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Kristofor Mallegrom
Kristofor Mallegrom

Kristofor Mallegrom

Long term travel enthusiast entering a new phase of travel with a young family of three boys ages 7, 5 and 1. Lue lisää🇦🇺Melbourne
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  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Siem Reap

    31. heinäkuuta 2011, Kambodza ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    fter another grueling long bus ride, we arrived at our final major stop of the tour; Siem Reap. This appears to be the most modern and developed Cambodian city of our adventures. It sits on the doorstep of the Angkor Wat temples, and has been developed largely over the last 10 years. It is a major touristy city, everyone seems to be coming or going from Siem Reap.
    Our arrival day was rather uneventful. We checked into the hotel, dropped our bags and laundry at reception, and went for a tour of the city on foot with our tour guide PK. We strolled along the river, through the park and side-streets.

    What could have been one of the more uplifting moments of the tour went sour here in the park. There was a stall of birds in cages, where you could pay a small fee ($1US) to set one pair free. Sounded good enough. With birds in hands, Nat and I smiled and prepared to do a nice thing. Nats bird flew off happily enough, mine went up.... and then... down onto the ground. Hopping in fear under some bushes. What was supposed to be good luck, didnt quite turn out that way.

    We headed back, where I elected to rest up, and Nat went off with a couple of the girls; Rachel and Kirsty to the nightmarkets.
    We met up for dinner outside of our hotel, for a casual meal and cocktail and early night.
    A big day lay ahead at the temples of Angkor Wat.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Kampong Chhnang

    30. heinäkuuta 2011, Kambodza ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    I woke up about 6am in our Phnom Penh hotel room, exhausted, staring at the roof. What I wouldn't do for an extra couple hours sleep. We had to bounce up, pack our things and head off early on our way to Khampong Chang about 3 hours away.
    The journey would take another 3 hours, via public bus. Sleep on the bus was not an option, due to a bumpy ride and an excessively loud, brutal horn, which the driver hooted with great frequency.
    At the half way point, we stopped for a break at a place called 'Spiderville' named so eloquently for the delicacy sold here: Deep fried Spiders... they looked even worse than you could imagine. I'll upload photos at the next opportunity. They were crawling with flies, looked old, and were accompanied by deep fried cockroaches Tasty..

    From here, we headed on to our destination.
    This town wasnt particularly impressive. A bit dirty, barron, not a tourist location, and more... fragrant than usual.
    Our activity of the day was a Tuk Tuk drive. The first destination was Nokor Wat, a buddhist temple initially constructed in the 12th century. It has since been renovated and the interior was built in 1920. At times, the lack of reverence and respect shown by the locals at these places surprises me. Much of this was built some 900 years ago, and im not sure the ancestors of the locals would have appreciated people lying around, smoking and laughing as their cats ran across old statues. Furthermore, old paintings, statues, are now coated in $$$ figures of donations. Culture smeared with the stench of currency seems to trivialize it all for me..?

    From here, we went for a drive through farming fields, to see the lifestyle and activities of the local farmers. 80% of Cambodias population are farmers. We then ventured to the hillside to visit the 'man and woman'mountain temples, reflective of old mythology. We're now off to dinner! Tomorrow, the adventure to Siem Riap beckons. We will stay there for 3 nights, and have the oppertunity to see the renowned Ankor Wat.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    The Killing Fields

    29. heinäkuuta 2011, Kambodza ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    We awoke from our jungle home-stay on very little sleep to the sound of another storm beating down on our tin-shed roof. We gathered our things, bid thanks and goodbye to the locals and were soon off to a locally prepared breakfast at the community center. The food consisted of baguettes with garlic butter, eggs and my own invention of coffee-tea. This occurs when you are not aware which pots contain water, which contain tea, and your host speaks limited to no English.
    Today's itinerary involved a trip back to the capital Phnom Penh. Most of us grabbed forty winks on the way, and a few hours later we were back where we started.
    First we enjoyed an incredible lunch. Tapas, smoothies and my choice being Brie, Bacon and Green Apple combined. Sounds crazy yes? But most tasty I assure you.

    The days two activities were most informative and incredible, yet dire and demoralizing. The first being the infamous 'killing fields.' Some 20,000+ people were tortured and executed here just some 35 years ago under the Khmer Rouge regime of Pol Pot, with some 2.2million killed in total. Here there were several landmarks to a variety of mass graves, along with a massive monument of human skulls.

    From here we went to the S21 museum, where several buildings were used as prison and torture cells during the same period. Many of the cells were as they were just years ago. Tiny, brutal, chains still intact, barbed wire, scratching marks in the walls and torture devices prevalent. There were photos and the stories of the perpetrators and victims of this horrible period in Cambodian history. The tour was made all the more vivid with our tour guide being one directly impacted by the tragedy.

    From here, we're off to dinner for the evening, and likely an early night!
    Tomorrow we're off to Kompong Cham for a new adventure!    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Chambok (Cambodia Home-Stay)

    28. heinäkuuta 2011, Kambodza ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today was the long awaited day of the 'home-stay' in the rural jungle of Cambodia. We awoke for breakfast, before boarding a private bus at about 11am. This was about a three hour drive from Sihanhoukville. We arrived in the mid-afternoon at the village community center. Here we listened to information and took a brief tour from the local guide.
    The lifestyle here is basic and quiet. Many monks reside in the area, children run amok and there are chickens and dogs roaming free also.

    Dinner was served around 5pm. It consisted of locally prepared cuisine including; potatoes, chicken, steamed vegetables, rice and bananas. Pretty tasty! Certainly better than expected.
    The last point of call was to actually head to our home stay for the night. This actually consisted of being broken up into two smaller groups (7 and 6) and actually sleeping in the residences of the locals.

