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  • Day 7

    Mourning hasn't broken

    January 6, 2017 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    06/01/17

    WARNING CONTAINS REFERENCES TO SEXUAL ACTIVITIES NOT BY US!

    We've decided to sack off the Chinese.

    A Chilled out brekka and we walk the 6k to the Grand Palace. There are tens of thousands of Thai people dressed fully in black queuing to pay their respects to the king.

    It's really intense to see this many people still in mourning. Even in the city most people are still fully in black. There are posters, shrines and billboards outside most shops, all public buildings and transport hubs. It's crazy he is everywhere and seems to be a pretty good guy who worked hard for his country. But tell you what the best bit is... Every day twice a day.... Everywhere plays the national anthem, and everyone stands bolt upright an still whilst its playing!!!! Once in the morning and once at night! I wish we could do this in the UK it's brilliant !!!!

    We visit this palace which is like Disney land. There are over one hundred buildings within 95 hectares which are all massive and in pretty much totally different contradictory architectural styles. It's an absolute mind f**k. Every where you look there is a building overlapping.

    Once we've done we are about to leave and the police start to tell us to sit down on the floor... We were like EH? Anyway look around and there's hundreds of people starting to sit down.... Do as we're told. Turns out the royal family are coming to see kingy. They drive past and there are very stern warnings to any person who tries to take a photo. Once they've passed everyone stands up and carries on with their business as if nothing has happened.

    We head home for some pool time as our mind is fully boggled!

    (As I am writing this sat at the pool there is the worlds slowest woman swimming. We're talking 3 inches a stroke) anyway....

    We go to China town which is abit like a strip, Noblet had some gorgeous duck and rice for only £1.25 but he complained there was only enough for a child. I had mango and sticky rice with coconut milk pretty fit but Noblet won the food choice competition. Not cool was that all the neon signs said shark fin here as a main attraction.

    Now we get a Tuk Tuk to the nightlife!

    **WARNING EXPLICIT**

    So we decide first to go to a bar to loosen us up for tonight's 'adult entertainment' few drinks in a sports bar where the majority of clientele are white 35-45 year old men. We're on the vodka. Tunes are pumping, footballs on and there are a lot of local girls trying it on with the boys with varying degrees of success!

    For instance there is a group of three lads around the 45 mark on a 'lads holiday' presumably. They are chilling around brushing off the girls but within a couple of drinks we start get the arm around and then the longing looks. They stay strong and don't opt for any funny business in this bar! I wonder if there resolve will last down the strip!?

    Then there's the lad about 28.... Who's absolutely smashed. He is having the time of his life dancing with a 6!(Girls will be referenced on a scale of 1-10) swaying all over her.

    Then there is Mr upstanding, dressed very well, stands straight who walks straight into the bar. I'm convinced he's here to get his mates then leave. This doesn't look like his kind of scene..... I'm gobsmacked he walks to the back of the pub, takes a 4 by the hand and marches her out of there, quick as you like!!! Wtf I'd defo got his measure wrong!

    Ok, time to go (Noblet went to the WC and the girls starts walking past me all touchy fml not for me thanks!)

    We head out to find Nana Plaza, 'the worlds largest adult playground' as they've branded it. To find it though we walk up and down the street looking for it and on the way spot some scantily clad girls, presumably up for a night out with their friends!

    We get to the plaza and there's a large centre courtyard with around 8 bars, then around the outside around ten bars with curtains across the entrances and bouncers on the door (I don't think they count as bouncers in this country as they're so small.... They're more like Thai uncles who're kind of cute so you don't want to annoy them.)

    We take the escalator up to the 2nd and then walk up to the 3rd in the back staircase where there are loads of girls in bikinis (there must be some sort of competition going on). They giggle... But in a kind of gruff way, looks like some of them have forgotten to shave their legs! Silly girls! They won't win like that!

    So all three floors of places are trying to get us in.... We start on the first floor, Noblet says we can watch some world class table tennis here which is strange in a bar but I love a bit of sport!

