...It was a misadventure waiting to happen...

So, I only just got back to civilisation for the 3rd or 4th time after being in woop-woop again...hence internet and mobile reception- woohoo what luxury!

In any case, today, the 2nd last day of my trip I stuffed up and it was kinda stressful cos literally I pretty well got left with just the clothes I'm standing in, and not even any clean underwear or possibility to acquire any...(okay you probably didn't need to know that however I thought it aptly hinted my stress level at the situation.)

So anyway, luckily I fly back to the comfort of home (and the guarantee of clean underwear) tomorrow night...so look out for more elaboration and maybe even pretty pics in days to come :)

I sure had an interesting time and bar today's misadventure it all went reasonably well and it was a really good **social** and learning experience for me...I think I really want to go to Europe now...but with how the dollar is and my flying issues hmmm...but I think as soon as I get back I'll try and get full time work so I can start saving...I think soon I'll be too old and tired to do another extended trip(and with at least 14 countries to cover it's gonna be more than double duration and even more challenging!)

Musings on Travelling Solo

It's pretty interesting as G and I attempt our first extended solo adventures simultaneously at opposite ends of the planet.

Thanks to technology we're able to drop short updates to each other frequently about our (near)daily dodgy situations/experiences...

Conclusion?

It's pretty dangerous travelling alone and being female. Men are very predatory (and desperate).

In any case I'm loving the +ves of rural life ie: the clean air, space, beautiful scenery etc...I've also encountered so many interesting people off the beaten track I would never usually meet - fish slaughterer, toxic waste remover, head monk, sailor, pilot, marine biologist, mime artist^^ to name a few...at the same time I've also come across my fair share of uncouth Neanderthals and seriously inconsiderate, selfish and completely frustrating pea-sized brain idiots and even had to share a room with one...it's summer and this chick turned the heater to maximum because she insisted on wearing a skimpy night gown and refused to use blankets and couldn't interpret the heat gauge on the heater and was too proud to seek assistance...as anti-confrontational as I am, fuelled by the sweat that drenched me and kept me awake at 12am and 2am etc along with the pursuit of common sense and justice fuelled me to let her have it! And when a pissed off person is backed up by rock hard hole proof rational argument, well it's a force to be reckoned with no matter how stubborn and idiotic one insists on being out of habit!

Moron chick aside, for the most part I've impressed myself with the latent ability (which I completely forgot I had) to be completely and seriously social with a wide range of people but I'm kinda of looking forward to getting back to the comfort of my own place, bed, space, bigger town/city conveniences at least for a bit...

oh one other thing, these countryfolk can seriously bake! I have had the most delicious raspberry friand and raspberry and passionfruit cheesecake...Mmmmm!

Thank God For The Mail Run!

Just did my second stint in a tiny town, population 1500. I'm starting to realise once the population hovers around the <2000 population mark I start to get distinctly uncomfortable...this is because typically...the town also usually consists of the following: a supermarket, a limited postal service, a bottle shop/pub, a butcher, a bakery, a newsagent, and possibly a library, pharmacy, town hall, medical centre......I also have zero mobile reception and the grocery store is very small and stocks very little variety... Freaking hell, if it wasn't for the reliability of the mail needing to go in and out I would be so screwed...it took me over FIVE hours to do a 50 minute trip from point A to B, and literally, I got delivered with the mail! Coming back was almost no better- if it hadn't been for the fact that the connecting bus needs to wait for the mail I would have been screwed since the mail dude was running half an hour late.

These rants aside, more rants...argh the limitations of tiny rural places travelling solo with no car are starting to get to me, from being fleeced by rogue taxi drivers, to the fact that there is a set 2 hour daily period to use internet which is damn expensive, no postage stamps, groceries are expensive, no change to use the pay phone...basically it's tough going and you better have your legs and the ability to walk!The limitations are oppressive and you're total at the mercy of others' kindness(and therefore totally open to be exploited)...

Apart from these observations, Big Lesson No3 yesterday- never ever go bushwalking (or to desolate places) alone- no matter how adventurous and in need of excitement you might be- especially not starting out at dusk...I got so overzealous taking photos that my map of all the trails blew away and as the light was closing in I was in shite, shite, shite. Thank goodness I had the ocean on one side to guide me home- all the trails sort of merged into each other and there were no signs or people in sight! It was pretty scary...

Lessons Learnt: Part 2...

No surprising revelation here...Z is a sucker for artists!

The other day my brain just completely went AWOL and Stranger Danger Rule 101 which you get taught in Kindergarten... well it just didn't even kick in...until the very last possible moment...so I got suckered into some random stranger's car who I only just met (well to be fair he was a painter and a carver of stone and wood and shared my Bohemian interests ;) so you can see why I was so caught off guard...)

Anyhow when the car pulled out of the driveway and I saw the road which was in the middle of nowhere leading to what seemed like nowhere which recalled the 5 mens very worried faces that farewelled me it kicked in what a not very clever situation I was in so I got out (and am very thankful that I did in hindsight).

I think I was being overly open-minded and idealistic/think the best of people and I tend to resonate with the underdog so probably didn't exercise enough discretion...everyone else was thoroughly convinced that this artist, like most artists was a little...mad...okay, a raving lunatic...I guess I am also very sympathetic to weirdos...

Anyway glad that my Dumb Assness was caught in the nick of time...will be more cautious in the future...

Lessons Learnt: Part 1...

So. I'm back in relative civilisation again after spending the last week in some remote backwater where it was at least a 10 minute drive at 80-100km/hr to the nearest food store...no I didn't appreciate that or the fact that food items were so limited in range and so incredibly and atrociously expensive!

ANYWAY. It's been an interesting time for me and I've learnt a lot about myself (as well as the perils of being overly impulsive) and also recognising things I've always known (ie. I have an insatiable capacity to be incredibly lazy)

Things I have really enjoyed: meeting people from all over the world (current fascination is Sweden) and having people to play games with (ping pong, darts, table football, chess, cards... (is SPADES the best game ever or what?!), giving TCM consultations and one treatment- damn I wish I brought more needles...also became impromptu ESL teacher and life counsellor...LOL

So anyway sleep cycle completely screwed- the standard routine was sleep all day and stay awake all night...very easy cos it only gets dark really really late!! But actually cos it was so bright I couldn't sleep anyway so I am incredibly panda eyed and sleep deprived...

p.s I'm noticing I get told to "Be a Good Girl" alot even by people who only just met me...I wonder if I scream *mischief* with my vibes or something?! ;)