emegannety

[emegannety]

Read my story on the JustGiving page for more details! 🦁🐯🇿🇦👭

[emegannety]

Oscar keeps his hands to himself. Be like Oscar.

“Oscar is the most loved and respected man in Hollywood, and there’s a very good reason why….”

“He keeps his hands where you can see them, never says a rude word and most importantly – no penis at all,” said Jimmy Kimmel in his opening speech at the 2018 Oscars.

Hollywood is still buzzing with movements and reforms off the back of the biggest sexual misconduct scandal in showbiz history.

This year’s awards season has been rife with actresses and actors taking a stand against sexual harassment, and while it’s amazing that finally, women’s voices are being heard, it is also so frustrating that it took this long.

Any female can tell you that harassment is not uncommon, be it in the workplace, in our educational establishments, in a social environment or simply walking down the road. We have been constantly subjected to wolf-whistles, lingering looks and unsolicited gropes since the day our cup sizes first started to get bigger.

I cannot relate directly to some of the stories that came out amidst the Weinstein scandals and never felt I was worthy of writing #MeToo as fortunately, I have never experienced harassment more serious than a “cheeky” bum squeeze.

But I do resonate with these women in a way. I understand the shame we all feel when someone comments on our outfit, even though we should not feel shamed. I feel the pain of my fellow females who have told me worse experiences than my own and fear for myself and my friends.

With all of this coming to light it makes me sad to think that not only have men overpowered us in a way that makes us feel undermined and vulnerable, they have also taken away our voice.

Rape Crisis – England and Wales showed statistics that there are approximately 11 rapes (of adults) every hour but only 15% of those who experience sexual violence actually choose to report it.

It’s an incredible thing that since the Times Up and #MeToo movements came about, we have found our voices again and one can only hope that victims of these misconducts can keep up the strength and drive we have all found to put an end to sexual harassment.

But I do worry that this will turn out to be just another fad for the “slacktivists” to like and share so they feel like they're changing the world, when really it just stays the same.

For a topic that is so widespread and affects so many people all across the globe - should there be jokes about it, like in Kimmels speech?

"We need to set an example…. if we can work together to stop sexual harassment in the workplace, women will only have to deal with harassment all the time at every other place they go", is a witty but also horrifically true statement made by the television host in his speech. 

While we are taking a stand against sexual harassment in the workplace more than ever before, this is just one drop in the ocean. 

Let’s hope that as the red carpet rolls away, the stance on sexual harassment doesn't roll away too. 

[emegannety]

Ice breaker to hit maker

2018 has officially started and while some of us are still lazing about on the sofa, not quite having stopped the Christmas idleness, Nottingham singer-song writer Tash Bird is up and ready to go with a very busy schedule lined up.

 When I first saw Tash Bird, we were in a charity shop in Lace Market, Nottingham. I was sat on the floor and she was sat on a make shift stage, performing her music.

The second time was when she agreed to meet me in Outpost Coffee, Hockley. I was sat on a wooden bench and she was sat on a metal stool, this time there was no singing (apart from when we remixed her latest single into an Ibiza anthem) but plenty of talking.

Tash is Nottingham born and bred and started out in music a long time ago. “My mum has her own theatre company in Nottingham so growing up I was always in that” she says. However, theatre was never quite Tash’s style. As time went on she found her own sound and became the emotive singer-song writer she is today.

“Quite a lot of my songs don’t really reflect me as a person. I’m not very serious at all. I joke around and take the piss out of everyone” she says. When listening to her music and then meeting her in person you can see how this is true. Tash’s songs appear quite emotionally heavy – I even told her that her latest release Talk This Over was to be my new ‘rainy car journey song’ where I pretend to be in the music video while singing along with all my heart. However, the 24-year-old could not be more opposite of her music if she tried. She bears an infectious grin at all times and immediately makes you feel at ease with her jokes and laughter.

Tash admits that she finds it hard to write happy songs. “When you’re happy you can’t even really work out what you’re happy about. It’s just random stuff” she says. At her recent performance in Nottingham for Sofar Sounds, her opening song was Ice Breaker, a song that she’s been –get this - breaking the ice with at shows for years. “I wrote that song maybe five years ago” she says. “I was doing a set and I was just starting out with performing, it was all original songs and I just needed something to break the ice with.” The song does not in fact feature the words “ice breaker” but it does do the job. The lyrics tell the listeners about Tash as a person, starting with “I know that I’m not everybody’s cup of tea because I like to do things a little differently” followed by “I know I may not be everybody’s can of coke because I don’t really drink and I never smoke. And sometimes I get mistaken for a bloke but it don’t affect me ‘cause I can take a joke”. Tash describes this song as one that reflects her best saying: “Me as my everyday self. Just me being stupid and not taking things seriously”. 

