Happy New Year 2007

Hi all
I was told people actually still look on here to see what I am up to??? Well, my life is pretty boring at the moment so I don't really have anything to share really. My time is mostly spent working working and yet more working. I was focused on getting a job when I came home from my travels and now I have 3 jobs, well 2 I just gave one up! Langside college full time supporting people back in to work and education, with older people in sheltered housing on a Saturday and some youth work on a Monday and Tuesday evening. And so now I am exhausted and need to try and balance things out - the debt is taking care of itself so I need to start taking care of me or I will be in the same place I was before I went travelling!

My plans for the future - well I am going to Norway for the new year, just a weekend away - isn't Ryanair great! After that I am hoping for a holiday in the spring time - I am hoping for Nepal as I would love to catch up with one particular person there! If that doesn't work out then we will see.

Well, Happy New Year to you and yours - make it a good one, you are the only one that can...

Sylv x

This made me laugh, oh location = Maryhill library, Glasgow!

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY ?


(1) You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you
like
sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep
the chips and dip coming.
-- Alan, age 10

(2) No person really decides before they grow up whom they're going to
marry.
God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're
stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?

(1) Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by
then.
-- Camille, age 10

(2) No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get
married.
-- Freddie, age 6 (very wise for his age)

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?

(1) You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at
the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?

(1) Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?

(1) Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know
each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)

(2) On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually
gets
them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?

(1) I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the
newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
-- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

(1) When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7

(2) The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess
with
that.
- - Curt, age 7

(3 ) The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should
marry
them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?

(1 ) I don't know which is better, but I'll tell you one thing. I'm
never
going to have sex with my wife. I don't want to be all grossed out.
-- Theodore, age 8

(2 ) It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need
someone
to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9 (bless you child)

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?

(1 ) There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8


And the #1 Favorite is........

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?

(1 ) Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a
truck.
-- Ricky, age 10

I got a job!

I don't know if anyone still looks in on this blog at any time...I hope you do, there are some nice pics! Just wanted to let everyone know I got a job! I start on the 7th of August working with long term unemployed and help them in to education and to work with Langside College in Glasgow. It is not my 'perfect' job but it is good for the experience and I feel like it will help me back in to the world of work. I also hope to be doing some evening work either with homeless or young offenders, its all good experience and extra money which I really need!

I was looking at my advice to the budding travellers and I forgot to mention -

VISAS
If you are thinking of asking a tour operator to organise your visa...well don't. The best way to do it is to look it up in the phone book or internet and find the nearest consulate. Get an application form and all you then need to do is fill it out near the time you are leaving (as some visas start on the date they are given) get a couple of passport photos, payment, passport, a self-addressed recorded delivery envelope and post all of that to the nearest consulate in a recorded delivery envelope. It will cost you about double to do this by travel agents, it takes longer and you do the exact same thing...only it takes longer.

I hear this is also a good website = www.knowbeforeyougo.com

Oh yeah and if you are going somewhere like Australia or New Zealand or even Europe you will find they have loads and loads of Lonely Planets and Rough Guides in their 'Book Exchanges', people tend to leave them as they travel home as they can be so heavy. I got my New Zealand Lonely Planet for a plate of chips! So don't be spending more money than you really need to! I also got a loan of loads of things from other people like adaptors and chargers for my mobile. If you don't have it...don't worry someone else is out there carrying it for you!

Thats me.

Have fun.

Sylv x

Reality!

Well if anyone is still perusing me Blog I thought I would put in some information just to give anyone who wants a bit of a 'push' in the right direction.

Volunteer work
It is good to go with an organised programme if you are a bit apprehensive about going to 'less westernised' countries. It is important to really search for the right project for you though. For example, I went on my volunteer overland tour in Africa with 'ivi = volunteering.org.au' and I met people who had went with 'i to i' and it ended up they had paid nearly double what I had paid. So yeah lets split hairs over a few hundred quid and get the right project with the right support! Places like cross cultural solutions are in a business, they are out to make money and that is their priority. So when you pay them all that money you are really paying for the holiday of a lifetime, it is not in the name of altruism. Many people I have met who have done projects like this expected the people they met at the actual projects to receive a lot of the money, ie the people who needed it...they didn't!

