Chillin' out with Mum @ Hampden Park East Sussex

Panoramic view of Eastbourne from the Downs

Mum was waiting at Hampden Park, East Sussex train station. At first I thought I missed my stop, apparently the train passes through Eastbourne first then comes back to Hampden Park. Not sure why though.

Sky (Cathy’s new Belgian Sheperd dog) was sitting silently by her side when I saw her. I hugged her and patted Sky. She was well behaved that time 

Mum’s place was just a few-minute walk from the station. She asked how I was doing and I said it’s been okay. She helped me carry 1 of my bags. Again, I think I looked crazy with the heaps of stuff I had. Well, to be perfectly honest, the weight has been crazy, but I didn’t mind “for a while”.

Mum, Cathy and Me

We passed by Cathy’s place and dropped off Sky, then walked to Mum’s. Mum’s house was so cute, a bungalow in barnham close. It was so homey and well kept, and I liked that there was a little portion of garden where she kept the roses, bell flowers and a few greeneries. There was a small parking shed on the side which Mum converted to storage space. Of course heaps of John’s boxes from Nigeria occupied much of it.

Mum's favourite thing to say to me was "Chill Out" to which I'd usually giggle to. She offered to prepare me a hot bath, but I said i'd just have it the following day. she showed me to my room and pointed out all of John's things, i.e. bags, books, wallets, brush and so on... (let's call it "abubot".. and I thought I was the only one? hmmm <with one eyebrow up>)

I'd say Mum made me fat for the days I was there. She'd made sure food was always on the table when I woke up and at night, we'd sometimes have hot choco with marshmallow. So many times I didn't want to give in to the temptation but she seemed really good with convincing. Oh yes, I did feel like I've gained back the weight.

For a girl bonding, we accompanied Cathy take Sky for a walk at the Downs. It was a little bit windy up there, but it had a lovely view of Eastbourne. Cathy explained a few things to me about training Sky, young and only 10-months old. She said there's no possibility of having her house puppy proof, so training was essential or else Sky would cause havoc in her place and Mum's as well. It was really hilarious when Mum rolled her eyes and said "Why didn't you ever try to get a poodle instead?". I just laughed.

After that, we went for late lunch at Yew Inn in Arlington. The servings were massive and Mum was struggling. But definitely the food was yummy and the dessert were to die for. Apparently the place is well known for it's pudding as well. Mum just watched us struggle through the sweet desserts we ordered.

hot choco with melting mallows

I really liked the moments when I'd just listen to the ticking of the clock in Mum's kitchen, as we waited for the kettle to heat up for our morning tea. Her table was good for 2 people, and so we'd usually hang out there while talking over breakfast.

I went with her on the Sunday, to hear mass at her local church St. Peter's. I met a few friends of hers and exchanged a short discussion with one of the local guys after service. I bought a birthday card too so I can send for Mommy's birthday.

I had her listen to my new song about Canada, and I also showed her photos of my trip. Along with that were the stories behind the people I've met and the adventures I've had on the road. Of course these were all while we sipped on our hot choco drinks.

She also introduced me to the soap opera the East End, which she would usually follow... 3x a week. There were a few more series that we watched on TV which were intriguing. one of which were people who were looking for family members they haven't seen, i.e. orphan from birth.

On my second to last day, we had morning tea with her friend Marjorie, who was her neighbor years ago. It was so cute coz it was a typical English thing, with the trays, the cups and the setting. I wished I could have the same accent too while sipping my coffee. We talked about the local news and gossips around the neighborhood.

I had to go to Eastbourne and settle my prescription glasses at Specsavers, then passed by the Central library to do my research in preparation for the next destination. I passed by Tesco on my way back, bought me some groceries coz I told Mum I'd cook dinner for her.

Mum said she liked it. I prepared her pineapple chicken with steamed broccoli. I might have put much serving though coz I had to help her finish the broccoli. But she seemed to be happy about the flavours I've put, so that could be a good sign.

Around 8, Cathy knocked and hugged me goodbye. She's been busy at work, pretty full on and also busy getting back home and taking care of Sky. It's always funny listening to her and Mum talk.

By Tuesday, I packed my stuff although struggling and undecided. Mum and I walked Sky in the Hydneye Park and went back for a quick lunch. Then she walked me to the train station and made sure I bought the right ticket.

I hugged her goodbye and said i'll be back. She was waving through the train door as she held on to Sky.

As Mum said, "You're back on the road".

Last night/day @ Alf’s

I spent another day & night at Alfs, resting for a while, sorting out a few things and repacking my stuff. We slept in the whole Thursday since we arrived in London around midnight. I was so lazy to go out and mail the Fes, so we just decided to call it a lazy day , and just hang out in the apartment. We checked out a few songs in the series of Nashville, which Alf introduced to me. And I also played her my new songs.

Around 6 pm, Darko was back home. Alf and I prepared dinner, and we had fish for the evening..which was YUM to the MAX. Alf prepared a fish curry which was superbly done. Loved the mix of spices. She also has us use the new bowls from Morocco.

The following day was Alf’s interview and I finished my packing. Darko decided to come along with me, worried that I had too much stuff. He was working from home on that Friday, but it was so gentleman of him to accompany me to the train station. It was hilarious when he took a few photos of me, saying “JOwe, I’ve never seen someone do this like you do”. I think at that point he was thinking I was silly. He did affirm the thought though. On our way to the station, we stopped by the post office and I just had to do my last errands of sending the Fes with a few of my stuffs. It was part of my so-called “downsizing”.

We met up Alf and 3 of us had lunch together. By 1-ish pm, I hugged them goodbye. Alf stayed for a few minutes to make sure I bought the right ticket to Eastbourne. She hugged me goodbye after and then I was well on my way to the next destination.

The route: Hammersmith > Victoria – get off and transfer to the Southern line railway > Hampden Park

Always remember to check what carriage number goes to Hampden Park, or else you might end up in a different town.

Exploring Maroc

Agadir

Casbah hill

It was a 3-hour bus ride from Marrakech to Agadir. The bus service was good and the air conditioning wasn’t as fierce as we thought it would be. The views were lovely on the way. We could see the mountains and the different type of Moroccan houses in the fields.

We arrived around 5:30 pm. Still on schedule and allowed us enough time to chill out and still wander about in the evening.