The new year brings a lot of excitement for Tash as she is joining American duo Katy and Shanece (a.k.a The Little Things) and New Zealand musician Jas Josland for a tour of Jas’ home country. She will be opening as a solo act then joining the other girls playing the bass as part of a band. Following the two-month tour she’ll have a month to herself to travel New Zealand before going to America for a small US tour with the band. She’ll be finishing her year with Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a UK tour and a European tour. She says: “It’s good and bad as it will be less focus on my music” but reveals that recording for a new EP has finished and will be getting sorted throughout the year for a release. The four track EP will apparently show a different side to the Tash Bird that we are already familiar with.

With such a busy year lined up, I asked if it was going to be possible to sort her EP out while she was off gallivanting across the globe. It turns out that Tash is no stranger to a jam-packed schedule and that she went through a very similar predicament with the release of her new video for Talk This Over. “The music video was actually filmed over a year ago and was kind of ready in February” she says. But with herself and the videos director going back and forth from America at clashing intervals the editing and release was prolonged until the end of October. “It took longer than expected but to be fair it worked out for the best. The song’s not really a summer banger” she said, following this up with an attempt at speeding up the delivery of the song and turning it into a wannabe Ibiza club classic to prove her point.

Tash Bird is surely a name to remember and I wish her the best of luck in the future.

Photos are sourced from Tash Bird with permission to use. 

[emegannety]

Surfing and Sunrises

Indonesia - Bali

Our final destination on our three and a half month trip. It really is the place of dreams (and surfer dudes). We arrived in Kuta and spent the first day at the beach and meandering around the town. Our evening was spent watching a very entertaining drag queen show, followed by drinks at Eikon Bar then Sky Garden. Travelling on to Seminyak, we fell in love with every hippie/boho store we saw (which was a lot). Each shop was filled with beautiful clothing/home ware/jewellery and it was almost impossible to not buy something in every place. The food in Seminyak was also a huge favourite as we stopped along for mouth watering Mac 'n' Cheese as well as breakfast and a black lemonade (made with charcoal) at Sacred Ground. While Kuta was a party town and Seminyak was noticeably a family or couples holiday destination, Canggu was quite obviously, first and foremost a surfer town. Canggu was my favourite place I have travelled to so far & some day I would love to make it my home. The beaches were lovely, the town had lovely places for food and shopping and everyone there seemed like genuinely nice (and very cool) people. We spent a lot of time at the Berawa Kitchen, a circle of small food kitchens, each with their own cuisine, filled in the middle by a garden with tables, bean bags & a stage for live music. It had this amazing sense of community here and made me fall in love with Canggu even more. 

While in surfers paradise we also took surf lessons from Charlie Browns Surf School. The instructors were amazing and knew how to make you feel comfortable on the board and around them. Thanks to my instructors guidance I was able to stand up on my first try! (Or maybe I'm just fantastic). After a heavy morning of surfing we had a chilled out afternoon and then went out to Old Mans Bar to celebrate how well we all did! Once the music had died down here we finished the night at Sand Bar, a club situated right on the beach. So on the beach that the dance floor was the beach! A great night and Canggu will have my heart for sure. We moved on to Ubud, tired from the night before we went to the Monkey Forest then headed back to our hostel to book a few trips, watch a traditional Kecak Fire dance and get an early night. The next morning at 2am we were up and ready to go for a morning trek up the active volcano, Mount Batur for sunrise. A gruelling and tiresome 2 hours later we reached the summit and witnessed a breathtaking but chilly sunrise. By the end our muscles were aching and we were drained. We stopped off at a coffee plantation on the way back to Ubud and learnt how the Balinese people make coffee out of Lawak poo. We tried different types of coffee and tea brewed in the plantation and then headed back. To ease our aching muscles we got traditional Balinese massages which we agreed were the most amazing and relaxing massages we've ever had.

We headed to Lombok, another Indonesian island for a relaxing couple of days (not that we haven't been relaxing for pretty much all of Bali). Unfortunately we hadn’t done too much research into Lombok and so ended up staying in the quiet part of the island. When I say quiet, i really mean quiet. Apart from our hostel there was a restaurant, a shack shop and the beach. If I ever return to Indonesia I will for sure be coming back to Lombok as I would LOVE to trek to the top of Mt Rinjani. We then spent a few days on Gili Trawangan. We spent our days on the beach, sunbathing and paddle boarding & spent our nights going out to watch live music. I also went to a silver jewellery making class and made my own ring which I now wear everyday with pride! 

For our last week in Indonesia we returned to Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud and Canggu again to see more of the towns that we hadn’t before and do some end of trip shopping! We also gave surfing another go but that wasn’t as successful as the first time.. call it beginners luck!

Our time in South East Asia is over and as sad as I am to be going back home to normality, there are also a few home comforts that I’m looking forward to having again. It’s been an amazing 3 and a half months and I can’t wait to bore everyone at home with my stories!

