Top 5 Memorable Massages in the World

Yesterday we had our first massage in India.  It was a memorable experience and you can read about it here.  We had the full body Ayurvedic Massage will therapeudic oils.  I am sure that we will be having more as we go through our travels in Asia.

It made us think about the other memorable massages that we have had around the world.  We love getting a massage, it is a luxury that we cannot afford to have regularly at home, so we take advantage of it whenever we travel.
Some experiences have been better than others and some stand our in our memories better than others.

Here is a list of our Top 5 most memorable massages

Reflexology: Penang Malaysia

In a back alley in the heritage city of Penang, Dave and I had our most painful experience while having a massage.  We thought it would be nice to have our aching feet massaged and tended too after traveling for about 4 months.  Well, this wasn’t your every day pamper me massage.  This foot therapy involved strong hands pushing on pressure points and not letting go until he was good and ready.  We squirmed in our seats and winced with pain while he prodded around our feet.  Our expert reflexologist told us exactly what was wrong with us and all of our ailments.  He was bang on about everything and even though it was painful, it was definitely an unforgettable massage for the feet.  Price: About $10

Back Bending Massage in Laos

We had been told my many that we had to get a massage in Laos.  We were in Vientiane when we had our first experience.  The two of us walked into a large room sectioned off with curtains and mats all over the floor. We had a massage side by side and these guys twisted our bodies in all directions.  They were pulling us back, sitting on top of us, pulling our arms.  It was a little scary at times, but we came out alive and feeling pretty limber to say the least.

About $5

Beach Massage in Vietnam

We were chilling out in Mui Ne after both experiencing about a week of illness.  A massage was just what the doctor ordered to make us feel better.  Two little unassuming women walked by as we lay on our lounges and asked us if we wanted a massage.  We decided to go for it and they put us through the wringer.  These little ladies had strength and they pounded and pressed on our muscles until we were literally black and blue.  Dave got the worst of it.  We assume since he was the man, the woman pushed even harder.  He had bruises all over his body for a week.

It was quite tender to touch as well. $3 bucks, you get what you pay for.

Heavenly Ethiopia Massage

We had just been riding our bicycles through Africa for nearly 2 months and by the time we reached Addis Ababa, we were in desperate need of some pampering.  We booked at room at the Ghion Hotel Resort a where they also had a spa.   Our muscles had been tight and sore since we left Cairo, so a massage was must.  We were led to separate rooms where we received our individual massages.  It was very sanitary and hospital like. But the massage was great.  Just the right amount of pressure to work out the knots, but not to hard that we were black and blue.  After the session was over, we were free to spend time in the steam room and  jacuzzi tub that they had just filled specifically for us.  We hopped in and out of the steam room from the cold water shower to the hot therapudic steam.  After a couple of hours there, we were ready for bed.  Luckily we had two rest days in Addis Ababa.

About $12

Bali Floral Bath and Massage

Ubud Bali is one of the most tranquil places on the Island.  It is a beautiful town set in the interior and it was a perfect place to book a massage.  We each booked individually, but they took us in together.  We walked into the office and were sent to a room where there were two tables side by side.  They closed the hospital like curtains then told us to take off our clothes and lay down.  We didn’t know how much we were supposed to take off so we stripped down to our birthday suits unsure if we were supposed to or not.  I guess that everything was O.K. Because they didn’t bat an eyelash when they came into the room.  It was a very soothing and professional massage.  They covered us with towels and worked on each section with expert hands.  After an hour, we were lead to another room where a floral bath was waiting for us both.  We hadn’t had a bath in months.  It was heavenly and we stayed in that tub until the water turned cool and our hands and feet pruned up.

About $10

Have you had some memorable rubdowns around the world? Let us know of a place where you had your best or most unique massage, we are always seeking out some pampering!

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Strange Sites Cycling Africa

We saw some crazy things when we were in Africa.  What do you expect when you are cycling through some of the most remote regions on the planet.

Here is a list of what we found to be some of the most surreal, strange and odd sites in Africa.

1. Dead Camel Highway

We don’t know why there were so many dead camels on the side of the road.  we had heard a few different stories. One was that a caravan had gone through months earlier and some camels just didn’t make it. Another story was that the villagers from a nearby town brought their dead camels here instead of burying them. We are not sure what the story is, but it made a very interesting photograph.