Just so we didn’t have to worry about buses to Essaouira and Marrakech, we decided to buy our tickets well in advance with Supratours. Good planning because it was so difficult for us to book these online. They required certain cards for payment purposes.

The cab dropped us off at New Farah Hotel. It was located a little bit further away from the touristy

Petite Taxi

buildings and the ocean. I actually liked that it wasn’t close to the typical spots. We didn’t get to see fellow tourists as much though. But not that it really mattered.

We were ushered to our room. It had 2 single beds clothed with red covers, a typical Moroccan style. The toilet wasn’t as clean as we expected it to be. Alf had to dose it with Dettol. I guess for a low rating hotel, it was good for the amount we were charged. So not that we can really complain.

For dinner, we decided to try out the restaurant downstairs. Tagine was the main thing in our minds. Alf ordered the beef and I ordered the fish. It was my first time to try it and was happy with the flavours and spices. We also tried their mint tea, which was Superbly done and mixed. Apparently in Morocco, they have a particular style in serving tea. 

Alf buying spices

After dinner Alf and I decided to go to the beach and explore around. We ended up going back to the hotel after 45 minutes of walking, the beach (la plage) out of sight, only darkness and the ocean breeze. Why? We weren’t really sure about our bearing, but for sure we could feel the ocean was just nearby. We had a faint sketch of Agadir but I guess the best way to find your bearing is to arrive at a place in broad daylight. Of course that statement does not apply for all countries. Obviously for this one, daylight was so much safer. We experienced men looking at us, and hassling us. The point where we got scared was when a car pulled over and put down the window just to yell something at us. Same happened for a few cars on the other side of the road. We weren’t wearing offending clothes at all, come to think of it. I guess it was just that we looked different. Plus, we were both girls… coz we observed that some of the girls who wore daring clothes weren’t hassled..as long as they were with a guy. Fair enough. We decided to call it a night.

The following day, we were more ready than ever. We slept in a little bit and woke up around 10 am. Breakfast was available in the hotel so we decided to just get it there. Besides, wifi was only available downstairs. No signal whatsoever in and around the rooms.

We decided to explore the Souk, which wasn’t that far of a walk anyway. Of course, we indulged in the cheap items we could get out hands on. Spices were beautifully prepared inverted cones that intensified the colours of the souk. Alf bought a few for her cooking. Other colours were from the fruits, sandals, tagine containers and so much more. It was buzzing with life and energy. Bargaining will always be part of the souk thing, I guess it’s all the same in any market you go to. Walking away has always been the technique, and of course, it worked. Prices decreased from the original amount. In a way I felt guilty asking for such a lower price, considering that you can actually see the poverty in the country. But just is the case, some store owners bump it all too high too which is not fair either. So I think if you agree with a median amount, then all should be sweet.

Around mid-afternoon we decided to go back to the hotel, drop off our stuff and head to the beach.

view from Casbah

Agadir beach has been the fave spot of locals and tourists alike. Reviews always call it a very touristy city in Morocco. True enough, decks of chairs were planted on the beach, but we noticed only a few tourist. Majority of the people were locals… friends and families who were hanging out on the weekend. We took our shoes/sandals off and walked barefoot on the sand.

After an hour, we headed to the Marina. And of course, as expected it was posh and full of signature shops. Expensive cars could be spotted around and a few boats were at the dock. We lingered for a while and watched some kids feed the fish. Then we decided to have our late lunch/early dinner in front of the wharf. Just chilled and waited for half an hour before sunset.

fortress walls of Casbah

Around 7:30, we hailed a cab. The driver demanded 100, to take us up to the summit of Casbah, wait for us, and drop us off at the hotel. We said yes. The guy was wearing a blue & white checkered shirt, looking more presentable that the other cab drivers we’ve had.

Casbah is the oldest district of Agadir which was built back in the 1500's by Moullay Abdallah. It was once a lovely fortress with winding road and walls until the destructive earthquake of 29 Feb 1960. Now the only remnants of is a restored long high wall. on the hill is an Arabic inscription translating to "God, Country, King".

We got to the top and found that it was indeed a good view of the city of Agadir. We waited till sunset (around 8-ish pm), then allowed the hues change and add up a little bit of drama to the scenery. Remnants of the fortress glimmered in red and the fishing ports below got darker as the sun went down. That was our last night in Agadir.

Essaouira

We only had 1 night in Essaouira but I was glad we took the earliest bus from Agadir (via

Supratours). The city was well worth the visit, and I’d say I can picture myself staying there for a few days.

The bus ride from Agadir was 3.5 hours, flowing through the coastline and catching lovely views of the Atlantic Ocean whilst winding up the mountains through dry Moroccan fields. Alf was feeling a little bit dizzy so she tried to have a shut eye along the way.

Essaouira was originally called Mogador in portugeuse. In Berber, it meant “wall” pertaining to the fortress walls that was built around the city. Remnants of this still remains, which I’d say, adds up to the character of the place. It seems that the place has been one of the well-known trading posts even back in the 5th century BC.

We got ourselves a petite taxi and was dropped near the main square. Good thing we had a map with us… it didn’t take us 10 minutes to figure out where our Riad was.

Riad Dar Ness was so accessible and convenient. The Rue was a small dark alley but still safe. A blue gate greeted us with the sign Hotel Dar Ness. We knocked and a Moroccan lady welcomed us in.

I’d say, the place is highly recommendable. Everything was Moroccan style even from the faintest details of the toilet/bath and to the details of the doors, windows and interior. It didn’t have aircon, but being right beside the Atlantic, the cool ocean breeze was enough for a night in summer.

After blazing with amazement about the Riad, we went out to start exploring. We only had technically a day to see Essaouira coz we were catching the bus to Marrakech the following day.

The cobbled streets were very lovely and different restos and cafes had their seats out with people just lazing around. We found it interesting though that we found more tourists in Esso than in Agadir. I figured maybe because there were day tours organized from Marrakech, which explained the numerous tourist buses along the beach, waiting for their clients to be collected.

We had lunch at a restaurant with a lovely view of the fortress walls. The ocean breeze was cooling
despite the sun’s heat. It was a top deck lounge where a lot of tourists lingered, taking photos of the view from afar.

The seagulls pestered onlookers as we walked along the coast. The fortress walls still designed with old canyons had a 10DH entrance fee. We didn’t have second thoughts, paid the guy at the door and found our way up. The view was lovely, with the mix of the blue fishing boats, the fortress walls, the north tower and a sight of Essaouira square. The Atlanta crushed the rocks just below the walls, and some of the locals jumped from stone to stone, enjoying the day.