Until the next adventure. Hostels in Bali: Kuta - Kayun Hostel & TZ Party Hostel Seminyak - M Hostel & Bali Green Hostel Canggu - Beachbums Barawa & Surfers Dorm House Ubud - Lakasita Hostel & Wanderlust Hostel Lombok - La Boheme Gili Trawangan - Gili Mansion

[emegannety]

[emegannety]

Banh Mis and Road Rage

Vietnam

We arrived in Vietnam, our fourth country out of the total five. Our first stop was Hanoi. We wandered the old quarter, gawking at the many quirky cafes and shops. We were stopped along the West Lake a few times by Vietnamese students wanting to better their English. We sat and talked about our lives and the differences in them for the good part of an hour, after which they showed us some other sights of the city, like the Cathedral. 

 We left them and went in search of a Harry Potter themed cafe that a couple of Spanish girls we met in Laos had recommended. It was called Always Cafe and was heaven for any other Harry Potter geeks like me. As you enter the back room of the cafe you are greeted by the Hogwarts house flags, photographs and other memorabilia - even the Sorting Hat! We sat and ordered a Polyjuice Potion. The menu also included Butter Beer and other potions mentioned in the books and films. 

 We ended our time in Hanoi after a couple of days and went further north to Sapa. We stayed in the H'mong village of Lao Cia in the hills with a local girl named Ab, her husband and infant son. Our first night Ab cooked us an incredible meal. An array of different food on platters filled the table and we ate and ate until our stomachs could physically not fit any more food in. As an aperitif of sorts, Ab gave us a shot of "Happy Water", an alcohol they make in the hills out of rice. We drank and talked and learned some of the H'mong language, which is different to Vietnamese. Ab was the same age as us so it was interesting to see how different our lives were and what tribe culture was like compared to English culture. They taught us a drinking game involving the flipping of a coin into shot glasses and after a lot of "Happy Water" and a lot of laughter, we headed to bed. 

 The next morning we were greeted by another delicious and generous breakfast of pancakes, omelette and banana. After filling our stomachs to bursting point once more, we set off for our trek through the village, across the rice and corn fields and down the the valley. Ab took us the whole way and taught us some more about the H'mongs work in the fields and how exactly corn and rice is grown and harvested. As well as these, they also grow Marijuana to make clothing & tea and the Indigo plant to dye their fabrics and thread. We learnt how the dye works by wetting the leaves and rubbing them in our hands for a few minutes. This sure enough turned our hands a shade of Indigo and left it like this for around three or four days! 

 The views during our trek were incredible and 5 hours flew by. Before we knew it we were back at our homestay, having dinner again and packing our bags to leave for our next voyage in the morning. 

 We took a two day trip to Halong Bay, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and wonderful it was. We sailed through Halong Bay and stopped by the Dark and Light Cave situated between Halong Bay and Lanha Bay for a spot of kayaking, through the cave and into a beautiful lagoon. We then carried on the cruise to our own private island, Cat Ong Island. As the sun set, the city lights of Cat Ba Island shone bright from across the shore and was a stunning contrast from the simple island we were on. We ate barbecued seafood and fun cocktails while waiting for midnight to welcome in the new day with a bonfire on the beach. After a long, tiring but wonderful day, we were all ready for bed. We woke early again the next morning for our climb up to the top of the island. Only a short trip but a testing one at that, a few bumps and slips later we made it to the viewpoint and our next task was to climb back down and board the boat back to the mainland. 

 Once back on the mainland we travelled down to the middle of Vietnam, visiting Hue for a day and a delicious seafood dinner along the Perfume River at night before continuing on to Hoi An. Hoi An was stunning at night. We went for a walk along the river side and along to the night market. Going through the Old Town and over the bridge there were plenty of shops and restaurants open with lights and lanterns lighting up the streets and bridges. In the day we walked 45 minutes to the beach (you can cycle or get a taxi too) and spent the day lounging in the sun. As we walked back we were very aware that our faces were already slightly red and so tried our best to cover our skin with our towels as we journeyed back to the hostel, liberally applying sun cream every 15 minutes! 

 While we wanted our skin to recover from the slight burn we'd achieved at the beach in Hoi An, our next stop was funnily enough the beach city of Nha Trang. However the weather was not particularly "beach weather" so we enjoyed our first day spending time in the mud baths and mineral pools at I-Resort for a very small cost. We were able to have our own private mud bath then shower off in some fountains, take a dip in the various mineral pools situated around the spa and even go down a water slide and sit under waterfalls! 

That night, we went out into Nha Trangs beach bars and clubs with some other hostel guests. The drinks were expensive by Asia standards and the music was questionable but we had a great night none the less. The next day we walked along the beach with its perfectly trimmed bushes, sculpted into triangles and other shapes. Our hostel also had the option to enter an "Escape Room" so we gave it a go. We were given 60 minutes to crack the codes and break out of the rooms. It proved very difficult and unfortunately we did not succeed, although we were told that we were very close to breaking out! It was a really fun and challenging way to spend the evening. 

