All Hallow's evening!

All Hallow's evening aka Halloween takes its origins from the ancient Celtic festival known as "Samhain". Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for the winter. It was believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops. Part of the festival was to light bonfires this would attract insects which would in turn attract bats. Mask and costumes were worn to mimic and appease the evil spirits.

Modern day Halloween is a festival filled with fun. Typical activities include fancy dress, trick or treats, bonfires and apple bobbing. Halloween is celebrated in many Western Countries although it is not very popular in Australia.

Happy Halloween to All!

Reminiscence! Russian Revolution!

On the Go - Russia. Vodka Shots Tour!

An excellent tour for a snapshot of the key cities of Russia.  This tour takes in the historic sites of St. Petersburg and Moscow including the iconic Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood, St Basils, The Hermitage, The Summer Palace,  Red Square that surrounds the Kremlin and the living museums that are the Nation's Metro system.

The beauty of Russian tourism is that they don't give a jack shit about the English language and in reality this probably messes with the head of the tourist, but the traveler takes it in their stride and sees it part of the experience.

Hints and Ideas

Take a photo of the name of the Metro station you're starting from - this will help with your return journey.  Make sure you take in the sites of the Metro Stations - touch the bronze dog statute for good luck.

If the opportunity arises, go to a Cossack show or an Ice hockey game and soak in the atmosphere.

Get use to being offered Vodka everywhere you go, whether it's shopping, or on the train.  After slamming down a shot try chewing on a gherkin, you will be surprised by how they complement each other.

Go on a cruise on the canals of St Petersburg.  Don't worry if the tour is in Russian as the sites are amazing especially around dusk.  Make sure you rug up if you are doing the tour around October. Blankets are provided though.

Take the opportunity to sample the local cuisine - Borscht is delicious and if you're sick of the Vodka shots get stuck into the local brew at a Retro 1950's Stalin Bar and listen to stories about the Stalin era.

If catching the overnight train from St Petersburg to Moscow with a tour group stay in the public sleeping sector rather than fork out extra money for a cabin as you still have share with members of the public anyway.

Stairway to Heaven!

Want to get out of your comfort zone? Are you a dare devil at heart? How about giving these stairs a crack?

                                                           Pailon del Diablo Waterfall, Ecuador.
Translated to English, the name means the "Devil's Cauldron".  These steep stairs are made from smooth, oversize pebbles with hardly any traction. Married with the spray of water from waterfall makes this a great challenge. Hold on tight!

Haiku Stairs, Oahu, Hawaii

These stairs are part of the "Forbidden" trail  and are not legally open to the public but that does not stop the intrepid hiker!                                                                                                                                                                              

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Spain.

Cross the narrow stone bridge and climb the 231 stone steps to find the Romenesque chapel that is said to be used as a fortress by the Templars in the 14th century.

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona.

Gaudi's unfinished cathedral features a tightly-wound spiral staircase with no railings. Warning signs advise against the climb if you suffer from respiratory or cardiac problems!

Grog Blog: Drinking Around the World - Great Britain

The thud of darts striking the board, the screams of 180!, the cacophony of the black being re-spotted and the Craic being shared are elements that make up the Pub Culture of Great Britain.  Immersing oneself in this culture is a must for any traveller and once you get over the notion of your beverage being served at room temperature and that the pork scratching still needs a wax, then its time to buy a round and converse with the locals.

Its important to note that beer culture in Britain is as much about the culture of cask ale and the pub as it is the beer itself, and also the banter and the story telling. For instance, A Scotsman, an Englishman and an Irishman are sitting in a bar in Aberdeen reminiscing about their local. "Back in me pub in Glasgow," brags the Scotsman, "fer every four pints of McEwans I order, they give me one fer free!" "In me pub in London," says the Englishman,"I pay fer two pint's o' Newcastle Brown Ale and they give me a third one free!""That's nuthin'" says the Irishman, "Im my pub back in Dublin, you walk up to the bar, they give the first pint fer free, the second pint fer free, the third pint fer free -- and then they take you upstairs and you have sex for FREE!" "Is that true?" asks the Scotsman. "Has that really happened to you?"  "Well, no," says the Irishman, "but it happens to me sister all the time!   