My advice? Go for something like woofing, where you help out and get your food and board free, it costs about £15 a year. = www.wwoof.net or another example similar to that is www.helpx.net which is free. My top of the range advice would ultimately be to go to these countries, don't book weeks of accommodation as you will find you stay a few nights in one place and get yourself settled then have a look around and you will find a nice cheap place which suits your lifestyle and your budget. And while you are having a wander, ask around about volunteer work. While I was in Thailand in Mae Sot in the north near Chaing Mai I met so many other volunteers who invited me to do some volunteer work in their projects. The same has happened in Africa and in Nepal. There are loads of little projects who can't afford to advertise for volunteers and they are just glad when someone comes along and offers their service. That is what volunteering is really about.


Travelling
Travelling is such a cool thing, you just need to go and do only a little bit of planning. You will find that your interests will change as you go and so will the destinations. Don't be planning flights within the country before you go either, it is so much more exciting taking a local bus or train...its all part of the experience! And you find the flights are cheaper to buy in the country than outside of it anyway.

I cannot put on enough emphasis about the invaluability of other travellers information and also that of local people. You will receive a lot of information and ideas, which will make a lot more sense to you when you are actually in the country. You may think that doing the kiwi experience in New Zealand sounds great, but when you hear the 'magic bus' does it at half the price, you do feel a bit gutted! Or even better just blag a lift, or hire a car or take the local bus...its all good.

What to take? Take the basics, take one big backpack and a little rucksack. But make sure you don't take several pairs of shoes and lots of lotions and potions and too many clothes. The thing is...you can't get medicine in other countries, you can buy shampoo and conditioner in other countries as well and you may even find you want to buy some of the local clothes so why pack so much...advice from me, I have regrets on my heavy bag especially as I walked half a mile to get to my accommodation - why do it to yourself when you are not even going to use half of the stuff! Be wise!

If you are a bit apprehensive about some of the poorer countries and what it would be like to travel around, then don't be. These are usually the nicests friendliest and most helpful people. Yes keep your wits about you as you might find that there are a few people out there ready to use and abuse, but the majority of people are genuinely nice, kind and friendly. If an offer from someone sounds too good to be true, then it is - I found this out the hard way, but it did not stop me from having a lot of great friends and just being upset at one particularly devious person.

Ok, I will probably come back on here and offer other advice as I think of it. I love to hear that people are getting out there and discovering the world and you know what, some people just can't afford to leave their countries as they are so poor...you then are the only chance that you will come together and meet...And it will change both your lives.

Have fun and happy travelleling and if you need me just email - slybabeswright@hotmail.com.

Sylv x
(ps if you are interested in what I am now up to...I am unemployed! Currently searching feverishly for a job as I have lots of debt and a mortgage to pay! I am still getting out in to the beautiful Scottish countryside and going for walks and even a cycle ride the other day and so as promised...to myself...I am making sure I enjoy exploring and enjoying my own country!)

Home...Joburg, SA - Glasgow, Scotland

Well its time to go home now, its Monday, 26th of June today, I leave here on the 27th of June in the evening and on Wednesday 28th of June I will be home in sunny Glasgow, Scotland! Its funny when we were driving from Drakensburg to JoBurg the radio is quite strange for all the types of music and languages and you have to keep changing it, and one channel had on it the pipes playing 'Scotland the brave', I had shivers go down my spine when I heard it, I do love it when the pipes play. Thats the 2nd time they have played for me going home! I like that! Not that I am homesick, its just that I love my country, I love my city and I love the people...probably why I am a community worker!

My thoughts, like them or not...I want to thank those people who have been with me along my journey keeping up with me on my blog and giving me some encouraging comments - they do help me you know! I also want to say thanks to the people I have met in all the countries along the way travellers, peope who worked in different projects, people just met along the way - India, Nepal, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia (Not in Namibia long enough - didn't see Brad and Angelina darn it!). I will keep in touch and I will endeavour to help the projects that I have learned about and I will encourage others to help too!

My mind has been opened and I feel a lot of love especially for the children I have had the opportunity to meet and work with. I am happy to go home, moreso as I need to work and start paying for this last 10 months - I am skint! I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life and I am especially looking forward to catching up with friends and family.

As I have said before, the world is a small place when you start travelling and you realise how alike we all really are and how we need each others help sometimes. I admire people like Looie and Brad and there family who up stakes and move where they need to move to with all their children, so many people tell me you can't do these things when you have kids...well they have and their kids are thriving and happy and bare foot in New Zealand and safe. I also admire the people who work so hard in their communities to help people even though they don't have so much themselves, like Bishnu in Nepal. I also feel like my friend Lynda was with me as I have travelled, her comments and texts made me laugh, I will miss her very much.

