http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/en-EUhttp://backend.userland.com/rss092http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/33/8ed4762b48dcb5321092de746a7c9f_160x200.jpg <p>Well as promised, I ended up taking a holiday from travelling last week. </p> <p>In fact, I stayed at a sweet old Catholic fella's house on an island in the old Arabian for most of it. </p> <p>Now though, I'm in the middle of mad Delhi as it goes, and I'm chilling out in yet another top notch pad.</p> <p>Can't be bad, eh?! </p> <p>I mean, they even had some Deep Purple playing at the place as I was grabbing some scoff downstairs this morning. </p> <p>And that was right up my street ;o) </p> <p>But onto the scandal that's in the city now anyway.</p> <p>And there was quite a bit of it knocking about when I visited the capital's post office yesterday actually.</p> <p>Because not only had some cheeky sod who worked there already opened up a "poste restante" parcel they had waiting for me...</p> <p>But he'd also managed to slash open my 100 quid rucksack (which was inside it) with a knife... </p> <p>Have a good old rummage through all of it's personal contents... </p> <p>And then tape it back together again as though nothing had ever happened! </p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>I was well shocked when I found out about it at the time!</p> <p>But at least I did so there and then in front of witnesses I suppose! </p> <p>And yes, I guess I did quite enjoy losing face in front of them by getting stuck into the heated debate that followed as well ;o)</p> <p>Hmmm. </p> <p>Having said this though, it didn't give me as much satisfaction as when I had a tv reporter come up to me in the street today...</p> <p>Because do you know what question she asked me funnily enough?</p> <p>"What don't you like about India Sir?"</p> <p>And even though I think I disappointed her at first by saying that I really did like the place... </p> <p>I must admit that it soon became a case of lights, camera, action when the old slashing the bag incident cropped up into our conversation! </p> <p>Oh, and she reckoned I was going to be gossiping about it on a national news channel this evening as well ;o)</p> <p>That'll learn 'em!</p> <p>Ha ha! </p> <p>Enough of me babbling on now anyway. </p> <p>Because as I hinted last week, it's time for me to fade out of this little blog of mine I'm afraid!</p> <p>As in a couple of days time I'm meant to be meeting my dad for a 9 day tour of the golden triangle up here ;o)</p> <p>What a great experience it's been though, eh?!</p> <p>In fact, it's hard to believe I'm due to be getting a flight back to the UK in 11 days time you know! </p> <p>I mean, it hardly seems like two minutes since I gave the old boy my mobile phone last July and told him to look after it for a year! </p> <p>I remember the day quite well actually, because I was well nerved up at the time!</p> <p>But back to the present moment. </p> <p>And before I do go and let this site start gathering dust with all the other blogs out there on the information superhighway... </p> <p>And I then disappear off into a world of my own as I dream about touring Europe in a C-Reg Mk III in the future...</p> <p>(Well providing I can work my leave allocation ok on that one!)</p> <p>I just want to say one more thing to you all really.</p> <p>And that is a big "thank you" for sharing my travels with me.</p> <p>Because what with there being 9,763 hits on this site since I opened it up 2 weeks into my adventure, there is no way I did this on my own. </p> <p>In fact, I'm taking the above as the biggest compliment I've ever had, and I mean that!</p> <p>Oh, and one more final thing now(!)</p> <p>If you haven't done so yet, and you are lucky enough to find the time and space in your life to go travelling for a while like I did?</p> <p>Well I apologise, because these aren't my words (as they are the words of a friend):</p> <p>But there's all shapes and sizes doing it out there you know.</p> <p>So get out there and get rocking ;o)</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>20 facts about my year away:</p> <p>1) Total number of countries I either transited, visited or stayed in: 10.</p> <p>2) Favourite country: China.</p> <p>3) Total number of nights I spent on a bus/ferry/train: 18.</p> <p>4) Longest time duration I spent on any one particular train: 6 days.</p> <p>5) Most exciting place I visited: City of Zhengzhou, China.</p> <p>6) The country's history I found most interesting: India.</p> <p>7) Total number of towns/cities I either visited for tourist reasons or used as a functional part of my journey: 56.</p> <p>8) Total number of different beds I slept in (oo-er missus!): 73.</p> <p>9) Nicest border guards I came across: The Myanmar officials at the Thai/Burmese border.</p> <p>10) Erm, "strictest"(!) border guards I came across: The Russian officials at the Russian/Mongolian border. </p> <p>11) Total number of kilometres I cycled: 1,620.</p> <p>12) Most impressive tourist attraction I saw: Angkor Wat, Cambodia.</p> <p>13) Best feeling of the year: Getting a local stare at me with that unmistakable "What on earth are you?!" look (the one they gave to me if they had never seen a Westerner turn up on their doorstep before). Magic!</p> <p>14) Best "travelling" experience I had: Making a mess of it at the Laos/Cambodian border.</p> <p>15) Speed at which my Master could kick somebody: Off the scale. (I felt it before I saw it in one particular demonstation. Amazing. In fact he was the most programmed man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting before!)</p> <p>16) Weirdest nightclub I visited: Heart of Darkness (Phnom Penh, Cambodia.)</p> <p>17) Most beautiful girl I saw: An Indian Barbie for sale in a toy shop on the subcontinent.</p> <p>18) Favourite 24 hours of my travels: My birthday.</p> <p>19) Scoff of the year: Home made Chinese dumplings.</p> <p>20) Beer of the Year: Beer Lao.</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>Please click on this link to see a full version of the image entry called "Map" if you like (it shows the route I took from start to finish):</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/community/profile_photo_sizes.php?item_ID=2602835&size=o">http://www.blog.co.uk/community/profile_photo_sizes.php?item_ID=2602835&size=o</a></p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>*THANK YOU EVERYBODY*</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>For Isabella when she grows up<br> To Mum<br> xx x</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/26/26th-june-4367167/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/26/26th-june-4367167/Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:02:34 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/uncletravellingmattsmap/2602835" title="uncletravellingmattsmap"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/835/2602835_f4a6d7ca98_s.jpg" alt="uncletravellingmattsmap" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/20/map-4338993/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/20/map-4338993/Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:27:36 +0200 <p>I'm sorry to have to go on about nothing for a bit as I start penning this little beauty up, but it was funny the way I opened up this uncletravellingmatt web thing wasn't it?