2. Airplane Graveyard

We stumbled upon several abandoned airplanes off of the highway in the Sudan.  There weren’t any billboards or signs stating why these planes were sitting in the middle of the desert, or why they were left there.  But it was pretty cool to be able to go inside the planes and explore the cockpit.

3. Abandoned WWI Cemetery

In Namibia we pulled off to camp at an abandoned railway station.  That wasn’t very strange as many railway stations are abandoned nowadays.  What was odd was the immaculate WWI Memorial that was right next door to it.  It was surrounded by tumbleweeds, shrubs and weeds, but the graves were perfectly groomed.  Somebody obviously comes by regularly to take care of it.

4. Installation Art

In Namibia we camped at yet another strange campground.  Pulling off of the side of the road onto the abandoned lane way when you were cycling all alone was a little bit creepy. Several of these odd statues were placed around the grounds depicting little scenes.  We felt better once we saw other people, but at first we thought we were entering some kind of horror film.

5. Random Things on the Highway

As we cycled down the continent, we would find some very strange and random objects on the side of the road. In South Africa Dave found a bone the size of Fred Flintstone’s dinner and in Ethiopia I enjoyed playing with some horse tails to swat the flies away.

5.Everything on the Road Except Vehicles

Africa has a lot of roads being built and paved.  Some are simply beautiful smooth, black tarmac. The funny thing is that there never seems to be any vehicles on the roads.  We saw cows, goats, donkeys, people and a lot of rocks but other than the 60 cyclists that were riding through each day, we didn’t see a lot of traffic. So really, why are they paving all of these highways in Africa? I guess we will see the answer in about 10 years.

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Top 10 Travel and Adventure Favorites from Abroad

It is hard believe that we are going to be on a plane for India in just over a month.  Even more amazing is that we will be moving out of our house in just two weeks.  It is an entirely new chapter in our life.

Sure we have traveled for extended periods before, but this time, we are not planning on returning to our careers in the film business.  Nope, we are moving on to somehow become ful ltime adventurers!

Six months ago, we decided to work diligently on our blog.  It has been an amazing experience writing daily posts and it has made us reflect on our past travels.

In a few short weeks, we will be making new memories, but for now we would like to share some of our Favorite things that we have encountered in our travels.  We were brainstorming about moments that have stood out over the years and

Here is our list of Favorites from abroad.

At the Summit

1- Favorite Adventure – Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro had to be one of the highlights of our life.  We spent six glorious days with great people, fantastic guides and wonderful scenery.  To make it to the top of one of the most famous climbs on the planet is one of the most gratifying experiences a person can have.

2- Favorite Thrill Ride – I was freaking out when the police stopped us to warn us how dangerous it was to dune buggy through the sand dunes of Huacachina.  But once we got started, it was a thrill of a lifetime.  Roller coaster have nothing on climbing one of the highest dunes in the world strapped into a rugged 4X4 only to plunge down the almost vertical drop on the other side.

3- Favorite Adrenaline Rush – Dave had always wanted to go to Zambia to jump from one of the world’s tallest bungee jumps at Victoria Falls.  We took it one step further and booked a day abseiling, zip lining and swinging into the great gorge as seen on the Amazing Race!

4- Favorite Meal – food is always the main focus of our travels. After a good adventure there is nothing more satisfying than eating an amazing meal.  We were cycling Africa last year and by the time we made it to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, we were famished.  Ethiopian is one of our favorite foods and having a great mix of stews and salads served with Injera at the tranquil Ghion Hotel downtown was simply heaven. We were even treated to a show with traditional dancers and music as we sipped our beer and stuffed out faces.

5-Favorite Sunset – It is hard to pin down the perfect sunset.  Our planet is filled with them. But we will never forget being on a boat cruise in Chobe National park watching the sun go down.  Hippos were munching in the water, elephants were lumbering on the river banks and the sky was ablaze with reds, yellows and oranges.