 We arrived to Da Lat the next day in the pouring rain so spent the night at the hostel having a "family dinner" with the other guests and swapping travel stories. It was very chilly and had been the coldest we'd been since Sapa! All the more reason to get into our cosy beds and look forward to the next day. We entertained ourselves in the cold, gloomy, almost English-like weather by entering Da Lats famous "Crazy House". An artistic collection of small houses, each designed in a different theme to the last, connected together by a series of high up outdoor bridges. We walked and got lost in the various rooms leading to who knew where, admiring the work that I could only closely describe as Alice in Wonderland on acid. 

 That night we decided to continue with the abstract and trippy building theme by going for drinks at 100 Roofs, a bar that was designed similar to the Crazy House. Entering through a small tunnel it is your mission to wander through the other tunnels, arches and hidden doorways, up and down various stairways to find the bar, the toilet and eventually your way out again. With little crevices allowing you to tuck yourself away and sit with your friends (should you not be separated by the maze) and a small rooftop bar overlooking the city, 100 Roofs was the coolest bar I have ever been and ever will have gone to. 

 After this we headed to Moi Ne to visit the Sand Dunes which were really cool to visit as I had no idea that Vietnam was home to such things! We followed the Fairy Stream along to a small waterfall. The walk was beautiful with greenery on one side and sand dunes on the other, filtering into the water as we waded through. When we actually arrived at the Sand Dunes later that day, we started to walk along (the option to quad bike was also available) and see how far we could get to get a really nice view. Unfortunately for us, the heavens opened and we were soon drenched before we could reach cover. The rest of the tour was chilly but we didn't let the rain dampen our spirits like it had done to our clothes. 

We ended our trip in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) as very knackered out girls. We did a day of wandering the city, visiting the harrowing War Remnants Museum which informed us of the horrors of the Vietnam War and Agent Orange. We also went inside the Cu Chi Tunnels where Vietnamese soldiers would hide and travel across Cu Chi to escape from the Americans. We travelled only 10m in the tunnels but that was enough for us! Me and Hannah are small girls and even for us it was a struggle, the humidity in the tunnels not making it any easier!

Vietnam was amazing really. In every corner of the country there is something to do and all so different from the last. I experienced some unforgettable memories here and met a hoard of especially lovely people who made the trip even more unforgettable. So thank you to those travellers & thank you Vietnam. I won't miss the traffic and the scary roads but I will miss your Banh Mis.

Hostels/trips in Vietnam: 

Hanoi - Hanoi Rocks Hostel  Sapa - homestay with Ab Lo (can reach on Facebook) Halong Bay - Ocean Tours Hue - FA Backpacker Hostel Hoi An - Hoa Binh Dalat - Mr Peace Backpacker Hostel Mui Ne - Mui Ne Backpacker Village Nha Trang - iHome Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon Charming Hostel

[emegannety]

Whiskey and Waterfalls

Laos

After a shaky journey trying to get to Laos, our first two days were remarkable. We thought of it as a reward for such a shitty night. We ventured to Four Thousand Islands and as you sail from the port to the islands it is easy to see how the area got its name. Everywhere you look, small and large pieces of land and forestry emerge from the waters creating various sized islands. Most only small and therefore uninhabitable.

Upon arrival on Don Det Island in the south of Laos we managed to find ourselves a lovely little bungalow right on the river side for a cheap price. I was even happier to discover that we seemed to have a kitten who had attached herself to the bungalow and us, snuggling up with us on our hammocks and waking us up in the mornings.

Our first evening and next morning we spent eating delicious and filling food at a restaurant nearby the bungalow that had the Friends box set playing throughout our meals, a lovely homely pleasure as we sat drinking our coffee milkshakes, laughing out loud at the show.

We hired bicycles and cycled from Don Det across the bridge to Don Khong for the day. The route itself was beautiful, riding through the fields, along the river and through to the forests and Khone Phapheng Waterfall (South East Asias biggest waterfall) on the other side. A sweaty but breathtaking day out, me and Hannah agreed it was one of our favourite days so far.

In the evening we decided to try our luck with “Happy” Pizza. We bought one to share as we had heard it hits you pretty hard and both of us find it doesn’t take much for us to get stoned normally. Not only was the pizza delicious but it also did the job very well! After only half a pizza each and about 1 or 2 hours after consumption, we were both in fits of giggles, stoned out of our mind. For as little as £3.75 each we had a yummy dinner and got the most stoned we’d been in a while, winner!

As sad as we were to leave Four Thousand Islands we wanted to keep moving on and so booked a day and night bus to Vang Vieng. We arrived fairly late in the afternoon so we rented bicycles and had a ride around the town just trying to see what there was. We went over the bridge to find the Blue Lagoon. Not quite what we expected but equally as fun. With a tree you can jump into the freezing lagoon from, a water slide and a zipline, the lagoon was way more entertaining than we anticipated.