</p> <p>In fact "A sober introduction from a guy who is buzzing" were the exact opening words I used on the original blog I wrote, as I was finishing off my one year stint in Chelmsford's bedsit land. (This was before the Great Firewall of China blocked my access to xanga and I cut and pasted my original entries onto this one).</p> <p>Well anyway. </p> <p>I'm nearly at the other end of blogging it now, as it's almost time for the finishing part of my trip away!... </p> <p>You know; the part where I meet up with my Dad in 10 days time (get in there!), and then after me spending 9ish days with him, I also hop over India's troublesome borders on a magic transporting machine of course don't I; to then put on my Where's Wally gear, do a quick train/bus journey combo back through Europe, jump on a P&O in France, make friends with a trucker at the ferry bar, pose for a snap with him up on deck with those beautiful white cliffs in the background, and well, phew, pretty much finish it off all pretty nicely indeed...</p> <p>Ha ha! </p> <p>But the strange thing about it though...</p> <p>Is that I've run out of steam now haven't I?!</p> <p>And to be honest really, I'm sat here in India at the moment right (me being the big soppy ape that I am), and all I'm thinking to myself is that I can't wait to meet my old man up in Delhi and be able to say to him: "Do you know what mate? I've missed you! Fancy a Kingfisher?!"</p> <p>Because after the week that I've just had, and yes, at this point I could go on and tell you about the joys of coming across railway kiosks that only seem to sell the likes of "Wonder Cake"; oh and of me being able to finally enjoy seeing some cows get stuck into chewing some decent cud because the monsoon rains have started to kick in over here (even if some of them were neck-deep in the gush at the time)...</p> <p>But man. </p> <p>There was also a point during the past few days when I was put into a situation where I had a casualty doctor laughing at me, a taxi wallah's wife I hadn't even met before praying for me, and a sweet old guy in his 70's I was renting a room from telling me that if I needed some readies for any services rendered, he was willing to lend me some bless him... </p> <p>This being the sort of situation where I tend to appreciate the sheer beauty of the good people in life by the way, whilst I'm also feeling like I'm wanting to tell the people who are looking at me as though I have got a hoop in my trousers to go and boil their heads as well...</p> <p>So.</p> <p>It's with this in mind that it's time for a holiday from travelling now me reckons.</p> <p>Just to sit still for a while and think to myself what a fantastic year it really has been for me.</p> <p>And for those of you who are interested, the first part of which will hopefully be in a nice hotel somewhere that has slashed it's prices because it's the tourism low season over here...</p> <p>And the second part of which will be to have the chance of a lifetime with my Dad, as we take in the likes of the Taj Mahal whilst looking back at the glory of being at Wembley at 15:37 on 21st April 1991...</p> <p>I really can't wait for that bit actually!</p> <p>But anyway...</p> <p>Then after this it will hopefully be a case of me jumping back home on a plane with him in order to spend some quality time with my family and mates of course...</p> <p>Before I slope off down to Bethnal Green to live with my pals Reg and Mick until I get my feet back on the ground... </p> <p>And then meet up with the man with a bit of gold on his shoulders (who allowed me to do all of this in the first place)... </p> <p>So I can go on and start saving up for the latest Wednesday home shirt and that Capri 1.6 laser I've always been after... </p> <p>Oh, and that's not to mention me getting myself back into society, drinking cups of tea, trying to join a football team, getting used to walking down pavements that are nice, even and straight, and getting myself introduced to my mobile phone again as well of course!</p> <p>In fact, when I look at it actually, I suppose I could say that I've got my work cut out really haven't I?!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>But don't you go worrying though.</p> <p>Because, like I say, in the meantime I do have a nice holiday to be getting on with...</p> <p>Oh and it will be on this that I will be typing up my final written blog entry as it goes...</p> <p>This being out of pure courtesy if nothing else... </p> <p>Because, to put it quite simply, the support I have been given during this past year has been nothing short of amazing, and I really do mean that.</p> <p>Well anyway... </p> <p>I'd better get going now and get rocking...</p> <p>Take care and speak soon ;o)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/18/the-penultimate-one-4330396/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/18/the-penultimate-one-4330396/Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:34:54 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/signs1/2583078" title="Signs1"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/078/2583078_606c3d1eb3_s.jpg" alt="Signs1" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/back-on-the-road-and-following-the-signs-4295551/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/back-on-the-road-and-following-the-signs-4295551/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:55:41 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/roadworks/2583067" title="Roadworks"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/067/2583067_5a246aeb60_s.jpg" alt="Roadworks" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/roadworks-4295522/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/roadworks-4295522/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:45:15 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/mountains/2583066" title="Mountains"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/066/2583066_3e10d54295_s.jpg" alt="Mountains" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/and-distant-mountain-views-4295521/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/and-distant-mountain-views-4295521/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:44:56 +0200 <p>As a quick update for you, I ended up leaving the city of Madurai the day after I spoke to you last, and after a few days worth of travelling I reached the Land's End of India on Sunday (which is where I am writing this now).</p> <p>Actually, here are the final Merc-o-meter readings for you to look at if you like:</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>Total number of towns I visited since leaving Chennai: 11<br> Total number of kilometres I cycled: 870ish<br> Overall Heat Rating: Like being in a sauna that never switched off.<br> Total number of times I had to get off the road pronto because of double/triple overtaking manoeuvres: More than 20, less than 25.