We explored more and found ourselves along the stretch of beach. It was a very long stretch of sand but we liked it more than Agadir. A lot of wind and kite surfers, locals and tourists alike, enjoyed the waves and bumped up and down as the wind blew them away. A few horses and camels lazed around the beach, waiting as their masters tried to lure people to get a ride. I observed though that they didn’t hassle people as much as how the locals did back in Agadir, which was good. Make me like Essaouira so much better.

It was Ate Jojo’s 40th birthday and I wanted to hear mass for her, so we found ourselves a Catholic Church on that Sunday afternoon. We read , 6 pm mass..so we decided to stay around the beach till we had to go back to hear service. We ended up then walking further on the sand until we got to the point where dunes were forming and the small town of Essaouira was quite a distance. We wrote our names on the sand and designed it with our jandals. Cute.

Around 6 pm, we headed back to the church just to find out that we read it a little bit wrong…. It meant that it was an 11 pm Sunday mass and a 6 pm Thursday mass. Oops. Oh well. We did enjoy the beach walk anyway. So all was well.

We decided to head back to the Riad quickly, refresh and then head out to the West/North Gate. We watched yet another sunset in Morocco. A lot of people sat there just to have the silence they needed. A group of locals were singing playing instruments by the canyons. I just had to take a photo.

Dinner was at one of the local restos, where I tried the fish and Alf tried the kafta. It was a full meal, with a dessert of yoghurt.

Yes, the yoghurt. The following day, Alf had the traveler’s diarrhea, and we were thinking it might have been the yoghurt.

Alf decided to stay back at the Riad while I went on my way to get myself stamps. I tried to check out the nearest pharmacy and buy Alf some dehydration tablets, but just found that it was due to open at 3 pm in the afternoon.

Around 3 pm we were bound for Marrakech.

Marrakech

Our first few moments in Marrakech were crazier than what we expected it to be. Of course, as a big city, we knew it would be hectic compared to the rest of the places (except Casablanca), but getting hassled by a kid wasn’t part of what we thought it would be. By the time we found ourselves at the door of the “well hidden” Riad, 1 kid turned out to be 5 kids, asking for 50 dirhams, instead of the initially agreed 20 dh. Talk about cunning or what.

The riad was fine, but nothing could beat the Dar Ness for us. We still had a double bed, but the toilet/bath was so small and it didn’t have a door. Yes, it had a curtain instead. Plus, it didn’t have exhaust which meant the room would have the scent of the toilet. But, we didn’t bother to complain anymore.

Marrakech adventure was more of walking the “big square”, going through the Souk, hanging out for 3 hours at the a very good restaurant with authentic Moroccoan meals, and going to the post office to drop off my postcards.

The other touristy stuffs we did, like going through the Jardines and the tombs. But just the same as Alf, we thought Marrakech was just another tourist trap.

I believe that going up the Atlas mountains and staying in the villages would have been more of the experience to have. Going through souks and market would of course would always be part of the Moroccan experience.

By Wednesday, we were on the plane back to London.

And… after the crazy Ryan Air adventure of running around … I lost my glasses.  

Blazing in the heat of Maroc (Morocco)

We landed in Marrakech around 10:30 am. The sun was glaring and the heat was just as expected when we got out of the plane. Outside the 1-story building was a big sign that said “Marrakech-Menara”.

The flight was full,  heaps of tourists were lined up at the immigration booths. Alf and I were observing what the other girls were wearing because we were so conscious about what we should wear. To our amazement, some of the girls were wearing tubes and another girl had a midrib top. Talk about following the culture.

We walked to the money changer and decided to have our pounds converted there so we had ample amount of pocket money. If there’s one thing for sure that we’ve noticed, customer service was something a-miss in the airport. Staff were not at all friendly, rather, the lady even snapped at clients. Oh well.

As we walked outside the terminal, we tried to work on our bearing and what were the items we had to sort out before taking a cab to the bus terminal.

One of the things we had in mind was to get a prepaid sim so we can have data available. There was a handy Maroc Telecom booth just right beside the food shops. There was a “back in 10 minutes” sign, which made us decided to linger for a while, grab snacks and check if the staff was back. Around 11:15 am we decided it wasn’t going anywhere.The sign was still there.

I asked the information desk if they had any available maps of Marrakech, just to be directed to a nearby store where the girls said “You can buy it from there”. Apparently, tourism as such in Marrakech wasn’t well organized. Not a single map or instruction can be found around the premises. In retrospect, buying the map was one of the best things we did. It was a combined map of Marrakech and Essaouira. Also, we bought a prepaid sim which we hoped would work because we were rushing to catch the 12:30 PM bus to Agadir.

At around 11:45 we got out of the airport and hailed a cab. As per reviews, get a Petite Taxi because you can bargain with them. Based on my research, you can pay them between 60-100 dirhams from the airport to the CTM bus station. At that point because we were rushing, we decided to say yes to the 200 dirham charge. It wasn’t a petite taxi though. But still, I know it was a rip off.

By the time we got to Supratours, the 12:30 bus was already full. The next one was scheduled for 4 pm. We decided to say wait for that and in the interim check out first the CTM bus to Agadir.

It was blazing hot outside and the cars weren’t at all friendly to pedestrians. In other words it was a cross at your own risk thing. I was a little bit worried she was going to be moody about the whole thing. I know it wasn’t her kind of traveling.  But she was really good about it and didn’t complain as much.

When we got to the CTM bus station, we found out that there was a 3:30 pm bus and decided to catch that one instead. Blessing in disguise though, a 2pm bus arrived which had Agadir as one of it’s stop points. So the conductor asked us to get on that one.

At 2:30 pm, we were on our way to Agadir. 

Sidenotes:

As usual, I don't read as much about a place I go to, not until I've seen and walked the streets itself. I've never really a wide reader of history, even way back in school I hated it. But now, I seem to gather interest, right after I've experienced the culture and discovered its charm.