    By the time we met our hosts of the evening darkness had already fallen on the jungle. We did have the opportunity to enjoy a couple of hours of 'charades'. The language barrier was prevalent as neither tourist nor local had any idea what the other was saying. We did manage to decipher that they found our height amazing and some basics of their family make-up.
    Now down to business.... attempting to sleep. The dwelling we were to retire in was essentially a large shed. There were no glass windows, just barred openings with shutters, which given the humidity were left open. The 'wildlife' was certainly active, with creepy crawlies, lizards, chickens, ducks and cows roaming about. We did have mosquito nets, so once settled in, Nat and I managed to get a couple hours sleep. The challenge was waking during the night to go for the bathroom. I wriggled free from the bed and net, only to find the floor coated in cockroaches and crickets.. three had made a point of lodging in my shoes, in each shoe that is.

    Overall, it was a memorable and eye-opening experience that Natalie and I both enjoyed thoroughly (I think). Aside from the lack of sleep and being taken out of our comfort zones, it was a privilege to have such an endearing opportunity that few others would ever know.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Sihanoukville

    26. heinäkuuta 2011, Kambodza ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today we met at about 10am for an over-land tour around the area of Sihanoukville. This would be a four part adventure! First up, we visited a small fishing village in the Port area. This was a really interesting look into a simple lifestyle. We'd just been to a fishing village in Hong Kong days earlier, but this was different again. Apparently theres some 300,000 people living in villages like this along the coast of Cambodia.
    From here, our private bus took us through a rocky jungle road to the beach. One thing I forgot to pack was my bathers. That didn't stop us all swimming and playing make-shift volleyball for an hour or so. We then relaxed at the beach front for lunch, cooked by our guide.

    The next stop was a nearby waterfall. We waited a while undercover upon arrival, as heavy rain had arrived. In the meantime we relaxed in hammocks and enjoyed some prickly local fruit; rambutans (similar to lychees). Once it cleared a little, we ventured over a rickety, Cambodian engineered bridge and waded to the base of the waterfall in a picturesque secluded little spot.
    The final spot for the day was a mountaintop pagoda. Here we got a great view of the town of Sihanoukville, as well as the chance to feed bananas to the monkeys that live here.
    On the conclusion of the day tour, we headed to the beach for dinner and drinks. We found a nice place, right on the sand. Here we all enjoyed good food, and cocktails.
    Eating in Cambodia is tremendously cheap. All meals were under $5 US. All cocktails were $2 US. I also ordered a couple of 'cocktail buckets' These were $4 US and served in a sandcastle bucket, probably the same size as 3-4 cocktails...

    After a few cocktails and dancing, we headed off to the same bar we went to last night. Before long, we were all swimming in the pool by the bar. An awesome night, that is just incomparable to anything that could be experienced back home.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Phnom Penh

    24. heinäkuuta 2011, Kambodza ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    After the initial Vietnam VISA debacle, our trip from Hong Kong to Cambodia actually went remarkably smoothly. We started on a brighter note, waking in our Executive Suite with plenty of time to still make breakfast. By noon, we were on a shuttle to the airport.
    We boarded our Dragon Air flight to Phnom Penh with little hassle, stress or concern. The flight was comfortable enough and before we knew it we were touching down @ Cambodia International Airport. Given how heartbreaking our previous VISA drama was, getting one organised at the Cambodian border was remarkably quick and easy.
    From here, our mission was to link up with our Intrepid tour group. Having missed the start of the tour in Vietnam the group was now simultaneously in Phnom Penh.

    We boarded a taxi from the airport for our first sights and experience in Cambodia. What a culture shock it was for Natalie in particular. Poverty aplenty, different dwellings and lifestyles. The most amazing thing to initially stand out was the traffic. Chaos. Mostly motorcycles, and no apparent road rules or safety concerns. There were upto 5 people per motorbike, less than 1/4 of people wearing helmets, some infants, some carrying ladders as passengers!
    We arrived at our first hotel: Dara Reang Sey 2 Hotel. We phoned our tour guide; PK and jumped on a tuk-tuk to meet the group. Our group consisted of 13 people, average age late 20s to early 30s, 3 english, 1 scottish, 2 canadian, 1 roman, and the rest australian.
    Weve finally arrived for our Cambodian Adventure!

    We woke from our 3rd story hotel room @ about 5am to the sound of excessive car, bike and truck honking. The traffic here is crazy and everyone loves a good honk. US Dollars is the preferred currency here. There is a local currency known as the Riel, but its become secondary to the US Dollar. Prices are generally listed in US Dollars. For breakfast, $4US got us pancakes, toast, juice, coffee and dragonfruit.
    Our first major sightseeing experience was the Cambodian Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. These were built in 1866 and 1892 respectfully. The Royal Palace is still used today and the current King resides privately behind the corronation Temple/ Throne Room.
    From there, we boarded a public bus bound for Sihanoukville some 250km southwest of Phnom Penh. The trip took about 4 hours.
    From there, we arrived at our new hotel the Holiday Inn. I enjoyed a $8 rib eye steak, several cocktails, and a cruisy night out at a local bar.
    I really like Sihanoukville. Much moreso than Phnom Penh. Its right on the beach, way more relaxed, casual and tropical. Theres heaps of lizards, cows and frogs here. Im hoping for some memorable experiences over the days to come.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Ocean Park Hong Kong

    22. heinäkuuta 2011, Hongkong ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    After being somewhat underwhelmed by Disneyland, we elected to use today to venture off to Ocean Park; an awesomely designed themepark on the peaks of Hong Kong. Its divided into two levels, one at the bottom of the mountain, and the other atop the peaks. To get between the two you have the option of a cable car, or express tram. The former is much more spectacular, if you're willing to wait in line..
    Crowds were again a problem as far as getting onto rides goes. We managed to get onto two, one being the Mine Car Rollercoaser, and the other the Wild Log ride. The mine car was awesome, a roller coaster with a most spectacular view! The second ride, was an excuse to get soaked, with the standard fun drop at the end. Aside from these rides, we managed to see the aquarium, panda exhibits and bird show. The downside was, it was all a bit rushed. We got transported there via tour, arriving 11.30am for pick up 4.45pm. We spent half of the time in queues or trapsing all over the massive scale of the theme park in ridiculous crowds at 35c and intense humidity.

