Blog – Rings Round The World

Super Salim 10/4/2010

If you are ever happen to have a few days in Jaipur and you want to cut through all the crap

Meeting the locals 15/6/2010

I am just back from the reception of our hotel in Nanjing having tried to organise two glasses from

Beijing Party 27/6/2010

This is short but I want Axel to look back on this when he is older and remember the fun he had .

Panglao Island 16/7/2010

We got out of Camaguin by ferry to Bohol, another part of Mindinao province. Put to shore in some

Snorkelling is Like Sex 23/8/2010

“Snorkelling is like sex, the first time you try it you are nervous...... but it’s still the

Solo , Java 28/9/2010

It was due[...] READ MORE Mount Bromo 27/9/2010 Mount Bromo 27/9/2010 We were well settled into the not so splendid, Hotel Splendid which Lisa absolutlely

Coffee With Legs

There are many quaint institutions here in Chile that are in slow decline, going to mass on

Wine Country & Arms Dealers

There is a museum in Santa Cruz, no sorry, its actually a private collection housed in an old

Tango Fantastic

From coffee with legs in Santiago to beer with tango in Buenas Aires. We are sitting in a small[

Little Puker

Day five in Brazil , but day two in Florianopolis and it’s the first sunny day so far . Basically

Sao Paulo , Brazil

Out of the frying pan into the fire. We land in the worlds second most murderous city Sao Paulo

Tigre Delta

After what felt like a bland, boring time in Cordoba we were back to Buenos Aires to do some

Christmas Day Sunny Side Up

Christmas morning the alarm was set for 8am and boy was it sunny . Not a cloud in the sky

Christmas Eve , Gaucho Style

Christmas eve morning was a buzz of activity in the house . Angeles and Diego were expecting their

The Ghost of Christmas Past

During the night we had an unexpected visitor, a midnight phantom, we weren’t sure at first,

Don Joaquin Estancia , Argentina

Have you ever met somebody for the first time and felt like you had known them forever, or better

Elqui Valley Stars

The Elqui valley is famous for its clear sky’s so we organized a night-time visit to the

Vicuna and “La Brocha”

This was only the third occasion since January 2010 that I took to the road on wheels. After going[

Valparaiso (Bray On Crack Cocaine) 27/11/2010

We started off our journey from Santiago to Valparaiso by being robbed by the taxi driver who took

Beaver Fever 24/11/2010

Axel has Beaver Fever. Whoaa there! now hang on a minute before you start jumping to conclusions,

Smuggling in Santiago 22/11/2010

We arrived off our flight from Auckland at two in the afternoon and were nearly sent straight to

Murder on the Highway 16/11/2010

We have had come this far around the world for little more than a long weekend in New Zealand

Old Friend , First Love 13/11/2010

I don't know about anyone else but my first experience with boyfriend love was an intense

Schools In 12/11/2010

We dropped into our new ( but feel like old ) friends, the Gordons in Belmayne, New South Wales

‘Crikey’, it’s a halting site! 8/11/2010

We arrived into the Glasshouse Mountains Holiday Village late in the evening on our way to

Wet and Wild 31/10/2010

We went to Wet’n’Wild on a miserable, dull, cold Monday. We had no alternative as we had other

Byron Bay 28/10/2010

We made our way north along the Pacific Highway as the kids killed each other in the back of the

Camping and loving it ! 23/10/2010

We made a real go of it today. We got up relatively early, had breakfast, did Axel’s schoolwork and got on the road. We drove

Pampering Day 20/2/10

Today was a day of extremes. It was my turn to visit the Hamam, which I did with a certain

It’s Official , WE IS WHITE TRASH ! 18/10/2010

Like something from a suburban version of ‘Deliverance’ we are crawling up the Pacific Coast

Tanjung Lesung 5/10/2010

We were still in ticket limbo and were trying to sort out our flight to Sydney but figured we were

Bali 6/9/2010

Flying into Bali from Singapore was quite emotional for Lisa and myself . We had spent some time

Stuck in Jakarta 2/10/2010

We arrived into Jakarta with the intention of hanging around for two or three day’s and then

Perfect Day 1/11/2010

We are getting into the swing of this itinerant lifestyle in our motor home. We slept in Coffs

Jogjakarta and The Temple of Borobudur 30/10/2010

We stopped off in Yogyakarta, known locally as Jogja primarily to see the Bhuddist temple

Mount Bromo 27/9/2010

We were well settled into the not so splendid, Hotel Splendid which Lisa absolutlely loved. I think for its fading grandeur, a little like the

Welcome to Java 26/9/2010

It took us 40 minutes to fly from Bali to Surbaya and 6 hours of hell to get from Surabaya to Malang. Being in Indonesia

Gili Islands 23/9/2010

I breathed a sigh of relief as we left Bangsal in the distance and headed out towards Gili Trawangan and away from Lombok. It was

Lombok 16/9/2010

We took the long slow cheap way to get to the Gili Islands and ‘boy oh boy’ was it big on long,

Jungle Line

We were all looking forward to traveling by train and seeing some of the smaller towns in Malaysia not normally visited by tourists

Ubud 12/9/2010

Ubud 12/9/2010 Ubud 12/9/2010Posted on: 12/09/10 1 comments — add your own ← → The accommodation in Ubud had been haphazard at the best of

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting.

