Souvlaki and partying till 6.30am

The locals know how to relax...

After Malta we flew to Athens in Greece. From there we got a boat out to Mykonos, one of the most famous Greek Islands.

We started off with a day at Paradise Beach. At around 4.30pm, the music starts getting louder and louder and by 6pm its pumping. By 7 we decided to walk up the beach for a look. I (Adam) was quite excited to see a couple of girls in bikinis dancing on a stage, but I was soon confused when dancing next to them was a well tanned bloke with absolutely no hair (anywhere) wearing nothing but a couple of bits of string and a few beads!

Paradise Beach, Mykonos
On our Hotel balcony in Mykonos


Mykonos harbour

Melinda decided we should stop in for a drink at the bar, but there were way too many excited Italians with no concept of waiting their turn pushing in at the bar! With my patience getting less and less we decided it would be a good idea to head back in to town.

Professional complete with Greek Island Motorcross Boots

We met up with some friends Marco (Italian) and Tina (Greek) who I know from work in London. In true Mykonos style, we met for dinner at 10.15pm. Dinner finished around 1am so we went for a couple of cocktails, followed by coffee, followed by Zambuca and clubbing! Time flies when you are having fun and after a while it was 6.30am when we stumbled back in to our hotel room. Tina and Marco reckoned that this is what they did everyday and that sleep has no place on Mykonos!

Sofia, Christo, Marco, Tina and Melinda

Melinda, Tina and Marco clubbing

Marco, Adam and Melinda sometime in the AM!!

We spent about 4 days on Mykonos cruising around on a quad bike out to different beaches, eating souvlaki and having some Mythos (Greek beer). On our last night there we met up with a French couple staying at our hotel who were also about to head to Santorini. We got the ferry the next day and went to a town called Oia which is famous for its sunset views.

Oia, Santorini

Santorini sunset

Oia

The next few days were a bit more relaxed with plenty of eating, drinking, swimming and as our new French friend Laure put it - 'contemplation'. We did have one good night out with Iaco and Laure to a little Greek tavern just out of town where they had some local friends. A couple of Greek blokes playing guitars, food, wine and dancing made for a top night out.

Santorini, Santorini, San-to-rini mu I love you!!

Iaco and Laure

A week in London and then a week in Malta

After I got back from India, a few days later Melinda finally arrived back in London. It was good to have her back after 4 months away. A couple of days later we set off for Malta for 7 days!

Gun salute in Valletta

View of Valletta from our hotel roof pool

Valletta by night

Adam and Melinda doing a bit of tasting at the wine festival

Our mate Bryce met us at the airport and took us to our hotel. We had a full week with tours of the island of Gozo, wine festivals, swimming, snorkeling, festas, a day out on a boat and even a charter flight (4 seater Cessna) to Taormina in Sicily! Ever had an international charter flight? Well we have!!

In the words of our tour guide 'On the right, there is a church'

Our friend Emma has family in Malta and as it turns out, her cousin is a pilot! So we met at the airport nice and early, walked past the que in security and pushed in at the front and then took a bus that could normally carry about 100 people (with only 4 of us in it!!) out to a tiny little plane. We flew over to Catania in Sicily and then caught a bus to Toarmina for the day. When we landed back in Malta that evening, we rolled over to a small fuel tanker and stopped then engine. Then we got out and filled up the plane!! Finally we got picked up by a massive empty bus and taken back to the terminal!

Bryce, Charlie, Emma and Melinda at a family owned bar

Adam, Bryce and Emma at a Festa for Santa Maria

It was a top week and I think we might go back to Malta again soon...

Lunchtime again!

One long last wistfull look at Malta...

2 more weeks in Gujarat

The highlight of my last two weeks in India was a trip to Ahmadabad, a city about 6 hours bus ride away from where I have been working. I went with 3 Indian friends from work - Krupa, Gaurav and Nirav. We went in to town after work on a Saturday night and got on a bus to Ahmedabad. Once we arrived, Nirav's sister appeared out of the darkness on a scooter with a big bag of food for us! Nirav had decided that we would be hungry when we arrived and as such his sister had prepared enough food to feed about 8 people!! The next morning we hired a car and driver and went touring. We went to Gandhi's ashram (his residences/offices during his independence struggle) and a massive temple (Akshardham temple) which was very impressive however no cameras are allowed inside since a terrorist attack there in 2002.