    Having rushed around so much over the first few days, we elected to finish our Hong Kong adventure (or so we would think...) with a Night Cruise/boat ride on Victoria Harbour for the light show. This was most spectacular, arguably my favourite activity of Hong Kong. Finally just chilling out with a glass of wine and breathtaking view was a well received relief.
    So in conclusion, some perceptions on Hong Kong, the people, lifestyles and general observations:
    - Umbrellas: Everywhere. Everyone has them! I mean really? Are these THAT neccessary??? Yes its hot and sunny, but a bit of Vitamin D dosnt go astray. The amount of times I was near decapitated by vicious umbrella movements was utterly countless.
    - Rudeness and naivity: I'd always considered that Hong Kong would have a polite and courteous nature. Alas, it appears these concepts are utterly foreign to so many that live here. Its not as if people are purposely rude here, its just that the very idea of considering the well being of another person in their vacinity never even registers. Queue courtesy, personal space, just the ability to line up, be patient. Time and time again, clerks and hospitality staff must have noticed an appauled or bemused look of disgust on our faces collectively. Pushy times!
    - Midget fever: I think this must have been one of the first times that Natalie felt TALL. Often she was the next tallest in a crowd behind me. The amount of buildings/ rides or locations I had to almost get on all fours to get through was vast. It took me about 5minutes to get on the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland, and by the time that happened, and my knees were beside my ears, I was ducking with fear at the constant beams hurtling towards my head.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Disney Land Hong Kong

    21. heinäkuuta 2011, Hongkong ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Disneyland - Hong Kong, its just not exhilarating. It wont take your breath away, addict you or have you craving more, more, MORE. Its a decent enough novel experience. All the giddy, catchy and irritating Disney tunes are there; Aladdin, the little mermaid, beauty and the beast... songs you thought had died some years ago or been forgotten in childhood are back to drive their way into your skull. I'm not sure what the suicide count is on the 'its a small world' ride, but it must be in the millions. Hearing this song play about 348 times in succession is enough to drive the most hardened will to the brink of oblivion.
    We arrived around 11am. The attractions we managed to enjoy; Tarzan's Island, Space Mountain, the Lion King show, the 4d theatre show, an average fast food lunch, and that's actually about it. This took 7 hours for the record, the worst part being a lengthy, disgusting wait for the space mountain ride. Getting aboard, eventually, was actually pretty fun. The price we paid was a huge wait, with pushing, shoving primitive locals, who behaved with the manners and patience of animals. Even the staff were at times shocked, holding the beasts at bay.

    The 4d ride was awesome, really good quality 3d, smell, the feel of wind, water, to your Disney favorites. Leaving Disneyland, the skies being as blue as we'd seen them in Hong Kong, Nat and I elected to go straight for the peak lookout. We eventually got to the top via public bus 15C, and were treated with some great views. We were just in time, before a typical Hong Kong fog started to descend on the peak. We enjoyed a nice dinner, before descending ourselves on the 'Peak Tram' back to the ground of Hong Kong island. We adventured on foot through the streets at around midnight to Central station and were back home!
    An exhausting day in the end, but another good one :-)
    Tomorrow, Ocean Park, and perhaps an evening boat ride to soak up the city lights for our final night.    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Hong Kong

    20. heinäkuuta 2011, Hongkong ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    We made it! QF029 eventually touched down at Hong Kong International airport around 5.50am local time. The pre-booked emergency exit seats were well worthwhile, making it a most comfortable (and roomy) flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne. I was initially terrified at spotting a mother with a young baby sitting accross from me, but to my relief, that was one well behaved and quiet baby! The flight ran relatively smoothly, with the exception of a lightning bolt striking right next to the wing, terrifying Natalie and the nearby air hostess!
    We managed a couple hours of half sleep/ rest on the flight. Upon arrival, we purchased a 3 day HK Rail Pass, and jumped on the MTR to Kowloon station. Now I know you're all well familiar with my sincere love of Metro Trains.

    The very fact that the Hong Kong MTR Rail is run by the same company as Metro Trains is utterly baffling. The rail network here is FANTASTIC! Trains run every 5-8 minutes, the network grid is clear and gets you wherever you need to be quickly.
    We arrived at Kowloon station, and ambled onto a random shuttle bus under vague guidance... it sorta bundled us, free of charge to apparently within walking distance of our hotel, and before we knew it, we were there.
    Arrival @ Hotel Panorama by Rhombus. We were greeted, dropped our bags off and ventured off to Lantau Island for the day by MTR.
    What a great first day Natalie and I had. We jumped on a cable car, that took about 20-25 minutes, and climbed high over the rocky mountains of the Island, towards Ngong Ping. Here we signed up for a tour. This included first, a trip to Tai O Fishing village by bus. This village was a great first taste of alternate culture for Natalie. Houses on the water on stilts, temples, and just about everything you can imagine that lives under the sea, ready for immediate consumption for half a dollar .. sea cucumbers, starfish, even sting ray. It was there!