I have met so many unsung heros, they inspire me and I feel blessed to have met them along my path especially in the projects I got to work in in Africa and Thailand and to visit in Nepal especially.

Well, God bless and hope you enjoyed the blog! Not much more to say now...but you know me I will probably come back on here and say something else, you just can't shut me up! And if you see any suitable vacancies...let me know...I need a job!

Aw the best

Sylv x

Cape Town to JoBurg

Well as I did not have a lot of time yesterday on the internet to get my blog up to date and plus the fact as usual it would not let me put on all the pics I wanted to put on and so today you get the last part of my journey...lucky you!

Leaving Cape Town in our hired car Matt and I first arrive in Mossel Bay where it is quite nice, not stunning, but it was great to stay overnight on a train 'Santos Express' converted in to a backpackers. That was a novelty...that would wear off quite quickly but one night was great! In the morning we got our car packed and as we were distracted by one of those guys who tells you he watched your car so wants some money, I left the keys for matt just by the rim of the boot and as I walked away...he shut the boot! We could see them just as the boot shuts and eventually after much agitation and ideas we got a coat hanger (works every time!) and scooped out the keys...thank goodness! And so from there to Knysna which everyone says is so beautiful, well it is nice, a bit touristy but quite pretty at parts especially the Knysna heads, lovely view up there on the mountains, however at one point to try to get to a path we actually trespassed and saw a sign saying 'Hannibal knows you are here, beware!' - so decided after 15 minutes just to leave it! An interesting fact about the Knysna backpackers we stayed in they had just been broken in to the week before! We were told there was a couple staying in one of the rooms and the woman woke to see some guy putting on her jacket and packing her things, she asked him what he thought he was doing and he said 'I am stealing your stuff'. Gotta love that. Well she confronted him and then he pulled a knife and left. They didn't catch him. We felt we would be fine, I was here to protect Matt! ha ha.

From Knysna to 'Port Elizabeth' where we got a bit lost in the city centre driving around but found our way to a nice backpackers outside the city by the beach. Then next day drive to 'Tsisikamma mountains' we stopped in 'Natures Valley' which is very pretty, mountains, beaches, trees, isolated, lovely...however we had no cash and you need cash as they don't accept credit cards and no ATMS in this place so we had to move on to the next place - 'Stormsriver'. We stayed at a place called the 'Tube n Axe' which was alright and drove around to see the worlds biggest bunjee jump at bloukrans bridge. We also walked to see this lovely 800 year old massive tree in the 'bush' I love walking in the trees, but I do miss my old walking partner Richard though.

then to the start of the coastline called the 'Wild Coast' - East London and particularly we stayed at 'Cinsta West' at the 'Buchaneers backpackers' which is supposedly the best in SA. It was gorgeous and the views from the bkpkrs were idyllic as you could see the beach and the sea and the mountains - I took some lovely sunrise photos here, they are on the blog. A very gorgeous place. I am just sick of the football being on everywhere and thats 90% social life here at the min, every night one game after another plus highlights! I am reading even more than usual!

From Cinsta to 'Coffee Bay' and particularly the 'Coffee Shack' which has some of the nicest bathrooms I have seen! They have all this mosaic tiles and bits of mirror and sinks are big stones and the showers have mosaic tiles on the floor of sun over water, its gorgeous. I also loved the drive here from the main coastal road it is 100 km to coffee bay and it is a lovely drive although a bit rough in places and you are afraid to drive in to people as local people walk on the road and sometimes in the middle of it! It is really pretty to see their homes though, little round huts in bright colours usually a minty green colour and a chocolate brown roof. You could eat them! They were set on hill after hill and hills above hills, it was lovely. That evening we went to one of the little communities were we tried some of their food and drinks and they danced for us and we danced with them, it was nice. Then we came back and had some soup and sat around the fire - I love a fire at a backpackers! I fell in love with a little puppy that one couple had, it was gorgeous, I cuddled it all night! It didn't want to go back to its owners - mum you need to get a dog! So that night in the bkpkrs trying to get some sleep as about a 7 hour drive to Durban the next day this couple come in and start whispering all night him trying to get her to do something and her saying 'no stop it' so this went on for a while and I asked them to be quiet. Then eventually I lost my temper I was so tired and cranky I told them to shut up or else I was not adverse to giving someone a punch in the face to get some sleep tonight! Well it worked, they shut up and one of them left! Maybe not the best thing for me to do, but sometimes the Glasgow comes out in me when I am annoyed! In the morning I made as much noise as possible as I prepared to leave, especially with the plastic bags, they make such a noise when you are trying to sleep! I told him I hoped I wasn't bothering him!