Actually it was more like Thai kick boxing, but bloody, exciting, and primitively primevil all the same.

Sumatra 5/9/2010

Our planned trip to sumatra positioned in the “ ring of fire “ looks like it may have to be postponed as the second eruption

Singapore hair salon .

Well as you can imagine a place like Singapore is a shoppers paradise and therefor somewhere to get your hair done. I have had a

Lunch with Dee 3/9/2010

Sunday the provebial day of rest was a great day . We arranged to catch up with friends from Dublin Dee McGoldrick , Kieran and

Singapore Zoo 01/9/2010

We heard the Singapore Zoo was one of the best zoos in the world and we decided to go and have

Tioman Island 28/8/2010

The legend of Tioman is that some magical dragon princess on her way from China to Singapore

Kluang to Tioman 26/8/2010

We hopped off the jungle line at Kluang so that we could make our way to Tioman . There was no info in the lonely

Jackie and Sam , The Perenthians

On the beach on our first day Axel and Elka were playing aroumd in the sand not too far from a little girl. I could

The Jungle Line – I’d like to keep moving forever 24/8/2010

There can be few better feeling’s in this world than sitting in the open doorway of a moving train heading south in a hot tropical

Jungle Dance 22/8/2010

Perched high in the jungle above the beach on a terrace of wooden bungalows

Perenthian Islands , Malaysia 21/8/2010

After our epic journey from Koh Lippe in Thailand to Kota Bharu in Malaysia we required some much needed rest and relaxation and took a

Shooting at the train – Journey from Thailand to Malaysia 20/8/2010

We packed up in the Mountain View Resort on Koh Lipee and got a lift in a tractor and trailer to the boat launch that

Koh Lipee 19/8/2010

We decided that so far all the Thai places we had been to before were now shit and wanted to go someplace

The Trip to Lip 16/8/2010

Longtail boat, Ferryboat, Truck, Bus/Sub, Tuk Tuk, Speedboat, Motorbike, Tractor. The only thing we haven’t traveled in to get to Koh Lipee is plane, helicopter

Traveling With Kids 15/8/2010

Travelling with kids, do you do it, do you not do it. Or do you wait till they have flown the coop, do you wait

Highway Submarine – Koh Phi Phi to Pakbara 15/8/2010

We had an early start on Long Beach, Koh Phi Phi to catch the ferry from Koh Phi Phi town to Krabi.

Uncle Peter 3/8/2010

We headed to Pattaya to see my uncle Peter and his partner Oy and stayed there for a few days to spend some time with

Bangkok 1/8/2010

Arriving into Bangkok was the nearest thing to arriving home we have experienced in six months.

Japanese Jax 9/7/2010

We have had great amusement in these tiny spaces . The baths are just about big enough to fit the kids in sitting up .

Bowing Japan 5/7/2010

They even have me at it, bowing, they do it al the time, for everything. Bow when you order a beer, give you your change,

Manila

I am sitting here on my balcony on the Thai island resort of Koh Phi Phi thinking about writing about our experiences in the Philippines.

Cagayan de Oro 12/7/2010

Caguin de Oro is a pretty rough Philippine town in Mindinao in the south, ‘scene of religious unrest’ but is a required stop over on

Shanghai 9/6/2010

We arrived in to Shanghai with no money, no hotel booked late at night into the biggest most cavernous airport I have ever been in

Chasing Geisha 5/7/2010

It wasn’t just me chasing the geisha around town, not like the old day’s, this time around

Arriving in Japan 02/07/2010

Those of you that know me also know that I am seldom stuck for words, but landing in Tokyo the night before last left me

The Great Wall – The easy way 24/6/2010

We were running out of time before we had to leave Beijing and we still hadn’t got a sniff of the

Beijing – Meeting Mao 23/6/2010

Lisa had arranged for us to stay in one of the houtong area of Beijing which was a really good call. These areas are the

Pingyao Timewarp 19/6/2010

We had never heard of Pingyao but while having a coffee in Starbucks in Shenzhen we came across an

Xian 16/6/2010

We arrived into Xi’an on a flight from Nanjing and are immediately struck by the fact we can see

Nanjing 11/6/2010

Managed to board a train from Shanghai to Nanjing with few problems. A bit different to India, chaotic but seriously organized

Shanghai – Axel and Elka Mania 10/6/2010

We go for a walk along the Bund (Old German concession) starting at Nanjing road east. When we get to the promenade we stop to

Flying, fuck!

