September 28, 2010 in Personal, Update
The large vehicle carrier slowly rotates in port, the large bow thrusters throwing large white foam from either side, in the hold two young Australians (one not so young anymore) are climbing into a small green van. 20mins later the Camper-Of-Cool rolls, or more accurately sputters, out of the hold and on to French soil.
The GK World Tour (now including JK) has made it to the EuroZone. Read the rest of this entry →
September 8, 2010 in Update, Videos
So now I can reveal the Camper-Of-Cool to the world – check out the video for more!
September 7, 2010 in Prep, Update
(Left to Right) Neil, Me, Cameron - Sadly Cam isn't joining us in the Campervan-of-Cool, but if he was this is the face he would pull.
The sun is slowly setting on my brief time in London town. With far to many hours spent behind a bar instead of in-front of it, the proper position for a backpacker, I’m packing my bag and hitting the Eurozone.
So what is the plan I hear you ask?
Well first up is Germany, where I’ll be joined for the first time by some travel buddies from Home.
Neil, my arch nemesis and Greens Voter, and Jamie, my little brother, will be jumping on board the Camper-of-Cool as the
from Left to Right - Charlotte, Jen, Me (Dear lord that's a bad photo of me - the girls look great!)
Right to Left – Jamie (Bub) and MeOutside of the beer tents our journey will take us the length and breadth of the German country where we can sample the food, drink and culture while I suppress Neils ancestral urge to wipe out Read the rest of this entry →
August 12, 2010 in Location, Update
A group of men of arabic decent sit in a circle puffing on a shisha pipe, the clouds of flavoured smoke drifting in the afternoon air. The sun slowly sets over the western tree line, beside the deckchair a £1.50 bottle of beer is slowly building a nice coating of condensation. Looking around the park is full, which is a mean feat for Hyde Park. Kids play soccer, adults gather around eskys of wine and cheese, and vagrant backpackers enjoy a cheap drink in the fading sunlight. August 1, 2010 in Location, Travel Stories, Update
The cocktail and prawns are laid in-front of me by two waiters both dressed in near full three piece suits even thought the temperature is pushing forty seven centigrade. For a split second someone looking over may have mistaken me for some rich celebrity playboy spending his millions on seafood and wine in the playground of the middle east, then they would have noticed the $3 thongs, twelve day growth and general unclean look, quickly realising I’m just another bum backpacker.
Welcome to the Dubai, United Arab Emirates
As I leave Dubai international Terminal 3, possibly the nicest airport in the world, I’m whisked away on the metro. The view outside is of Dubai, a town unlike many others.The city scape looks like the scene from some futuristic thriller where global warming has reduced the earth to Read the rest of this entry →
July 25, 2010 in Location, Update
In the recently exposed trench two men dig through a mix of sewage and stagnate algae mud. Their entire bodies coved in the mix aside from their faces where the constant stream of sweat from the oppressive heat washes the vomit inducing combination off in a never ending cycle.
Welcome to Delhi, India.
Walking through the main bazaar you could be forgiven for thinking you were in Baghdad a day after US forces hit it with their ‘shock and awe’ campaign. The buildings lining the street are all in a state of de-construction. The steel support structures stick out jaggedly overhead, and only ragged tarps keep the occupants hidden from passers-by.
The ambitious plan is to Read the rest of this entry →
July 18, 2010 in Update
Me at the worlds only 7 Star Hotel
So I’ve broken my own rules, I know. I’m currently 30,000feet in the air on my way to Dubai.
Look I’m sorry but to get from India to any nation that is friendly to us western infidels, I would have to pass through at least a few of the following nation states – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Uzbekistan….um yeah. I really don’t feel like being kidnapped and executed on TV so I’ve opted to cheat.
I’m off to Dubai for a day, then onwards to the UK. Now I was supposed to get to the UK in Dec (ish) but I need a camper-van to drive around the EuroZone and the best place for me to buy one is Ye’ Ol’ England, because:
1) I’m technically British – don’t let the accent fool you there’s a cultured gentleman in here somewhere.
2) I need to save some money – I MAY have overspent in Nepal and China a little bit – and India hasn’t exactly been free!
So I’m dusting off my manners, putting on my top hat & tails, Boarding a Airbus A380 and winging my way to Heathrow where I’m sure I’ll be met but hundreds of English lass’s offering to ‘Fresh’n ma drink gov’na’ and noblemen all wearing monocles and called Lord So-and-So.
From a newfangled Intercontinental jet aircraft!
GK Out…
July 8, 2010 in Location, Travel Stories, Update
The rain is so heavy you can barely see 10m. The humidity is in the mid to high 90%, and I’m happy as a fat kid on free cake day. Coming to Goa in the off season was one of the best ideas I’ve had to date, even if it did take 46hours of travel.
I was told three things.
Non of these things is true…. ok maybe Read the rest of this entry →
June 26, 2010 in Travel Stories, Update
Cramed into my bunk on the 32 Hour train ride from Varanassi
It’s 3am and for the fifth time tonight I’ve been awoken as someone tries to sit on my bunk. Kicking them off, as I’ve barely got enough space for myself, I look down at the ridiculous number of people crammed into the train carriage. Every inch of floor is taken up with snoring men, squirming children or luggage and up and down the walkway people are literally sleeping on-top of one-another.
Welcome to the Indian train network. Read the rest of this entry →
June 23, 2010 in Location, Travel Stories, Update
A religious man prepares to bath in the Ganges waters just before sunrise
A white haze floats across the surface of the Ganges river as the sun rises in the east. On the bank a burning wood pyre, atop a cloth wrapped body is placed on its journey to the next life.
Twenty meters down stream a group of young men are vigorously washing white sheets in the brown polluted waters, around them children and men enjoy an early morning wash.
Varanasi is a strange city filled with touts, telecommunications towers and rickshaws, but it is still the holiest in India. The myths state that the town was created by Shiva (God of Gods) as a gateway to the next life, although I have doubts a god would Read the rest of this entry →