Family transport on the bike!

We spent the afternoon doing a bit of shopping and then went out to a water fountain and light show to music which was surprisingly good. It was back to Krupa's place for some dinner before we got on a sleeper bus back to Jamnagar. My friends presented me with a beautiful gift that they had sneakily bought while we were out shopping and it was a great end to a fantastic weekend. We arrived back at 6am to the place where we live and about an hour later I was at work, bleary eyed but soon fixed that up with some sweet Indian coffee!

Good mates on tour in Ahmedabad

A quick look at Malaysia on the way back to India

Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur

On my way back from Australia to India, I had about 12 hours to wait in Malaysia. So I left the airport and had a bit of a look around town. I managed to get up to the skybridge on the Petronas Twin Towers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas_Twin_Towers) which was cool and to the National Mosque which is quite large.

View of K.L. from the skybridge between the twin towers

I did a bit of genuine fake shopping in China Town where I was assured that I needed more watches than just one on my wrist and that their genuine fake North Face back packs where indeed better than the pack I have and that I should get one. It was good to know that they were all trying to help me out!!

Malaysia National Mosque

Success at last with a visa

The trip back to Australia was for one reason - to complete the process of getting our new visa for the UK. And despite filling out the wrong form and starting to decend in to a panic when I realised this on the day before I was due to fly out again - it arrived that day!!

A Bollywood movie and a few puddles blocking the path...

Dance Baby Dance!!!

On my last day off before heading back to Australia, I went off to the local movie cinema with a couple of my Indian friends (Nirav and Krupa) to go an experience a Bollywood movie. When I suggested this, they said 'you know its not in English?' 'yep', 'You know there aren't any sub-titles?' 'yep, no worries - there's plenty of singing and dancing isn't there?'.

So to make it easier, I read a summary of the movie on the internet so I could figure out what is going on. When we turned up to the cinema, people were coming up to Nirav and Krupa and asking 'does he speak Hindi?' and all laughing when they replied no! Long story short (and it was long - 3 hours, plus intermission), it was pretty funny and I figured out most of what was going on.

The next day I was due to fly out but unfortunately my flight was cancelled and then I spent 7 hours on the road with 2 other guys, at one stage walking around in calf deep flood water! I'll let the pictures tell the story...

First point in the road that stopped us

These guys aren't waiting for their bus to take them home!

Nice and dry up on the back of the truck

Waist deep water? No worries!!

I watched this car for 4 hours waiting for the road to give way, but it didn't

Second stopping point - this bridge is normally about 10m above the water

Third stopping point. After it cleared we made it back to town.

A trip to Gandhi's birthplace

The next weekend after going to Dwarka, I went for a day trip to a town called Porbander, where Gandhi was born. The original house is there which you can walk through and there is an adjoining memorial/shrine and museum.

They even mark the spot where he was born with a swastika (a lucky symbol in Hindu culture) and some flowers. He only lived there for a few years before moving away but it gives you an idea of how much people loved him!

Sorry for the lack of posts...

As I have finally logged in to the blog again I realise its been over a month since my last post. I have some good excuses though. Since my last entry I have been to Ghandi's birthplace, got fairly sick for a week, got stuck in monsoon floods for 7 hours on a road (standing calf deep in water at one stage), had 2 flights cancelled due to the 'mini cyclone' associated with the floods, travelled back to Australia, got a new visa for the UK, spent 12 hours in Kuala Lumpur, back to India and the most painful of all - just been in a 4 day meeting.

Anyhow, I will now try and update the blog. I only have a few days left in India and then its back to the UK for a week. Then Melinda and I are off to Malta for a week and then the Greek Islands for 9 days.

Its a tough life.

A 5000 year old temple on an Island in India

Last Sunday I went off for a little excursion as planned to the island of Bet Dwarka, which is near Dwarka in Gujarat, India. My driver came around at 8am to pick me up and then me and my mate Nirav (a local guy who I know from London) set off to Dwarka. Dwarka is one of the 4 most holy Hindu sites in India and its a place where lots of Hindus come to make a pilgrimage to its massive temple.

