Nicci and Jason RTW Blog
Friday, 18 December 2009 00:00
We can get quite used to this campervan routine, “wakeup, eat and get in the seat”. We covered some serious tarmac today making our way down state highway 83 to reach the small town of Oamaru. Our camper was seriously thirsty and drinking a lot of juice, 65 litres in 400kms. We pulled into a local mechanic who soon spotted the fault and tightened the culprit (a loose bolt where fuel had been leaking thru). We stopped over night and free camped at one of the most amazing coves at Waikouaiti. With our tummies all fed and a warm brew inside we turned to inspecting our eye lids for the night.
Early rise and shine, we took the opportunity to run along the firm flat sandy beach. To our surprise we were not the only ones training. Eight horses lead by a 4x4 galloped back and forth along the waterline, stirring the sand thus setting the table for eager seagulls who squawked and performed for the beat seat.
Having had yummy oats for breakers we popped the camper into first and meandered down state highway 1 thru Dunedin, Invercargill and down to the southernmost tip of NZ, the bluff. With adverse weather conditions and a massive swell we decided that the trip to Steward Island would have to wait for another day. We instead trundled along the well formed coastal path to get a bit of fresh air at South lat 46-deg-36-min-54-sec and East long 168-deg-21-min-26-sec.
Looking for the ideal stop to free camp we headed back into Invercargill and round to Oreti beach where we shut the curtains for a good night’s rest. No sooner had we closed up, we heard a number of racer cars hit the beach for a good night out. The kids here in NZ can drive legally at the age of 16! After the third youngster burning rubber by our camper window we decided to fire up the engines and look for a quieter pad. We drove up a gravel road and tucked away in some long grass.
To our surprise we woke to find a newspaper in front of the campervan. Some guy doing the paper run had kindly thrown us a paper!
Wednesday, 16 December 2009 00:00
Sjoe, it has been a long time since we´ve updated our blog, apologies for not updating our blog sooner. From the awesome comfort of our camper we headed south down state highway no: 1 thru Ashburton, Geraldine and camped at the Top 10 campsite in Fairlie. The weather was bitterly cold with a light drizzle and we decided to have an early supper and get tucked into bed. We woke early to the most amazing view. The Hunters Hills; Mt Edward and the Two Thumb Range were all capped with brilliant white snow, truly breath taking.
The 42 km road from Fairlie to Lake Tekapo meanders its way thru Burke Pass with its stunning beauty off pink, purple and yellow bell flowers in full bloom. Arriving at Lake Tekapo one is unprepared for the majestic beauty of the crystal blue waters of the massive glacial lake. The lakes are best viewed from the small Church of the Good Shepherd which is located in the banks for Lake Tekapo.
After a quick bite to eat we drove up to Mt Cook with its staggering peak standing tall at 3754m asl. Sir Edmund Hillary (along with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first to complete a successful ascent of Mt Everest on the 29th May 1953). Sir Edmund Hillary often returned to Mt Cook National park and climbed its many peaks including Mt Cook in 1947 and 1948. It was such an education to walk around the Hermitage centre and learn a great deal about safe mountaineering.
Just before the small town of Twizel we found a cute little pine forest and set out to free camp for the night. With such an abundance of pine cones around, we could not resist making a fire. After having a good cuppa coffee and toasted marshmallows we nestled in our camper to see the little bunny rabbits chase each other around.
Monday, 14 December 2009 07:07
We spent the first night in Christchurch at a Top 10 Campervan resort to familiarise ourselves with our Camper and stock up on groceries. Our second day we drove thru beautiful lakes and mountains to Akaroa which is East of Christchurch on the coast and free-camped that night next to a lake. Early Sunday morning rise and we drove back to Christchurch where we met Barry and Eunice (friends of a friend from our Church). We joined them at their Church which was followed by a scrumptious traditional Sunday lunch at their house. It was lovely meeting them and their three sons, unfortunately their daughter was working. We are now headed South towards the lakes and glaciers and look forward to updating the blog as soon as we get internet again.
Friday, 11 December 2009 00:00
We were greeted with the most warm and friendly welcome by John and Lynn (our Aussy Mom and Dad) at Brisbane Airport. That evening John cooked a delicious Australian BBQ which we enjoyed in their garden. It was wonderful to see Brad (a very good friend of Nixs from year ago) arrive on the door step. It was so good to catch up over drinks and a good meal. Brad and his family moved to Aus 4 years ago and have never looked back. Nick arrived home late that night after work. It was lovely to catch up from the last few years.