And so I wondered about a few things:

• Why do they call Morocco >> Maroc? 
• Apparently, Maroc is the French name for Morocco or they say the official Kingdom of Morocco

•  Morocco is located in the North Western area of Africa, with Rasbat as it's political capital. Marrakech and Casablanca are the main places of tourism, although it is worth mentioning that Agadir, Essaouira and Fes are widely mentioned in Morocco travel reviews. 
• Languages : Arabic, Berber and French are widely used
• Main Religion: Islam
• Etymology : (excerpt from wiki)
  The English name "Morocco" originates from Spanish "Marruecos" or the Portuguese "Marrocos", from medieval Latin "Morroch", which referred to the name of the former Almoravid and Almohad capital, Marrakech. In Persian Morocco is still called "Marrakech". Until recent decades, Morocco was called "Marrakech" in Middle Eastern Arabic. In Turkish, Morocco is called "Fas" which comes from the ancient Idrisid and Marinid capital, Fez.
  The word "Marrakech" is made of the Berber word combination Mour N Akoush (Mur N Akuc), meaning Land of God.

Alf & Preps for Morocco

I got the cab to stop at Hammersmith Station. It was already rush hour and the surrounds were busy and crazy. I noticed a theatre with Ben Howard’s name on it. Apparently it was his 2^nd show in London. Ahh I missed it. Oh well, perhaps one time… in case I get to be in Ireland and catch up on his shows.

I was in a little bit of a frenzy, already bugged down with the number of bags I had with me. Silly enough, I’ve been smacking people with my guitar. Inevitable in my case. I could feel my wrists getting stretched too much whilst trying to balance two separate bags.

I saw Alf from the corner of the station, just in front of the statue. We were laughing coz I couldn’t even hug her properly because of the bag I had attached in front of me.

Alf has been a really good friend of mine back in the University of Auckland days. We met each other in one of the Upgrade projects. She eventually moved to Sydney, and I met up with her there when I landed with a job. After a few years, she moved to UK with her partner Darko.

It was so good seeing each other again. They’ve been living in a 1-bedroom apartment beside the River Thames, with the window that had a lovely view of the sunset and a riverside walk they can stroll on if they fancied. There was a nearby stadium and basketball court, and the bus station was just a 6 minute walk away. I noticed 2 postcards by the window pane, one from Montreal which I sent Alf and another from Auckland. When I asked who it was from, she asked me to read it for myself. I was so touched when I saw it was for me, a postcard from the Sosna family J. Woot! My first time to get a postcard via another friend.

It hasn’t been the first time I’ve traveled with Alf. Back in the days when we were still living in Sydney, we decided to go for a weekend road trip down south. And the Morocco trip would be our second travel together.

And so… we were on an adventure. We sorted ourselves out immediately once we got to the apartment. We already booked the air tickets a few weeks back, so that was good  to be out of the way. The last thing was to book ourselves the hotels/riads and print out our boarding passes.

Darko arrived and changed for a basketball game. Alf and I rushed along to a nearby computer shop to get everything printed out. We strolled along the river on our way back.. making it a leisure walk after our earlier brisk walk. The sun was painting its lovely colours on the horizon as Alf updated me about a few things.

Around 10 pm we started packing up. It seemed to be a big mission trying to fit our stuff in 1 bag, let alone the fact that we had to make sure space was available for our handbags. With budget airlines it’s always a big task with carryon bags. Alf had to give me a few tips and pointers about RyanAir and EasyJet. On our way to Marrakech, we’d be getting on EasyJet and on our way, RyanAir. Now the thing is, both airlines requires your boarding passes printed out if you’ve checked in online, or else, you get charged. Go figure.

Of course, as girls, we had to figure out which “fashion” clothing would be good to have in the bag, considering it’s going to be hot and we wanted to laze around the beach (the goal). We both took 1 dress with us, and a few tops. Our liquids were streamlined and a few items were discarded.

Alf was ready for bed around 1 AM. I decided to stay up all the way through coz I opted to be researching about Europe places. I tried a few times to sort out my train to Scotland, but for some reason my card was always rejected, and I couldn’t even think of any reason why. I ended giving up on it and instead, emailing the personnel that I had technical problems booking the train tickets. I did get a response the following day but I was well on my way to Morocco, so decided to put it in the backburner. I sort of took it as a sign that maybe I wasn’t meant yet to book my trip to Scotland anyway.

By 3:45 am we were on the cab to London Gatwick International Airport. It was crazy… I did find it even crazier than the London Heathrow International Airport, to be honest. And I’m not fond of airports that can be that busy. I do still prefer my Auckland Intl airport, where space was still abundant and people were not in a frantic.

We bought ourselves a bottle of water and breakfast. Around 6:10 am we were up in the air, bound for Marrakech, Morocco on the 21^st of June, 2013.

just feelin'...where to? what now?

i don't know if it's the music i'm listening to now or if it's the gray clouds hovering the "Venice of the North", i.e. Brugge....

I just feel gray. I know i'm just tired, walking with the weight with no sleep at all, had to take my iron pills coz i was feeling dizzy already.

Last night was an interesting chain of events that I've never ever experienced.

Killing time in pubs in Calais, France..hassled by 2 guys in a car then by drunk men in a random pub that seemed to be the only one left open till 2 am. A guy with a dog (named Kali) and a mohawk head was the nicest and most decent guy there.. all the rest were sleezy drunk men who stuck their faces to ours trying to spark a conversation...

Last night was my first time to sleep literally on the street, finding shelter under the cove of a clothes shop. We quickly opened our eyes upon hearing approaching footsteps, in case some weirdo approached us.
I was glad though I experienced that with 2 other girls from Finland (17-year olds). They were very  much easy targets with their looks. The French guys seemed to loom over them. I eventually got tired of the drunk guys and just said "No English". Sara took out a white blanket and covered the 3 of us, enough to give at least a shed of warmth. Anina had a black scarf, so that protected her a bit. Sara wasn't sounding good with her cough though, and she hurt her knee a few days ago. I felt like a Mom, giving her some advice..and getting protective when some vans/cars stopped, giving us dodgy looks, always ushering them to go to the side as I assessed the onlookers. They must have arrived in Paris as I write this.

Whole body is aching right now and my eyes are just almost about to shut as I type this. I missed my train stop at Brugge and ended somewhere in the outskirts..where wind turbines spinned silently. I snoozed all the way and by the time I opened my eyes, the Brugge sign was just a hazy sight away...fading in the distance. Good though that they didn't charge me to catch the next train back.

I'm but only human ... to feel and get tired. And even though I've had enough rest during the past few days...I think the road is taking its toll on me right now. I just feel like going MIA for a while...incommunicado with everyone..... and just figure things out for a while..

