14/10/2003

hi mums, hope this gets you before you hit the hospital. hope it's goes okay

and isn't too truamatic. I'll be thinkng of you and sending you lots of

loveXX

not much to report here - we have all been beach bums. have found some nice

secluded bays and coves and have been lapping up the morning sunshine before

the afternoon storm hits. arrived on koh toa yestrday to start the scuba

diving course, but pulled out this morning - greg has had head and chest

cold for the past few days (he's been constantly battleing sickness the past

few months) and apparently you cannot dive with sinus and chest problems?

Anyway, sandy is going to continue on the course. I told greg we can come

back here at the end of the south east asia trip (we were intending to

anyway) and we'll do the course then. nevermind - greg and I took a

motorbike around the island today and found a cool little cove to snorlkle

in - snorling is just as much fun, I suppose....!

15/11/2003

hi all, Yep, we are no longer 'gringos' but rather, 'farangs'  (thai for

foreigners). Have left central america behind us and are now in  south east

asia.  where to begin? I must try and keep on top of these group emails...

mexico and guatemala were fantastic. guatemala, in particular has quickly

become one of our 'trip highlights' - very glad we made the impromptu border

crossing. it's a land packed full of beautiful ancient mayan sites, gorgeous

colonial towns, scores of smoking volcanoes, crazy colourful markets,

isolated villages and reckless drivers. the people were lovely and I only

got food poisoning once. bonus.

we spent a week living with a family in antigua and studying Spanish, which

was a very cool experience. Our spanish vocabulary has now doubled, to six

words. In the end we got by okay though - you'd be amazed how many times you

can add the words 'bano' (toilet), 'bueno' (good) to a conversation.... As

you can imagine, we made lot's of spanish-speaking friends this way.

we went back again to mexico after guatemala and explored the pacific coast

region and the area around mexico city. Taxco, an old silver mining town

approx 3hrs out of mexico city was a gem. spanish colonial archetechure,

cobblestoned, clinging to a hill side, a gorgeous plaza and the most amazing

cathedral ever. The big tourist draw card are the jewellery shops which

saturate the town. there must be thousands of them...and I must have visited

every single one...a total silver overdose.

Sadly, we didn't get to see as much of mexico as we would have liked as we

ran out of time and had to meet friends on the thai islands.

We arrived in SE Asia about 6 weeks ago and have spent the greater portion

of that time reclining in hammocks on various beaches. This has been my

third trip to the thai islands and I can't imagine ever getting tired of the

paradise. In fact, currently searching for nice thai island man to offer me

permanent residency. Greg's been hindering my progress there... note to

self: lose greg. (just kidding E and B)

Now in sleepy Lao, arrived here about a week ago. Our introduction to laos

was arriving by boat from the northern thai border, the notorious golden

triangle in fact. We hopped off the boat and made our way towards

immigration at the port. While waiting in line for the usual grunt from

immigration official we spotted three playful doggies getting drowned in the

mekong, later to be served up in our bowl of rice noodle soup no doubt. Greg

the 'on again, off again' vegetarian took this remarkably well, better than

the young brit girl we crossed the border with. She nearly turned around and

went back to essex, then and there. She later remarked that her chicken

sandwich was suspiciously flavorsome.. Have spotted her since, still giving

big bear hugs to every mange-y pup that passes. bless her.

The day after the border crossing we had our first taste of lao public

transport. The road from hoayaxai to muang namtha has a bad reputation,

considered impassable in the wet season. The guy at the border told us we

were lucky, we had arrived just in time to catch the only bus of the week

the following day - far more comfortable than the daily pick-up truck

apparently. Super, we thought. So we turn-up at the bus station at 9:25 the

next morning with our hotel dude, who had sneaky eyes and who was receiving

a very healthy commission from us - we were greeted by a very angry bus

driver, a fiery bus driver's wife (who was chief ticket distributor) and a

cranky pick-up truck driver. A four way brawl erupted and we were told to go

back to the hotel and come back in 10 minutes. But please leave your

backpacks and passport here. No way we say. They relent and let us drag our

packs etc back to hotel and we turn around and come back ten minutes later,

as requested. Everyone is as happy as larry now, we board the old 30 seater

bus and take off a good hour later.

10 minutes into the journey the driver and his missus (chief ticket

distributor) start arguing, suddenly it's turning nasty, there's screams and

lao threats (my interpretation) and arms flying everywhere but on the wheel,

the bus is swerving all over the road and passengers are looking concerned

(well, concerned enough to pause from their constant phlegm hacking

anyway..). The driver comes to a screaming stop at a petrol station and the

two of them alight and take the fight outside. the lao folk follow them and

form a viewing circle around them. They are causing such a ruckus that the

townsfolk also join the viewIng circle. My money was on the bus driver's

missus who was quite a large woman for a lao lady and who had a face like a

rabid bulldog's - not to be messed with. The bus driver in a fit of rage

jumped back on the bus, revved it and took off without her ( and a few

passengers)...But relented and stopped again up the road. She was allowed

back on, probably because she held the day's takings, but the screaming

continued for a good half an hour. Once there was peace, the passenger's

happily continued their hacking up. The young lady sitting in front of me

must have had a very nasty lung infection because her phlegm that would

inevitably come flying back in through the open window and onto me, did not

have a very healthy consistency at all.....