</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>Oh, and for those of you who are interested, here are 3 facts about the Indian Land's End as well:</p> <p>1) It's proper name is Cape Comorin/Kanyakumari, and it is a small town that is situated in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. </p> <p>2) It makes up the southernmost tip of the mass of land that was an island in the sea before it crashed into the continent above all those years back (this is how the Himalayas were formed by the way). </p> <p>3) The rough triangular shape of it down here means that you are able to see where 3 different masses of water (the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea) all join up and meet each other.</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>Well anyway... back to my travels, and you wanted to check out the state of this strange goodnight John-Boy establishment I had to sleep in the other night!</p> <p>I mean, I know it only cost me a quid or something and that you get what you pay for, but even so, the bare-bones room I was given was so basic and weird, that all it had in it was a small bed, a red lightbulb and not a lot else!</p> <p>In fact, it was that far out in there, it was like I was stepping onto the set of a Quentin Tarantino film or something when I walked into the place at first!</p> <p>Oh, and because I couldn't find any food I could recognise when I was out and about at the local shops a bit later on, it soon became a case of me having to tuck into the single melted toffee I had on me for dinner as well, which ended up adding to the comedy value of things of course!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>The joys of being out in the middle of nowhere, eh?!</p> <p>Needless to say though, despite me having to put up with all this randomness for a while, it all made sense again when I was pedalling alongside the foothills of the Ghat Mountains a couple of days later...</p> <p>And when I finally did make it down to this Land's End place I am at now (and I saw sea, sea and sea pop up on 3 sides of me at the end of my journey)... well that was something pretty special too as it goes.</p> <p>In fact on the subject of which, take a quick look at these if you like (don't worry, there's only 4 of them!)...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-iii-4295519/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-iii-4295519/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:44:15 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/boatsonthebeach/2583061" title="Boatsonthebeach"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/061/2583061_560646aa4a_s.jpg" alt="Boatsonthebeach" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/boats-on-the-beach-4295513/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/boats-on-the-beach-4295513/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:43:04 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/landsend/2583062" title="Landsend"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/062/2583062_5278cb43ce_s.jpg" alt="Landsend" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/looking-at-land-s-end-from-a-big-rock-in-4295512/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/looking-at-land-s-end-from-a-big-rock-in-4295512/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:42:39 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/merconbalcony/2583063" title="Merconbalcony"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/063/2583063_29947fdd65_s.jpg" alt="Merconbalcony" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/the-mercster-on-his-balcony-4295510/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/the-mercster-on-his-balcony-4295510/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:41:57 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/moodysea/2583065" title="Moodysea"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/065/2583065_d69be704f7_s.jpg" alt="Moodysea" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/the-sea-being-all-moody-4295509/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/the-sea-being-all-moody-4295509/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:41:28 +0200 <p>Thinking about it actually, it is quite a nice part of the world for me to be visiting when I look at it really (the old Land's End I mean).</p> <p>I must say it's a shame that the clouds have been blocking the morning sunrise I've been after since I got here though... </p> <p>But hey... at least this overcast weather has been providing me with a good enough excuse to ignore the Ray-Ban men who have been trying to sell me their fakes every five minutes or so... </p> <p>Because all I need to do when they come up to me is point up to the sky and walk off... ;o)</p> <p>Well anyway, sorry to keep it short this week, but I'd better go and put this latest tour of mine to bed now I suppose, as the 4 days I spent with this bug in Madurai recently has in turn meant that I'm a bit behind schedule at the moment I'm afraid!</p> <p>The thing is you see, I have to be up in Delhi in just under 20 days time in order to meet a partner in crime of mine (this being my Dad!), and there are still loads of things out there for me to see in the meantime, as you could probably well imagine!</p> <p>I tell you what though... if there are any of you reading this who do fancy doing a similar thing to what I have just done in the future, I must highly recommend the old coconut string they have out here to you actually... as it ended up coming in quite handy as I was travelling around. </p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>As did my compass for when I was trying to work out which way to exit a couple of the bigger towns funnily enough!... </p> <p>Hmmm... </p> <p>As for the local bicycle I was using out here however??...</p> <p>Well maybe I got myself one that was made on a Friday afternoon or something, so unfortunately I will have to pass judgement on that one for now! </p> <p>But having said this, it did end up being quite funny when I went and sold it to a waiter at the hotel I was staying at yesterday...</p> <p>Because first there was the official handshake as the deal was being struck at lunchtime... </p> <p>Then there was the wife having to suffer a one-and-a-half hour bus journey in order to come and deliver the dosh... </p> <p>Erm, that in turn was followed by a weird sweaty-brow incident and the whole going back on the handshake attempt of course... </p> <p>And then at the end of it all, there was also the impromptu handing-over ceremony in a car park that was witnessed by the world and his wife as well!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>All in a day's work, eh?!