The next day John and Lynn took us on a beautiful scenic drive up mount Glorious and mount Nebo where we saw some spectacular views whilst listening to the bell birds chiming away. We cooked a basic chicken meal for everyone that evening which went down well, with a good night sleep. The Sun rises at 4:15 am and goes to sleep at 6:30 pm so Nix used the opportunity to go for an early run before the heat of the day set in. Temperatures rise above 40 dec C during the heat of the day which explains the extremely tight water restrictions in place and high risk fire alerts. Gardens can only be watered between 4pm and 8am.
Nick very kindly offered to be our tour guide and we caught the train from Ferny Grove to Brisbane Central where we spent 6 hours exploring the city, including; a visit to the city hall and up the clock tower we where got spectacular views of the city; Myers shopping centre where Nick works; Souvenir shop where we bought a boomerang; Magistrates court; the Anzac memorial Square; Botanical Gardens; South Bank and much needed rest and ride on the city cat as we meandered down the Brisbane river.
Lynn and John were very naughty and insisted on treating us to a day at the Australian zoo with Nick. What an education, we got the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Steve Irwins mates and feed and pat some of them. The crocoseum put on a fantastic show which is a must if you ever go to the Australian Zoo.
We also met up with an old friend of the Corletts´ (John Harris) who collected us and took us for a lovely drive towards the gold coast whilst meandering through the tambourine mountains on the way down. We had a lovely picnic and walk through a rain forest before hearing down to Surfers paradise before meeting up with Richard (Sean´s Brother) for the night. We had a fantastic stay with Richard and Lana in New South Wales and headed back on the train the following morning to John and Lynn.
Lynn and John once again treated us to a super meal out at Portobella where Pete (one of their 5 sons) is a chef. What a scrumptious meal. Afterwards we drove home via some spectacular Christmas lights at some of the surrounding homes and Churches. Wow – the Aussies certainly go all out with their Christmas decorations – great to see! What a fantastic to the most wonderful stay in Australia, our taste buds have certainly been tantalised – even more so knowing that we have a Mum and Dad there too!
3am wake up to catch the 5:20am flight to Christchurch.
Thank-You John, Lynn and Nick you have outdone yourselves.
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 00:00
As we drove from Malaysia to Singapore on the bus we noticed a huge contrast between the two countries. Singapore is extremely clean and environmentally friendly. Although there is such a massive population of locals and expats, the roads are surprisingly uncongested as most people make use of the public transport. We stayed with Andy, a friend from Church´s brother who very kindly opened his home to us for the duration of our stay in Singapore.
Our first port of call was the National University Hospital for a 13 week scan of our precious bundle. All looks great, bubs even gave us a wave, some acrobatics and some thumb sucking. Some of the highlights of our stay was the beautiful Orchard road in with its spectacular array of brightly coloured Christmas lights – full of the sights and sounds of the festive season.
The botanical gardens are another must if you ever visit Singapore. Very clean and well kept with some beautiful walks and artistic displays from various artists.
We met up with an old school friend of Nixs for their Sunday evening Church service at St Georges. It was great to see Ingrid, her hubby John and their 16 month old son, Ben.
Sentosa island is another highlight just south of Singapore, a bus or mono rail ride away (unfortunately the cable car was in operation this time).
China Town is another interesting visit, especially if your into shopping for bargains and looking for souvenirs.
It was great to meet up with another old school friend from Primary school days. Celeste and her hubby have recently immigrated from SA.
All in all it was a wonderful time spend in Singapore and we look forward to hopefully visiting soon.
Saturday, 21 November 2009 04:44
We´ve had a super 3 days in KL. Went to Rumah Juara – a home for underprivileged children which was truly amazing. Really good to see the Lords work being taken so seriously amongst these children. Sang Christmas carols with them (practicing for their carol singing at Christmas time); played and read with them and also visited their church (Glad Tidings) where we met May Heng who had kindly put us in contact with Elizabeth who runs Rumah Juara.
We´ve met so many awesome people at the backpackers we were staying at, many of whom are well travelled and where able to share many of their experiences with us too.
We are now in Melaka (2hour bus ride from KL), for 3days before bussing it down to Singapore where we´ll stay with a friend for 9 days. Sjoe, the Lord has really blessed us with so many contacts and such hospitable and friendly people.