That night we went out for drinks and we were pleasantly surprised at how cheap it was! Laos whiskey and mixer averages around about £1.50 unless you’re at Sakura bar or Viva bar for their free flow hours - in which case, you guessed it, it’s free! With lots of expats working in the bars and hostels there’s a very chatty and social vibe around Vang Vieng.

We also took part in the well known traveller activity - Tubing. Donning our waterproof bags, go pros and rubber rings, we set off down the river (after a pre party at our hostel), stopping at two bars for some drinks and dancing along the way. Some people lost their belongings in the river but it was a really fun day out, just be aware that you’re drinking in a river and don’t do anything too stupid.

Next day we headed to our last stop in Laos. While in Luang Prabang we visited the Kuang Si Waterfall, an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful waterfall who’s limestone rocks are able to maintain a turquoise blue colour in the water no matter if it’s rainy season or not. Walking from the top to the bottom of the fall, stopping along the way for photographs and dips in the cooling water, we ended the trip at a bear sanctuary where they had rescued bears from poachers.

Hostels in Laos: Don Det: Riverside Bungalows Vang Vieng: EasyGo Hostel Luang Prabang: Lovely Friendly Hostel

[emegannety]

Amok and A Sketchy Cambodian Bus Ride

Cambodia

Crossing the border to Cambodia gives you the perfect insight into what the rest of your stay will be like. Hot, sweaty and constantly harassed by beggars.

Upon arriving in Siem Reap children clamoured at our arms and legs pleading for a dollar. This continues throughout your stay, no matter where you are in the country. As guilty as you may feel, unfortunately saying no is just something you have to do if you don’t want to lose all your money.

Cambodia was a lot sunnier and warmer than anywhere we had been in Thailand and we took it upon ourselves to spend our first couple of days relaxing and getting some tan time by the pool. Siem Reap at night is where the city really comes alive with its night market and pub street. Although it is cheap, the prices still rack up, with 50 cent beers and $2 cocktails, it’s hard not to splurge.

On our final day we woke at 4am to see Angkor Wat at sunrise. It was a cloudy day so the result was not as breathtaking as we had expected but it was worth the trip none the less - or so I kept telling myself (I’m really not a morning person). A full morning exploring temples was the most cultural we had been since arriving in Cambodia but as the sun rose along with the temperature, we were ready to jump back into the pool.

Later that day we embarked on the journey to Battambang. We were welcomed by dozens of tuk tuk drivers attacking the coach, pleading us to choose them to drive us to our hostel. Battambang is not a very touristy town and there’s not an awful lot to do apart from the day trip to the Killing Caves, Bat Caves, Bamboo Train and various temple ruins. We spent a full day visiting all of these sites followed by a traditional Cambodian dinner of Amok, which may be my new favourite dish! 

We travelled down to the south of Cambodia to stay on Koh Rong island. We spent our first 2 days on Coconut Beach, a secluded part of the island with white sand and clear waters. It felt more like a holiday resort than a backpacker destination so as beautiful as it was we left for the main part of the island (Koh Touch) in search of a more social environment.

We extended our initial stay of two days to five. It was such a lovely place with hidden beach gems only a short walk through the forests away. With hostels and bars lining the beach and plenty of other backpackers about, it was a relaxing but social few days. Each bar had its own special deal and Mary Jane was a popular friend with many travellers on this island. After a week of smoking and beaching we decided we had better get our arses moving again and packed our bags ready to move to the big city, Phnom Penh.

Here we visited the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields, giving us a history lesson on Cambodias struggles in the recent years. A hard hitting day but well worth the trip. Unfortunately for us, we struggled finding much more to occupy ourselves with in Phnom Penh. We spent the next two/three days while we were waiting for our Vietnamese visas to process just walking around the area we stayed. It wasn’t our favourite place that we visited but we’re glad we did.

Our next goal was to cross over the border to Laos. This proved more difficult than we had anticipated. We boarded an overnight sleeper coach which we were told would take us all the way across the border and to Four-thousand Islands. This did not happen!! At 7pm we got on the sleeper coach, at 4am we were dumped in the middle of a deserted street, no one around, no shops or guesthouse open and the feeling of safety was most definitely absent too. After a good three quarters of an hour spent barricading the bus door to stop them from driving off and leaving us two girls alone in this alien town, we forced them to drive us to a guesthouse where we took refuge for a few hours before being taken to another bus station for 6 hours until we FINALLY got on the bus meant to take us over the border.

Everything was fine from then on but we were still understandably shaken from the nights events. Who knows when the next bus would have gone past that road we were dropped, if at all?! What would have happened to us if we had complied with their plan and just sat in the dark for hours on our own, at our most vulnerable? I’m glad we didn’t have to find out & that everything seemed to sort itself out in the end.

