LIVE: The Unexpected Massage

I’m taken to a chair. It looks like the kind you find in a mental institute. The ladies hand gestures to sit on it, or somehow in it. I climb, fully clothed, as she places a small towel over the areas that will be patted, thumbed, knuckled and smoothed over. This covers my back, shoulders, arms, neck and head – which is my favourite, total bliss!

Then suddenly the dear lady judo-chop-thumps the shit out of my back, it doesn’t hurt, but it’s such a surprise that it causes a very British response of “oh right.” The buzzer alarms us that the fifteen minutes are up, the towel is whipped off and she sweetly says “finish now.”

I reply with a thousand thanks, but she doesn’t speak much English and just nods awkwardly – I hope she understand my gratitude for literally pounding the anxiety out of my spindly body.

This was my first experience of Hong Kong and an Asian style massage. It certainly did the trick!

Next up: hot shower.

GAME: What kind of games do you play at the airport?

One which has become a favourite of mine is scanning the board of places and gate numbers: the rule is I have to choose a place that instinctively stands out, if I had to go there right that second, for some reason a lot of the European cities sounded quiet tempting: Athens, Greece, was my choice this time round.

Then there are the others, the ones I have no idea about: take Entebbe, where the hell is that? It turns out it’s a central town in Uganda. There was also Riyadh, the Capital of Saudi Arabia (shame on me) and Abuja, Capital city of Nigeria (did you know that?).

Out of the three unknown destinations I actually chose Riyadh, perhaps one day I’ll have a bit more cash in my pocket and trial this game fully – book a flight to one of these desirable known or unknown spots.

Anyone fancy joining me?

Inspire Me: A Route to Facing Your Fears

I recently read the article: “A Route to Facing Your Fears” by backpacksandbunkbeds.co.uk. This piece caught my attention. The 5 fear factors set out have either been on my list previously (Needles, Fear #1 – check!) or remain, yet to be challenged on this coming trip.  

As my flight deadline to Sydney beckons I am reminded by friends and family, almost on a daily basis, that there are really big spiders out there: fear factor #4 Spiders/Bugs.  Though there are more than just spiders out there; they say I’m trading goldfish and moles for alligators and sharks. Perhaps it’s just coincidence that the section “Creatures in Oz” hasn’t yet been read and has in fact been avoided completely as though it doesn’t really exist.

In the first few months of being in Oz I’m hoping to endure some fruit picking work, a ticket to face #4, as my dear friend encourages:

Im afraid there will be bugs but feel empowered and in harmony, and always remember….you are much bigger than they are!

 TOP FIVE FEARS TO FACE THIS TIME ROUND

 #1 Creepy crawlies

#2 To do something daring – water sports based preferably

#3 Not having an exact plan, but a sketch

#4 Work and live in a place (or rather a country) I’ve never set foot in

 #5 Face the birds

Take me there: Volcano Villarrica, Chile

We eventually transferred from a vertical snowy drop to a flat earthy top

It began at 7 in the morning with a transfer to climb the volcano that currently sat in the corner of Pucon, Chile, puffing white clouds into the air and covered in snow.

For this expedition I would be required to wear a 30 litre backpack – neck warmer – gloves - snow boots – waterproof jacket – trousers –  ankle holders - mini-bum sledge (which I fondly referred to as the potty).

This was my first experience of really trekking and pushing myself to accomplish something far from home and what I thought was beyond my physical ability.

After a mere 30 minutes I became very hot in the layering of fleece, leggins and cargo-pants. So myself and another dear trooper decided to cut the first hour and take the ski-lift (family members will be pleased to know this was all OK, no accidents this time!). We then spent the next 4 hours zigzagging with Alberto, our guide, up to Villarrica as she breathed heavily. It’s surprising how quickly  time can pass up there.

…This was my first experience of really trekking and pushing myself to accomplish something far from home…

Breaks were frequent and we eventually transferred from a vertical snowy drop to a flat earthy top. We had reached the crater - a spectacular and numbing experience. The chemical smoke could be tasted at the back of the throat, but it was very minor.

Dave and I conquering Villarrica!

We then sledged down, taking half the time – just 2 hours – which was utterly brilliant! My shoulders ached from the backpack; face sun burnt and my knees were completely buggered. I went to sleep with constant throbs of pain in my legs. Maybe doing an intense hike as a newbie isn’t the best idea…but now I’ve climbed a volcano. Good feeling.

Related articles

• Bike Tour Exploring Chile’s Lakes and Volcanoes (duvine.com)

How to Define Britishness? Peanut Butter and Muesli, say the Spaniards.

If you were to define Britishness your first thoughts may well lead to associations of food: fish and chips; roast dinners; Yorkshire puddings; Wensleydale cheese, crackers – all washed down with a good brew. Who could blame you? Food is a great representative of how a country lives: of style (comfort) and of climate (tepid) … but what about the others, what do they think of us Brits?

If I was to move to Spain and desperately needed some British grub I need not look any further than the local supermarket. I walked past the pigs bare thighs, the dishes of paella, the tubs of olives and there, right in the corner, stood a section dedicated to ‘Inglaterra’ and if you had any questions about what the Spanish thought was truly British, here is a snapshot answer that is just brilliant and dare I say spot on:

  

The National Geographic’s Afghan Mona Lisa

Here are the haunting eyes that have been a question mark for years. No doubt you’ve seen the portrait before, as it appears almost as famous to Paris’ Mona Lisa.