</p> <p>Speak soon ;o)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-iii-cont-4295508/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/10/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-iii-cont-4295508/Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:40:42 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/on_the_road/2568192" title="On The Road"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/192/2568192_7d6cfd3d19_s.jpg" alt="On The Road" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/on-the-road-4267677/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/on-the-road-4267677/Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:04:47 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/salt_farming/2568194" title="Salt Farming"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/194/2568194_8c526f36c9_s.jpg" alt="Salt Farming" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/salt-farming-4267669/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/salt-farming-4267669/Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:04:19 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/a_nice_river_view/2568193" title="A Nice River View"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/193/2568193_29511a4890_s.jpg" alt="A Nice River View" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/a-nice-river-view-4267657/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/a-nice-river-view-4267657/Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:02:54 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/mg_s_shawl/2568191" title="MG"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/191/2568191_655464ac64_s.jpg" alt="MG" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/this-is-apparently-what-the-great-man-hi-4267652/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/this-is-apparently-what-the-great-man-hi-4267652/Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:02:23 +0200 <p>As a quick update for you on my travels, I left the eastern coastal route in Tamil Nadu recently as it goes, and I ended up travelling in a westerly direction towards the city of Madurai (this being so that I could get myself nicely lined up for the final part of my journey to India's Land's End). </p> <p>Unfortunately though, as excited as I was when I finally hit the "Big Smoke of the South" late last week, I came down with a strange mystery bug within 24 hours of getting there, and so as a result of this it has all gone a bit pear-shaped on the tour front for a while I'm afraid!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>Despite this however, and on the geek side of things(!), this has meant that I have been able to get stuck into reading a few things about the country I am in at the moment, which has been pretty cool...</p> <p>Oh and speaking of which actually, if there is one important thing I am going to highlight on this blog of mine whilst I am here I suppose, it's the fact that I'm finding the history between India and England nothing short of amazing you know.</p> <p>But anyway... it's not my place to go on about it here of course, so for the moment here is the latest gossip on the old Merc-o-meter front for you to read:</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>Number of towns I have visited since leaving Chennai so far: 8<br> Number of kilometres I have cycled so far: 630ish<br> Heat Rating: Still on the "Very" side (up to and over 41 Celcius apparently).<br> Number of times I have had to get off the road pronto because of double/triple overtaking manoeuvres: More than 10, less than 20.<br> Anything else important that needs to be thrown in there too:<br> 1) I held my first ever real-life cannon-ball the other day.<br> 2) I got chased by 2 very athletic dogs recently as well.</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>And back to blogging about the stuff that relates to when I was out and about on the road up until late last week... and hmmm... well... I must start off by saying that my experience of the usuage of horns on the subcontinent so far has been something else!</p> <p>In fact when I look at it right, the beepers seem to be that loud and used that much out here, that if the truth be known, I am seriously thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to buy a massive car battery, strap it to the back of my bicycle, and rig up a special honk-honk device of my own really!</p> <p>I mean, I was even walking down this busy narrow street the other day, and I'm sure that when this fella tooted me I felt a rush of air between my ears!...</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>I don't think I'd ever heard such a disgustingly loud sound in an enclosed space like it at the time before! (Or felt one for that matter!)</p> <p>Actually, as a quick insight for those of you who haven't been to this part of the world yet, here is my own interpretation of the sounds of the beeping culture in Tamil Nadu for you if you like (and this is to be taken quite literally by the way!):</p> <p>Motorbike Horn = Car Horn<br> Car Horn = Lorry Horn<br> Lorry Horn = Train Horn<br> Bus Horn = Ferry Horn</p> <p>And when I look at it ok, the thing is I can deal with all of the above of course (especially when I am pedalling away now, as instead of the beeps intimidating me like they used to, they just reassure me that the driver behind me has actually seen me)... but even so, come on though... don't be sounding those ferry horns when everybody is trying to sleep at 2am in the morning, please!</p> <p>Well anyway... change of subject now, and yes, this is a cheesy thing to say I know... but I must admit that it has kind of felt like I've been watching a live tv documentary whilst I've been travelling through the sticks at times recently...</p> <p>Women whose vibrant clothes have been splashing bright colours across the otherwise bland fields they've been working in... the poor old man at the roadside who looked as though he needed a pulse-check 5 days ago... the big animal who had an argument with a bus that nobody had done anything about... the strange fella who stopped me in the middle of nowhere because he wanted to either 1) eat my camera or 2) eat the profits from selling my camera as well...</p> <p>In fact, it's fair to say that by the time it did actually come to me getting to the big sprawling city of Madurai last week, I was in very good need of the Kingfisher that the waiter had just frothed-up all over my table really!</p> <p>Actually, whilst I am on the subject of drinking in this part of the world quickly, have you ever been to the bars out here before??</p> <p>Because if you haven't, and I don't know if this is to do with the forbidden aspect of drinking alcohol in this particular state I'm in, but I must say that the alcohol venues they have dotted about the place are very shady and secretive you know!</p> <p>I mean, I was that shocked at the mist of darkness that surrounded me as I entered the first one I visited a few towns back, that I ended up starting to walk out of it because I thought it was closed!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>Despite this though, I am pleased to say that the restaurants out here (and the dishes they serve up) are a bit more colourful... but even so... and this next bit reflects badly on me I guess... I will be the first to admit that I am finding the vegetarian nosh that's being dished up for me in the smaller towns a tad hard to deal with at times...</p> <p>This being even more the case when I consider the fact that I'm only meant to be using my right hand to eat it with as well I suppose, as this makes scooping it up well difficult for me! I end up in a right old mess at the dinner table, as you could probably well imagine!</p> <p>Anyway... bring into the equation the godsend of the posh looking hotel I was staying in last week however (for the price of a UK fiver may I add), and I was well happy on the old food front wasn't I?!...