Today’s 12 weeks and a tiny tum tum now starting to show. According to the books we´re reading they congratulate you saying well done, you are now officially pregnant! Nixs is doing so well, had little to no morning sickness. We are so blessed and thankful for the Lords hand of protection and guidance over us.
Monday, 16 November 2009 02:29
What a fantastic time spent on the island of Langkawi just off the west coast of mainland, Malaysia. It has been almost two weeks of relaxation and soaking up the sun, atmosphere and culture.
We thank God for the wonderful opportunities He has given us to share His Word and His Love with those we have come into contact with. Chenang beach is on the East coast of the island, and is the perfect setting for swimming, water sports and enjoying sundowners while appreciating the beautiful sun slip below the horizon. Evenings were spent quietly walking along the beach and absorbing the vibrant atmosphere as tourists and locals mingle on the beach; many of whom enjoy participating in the many activities on offer, including para-sailing, banana boat rides, beach soccer and volley ball. In the background the mouth watering smell of BBQs lure you ever closer to sample and dine, with sundowners on the beach.
The following day J relished the opportunity of a para-sail ride (what a treat), not for preggie mommy though, unfortunately?, Nixs enjoyed the para-sail ride by spectating and taking pics from the ground.
We thoroughly enjoyed Chenang beach where we stayed for three nights before moving a few km´s down the road to a very welcoming backpackers hostel called Zackry Guest House. Five awesome nights were spent here, and what wonderful people we have met. It has been good hearing about the different parts of the world where our new friends have travelled to and great getting advice for the next legs of our journey ahead. Many of these people have shown the utmost interest in the time that we spent at the orphanage and listened intently as we spoke about Jesus and the miracles He has performed in our lives, and the lives of those we have come into contact with. It is a humbling experience to be able to talk openly about our faith to people who want to listen and also who aspire to experience the Love of God themselves.
Whilst at Zackry´s we took a morning out to explore some of the surrounding islands by long-tail boat. This tour was most fascinating as the first island we visited was the “Lake of the Pregnant Maiden” which in years gone by it was believed that if women, having difficulty conceiving, drank from this fresh water lake they would become fertile and be able to conceive. Swimming in the water was most refreshing, but Nixs didn´t feel the need to gulp any water as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords has so graciously blessed us with His child which He is knitting together so intricately in Nicci´s womb (Psalm 139:13).
J enjoyed a very different foot massage by dipping his feet into a separate part of the lake where hundreds of cat fish would rapidly surge their way towards his feet. This was a very strange experience and I´m sure the fish enjoyed J´s salty, sweaty feet. I must say his feet did not smell as much afterwards ?. Our next island stop was fish eagle feeding, where sizable pieces of chicken were routinely clawed by gracious dives and swoops. Twenty to Thirty eagles spiralled from above like an aeroplane landing stack waiting for clearance to approach.
Yesterday we had a joyful celebration for Niamh´s (a lovely Irish las who works at Zackry´s Guest House and welcomes everyone with open arms) birthday. Camo and Nia (Aus and Eng couple) very kindly organised the party where everyone chipped in a little for drinks, snacks and pressies. What a wonderful day was had by all. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Niamh!!! And thank-you for the most wonderful hospitality shown – what a wonderful group!
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 00:00
The island of Langkawi is located 3 hours ferry ride from George Town, where we will be staying for the next week. God has been so good to us, enabling us to share what we´re doing with everyone we come into contact with and we pray that in His time the hearts of these people will be touched and that more souls will be won for Christ. We Thank-You for your continuous prayers, the three of us are doing really well and Bubs is treating Mom2B well, God is so good!
Sunday, 01 November 2009 00:00
We arrived safely in Hat Yai and found a very reasonable room at a guest house located close to the train station. We had a good nights´ rest rising early to explore the town before catching the afternoon train to Butterworth (Malaysia). Shortly into the journey we stopped at the border post and checked thru customs, good-bye Thailand – thank-you for your wonderful hospitality. The train journey in total is 5 hours, we arrived at Butterworth at 20:30 in the evening. We met an older couple on the train, Jeff was born in Pietermaritzburg (SA), and is very well travelled, now living in Thailand with his wife At. He is very frail with Parkinson’s and has partial eyesight; his wife cares for him constantly. When we arrived in Butterworth we ended up catching the cab with them to George Town (Capital of Penang) were we booked into the same hotel where we stayed for two nights. We explored the city the following day, where we caught the local bus to penang hill where we hopped on the funicular which took us 30 minutes to reach the top of Penang Hill (approx 800m above sea level). At the top there is the most magnificent view over Penang Island and the third longest causeway in the world which connects Penang Island to mainland Malaysia. They are in the process of constructing another causeway which when completed will be the longest in the world.