And so to Durban, it was a long drive I drove the first half and was so tired after a while I started to speed up a bit, and I think I got a ticket along the way. More money! Yeah so it was a long drive, there are diversions through towns and sometimes it is so confusing as there is a lack of signs in some places. And so after about 5 hours I was up the wall and told Matt we need to stop somewhere soon. I eventually convinced him! We stopped in Port Sheppstone at the 'spot backpackers' which I ended up loving and wish I could stay there until I left SA. It has a fire outside, it is by the beach, the place was quiet, the kitchen was big, it had a tv room and everyone there was 'maturer' and relaxed and lovely to talk to. In the morning we had breakfast overlooking the beach and the sea, we could actually see Whales in the distant horizon coming out of the water, it was majestic.

On to Durban, it only took an hour to get there. We stayed in a big house called 'Home backpackers' it was nice and big, people were nice too and helpful. We walked around and bought some food and the next day went in to Durban for a look around. Poor Matt had his heart set on 'Whale watching' but they didn't seem to do it in big old Durban and as it was quite nice but not what we really wanted we decided to move on to the 'Drakensburg Mountains'. And so walked around Durban the beach and the city and it is nice enough, just not what we were looking for.

We drove to central Drakensburg to to Inkosanna lodge which is very pretty, again isolated and had a dorm to ourselves, big kitchen, heated rooms. BUT no fire outside, although they did have one inside! It was lovely and it was beautiful views, I just now wish we stayed somewhere else for a night for a change. We walked around, saw some zebra outside a hotel - very cool! Checked out the local shops as they had lots of lovely little arty bits and original stuff, and I have no money, repeat to self...you can't buy anymore...Yeah so it was nice and the bakery had lovely bread, and we went for a gorgeous walk to see a couple of nice waterfalls, problem is when you see the worlds biggest...Victoria Falls in Livingstone...then you are a bit spoiled! But I still appreciate the beauty of them! In the afternoon we went horseriding which was fun as we had a bit of a canter and really got going fast at some points, however one girl in our group started crying as her horse was a bit of a rogue and then another girl was on a horse who's head was rolling a bit and seemed to be spewing something and another horse had the runs and then one of the girls fell off her horse when it was doing a bit of a speed thing because other horses where and it was not paying any attention to her. It was a shame...shame for the horses because I don't think they are that well taken care of, and a shame for the girl as she got a bit of a shock (apart from that she was fine) and then a shame fo the rest of us selfish people as we didn't get to go fast again!!!

From Drakensburg we have now come back to Johannesburg, Matt has done the tours I have already done and I have sat by the fire and read a lot and used there free email when it works and when the power doesn't just switch off which it does a lot, I have already lost this once before! We are staying in a place called 'Gemini' I don't recommend it I wouldn't recommend 'Ritz' either which is the first place I got to when I arrived in SA. But I think its prob the best of a bad bunch. Its just that a group of 'young lads' were here and the dorm is by the tv room where they were drinking and watching...ofcourse football really loudly and I had a headache from driving for 5 hours and wanted to sleep and they just annoyed me! Its cold in SA at the moment as well, its there winter, during the day its quite warm but at night I sleep in my sleeping bag and use a duvet! I am also unhappy about this place as our food is constantly stolen from the fridge. The 'lads' lost 2 penknives, one girl lost her milk and we have had our milk, cheese and ham taken from the fridge and its not a lot but when you are trying to save money and use what you have it is a pain in the rear end! What I DO like though is that it has a lovely big fire and free internet access and I got the owner to agree to a discount for taking us to the airport, so what should be 7 quid is now 3 quid fifty!

Well thats my journeys, finished.

Syv

Cape Town - Durban - Drakensburg - Joburg (via Garden Route, Sunshine Coast and Wild Coast!)

Cape Town Continued!

My beautiful friend Lynda x

I thought it was important to put here that someone who has been on this journey with me is sadly no longer alive. My beautiful Lynda has been an inspiration, a friend, a magnificent example of how to really care about people, to be a good youth and community worker and also to have a sense of humour...even when life is hitting you some really rough blows. I just want to put here that I know that she is in a much better place and that she no longer feels any of the pain the cancer caused her and I know she looks over the people she loves as she was born an angel and I know she will continue to be an angel to the people who loved her and who she loved very much. It breaks my heart to think I can't talk to her or laugh with her anymore, but it is only my selfish desire. I wish to send a message of love and hopefully some peace to her family who I know have been through a very very difficult time not just recently but for a long time as Lynda has suffered for so long.

