And it's time again for an edition of " what is that weird stuff you are putting in your mouth, Emrys?"
China definatly raised the weirdness quota a few notches. I think perhaps the duck tounge or the sheeps udder and mint soup take the cake, so to speak. The yak butter, yak cheese yak tea weren't to bad. Though the yak cheese did give me a dose of the runs.
Laos threw up every possible combination on the cooked bannana. Roasted, fried, curried and with coconut.
Almost every petrol station in Thailand has a 7/11 shop. In each of these is an ice coffee dispenser. Its amazing how well a litre and a half of cafine and sugar can make you cycle. It becomes slightly addivtive though as the only way to avoid "coming down" is to keep drinking the stuff!
Malaysia with its mix of Malay, Indian and Chinese certainly had choice. Though the choice was great it was all somewhat santised, rather like the rest of Malaysia. Good, flat roads but kind of boring too.
And now i am about to have another dose of Indonesian fried goodness. Last night my hosts ( a young man and his family) gave me Redang- kind of like beef jerky in Tamrind juice. The was also the ubiqutus chilli fried fish. Its slightly disconcerting when the catchfish looks at you!
Bon Appetite
Update:
I have just crossed the Equator which runs thorugh the middle of Sumatra. I am headed for Bukatingii, some volcanic lakes and a day off. From there i will head to the west coast and down towards Bandar ampung on the very southern tip of the Isaland. I will catch a ferry from there to Java and some more manic traffic. There is cycling in Indonesia and there is death....so far i am staying on the right side of the line!
Monday 26 July 2010
Sunday 18 July 2010
A year on the road
The 16th of July 2009 was a fairly uneventful day according to the font of all wisdom ( wikipedia), nothing happened. It was however a rather monumentus day for master bike builder Georg's landlord as he nearly brained himself trying to help me and my horrendously overloaded bike down the stairs. He did, however, compose himself enough to wish the crazy Australian farewell as i lurched down the hill towards the Danube.
On the 5th of July western China erupted in violence. Shops were burned by Uygurs venting their frustation at Han Chinese. China responded by cutting the internet and sending in the troops. Meanwhile i arrived in Vienna to find locals sunbaking naked on the banks of the Danube while over weight mean rollerbladed in G Strings. Welcome to Austria!
On October the 2nd the international Olypmpic commitee decided to award the Olypmics to Rio de Janiro. I, meanwhile, was waiting to see if i would be awarded the right to enter Uzbekistan. As i turned out the ferry came first so i never did the chance to test the power of instanteus detnention on the Tahskent Subway.
My 27th birthday on the 12th of November was a somewhat lonely affair. Stuck in freezing cold Almaty waiting for a Kyrgz visa. The 19hour train trip to Bishkek did little to lift my spirits but the copius vodka that followed when i met Tim, my soon to be housemate did!
And on the 16th of July 2010... Our 1stm ranga prime minister and 1st shelia in the job sends us to the ballott box. And i celebrate a year on the road with a famous Penang Indian Curry!
After a year bobbie is starting to rust so its time for a paint job
On the 5th of July western China erupted in violence. Shops were burned by Uygurs venting their frustation at Han Chinese. China responded by cutting the internet and sending in the troops. Meanwhile i arrived in Vienna to find locals sunbaking naked on the banks of the Danube while over weight mean rollerbladed in G Strings. Welcome to Austria!
On October the 2nd the international Olypmpic commitee decided to award the Olypmics to Rio de Janiro. I, meanwhile, was waiting to see if i would be awarded the right to enter Uzbekistan. As i turned out the ferry came first so i never did the chance to test the power of instanteus detnention on the Tahskent Subway.
My 27th birthday on the 12th of November was a somewhat lonely affair. Stuck in freezing cold Almaty waiting for a Kyrgz visa. The 19hour train trip to Bishkek did little to lift my spirits but the copius vodka that followed when i met Tim, my soon to be housemate did!
And on the 16th of July 2010... Our 1stm ranga prime minister and 1st shelia in the job sends us to the ballott box. And i celebrate a year on the road with a famous Penang Indian Curry!
After a year bobbie is starting to rust so its time for a paint job
Saturday 3 July 2010
To any English Teachers....
A lesson in the un-logic of the Englese language.
I have the oportunity to muse upon many things as i cycle along. The last day i have been wondering the following. What is the rule for changing country to a nationaility i.e I am from Australia therefore i am Australian. The logic for this one seems to be there- if the word ends in an A you just add an N. This works fine America- AmericaN, Bolivia- BoliviaN. Until you get to China that is.....
If i am from a country that ends in D the logic starts to get hazy. Iceland-Iclandic, Poland-Polish New Zealand- New Zealndish?????
If i am from France i am French but if i am from Greece and i am Greek and if i am from Venice then i am Venitian.
The stans start to get intersting too. Someone from Kygrzstan is Kyrgz likewise for Kazakstan and Uzbekistan. Try calling someone from Pakistan a Paki though and you will cause great offence as George Bush found out.
If it ends is L- Senagal- Senagalese but Isreal- Isreali
And as for Denmark and Holland.......
Update
However enough of my musings. I am now about 5 days from the Malaysian ( or should that ish. ese or ie) border. I enjoyed a swim at 6 in the morning yesterday when the water was slightly below the usual pee temperature. I am about to head back down to the coast and have another one having been inland for most of yesterday. My wrist is still a little sore from coming off the other day but is slowly getting better
I have the oportunity to muse upon many things as i cycle along. The last day i have been wondering the following. What is the rule for changing country to a nationaility i.e I am from Australia therefore i am Australian. The logic for this one seems to be there- if the word ends in an A you just add an N. This works fine America- AmericaN, Bolivia- BoliviaN. Until you get to China that is.....
If i am from a country that ends in D the logic starts to get hazy. Iceland-Iclandic, Poland-Polish New Zealand- New Zealndish?????
If i am from France i am French but if i am from Greece and i am Greek and if i am from Venice then i am Venitian.
The stans start to get intersting too. Someone from Kygrzstan is Kyrgz likewise for Kazakstan and Uzbekistan. Try calling someone from Pakistan a Paki though and you will cause great offence as George Bush found out.
If it ends is L- Senagal- Senagalese but Isreal- Isreali
And as for Denmark and Holland.......
Update
However enough of my musings. I am now about 5 days from the Malaysian ( or should that ish. ese or ie) border. I enjoyed a swim at 6 in the morning yesterday when the water was slightly below the usual pee temperature. I am about to head back down to the coast and have another one having been inland for most of yesterday. My wrist is still a little sore from coming off the other day but is slowly getting better
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