Reasons for Reasons
I was ‘raised’ – to use a phrase from our American friends – in south Lakeland and it has always remained home. Even though I left to study when I was 18 and didn’t return untill September 2010. A lot of years.
During those interim years I have had a great life, travelled and met some wonderful people and also have a managed to bring up my son fairly successfully. So, it although it was sort of ‘on the plan’, my move back North was not without trepidation.
As part of my ‘self affirmation’ that I had made the right decision I started a Facebook album ‘Reasons To Move North’. This has had wonderful comments from my friends but I never had the courage to make it public. Then recently I went on a Travel Writing Course with Zoe ,and much to my delight and surprise received more affirmation from positive comments on my travel writing. Something else which has always remained strictly within closed leaves.
A mindful review of my first year here followed and I realised that I had had an amazing twelve months. Yes, I have travelled away, but I have also done more here in the North West than I would have previously thought possible. And I have had so many visitors! People like it here! I have become a guide for friends and acquaintances who then spread the word about how wonderful the Lake District is. This led to my providing itineraries for weekends or longer visits. Some I accompanied, others I simply provided a ‘bespoke’ itinerary, with or with accommodation booked.
So, now it’s time to go Global!
And now I have built my own blog I have used my technical, from a previous life in IT, to build one for the Howgill Harriers. If you would like one put together then please contact me for a quote.
Fledgling Expat
I never thought it would come to this! This is not my idea of ‘going for a walk’ But after four weeks of pottering around city streets, the odd walk in a jungle and stroll along a beach my legs needed a decent workout and so this was my unchanging view for a little over an hour while I slogged over 5 miles on incline 5 (whatever that may be), at 6k/per hour. Give me the wind, rain and mist of Cumbria any day when it comes to walking. Bring on Google Glasses! That view over Saigon has about as much interest as...
read moreEarly Saturday on Van Tan Street
For the past two weeks I have walked down Van Tan Street. Wandering down Vo Van Tan today, early on Saturday morning there were… A few kids going to school.. Delivery bikes… and deliveries Shrines and litter pickers, on a scooter of course! Noodle bars serving breakfast and my favourite taxi driver!
read moreReasons to go to Saigon
This image is one of the reasons I came to Vietnam. I grew up with the Vietnam War. It was constantly on the news. “Napalm Girl” was taken in 1972 by Huynh Cong Ut. It has stayed with me ever since. Today I got to see the original in the War Remnants Museum. Along with many other horrific and disturbing images of war. Images that made me wonder if we will ever learn. Will man ever stop destroying itself or the world in the most barbarous ways. The captions are sufficient....
read moreHo Chi Minh City
Eventually. 6366 miles, three countries en-route and I arrived in Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City. The ‘work a day’ and formal synonyms for the city. The difference in development and culture flashed by the bus window as soon as the wheels rolled across the border from Cambodia. There were lines down the middle of the road, traffic lights and crossings and though still a plethora of motorbikes, the riders actually wore helmets. And joy o joy, the streets were almost clear of rubbish! I never before thought I would be so...
read moreSihanoukville
The road to the coast from Phnom Penh, though still 4 hours, is significantly more comfortable than that north to Angkor Wat. The tarmac fulfilling more of the general expectations of what a road should be. For a short time the countryside became more mountainous and a little cleaner. Piles of plastic not so prevalent along the road side. Vegetation no longer rice paddies but thick forest, once again accompanied by incessant warm rain . Coastwards the hills rolled away and forest turned to monoculture. May be palm oil? The desolation of...
read moreSiahanoukville briefly
Woken by the sound of monsoon rain hammering down. Open the balcony doors and the heat still wraps around like a warm duvet. Perfect for a weekend off at the beach. With one or two interesting sights. Couldn’t be more different from Cumbria
read moreAngkor Wat Road Trip
After dissecting the English language to the ‘nth’ degree for a week. Coping with the shock of being back ‘in school’ in order to make me fit to teach in SE Asia a weekend trip North was a welcome change. Little had we thought about the 7 hour road trip. 165 miles but with an initial battle with the Phnom Penh gridlock and then a dubious road, this was to be expected. Add to this a torrential downpour from the current rainy season and that seven hours stretched tediously to ten. The bonus of a ‘road trip’...
read morePhnom Penh – First Impressions
The contrast with Singapore could not be greater. From calm, clean and organised to chaos and, well lets say a little challenging in the cleanliness department. Considering what the country has had to cope with in their recent history it is not surprising things are not quite Singapore slick. So this is how you prepare for a day out in Phnom Penh At least if you are going out in a tuktuk. Glasses to protect your eyes and a mask to prevent inhalation of several kilos of grim, not to mention fumes from the maelstrom of...
read more