    Next stop was the Po Lin Monastery. This was a giant buddhist temple on the mountain top. Very impressive. We stopped here for lunch, and some authentic chinese cuisine. We tried it, but we didnt really love it. The final stop on the island was the giant Tian Tan Buddha! This is the worlds largest bronze buddha statue. It was impressive, well that is, what we could see of it. By this time, a mist had descended upon the mountain top. We took what pictures we could and ventured back to the hotel to check in.
    After initial negotiation with the room, we took a break, before heading to 'happy hour'. This is an awesome concept. A cafe near the top floors of the hotel, breaktaking views, free alcohol, a great place to watch the light show with views of Victoria harbour. There was snack food included, but then we headed around the corner for a meal at a the Biergarten German Resteraunt. That was it! What a great first day :)

    Points to note: At this stage, my phone isnt working. International roaming hasnt connected for some reason. Ive emailed Telstra this morning, hoping to get that sorted.
    Its our second day today! I've already got 150+ photos.. haha. I'll upload some either tonight or tomorrow morning. We've gotta get a move on and get to Disneyland.
    Finally, just thinking, its quite unlikely i'll be able to update this on a frequent basis for this trip, especially after we leave Hong Kong in a couple days.
    I'll do it, it just might take quite some time/ big delays, esp in uploading photos, as this can take some time. Internet cafes seem scarse here, im typing this from behind reception/ business centre at the hotel. Well, thats it for now! Disneyland time!    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Kristofor MallegromMap Asia 2011Matkaaja

    Start of Asia 2011 Trip (with Natalie)

    19. heinäkuuta 2011, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C
  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Melbourne (End)

    14. heinäkuuta 2010, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    After an incredible trip, I now find myself at home, in my room, on my own computer.
    Today's seen me sleep about 14 hours... through sheer exhaustion.
    As expected, there's plenty of mixed emotion and feeling towards returning to my native habitat.

    The comfort of reasonable routine and association with what i know returns.
    Yet on the other hand, the prospect to explore, discover and learn is drastically minimised.

    In reflecting on my adventures, I decided to consider, what was best. What were the top 5 experiences, the highs, and lows of a holiday to remember. Without too much thought, here is what i think.

    Top 5 African Experiences;

    5. THE 2010 WORLD CUP, South Africa (Various)Obviously a huge part of the reason i was here in the first place. Attending World Cup matches was pretty special. It was awesome of course just being around the world cup, not just watching random matches at my leisure, but seeing the impact, the great impact it had on a nation. Watching in bars, restaurants and fan-parks (at normal hours) was awesome.
    Attending the games, was of course even better. I had the pleasure of seeing 8 matches in total, in Cape Town, Durban, Nelspruit and Rustenburg. The Australia and Holland games were particularly special to be at (along with Portugals demolition of DPR Korea).

    4. BLYDE RIVER CANYON, Mpumpulanga, South Africa
    This was definatley the biggest 'shock' spectacular of my tour. In fact, prior to departure for Africa i didnt even know I would be seeing it. The Third Largest Canyon IN THE WORLD (Behind 1. Grand Canyon US, and 2. Fish Creek Canyon, Namibia), and the LARGEST 'Green Canyon' due to its sub-tropical foliage, made it an incredible sight to behold. It is also known as one of the great wonders of nature on the continuent.

    3. TABLE MOUNTAIN, Cape Town, South Africa
    Just an incredible natural monument I wont soon forget. It wasnt only spectacular from the top, but brought a smile to my face whenever I looked at . The awe-inspiring mountain face could be seen near anywhere from Cape Town, towering over the city, making it such a spectacular place to be.
    Flanked by Devil's Peak and the Lions Head on either side, it was a massive flat plateau which offered spectacular views for miles. A place you could explore and hike time and time again.

    2. VICTORIA FALLS, Zambia
    It was a big sacrifice giving up the World Cup Knock Out phase, to explore Africa, however in hindsight, not the least bit regrettable (3 out of 5 of these African experiences being out of my World Cup Route). Any tour I was to take, HAD to see Victoria Falls, and im ever so glad of that decision and committment. Theres waterfalls, and then theres this; an incredible, breathtaking Wonder of the World. Whilst niether the highest or widest, it is the LARGEST (width x height) forming the largest sheet of falling water on the planet. The awe inspiring (and drenching from close proximity) power of this waterfall was incredible to behold, as was the spectacular views from above, on my scenic helicopter ride.

    1. KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, Mpumpulanga/Limpopo, South Africa
    Given its hype, I was somewhat skeptical this would live upto its name. It did, easily. Being an avid animal-lover, there is nothing more spectacular than seeing the greatest animals to roam the planet, in the wild, doing their own thing, at their own pace. Never again will I feel the same satisfaction from any zoo, crowding around a cage to catch a glimpse of a lion resting behind a bush.

    Not only was i treated to seeing EVERY possible animal i could have hoped for, my tour group was acclaimed by our leader as 'The Luckiest' he had ever seen in his 6 year career. We saw each and everything we could have hoped for, on multiple occaisions and at near touching distance. Its an experience I'll never forget. Additionally, given its massive size, its a place you could visit again in the future, for a whole new set of sightings and experiences.

    Pros and Cons of the World Cup in Africa

    + Relaxed Attitude - Definatley not a stressful place. People seem very carefree, approachable and mostly helpful.
    - Africa Time - Relaxed attitude comes with a cost. Everything here happens at its own pace. Forget efficient, punctual service. It dosnt exist. Yes, there might seem like the resteraunt is WAY overstaffed, and theres no customers, but you'll just have to wait.