Thursday, 29 October 2009 00:00
Krabi province – what an amazing place! We stayed at the little Goodwill B&B, located near Ao Nang beach. We visited the stunning white sandy beaches of Haad Noppharattharaa and where pleasantly surprised with the abundance of beautiful pansy shells which decorated the water’s edge. Tucked away around the corner is the idyllic Railay beach, made famous for the magnificent cliffs frequented by climbers. It is only accessible by boat which makes it even more remote and such a beautiful place to visit. From Ao Nang beach we caught a long tail boat to Railay beach, where we hire a kayak for three hours and explored and swam in the most beautiful sea caves, water was crystal clear – this is the picture perfect Thailand you see on post cards. Being such a scorcher of a day we were pleasantly relieved when a lady on the beach approached us, selling peeled pineapple on the stalk and ice cold singha beer. This went down a real treat as we sat in the cool shade of a cliff overhang with the water lapping at our feet.We met a lovely Kiwi couple with a two year old son who befriended a crab which he named “Crusty” as he was feeding it some crackers. She is pregnant with her second child and we were able to have a good chat about travelling in NZ. Further along the beach, nestled in the cool shade we found the fertility cave and the trees where filled with monkeys which passerby were intrigued by. These monkeys were so tame you could feed them by hand without them getting aggressive. We met a lovely South African lady, now living in China, who is also pregnant with her second child, it was so good to chat and exchange contact details. Back at Ao Nang beach we treated ourselves to a meal out (our second one since being away), we had char-grilled beef and chicken kebabs with salad and baked potatoes.
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 02:00
We had the most amazing and humbling time at the orphanage. The children have so little yet so much! It was great to play and interact with the children, many cannot speak a word of English, it is amazing how we could still communicate using facial gestures and basic sign language. Drawing pictures, playing football and ping-pong was one of the best ways to interact; it is a language everyone understands. The Church service on Sunday was attended by all the children and one outside family; we started off with 45 min of praise and worship followed by a 1hr20min sermon! We couldn´t understand Thai but Samruam used an illustration from the Our Daily Bread devotional reading which used the brilliant example of two sandals walking closely together, the leading sandal being Jesus and the following sandal being us. Thus illustrating that as followers of Christ we are to follow Jesus closely and not wonder off His path and be caught up with the things of this world, which will ultimately leave us feeling lonely and empty.
Thank-you everyone for your generous donations via our website, we have donated (25 000 Baht) all proceeds raised thus far (440 GBP) to the Baan San Fan orphanage. The money will be used to keep the orphanage running. Samruam and Gai have detailed the orphanages running cost based on 20 children per month. Please click here to view the orphanage monlthy expenses. Using our gifts we tried to help as much as can, Nicci and I created a website for the orphanage. Samruam took close notes during its build and is now confident to maintain the upkeep of it, which we will host from the UK. The link is www.baansanfan.org
The heavens literally opened up on us whilst driving from Phuket to Krabi. A blanket of water gushed down on the car so hard I thought the flimsy roof was going to collapse! It´s lovely and so different to any rain we´ve experienced, one second the sun is blazing and the next you’re driving thru a foot of water, then back to dry land, indescribable! The affordable little Toyota we´ve hired for 7 days will see us too Hat Yai (Southern Thailand). Our trusty bikes have now been paid for and sorted out; Special thanks to Gordon and Toby at Asia Pacific Super yachts who have arranged the shipping for us at cost.
Our little raspberry is doing very well, from yesterday´s scan; s/he is 8 weeks and 17.7mm in length with a healthy heart beat, and enjoying this travelling as much as we are! Mom2B is staying well clear of dodgy food and strange smells (had a 24 hr bout of food poisoning 2 weeks ago which caused the runs, nausea and a mild fever), thankfully it was short lived. Bubs has also been good not causing too much morning sickness - just very tired and cat napping a lot.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 00:00
A massive Thank You to everyone for your best wishes and kind messages, we are indeed very excited about this good news and will take each step forward in faith and trust that God looks after us. Our bikes have thus been boxed and are being shipped back to London. A massive thank you to Duncan, Gordon and Toby for your help and support with shipping our bikes, it´s really appreciated and it´s certainly made our lives a lot easier continuing forward!