Roasting Coffee in Ubud

6-Favorite Coffee – Before we started traveling, neither of us were big coffee drinkers.  But to visit places such as Indonesia and Africa where coffee was born, how can you not become a lover of the caffeinated beverage.  We have enjoyed some rich and delectable cups of joe, but nothing compares to Bali Coffee.  It is the most delicious brew we have ever tasted.  We brought several bags home with us, and we just may have to take a side trip from India to visit Bali, just to stock up again.

7- Favorite Place to Chill out.  It isn’t always about treks and adventures. Sometimes we just want to relax and work on our tans.  Nothing compared to Gili Air for serious chill time.  We decided to venture to Lombok with the intent of staying a couple of days in the Gili Islands.  11 days later we finally pulled ourselves away from this small island that didn’t allow motorized vehicles.  Horse carts were the mode of transport or some good old fashioned foot power.  We slept in hammocks, snorkeled the drift in front of the beach and ate seafood until our hearts content.

8 – Favorite Wildlife Encounter. Wow, the wildlife we have seen over the years has been amazing. But nothing compared to our time in Belize.  Taking a sail boat out to the pristine coral reef near Caye Caulker to swim with the sharks with Juni was so much fun that we turned around and went right back the next day.  We saw eagle rays, manta rays, nurse sharks, barracuda’s and eels.  We had been diving throughout Central America before hitting Belize, but the snorkeling with our guide Juni was a touching experience.  These fish had personalities and I could see the intelligence and innocence in their eyes.

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9- Favorite Festival.  We had stumbled into Malaysia in January thinking that we would use it as a stepping off point to go to Bali, Singapore and Malaysian borneo. Well, 6 weeks later we were still there and in that time, we witnessed the most shocking and amazing festival on the planet.  Thaipusam is a Hindu Festival where pilgrims pay homage to the Lord Muruga by piecing themselves with hooks and driving spikes through their cheeks and lips.  Unbelievable unless you have seen it with your own eyes.

10 –Favorite Trek. People may say that Sapa is ruined and that it is over run with tourists.  We loved our time in Sapa.  Dave and I had a private tour with Xin as our guide.  We walked through the vast rice terraces for 3 days. We picnicked on a high plateau, we enjoyed rice wine with the local villagers as they sang around the fire.  We ventured far into the mountains away from the town and away from tribes corrupted by tourism.  It was an incredible experience staying in a homestay. Xin brought a feast and the family prepared fresh vegetables and rice and the rice wine kept flowing. We quickly learned that you just cannot ever say no to rice wine when it is offered.

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Top 10 Fears about Cycling Through Africa

We were talking the other day about all of the things that we were afraid of before we left for Africa. We had traveled around the world before, but this was something completely different. After all, it was going to be our first time camping in the desert and in the jungle, it was going to be our first time stepping foot on the African soil and it was our first time ever crossing an entire continent on bicycle.  We were in for quite and adventure.

Starting Line of our Cycle Through Africa

It is funny to think of all of the irrational fears that we had before leaving. Well, I should say that I had. Dave tends to go with the flow better than me, but that is not to say he wasn’t curious on how we were going to deal with problems that would arise.

So without further adieu, here are some fears that we had about camping and cycling our way down Africa, what we encountered and how we dealt with them.

On the Road in Egypt

1 – Fear of being chased by wild animals.  This happened to us on more than one occasion. Packs of wild dogs chased us in Egypt and they managed to hold on for quite a while. Luckily, we saw them coming. They hung out in fields and started chasing us as we passed. Normally we had enough momentum going so we could stay one step ahead of them. I don’t know what we would have done if they had chased us on an uphill.

Dave was also chased by baboons.  They ran along with him for a fair amount of time, but once again, he managed to outrun them. It sounds pretty funny to be chased by baboons, but they can be very vicious so it is a good thing Dave was in pretty good shape during that part of the trip. All in all, we came through the trip unscathed.

A Nice Baboon in Ethiopia

2. Peeing in Public. Ok, I was just looking for an excuse to write the word pee on my blog. But this really was a concern. I had heard that in Ethiopia especially that it was very populated and if you had to go, you wouldn’t have a lot of privacy. I was considering carrying a sarong with me so that if I had to squat in public, I would at least be covered up.  However, this never was an issue.  There was plenty of deserted areas to duck behind a tree or a mound of dirt.  I must admit though that in Ethiopia it was very crowded and you didn’t have a lot of time before people came out of the middle of nowhere. So, you just had to do your business quickly.