    We go in and sit on some booths, they're having a fancy dress competition, the girls are dressed as school girls, nurses etc. Beer is served and we await the match start... Except much to our disappointment it never comes! Instead we get girls sucking each other off with dildos, guys getting tied up and lap danced, girls getting off with guys in the crowd. We finish our beer and head out for another place Noblet has heard plays table tennis. This was obviously not what either of us expected.

    Well the next place was even worse... There were girls all dressed in bikinis (2s-6s) dancing on a stage riding some of the lads hand jobs the order of the day. Hats off for cleanliness though they all use anti bac when washing their hands after they 'go to the toilet'

    I'm like Noblet you're going to get donkey here if I don't get some world class sport. He's like, I don't know you try. So we walk around the majority of the plaza and I'm asking do you have table tennis (with actions) and they're all like no. He's obviously got it wrong so we try a final bar on the third. There's a lot of banging in there. The place is full and they sit us at the stage looking straight up into a girls hoof! As soon as someone leaves we're relocated nearer the back (I assume next to the changing rooms as there is a shower cubicle next to us) strange the glass looks into the bar... Think they mustn't use that until they close.... Oh no no no. A girls gets in, gets her imperial leather on and does what she likes with that shower head. She's pulling moonies and all sorts at Noblet through the glass!

    On the stage there's more class (5-7s) for the most part. Much biting, licking etc etc with good music and cheap beer. They later two you. Can't argue with.

    But on a serious note....

    As funny as it was. I REGRET GOING

    The problem was even though Thai girls look young, there were some who were clearly too young, they looked pre-pubescent. A couple were no older the 12. They had lingerie on and looked like kids at the beach. They were dancing like traveller girls but without the clothes. And then the bikini tops came off... They could have been boys (in this country especially). They got involved in all the sex show and were trying to get lads to pay for them. Some of the lads when she went in front of them looked full on ninety degrees away. To be fair to them. But some didn't.

    It was grim.

    Then in bar 2 with the bikini girls... They for the most part looked fucked (tired) and miserable. The girls in the other bars looked like they were enjoying themselves. But these lot didn't.

    We reckon this miserable lot could have been trafficked... They really didn't look like they wanted to be there at all. A lot looked from 15-22 age.

    So obviously we went.... And bought beers at these places, and probs made it feel less seedy to people as it was abit more like a show than a thing, and therefore we contributed to this awful industry. ERROR. I would not go again not recommend anyone go to any of these bars as I still feel pretty shit writing this a few days later!

    Went home after this (thinking at the time what a great night), had chicken on a stick, Noblet got fried, fried quail egg on a stick, I ripped up my trousers to use as toilet paper as it had been three places which didn't have toilet roll couldn't deal with a 4th, blissfully unaware at how annoyed I would be at myself for going!

    Man: Noblet getting us around the grand palace.
    Donkey: Noblet for not getting us to a table tennis 'match'
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  • Day 6

    Chinese Squashed Voice

    January 5, 2017 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    05/01/17

    Bangkok

    We are still in our super amazing luxurious fancy super awesome and high hotel (THANKS HAMMY!!!!!!) breakfast up on the 32nd floor looking over the city in the executive lounge is absolutely amazing! Noblet buzzing with anywhere that does a nice coffee so he is defo pleased in this place! I'm buzzing because they have a cheese platter for breakfast! It's basically CHRISTMAS!

    Once we finish Scranage we head to the Chinese embassy to try to sort our visa out. We get there and go up a high rise and queue for fast track... The woman gives us the forms and we have 40 minutes to get all the guff together! And what a lot of guff...

    Flights in and out of the country
    Hotel reservation copy
    Passport photo
    A typed declaration confirming we are tourists
    A massive form with everyone we knows details

    It takes ages to sort out and we're running out of time for the fast track service... Noblet goes back upstairs to queue whilst I finish off printing stuff... We get it done (1hour 20 mins) we're late, bust it upstairs to the queue where Noblet is stood just getting to the front.... Throw the papers down to the woman.... Get a ticket and get sent to wait in a waiting room. It's like being at Argos except the people there don't respect the ding and keep looking at their phone and missing their numbers.... This makes everything take forever we get through eventually and miss the fast track service.(Chinese accent to be imagined) "yeah yeah we also need your exact itinerary for all countries up until getting to China (presumably our nuclear weapon procurement programme) buy tickets to Beijing and a statement as to why we needed fast track (typed)", so we massively failed, this is a super ball ache.