Lynda, what can I say...goodbye and I love you very much my friend. Thank you for helping me accomplish so many of my goals, for dancing with me to Queen as we were supposed to study and for stealing your mums biscuits to help us 'concentrate' more on our impossible assignments...My forever friend x

Cape Town

I will be putting more photos on here, I seemed to have trouble putting them on (as usual)and only half of them appeared! I will try and give a bit of an update on what has been happening since I left the 'Dan and paula overland tour'.

For a start one of the people in the group was also heading for 'Cape Town' and that was Matt you will see him on my blog bunjee jumping in Livingston. And so Matt and I got a bus from Phalaborwa to Pretoria to Cape Town it probably took us about 28 hours! How things have changed, I would not even take a bus to go see my little sister in Worcester when at home!

And so, Cape Town...as my old colleague from work Sarah (do you like that Sarah or do you prefer ex colleague???) said is pretty darn beautiful, it is surrounded by mountains including the infamous 'Table Mountain' and a short drive away are some gorgeous destinations including 'Stellenbosh' where Matt did a bit of a wine tour and I just enjoyed the beautiful scenery! We also caught up with some of our friends from the overland tour - Paula and Sarah - who are now volunteering elsewhere...as surf instructors...and please note...they can't surf!!! They were working in a little beach town on the way to Cape Point called Muizenberg at 'Gary's school'. I know the question you ask how can they teach and they don't know how to surf...well I thought that myself until I saw them teach and people actually stand up on the surf board (which they couldn't do at the time...don't know if they can yet...can you?) It seems they know 'theory' they just can't put it in to practice themselves! And so Matt and I decided we would take a lesson with them and so thank you to Jenny one of the other volunteers for her instruction, however, much to our disappointment I did not stand up on the board...but it was fun...when you were not under pressure to stand up! We also spent the afternoon with the girls going to 'Cape Point' and the 'Cape of Good Hope' which was stunning, but it got a bit strange when a mist came in from the sea as we were walking back up the hill from the Cape of Good Hope and it seemed to be trying to swallow us up as it sneaked behind us so slowly...it was quite eery as it was this big block of mist and you saw it following you...anyway..we had a really nice day and later went to a lovely little place full of an eclectic mix of objects and poetry on the walls in St James beside Muizenberg, I think it was called the 'Octopus Garden' and we had a really good waiter to top it off! We must have really missed the girls as we also went to see the 'penguins' with them at Boulders beach and then we invited them to a comedy night we had tickets for and also to dinner at a place we heard was HALF PRICE! It was a lovely meal at 'the grill' for a fiver you got a big piece of steak with all the trimmings and a drink, you can't say better than that. The comedy evening, well that is a whole other story...we met James at our backpackers called the 'Zebra Crossing' and he is one funny guy! From arriving at the backpackers James started chatting to us and especially seemed to enjoy the fact that I would break into song with him (I think he would get on very well with my sister!). James has a cabaret act as 'Sister Mary James' where he dresses up as a nun and interacts with the audience joking with them and being just so very funny. Well Matt and I ended up sharing James' room and from only a few days became good friends, and so we went along to his night and invited the girls...a good night was had by all...including the fact Sister Mary James invited me to come up and sing with him/her 'summer loving' - people were surprised I knew the words...people I know would not be surprised by this information!

And so that has been Cape Town, Matt and I hired an old banger to drive around in and we had a really good time there. And how could I forget to say...I climbed Table Mountain and it nearly killed me!!!! It is so steep and there is sheer drops and there are rocks to climb over...ain't no way thats just a walk! But I did it and the view was beautiful...we came back down in the cable car! Apart from that we also went to visit 'Robben Island' which has been important to me as I was so taken by Nelson Mandella's book 'Long walk to freedom' and that is where he was kept for about 26 years! I admire the people who struggled to fight against Apartheid, wow, so much.

And so that has been my time here, I have also bought too much at markets with money I don't have and visited the beautiful waterfront as well as the Sunday Market which we had trouble finding. And now Matt and I are travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg along the Garden Route, the Sunshine Coast and the Wild Coast to Durban then up through Drachensburg to Joburg for flights home. Tell you more later, my time is up here!

Hugs
Sylv x