Just to digress for a while..... this travel has made me realize...there are still good people out there.... and I thank God for those souls.....

....... I need some quality shut eye for now.... this HI doesn't allow cooking..<sigh> and I was so much looking forward to cooking my 1-minute noodles :(

...... and the song says "You should listen to you heart it'll tell you what you need"........

 Je suis perdu

Reunion with my Cuz's in London

I texted Ate Dez when I got out of the Elephant & Castle Station. She asked me to catch the bus and get off the nearest stop to her place.

 

Ate Dez is one of our cousins, eldest daughter of Mom's sister Aunty Felma who passed away a few years ago. Ate Dez moved to London, acquiring a nursing job and eventually Kuya Cyril, her brother, moved there with his wife and kids.

 

She just got off night duty that day and was still feeling a little bit sleepy. I saw her waving from the stoplight across the street. It's been 6 years since I last saw her. WE hugged each other and she helped me with my bags. She bought an apartment in the city (Zone 1) and has been living by herself since she got separated from her ex-husband.

 

It was so good to catchup with her. Come to think of it, that was the first time that me and her bonded. I told her I didn't need to sleep in the other bedroom, rather I opted to sleep on the sofa as I found it really comfortable. She decided to sleep on the sofa too. So that got us talking and updating each other until 5 am in the morning. IT was hilarious coz I was so surprised when I saw sunlight peeking through the windows. I asked her if what I was seeing it right. And of course, summer..... so sunrise was so much earlier.

 

Technically all we did was sleep (for a few hours), talk (for so many hours) and eat for an hour. Although the lack of sleep made us feel dizzy, I didn't mind. I told her I didn't really want to be shown around London. I wanted to catchup and have quality time. And that's what the visits were all about.

 

It was around 5 pm the following day when we decided to have a break from the stories and updates. Kuya Cy was coming soon with the whole family. Ate Dez and I decided to start singing on the Karaoke for a while whilst waiting for them.

 

Kuya Cy and Ate Lenet (his wife) arrived around 6 pm. She was looking big with their 3rd son who was scheduled to come out in a few weeks time. Chinchin the eldest and Kayel the second one were very playful. I remember 6 years ago it was just Chinchin who I met. The second one was a big handful just like what ATe Dez said. But I found him sweet and cuddly. ChinChin was the big brother with the responsible personality.

We went out for dinner at a Filipino restaurant just closeby. They had buffet for the night and of course served dinuguan which I really like. We stayed there for an hour or two until we were full to our bellies. Kuya Cy has to finish the left over of the kids as he'd usually do. They decided to drive around after dinner until we found ourselves a parking building for an hour (on a reasonable rate).

 

Destination for the night >>> M&M's.It was blazingly colored in the night and the crowd was still hyper around Trafalgar square and the surrounds. People were all scattered, locals and tourists alike. We walked in M&M's and explored each floor. Of course photos were taken with the whole family and cute poses were made. I enjoyed every minute of it coz It's been years since I've seen all of them. I recall the last time was my first visit to the UK, enroute my Kenya volunteering program.

 

Ate Dez and ATe Lenet bought me chocies and a magnet souvenir. I felt really bad getting the items as I'm not really used to it. I normally like buying people stuff rather than me receiving, but that's when I've got enough budget to do so. But of course, I accepted it as I knew they meant well and wanted me to have a memorabilia of that night.

 

We got to the parking lot just to find out Kuya Cy lost the ticket. It took us an hour, until the parking warden charged us twice the price instead of the daily rate. Thank God he was kind enough to do that or else 35 pounds would have been stupendous. Kayel was so cute when he showed the receipt of his M&M item, asking the warden if that was okay for the parking ticket. Obviously even though they were kids, they were picking up that their parents were in sort of a dilemma regarding a "ticket". I found that as a very good sign of the boys protecting their parents. Very sweet.

 

Kuya Cy and family dropped us off at Ate Dez's apartment and picked up the stuff that they left at her place. We then said our goodbyes. I promised I'll visit them when I get back to the UK, just right in time coz Ate Lenet would have given birth to the third one by then.

 

Ate Des and I continued to chat on my last night at her place. But this time I slept earlier and ahead of her.

 

The following morning we woke up a little bit early. Had to tidy up the place in preparation for the property assessment. He arrived around 11 am and viewed the place, took measurements and went on his way.

 

My last few hours of bonding with Ate Des was in the center, where she accompanied me to buy my jeans. I couldn't bear the idea of traveling further without jeans, so she decided to take me to one of the shops for a good price.

 

Around 5ish we were on our way back to the apartment where I collected my items. I hugged Ate Dez goodbye and said I'll see her again before I left Europe.

 

I was then on my way to meet Alf at Hammersmith. 

London (read "Landan")

I arrived in London at 7:10 am on the 11th of June, 2013. I lined up at Immigration and turned on my phone. Gtalk prompted a message... from Mr.G... saying Welcome to England. I was smiling.

 

The line was a little bit long that morning. There was a surge of tourists, students and businessmen. I was still feeling sleepy after the flight so I just lazily dragged myself to move along until it was my turn. There were no questions asked at all, so that was sweet.

 

I found my bag and had to figure out money and the tube. To be perfectly honest, the Tube intimidated me. I knew Heathrow was going to be crazily busy and when I got out, it was the same as how I remembered it to be. Instant mayhem of rushing people around.

 

I got to a teller and bought myself a 1-way ticket to Elephant & Castle Station (crazily 6+GBP!!!).  I was to get the Piccadilly Line and transfer to the brown line till I got to my destination. Not bad, just 2 transfers...with 3 bags and a guitar. Good thing carts were allowed until you reach the platform. That helped me rest my shoulders a bit.

 

Getting on the train, I decided not to take a seat as I found it too much of a hassle to organize my stuff. So I just stood at the corner and leaned by the window. London was looking gray, the usual view... but at least it wasn't that cold.

 

I got on the brown line and found myself at Elephant & Castle STation. Now, the thing is, the exit gates were too small for someone who had 3 bags and a guitar. So what happened? I got stuck and the alarm went off. Embarassing. 2 guys were staring straight at me. But neither budged nor gave me a hand. At that point I was already agitated and fuming. I threw one bag on the ground and hassled my way through. The businessman moved away and tried to avoid me. At that instant I was thinking, "Man, if this happened in New Zealand, someone would have helped me already". It took me a few seconds before I got back to my senses and reminded myself where I was.