With huge smiles and open arms we were welcomed at Baan San Fam Orphanage on Monday where Nix was presented with a bouquet made by the girls from palm leaves. They were so thrilled to hear our good news the day before arriving.
Gai and Samruam wasted no time in showing us around. It´s truly amazing to see how much has been achieved in such a short space of time. The orphanage has been running for 5 years, a Christian sponsor kindly helped build the children´s houses. There are 4 houses; each has four rooms a toilet and shower. Samruam and Gai are making full use of available resources; they have planted many coconut, orange, banana, papaya, and mango trees. Samruam has built a chicken run where about 100 chickens roam freely; they are fed twice a day with a mixture of pellets soaked in water with ground coconut. The chickens have been raised from chicks, after 6 months they are ready to eat. They also collect eggs about 4 times a week from the chickens. The orphanage has a few pigs which feed off skin cuttings from vegetables.
The orphanage was donated large concrete pipe sections (the kind you used for massive water drainage). These have been turned on their side; water proofed with thick plastic and makes the perfect fish tank, where cat fish (barble) are farmed and are ready to eat after 6 months. Once the coconut trees have reached maturity (after 4-5 years) they can be used to make coconut oil which is sold and helps with some of the orphanages expenses. Gai teaches the girls how to make this and also gave Nix a bottle to try – “Good for mosquito bites” she says.
The orphanage currently has 17 children. Not all the children are orphans, some have been taken in (after the terrible devastation during the 2004 Tsunami, as this was the worst hit area))because their parents cannot afford to look after them and some have been taken off the streets where they would otherwise be involved with drug trafficking or the rampant sex industry (mainly the girls). The orphanage has a capacity for 45 children, due to lack of money the orphanage can only support 17 kids, and they have 15 children on a waiting list. They pray daily that God will make a way for them to afford to take in more children.
A hallway in one of the Children’s houses has been turned into a Church Hall. They have Bibles in Thai and English. A Church service is held every Sunday morning, where not only Children from the Orphanage attend but locals from the nearby village too.
On hearing the good news about our pregnancy Samruam and Gai gave us three coconut trees to plant. We hope these trees grow big and produce plentiful fruit. Samruam and the children will tend to their care and will send us a photo of the coconut trees every year. After 4-5 years they will produce fruit and Samruam would love us to return with our baby to enjoy the fruit from the trees!!
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:52
Thank-you everyone for your encouragement and prayers. This latest blog update has been a little delayed. We have some very exciting news! God truly has blessed us more than we could ever have imagined! We found out 1 week before leaving London that Nixs is pregnant. Two days ago we went to Phuket hospital for a 6-7 week scan and heard the little heart beating away! So exciting!! Before leaving London we were advised not to cycle the intended distances in hot humid conditions as this will cause too much stress for Mum and Baby. After cycling some 200km from Petchaburi to Prechuap Kiri Khan we caught the night train to Surat Thani, 500km further south. We´ve since hired a “bakkie” (small pickup truck) and loaded our bikes and panniers in the back.
Receiving this exciting news does not change our objectives or goals one bit. We are so looking forward to helping and interacting with the Children at the Baan San Fan Orphanage in Khao Lak. Whilst we have the bakkie hire we are exploring the beautiful island of Phuket, it’s incredibly mountainous and has breathe taking scenery. Today we visited Patong, located on the west coast of Phuket. Patong is one of the many areas hit by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Walking around the streets it’s amazing to see how everyone has pulled together and rebuilt the shops, houses and infrastructure. One reminder of that devastating day that stares you blindly in the face, is the Tsunami symbol with an arrow directing the nearest evacuation route.... i.e higher ground. We value your prayers as we endeavour to spread Gods word with everyone we come into contact with and for a healthy baby and Mum to be. Lotsa Luv and God Bless Nixs and Jason
Friday, 09 October 2009 00:00
Mr Dum Rong, his wife, three kids and dogs, waved and wagged a warm farewell as we peddled out of Ban Ban Pu. What a lovely family, all very hard working, so polite and friendly. Early morning is definitely the best time to cycle, the forest is waking up and with each peddle you feel your energy levels increase as the day progresses. We meandered our way thru the KSRY Marine National Park. Marine being that there are massive flood plains in the reserve where fish are farmed. Each reservoir must be the size of a rugby field and has little paddles turning on the surface of the water to oxygenate and create moving currents. The sights and smells are awesome and sometimes quite filling. One things remains constant everyone waves and greats us with warm smiles. After 5 hours in the saddle we arrived at “the garden view resort” (just outside Prachuap Khiri Khan) and greeted with a glass of cold fruit juice and a firm bed for the night. Our accommodation stops have been unplanned and such an answer to prayer, we have stayed so far in some really beautiful lodges and bandas.
