Where do i start??!!

As you can see ive really neglected this little project over the past few months, but i think once i explain all my reasons, maybe ill be forgiven? So in a nutshell, I finished my most stressful year of study in the 6 years ive been at uni, we spontaneously planned and went on a 6 week trip to 3 countries, im job hunting, and house hunting, AND we got Engaged!!! now before you point the finger and exclaim about my usually fairly negative views of marriage let me explain....


but....First though i think our travels are more deserving of a post at this time:

As usual the partner and i (who i think ill start referring to as my Ocean Man, because he needs his own title, separate from me that better describes him), were musing (and complaining) about how much we were hating our lifestyle. Cramped into a small unit, constantly on the computer, and not really living. We have always talked about our dreams of travel, and i especially have dreamed of traveling through India since i was about 15. We always travel to the great ocean road, and do lots of camping, and loved our trips to new zealand and a remote island in Fiji, but we both knew that our life was being put on hold (jobs, house, kids, marriage) until we had had that amazing life changing experience that is world travel. We talked about how we could try to work for 6 months and leave in the middle of the year, and about how we could fit in our very much talked about Australia trip in the kombi, but we were sick of talking about it and just wanted to do it. We also worked out that going in the middle of the year and trying to leave a job might be difficult, but even more of a turning point, the weather in India is less than appealing at that time of year. And so, after asking to borrow some money to fund us, and telling my mum and nonna that we wouldnt be here for Christmas, we got everyone's blessing decided to leave in less than 6 weeks!

After much researching (and stress between exam study and work) we narrowed it down to Bali so i could visit the Bumi Sahet Birth Centre, Thailand and of course India. With not alot of time to decide on where and book, we left alot of it up to fate to assist us to book along the way. We left on the 16th of December, after many night up packing and organising and christmas dos, and with a few tears because i was in a bit of shock that this was all happening and i was leaving my family and saftey during my favourite time of year for a third world country!

Our first night in Kuta, Bali (out of necessity) was interesting, and as Australians we wished
to be of any other nationality there- Australians who visit Kuta really dont like to make us look good thats for sure, with the uniform of BinTang beater-shirts, boardies and a stubbie in hand- if youve been there you know what  i mean. So it was not-too-soon at all to move on to Ubud which i had had really quite high expectations for. We stayed in an amazing Eco Hut a few kms from the main town, and it was beautiful...but Ubud as a whole really want not what we had expected. It was quite a bit more expensive that we had thought, and surprisingly we found it difficult to find reasonably priced veg food- until of course Daisy-lady came to the rescue and recommended an amazingly cheap and delicious place that she had spent alot of her time when she had been in Ubud. I loved walking down the street and seeing wild (and huge) lotus flowers, and saying hello to the friendly locals. The dogs were pretty scary though and we had never been so glad we got our rabies shots as when we were walking down the street to the main town and a barking dog ran up with teeth baring and getting way to close for comfort to Ocean Man's knee!

One of the reasons id wanted to go to Ubud specifically was to visit the birth centre set up there called Bumi Sehat. Its really an  eye opener to go to a place like that and realise what we've got here. The centre was set up (from what i understand)  by an American midwife to provide a free service to the women because otherwise they have no other choice but to birth in the hospital, which incurs a fee; and if the fee is not paid, the baby will be kept by the hospital until it is paid. Additionally, unwanted interventions are high in the hospital so the birth centre provides a safe place for the women to give birth naturally. The only problems of course are trying to keep up the funding, getting enough  staff and enquipment to keep it running. We packed a whole lots of donations to give, and really enjoyed a tour of the centre which is complete with an acupuncture and natural therapies room, postnatal rooms for women to stay in, and an inbuilt spa decorated with pebbles- all of which can be used as birthing spaces when the centre is overcrowded with women birthing all at the same time. If you want to visit or donate check out their website.

Bali had been our first experience of Asia, and the challenges that comes with this travel like currency, food, language, weather and customs. so while it wasnt our favourite place out of the trip, we were able to appreciate it at the end of the trip probably more than we did while we were there, and were greatful for having gone there before India to prepare us for what was to come.

Next stop was Chiang Mai, Pai and Bangkok, Thailand. Probably our favourite part of the trip Thailand exceeded our expectations in many ways. We purposefully avoided the tourist hotspots like Phuket, other beach islands and decided to disappear into the hills. Thailand is a really easy place to travel in, which in someways makes me feel a little guilty about enjoying the 'easier-for-me' western influences, but nonetheless it was still an amazing, interesting and culturally diverse place that made us feel really peaceful and happy. Some of our favourite things about Thailand were the never-ending second hand bookshops filled with a really diverse and stimulating range of books, the very open and important place of Buddhism in the culture with beautiful temples on every corner and the ever present Monks walking the street in their bright orange clothes, but best of all the people were the most friendly and genuine we had met on our trip. People were always willing to lend a hand, or just have a chat and this to us is what travelling is about. You can only see so many monuments and buildings, but until you get to know the people you never really get to see a place.