A Tent for Privacy in Ethiopia

3. Dealing with snakes and insects while doing your business.  Yes, I see a theme…going to the Toilet is always and issue.  We had to get out of our tents in the middle of the night and find a safe place to go.  Surprisingly, I never worried much about it by the time we camped in long grass and bushes. I guess it is because through Egypt and Sudan we started off in Deserts. We became numb to any worries after a month or so, therefore, when I when I went to do my deed, I never worried about it.  I did however make a lot of noise walking so, I am assuming that snakes and other creepy crawlies would have been more afraid of me, than I was of them.

Lot's of Crashes, Luckily we weren't a Part of any

4. Crashing. Traffic can be brutal in cities and on highways and I was pretty concerned about being taken out by a car. It ended up not being the cars we had to worry about, but the tour buses and transports. In Egypt buses would zoom passed us on the highways without a care in the world. They would also drive straight for us from the opposite direction seemingly wanting to run us off of the road. They did a couple of times, but if you kept your head about you, you just simply drove onto the shoulder to wait for them to go by.  There were a few crashes on the trip, one person broke their collarbone, one had a concussion, there were several stitches, but Dave and I were lucky with the fact that we didn’t have any major falls.  The only one that took me out of commission for 10 days was a minor scratch from a silly little fall that ended up getting infected.

My Knee Infection Slowly Healing

5- Surprisingly infection was never on our list, but it is a very real fear now. Several people caught serious staff infections and cellulitus. We were riding in the rainy season in Tanzania and Malawi, so even mosquito bites were causing severe problems. But that was not a fear of ours until we were in the middle of Africa.  A word to the wise.  If you are in Africa during the wet season and you have a cut that doesn’t even seem like it should matter, Don’t ignore it.  Clean it and disinfect it, anything can become infected in a matter of 24 hours.

An Elephant in Chobe National Park, Luckily not in our Camp

6. Having Wild Animals surround our camps. We were camping right through the heart of Chobe National Park in Botswana and in forests in Ethiopia, but we never had a problem at night. We didn’t have electric fences or armed guards, we were just a little traveling community of campers pulling off at the side of roads or in clearings.  We saw signs like a elephant dung all over the place, so we knew that a herd of elephants had passed through, but we never had the occasion of anything entering our camp.  Oh except for Hyena’s surrounding us in Ethiopia, but they kept their distance. Just don’t wander off with your shovel to do your business too far in the middle of the night.

Relaxing at the Crater Lake with Usual Crowd of Children

7. Rocks being thrown at us in Ethiopia. This is a very real fear and it is well known that Ethiopian children like to throw rocks at cyclists.  You can read all about it at my post at Brave New Traveler.

Our Bikes at Sunset

8. Contaminated Water. We were going to be riding through very dry and remote countries. We really haven’t ever had to worry about water before, you can buy bottled water nearly everywhere. Well, not in Sudan.  Our trucks would stop and fill up at wells in towns and then purify our supply with tablets.  Well, when drinking your water this way for 4 months you are bound to have a parasite or two sneak through and I had 3 different kinds accompany me back to Canada. I swear I still haven’t recovered.

Water stops in Sudan

9. Bandits. We have all heard about robberies and muggings and when you are cycling all alone for 120km each day, you would think that you would be pretty vulnerable.  I especially cycled alone more than a lot of people. I was racing, but I wasn’t fast enough to keep up with the men’s peloton and I didn’t want to hang back with the expedition riders, so I was alone with no one in sight for hours on end.  Only once did I worry a little about being robbed and that was when I was exhausted on a day in Ethiopia.  I had a group of teenagers walking along with me harassing me, slapping me and grabbing at my things.  One huge yell at them though and they left me alone.  I also managed to find some extra energy to get back on my bike and ride up that epic hill that I much rather would have walked.

10. Living in Filth and Sweat. I sweat a lot, I mean buckets and after a workout, the first thing I need is a shower. Otherwise I become itchy and my skin stings and I am just generally uncomfortable.  I burn easily too and whenever I am at the beach, sand stings my skin if I have gotten too much sun.