    + Primal Nature - Everything is built by convenience, and neccessity. Whilst the main cities are somewhat westernised, much of civilization is spaced out and simple. Sometimes you wonder just how many human feet have touched certain areas.
    - Chaotic Nature - Much of Africa is disorganised, and unplanned. Road design and networks are often unsafe and confusing. Street names have been changed without notice. Drivers change lanes and often run red lights without warning.

    + Good Security - Security for the World Cup period was solid. Apart from occasional beggers, none of myself nor my travel companions encountered any sort of danger or fear.
    - Crime Still Prevalent - This largely applies to Durban, but there were still plenty of examples of mass police arrests/ apprehension. Road blocks, people being handcuffed, pulled over. When you look into a doorway in an un-populated street and see an extensive amount of blood, this is somewhat concerning.

    + Local Enthusiasm - Aside from a few low-key matches, the World Cup generated tremendous support and enthusiasm from Africans. Especially admirable was the togetherness support was for the African nations (despite doing poorly). This meant for incredible atmosphere and excitement for every match watched out, and every goal scored.
    - Vuvuzelas - Initially an amusing novelty, the sound of these horns still rings in my ears. Even if you were to argue they were decent as background sound AT World Cup Matches, they destroyed any of the culture or class of national chants/ atmosphere, drained out by what sounded like mosquitos buzzing around your head. In addition, you would hear these EVERYWHERE you went, Shopping Centres, having a quiet drink, Resteraunts, ANYWHERE
    . The instrument itself requires no skill, and develops no rythm. Hearing them at 2am when ur trying to sleep, just sealed the deal for my hatred of this instrument.

    + Australian Performance - Aside from terrible tactics, and a thumping in their opening game, it was certainly inspiring watching the two subsequent efforts. A draw against Ghana with 10 men, which they almost could have won, and then deserved victory over Serbia, with two incredible goals.
    - The Fanatics - Made you truly ashamed to be Australian. A Tour Group, that had no idea. Not only the worst tour company i have experienced, but possibly the most incompetent organisation, period. The organisation sucked as much as 99% of those who signed up for their World Cup experience. The Group itself; picked us up for transport at stupid times, were unorganized, gave us match tickets ON THE DAY the tournament started, didn't have answers, didn't meet itinerary, lost people, winged it, and didn't know what they were doing.
    The Fantics fans; were rude, only pride was how smashed they could get, ignorant, arrogant, quick to anger, naive, selfish, thew beer bottles on the field, could be found urinating in crowded areas as they exited the stadium, ungrateful, unintelligent, embaressing.

    + World Cup Discoveries and Surprises - A world cup of surprise and discovery, a historical first for location, and historical first winner in Spain. Several teams surprised and dissapointed, and new players were discovered, like Tomas Mueller (young player of tournament and golden boot winner). Holland delightfully overachieved, finishing second, Spain lived up to their potential and Germany played beautiful football. England, France and Italy provided epic dissapointment, and Uruguay somehow managed to finish fourth, thanks to Forlan, deserved player of the tournament.
    - Diving and Poor Referee decisions, Again - Lampard's disallowed goal was as close to actually touching the back of the net, as it was to not crossing the line. Could Tevez have been ANY MORE offside against Mexico? Once again, on Several occasions the refs got it horribly wrong in South Africa; so wrong, it changed or ruined games. There was an overkill of red cards, and rash decisions. Additionally, the old 'fall to the ground holding ur face when tapped on the ankle' was painstakingly prevalent again. It gives football a terrible name when the 'new follower' catches a glimpse of it. We need video replays as refereeing is just not good enough. We also need these replays to give stiff suspensions to players 'exaggerating' injury.

    So thats about it for now. A quick reflection on what has been the month of a lifetime. Memories i'll never forget, and cherish always. Now all there is to do, is plan my next adventure, and there will certainly be plenty more to come.
    On top of that, theres no way i'll be missing the next edition of the World Cup in four years time. Bring on Brazil 2014!!    Lue lisää

    Katso käännös
  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Singapore

    12. heinäkuuta 2010, Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    So after 35 days in Africa, I'm Finally off home.
    Aside from the prospects of work and routine, I was ready to.
    Ready to sleep in my own bed, see my friends, and family.
    Actually get some rest, as whilst its been an incredible trip, its been far from relaxing.

    The trip home altogether, took some 25 hours. 4 hours wait at Johannesburg airport, 10 hour flight to Singapore, another 4 hours wait in Singapore, then 7 hours flight back to Melbourne.
    Both flights were packed out, and Matt and I were both given 'middle' seats, of course not even next to each other.
    A few spots on the second leg of the flight to Melbourne, saw me quickly claim a front row seat at least, giving me some leg room.

    We eventually landed home cleared customs and headed our seperate ways (Dave off to Israel for 3 months).
    What a great experience this trip has been. One of the best things I've ever done, and I vow that Africa has definitely not seen the last of me. I will be back for more in the not too distant future.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Durban

    10. heinäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    The final day, E-Day, the end, the conclusion; it was fitting enough that my final day on African soil would fall on the day of the World Cup Final.
    Somehow, it was a world cup final that included my beloved Netherlands. Up against however, the best team in the tournament, player for player - Spain.
    We awoke around 10am for a marathon period of drama, football and travel. Little did I know, that from that point, I would sleep a mere 2 hours, in the next 50+

    Our destination of choice to watch the final, was to be the Durban fanfest, the next place to be, outside Soccer City itself.
    The pre-match weather was a bit concerning. The Durban slogan for the world cup was 'The Warmest Place to be'

    It was fittingly ironic, as this was about the highlight of the city, literally. Furthermore, despite mostly being blue skies and warm enough, the day of the final saw ominous black clouds sweeping in, alongside high winds, just hours before kickoff.