</p> <p>I'd arrived there at around 10 in the morning after cycling 85ish km you see, and the guy on reception told me that if I was quick enough, I would be able to tuck into the complimentary continental style (yes continental style!) breakfast that they had on offer at the place...</p> <p>Get in there!</p> <p>In fact looking back on it, I don’t know what the local businessmen eating there knew what to make of me as I pushed my way through the door of the elaborate, gold-trimmed buffet bar at first!...</p> <p>Because there I was in the thick of it right, with my white shirts that had turned brown from 3 days worth of dust, the dozens of handkerchiefs I had wrapped around my head, oh and me being in need of a good shower to say the least, and I was going for it wasn’t I?!</p> <p>Scrambled eggs, cereal, fruit juice, cups of tea, the lot... </p> <p>I couldn't get enough of it!</p> <p>The wonders of comfort food, eh?!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>Putting the wonders of this hotel buffet aside now though, and I tell you what, I wish you could see what these other Western food places here are serving me up on occasions you know...</p> <p>I mean I've even had cereal that's been given to me with boiling milk to pour on it a few times since I've been here (and I don't think I could torture the poor cornflakes like that first thing in the morning really, bless them!)... </p> <p>Then when I was feeling a little ill yesterday, the cream of tomato soup that was brought to me ended up coming out with none other than bread and jam too of course!...</p> <p>Oh and speaking of which actually, that last one almost beats the time I was in China last year and my English mates ordered themselves a hot dog each in order to remind themselves of home as it goes...</p> <p>Because when what they asked for did finally come out to the table we were sat at, they too found that the squirt of tomato sauce on top of them had been replaced by strawberry jam!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>Well looking at it, I suppose their red nature must have made them both look a little bit similarish to the poor Chinese chef who was responsible for designing the dish(!)... especially if he was trying to copy a picture of a hot dog out of a Western cuisine magazine or something at the time maybe?!</p> <p>Anyway... jokes aside, and it's back to me being a big wet girl's blouse for now I'm afraid, as I try and get over whatever it is I have come across out here!...</p> <p>Rock on and speak soon ;o)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-ii-4267580/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/06/04/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-ii-4267580/Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:54:55 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/on_the_road_with_matt_merc/2555180" title="On the road with Matt Merc"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/180/2555180_b67638a1a4_s.jpg" alt="On the road with Matt Merc" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/on-the-road-with-matt-merc-4238063/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/on-the-road-with-matt-merc-4238063/Wed, 28 May 2008 13:35:03 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/enemy_number_one/2555179" title="Enemy Number One"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/179/2555179_b5be54b76c_s.jpg" alt="Enemy Number One" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/enemy-number-one-rising-slowly-into-the--4238061/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/enemy-number-one-rising-slowly-into-the--4238061/Wed, 28 May 2008 13:34:39 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/the_mercster_mobbed_out/2555178" title="The Mercster mobbed out"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/178/2555178_472ba9c25a_s.jpg" alt="The Mercster mobbed out" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/the-mercster-himself-mobbed-out-in-his-e-4238060/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/the-mercster-himself-mobbed-out-in-his-e-4238060/Wed, 28 May 2008 13:34:10 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/river_of_sand/2553344" title="River of Sand"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/344/2553344_45d4fca31b_s.jpg" alt="River of Sand" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/a-river-with-no-water-4238057/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/a-river-with-no-water-4238057/Wed, 28 May 2008 13:30:58 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/shore_temple/2553342" title="Shore Temple"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/342/2553342_68c3554ebf_s.jpg" alt="Shore Temple" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/a-temple-called-shore-temple-4238054/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/a-temple-called-shore-temple-4238054/Wed, 28 May 2008 13:30:05 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/big_temple/2553341" title="Big Temple"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/341/2553341_329482bea8_s.jpg" alt="Big Temple" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/a-temple-called-big-temple-4238051/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/a-temple-called-big-temple-4238051/Wed, 28 May 2008 13:29:45 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/bat_tunnel/2555436" title="Bat Tunnel"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/436/2555436_5d2599e957_s.jpg" alt="Bat Tunnel" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/bats-looking-down-from-the-top-of-a-6km--4238050/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/bats-looking-down-from-the-top-of-a-6km--4238050/Wed, 28 May 2008 13:28:08 +0200 <p>As a quick update for those of you who didn’t read my last blog entry, I am in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu at the moment, and I am currently in the middle of trying to cycle from the east coast industrial city of Chennai down to the Land’s End of the subcontinent...</p> <p>In fact, on the subject of which actually, here is a brief statistics analysis of this new adventure of mine on the old Merc-o-meter for you to read if you like:</p> <p>Number of towns I have visited since leaving Chennai so far: 6<br> Number of kilometres I have cycled so far: 470ish<br> Heat Rating: Very (up to and over 41 Celcius apparently).<br> Number of times I have had to get off the road pronto because of double/triple overtaking manoeuvres: More than 5, less than 10.</p> <p><strong>*</strong>***</p> <p>So anyway... half-past four am is the time my alarm goes off on the days that I am moving from town to town at the moment would you believe (like I said late last week, I will do anything to escape that heat!)... and when I look at it actually, I must admit that it’s quite funny waking myself up at this unearthly hour I suppose, as in a strange kind of way it reminds me of the time when the Old Lady had me getting up at a similar hour in order to shadow the dealers up there for a short while...</p> <p>Because the thing is you see, the excitement of it all doesn't hit me until I’ve strapped the few clothes I have with me and my guitar onto the back of my bike just before I set off really... this being pretty much as good a comparison as any to the feeling I got when I first flicked the rates screens on at 7am back then for the pin-stripe boys up there in the Square Mile I guess...