That is one Dirty Dave

In Sudan and Ethiopia, we were sun burnt and hot. Sand would stick to our skin mixed with sweat and we went for up to 6 days without access to water. We had enough water in the trucks to drink and cook with and that was it.  The rest of the time we were on water rations and were not allowed to use it to bathe or clean.  It was unbelievable, but I became used to being dirty. My skin toughened up and I didn’t even care that I couldn’t shower. If we had any water leftover in our water bottles at the end of the day, we were allowed to dump that over our heads, and that was really all that we needed.  When we had days off, we would shower once, but if we had a second day off we would say, “why bother, I just showered yesterday!”

So after our adventures in Africa, we feel that we will be able to handle anything that the world can throw at us during our next travel. Or at least we are ready to face our fears head on.

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Favorite Food From Traveling the World, So Far

Jen Laceda of My Folie A Deux takes amazing pictures of her travels.  It is her food photographs that not only made very hungry, but also got me thinking about what were some of our favorite meals while we were traveling.

One of the best things about traveling is food. Dave and I seem to plan our days around our meals.  We wake up in the morning and while we are eating our breakfast, we discuss what we are going to have and where we are going to go for dinner.  We love food. Food makes us happy. And when we discover new and delicious food around the world, well, we are in heaven.

We thought that we would share some of our favorite dishes from some of the countries that we have visited.  There hasn’t been many things that we are not willing to try. We have eaten bugs in Cambodia, Snake in Vietnam and Springbock in Malawi.  We have had mystery meat in Sudan and many times we try dishes when we have no idea what we are eating.  We love sampling foods of the world though, it is rare that we try a dish that we cannot stomach. It certainly makes traveling more enjoyable that is for sure.

Ethiopia ……Spicey meat and veggie stews served atop Injera. A type of flatbread made with fermented flour. You rip off a piece of bread and scoop up the stew with your hands.  I just love eating with my hands.  There is something about diving in to your food and grabbing a handful of hearty meats and vegetables.  Meals are just so much more fun when you eat with your hands.  And Wat stews with injera are heavenly delicious.

Authentic Cuisine in Addis Ababa

Peru….. Ceviche – It really doesn’t sound like it would be the best dish on earth, but this fresh fish meal marinated in citrus juice is delicious. Here is my first taste of Ceviche while in Peru.

In South Africa we just couldn’t eat enough. We had finally finished cycling from Cairo to Cape Town and we needed to make up for months of eating on the road. It was in the wine region in Franschoek that we splurged on a meal at one of the country’s top ten restaurants.  I never thought that I would like Ox Tail, but the chef made it taste so good.  We had an OxTail Pate rolled in Filo Pastry with a perfectly cooked steak piled high on fresh greens and wild mushrooms. Elegant and delicious.

Winery in Franscheok

Oxtail with foam gravy

Laap in Laos – A spicy meat meat salad made with lime juice, mint and chillies. This was our first meal that we ate when we got off of the bus from Vietnam to Vientiane. After 24 hours on a bus, it was pure heaven.

Swiss Fondue, Raclette, Cheese Platters….- Cheese, Cheese and More cheese. We just love cheese. In Switzerland it was everywhere and we took advantage of eating their delectable cheeses every chance we had.

Cheese Fondue, Switzerland

Bali and Sudanese CoffeeAfrica is the birthplace of coffee and it was the best place in the world to drink it. Every chance we had we would stop for a roadside coffee.

Our Barrista, Making us Fresh Roadside Coffee

Africa may have been the birthplace of coffee, but Bali certainly knew how to perfect it. We loved their coffee so much that we took several bags home with us.  It was so sad when we drank our last cup. We need to find a way to get a shipment to Canada.