    We piled into the stadium along with some 40,000 fans, for the Closing Ceremony and quick dinner. There was an impressive atmosphere in there, of which id say Spanish fans dominated support by 6-1.
    It was about the most intense nerve racking sporing occaision id ever watched, eclipsing the Hawthorn Geelong 2008 Grand Final.

    Without going into too much detail, Spain won their first ever World Cup, and Holland finished runners-up for the third time. The cons, it was obviously shattering with only 4 minutes til the lottery of penalties, Robben missed a couple guilt edged chances, and Heitinga's very soft Red card, contributed immensely to Iniesta having the space to win it

    The pros; Holland well and truly eclipsed pre-tournament expectations by a mile, and have claimed second spot, and Rank 2 in the World. Despite playing an ugly physical final, they matched Spain, closed them down everywhere, and did what they had to do. It was little more than bad luck that saw them eventually beaten.

    The trip back to the hotel wasn't without controversy. I managed to leave my mobile phone in the taxi back, and spent the next couple hours (with the assistance of our hotel manager) finding phones, and ways to convince him to get back to our hotel and drop it off. I got it back, but by the time all that had happened, i had little over an hour to sleep (depressed and distressed) before leaving for the airport to leave African soil for home.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Winterton Drakensberg

    9. heinäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    I eventually managed to convince Matt and Dave that a daytrip out towards Drakensberg was well worth doing.
    Drakensberg or Drakensbergen is Dutch for 'the Dragon Mountains'
    Its an impressive mountain range of peaks and hills aplenty, great for exploring, camping and hiking.
    The problem was getting there
    We made the mistake of deviating from the M3 (Freeway) after Pietermaritzburg.
    We learned the hard way, that travel on 'light coloured' roads on a map in Africa is best avoided for future reference. The road deteriorated from paved, to gravel, to dirt, to rock, to.. well, near dangerous.
    From a positive perspective, it took us through small villages, and a winding pass through the hills that few had ever seen.

    At a time, it had us on a thin dirt road, travelling 20km/p hr, on a winding elevated road, where you could see no sign of civilization.
    The negative side of things meant that by the time we eventually found our way to Cathedral Peak in the Drakensberg, it was 4pm, and there was not enough time to do anything.
    We walked around the hotel and entrance areas, but were advised to do little else, with light dwindling. It was a teasing ordeal of epic proportions. I couldnt help despair at how beautiful the place appeared, how nice the hotel was, and how fulfilling it would be to spend DAYS there, hiking, exploring, and sightseeing.
    Alas, I managed to snap a bunch of photos, and we had to be on hour way. Tragically, it took little over 2 hours to get back via the highway, as opposed to the 6 hours it took getting there...
    It was a place id truly like to come back to for a few days, next time I'm in Africa.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Pietermaritzburg

    3. heinäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    It was a bit of a mixed bag really for Matts Birthday in Durban.
    Matt and Dave arrived the day before, so today was our first trip out, the three of us.
    The foremost plan was to go to Lion Park, near Pietermaritzburg.

    It was hardly the most glamourous place i have been to. It was advertised as a drive through a lion game reserve. In reality, it was more like a dozen lions dumped into a small enclosure you can drive next to and watch sleep.

    Dave and I decided to attempt to surprise Matt by taking him quad-biking, which he wanted to do. Our cover story, was we were visiting a 'waterfall' on the way back, the real location being a 'Thrills Park'

    When we arrived, we were to be sorely dissapointed... it was thrills park alright, for all the wrong reasons. The actual location, was in the middle of nowhere, in a poverty striken area.
    There were no completed buildings to this park, one half constructed shack. There was no security. All 'Thrills' were under construction.
    There was no way i was doing anything, leaving my camera in the car to be stolen. The others were to attempt Quad-biking, only to find the bikes so dangerous and unsafe, they decided against it. Fair enough too. When the 'thrill' is potential injury, mugging of death, its not so appealing.

    In the end, we ended up at Pavillion Mall, to play minigolf. The trip there was interesting enough. Not a white person to be seen, and unexplained crowds everywhere... there were buses so full people were hanging out of the door.
    It has been decided that Durban itself is a hole... the city feels unsafe, is drastically polluted, poorly designed, and most of the street names have been changed, making it extremely difficult to navagate. In addition.. traffic is a joke.. and as dangerous as iv ever seen.
    Minigolf, when we arrived was very fun, and we enjoyed dinner at an Italian resteraunt before the days end. Watermelon cocktails are awesome!!!

    Tomorrow is the big semi final between Holland and Uruguay, and im also looking at doing the following over the next few days; Aquarium, Bird Park, maybe Drakensburg, maybe another game park.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Victoria Falls

    1. heinäkuuta 2010, Sambia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today, we made the final part of our travels into Zambia, to the infamous Victoria Falls.
    This waterfall is the largest in the world, in terms of the amount of water that goes over the falls. It is also considered among the seven natural wonders of the world, and more than a mile long.