A tip to travellers, solo or in a group, male or female, old or young - have your wits about you and if something doesn’t feel right try your best to make it right.

Try: Amok. It's a coconut, lime and chilli dish served with rice & fish or chicken. It is delicious! 

Hostels in Cambodia: 

Siem Reap: Siem Reap Pub Hostel  Battambang: Hostel BTB Cambodia Koh Rong: Red Onion & Runaways Phnom Penh: 19 Happy House Backpacker

[emegannety]

Pad Thai and Peds

Thailand

4 weeks, 1 capital, 4 islands, 3 towns, countless bus journeys & a multitude of fried rice and noodles.

We started off in Bangkok, roaming Koh San Road and the surrounding lanes for a hostel. With luck we found one only a few minutes walk from where all the hustle and bustle was. We were warned countless times that Bangkok was a bit “too much” and we would only want a couple of days before we were glad to leave. We did end up only staying for 2 days (and returning for one day on our way to Chiang Mai) but by no means did we find it so overwhelming that we wanted to leave.

We happily roamed through the markets and tuk tuked our way around the city to see the different Buddha monuments and The Grand Palace for a reasonable cost. Bangkok is a lot cheaper than you would think! We found Koh San Road very loud and not entirely amazing, but that was just our preference, maybe because we were still so tired from the long journey from the UK. We preferred a road that was directly next to the infamous party road. The bars were more chilled out & there was numerous stalls selling generously sized street foods for a small price. I even tried a scorpion along this road!

Our next destination was a 14 hour bus and ferry journey to Koh Phangan. We were there in time for the Full Moon Party which from what I remember (which isn’t too much) was a crazy but great night out. It was raining when we arrived but we didn’t care, it was refreshing & we were drunk! The Full Moon Party is not just “on a beach”, it stretches across a whole beach, leaking into the roads and the town close by. It’s huge and we spent the first part of our night walking around trying to find the beach in the first place. The buckets are strong and the atmosphere is fun and it’s definitely an experience you should try to have if you’re in Thailand for it.

Our island adventures also took us to Koh Samui, Koh Lanta and Phi Phi. Renting mopeds is a cheap and good way to get around most of the islands (apart from Phi Phi as they have no motorised vehicles on the island). We did this in Koh Samui and Koh Lanta and we were able to travel all over the islands, swimming in waterfalls, going on jungle hikes & seeing more of the island than we ever could have done if we hadn’t had the mopeds. We did a boat tour in Phi Phi for 300 baht (around £7) which took us to Monkey Island, Maya Bay (where The Beach was filmed) and a few snorkelling spots to see the reef fish of Asia and see the Plankton at night. It was a really good day out and well worth the money we paid. Phi Phi is very much a party island, the night life is good but beware that a lot of hostels are near the town centre so can be quite loud.

Once back on the mainland, in Krabi we visited Railay Beach, there are caves and lagoons and a beautiful beach but a very wet boat journey there and back. While there we tried our luck with Railays “Special Shakes” that promised to “take you to the moon”. I can’t say I was on the moon but these shakes did make everything a bit more special. We met a group of guys from our hostel & all shared the experience together. At first I felt very spaced out, then giggly and then people’s hair started turning blue…

The colours changed and life appeared more vibrant. We went for a walk around the island, attempted to explore the caves & then ended up at the beach just basking in the sunlight, the salty sea air and the beauty of the jungles and cliffs next to us. Then began the treacherous boat journey back to Krabi. The sea was choppy and at one point a wave fully swamped the long tail boat we were travelling in. There was not a single person or object aboard the boat that was not soaked through. Thanks to the effects of my Special Shake not having worn off just yet, in my head it was the most real and vivid VR game ever, which stopped me from worrying too much about possible impending death by drowning.

Travelling to Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand from the south took almost 2 days. Krabi to Bangkok over night, then a day in Bangkok and overnight bus to Chiang Mai. Renting peds here was different to how we were used to driving them. The island roads were quiet and simple but in Chiang Mai it was the opposite. We were stuck in traffic and going across big roads almost like the ones in Bangkok and it shook us at first but just like driving anywhere, once you get used to the roads and the other vehicles behaviours, we were fine. We visited a Buddhist temple named Wat Si Don Chai Pa Tung Ngam or “The Hell Temple”. It depicted what Buddhists believe hell to be like and what actions will get us there. It was my favourite temple to visit as it was beautiful but so different to any others we had previously visited. There were statues and displays of grievous acts that were very creepy and gory, enough to scare anyone of the idea of Hell.

On our final day we visited Elephant Jungle Paradise Park, a sanctuary for elephants who have been rescued from riding centres. We spent the afternoon learning about the elephants they had, feeding them, bathing them (and ourselves) in mud and then washing off in the waterfall. It was a lovely and unforgettable experience and Machete, our guide, made the trip even better.

