Tuesday 17 November 2009

A few things i have learnt about bikes and bicycling..

So far i have learnt how to....
When cycling, blow the snot from your nose under your armpit, not over your shoulder.
Pee on the bike. Have yet to master this whilst actaully moving however.
Fix a broken chain. It will however break when you least want it too.
Mend a bent rear dropout. With a shifting spanner of course.
Chain my bike to a train window frame.

I still to learn how to pre-empt the horn blast from an approacing truck. You know its coming but it still gets you every time
Gaffa will fix everything. Even holes in a tent

The Allen key that fixes most things on your bike will be the one that you loose first.

Monday 9 November 2009

The Jornal

I have been very studious in keeping a journal while i have traveling. It probabaly doesnt make for the most exciting reading. I do however have a line for the most memorable moment for each day. Some of these are fairly mundane but a few make for some mildly interesting reading when i refelct upon them....



Listening to Betovens grosse fuge whilst being chased by three montserous dogs

Trying to sneak in a beer during Ramadan in Turkey

Going to a Russian versus Azerbajian football and seeing the crowd throw lighted fireworks at each other

Having my hair washed by some random dude who put me up for the night

Being filmed by a Kazak TV crew drinking camles milk

Getting cracked onto by two drunk 40ish year old women

Having a group of disabled orpans dance when i played violin for them ( some of them screamed too though...)

Crawling thourgh a Kazak roof to hang wires for w new cafe.

etc........



I am now headed to Almaty to pick up my Kyrz visas. From there it on to Bishkek where i will swap the cleats for climbing shoes and teach some orphans to rockclimb over the winter.

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Food for thought.....

I have been going with the rule that " if the locals eat it......it must be ok...." Only a couple of mild doeses of the trots so its seems to be working. 

The growing list of weird and waccky stuff i have eaten so far includes: 

Boiled Pigs feet- a little stange to get in a muslim country but no matter. A little greasy but palatable enough. 

Camels milk/Yougurt- not sure which it was as it had chunks in it. Rather salty but im sure i could get used to it. 

Norwigan Brown cheese- courtesy of the crazy Finns in Baku. A bit like a cross between burnt Onions and Coon ( aussie cheese). 

Chocolate butter- Like normal butter but with chocolate in it. 

Geogian wine-Sifted through a pair of grandmas dirty nickers. Rough as guts but seemed to do the trick all the same. If you skull it like you are supposed to you cant taste the leaf residue. 

Piriniki- stable food on the road in Kazasktan. Chunky buscuits with icing on the outside. 

I sure the list will contuine to grow with the trip......