Egypt - an Authentic Bedouin Meal in Egypt. Sure it was served on plastic containers, but it was delicious and what a way to eat it in the middle of the desert in a Bedouin camp.  Our guides cooked over an open flame, served us plenty of sweet tea and cooked up great red stews and meats, potatoes, rice and pita bread. Yummy

Our Guide cooking over open flame

So there you have it, Our favorite foods of the world so far. Sure we have other favorites out there. Thai Green curry is one of my favorite dishes on earth. I can eat Sushi every day and I love Vietnamese Pho. A savory duck roasted in France and Schnitzel while in Germany are a must and quesadillas and tortillas are a must in Central America. But foods  listes above seem to stand out in our memories as not only great meals, but fun situations and unique experiences.

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Strange and Surreal Travel Moments

Life can be pretty surreal at times. And travel is no exception to the rule. We seem to have some of our strangest experiences when we are on the road. Some of them are completely out of our control and we just have to hang on and enjoy the ride. While others have been completely our own doing. A momentary lapse of reason if you will.  Either way, they make for some fun stories around the campfire. Here are a few of ours in no particular order.

Dave Bathing in the Dongola Zoo, Sudan

Camped in a zoo in Sudan-We arrived in Dongola, Sudan after 6 days of cycling in the desert.  We hadn’t showered and we were covered in dirt and sweat. We weren’t treated to luxury though, we had set up camp in an old abandoned zoo.  Apparently a turtle still roamed the grounds but we never saw it. The zoo had high steel walls and nobody was allowed in.  It was pretty strange, because we were fenced in while the town looked at us from outside. We were monkeys in a cage?  This may sound a little odd already, but it didn’t become really strange until we all started bathing in our red supply boxes.  They were carried on our supply trucks and held all of our gear. someone found a hose, so we all filled up our little 100 litre boxes and took a bath.  Weird.

Dirty in Ethiopia, We Would Shower Anywhere

Showered in a Brothel in Ethiopia- Yet another African experience.  We had been cycling once again for days on end through sand.  Once we crossed the Ethiopian border, we camped in a patch of grass which we shared with cows and donkeys.  We had to keep an eye out for cow patties and at one point I saw a cow drinking out of the bottom of one of our trucks.  Our trucks carried our water through the desert in a big bladder underneath. They kept us alive through the unforgiving desert and here was a cow slurping from the bladder like it was sucking on its mums teet. This may sound like a strange experience, but it didn’t get wierd until we all lined up to have a shower at the brothel next door.  We raved about how amazing it was, your standards lower a lot when you are in the desert. The stalls were tin shacks with cement floors and cold water, but the pressure was good and we loved every minute of it. And we even sat down for a beer in the bar afterward as the “ladies and gentlemen” watched on.

Strange Sculptures in Namibian Campsite

Camp Site in Namibia-We approached a camp site in Namibia that completely freaked me out. I was riding alone and in the distance I saw a scary looking guy standing at the side of the road.  He never moved. As I road closer, I was beginning to wonder if I should turn back. But I was on the right route, I followed the flags, it had to be O.K.  Then I realized that it was a statue.  I was relieved, but then again, why is a statue standing alone in the Middle of the Kalahari desert?  I hope I didn’t make a wrong turn?  I kept riding down the long abandoned path and more of these creepy sculptures kept popping up.  They were set up in various strange scenes. Sitting on motorcycles, working at a wagon and perched on go carts and bicycles. They had these heads that looked like pumkins and every horror movie from my childhood flashed through my brain. I eventually made it to camp thank God.  I was happy I was with a crowd, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night if it was only Dave and I.

Shared a bus with a load of Lobsters -  This one was pretty surreal.  We got on a bus downtown Hanoi enroute to Vientiane Laos.  It ended up being a 24 hour journey. There were a handful of us waiting for the bus and we assumed that we would be picking people up at different stops along the way.  Well, we stopped alright, but instead of people, we picked up flour, rice, electronics; you name it, we got it.  We actually started to wonder if we were on a bus that was smuggling stuff across the border.  Oh yeah, I said Lobster didn’t I?  Dozens of lobsters wrapped in pretty packaging  that started to” turn” in the heat as time went on.  It was getting pretty ripe in there by the end and we couldn’t understand why they weren’t packed in ice. Were the lobster carrying something??? We’ll never know.