We then travelled into the hills to the town of Pai - a hippie haven. Dreadlocked and tie dyed yogis seemed to flood this small mountain town. Upon first arrival, we had already fallen in love and knew that 3 nights wasn’t going to be enough. Pai is cheap and cheerful, again we rented mopeds for as little as £1.50 a day and drove around the scenic roads to waterfalls, viewpoints, river bars and canyons. The night market provided our dinner for the entirety of our stay and was a great way to spend our evenings - browsing the various food stalls and stopping in at reggae bars along the way. Much to our chagrin our visas ran out in a couple of days so our time in Pai had to come to an end as we headed to the border and into Cambodia.

The hostels we stayed in throughout Thailand were all quite cheap and I would recommend highly. You can find most of them on HostelWorld.

Bangkok: All In One Hostel Koh Phangan: The Beach Village Koh Samui: Sirin Samui Boutique Hostel Koh Lanta: Baan Mook Anda Koh Phi Phi: Centrepoint Hostel Krabi: Slumber Party on The Beach & K-Bunk Chiang Mai: Potae’s House Pai: Pai Circus Hostel

[emegannety]

Alpe d'Huez - Round 2

Aaaaaand once again, Emmeke fails at updating her blog regularly throughout the season. However, unlike last year, Emmeke made it through a whole season without injuring herself! 

 As expected I had an incredible time just like before. Of course the seasons had their differences and some moments weren't the best but looking back, it was a smashing 5 months regardless. 

 This year, I was able to work my way up on the job ladder as well as on the slopes. By the end of the winter I was able to make my way semi-confidently down a black run (which could have perhaps gone better had a pal of mine not decided to ski right into me half way down). 

 One tip I would give to anyone learning to snowboard or ski again after an injury would be - keep at it, push yourself, don't give up. There were times I gave up for the day and now wish I hadn't because although I'm proud of how much I've progressed, had I had that bit more determination and drive, I could have been even better! 

 I'm giving winter seasons a rest for now. My summer is filled with travelling around South East Asia and come September I will be starting university. 

 More blog posts (hopefully) to come on my oriental travels!

[emegannety]

SAY THAT!

[emegannety]

[emegannety]

[emegannety]

Broke it

#EUref #Brexit

[emegannety]

Vinaka Nakavika

I’ve just returned home from my incredible 5 week trip to Fiji. Whilst on the mainland I volunteered in the village Nakavika in the Namosi province through Think Pacific before spending a week venturing out to the picturesque islands of Fiji to relax. 

For those of you who don't know, Think Pacific is a non-profitable organisation who help villages on the mainland and surrounding islands of Fiji through building projects and education and sport outreaches. Its first project was in 2009 and the interest in Think Pacific has been growing ever since.

I took part in a month long project assisting in the teaching of english and math as well as extra curricular activities like public speaking and sport education. Many of the schools only have an hour of fitness a week which is mainly taken up by netball or rugby so we introduced some new sports to the villages and taught them these for an hour every day.

During my stay in the village of Nakavika I stayed with a Fijian family who welcomed me and my fellow volunteers with open arms and open hearts. Having gotten to know and love the villagers it was plain to see that Fijians may be some of the kindest people that I have ever met and probably ever will meet. Village life is hard to adjust to, there was no electricity, phone signal or hot water and the food was repetitive and plain. Having said this, it was also a refreshing change from what I was so used to. I could have conversations with my friends and Fijian family without the distractions of phones or television. It reminded that there is a life beyond the screen of a computer and its beautiful. Children were playing with anything they could find; a shoe, a piece of rope, a coconut & most importantly - each other, out in the fresh air rather than holed up inside watching TV.

I was immersed in their culture and I was able to experience the real Fiji. Though the Fijian food was a struggle at times, it only made the experience more genuine.

Leaving the village filled with cheeky children & the lovely, caring parents and adults was a hard task. I’ll think of and remember those people for many years to come, especially the family that took me in and treated me as their own daughter. I’d like to think I will return one day in the future and see what my little brother and sister grew up to be like (and if they remember me). 

The aim for the project was to teach the children and help in their education so they may go further in life and achieve whatever goals they have in mind but as I left, I realised that it was also the children and other villagers that had taught me. They taught me to be grateful for the little things in life and to be kind or at least civil to everyone because really, what good has bitterness and hatred ever really done for anyone?

For anyone thinking of volunteering with Think Pacific, you can get in touch with them through Facebook (Think Pacific), email (info@thinkpacific.com) or their website (www.thinkpacific.com).

[emegannety]

Ski Season - Alpe d’Huez 15/16

If i’m honest, I meant to write a weekly post about my time in Alpe d'Huez but the seasonnaire lifestyle got the better of me. 5 months ago I left home in England to work in the French Alps. I’d only been skiing once before and I hadn’t experienced leaving home for good like many of my friends had when they left for uni, so really I knew very little of what to expect of a ski season, other than what I’d seen in Chalet Girl, but how realistic could that have been? Not that realistic at all it turns out. Ski seasons are a lot less classy than Chalet Girl. It’s all a lie. I did not get together with a hot, rich guest and have champagne while bathing naked in his hot tub. (Sob).