Ahhh yes, I just arrived in London (pronounced Landan).

Toronto Pearson intl Airport and saying goodbye to Canada

June 10. Monday morning. I woke up and found everyone downstairs. Ate Shellah was already gone for work, I felt bad not being able to see her and hug her goodbye.

there was breakfast on the table, longganisa..which I indulged in with of course vinegar. I felt like I could finish the whole serving of rice but I was able to get a hold of myself from the embarassment of eating too much. Kuya Yul joined me and we chatted for quite a while about the different things we've noticed about the fIlipino society. This was all triggered by my comments regarding the actors/actresses in the TFC soap opera we were watching. Of course, if I were to discuss it in this blog, I'd say it's more of my sentiments towards a few perceptions and practices back home....which I'd rather keep it to myself instead of writing it publicly.

 

I had my laundry done after breakfast and lingered for a while in the lounge with the Inay's and Googie. They asked me a few questions about what I've been doing and where I've been traveling. I guess it's not really typical for Filipinas to travel by themselves, let alone the fact that I've been doing this for a few months already. They were a little bit careful in asking me questions though, but I did tell them I didn't mind at all.

 

It was hilarious when after the laundry I realized my one and only jeans were already worn out. Holes appeared in the disguise of nothing more than a massive unpatchable ripped portion of the jeans....both sides. So, I decided to cut the lower portion out and convert it into jean shorts. Since I didn't have shorts, I thought that it was a good idea to have it at least I don't put it to waste. Setback? jeans are heavy to pack in the bag. But I didn't mind for a while.

 

Anyway, I had my last lunch...which was Sinigang na Salmon. YUM TO THE MAX! I can't even recall when was the last time I had Sinigang!!! I was sooo full when we had our meal. To made it worse, we had it with bagoong...eeek! That made me eat more....and have a bigger portion of rice. Okay...hey I'm allowed to :)

 

It was around 3 pm when Kuya Yul knocked at the door just to find me looking a little bit lost and my stuff on disarray around the room. I had too much stuff, too much bags.....and I was already feeling stressed about it. I rushed myself to finish and stuffed it all up. Around 3:15 pm we were all geared up, bound for the airport.

 

The weather wasn't on my side that day. The rain poured and there was traffic building up on the highway. I stared at the gray cloud thinking I was having the same feeling...gray..... not really wanting to leave CAnada yet. I felt like there was unfinished business for me.... but then I had to move on coz I had my flight to London booked already.

 

Kuya Yul parked at his work place and decided to accompany me to the airport and have myself sorted out. I think he thought I couldn't handle the number of bags I had. He said he felt like he was a backpacker too when he carried my big North Face one. Yeah, I'd know the feeling.. most especially when one is carrying that much of a load.

After checking in, Kuya Yul had a brilliant idea. To have my last coffee..... where else...but at Tim Horton's.. :) Perfect! :) He took a few photos for me and was so sweet to send me off with 2 Maple Donuts for the road. I talked to Ate Shellah on the phone and also said my goodbye. Hopefully one day I'll meet the whole family again.

 

He walked me to the line and hugged me goodbye. Then I was off.

 

I found myself a quiet spot away from my gate, and took out my guitar. Sang "Freein' My Mind" in Canada... for the last time....then boarded my plane. Greg was more excited than me that I was bound for Europe. I think everyone was.....except me.

 

That was the end of my Canada leg.

My Last day & night in Canada with Belen-Budy family

I woke up early on my last Sunday in Canada. I couldn't sleep at all and having the girls coming back to the hostel around 2-3 am drunk was a little bit annoying. I didn't let them know I was awake but I was about to tell them off when they turned on the lights. But of course, when you're in a dorm, you can't really complain. It must have been Jill who turned the light on coz Crystal was trying to be quiet when she came in. At that point, I was so getting tired of hostels.

 

I heard 8am mass at St.Michaels CAthedral along Bond Street, My last one in Canada. I recall going to the same Church to attend a service, the day I arrived from Winnipeg and had to catch a flight later that afternoon to St.John's, Newfoundland.

 

I was scheduled to check out the hostel and stay with Ate Shellah's Family. She's the big sister of Gab, a good friend of mine back in Singapore days. I knew they were expecting me to stay with them but I was just too shy to. The last thing I wanted to do was to disrupt their itinerary and routine. So I decided to just call them earlier and tell them I'd just pass by for a visit. But then of course Ate still offered and I thought at least Sunday was family day so it would be okay to stay over for a night.

 

Kuya Yul, Ate Shellah's husband, picked me up around 10:30 on that Sunday morning. It was my first time to meet him although I've heard about him from Gab. He has been working at the Toronto Pearson International Airport for a few years, and just got off the night shift when he collected me. He asked me a lot about the trip and I told him about my travel adventures. The highway we drove through was massive and intimidating, and I think that it's worth mentioning the driving of some vehicles were crazy.

 

We got to the house around half past 11. I met Inay(Mom of Ate She), Inay lola(Grandma) and Uncle. They were all seated in the lounge watching TFC (Filipino channel). It was funny when Uncle said "Oh I thought JOWE was a guy". I laughed and said, "Yup i'm a girl, the last time I checked". They just laughed.

 

I finally got to meet Gelai, their eldest child and later on Googie, the youngest. I recall from singapore days when Gab would show me videos of Gelai singing and dancing. And I couldn't believe that she was taller and looking like a teenager already. Amazing how time flies. She was having a sleepover, and her cousin Megan was there for the weekend.

 

I felt like I was back in the philippines. The food on the table was filipino cooking which I terribly missed. And of course hearing the tv shows in tagalog made me tune in back to Manila days.

 

Ate She came down and I hugged her. We sat at the table while Googie so cute was looking at me.. a new face in the household. I updated Ate She about the latest happening with me and she was amazed at the adventured I've had on the road. I know there were a couple of risky stuff I've done that even my sister would tell me off, but yeah, I've survived. Although I know I shouldn't always under estimate security.

 

We packed up after some time and loaded the kids in the car. We were bound for the Niagara Falls. It was actually a perfect day for that. The sun decided to show itself after days of hiding behind the gray clouds. The drive was lovely and setting my eyes on the greenery just relaxed my mind. I've always loved to stare at nature...always.