Loving My Clothes in Hoi An

Shopping in Hoi An-It doesn’t sound very strange, but in Vietnam, Hoi An is famous for its designer suits and cocktail dresses tailor made for a steal. Well, we were backpackers and our jobs at home never call for suits and formal attire.  We told everyone that we were never going to buy clothes in Hoi An. We just wanted to see the town and the sights around it.  However, when we were approached on the street we thought we would be nice and humor the sweet lady and go to her shop. We ended up spending $250 on suits, dresses,  silk shirts, pants and skirts we bought it all.  We stressed about our purchases that night and reprimanded ourselves thoroughly. When we went back the next day to pick up all of our clothes, we loved them so much, we bought more!!  That night again, we kicked ourselves again and again.  What were we thinking? We ended up sending a giant box home to Canada and speding over $300. That cut into our travel budget quite a bit. When we were staying at inns for $4 a night and eating meals for a couple of bucks.  Well, thats a lot of days on the road that we just spent on clothes.  What is strange about this you ask? Well we would love to know where our brains went while we were in Hoi An. (Travel tip-if you get clothes made in Hoi An, be sure to make them double stitch the threading.  It lasts better.)

Adorable Yes, but watch out, those staffs can be deadly

Being Stoned all the way Through Ethiopia-No it is not what you think….In Ethiopia the children have an odd pass time of throwing rocks at cyclists.  They get a kick out of using us as target practice.  We spent 23 days in Ethiopia, and each day we could count on getting a rock whipped at our heads or sticks stuck in our spokes.  It was nuts! Most kids carried these big staffs to herd their cattle and as we rode by, they tried to stick them in our tires to take us out.  You may think that it was because they wanted us to stop and talk. But no, even when we stopped and shared a nice little conversation, they would hurl rocks at us as we left.  It was infuriating.  They had great aim and they could run fast.  I would try to get off my bike and run after them when I was hit by a particularly painful shot, but they were long gone. They didn’t do this in Sudan, or Malawi, or Tanzania, or Namibia….so why in Ethiopia.  I also have no idea who taught them this, but as we cycled from the Sudanese Border in the north all the way through Ethiopia in the south, everyone yelled You, You, You at us. It is weird.  Not a hello or even a wave,  “you, you, you” oh and “give me my money.”  I was luckier than most, I had Dave with me to keep me safe and I didn’t get it near as bad as other riders.  Plus, we rode fast.  We were through early in the day, and it wasn’t so bad yet.  As the day went on however, people got hit worse. They knew people were coming and they were ready for them.  Here is a list of what happened to other riders in Ethiopia.  While cycling by, a woman was peed on, a man had cow dung thrown at him, another woman ran into a child and the town mobbed her demanding money and would not let her leave. The child was ok by the way, and after settling on a payment, she was allowed to go.  Many including myself were whipped with a bullwhip, and yet another woman was asaulted, but a bunch of villagers came to her rescue. Thank God. Most people are good in this world, it is just an few that make everyone else look bad. Unfortunately, Ethiopia is a very populous country and as we were cycling we passed thousands and thousands of people.  So the hundreds and hundreds that got us, made it seem like everyone was out to take us down.

Going to Bokor Hill- A popular tourist destination in Cambodia, we thought it would be a good place to visit.  We hired a truck to take us up themountain.  He asked us if we wanted to pay a couple of bucks more and he would take us on a hike to the waterfall. Sure, OK we said.  We hiked a path and then came out to a bunch of rocks.  It was dry season, and there wasn’t any water. No biggie off we went to the casino.  Another creepy place that is said to be haunted.  I don’t know what it is like today, but back then we just walked through dark hallways and looked at the abandoned hall.  It was a little unsettling. But the view was beautiful. I think they are turning it into a big resort now, I am glad I saw it when it was all run down and abandoned makes for a better story.  Oh wait, that’s not the strange part yet.  Our truck broke down at the top of the mountain, so we all had to pile into the back and coast our way down.  I remember the guys checking the engine scratching their heads and wondering what to do.  We decided that we would have to walk, but a while later, they came up behind us and we had no choice but to hop on. It was night time in the Cambodian Jungle, plunging down a mountain in the box of a coasting truck seemed like a safer option.