At Daisy Lady's recommendation be did a cooking course at the Baan Thai cooking school, and it was really worthwhile. We got to meet some other tourists, learn about thai ingredients and best of all we cooked and ate some delicious dinner. I made my favourites, Pad Thai and Paw Paw Salad and a green curry, and OceanMan made a red curry, some noodles and spring rolls. We didnt have such a great massage though ....

All id wanted was to enjoy a few great experiences with natural health/medicine during the trip like massage, yoga and meditation. Unfortunately the Thai massage experience was not quite up there, and left us bruised and sore. Poor OceanMan hadnt ever had a massage before, and with DaisyLady becoming the greatest Remedial Massage Therapist i know, our hopes were high to try a few things to report back to her about. We at least had some funny stories! We were just so glad that we'd opted for the 30mins instead of the full hour! most painful $3 we ever spent.

We spend christmas in Pai up in the hills, and while the bus ride was 5 hours of never ending twists and elbow-turns, my dose of Slippery Elm, Novomin, Ginger and acupressure bracelets seem to ward of any unwanted sickness, making the trip much more enjoyable. Pai has a similar, but more more oranic and genuine feel to Byron Bay or Nimbin. It is a hidden little alternative town filled with wandering travellers, Families, Rastas, Hippies, musicians Nomads, Bohemians, and psychedelia from all around the world who come to find a peaceful and natural place to chill out, and try to locally (and often accidentally) produced mood enhancers. The building are quaint, the food (and smoothies) are amazing, the people are friendly and the surroundings are breathtaking.

We stayed with the most beautiful couple at the Bueng Pai Farm about a km from the main street. They had built the whole place themselves, complete with hammocks, private bamboo huts, a library, organic fruit trees, all situated around a lake that they offered fishing in (only if you put the fish back), and had the most delicious Thai food- our christmas day consisted of fresh Pawpaw, jasmin tea, Bueng Pai special friend rice and Banana and chocolate pancakes, and a beautiful bannana leaf wrapped gift which all helped to ease the christmas homesickness. Orn and Run who manage and own the farm were just so lovely, i was brought to tears after talking with the one day about their health issues but you would never know what they have been though with their light hearted jokes, laughter and radiating warmth that they give out to their guest through their pure joy of running the farm! After a bad batch of rice for dinner one night Orn even went out of her way to look after us, and bring us tea and bananas, extra toilet paper and charcoal tablets when we got sick. And they're dogs (the only friendly ones we met on the trip) always greeted us when we came back in the evenings. This couple has been through so much which we found out accidently through our conversations with them, and yet are still the most happy and generous couple. If you even make it to Pai make sure you pay them a visit and enjoy their amazing place, with their degrading health you never know how long theylll be able to keep it going, Their smiles and best food it town, and pure beauty of what theyve hand built is by far one of the most memorable parts of our trip!

We also hired  ruby red the mopehead to get around Pai because it really is the only way to get around! And it didnt help OceanMan's desire to get one back home. It was so fun, and helped to bring us even closer because i was the little voice in the back of his mind telling him to slow down, or watch out for elephants or whatever, and had to make sure i was holding  on tight! We loved out little Ruby Red, so were sad when we had to leave and give it up.

Bangkok was our next stop and we were a little worried about how much we'd enjoy it after we'd had many people telling us to not stay long, or not even bother with the place, but actually we really enjoyed it! it was a fun place to be. After a few gos on the TukTuks i started to really enjoy the trips, and even the haggling was getting easier. We went to see a movie in 3D- where we had to stand and sing the national anthem before it began, we tried some pretty funky tasting Thai pizza, we checked out the oversized and over stocked shopping malls, learned all about silk and architecture at Thompson's house, we wandered around the Kao San, taking in every sight, sound and smell (and haggling abilities), and enjoyed the absolute peace that ive never felt before, in some of the most beautiful buddhist temples. We'd really wanted to check out the medical museum, but after a short but rocky boat ride to get there, it turned out it was closed for a public holiday.

Some of my favourite things about Thailand, apart from its natural beauty (and forgetting about the choking pollution and heartbreaking poverty) were the friendly people who would go out of their way of lend a hand, but would always do it with a genuine smile and handshake, something i would hope that i would also do and wish for from all, which i really felt might have come from the strong buddhist influence which i also loved being a part of. I loved being barefoot and being expected to take shoes off before entering a house or room- so sensible that i wish we could implement here, and i loved the prayer-like gesture that says so much in a respectful way that i loved so much more than a handshake, but i cant explain why. It was really like being part of a big friendly community that I wish we could have here- but I guess we'll just have to return to get it back.

So on New Years eve, while everyone was getting ready to party and celebrate the new year and I was wishing to either stay and continue soaking in the amazing heat and festivities, or go home and celebrate christmas with our families who were boasting over skype about the cheeses and nonna's food they were enjoying, we were boarding a plane, nervous and tired, on our way to Delhi, India!

Now India and on finding a house and work will need a post to itself i think- hopefully i can remember it all!