    FFS

    We decide to sack Beijing off and gamble on a visa on arrival. Problem is if your flight is delayed you can get arrested.... But God loves a gambler!!!! GAMBLE GAMBLE!

    Head back to the hotel and walk round all the crazy markets for chicken on a stick. There isn't any. The markets are predominantly clothes, they are massive.

    Get back to the hotel and get to play squash!!!! Never played before. Noblets dreading it after the tennis fiascos of Egypt and South Africa! Anyway.... We do all right and get a few rallies going what a great sport!!! Literally loving it!!! So playing this when we get back!!

    Off to the free happy hour for yet more cheese followed by a trip to the neon markets!!

    Job done.

    What a fail of a day lol!!

    (Post day note holly fell asleep before the neon markets so Noblet went and said it was shiny and cheaper than the day markets)

    He also claims it had one of the bottom three singers we have heard so far on our trip.... But I cannot believe or verify this as what we have heard to date from Bali, Bajo, kohphagnan, anywhere in Thailand has been truly hideous.

    Man: holly for exiting the lift at the Chinese embassy with perfect timing

    Donkey: holly losing 7 games to 0 to Charlie and also thinking the squash was free. And also for drinking within 24 hours of saying she's not drinking again (as Charlie predicted)
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  • Day 5

    Is this our Bangkoking hotel?!?!

    January 4, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    04/01/17

    We got in to Bangkok the usual hour or so late! Bloody Thai time is very irritating!

    We got a Tuk Tuk to take us to the hotel which hammy had booked for us.... We didn't actually know where it was as there were several hotels with the same name so we gambled.

    We got to this smashing hotel with this fancy pants entrance and a one way system and glass everywhere and more bell boys than you can shake a chicken on a stick at.

    We tentatively ask at reception if there is a reservation under noble. She looks at us puzzled (presumably because we look like beggars with my free t-shirt and noblets rug on his face).... And the smell. We're convinced we're at the wrong place its too awesome.... Especially as the woman is being so weird and taking ages... She's like, follow me please. To the 32nd floor where you'll check in!

    We're like waaaaat?!

    Get upstairs in the fastest lift ever, willy Wanka eat your heart out!! Then We're sat, overlooking the city, with a glass of fresh orange in a bloody executive suite WTF has just happened?!?!? Omg it's amazing!

    The woman checks us in, explains about 'complimentary' (why not say free its well more exciting!) breakfast and FREE HAPPY HOUR!!!

    hammy you legend!

    We got to the room and there were rose petals scattered everywhere as well as flowers, cake with 'happy honeymoon' a card from Dave (love Dave) more flowers fruit and champagne. Obvs on the 32nd floor BUZZING BUZZING BUZZING!!!!!!

    What did we do with the rose petals.... I shouldn't say.... But I will... We fell asleep straight on top of them. Woke up just in time for happy hour. All drinks included..... And a full buffets worth of food including a bloody cheese platter this day keeps getting better and better!!!

    HAMMY = LEGEND!

    Man: Noblet for knowing hammy! Eating his food all these years clearly paid off!

    Donkey: Charlie for not knowing where our hotel was before we travelled to another freaking country AGAIN!
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  • Day 4

    Strangers in the night

    January 3, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    03/01/17

    Koh Phagnan to Bankok

    It's day three of a horrific never ending hangover.

    Noblet says it doesn't count if you get drunk in between but honestly I feel like I haven't smiled in days.

    There is a mega storm which has thunder the loudest we've ever heard and also the longest.... Some claps went on for more than 15 seconds right over our heads. The rain was absolutely bouncing.

    Whilst the weather breaks we check out of the hotel, I put my bag down.... And rip off my toenail again OMG fml this is totally noblets fault somehow!!!

    Finally manage some plain toast and chicken nuggets around 1pm which is progress.