Thursday, 08 October 2009 00:00
After yesterday´s exhausting cycle & search for accommodation, today was absolute bliss, a day of total relaxation. Our bodies were in need of a good lie in (no alarm clocks set). We did however rise at 7am nevertheless. We headed out for a walk to explore the beautiful surroundings giving our saddle bums a much needed rest. Ban Bang Pu is a little fishing village & the locals live off the land & supply their produce to passers-by for a little income. Most of them own 50cc scooters which are extremely cheap to rent & run. We found out later today as we hire one for half a day (150 Baht = +- 3 GBP). It was such fun exploring places we would otherwise not have encountered (off the beaten track on our bicycles). We ventured into Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park where we could´ve spent the whole day visiting caves, hiking and boat rides. We bought some produce from the local market which we prepared on our gas stove and enjoyed a scrumptious dinner. All in all is was a wonderful, sun-kissed & special rest day. Bring on the next one!!
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00
All panniers packed and bikes ready for an early departure. The front door cracked open... opps all that could be heard was gushing water in the gutters! We had been so focused on our packing we had not even noticed the heavens had opened up outside. Another big lesson learnt, we need to be more aware of what´s happening around us. This morning´s rush reminded me of working in the “big smoke” (London). Some mornings I would frantically get ready for work and in my frenzied state completely forget and ignore the one I Love!
What perfect cycling conditions! The rain had cooled and cleared the air! The road on its high embankment had dried surprisingly quickly. After 3 hours in the saddle uncertainty was setting in. We had reached the town of Kuri Buri, a small town with no real tourist appeal or attractions except for the people, who smile and wave or bow with a “Sawadee” greeting, so welcoming. With two and half hours till sunset we decided to veer off the main road and head towards the coast to pitch our tent. Unbeknown to us and an answer to prayer, we rolled into a quaint little fishing village called Ban Bang Pu. We found a little banda right on the beach within our budget, oh and it had a hot shower.
Monday, 05 October 2009 18:04
Barking Mad! Heart rate ramped to 150 beats and sweat dripping in my eyes! Rabies is the last thing we want to catch on our trip! No sooner had we left the hotel front door , I was being hounded by two mongrels. These thankfully were not foaming at the mouth (but one can never be sure, better to be safe than sorry). Using the bikes as a barrier I jumped off and growled and snarled back at the two beast, this startled them, and probably made the locals laugh! But this distraction gave me enough time to saddle up, Nixs was waiting for me at the hotel entrance and we both high legged it out of there! The road out of Petchaburi was pitted with potholes and corrugated with sandbars from the recent heavy rain. With a fresh pair of legs the sweltering heat hit us head on! All along the road were small stalls selling local produce like freshly squeezed juices (we did not try any of these for fear of getting gyppo guts). Each stall owner also had a pet, these pets usually had four frisky legs and a mouth full of teeth that loved chasing our calves! Getting a little paranoid about being bitten we armed ourselves, a meter length thick bamboo cane would do the job! Nixs cycled ahead and I cycled close on the inside creating a barrier between the mongrels and Nicci. Each time one these frisky teething mutts gave chase I would wield my stick and wave like a mad man! The only problem with this strategy was that a barking dog alerts his neighbours and we need another stick wielding Wildman at the front! Thankfully as we got out of Petchaburi the stalls became sparse and the heat of the day settled in making the dogs lazy, so much so that was passed dozens of them sprawled out like a butterflied chickens, too lazy to even lift their heads as we whizzed past., sjoe we thought! What an answer to prayer, Let sleeping dogs lie!
The heat and humidity got the better of us! Stopped under a bus shelter we asked a local gentleman for directions and an idea how far the nearest town was. His English was nonexistent but we were able to converse with hand signals and gestures. He wanted to give us a lift in his bakkie (open top pickup), we declined a few times but he insisted. He was confused why we would not take him up on his offer. We could see he was hurt and remembered the analogy of God trying to help a person in need.