</p> <p>In fact if I’m honest about it on the excitement front, it’s fair to say that as soon as I get out of this zombie-like state of mine and I set off first thing in the mornings here at the moment, it usually turns out that I am on such a buzz it's untrue... as all I seem to be doing is sharing the road with the dogs, snakes and cows that are dotted about the place... and to have this kind of peacefulness in India is quite a blessing to say the least!...</p> <p>Then on top of this tranquility, and once the sun pushes the night-time out of the sky of course, I am able to see the rural communities starting to spring into life too, which is pretty interesting... the fellas at the roadside who are cleaning their teeth with sticks... the women in their saris who are splashing water outside their front doorsteps... the small families who are having communal washes together at the local village pumps... it's all pretty surreal stuff for me to witness as you could probably well imagine!</p> <p>Ha ha!...</p> <p>This is even more the case when I compare it to the madness of 8am onwards actually, as this is when the busy roads and the hot weather combo usually have the effect of sending me into a semi-trance-like state I guess, and so from this point onwards India to me becomes a different experience altogether!</p> <p>I must say that all this mayhem on the roads does provide me with a good opportunity to get into the whole “India Zone” thing so that I am ready for the next town I am visiting however... </p> <p>And as a quick explanation on this in fact... have you got a box room full of, well, practically everything in your house?</p> <p>Most of it being normal stuff strewn all around the place I mean, but in-amongst it all, the odd one or two things of special importance being hidden somewhere in there too?</p> <p>Well that to me is the average town I have been visiting during my travels here really.</p> <p>Beautiful temples and forts hidden in absolute chaos! (And I thought China was mad on the busy front!)</p> <p>Anyway... onto the comedy side of things at these places, and to be honest it's all about these budget range hotels I've been staying at...</p> <p>Hotel Ganash... Hotel Sea Horse...</p> <p>My god... these establishments should be on movie sets or something, they really should!</p> <p>In fact, if it wasn't for the mildew on the walls or the insects running around on the floor, I’m kind of thinking to myself that, what with the high, imposing ceilings and the posh dark-wood furniture inside of them, they could quite easily be referred to as being opulent you know!</p> <p>I mean, at one of them even, they had this big posh balcony attached to the front of my room right, which they only ended up having me going to use the toilet on of all things didn't they?!</p> <p>And on the subject of which, I don't know what was worse actually... the fact that the "blood and sputum collection clinic" across the road could see what I was doing on the loo front, or the fact that I could see the "blood and sputum collection clinic" across the road whilst I was doing whatever it was that needed to be done!</p> <p>But despite the above making me laugh though, by far the best bit of my week so far, and yes, this is still hotel related I guess, relates back to the time when I met one of the room boys who worked at Hotel Sea Horse a few days ago...</p> <p>In fact if I was to introduce you to him quickly, he was a short, thin, scruffy-looking, wonky-smiling fella who was in his 40’s, oh and he looked as though he was the type who didn’t have two pennies to rub together as well...</p> <p>Well anyway, as the story goes, I turned up at this Hotel Sea Horse dive of a place at around 12 noon, and as soon as I did so, he noticed that I had a flat back tyre didn’t he?</p> <p>But the thing is ok, it actually turned out that because he spotted it, he then had to fix it of course (no two ways about it), so I gave him the equivalent of one pound twenty pence as payment, and I left him and his funny choice of tools to it...</p> <p>A quick check by myself later on during the day however, and I soon had the pleasant surprise of finding that it was all fixed ok and that my hot rod was good to go again, so I gave him a quick thumbs-up when I saw him a short while afterwards to say thank you, and I left it at that.</p> <p>Then 9pm came, I was sat on my bed at the time whilst trying to work out the guitar homework good old Champ the Thai had set me or something, and my bedroom doorbell started to buzz didn’t it?</p> <p>So I answered the door, and there this guy was (my new friend with the wonky smile I mean), and he was beaming at me whilst wearing none other than a pretty dapper button-up shirt of all things as well!... </p> <p>Now I don’t speak a word of Tamil and this guy didn’t speak a word of English, so I must admit that (other than thinking that he wanted to go for a night out on the town with me) I was a little bit stuck on ideas as to why he had come to call for me to say the least...</p> <p>Oh and on top of this, the whole body language thing wasn’t working either really, because a "yes" nod and a "no" shake of the head seem to mean nothing in this part of the world, as most of the locals just wobble their head during conversations instead...</p> <p>So anyway, as a result of these two aliens colliding, both of us were stuck there in our states of confusion for a while weren’t we... me busy wracking my brain whilst trying to think of what he wanted to do for the night dressed up in his lucky shirt like that... him just stood there grinning at me whilst pointing to my bicycle pump or something... oh and then hang on a minute... the lightbulb suddenly switched on inside of my head and it all became clear...</p> <p>Silly me!</p> <p>He wasn’t wanting to go out for a beer with me at all was he bless him?!</p> <p>He was just wanting to come up to my room to show me the new shirt he had bought with the one pound twenty pence worth of local money I’d given him earlier on in the day of course!</p> <p>Ha ha!</p> <p>And when I worked this out?...</p> <p>Well, yes, as I write this now, I will be the first to admit that it was a case of the old "you need to be there at the time" scenario, no doubt about it at all... but even so... I must tell you that I was pretty choked up if the truth be known!...</p> <p>Because when I sat down afterwards and thought about it for a while you see, it certainly seemed to me to be the most "live for the moment" thing I could remember seeing during these strange travels of mine, that’s for sure!</p> <p>Rock on in a weird kind of way, eh?!</p> <p>Speak soon anyway ;o)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-i-4237338/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/28/matt-merc-tours-tamil-nadu-part-i-4237338/Wed, 28 May 2008 10:23:22 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/wanttobuyapan/2544641" title="Wanttobuyapan"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/641/2544641_5e9a03fa72_s.jpeg" alt="Wanttobuyapan" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/23/anyone-want-to-buy-a-job-lot-of-pans-4212101/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/23/anyone-want-to-buy-a-job-lot-of-pans-4212101/Fri, 23 May 2008 14:23:37 +0200 <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/cow/2544640" title="Cow"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/640/2544640_2b00af60a7_s.jpeg" alt="Cow" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/23/a-friesian-cow-in-the-middle-of-drought--4212098/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/23/a-friesian-cow-in-the-middle-of-drought--4212098/Fri, 23 May 2008 14:21:27 +0200 <p>For those of you who didn’t read my last blog entry, I caught a flight from Bangkok to the Indian city of Chennai last Sunday.