6 Month Review

6 Months have gone past me so fast, so days I think I’ve done a hell of a lot and other days I think I haven’t seen enough. 6 months left with no really itinerary. The on thing I know is by September the first I shall be returning back to South Africa to meet up with the lovely Ellie. The plan is to see the parts of South Africa I didn’t see before as well as heading to Namibia and maybe up to Kenya and Tanzania. I didn’t really fancy going to OZ or NZ on this trip. I can go there for a holiday and to be honest those places don’t get my juices flowing like some of the more Random Places in the world. I know nowadays travelling isn’t like what it used to be as everyone is doing it, but I really don’t want to follow the herd and have the same experiences as everyone else. I’m sure both countries are very beautiful to visit for a month or two but I’d rather go and visit some Random Tribe in Namibia than hang out with loads of gap year students. God I’m turning in to a travelling snob!

I thought I’d write a quick review of the highs and lows of the past 6 months. As well as all the lovely travellers I’ve met on the way from Africa to Asia. That sounds good doesn’t it. Africa to Asia, yes I like that.

The Movers and Shakes who I have met along the way.
Riga
Jim Bob the miner. A bit of a loose canon when drunk but a very entertaining guy. He made dull Riga worth a visit.
Matt and ……. a lovely Metal/Rock couple from OZ and the UK. I’ll be meeting up with them again I’m sure for a few ciders.

Russia
George & Patrick – Travelling around Eastern Europe for the summer. I hooked up with them in Moscow on Russia’s Independence day for a night of Raving in a old Soviet amusement park. Patrick managed to puke up at the end of the night on Super Hooch! Very old skool.

Theresa & Marina – A lovely pair of girls i met on Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal. Theresa is from Austria and Marina is from Germany. I don’t think I would of had such a good time if I didn’t hang out with this two. They really helped me out as they could speak fluent Russian. I hope one day we can met up again and drink stupid amounts of Russian Vodka again.

Matt and Becky – Again more Russian Vodka drinking with this sweet couple.

Mongolia
Where do I start.
Emma – A hilarious girl from London who once was run over by a hippo. She made us laugh so much on one of our tours.

Richard & Mel – Richard with his Canadian girlfriend Mel were on there way Oz via Mongolia! to find work. Richard had a wicked laugh and Mel couldn’t stop sneezing! Great couple, maybe we will meet up. oh knows, I’d like to see them again.

Virginia – My travelling buddy through China, a wonderful and sweet girl from LA. I had the best time hanging out with her in Mongolia/China/Tibet. She is always welcome to come party in London with us.

Jo – Crazy Jo from Manchester, one of the original Golden Gobi couch potato DVD watching crew. Great fun, had great travelling stories and advice for a newbie like me.

China
Byrant – A great guy from Portland Oregon, A very interesting guy with lots to talk about. We went out drinking in Beijing and hopefully he picked up a few drinking tips along the way from an old master. The drink you liked was the Grasshopper just in case you couldn’t remember Byrant.

Greg – Another one from Oregon. We climbed the Great Wall and went out for a night of utter carnage in Beijing. Cheers for making me sick Greg! He is also my partner in crime when it comes to eating fried bugs. No, he is a lovely guy really! I’ll see him again once I get my arse to Japan.

Sandy & Wouter – Friends travelling together through China for a month. Sandy is from Germany and Wouter is from Holland. Poor Wouter got altitude sickness at Nam-to Lake and missed out on the lake, I’m glad he was feeling better the next day for his trip to Gyantse.
Sandy is a great lass who had been at Uni in Shanghai learning Chinese. I think she thought I was a bit mad (I guess there is some truth in that). I’m glad she enjoyed the Comedy Cock and hope she spreads it around Germany… ooo errr that sounds a bit wrong!

There were plenty of other great people I met along the way who I’d like to mention
Rose, Bernhard, Leah, Aison, Louisa & Emma, Catalina, Ollie, Ben, Martin, Jason, Matt & Becky and all the rest of the people who I forgotten there names or met them only once. They are all great.

Best Nationality’s to hang around with
Germans, Dutch and Irish are always so friendly and up for a laugh. I met so many people from there and they all seem to be lovely travellers.

Worse Nationality’s
Well I’m afraid it has to be Canadian girls, the guys are cool but the girls are something else. Ive had such bad luck with many girls being rude and full of themselves. It starting to get very annoying, they always seem like they have something to prove and always have a dislike for America. Big chip on there shoulder.

Israelis seem to be very demanding and pushy, always arguing with guides and tours trying to get a cheaper price, very tight. They always go away in a group and never enjoy the company with other travellers.

Posh British Gap Year Students.
One reason why i’m not going to OZ or NZ this time. The really do drive me up the flipping wall with no there no common sense and ‘look at me, I think i’m Paris Hilton attitude’ Doesn’t make me very proud to be British.

Top 5 things I’ve seen/done so far
1. Great White Shark Diving in South Africa
2. Hiked the Great Wall of China
3. Travelled from Latvia to China by Train
4. Swam in Lake Baikal
5. Lived with Nomads in Mongolia

5 things I’ve missed out on this trip so Far
1. Mount Everest, thanks to the Chinese fucking up my VISA
2. Failed to climb Table Mountain due to weather problems.
3. Missed Ellie lots and lots.
4. Didn’t see the Terracotta army thanks to problems with my bottom.
5. Seeing the Sand Dunes in the Gobi Desert (though I saw the Gobi from the Train)

5 Random things that have happened to me so far
1. Drinking homemade ‘spirit’ with an old Russian Guy on the Trans-Siberian
2. Having my face stroked by people in Beijing
3. Eating scorpions in China
4. Eating a MacDonald’s, before Riga I hadn’t eaten a Maccy D’s since 1997
5. Been driven around roads only fit for a 4×4 in a beaten up Russian Lada by a 20 year old Russian.

5 items I’ve broken/lost on my trip so far.
1. 35mm lens for my Leica.
2. Lost so many shampoo bottles and soaps in random Hostel toilets.
3. Palm PDA
4. North Face camel pack
5. iPod ear phones, I’m on my 3rd set now.

Top cites of the World
1. Lhasa – No Maccy D’s no Starbucks. Just step back in time in this city that is on top of the world.
2. Cape Town – Surely with Table Mountain in the Background and the Atlantic in front of it, it has to be one of the most beautiful looking cities in this world
3. Moscow – Dirty, big, moody, Communist & corrupt. I fucking love this city!
4. Beijing – What other city does its people come up to you and start stroking your face.
5. Hong Kong – With the illuminations and light shows of the city at night who really cares about the Ozone Layer.

Places I won’t visit again
1. Riga – a bit dull after 2 days
That’s it, I’ve enjoyed pretty much all the places I’ve been to so far. That’s good isn’t it.

Best place for bread
Well it was South Africa but that has been blown out of the water by China. The bakery’s over there are super. So many different type of bread cooked fresh. Bread with Curry, Bread and Bacon, bread bread bread!!! Bread Talks has to be the best shop in the world!

There we have it, next stop South Africa. See you soon
Sam

2 Responses to “6 Month Review”

1. hannah says:

   September 1, 2007 at 2:20 am

   you and your pissing bread!!! Although, the other day, i did find myself eating some cibatta going ‘fuck me, i love bread’.

   maybe see you in Argentina.. if i can get my arse in gear! WOO WOO
2. Stuart William says:

   September 5, 2007 at 10:48 am

   You forgot to mention amongst your favourite people – Jacob the Jag.
   Also, Im so glad you enjoyed Riga so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!