A man was drowning and shouts to the Lord, Lord Jesus please save me from drowning. Shortly thereafter a fishing boat arrives to offer help, but the man tells the fishing boat to go way, as the Lord will save him. Next a life boat arrives to save the man and again the stubborn man chases the lifeboat away saying, my God will save me! Thirdly a rescue helicopter arrives and lowers a winch down to save the man, the man waves and shouts back, I don´t need your help, my God will save me. The man drowns. We in heaven the man asks God. Why did you not save me when I was drowning? God replies, three times I sent help and three times you rejected it!
So with this in mind we hitched a ride to Hua Hin a further 30 km down the road. We´ve checked in for two nights at a little hotel on the outskirts of Hau Hin.
Sunday, 04 October 2009 00:00
We woke this morning, after a much needed and appreciated sleep in a nice firm bed on the 26th floor. We had a supper view of the sky scrapers and of course the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. After the taxi ride from the airport yesterday in the mad traffic we decided to keep the bikes boxed and head to Petchaburi via public transport instead of wrestling with the chaotic traffic with bikes & panniers. (This was recommended by previous cyclists who have done the route to Singapore). We arrived at Royal Diamond hotel at 1pm where we´ve booked in for the night (800 Baht = +- 16 GBP) , which includes breakfast. Bikes are all assembled and ready for our early departure in the morning before the heat sets in.
Saturday, 03 October 2009 15:52
We had a lot of prep work to do in London, bikes needed loads of TLC and repairs (check out the Bicycle Repairs page for some pics of the repairing process). Rachid who started Cycledelik has been an absolute star. Our bikes are now in tip top shape! We thank everyone for all their help whilst in London, especially these last two weeks where so much has happened.
Wow, we have arrived safely in Bangkok! First impressions, Bangkok is HUMID man! Temp today is 32 C and humidity feels like 90%! We have booked into the Omni Towers hotel for one night, we leave tomorrow by train for Petchaburi.
Saturday, 19 September 2009 00:00
Eish, there´s no “electricity”!!! It’s amazing how something so small can bring everyone out of the comfort of their homes and talking to each other. These last two days I have learnt more about our neighbours than I have in the two years we lived here. Today has been very productive, popping into Banks, the Post Office, yummy coffee on the high street, lekker droe worse and hunters gold from the SA shop and more...
Friday, 18 September 2009 00:00
Hmmm, maybe I shouldn´t have offered to drive us home from Gatwick! Nicci and MumC were quite tired at 2am and could easily have drifted off to sleep, but not with me behind the wheel!!! All the signs for one were on the wrong side of the road, cars drove the wrong way around traffic circles and I kept reaching for the door handle to change gears! Using the P.O.P (Passenger On Pavement) rule I learnt from my boss in Mallorca definitely helped when trying to remember which side of the road to drive on.
Early rise and shine after getting to bed at 3am. Our friend Rachid, who started a mobile bicycle repair clinic called “Cycledelik” has kindly offered to service our bikes for free and supply us with the necessary spares at cost! Wow what an answer to prayer and so generous! Rachid and his team expertly checked the frame, gears, wheels and all moving parts. We were given an in depth training on bike maintenance and repair.
Thursday, 17 September 2009 15:37
Wow, apologies for not updating our blog since Sunday. Time has just flown by and the last few days seem to have merged into one!
We have been manically packing up here at our little abode on the passeo in Palma – quite sad really, as it´s been our trusty home for a year and a half. It´s amazing how much one can accumulate in such a short space of time. Well, our aim is to head back to London with as little as we arrived with (huh, famous last words)!!! Well, the positive thing is we´ve managed to sell our bicycles (the basic ones we´ve had here on the island) for not much, but at least they´ll be used instead of just sitting and rusting away! We hope to find a home for our sleeper couch too.
The weather is certainly changing here and as much as we´ll miss the island, we certainly won´t miss the winter season too much. The last couple of nights, we have been awake in the early hours of the morning watching the most spectacular thunderstorms – where the heavens literally open and the rain gushes down like a never-ending curtain of water, and the lightning bolts across the sky are just incredible!!