</p> <p>Within a few hours of arriving in India’s fourth largest urban settlement though, I must admit that I fell out with the toxicity of it all pretty sharpish, and so within a day or so I sorted myself out a bicycle and I upped and left the place actually.</p> <p>Ha ha! I ended up heading southwards on the eastern coastal route towards India's Land's End as it goes... oh and despite the fact that it is the middle of the Indian summer here now (and the 41 degrees celcius that comes with this!)... I also managed to visit 3 towns along the way since I last spoke to you as well.</p> <p>The thing is however, despite me achieving the above, I'm sure you wouldn’t believe me if I told you the number of hissy-fits I've thrown out in the middle of nowhere as a result of the overwhelming power of the heat during this past 5 days!...</p> <p>"Come on Matt, pull yourself together!" I was shouting at myself after stopping for the 3rd time in 10km the other day in fact!</p> <p>I'm guessing that it is my legs seizing up or something probably, and that the heat is zapping everything out of me to the extent that the chemical reactions inside of me are going haywire perhaps...</p> <p>All I’m usually doing is cycling along roads that give me no other option but to breathe in nothing but huge clumps of hot air you see. </p> <p>Then the water I have on me at the time is well on it's way to the none-too-comforting boiling temperature of course...</p> <p>Oh, and my poor knowledge of food on offer at the places en-route means that I mostly have to rely on eating the mushy raisins and peanuts I have on me as well!</p> <p>Ha ha! It's all good fun though... as once I get to where I want to be it does end up to be so, so worth it...</p> <p>Paddling in the Indian Ocean... eating at a restaurant looking over a beach... speaking to the local women wearing their saris... yes, it's fair to say that the nice parts of India have captured my attention all right!</p> <p>On top of this, I must say that I am quite impressed on the random side of things here too as it goes... but the thing is I wouldn't know where to even start talking about the weird stuff I'm seeing on this blog of mine however, as it all gets just a bit too natural out here in the countryside at times.</p> <p>Moving on anyway... and the most important thing I have found since I got to this part of the world is that the locals seem to be a very nice bunch indeed... in fact most of them have been very kind and helpful when I have needed it, if not a little bit too inquisitive perhaps as well... </p> <p>Ha ha! When it comes to this inquisitive nature of theirs though, it’s not a problem really, as I'm sure the main reason for it is probably down to a lot of them not having seen many Westerners turn up on their doorstep before... </p> <p>Oh, and besides which, I know I'm not really helping things on the whole "looking strange" front much either... because by me sporting the old multi-layers and head-coverings combo which I have on me (I will do ANYTHING to keep that sun off my skin by the way!)... I must look like a huge pile of washing on wheels in their eyes! </p> <p>The countryside fellas here are that hardcore you see, that all a lot of them seem to do clothes-wise is wear nothing but a skirt type thing whilst letting the sun bake them dry. </p> <p>And I would quite literally fry in minutes if I did such a thing, no joke!</p> <p>Putting the locals aside now however, and I must say that the few tourists left out here in the low season are a bit of a different breed...</p> <p>Firstly there was the Swiss lady who was telling me all about the time she cried herself to sleep for 9 nights in a row because of the things she was seeing here in the day(!)... and then the rest of them here... well they all seem to be into the whole “peace out man” way of life thing and all that jazz don't they, and I’m not too keen on that...</p> <p>Mind you, when it comes to this “Traveller’s Panache Syndrome” that most of them seem to be suffering from, I must admit that I myself have been a little bit guilty of it too recently I suppose... as I only went and made the decision to style myself a pretty decent moustache today didn’t I?</p> <p>The thing is, they really do appear to be the "in" thing on the subcontinent at the moment, as everywhere I look around here everyone has got one... the guy on reception at the hotel... the owner of the restaurant... the taxi driver down the road... so why not eh?!</p> <p>I'll be the first to say that mine does make me look like a cross between a younger, poorer version of Magnum PI and the Queen lead singer circa 1986 though...</p> <p>But don't you worry, because with a quick name-change to Matt Merc whenever I introduce myself to somebody new from now on, it should be all cool...</p> <p>And speaking of which, I had better get back out there and amongst it now... because what with India being India, there are plenty of people to meet out here!</p> <p>Rock on ;o) </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/23/peace-man-4212081/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/23/peace-man-4212081/Fri, 23 May 2008 14:15:24 +0200 <p>Did I ever tell you about the time it all kicked off when I went out for a bit of a pre-Christmas celebration with the lads at the academy in China?</p> <p>Well if I didn't, let me just set the scene for you quickly...</p> <p>It was at the end of a weird night at some dodgy karaoke house in the middle of nowhere, and things were getting a little bit tasty amongst a few of us... </p> <p>There was ADHD suffering Nigel from India who was shouting at everybody... </p> <p>There was Scottish Gordon (the unemployed fella with a bad snot problem) who was threatening to head-butt anybody who came near him...</p> <p>There was the strange, pale-faced quiet fella from England (that no-one could really get on a level with) who suddenly made a last-minute decision to bolt it during the heat of the moment...</p> <p>There was Kyle from the USA whose eyes and veins were popping out of his head (who also, by the way, went on to make a "massage girl" tap herself out of a leg lock he got her into the previous week, this being after she apparently tried to lay him out with a right-hand punch of course)...</p> <p>Oh and then there was me too... and I was just stood there in the middle of all this whilst thinking to myself "My God. Isn't this whole Shaolin way of life meant to chill everyone out??"</p> <p>Ha ha! </p> <p>With hindsight, the argument was one of the side-effects of keeping loads of blokes with high-testosterone levels cooped up with each other for long periods of time I suppose...</p> <p>But anyway. </p> <p>This Nigel bloke from India.