 

We got there around 2:30 in the afternoon. There were heaps of tourists around. I didn't expect the place to be very commercialized with the different buildings and hotels surrounding the vantage points of the falls. Although I was warned by my fellow backpackers, still, seeing it with my very own eyes made me realize it actually was looking like an amusement park.

 

We found ourselves a spot in the park, just beneath a tree providing enough shade for Ate Shellah, Kuya Yul and Googie. Megan and Gelai accompanied me to check out the falls and wander around.

We crossed the street and checked out the left side of the falls, close to the rainbow bridge. It was an awesome site to see that just across where we were standing was part of Manhattan, USA. There were a few tourists on that side, but of course,the best view of Niagara has and always be from the Canada side.

The girls and I lingered for a while on that side. I found it cute to be walking with the kids. Maybe it's because I myself can be a little bit childish at times. It's also interesting to hear thoughts and ideas of kids, just to have an understanding on how they perceive the world.

 

We moved on and walked towards the bigger part of the falls, which has always been on the Niagara postcards. There we stayed for I think almost an hour. We allowed the falls to sprinkle water on our faces, and I took some photos, trying to get the perfect shot. It was lovely when later on we found a double srainbow colouring itself over the water whilst the Lady of the Mist boats passed by. I got the kids popcorn and a drink, and we sat there for a while just looking and watching people pass by.

 

on the way back to the park Gelai wanted to stop by the garden where summer flowers bloomed and added hues to the surrounding green. There we stopped for a while to take some photos as I taught her how to choose shots where contrast would be flattering in terms of light and plant colors. As we turned right, we found ourselves at the bottom of a staircase where trees loomed over with its shadow covering the steps. We decided to go up and discover what was beyond the trees. I noticed that they were already puffing as we went up the stairs so I taught them a technique that hopefully served as a good introduction to hiking. The girls did notice the difference with their breathing and also found it easier after adjusting their posture and pacing. After discovering that it was just a carpark on top, we decided to go back to the park and meetup with the rest of the gang.

We found Kuya Yul taking photos of a friendly park squirrel running around. It wasn't afraid of people at all, and even stopped to nibble on a food that someone would offer him. We lingered for a while and fed it whilst taking photos. Googie was imagining that he was fishing while us "adults" scooted around chasing after the squirrel.

 

After some time we decided to head back to the car. Googie was so cute when he was struggling if it was a Tito or Tita to call me. Eventually he settled calling me Tita, as Ate Shellah tried to correct him everytime he would say "tito jowe". We were laughing along the way, and he at one point asked me to carry him. Ate Shellah was laughing and asked him to transfer to her arms.

 

We passed by a few bridges and stopped for a while at the garden where the big clock was formed. Took a few photos and went off to have dinner at Swiss Chatel. The meals were enormous but very yummy. The kids had chips with cheese pizza, I had a chicken meal with veggies as well as Kuya Yul and Ate She had the one with shrimps. It was a lovely dinner and I also liked that it was a meal shared with a family.

 

The kids were already tired when we headed back home. I settled in the room and sorted out the internet. Had a chat with Ate Shellah before going to sleep and hugged Googie goodnight. Megan went back to her parents as it was school the following day already.

on Toronto Reunions & Meetups

I arrived in Toronto around 10:30 pm and found myself back to the hustle and bustle of the big city. I've been finding that as days and months pass by, big cities intimidated me more. And I also realized that my appreciation of nature has heightened . Despite my hunger to understand history, mother nature was calling to me more than ever.

 

The Canadiana hostel (42 Widmer Street) was packed and I found myself on the top bunk in a 4-bed female dorm. Not my desired way of staying in a hostel but the front desk said it was filled up for the next few days so I didn't bother to complain anymore.

 

Yen from China, but has been living in Vancouver, was the lady I shared the one side of the room. Jill from Scotland and Crystal from Australia shared the other bunk bed. It was very cramped, which was ironic coz I found the space in a 6-bed female dorm was so much better.

 

My first 2 days in Toronto wasn't that much productive. A short travel to the mall to go with Jill and accompany her to apply for jobs, a quick visit to dollarama for cheap food and having the free breakfast were all I did. Why? My whole body was aching. On my second day I ended up sleeping for 12 hours straight. I felt like I had to re-energize and just give in to deep slumber although I knew

that sleeping that long would actually cause my lower back to ache. I allowed myself rest hours coz I knew I've deprived myself so much the past few days.

 

Friday Highschool Reunion

 

I woke up to a Friday morning in Toronto and decided to hang out in the lounge and find myself a quiet corner where nobody would see me. There I had the chance to focus on researching for my Europe trip and also reading a little bit more about Morocco and see the options for the travel from MArrakech to Agadir. A few days earlier, Alf decided to join me in my Morocco trip and we ended up booking our flights from London Gatwick to Marrakech.

 

After a few hours, i decided to leave around 4 pm and check out the Downtown Camera shop along Queen Street West. Luckily I found myself a very handy and small bag. There were a few things that I contemplated on, and I had a strategy in mind in preparation for my Europe trip. I was hating carrying too many things so I planned on downsizing.

 

Around 5:30 I met up with Mabel at the lobby of Hilton Hotel at the corner of Richard and University Avenue. Mabel was a classmate back in the elementary days and we were also highschool mates back in the University of Santo Tomas, Manila Philippines. Who would have known that we would meetup after so many years in Toronto.

 

We talked along the way and updated each other and even gossiped about the couples who got together from highschool and even those who became an item after college. It was crazy knowing about it :) It was great chatting away and it felt like we were back in the days.. :) Reminiscing was part of the whole train and bus ride. Names were mentioned and I realized there were a lot who moved overseas after College.

 

We got to Casa Manila (Filipino restaurant) but there was a Birthday event for the Consul General so we decided to head to the Chinese Buffet Restaurant around the corner. And yes! I was up for a buffet.

 

Later on Odessa and Jo arrived. It was so crazy! I didn't even know that Odessa was living in Toronto. Last time I saw her was 3rd year highschool, taking us back to 1993. Now she has a 17 year old tall teenager boy. She was still the typical chatty and funny Odessa who I knew from past the years. And it was great seeing her again.

 

Jo was also a friend and classmate from Highschool days and was blooming, obviously in love :) We ate, chatted, shared updates and insights about the filipino culture and I also ended up sharing a few of the things I had in mind. It was so much fun just laughing away. Oh man, it was like highschool days. And we had so much for dinner that we felt so bloated. Well of course the laughs made us feel like we were about to explode. Hilarious!