    The border crossing from Botswana to Zambia was amusing indeed. We boarded a barge to cross the Zambezi river. Suffice to say, the barge itself would have struggled to meet safety standards in Australia.. It was wood, with some broken safety barriers, a couple of motors, and thats about it.
    It took a while to get organised and through the border, but wasn't as bad as usual according to our tour leader

    It wasn't too far of a drive onwards to Victoria falls itself, where we had a couple hours to explore/ walk around the falls.
    Views from above were spectacular indeed. You couldnt see the whole thing, or down to the bottom, due to the extensive spray. Baboons also roamed the area, and were everpresent!
    We then hired some raincoats, and ventured down, closer to the falls themselves. You would get more than a bit wet, without these coats, getting close compared to an absolute downpour, due to the spray.
    It wasnt really possible to take photos from here, but it was just awe inspiring to get so close to such a massive waterfall. So much water, such power.
    Onwards we trekked to our accomdation - the Waterfront.
    Here we booked activities for the next day, and embarked on our evening activity - a sunset dinner/drinks cruise on the river Zambezi.
    This was nice, and i met lots of cool people on board.
    It was a huge nights of drinks, and i hardly slept a wink, before being picked up at 6am the next day for my first activity.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Nata

    30. kesäkuuta 2010, Botswana ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today, I entered my second African country, Botswana.
    It was the most painful day of the tour for the most part, travelling about 1000kilometres for the day.
    Nearly the whole day was consumed by driving along dirt roads.
    We also added 4 young Aussie guys onto the tour, which made things alot louder. They were nice enough guys, but not really my type of company.
    Our destination for the day eclipsed the unpleasantness of the journey.
    Our accomodation was to be a place called Elephant Sands, in the Nata region, slightly north of central Botswana.
    The name of this location was self explanatory; it was sandy plains, loaded with elephants. Our campsite itself was in the absolute wilderness.
    The exhilarating part, was as the sun set, elephants came from all directions to drink from the pool by the bar. The accommodation, whilst awesome looking, was impractical and caused me to have a long night..
    They were little chalets, but the connecting shower was open, with no roof, no mosquito nets, and no privacy... I put on a grand show for an elderly couple in the adjacent cabin im sure, as you could see right into where i showered.
    The evening was awesome. A great dinner, and wherever you walked, you could find elephants just meters away, within touching distance, drinking, breaking branches, or just hanging out!
    I lay down to sleep in awe of my surroundings. Outside my cabin, through the twig walls you could see the silhoutees of Elephants, not 5 metres away.
    From here things went downhill.. mosquitos invaded my hut... and with no mosquito net, or anywhere to hide, i was forced to vacate. Mosquitos flying into my ears, and likely brimming with Malaria, didnt sit well with me.
    I weaseled my way in through the back window of our bus, and slept there for the remaining 4 hours of the night... or at least tried to.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Polokwane

    29. kesäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today involved two activities.
    Firstly, was a trip to the Cheetah Conservation Park near Polokwane.
    This place is set up to preserving and protecting several endangered species, primarily the Cheetah, but also the Wild Dog, Black Rhinos, Lions, and Ground Hornbills.
    It was a decent enough visit, including a guided tour and drive around their facilities. Theres something not quite the same about viewing animals in captivity.. considering how inspiring Kruger had been.
    Even still it was good to see Cheetah up close, and we had an interesting encounter with the wild dogs indeed, them howling and laughing and making a hell of a lot of noise in our presence. Tragically, we didnt get to see the Ground Hornbills..

    From here, we drove onwards to Polokwane.
    Here, overlooking the World Cup stadium was a small national park we explored. It took a while, but eventually we found a large pack of White Rhinos, we were able to get up close and personal with.
    Onwards to dinner at another great quality lodge. The bar and dining area was actually inside the owners home, making it very homely and cozy indeed.
    Then I retired to watch a horrible 0-0 draw between japan and paraguay, the latter eventually getting up in the tournaments first penalty shootout.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Kruger National Park

    27. kesäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today was our first of 2 days to explore the world-renowned Safari Park - Kruger.
    Prior to arriving however, we had a cruise along a nearby river. The cruise set off shortly after breakfast and consisted of a few hours. Along the way we caught sight of a couple of crocodiles, and many hippos, well.. at least their eyes and ears popping above the watertop.
    There was also an amusing Zulu Dance/ Show here, which was very impressive.

    Eventually by mid-afternoon, we arrived in Kruger and had a couple of hours to explore.
    We were welcomed by a frisky young elephant, running around on a mission to go someplace.
    Before long, on our first day, we managed to see Impala, Springbok, Vervet Monkeys, Zebra, Girraffe, many birds, and the grand finale, was a Leopard

    This leopard had climbed up into a tree with his prey. As we could see, Leopards are strong enough to drag a huge impala carcass up into the tree to keep with them, and protect from being scavanged by other predators.

    We arrived back at our lodge for the next two nights - The Zinverloon Safari lodge (spellling?).
    It was an awesome place... the rooms nice little thatched roof huts.. along with a cool bar area by the pool and campfire.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Blyde River Canyon

    26. kesäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today I was picked up from the Ritz Backpackers, nice and early for my ACACIA Tour - Joburg to Vic Falls.
    We started off at 5am. For the first 5 days of the 7, our group was to be just 5 of us. Myself, and two older couples (30s-40s)
    One Couple - Paul and Victoria, the other Terry and Mary.
    It was a really nice group, which made the trip that extra bit special.
    In addition, we had our tour leader, Vessel (a local white-Africaan from Polokwane) and his girlfriend/assistant, Georgie (an Aussie staying here for a couple years).
    The Highlight of the first day was definatley Blyde River Canyon, the third largest Gorge in the World, and the Largest Gorge that is Green (unlike the Grand Canyon).
    There were spectacular views all round.
    From there we travelled on to our first nights stop for the day nearby.
    This little lodge, was located off road, in a game park. We quickly went off for a dusk safari, but didnt see anything.. that is until the sun came down. We were lucky enough to see a Black Rhino with her cub, which was pretty special.
    It was a great start to the trip :)    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Johannesberg

    25. kesäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    So I arrived in Johannesburg just for the one night at the Ritz Backpackers.
    I arrived 9pm on the Friday night, for pickup by ACACIA at 5am the following morning.
    Everything went relatively smoothly.
    The Backpackers itself was simple, with humorously exposed showers, but all in all good enough for somewhere to spend the night.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Cape Town

    24. kesäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Hello! Just a note that today is my last in Cape Town.
    Its been an incredible couple of weeks, and i think this has been one of the most breathtaking cities iv ever seen.
    Tomorrow, i fly to Johannesburg for a night, before i head off on a 7 day Safari.
    That will take me to Kruger NP, Botswana, and up to Zambia, finishing at Victoria falls.
    From there, i fly back to Durban to spend 10 days.