    We are moving from the party island to BangKok today.

    We've decided to upgrade to a fancy pants boat after the night boat debarcle getting there.... It came with life jackets YEAH BOY! The guys who worked on the boat were still wearing black armbands for the king who died.

    Then a coach and night train in sleeper class to take us to BKK.

    Because we were trying to be clever we didn't book the sleeper train tickets until we got to the station. Only when we got there the sleeper tickets had all sold out!!! Ahh!!

    We managed to get the last two tickets for the 0000hrs train. This resulted in us being stuck in a dodgy area of town (Suratani) in yet more pouring rain for over 6 hours. I'm pretty sure this must be character building. Suratani is defo only a transport hub it's pretty grim!

    We get food from the street markets which is our fave bit about Thailand so far. They have all these little stalls set out with plastic tables and chairs and you just get what you like. Fupa was right chicken on a stick and rice is great!! As are banana and milk pancakes... Defs going to be on the menu for travelling Tuesday's. There is also shed loads of stuff which we have no idea what it is!! We go on a mooch to try to get some steps in and kill some time.

    An eternity of waiting gets us on to the train which is due to get in at 1030hrs. (10.5 hour journey). We're all set for an Indian sleeper (freezing, rickety, squatting WCs) but much to our delight the thing is basically from the future! There's bed sheets, a pillow, a curtain and plug socket for each bed! There's a sitting toilet WITH TOILET ROLL! Air con lights and a TV which shows you where we are on the journey!! It's brilliant! And for £22 what a bargain! Imagine that in the UK it would be more like £350!

    Donkey: Noblet for wanting to take a 200 odd mile trip to go and see a pottery museum.

    Man: Holly for managing to smile again
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  • Day 3

    I like pina colada!

    January 2, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    02/12/16

    Ko Phangan

    2 day hangover now coming to an end

    We have beer, some more beer and some more beer

    Noblet has Noname for lunch.... We still don't get what it is and can only assume google translate got it wrong.

    The weather is decidedly average again so we meander up and down the beach a few times until we end up at this bar in a cove.

    It's a tiny shack and you sit on the floor outside a tattoo parlour .... The tattoo artist drank with us for an hour before starting work on his next customer lol! They use a sharpened bamboo stick to get it boxed off. The waves are lapping at out feet, the guys start a bonfire.... All is well.

    Noblet buys the guy a beer as he lost at connect 4 massively loosing under pressure!! BOTTLE JOB!

    I'm on Mai Tai for a few hours as we chat American politics with a guys who worked for the Bernie Sanders campaign, a couple who have given up work age 40 something and now just travel about, a Russian who has left the country for the first time (from Siberia) and a few others.... Details become more sketchy as the longest day ever keeps going! It needs to rain its doing my nut in!!

    Apparently Noblet stopped drinking and I didn't leading to a difficult walk home for both of us! Whupps!!

    Forgot to have tea again!

    Man: Charlie - getting drunk holly home
    Donkey: holly - being drunk holly
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  • Day 2

    Happy New Year

    January 1, 2017 in Thailand ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    01/01/16

    Happy new year

    Don't talk to me .... I'm going to sleep.

    6pm... Arise beers with scouser's at the pool

    Injuries sustained seem to include

    Small neck burn from fallen fire works
    Increase in mosquito bites
    Sore jaw (think I've been punched)
    Sore eye socket (maybe twice lol)
    One lost pair of shoes
    One lost debit card
    Two steaming hangovers!

    Totes worth it!!
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  • Day 1

    Full Moon Party

    December 31, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    31/12/16

    FULL MOON PARTY!

    Yeah!!! Big night coming but we have to sit through a full gala at the hotel (has free cocktails so not that dramatic) we watch the housekeeping staff do some god awful Thai dance moves. Then some Muay Thai boxing were some 6/7 year olds beat the crap out of each other with no gumshield, head guard etc. More terrible dancing. Some out of tune xylophone playing, th bar guy juggling fire filled glass bottles and then dropping them and nearly burning down the stage. Wow it was like a spoof brilliant.