</p> <p>Hmmm... looking back on it, I think it was three months into my stay with the Shaolin Monks when I saw him turning up on the doorstep of the academy actually... </p> <p>He had just flown over from his home on the Indian subcontinent as it goes, and I when I first saw him wearing his posh clothes with his hair slicked right back, I remember thinking to myself that he appeared to be of a different class altogether really. </p> <p>There was only Europeans, Americans and Chinese at the place at the time you see, and we were right scruff-bags the lot of us as well. </p> <p>The strange thing about him though, was that he had a problem with drink didn't he? </p> <p>In fact this was so much so, that it is fair to say when he wasn't training during our downtime in the evenings, he would either be chuffing away at the cheap dirty fags that the Chinese store sold down the road, or he would be tucking into the bottle of brandy that seemed to be permanently living in his back pocket...</p> <p>Ha ha!... "I come here because the hard work will tire me out and I will be able to sleep properly at night" was the reason he gave us for going to train at the academy as well actually. </p> <p>Apparently his ADHD gave him insomnia you see.</p> <p>Moving on however, and despite his quirkiness and all of these bad points of his, the best bit about him had to be his stories of India... </p> <p>And what a mad, messed-up country he made it out to be! </p> <p>The thing is, I guess that because he was rich, he ended up knowing a great deal about the weirdness that goes on in the society on the subcontinent really, and it was as a result of this that I used to be laughing away at the things he told me when we saw each other at the weekends...</p> <p>In fact, thanks to those inspirational tales of his, I'm actually here in India myself now aren't I?!</p> <p>Ha ha! </p> <p>And what a funny end to my travels I'm hoping it should be!</p> <p>I have to say that travelwise (to get here I mean) it was none too inspiring though...</p> <p>You see, despite the fact that it appears to be quite close to Thailand on the map (in terms of the whole world), doing the whole overland thing to India from where I had been staying recently was not a possibility for me unfortunately, as Burma's borders were closed, oh and the whole Tibet situation to the north was a bit dodgy too. </p> <p>Anyway... to get around the above, this in turn left me dreaming about the ferry journey between the two countries that didn't exist (this was quite annoying when I saw how close the Indian territory of the Andaman Islands was to Thailand by the way), before I then had to go on and book a flight for this part of my trip instead.</p> <p>And now I'm here?</p> <p>My God!</p> <p>Well, putting Nigel's mad tales aside, my main reason for coming to this part of the world basically amounted down to the fact that my year of travelling is coming to a close now, and so I guess I was looking for one final good old fashioned shock to the system really... </p> <p>Like for example the times when I found myself feeling like an alien in Moscow and Beijing when I visited them for the first time last year... </p> <p>Ha ha! </p> <p>It was with this in mind that I originally wanted to go and travel South America actually, as I was wanting to try and give myself a good opportunity to compare the chilled-outness of the locals in South East Asia to the passion that is meant to be over there... </p> <p>But as amazing as that would have been, when I looked at it seriously however, I found that I was needing a much larger timeframe to do that mad continent the justice it deserves of course... plus there's the fact that I want to be older when I visit it too (so that I can get a bit of Spanish under my belt).</p> <p>So no, the subcontinent it is for me for now.</p> <p>I tell you what though... I know I've only been here for half a day or so, but my head is still spinning!</p> <p>Geographically speaking I am currently in Chennai, this being a big sprawling industrial city that is situated on the east coast of the country, and in short, it's a pretty weird place for me to be a part of indeed...</p> <p>In fact, I was sharing a lift in a taxi with an Italian guy just after I touched down here earlier, and he was sat next to me whilst banging on about this leather shoe making business of his or something, whilst I was just sat there looking at all that was around me and thinking to myself "oh dear... what on earth have I let myself in for?!..."</p> <p>Ha ha! I could expand on this and go on to say that the area I am staying in is a pit... the street I am on is a pit... my room is a pit... blah, blah, blah... but no... that wouldn't be fair really...</p> <p>So instead, I'm finding myself just looking at the strange aspects of all that is around me at the moment (as there are plenty of them about!)... and whether it be the meal that was just served up to me that the shape and size of a bazooka... it be the fact that the locals heads seem to wobble up, down, all over the place whenever I try to speak to them... or it be the weird 50's type cars that are driving about on the roads over here... it is fair to say that it really does feel like I am in a different world altogether right now!</p> <p>And when I look at it, I guess that's the whole point of travelling really isn't it?!... </p> <p>So all in all, me coming to India seems to be a job well done!</p> <p>Speak soon ;o)</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/19/nigel-4191981/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/19/nigel-4191981/Mon, 19 May 2008 03:30:30 +0200 <p>I don't know what it is with the elephants over here you know, but I must admit that I do kind of feel drawn to them as it goes!</p> <p>Ha ha! I saw a local walking yet another one down the street here the other day actually, and despite me feeling sorry for it being dragged around like a dog all day long when I first saw him, I still had to stop and stare at him whilst admiring his strange ugly beauty for a while.</p> <p>In fact, the big nosed chap even inspired me to go on a bit of an elephant pilgrimage and visit the Elephant Tower last Sunday would you believe?!...</p> <p>The "What? What?" I hear you say?!</p> <p>Well as a quick explanation for you, what with the Thai's being the way they are, when they think that something is special or sacred in their society, they do tend to make a big old fuss of it (as I have probably already mentioned before)...</p> <p>And on this particular occasion, in the case of Dumbo I mean, a few years ago they decided to celebrate it's protector status (which I spoke about in a blog entry last month) by doing none other than making a block of flats, yes a block of flats, into a giant elephant shape...</p> <p>But the thing is, as much as I love elephants though, I must admit being pretty gobsmacked when I went to visit this particular eyesore...</p> <p>Check out the state of it below!... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/15/finishing-off-in-the-city-of-angels-part-4175651/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>http://UncleTravellingMatt.blog.co.uk/2008/05/15/finishing-off-in-the-city-of-angels-part-4175651/Thu, 15 May 2008 02:32:00 +0200