Some basic Pub etiquette you will get you a long way at the local.  For instance, there is no waiter service so you will need to get active and navigate yourself to the bar.  Have your money ready and visible so that it can grab the  bar staff's attention. If your drinking with a group and the shout of it's your round goes up you are responsible to get the drinks and pay for them.  Don't order a Kilkenny or Guinness last as it requires at least three pours and is time consuming.  If drinking in Scotland, don't ask any of the punters or bar staff what part of England they are from. Don't order a Guinness and a Potato and tell the bar staff that you are having a two course meal and don't pass out in the snow on the way back from the local as hypothermia and frost bite certainly will put a dampener on your travels.

One needs to have an understanding that a man's pint is his kingdom and nothing and we mean nothing will get in the way of finishing that pint.  On our travels we have witnessed this first hand on many an occasion.  At the Ship and Shovel in Vievers St  London we consumed a number of Pints and ate some dodgy pork scratchings. (Yes pig hairs were still attached)  and witnessed a man resembling a walking corpse shit himself at the bar, as a result of what seemed to be a TIA (a minor stroke).  There was no way that a minor stroke was going to get in the way of him finishing that pint. And as the paramedics arrived to attend to him and with beer dribbling down his paralysed face and faecal matter oozing to form a pool near the bar he grabbed his pint, raised it in the air and downed it to the cheers of all the locals.  He was last seen laying on the ambulance stretcher with his pint glass still raised to the heavens.

Enjoy the unique pub culture of Britain, enjoy the company, offer to buy a round for a local, and sit back an join in the Craic but most of all feel like a local for a while rather than a traveller.

Reminiscence! London calling!

Old London Town stands of the banks of the River Thames and has been a major settlement for two millenia. It has an amazing history dating back to Roman times, who named it Londinium. From the Anglo-saxon era to the Viking invasions, to the battle of Hastings and the infamous Tudor period; London certainly is a history buffs paradise.

London today is a leading global city, adding quality arts, entertainment, fashion and tourism to the mix. Here are some useful tips.

1. Purchase an Oyster prepaid travel card  on line before hand. This card works in the same principal as Brisbane's Go card.  Certainly was great to just jump on the tube straight from Heathrow airport to the heart of London.

2. We also purchased a London pass on line before hand. This pass allows you free entry into over 60 top attractions and tours. 1,2,3 or 6 day passes available. A 3 day pass cost us 81 pounds each.Great savings when you consider the average entry fee is 18 pounds for each attraction.

3. Leicester Square "TKTS" theatre ticket booth sells  last minute, theatre show tickets at a discounted price. Just check out the board out front displaying what is shows are for sale. Tickets for that day or next day only. 

4. We stayed in an apartment just around the corner from Trafalagar Square. Very Central, could walk all around London easily and savour life in a big city. It was also lovely to have a bit of space after a couple of weeks of compounds and mountain climbing. We could wash our clothes and cook a simple meal.

5. Our top must dos!

Visit West Minister Abbey.

Climb to the dome of St Paul's Cathedral.

Cruise on the Thames.

See a West End Theatre show.

Spend an afternoon in a local pub.

In the world kitchen! Pommy Nosh!

English food is traditionally hearty and simple; bangers & mash with mushy peas, fish and chips, steak & kidney pie, roast beef  with Yorkshire pudding and spotted dick just to name a few.  An Indian influence was quick to take England by storm introducing exotic spices to add a kick to their nosh.  Tikka and masala curry are the go to food for most Brits.

For something traditional with a touch of class why not give smoked salmon Yorkshire pud a crack!

Smoked salmon Yorkshire pudding.

Ingredients:
olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 large eggs
150g skimmed milk
65 g plain flour
180 g smoked salmon

Method:
Put 2 tabs of oil into fry pan, add rosemary leaves.
Blend eggs and milk in blender then add flour and blend until smooth.
Spread  rosemary in pan , then pour in batter, let fry for 30 seconds or until base is set.
Slide pudding into an oven proof dish and cook in heated oven 200c
for 15 mins.
When pudding is puffed up and golden remove from oven. Roll salmon into roses and place on top.
 Cut and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Great accompanied with beetroot, asparagus and yoghurt & horseradish dressing.

