Return to Eden: 10/01/2006

the photos I nearly forgot!

A chilling shot I took in Tuol Sleng (former Khmer Rouge S-21 prison), genocide museum, Cambodia.

warnings.....

a flash packers paradise!

James Bond Island? its famous for one of the bond movies!

The last leg, safe and sound.

It seemed that every where we traipsed around the countryside terrorists were on our tail! From a tourist bus blowing up in Turkey one week after we departed, to bombs going off in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt- while we were asleep on the beach in Dahab because it was so hot in the flat. The London bombings happened before we even arrived. In Phuket there was an altercation with a man and an iguana. Yes I, Animal Activist Acey started it because I did not want my photo taken with an animal that should be in the jungle not on some blokes shoulder. He was trying to get a reaction (which he did) then went away, ditched the iguana and got his mate, because he knew the police force does not entirely favour the farang and there may have been some extra cash (i.e. ours) in his and his mates pocket at the end of it. Never mind the fact that it is illegal to have in your possession a wild animal in Thailand This, the night before we left Thailand may have been the cause of the Military coup on the streets of Bangkok I am not entirely sure. It is official we were the last plane out on that fateful night! There was a look of worry in our eyes… It’s been so long since we have been home – so close yet so far! We did it all in some sort of flash packer* style and kept the parents nerves on edge. Never the less we managed to stay safe thoughout it all. I still refuse to live in fear. I will see what I want to see. I have written a letter to the King of Thailand, The new Prime Minister and the main Thailand Tourist Associations about the state of things over there. I had it translated into Thai by Siri who lives in Phuket. I hope it makes some sort of an impact. It’s all about education over there, not just the kids and the locals but also the tourists. We are just as responsible as they are. If you want to read what I penned to them let me know I can send it to you or perhaps I will place it on the blog. I am patiently waiting for a reply from them. I will let you know. I am also about to pen my letter about the bears in Cambodia, watch you inbox soon. I will save the world, or at least make it a safer place for us, the environment and the animals, with a lot of help from my friends. I have finally succumbed to the fact that I can not do it alone!

Hey now don’t get me wrong it has not been all bad; we have seen some great sights – Sitting on Angkor Wat to watch the sunset and dreading the decent back down the steep stairs; on to the Eiffel Tower, the crazy prices and the waiting to go up it and see the view. We are now experienced in some fantastic culture- Buddha is watching over us, to three months of comprehending and living with the Muslim faith, then listening to church bells ring out and on and on in Austria, Croatia and Italy, Catholics! No-one could say we are religiously blind.
Food culture has been phenomenal- Turkey by far has the best tomatoes and spices in the world, Egyptian fare; nothing to write home about but it would keep you alive for a few days if you were starving! King chicken was probably the best in Dahab, as well as the seafood that probably swam past us while we were diving that day! HHHMMMM moral issues arise again!
Italian, True Italian oh yeah, mama mia! The restaurant we found in Naples owned and run by Nona and Poppa, fighting (throwing pans and lots of yelling) in the kitchen as they made our dinner, must have been a love fight cause damn that was good food. The local wine from the same restaurant- a bucket (well, ok a large carafe!) full to the brim for 6 Euros! Take me back there any day! Austrian’s love their speck noodle with sauerkraut, to the Mother Country of good ole fish and chips and a traditional Sunday roast either at the P.A. or the Paddenburgs. While in Scotland (and Thailand, strangely) we sampled haggis, We both are still not that keen on it.
Crepes in Paris that were more of a meal than a snack, of all things in France Korean BBQ?! Some really good ice-cream there also! Eating horse pate at a Sicilian wedding, now that was morally challenging! Good food and good times in Croatia and we were defiantly not hungry in Hungary. That of course leads me to Asian food! Most definite this is my favourite from anywhere, we found a great small restaurant in Karon, Phuket; The Red Onion, David still knows his favourite #63a from there Duck Red Curry.
So here we are, finding ourselves back on common (yet very dry) ground of the best country in the world (just don’t tell anyone OK?!) Australia. And oh how we love it! And oh how we need to preserve this great mix of culture; without becoming to like another large mass of land, America.
It’s been a whirl wind since we arrived back, organising my house to live in, catching up with people and still many to catch up with. I am getting there I promise! David is already back at work and I am searching and applying, maybe even looking into doing some writing on the side as well as trying to save the world, I will see what eventuates!
It’s been real people. I have really enjoyed keeping my blog and everyone up to date with where we were and what we were doing. Getting feedback from you while we were overseas and now that we have finally returned has been a real boost.
Oh yeah, if you want to blame anyone for us being overseas for so long you have to blame Marty and Lou, we had to go to the wedding as we were so close!
I have not put up a whole heap of photos, as being that we are back at my little shack in the bush we are forced to resort to dinosaur dial up on the internet! But please see below.
If you are a future employer who has taken the time to look at this I hope you have enjoyed and you give me a job! Also chack out my peice on Cambodia, its one of my favorites for several different reasons. Its in the archives around the 08.01.2006 - 08.31.2006. Yes, American date not ny choice but does it automatically.

* Flash packer, commonly known as a backpacker yet has mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, miles of power cords, maybe even a laptop and blatantly refuses to stay at flea infested hostels!