 

Jo just bought a house on a hill and I told her how much I envied her. I told them about my experience in the farm and realizing after, that I wanted to have a lifestyle block surrounded by nature and perhaps to a certain degree, apply sustainable living concepts.

 

By the time we finished our food and taken photos, it was half past 10 already. I thanked them for treating me to dinner which I didn't expect at all. Odessa offered to give each one a lift and she also shared with us a photo of her son. It was so cute to hear her stories of him and the mother-son relationship they have kept through the years.

 

We dropped off Mabel first at her place and Jo and Odessa dropped me off at the train station. It wasn't that chilly in Ontario that night. We parked at the train station and they walked me down the escalator. We lingered for a few seconds at they pointed on the wall where abouts we were just so I could find my bearing. After a while I hugged them goodbye and was on my way.

 

Reunion with Maya

 

The Saturday was scheduled for getting last minute supplies and also exploring Toronto downtown a little bit. I woke up a little bit early and headed for Chinatown. The prices were really cheap so I bought a few things. I've been feeling deprived from the past months with clothing so thought that was the best place for me to get a few items for the next leg. I walked through Spadina and wondered along the shops until I got a few bargains.

 

After a while I found myself at Kensington Market which was really really funky and cute. Rachelle was right, it had charm most especially the artsy designs of the different cafes. I really liked the graffiti and paintings on the wall, which gave the place heaps of character. 

 

At 4 pm I headed to the Dark Horse Espresso Bar to meetup Maya. She was one of the volunteers who I met in KEnya, AFrica (2006). Both of us were staying with the same Host Lady by the name of Alice. The house was a little bit close to the known slum area of Kenya, Kibera. She was back then focusing on HIV/Aids and I was helping out in a school in Kawanggware and also an orphanage in Kibera. It was so great to have known she was back in Toronto when she messaged me a few weeks back on facebook.

 

We updated each other, reminisced Kenya and also the trips we had to Lake NAkuru. She also told me about the other adventures she had with Kelly after I flew back to

NZ. It was crazy to think how we live in such a small world and to find ourselves having coffee together in another city after so many years of the volunteer program we were on.

 

She's been busy with residency and moving around from town to town. But was happy to be settling in for 6 months in Toronto for a change and be in one place. We did share the same sentiments about moving from place to place and one point of reference. The packing can be exhausting, let alone the stress of transferring.

 

It was so great to have shared our views on travels and plans in life. We also discussed on the political issues of Canada, First Nations and also the importance of living a life with the memories of Kenya and whatever has made us realize that the simple things are what we should always learn to appreciate in our day to day lives.

 

We walked along together and hugged each other goodbye when we got to Osgoode Train Station. We said to each other, who knows maybe next time we'll meet each other somewhere ... :)

 

 

My first ever Trav Buddy Meetup

 

I rushed myself to Union Station after meeting up with Maya. It was a brisk walk for me from Chinatown to Front Street and by the time I got to the station I was sweating like a pig. I was to meet a Trav Buddy member at 7pm that night.

 

Several years ago, I registered as a membber on a TravBuddy site. It was introduced to me by a very good friend of mine Missy Foy (who met her husband Malvin through one of the travbuddy meetups). Basically, that site offers the opportunity to meet fellow travellers online, allow people to post questions and gather information, advice and suggestions. Forums were setup for the different continents/regions around the world. Often times, locals would answer queries which can be really helpful. Also, it allows people to post call outs for anyone who might want to join them on some trips they have in the future, thus the name "trav buddy". Through the years, I've asked a few questions and also tried to give as much pointers when I encounter any New Zealand bound travelers asking for tips. However, I've never really had the chance to meet someone in person nor join in on a travbuddy shout out.

 

And that's how I met Haroon (Roonie).

 

Haroon messaged me a while back when he saw a profile pic of me playing the guitar. Apparently, he's been wanting to learn it. We didn't really exchange consistent messages. If I do remember right we just exchanged 2 or 3 messages while I was on my Canada trip. Later on, when I was bound for Toronto, I received a messge from him inviting me if I'd like to meetup. I said yes and that's how it all started.

 

I was running a little bit late plus I didn't know what to expect. I've never been really good with whatever kind of meetups but that night I just wanted to be myself and hoped it would all go well. It's quite tricky when you meet someone you've never really known personally, and you don't know if you'll click or not. I thought, scrap the anxiety of worrying too much and just go.

 

I was running 5 minutes late when I got to Mcdonalds. There he was standing outside the dairy shop beside Mcdo. I said Hi, he told me his real name and we started walking, finding our way through the busy crowd and out of the Union Station.

 

We found ourselves walking towards the Harbour Front, as I told him earlier that I was interested to see that area. Along the way, he showed me where he works (PWC) and told me he found it ironic that it's been a while since he's really walked the harbourfront despite the proximity of his building.

 

The clouds were a little bit gray and we were a little bit worried that it might rain, but good thing the clouds held those water droplets back and decided to just stay gray for the night.

 

We chatted along the way and shared some thoughts about career, life, work styles and what our interestes/passions were. It was so easy to talk to him and I found that The vibe was cool. He laughed at my silly retorts which made me relax more with his company. We passed by the CN Tower, Brewery building, chinatown and kensington. It was a bit of a walk and I asked if he was okay with the distance. He said it was fine.

 

We decided to walk towards the called "Brown Town", which we eventually learned later on was called little India. We walked for a while and decided to take the cab coz we were told it was still 2 km's away. We ate at Lahore Tikka for the night, a lively and happening place in the center of Little India. We stayed there for the rest of the night and shared each other's stories. HE also told me about his China trip.

 

Around past 11 we had to pack up quickly so he wouldn't miss his train ride. Apparently he lived far away from downtown and taking a cab ride back home would be too expensive. It was hilarious when we got out of the restaurant coz it took us a while to catch a cab. We were laughing as we walked the street and tried waiting for one. I ended up hailing a police car which I mistook for a cab. And no, I didn't have alcohol that night. My eyes were just too weak. I think at that point he might have found me crazy.

 

I asked the cab driver to drop Roonie first just to make sure he had enough time to catch his train. We dropped him off at the stoplight of Front Station and I hugged him goodbye.