Every 15 minutes the bus would stop and the bus driver's missus would alight

and hitch up her skirt and relieve herself, her generously sized bottom in

full view of those on board. Not only an unfortunate looking soul but a

bladder infection too it seemed? Her toilet stops were so frequent that

there would be a collective gasp from the passengers every time she took

another swig from her thermos.   Once we were moving along the mountainous

terrain on the way to muang namtha the road became increasingly slippery and

muddy. The poor old bus couldn't make it up several hills and all the men on

board were asked to grab the ropes that were attached to the front and drag

the 30 seater out of it's bog. The bus driver's missus was included in the

tugging, as the largest person, and no doubt that's why she's kept 

around... Greg made a fine contribution, at 5.8ft he was the second largest

and to be quite frank they couldn't have done it with out him. Though they

were not too keen on his foreign techniques for getting out of a bog.

130kms and 8hrs later we arrived, a bit phlegm drenched but safe. Since then

we have been cycling around the counrtyside and checking out the sleepy

hill-tribe villages in the far north. Took a two day slow boat trip down the

mekong to Luang Prabang, which is where we are now. It's a magical french

colonial city - very peaceful and serene. So far so good in lao. people are

great, landscape is lovely, food is yummy and it's soo tranquil.

will be heading up the nam ou river tomorrow to find Muang Ngoi (thanks for

the tip ness) where will be doing some hiking.

anyhoos this is a big long saga and you should all be working, not reading

emails so I'll leave it here.

hope you're all well. take care. love caraXX

18/11/2003

hi mums, yuk 39degress in melbourne would be unbearable!! so early in the

year too...must be that global warming business..Apart form heat and

freezing weather your trip sounded okay..no vietnamese this time? what's the

story? and get that dining table!!! you must treat yourself!

all good hear -had an awesome time at a tiny tiny village up north called

muang ngoi - very primitve but great scenery and cool people. greg played

soccor with the locals everyday at 4:00...best goalie they'd ever scene I

think...They were a pretty rough lot but greg handled himself. Had some

great nights with fellow intrepid travellers and some cool walks...and some

great reclines in the hammock overlooking the river...

Now in vang viang, back down south but also on a river..will be checking out

the waterfalls, caves and doing some inner tubing down the river here. will

be fun.

better run. lots of love caraXXXXXXXXXX

19/11/2003

hi mums, we're off inner-tubing down the river now - very hot here. looking

foward to a few cool ales on the river bank as we float down...how we are

going to get back into work mode after all this?

greg wants to know whether we gave a big black bag to you at the airport? I

can't remember doing so...

how's the bagging coming along? what is bagging anyway?

hope you're okay. lots and lots of love CaraXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

20/11/2003

hi mums, wow the package was quick! there were two bundles of mexican tiles

in the package - did they make it okay? I think there were 6 in each...you

can pick the bundle you prefer - i'm wondering whether they'll go with your

asian/africa house?? I guess it won't really matter if they're outside, but

if you don't like them I'll happily take them off your hands! Oh and there

were some spanish exercise books which erika wants..if you could send them

to her that would be great! oh and help yourself to a cuban cigar!

we spent yesterday floating down this beauitful clear river and stopping at

bamboo bars along the way...the scenery was awesome and met some very funny

people along the way -best day ever. Today we're heading off motorbiking to

check out some waterfalls in the area. kayaking is also on the agenda int he

next couple of days..hmm such a good life!

any updated shots of the house? i'm so excitied about seeing it.. it does

sound a long way from campsie and outside toilets...or fibro boxes in

yagoona...or rat infested abodes in redhill...

better fly. lots of love CaraXXXXXXXXXXX

25/11/2003

hi da, just spent a full-day kyaking around the area here - we paddled 24

kms through the most beautiful area. really lovely but hard work. my upper

arm strength has never been the greatest..what was that? bullworker you

say?...Off for a lao sauna and massage now... I think I deserve it after

forgoing the tubing and beer today.

Greg is well, but in my bad books for ignoring my directions and getting us

marooned on big rocks in the middle of rapids...It's so hard to find

obedient paddlers these days. dont you think? Then after I pointing out that

his river nagivational skills weren't up to scratch, he sent the front end

of the kyak (my end) head first into trees and branches. and I think it was

quite deliberate.

Rinni is still in fine hands in melbourne. there has been some cyber talk

about her flatuance problems  which appear to be getting worse. I was hoping

the problem may be cured by the time we arrive back...but it isn't looking

that way. sigh.

I don't want or need anything for christmas - as I won't be there there's no

point really. keep your cash and cook us up a yummy meal on our return.

speaking of food, had a fantastic indian the other day...best riata

ever...corriander in it, and tomato too, cuccumber as usual, lot's of lemon

juice. And a ripper of a mutton vindaloo on the side- yumyum.

anyhoos, I have to go to a cocktail party with the koreans we were Kyaking

with (who'd have thought you could kyak in highheels?)

lots of love CaraXXXX