Everybody hears that seasons are filled with sex and booze and more sex and drugs and even more sex and unfortunately a lot of work. I soon realised how true to the stories seasons were. The moment I arrived at resort I was hearing gossip of the other hotels staff. They’d only been here a week before we got there and already there was cheating and threesomes and a fuck load more.

Training week was filled with hardcore labour, prepping the hotel for guests, followed by hardcore partying. I still have no idea how I actually survived that week, let alone the season. My liver and lungs must really hate me now. But we had the incentive that our ski passes would be given to us in our second week, we could finally get out on the slopes, after all, that’s what we all came here to do.

Like I said, I had only been skiing once before and so I, and a few other were total newbies. That didn’t stop me from bombing it all the way down the mountain (taking a few too many falls) with absolutely 0 chill. These falls however, did stop me from skiing for the rest of the season. I’d snapped my ACL within the first week of having our passes. I had gone skiing for a grand total of……. 3 days. A ski season, when I could barely walk, let alone ski. Typical that this would happen to me!

Of course, I had the option to pack up and go home to England but by this point I was already thinking of ADH as home. Fuck it, why not carry on the adventure. Like I said to everyone that asked me how I’ve handled doing a ski season as a cripple; I would have much rather stayed in The Alps, with all the amazing views and the amazing people that I had met but not ski, than go back to England and have none of it. It was a no brainer. Skiing is over rated anyway.

So I carried the next month out with a big, blue leg brace that made me walk like a zombie, dragging one foot across the snow. The next month was filled with physiotherapy and trying to walk normally again now that the brace was off. Even with the brace off and my leg being almost fine again, it didn’t stop my fellow seasonnaires from mimicking my zombie walk. The third month was my waiting month. Waiting and waiting and longing to be back on the slopes. When that day finally came I swapped my skis for a snowboard and went right back to falling on my arse every five minutes.

Considering I had such shitty luck when it came to the skiing part of the season, I still had the most incredible time. I’ve met some of the best people that I’m going to miss so much when I get back to the UK and I’ve been able to live for 5 months in a beautiful town that is over 4,100 ft above ground, which I think is pretty crazy. I can always give boarding or skiing another go next season (and hopefully don’t injure myself so early on).

Soon, I’m moving on to my next adventure in Fiji so, see ya later England and see ya next season Alpe d’Huez. You have my heart.

- Skiing. Pre injury.

- Giving boarding a go. Post injury.

- Dancing on Smithy’s tables were a big part of my season.

- And après, of course.

[emegannety]

New York City Babaaaay

Photos are my own.

Views from the Empire State building.

Concrete Jungle. The Big Apple. The City That Never Sleeps. It’s the place that “everybody needs to visit before they die”, and now I can safely and surely say that i’ve ticked this destination off the bucket list. 

I was the epitome of a typical tourist, visiting the Empire State building, Central Park and Times Square & even stopping for a show on Broadway, (Les Miserables - so incredibly and amazingly breathtaking). Taking pictures with every step, obviously.

I hate to sound cliche but the views were totally amazeballs! I can understand why hundreds of photographs and paintings of the sky lines are all over the internet. Pictures really do it no justice. 

The Empire State building allowed me to see the majority of Manhattan all from above, blowing my mind at how so many people from all corners of the world were living their lives down on the ground that I could see. New York is so huge and intense that seeing tiny little dots hurrying around from 102 floors up was pretty crazy.

Views from the Empire State building.

I haven’t even written the best part and my favourite part yet. Central Park. I believe Central Park deserves a whole post to itself but time and effort are not things that I have plenty of. (That’s a lie, I have lots of time, too much time even! I’m just lazy). Central Park is the lungs of New York. The jungle to break up the concrete. And it’s absolutely beautiful. 

Central Park.

With lakes, an ice skating rink and even a castle inside, this “park” pretty much shits all over any other park i’ve ever been to. But hey, I still have a lot of park-exploring to do. 

Personally, I just loved that you could be so caught up in the greenery and trails that run through the park that you almost forget that you’re in the city still. One glance to your side and you are reminded by the looming buildings peeking through the gaps in the trees.

As I stated to my friends once I was back in the UK, I would happily live in Central Park. Pitch up camp or build a fort and live in the park. It was that pretty! Although, I did only go there on a sunny day in November, so perhaps spending an actual night there may change my mind. I’ll try to keep the dream alive but make sure to keep it a dream.. Not reality. 

Central Park.

Coney Island at sunset.

Wall Street, Manhattan.

One tip I will give - don’t buy hotdogs from the little stands you see everywhere. They look and probably taste nothing like the pictures. I learned the hard way. Three times.