    We're getting in the spirit and head out for the 40 minute drive to the party! Meet with some Aussies and a couple of irritating media type Brits. Good crack on the way!

    We get there! 20-30,000 people are going nuts it is sick!

    First things first we get our rave paint on which I thought I was totally over but it turns out I'm back to being 20 again! Then we go in and get out buckets. A bucket is a kids bucket from the beach with a full bottle (150ml) of your poison .... Absolute, Bacardi etc with a few mixers.... They are lethal.

    Meet up with a few of noblets work mates and get on it. There are all kinds of music as the bars are all lined up on the beach front so you can shock out to the music you like.

    We were going millibobdown and the DJ was like, hey guys if anyone can go help someone's drowning at the back. He says this a few times and no one seems to go so we decide to go and see if we can help. Out of about 1000 people at this bar only about 8 bothered, but we reckon everyone just assumed there were life guards... We couldn't see any.

    The weather was rough, as was the sea. People were leaving the beach in their droves, the weather was that bad loads of people inc Noblet had to get involved in pushing the boats out off the beach. Only around 10% of the people on the boats had life jackets, it was really crazy and defo unsafe!

    We sent one of the Aussies home just before new year she was sapping it a bit as she had bad sunburn.... Obvs we have them some shit for getting burnt in the first place!

    12 came around and the fireworks were about to be set off. But loads of people were sat on the fireworks!!!! Wtf!!!? Eventually they started firing them (there was no cordon) and the Sparks started flying all over everyone and they were such hot Sparks!!! Loads of people got really bad burns we just got hit a few times. The problem was everyone was trying to get away and there was a stampede. One girl got her ankle broken and a guy got killed. It was pretty shit.

    Also we found out the next day that a 27 year old Canadian girl died in the waves so not a great advert for this event.

    We didn't know this at the time so the night went on... We got separated and met back at the hotel 8 hours later, non of us with much recollection after the countdown!

    Apparently we had seen flame skipping ropes, flaming hoops that people were jumping through and general debortuary.

    It was absolutely brilliant and up there with Ibiza. Obviously the deaths just put a dampener on things!

    Man: Noblet for being a human shield to a very large Australian.

    Donkey: Noblet for nearly eating a massive shrimp which was totally raw and still fully shelled eyes on and freezing cold!
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  • Day 14

    The big ship sails on the ally ally oh!

    December 30, 2016 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    30/12/16

    Bali to Ko Phanghan (Thailand)

    We leave sunny Bali and our amazing bargain of a hotel and get to the airport. This is our last flight for a while having done around 12/13 in the last 6 weeks! I have some great photos of column encasements and all of the terrible detailing (and some nice ones) of so many airports. Bali although small is one of the best finished.... Although a brothel in downtown Bali is finished better than manchester airport so I can't really talk.

    We are both feeling good for a change brilliant!!!!

    Get to Phuket and then it's a 7 hour transfer across to the port at Suratani.

    We decide to get a night boat so we don't have to get a room anywhere.

    It leaves at 11pm so us and our newly found Egyptian, Indian and Italian friends head to a 7/11 and start to get on it while we wait for a few hours!!

    Once aboard the boat we each have a mattress 1" thick and they are all lined up bang tight to each other.

    We crack open more beers and end up being that end of the boat that everyone hates!

    We add to our possey four Mexicans, two yanks, one additional Indian and a Ukrainian. To play with us we made a rule that you had to sing a song which represented your country.... We lead with Jerusalem followed by im a pink toothbrush.

    The Mexicans then went, with a song which we knew at the time but can't quite remember...

    Gino, guacamole, salsa, tortilla TORRO! Which translated to we shag your mothers every which way.... We just can't remember the words only the tune and the last word you'll have to trust us.

    The Indians were God awful and killed it but thankfully Ukraine had had practice from Eurovision so we were back on track.

    The best part of the night by far was showing the Mexicans noblets tattoo we had arriba aye aye aye and finger pistols YES YES YES MINI!

    Heads went down at around 0230 from what I remember.... What a great night!
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  • Day 4

    Mount Kelihutu?

    December 20, 2016 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    20/12/16

    We're in a large village called Moni.