We were invited to a delicious sushi lunch at Master Yachts yesterday. They presented us with a very practical gift - a digital translator, which will be most useful especially in Thailand and Malaysia where we can´t even decipher the characters, let alone attempt to pronounce the words!!!
Monday, 14 September 2009 21:49
There is much friction in the air! Red dust from West Africa is swept over the Mediterranean and brings with it “the red rain in Spain”. Right now the light patter massages the scorched olive groves - the sky too is filled with angry streaks of static that punishes the ground, and deafens with the crack of its whip! This night reminds me of Exodus where the Lord sends terrible plagues against the King of Egypt because his Heart is hard and he does not obey the Lord. What awesome power there is from above!
With the roosters gargle and my googly eyes I cannot wait for tomorrow’s sunrise. Today’s been a packed day! Studio de-cluttered, books taken to the trading post, old clothes will go to the Salvation Army. Sleeper couch and Palma bikes almost have a new residence.
Sunday, 13 September 2009 00:00
Last night we planned to have a “no computer” day today and to go cycling instead. This was a great idea, as we´ve spent virtually every day on our laptops, planning our trip.
As the sun rose, and the cocks doodled, we set off in our saddles along the coast of Palma, before heading inland towards Bunyola. The sea was like glass – never seen it so flat before! Some early risers had even hit the water with their ski´s and wake-boards! It was a perfect day for cycling.
The sun peered over the mountains, as we meandered our way through olive groves and almond trees – the odd farmer giving a friendly wave as we cycled passed.
We arrived in the quaint village of Bunyola, surrounded by the beautiful Tramuntana Mountains, it was heaving with people as it was a fiesta weekend (one of the many Spanish festivals). They had a cycling and running event taking place in the area, and Bunyola was the finish. So we joined in with the locals to soak up the joyous music and atmosphere, with a cuppa of the world’s best café con leche (coffee with milk). We enjoyed the gradual downhill cycle back to Palma.
As much as we loathed the padded cycling shorts we tried on at Decathlon a few weeks back, we think we´ll definitely invest in a pair. Saddle bum is NOT pleasant!!!!!!
Saturday, 12 September 2009 21:26
This rooster gargles through a cracked exhaust pipe at 4am and 8am every morning – I think his body clock has gone “hay-wire”, particularly at the weekend. It must be all the “hen parties” keeping him up! The early start was good – we made awesome progress on emailing friends and family about the launch of our website. A friend, who runs a mobile bicycle repair clinic in London, has kindly offered to service both bikes! Wow what an answer to prayer and so generous! They have been booked in for the morning when we arrive on the 18th. Thank you everybody for your awesome support, we would not be able to do this without you! Tomorrow we eagerly await the gargle of the exhaust. xx nixs and jason
Friday, 11 September 2009 15:22
Wow what a day! Our website went live today and we´ve had a lot of positive feedback as well as a few donations already – THANK YOU, what a great start!
Jase finished work today, so it´s all becoming a reality now, knowing that we leave in 3 weeks time for Bangkok.
This weekend will be focused on packing up the studio & taking things we´ve managed to gather whilst on the island, to the salvation army (we have limited baggage allowance on sleezy jet), so just bringing what we came with, and of course fantastic memories of our time spent here in the Med!!
Thursday, 10 September 2009 18:01
Wow, we cannot believe how time flies. One minute we´re in the swing of summer and working hard here in Mallorca, and next thing we know it´s a week until we leave the island. So the clock is certainly ticking and we need to pack up here, before we head back to London to prepare for our trip.
We´ve been working hard at getting in contact with orphanages and various other organisations in the countries we´ll be visiting.
Jason has also been working at putting our website together so that family and friends, and also the people we come into contact with, can follow our progress and also perhaps donate to the worthy causes of which we´ll be visiting and sharing Gods Word.
Jase finishes work with Master Yachts tomorrow, but may do a bit of contracting for them next week. We fly out of Palma to London on Thursday evening 17 September. Still need to find homes for our bicycles, sleeper couch, colour printer, copier and fax.
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 16:57
Hello and welcome to our blog.
Time ticks ever so slowly when you are waiting for something big to happen! Our immediate focus is on the 17th September when we depart for London, thereafter our big adventure starts! Our wheels for some of the stretches will be our trusty (hopefully not rusty) bikes in London. They are very good “basic bikes” which we pray will see us through our trip and be easy to repair and find spares if need be. The two weeks in London will be awesome as we catch up with friends and family.
Love Nicci and Jason