    In the time i am on Safari, I may or may not be able to upload photos and blogs. Please do keep up with the messages on here, and text messages. Its nice to hear whats happening back home. At the latest, I will have more blogs and photos when I arrive in Durban on July 2nd.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Nelspruit

    23. kesäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today was crunch time for the Australian team.
    After gathering a mere one point from their first two fixtures, the Australian team needed nothing less than a win, and a whole heap of good fortune from the Ghana Vs Germany game, in order to progress.
    It was again a terrible start to the day, thanks to the Fanatics Tour group. We were informed, the night before our flight, to be up and ready to leave just after 7. After doing this, getting ready to go and heading to the door in the morning, they then informed us we now didnt have to leave til 9.45.
    Being a last-group-game, half of the organisation for this day was done through FIFA.
    Fanatics were given a lesson on how to organise bus transport, and it was way more efficient

    We eventually arrived in Nelspruit around 1.30pm.
    I gotta say, iv been to alot of airports, domestic and international around the world, but this one was certainly among the simplest. The airport itself was little more than a thatched roof hut...
    From there, we were whisked off to a bar known as 'The Stables' to hang out and watch the England Vs Slovenia match...
    I thought it may be a themed bar, but no, this place was ACTUALLY a stable... lol or at least had been very recently.
    It wasnt too long before England were through and we were off to the stadium for the Australia match!
    The situation was simple... win.. (by as much as possible), and hope either Germany thrashed Ghana.. or Ghana beats Germany by any margin.
    The travel with the fanatics was painful as always, before and after the match... obnoxious chants, being loud for the sake of being loud... it wasnt fun. The majority of it is fueled by Aussies being desperate attention seekers, desperate to impress one another, and part of it, drinking as much as possible at all times, just for the sake of it

    The stadium itself was quite cool. Its actually the smallest stadium to be used at the world cup with a capacity of 40,000. There are 18 Metal giraffes forming the exterior of the stadium, as giant pillars, with glowing (kinda creepy) red eyes.
    Inside, you are close to the pitch, which was in immaculate condition.
    The first half saw us well outplayed by the Serbs. Especially in the centre of the park. It remained goalless throughout, though we really should have trailed at the break, given the chances.
    The second half saw Australia rise to the challenge, and score two fantastic goals, right under our noses where we were sitting. The first, a remarkable leaping header from Timmy Cahill, and the second an even more incredible long range strike from Brett Holman. 2 up, and a chance at progression.
    The hope didnt last too long - news of Germany narrowly leading Ghana by 1-0, and soon thereafter Schwartzer gifting the Serbians a goal from a fumble

    Our hopes for progression were over, but not Serbias. They poured forward, knowing a goal would put them through.
    It was an intense final 15 minutes.. Serbia pushing everything forward and leaving massive gaps at the back for Australia to exploit. Somehow, niether team managed to score, especially Serbia, who had a last minute effort hashed somehow over the bar from point blank range.
    So then, Australias world cup ends. It was a valiant, albeit unsuccessful conclusion to their campaign.
    Its frustrating that the damage was done in an abysmal first game, and that we could also have progressed should Wilshire have tucked away his chance against Ghana.
    It goes to show that to guarantee yourself qualification in such a tournament, you must play 3 good games. We only managed 2.    Lue lisää

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  • Kristofor MallegromMap World Cup 2010Matkaaja

    Paarl

    22. kesäkuuta 2010, Etelä-Afrikka ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    http://www.travelark.org/travel-blog-entry/tofo…

    Today I was picked up at 8.30 for a wine tour with a small group.
    The tour went to a variety of vineyards from the region of Stellenbosch and Paarl, just northeast of Cape Town.

    There were three different places for wine tasting, which included both red and whites, as well as a couple desert wines.
    Im not huge on reds, but a couple of them were drinkable enough to suggest that more mature tastebuds would appreciate them. The cheese tasting was equally as awesome... how I love cheeses.

    We stopped at the historic town of Stellenbosch to walk about at lunch. Its a beautiful little town, where one of Cape Towns best universities is located. We had a nice lunch at a vineyard here. It was really beautiful, a light steak with wine, in the sunshine overlooking mountain ranges and wine fields

    The final stop was Paarl, dutch for the word Pearl, after the appearance of two giant boulders on the horizon, when they glimmer in the sunlight.
    Along the way here we also stopped by Victor Verster Prison where Nelson Mandela was finally released from imprisonment in 1990.
    The tour was a most welcome change of pace in regards to the company. It was refreshing to meet and travel with an awesome, intelligent and cultured group of people from all ages, and all over the world. There were two people from Germany, two from America, two young guys from Denmark, and a couple from England. It was kinda sad to say goodbye after the full day tour..

    It wont be so difficult to say goodbye to my fanatics group, in just a couple days time.    Lue lisää

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