    Up all night as it's one of the locals birthday so they're up till 4 drinking next to our shack and singing with guitar!! Like whaling cats on acid.... I swear it was the same song on repeat.... Of course Noblet snores through.... Anyway we're up at 3.30am anyway to leave for mount Kelimutu which is a dormant volcano which last erupted in 1968.

    We walk up around 2k from the gate having paid white mans fees. We get to the top, Noblet did well as it was a proper ridge on the way up.

    When we get up there it is truly magical.

    3 lakes. 3 different colours! One is a milky blue turquoise, one is bright turquoise and the other is dark green! They all look like paint they are that deep a colour.

    We watch the sunrise and the full light allows us to see how wonderful these things are. The photos don't do the view and contrast justice! Clouds are sweeping below us we're at 1639m.

    The Indonesians believe that when you die your soul goes to these lakes, and which lake depends on judgement. There is a youth lake, old lake and a villans' lake. They have a pilgrimage here every year where thousands walk up to the top of the volcano and offer food to the gods to say thanks for the previous year, and can you sort us out for this year coming! The wake is never on the same day as apparently it's a mammoth task getting all of the different tribes to agree on when to carry out this holy pilgrimage.

    The scientific reason for the colour differentiation is because of the oxygen and primarily sulphur composure (other stuff as well). On the way up and down the sulphur really gets on your chest and Noblet's asthma almost flares up.... Although that could've been the sight of the sudden shear cliff face either side of us!

    The lakes change colour regularly even from month to month they can go from blue to red to green.

    People watching here is interesting but Noblet got too much info when a newly formed travelling couple were talking about going back to their room and what they would do to each other .... Tmi lol.

    Unfortunately for Noblet going back to our room couldn't be further from our minds as we had a 14km walk back down to Moni to complete. He is not pleased.

    Some dick (me) forgot the sunscreen so in order to prevent sun I went all Arab camel jockey with my scarf and Noblet used a large leaf to shade his head.... He says this is in my top 4 worst ideas but can't name any other bad ideas so reckon he's being dramatic (or severely dehydrated).

    We spend around 3.5 hours coming back down and see a great waterfall which the locals use to bathe in, it's lovely, however to get across it we have to cross bamboo bridges with no handrails. Again he's not happy but gets on with it!!! The bamboo is very old and very flexible, easy does it. Then across another water way on a half log.

    We come out into the town of Moni having completed the walk 30mins quicker than we should have!! Ha!!

    So we get to our hotel for the famous garlic sandwich.... But to our dismay the restaurant was shut.... By shut, the man was asleep on a coconut mat behind the counter and snored through my polite 'oh helllloohhh' three times.... Not poking this massive Indonesian bear!

    Had breakfast instead at the hotel which was amazing it was a really thick buttery pancake with bananas sliced sideways! Awesome!! Noblet also said it's the best cooked fruit he's ever had (sorry Freda).... Progress is being made.

    Taxi back with the hotel owner which is a 2 hr drive back through the rain Forrest where there are regular land slides due to the angle of the batter they have carved to build a new road!

    Get to the airport 2 hours before takeoff, it's shut.... ?!?! There is a chain and padlock on the door and it's shut?!? Wtf who shuts an airport. Mooch for some food in the mean time (sneaky steps with food at the end mwahahaha) go into a cafe. Woman gets two plates out. We pick something that we've figured out means noodles.... She says no food. She got plates out, but served no food! Bah.

    White baby outside the airport where a queue forms... Indonesian men are loving the baby.... Openly buzzing off the baby more than the women! Funny. They're taking photos of it and everything, imagine in the UK that would be weird1 but defo totally ok here. I really like the Indonesians a lot and trust them more than the Indians. They're more cards on the table, they say hello because that's what they do not because that's the opener into getting you into their shop or taxi. They tell you a price and that's the price.... Not figured out a way to haggle with these lot yet, non of the normal tactics are working, may have to google.

    Man: Noblet makes it up the mountain.

    Donkey: holly forgetting sunscreen.
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  • Day 3

    Ende of the world!