In the world Kitchen! Taste of Tanzania!

We experienced many different tastes and flavours whilst traveling in Tanzania. Some quite bland  and some very tasty. This one was a winner for sure.

Prawns in coconut sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Prawns 
• 1 sliced Onion
• 1 tsp Garlic
• 1 tsp Ginger
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Tomato paste 
• 1 cup  chopped Tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Coriander
•  1  sliced capscium
• 1 cup coconut cream 
• Salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp canola oil

Method

1. Marinate prawns with salt and black pepper then put in a fridge for 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry at medium heat until translucent or light brown. Add garlic and ginger, continue to cook until garlic turns brown
3. Add black pepper and turmeric, stir for half a minute; then add tomatoes paste stir for one minute
4. Add capscium and cook for a bout a minute, then add tomatoes. Increase the heat to medium high and cook the tomatoes until dissolved.
5. Then add coconut cream. Stir until cream boils.
6. Add prawns, salt and cilantro, cover the pot and allow to cook on low heat for 5 minute and the prawns will be ready to eat. 
7. Serve hot

Serve with rice and your favourite vegetables.

Kufurahia!

Grog blog! Drinking Around the World - Africa.

Spiderbait certainly nailed it to a tee when they sang in Old Man Sam, "We're all here drinking beer, drinking beer with out a care!"  That certainly is one of the beauties of travel, no matter where you are or who you are with, there exists a universal language in alcoholic that breaks down culture barriers. In Tanzania; everyone asks you two things 1. Did you make it to the Rooftop of Africa and 2. did you see the Big 5.  For us it was Yes to the roof top and No for the big 5. (missed out on the Rhino).  However, it depends on the interpretation of the question.  If it's the big 5 beers of Africa then you bet ya we did!  To quote Edmund Hillary "It  is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves" and also the Safari Lager, Serengeti Premium Lager, Mt Kilimanjaro Premium Lager, Tusker Lager and Castle Lager.  

Having made it to the summit and descended back to normality, the Kili shuffle takes control of your movements and you have to walk so incredibly slow. (Imagine an arthritic 90-year old walking backwards - that's probably too fast). So as we shuffled to the bar and grab one of the big 5 then began to yak to our fellow travel mates, we soon discovered the difference one letter of the alphabet can make in a conversation. Especially after some well earned lubrication for us novice Swahili speakers. As the night wore on and the beers flowed not only did the words begin to slur but their meaning changed altogether. They went from nice to nasty.  For instance, Jumbo (hello) went to Jumba (smelly fart), kunywa (to drink) went to kunya (to defecate), the biting mosquitoes (mbu) went to the biting mboo (penis), ordering kumi (ten) beers (bia) for our porters turned into ordering kuma bia (vagina beer) and complementing our waitress, by calling her a malaika (angel) went to malaya (prostitute).  The most devastating news was finding out that "Kimba" as in the children's show Kimba, the White Lion, translated to in big shit.

Time to down another Tusker Beer!

Reminiscence! Safari - Serengeti. Review and Tips.

Acacia Africa – Safari- Serengeti.

Once again Acacia provided a sense of well-being and a high level of security.

Ensure that you have a local supplement ready to pay in post 2006 $US.  The supplement at the time of our tour was $US 400 per person.

It is recommended that you attempt to book your safari to coincide with the great migration of wildebeest and zebra.

Considerable distance is travelled and many hours are spent in the vehicle getting to key areas.  These many hours of travel are interspersed with short burst of excitement.

Recommend that you partake in an early morning sojourn to catch a kill or watch the main predators stalk their pray.  Unfortunately, most of the big 5 (Elephant, Lion, Water Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino) were comatose on our Safari.

Accommodation included 2 nights in Safari Tent.    Provided great photo opportunities with Giraffes roaming through the site; however, DO NOT leave your camp tent at night!

The best way to beat the mundane nature of driving for hours to try a catch a glimpse of a Leopard up a tree is to fall asleep in the 4WD whilst in motion and wake up when the it stops.   The 4WD only stops if there is something to look at.

It may be better to look at a place where the Big 5 are concentrated over a smaller area, for example Kenya.

Overall, for us non-fussed animal people the safari was struggle.