I fucking hate flying. Not the little bit in the middle when you are actualy in the air actually flying but the tedious, monotony that

I like Sri Lanka 24/5/2010

For a place that gave me a boil on me arse ( a really big boil ) , mosquito bites, two to the top

The Dreaded Trots , India 8/5/2010

The Dreaded Trots , India 8/5/2010 The Dreaded Trots , India 8/5/2010Posted on: 23/05/10 3 comments — add your own ← → Everyone knows that

Yala National Park 15/5/2010

We leave Wajiya beach for Yala National Park ( which is apparently the closest we can ever expect to get to a real live jungle

Udaipur 15/4/2010

The rickshaw chase in one of the Roger Moore Bond movies was filmed in Udaipur and you can understand why.

Sri Lanka 11/5/2010

Somebody somewhere is looking after us . Our flight from Bangalore to Colombo took only and hour but in that time we met the very

Willies magic pockets

Axel wants to thank Willie for making him rich on his tour . Willie your pockets of loose foreign

Jaipur Kidnap Express 9/4/2010

We travelled 3rd Class AC Sleeper on the train from Delhi to Jaipur. It was our second experience of the indian rail system and was

Trek to Mysore 4/5/2010

Getting from Gokarna to Mysore was some trek . It is about an eighteen hour journey

Gokarna, India 1/5/2010

apparently Shiva, the Hindu god after a period of penance was re-born from the underworld through

Yoga 29/4/2010

Just back from my first yoga class in India . Can you see the headland in the image attached .....cause that is where the class

Aquaba 26/3/10

Today is horrible . It’s really cold and torrential rain is hitting the ground hard . The sky is black and visabilty is nil .

Getting to Agra 7/2/2010

We started our journey to Agra with some amount of trepidation. Everyone we spoke to who had previously visited had horror stories about trying to

The Taj

Everyone knows from the guidebooks that the best-advised time to go to the Taj Mahal is at 6 am just as it opens

Smelly Delhi 3/4/2010

The doors of the plane opened on arrival at 4.30 am and the heat just smacked us in the face

In the Indian Rail Machine 5/4/2010

After a couple of days we had to get out of Delhi and start our Indian odyssy proper so I decided to organise the train

Palolem , Goa 22/4/2010

We are sitting on on the deck of our beach hut, which if you know your beach huts is basically a

Waking in the Desert 31/3/2010

Woke up this morning at 7.30 with a beam of sunlight streaming through the flaps of the tent directly on to my face .

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star 30/3/2010

Under the covers fully clothed in a tent in a desert camp called Beit Ali in Wadi Rum , Jordan I finally get 5 mins

Lunch with Kalid 26/3/2010

The weather today is cold again . We jump up and head out for breakfast but not before phoning Kalid , our driver that took

Small World 25/3/10

This morning we woke to a really miserable day . The weather is cold and drizzling and there is

Indiana Jones territory 24/3/2010

The last few days have been all go starting with Petra . We arrived in Petra this evening and checked in to a really grotty

Holy Day 23/3/2010

We had a very enjoyable day today in Madaba, our first real beach day of the trip.

Igors from Latvia 17/03/2010

We shared a bus back from Beirut with Igors from Latvia. Igors is an executive in the airline industry with a little time on his

Get me out of here 16/3/10

The military presence around Place Etoile is heavy and sitting out having a coffee in the open air

Byblos 15/3/2010

It’s 11.45pm in Beirut, and I am sitting on the hotel balcony having just finished a Tuborg! Just about to crack open a can of

Beirut 14/3/2010

The bus from Damascus to Beirut was scheduled to take 3 hours. Our driver was a sweaty looking, caffeine addicted, chain smoking Syrian gentleman with

The Land Of Dates 12/3/10

We got the bus to Palmyra, a dusty 3 hour journey from Damascus through the Syrian desert.

Arab Entertaining

We had a wonderful day today, which started at 10am for breakfast in Houda & Maroufs apartment not far from where are staying. On arrival

Arab Entertaining 8/3/2010

We had a wonderful day today, which started at 10am for breakfast in Houda & Maroufs apartment not[

Syrian Breakfast

We were invited to have breakfast in Samir’s week-end retreat in Az Zabadani. This is in the mountainous region northwest of Damascus on the Lebanese

The Road to Damascus

We didn’t give ourselves enough time yesterday arriving late at Baghdad Station in downtown Aleppo. We were chosen by the well intentioned porter from hell,

Arabian Nights

It's about midnight and I am the only one up . Eric is snoring beside me here but apart from that it is the quietest

Leaving Cappadocia

After three wonderful day’s in Cappadocia we decided to return to Istanbul. We wanted to move on and get to Syria and we had just

The Train to Cappadocia

We left Istanbul on Saturday to catch a night train to Goreme in Cappadocia .

Shell Shocked

We arrived in Istanbul on Monday 15th February, very tired, emotionally drained and not quite sure what it was we had done or exactly how

Damascus, Syria

We really , really love it here . I cannot explain how nice and easy it is , nor can I describe how nice the

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