Bed Bugs in Malaysia, I have already talked about when we were eaten by bed bugs in Chang Mai, Thailand in a previous post, but there was something very surreal about this bed bug experience in Malaysia.  We were in Penang in a highly recommended guest house which will remain nameless. I was walking back to my room after a morning shower and I saw Jimmy the owner, squishing these creepy creatures leaving bloody smears all over the floor.  He had a big piece of wood and was swatting at them in the room next to ours. All the while, he had a big smile on his face and kept reassuring us that we didn’t have any in our room. I was so grossed out by the blood all over the floor and wall, that we had to get out of there.

Diving in Cozumel, Happy before we spent all that money

Getting taken to the cleaners in Mexico-We had just spent a week diving in Cozumel and were about to embark on our Central American Adventure. On the ferry from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen, we were approached by a time share seller.  We know all about time shares and weren’t interested.  But they offered us $100 US Cash each to come and take a look.  We said, wow, we can go see it and make sure to say NO, collect our $200 and be on our way.  Well we got their and the pressure was high.  They kept throwing everything our way and we kept saying no. The price kept going down and down and then they finally said that they would give it to us for $1000 and upgrade us to the level where we can get African safaris and luxury tours for cheap cheap cheap.  We gave in and bought.  Right after I freaked out and wanted my money back to no avail.  We did get our $200 though and they agreed to put us up in their luxury resort for a week in Playa Del Carmen. It was beautiful and we were pampered staying in this incredible hotel.  We had just come from an all inclusive dive resort  and this one made that one look like a Days Inn. So we figured it all evened out in the end.  $800 bucks for a week at a luxury resort. Why is this surreal, we were supposed to be back packing in Mexico and should have been roughing it in Tulum by now. Insead we had white robes and slippers and were sitting by the pool bar. We cut almost a month of travel off of our trip because of that resort, but we still talk about how nice it was and to this day, we still get emails from that vacation club offering us great discounts.  They do have great discounts admittedly, maybe one day we will take them up on it

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What it is like to Cycle in Ethiopia on the TDA

I wrote this in Ethiopia and wanted to post it before we left, but internet was slow and we were tired.  So, here it is, my first blog entry.Well it has come my time to write the blog.  So, here it goes
Life here so far in the TDA becomes a bit surreal to say the least. Days no longer have names, just distances and vague directions.
This will give you an idea of what we have to go through.
Every morning we wake to the sound of, no not singing birds, but James Brown’s “I Feel Good” or Queens “Bicycle.”
After the 6:30 am wake up call, it is time to get to work.  Once we have done our morning visit to the Loo (which could range from a hole dug by the staff with a tent plopped on top of it, to a trip to the nearest bush, with a shovel slung proudly over your shoulder) The morning routine begins.

Ours is pretty good now and run like a well oiled machine.  We start with buttering up our butts before sliding into our riding shorts then proceeding to pack up the tent and its contents.  Then it is off to the breakfast line with our plates and cutlery to fill ourselves with the morning’s delights. Dry bread, porridge (every day) or if we are lucky some muesli. But not before trying to secure a camping chair to put your butt on, they are like gold, so don’t let it out  of your sight or you may be sitting on the ground with the thorn bushes.

After eating a plate of that oatmeal or pro-nutro (still don’t know what the hell that is) it is time for the washing of the dishes and packing up your 100 litre red box, which holds your entire life in it for the days you are on the road.  Then it is on to the bikes for the days km, interrupted only by a coke stop and lunch. If we are lucky we may be allowed more than  1 piece of watermelon.

After dodging the days obstacles, which could range from potholes, to cattle, to rock throwing children, we arrive in camp greeted by the blazing sun and all the soup and dry bread we can eat.

When we get our fill and are feeling up to it, we tackle the red box again.  We normally camp in cow pastures, so we almost always clear away dried cow dung or goat turds  then, set up the tent and wait with baited breath for the call of the wild….RIDER MEETING!  Now we can find out what is in store for us the next day.  And then it is Bon Appetite. Lining up like cows going to slaughter, we await the staff who have positioned themselves behind 3 big pots to dish out Mile’s latest creation.

After scarfing down our meals, we quickly retreat to the tent to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the night…starting with the concerto of snoring, followed by a symphony of farts.  Ahhh, a day on the TDA and only 2 more months to go.

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