STAND BY

Hey everyone, working on a brand new design right now sooo... I've put the blog in this random layout for the moment.

Loads of exciting stuff coming up. I'm moving country again soon on an island although I've got a sweet project in Hong Kong though but at the same time a great job waiting for me in another continent...if everything goes according to plan.

Stay tuned.

Ally

Diving Snake Cave, Koh PhiPhi

There is a lot of dive sites in PhiPhi. But this is one which you won't find in any other dive shops leaflet. So of course, I went.

"Humpff" "Schhhh", "Humpfff" "Schhh" is pretty much the only thing I can hear. Around me, blue, blue and more blue. Slightly turquoise. It's not really clear actually. I only can see may be 12 to 15m ahead.  Bubbles come right onto my face and blur my vision. It comes from my friend Ian, who went down quicker than I did. I give a quick glance at my watch. I am getting to 14m underwater, we are on our way to one of the dive site on Koh PhiPhi Island, the famous Snake Cave.

Expiring the maximum air out of my lung, I try to catch up with him. On my sides my two other friend Jessie and Bruno do the same. The wall of coral and pinnacles finally appears. I switch my torch on and start looking around for small organism like the others. Bubble coral, fan coral, hard coral, blue, red, green, orange, colours, fishes. My mind drifts off. It does it a lot when I'm diving. Unless I lead customers, I don't seem to be able to concentrate underwater. I stare deeply at the blue, I get lost into the rhythm of my breathing. No precise thoughts, it switches my brain on the off mode. I follow along, keeping the yellow fins of Jessie in the corner of my eyes, when I hear a banging on someone's tank, a huge Cobia just appears in front of us. It's a good sign, Cobias swim with whale sharks, and they are the ultimate underwater lottery prize in our waters.

How not to lose someone in Bangkok

The night before, on Kaoh San Road

I lift an eyelid, then two. My eyes don’t seem to work well, and my throat is made of sand paper with a hint of dust. As my vision is attempting to come back to normal, it’s now my nose that is awaken by a strong mix of spices and sweat, and my ears are being attacked by non-stop honking on the streets and loud tacky dance music. I finally see clearly. I’m in my guesthouse room, in Kaoh San Road, Bangkok. The walls are yellow with patches of rotten moisture. It’s worthy of the start of The Beach. But I’m not alone. I turn my aching body to my left. I am alone. I should not be. 

Next to me should be emerging from the cover some bright ginger hair belonging to my best friend Liz Bell.

We have been on the road with me for over four months, across South-East Asia. To be fair I could not have done without her, she’s been making sure I don’t lose any of my belongings (or my mind for that matter), reminding me in her very articulate English accent that I started to copy “Ally Cat, have you forgotten something again?”. Yes, I probably did, I always do. But I had my role in this partnership as well, because with her perfect English rose look, the white pale skin, the golden red hair, there was never a day without a full tube of suncream to be applied.

Liz and I, last day in Sydney, months later.

And right now, she is not here. I try to put my thoughts together, I stand up, I look around. Her bag is not here. She is not here. At all. The hammer pounding on my brain is not helping. Think fast, faster. Get up, get dressed.  I run down the stairs on to the street. I catch a glimpse of someone’s watch, 9.30. It’s already hot and sticky, and the street is filling up with backpackers walking with their dead tourist eyes, woman with fake tribal hats and food stalls displaying spring rolls from the night before, fried bugs and cheap pad thais.
As I grab a bottle of water, I make a conscious effort of remembering the night before.

Travel Playlist: February 2012

Oh what? Yep, haven't done one of these in a while!

Stones Bar- best late bar on PhiPhi

Hope you enjoy, this is majorly inspired by being in PhiPhi Island for two months. Comments are welcome!



Blue October - Into The Ocean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZES3nJQYJok&ob=av2e

Bob Dylan- Don't think twice, It's alright
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZPh3hpxLKs


Whiz Khalifa - Young, Wild & Free
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lYOUIDkjUA

Nero- Crush on you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWK6dQOdri0&ob=av2e

Nero- Must be the feeling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld50mfW-BCM&feature=branded

Set your Goals - Product of the 80's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ATQxt7q98w

My travels from A to Z

I haven't done a post in a while, being busy living on a paradise island and getting really ill from a cut (more on this later), so when Connie from ConnVoyage tagged me in this A-Z, I thought it was a good way to come back to blogging and share with you my best travel experience!


A: Age you went on your first trip.
I think it was 7. My parents took me to Edinburgh (Edinbraaahh). I think that's when I got bitten by the Travel bug (Sorry Nicole, I needed to use the expression haha!). First time on a plane, first time out the country, I loved every second. Oh and I had my own room in a 5* hotel. Win.

B: Best (foreign) beer I ever had.
Hum, I'm not sure. I'm really not a big beer fan. But I'll tell you that. I do enjoy one very cold beer at the end of the day, preferably somewhere exotic. You know this feeling. When it's hot and sticky, and as the night settles in, in a mix of sweat and dirt, sit down with friends and enjoy the local brew.

C: Cuisine (favorite)
Tricky question. Very tricky. So tricky I cannot get it down to one. So I'll have to say French/Japanese.
I am french and I love going back home for the food! Call me chauvinistic but I love it. Right after that comes Japanese food. Not only sushis, but everything. The flavors are so fresh and varied.
 

D: Destination (favorite and least) 
Cambodia was probably my favorite part of South East Asia. I find this country absolutely fascinating and its history as well. Siem Reap was a very special moment for me,  I dreamt to go there since I was a kid, and finally getting there got my stomach upside down with excitement. Being in Cambodia was also my first "paradise beach" with the turquoise water and the pristine white sand.

My least favorite? Pattaya. I'm pretty easy going, and generally quite happy to just being on the road. But it was so seedy, so wrong at so many levels. You can breath the cheap perfume coming for the girlies bar, and smell the sweat off the backs of overweight middle aged men who have left their families to come to places like these. I have a serious issue with these people and tend to loudly express it when I see it . Anyway Pattaya was just a terrible place.

Koh PhiPhi: The Best of.

Click on the map to zoom in

There is more to PhiPhi than just Pad Thai, buckets and drunken idiots. After weeks and weeks spent in PhiPhi I got to try quite a lot of places on the islands. Here are my top eateries, bars and activities!


Best Bakery:
 "PhiPhi Bakery", ok so it doesn't sound very original but it is as good as its lack of originality. And I'm french I know a whole lot about a good croissant. Before setting off for your day indulge in  awesome coconut bread or may be a vanilla donut.

Travel Playlist November

Yes it is that time again...The Travel Playlist! For you on the road to get some new ideas to feed for your iPod (or mp3 player of your choice should I say.) and for anyone to turn up the volume and have a little disco wherever you are!


VIDEO/SINGLE of the Month:
The Getaway Plan - The Reckoning.
I was very happy to hear that the band was reforming, and the promising new single is surely a sign of yet another quality album from the melbourne band. Loving lead singer Matt's vocals on the chorus. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u7ht4fEEtBU#!



Having a bad day? Don't say "I hate everyone" (by say anything) you have probably some pals to bitch to about your day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQd7_HqR900&ob=av2n

Thats for "Certain" (by set your goals)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPXnSX-7cDc

And really if you "Love your friends, die laughing" (by man overboard)  So thats ok.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPBbf26HA1Y

Then you'll realise, that these days are indeed the "Glory Days" (by sharks)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdczeAUeoGM

And there you go. You are "Back in the game" (by jamie t)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFWLMTUHM-c

So pull some "Moves like Jagger" (maroon5)  and everything will be sweet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEPTlhBmwRg&ob=av3e

That's it folks!