Last year I found the article that finally revealed the truth behind these fragile eyes and more importantly how they had grown into a woman.  

Here is a piece of stunning travel journalism and photography that transpired from a single click in 1984; a read that will give you goose bumps, if the photo hasn’t already.

National Geographic Article: A Life Revealed

How a man looks good hiking – A simple task of practicality and style

Hiking gear for a man isn’t that different to a woman’s approach; it really depends on climate and how much you layer up. Here are a few guidelines on what you can wear with the practicalities of a good hike and still look top dollar…

Picture by Dennis Cox: “Two Male Hikers”

FEET

Walking shoes – they’re light and fully waterproof. Those bulky walking boots don’t fit nicely into any backpack and they give un-necessary platform, like ladies heels. Oh, and they’re super ugly. Walking shoes all the way people!

LAYER IT

Start with a basic under layer: Standard t-shirt accompanied by a loose open shirt

Note: keep the shirt a dark, neutral colour: khaki or navy.

Vintage Army Cotton Shirt

TIP: Board shorts are great on a hot day, try to go for a
dip on route.

On a more shady day wear long but light trousers. Pack a windproof jacket and warm jumper, which you can secure in your backpack as layers.

TIP: Pack a thin, woollen scarf. They look really cuddly and 
this aids extra warmth, stylishly, of course.

ADDED EXTRA’S

Think of these as boys toys, the extra bits and bobs needed on an adventure:

A pocket knife – to open a bottle of wine mid-hike?

Condoms – you just never know.

Recommendations

Blacks - Outdoor clothing for men. It’s not cheap, but its decent quality.

Simply Hike – A range of products, brands and price tags to suit.

How to look good hiking? An impossible task of femininity and practicality

Burdened with the challenge of mixing a feminine outlook with the practicalities of a good hike? Me too, but this can be simple, you just need to note the basics.

Extra’s: pashmina & hat

FOOTWEAR

Walking trainers. The boots are chunky and hot, the sandals seep in water. Just go with the walking trainer.

TIP: You can wear pop-socks for gentle walks.

LAYER IT

You’re probably going to be on varying gradients and weather will turn; with this so can your levels of cloth.

Start with a light base:  t-shirt, or a simple strappy top.

Add a long sleeve top – the thickness can be fleecy just note that your temperature will rise as you walk, so a simple cotton sleeve can also work well.

TIP: Carry a light weight waterproof jacket with a hood for when 
the rain pours and you get chilly.

HUG THE BITS THAT COUNT AND KEEP THE REST LOOSE

This differs for everyone, but generally tight hiking gear just gets sweaty. I go for trousers that zip at varying levels to alternate between a long leg, quarter length or shorts for different temperatures on route. These hug the bum and that’s about as much hugging needed.

TIP: Alternatively those jogging trousers you don’t mind getting 
messy are a comfy and loose way to handle an easy trek.

Note: If you know it’s going to be a snowy mountain top leggings can be a warm under-layer.

 Recommendations 

Fashion Questions and The Vancouver Sun

Travel insurance made simple

Searching for insurance is one of my most feared parts of travelling. Why? Because it’s boring, so utterly boring – but it’s also very important, too.

A single trip to Europe or a multi-trip adventure – my first point of browsing is Travel Supermarket Dot Com, or rather: http://www.travelsupermarket.com/ this gives me a condensed list of recommendations and my headache lessens, slightly. Call it a shortcut, but it’s marvellous.

Once I’ve picked two that are within financial reason and cover my essential 3:

Baggage and personal belongings loss/delay

Flight cancellation/delay

Medical expenses

*please note you should scan over the small print to double-check what you have to do to claim and what you can claim for.

This then leads to a final check on Google for the public’s reviews. Explore the company and their system for helping people out if it all goes wrong.

Insure away, print and relax – you’re covered.

In the past we’ve gone with Insure & Go, Debenhams and the Post Office.

That key question: what to wear onboard?

There are 2 categories and all you have to do is layer…

Getting far, far away

This kind of trip only happens if I’m going away for a few months, which means my case will be full, ultimately pushing me to wear the more bulky items on board. Leading to this outfit:

Walking shoes – I take these off during flight. People don’t mind you walking around in socks, right?

Trousers - baggy, comfortable and not too thick

Strappy top – Your base layer, it gets hot on the plane after a few hours

Cardigan – Second layer

Pashmina – For when they blast air con, also a good neck support

Comfortable underwear – There’s nothing worse than regretting this decision

The whippet snapper crossing

There’s plenty of room in my case for those bulky shoes and the flights only going to be an hour or two – this means I can dress more girly and be much more lenient on footwear.

Flipflops – let those toes breath

Dress – check the weather of your destination first

Leggins – You can always take them off on the other side

Comfortable underwear –  Just, every time.

Cardigan

Pashmina – same rules apply

Your case should be on the other side, but if its not you’ll have to be in this outfit for the next 24 hours (hopefully not 48 hours…). So don’t wear heels and please don’t wear lycra leggings.