    December 19, 2016 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    19/12/16

    Labaun Bajo - Flores - Indonesia

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas?

    All restaurants and shops have got Christmas decs and music going on which is weird when you're sweating buckets with the tiniest bit of movement.

    Woke early (4am) to watch the sports personality award come in and was gutted to hear muzza won it again. Hockey girls won nothing.

    Saw I was loosing the weekend warrior step count competition and thought, I'll go for a run to catch up.

    Holy crap. I went for 1.6k. I have never sweated that much in my life.... It's 5am how is the humidity this high it's insane!!?

    The full port is alive and kicking at 5am aswell. It's daylight, children showering with buckets, chickens on full cock alert, getting hello'd from every which way. Still nice going along the sea front!

    2000 steps only and totally failed at weekend warrior. To boot heavily sun burnt and covered in midgie bites AND severely hung over after last nights rasta bar escapades!

    Got back, and we are both on full rear alert again having gone through 5 full toilet rolls in two days. I have no idea what is making us go.... Reckon it might be the bottled water which is bottled on the Island.

    Go get the laundry done £1 per kg, and grab some lunch before we fly to Ende. It was terrible! Deep fried portion of chicken although I don't know which portion, firey hot sauce... I got cocky thinking it was tomato salsa had a gob full and nearly cried.

    Noblet tactically brought us to a restaurant with slow service so he could get out of walking to the airport.... In revenge, I got us 2 motorbikes to get us there (saved us £2 in the process).

    He had a 15kg rucksack of aswell... His terrified face was a picture and worth sacrificing some steps for!! The driver gave him a pink helmet and proceeded on the slowest motorbike journey ever .... Engine nearly died dragging his arse up the hills!!!! We drive past him and he is hanging on for dear life... Best £2 saving ever.

    He was like 'consider revenge had' haha

    We get to the worlds smallest airport Komodo, to find our flight to Ende has been delayed by 40 mins (its a 40 minute flight so not sure how this has been achieved!!)

    All construction details analysed. Continue with the same theory that no one in Asia can finish buildings, we've still not seen one its ridic!

    We're on Tsumami watch following an earthquake (our second at 5.2) there are warnings on all the TVs in the airport!i

    After a long delay we get on the prop plane which has 40 seats on it. Yet again we've managed to secure the seats at the front which come with additional leg room, thank god, Poor Noblet is hunched up otherwise! Think they give us these because they trust white people to follow the instruction card in case of emergency which sees us removing doors and getting everyone out lol.

    We land, in a storm, and it's a very bad landing where everyone on the plane shits themselves. We're in the midst of a monsoon. It's an insane downpour and the airfield is flooded under at least an inch of water. We're given umbrellas as we get off the plane and get to shelter as soon as possible, drenched, even with the protection of the baby umb. The lads working on the airfield are doing their signalling under an umbrella and a couple sack of duties and take refuge under the fuselage 😂

    Manage to share a minibus with a couple which halves the price winner, not one word of English between them but we offer them snacks and vice versa as seems the custom in Asia. They're friendly but there's a kid in the car and everyone's smoking, windows are open but the smokes just blown into the car.... Feels wrong but only the same as what everyone did 10 years ago. Understandable.... What we can't get our heads round is that we are driving through pristine rainforest and he finishes his 1.5L coke and lobs it out of the window.... Want to cry.... Then finishes his snacks, cardboard, plastic, polythene bag, cigaret plastic... Each done separately and with each drop it was like a massive I want to smash you in the face, but at the same time it's your culture observe only holly OMFG so annoying!!

    Looking at the villages as we drive through predominantly tin huts, some bamboo. Everyone is well fed, no one looks like they're starving unlike India. There's also more cats than dogs for the first time and there's not that many cats! All animals look well fed.

    We're making good time despite picking up a 50kg sack of rice, some lettuces and a few other bits and bobs on the way for our fellow travellers.... Driver was totes ok with it.

    Hotel, noodles & bed!

    In the morning 3.30am we're going to see mount Kelimutu!!

    Donkey Noblet for thinking the drivers aid he wanted money when he was saying we're nearly at moni!
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