city,store train station having its own perky tune when signalling you to do something
• screaming greetings at you as you enter a restaurant
• grumpy faced old men
• super pushy old ladies
• girls with high heels riding bicycles
• school kids yelling hello to you and then turning away quickly and laughing like its a joke?
• toilets that make river noises when you sit down to help the flow and cover any embarrasing noises
• paying in a vending machine for toilet paper before going into the toilet

and there are more. Japan is truely a fun place and I will be back.

Kyoto

Well I love Kyoto and definately want to come back all the temples, shrines and castles are amazing and most reward you for the hard slog up hills and stairs with some impressive views.

Have met many lovely people on my stay here from Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada so it was nice to have some people to hang out with.

Managed to chase some Geisha - not really but did feel a little like a paparazzi stalker waiting for them to come out of their home and walk to their job. their faces are not a pretty as I thought they would be but their kimonos are incredible and even their little helpers are pretty cute.

My japanese is improving through pure need for survival as no where near as easy to navigate as in Tokyo which has english character signs everywhere.

hopefully I can upload some of the lovely pictures for you to see as this is one truely beautiful place.