Boats lined up at the docks at Okha

First off we went past Dwarka another 30 odd km's to a place called Okha. From there we got a boat for 5 rupees each (about 6 pence or maybe 15 cents Aussie) to the Island of Bet Dwarka. The main attraction is a temple which is over 5,000 years old and was the place where Krishna lived. (you know, like the hare Krishna's - but there was an actual bloke not just a group of people singing in the streets handing out pamphlets). We had to take off our shoes and hand in our camera and mobile phones so that we didn't take any photos.

Loading the boat full of pilgrims

Adam on the boat

They keep the door shut on the little room where the 5,000 year old gold idol is and then open it up for a little bit at a time. When they opened it up, everyone got really excited and was cheering! It was a pretty good vibe actually, everyone seemed really happy to be there and I think its something many people only do once in their life.

Nirav outside the temple on Bet Dwarka

Boat load leaving Bet Dwarka

We hopped back on the boat and met with a couple of work friends who hadn't managed to drag themselves out of bed that early on the 1 day off a week. I went in search of a beach which I had found on Google earth which looked nice. We did find it but the seas were storming due to the monsoon winds and also probably a bit due to cyclone Gonu which recently smashed Oman (on the other side of the Arabian sea).

So then we went in to Dwarka for lunch and a look around. Walking through the streets we were like rock stars, everyone was staring at us (not in a bad way) and I reckon we were the only westerners in town that day. We ended up down at the river mouth were the sea was surging in and out. Its only because of this that I decided to go for a swim, as I normally wouldn't entertain the idea of swimming in most of the waters I have seen around here!

A temple at the river mouth in Dwarka

As the shirt came off and the locals realised this big white bloke (who is about 8 inches taller than everyone else) was going swimming, the people already swimming got a bit excited! So naturally I entertained them with some stylish grabs while jumping in the water. The current swept us down pretty fast so you could jump in and then hop out about 20 seconds and 80m later. "One more! One more!!" was the call until I decided I better get out.

A stylish grab from the biggest kid in Dwarka...

When i got out I was looking around for my work friends (who are 2 girls) and couldn't see them. I could however see a crowd of Indian men taking photos with someone.... There was a que of blokes lining up to have a their picture taken with the girls. I thought this was pretty hilarious, although it did take the attention away from me...

A week in India...

Its now over a week since I arrived in India. I've got a slightly darker tan on my face, eaten a lot of rice and I still cant speak any Hindi (Indian national language) as everyone at work speaks English.

When I arrived I was quite pleased to see about 10 or more people (Indians) that I knew from London. There were quite a few Indian guys who came to the London office for about 12 months working the job I am on and its been good to have some local connections.

Some new houses going up in the background

I haven't really done much other than work so far, so I don't have anything interesting to say yet. I am planning to check out a couple of coastal towns this Sunday on my day off so hopefully I'll have something more to report then.

I'm in Gujarat, in the Western Corner of India

Mental traffic, vegetarian food and my own personal driver

Well I have made it to my final destination in India. I will update later but here is a summary so far:

- Mumbai traffic is nuts, more near misses in one afternoon than I have seen in a year in London
- I nearly burst in to tears when I realised I had gone in to a vegetarian restaurant in Mumbai after spending 10 mins searching for the meat section on the menu
- I have my own personal driver at work who takes me where I want, when I want

Very civilised.

One country for every year of my age...

It's probably not the cool thing to do, to count how many countries you have been to, but being cool has never been a concern before!! I am sitting at Heathrow Airport (London) about to board a flight to India. This is a big day for me as it will mean that I have been to 29 countries, one for every year of my life!

From all reports this might be the most challenging country I have been to so far. I wont rattle on about other peoples stories here, I'll wait till I have some of my own. Also, I am excited to go to India because after I have spent a month there, I'll be zipping back over to Melbourne on the 2nd of July for 2 weeks to collect a new visa and Melinda.

Next report - India!!!!!!!!!

Off to India

With a little more than 24 hours to go, it looks like I'm still going to India. I have a ticket, visa and a large box of Malaria pills (bye bye tan...). A month in India and I'll be heading back to Melbourne to get the new visa for the UK and Melinda.

So next time you hear from me, I'll probably be in India!!

A brick lane curry

Mick and Adam near Brick Lane

Well Mum and Dad have swept through again. They got back from Ireland yesterday in the afternoon and off to Paris on the Eurostar (train that goes under the English channel) early this morning. You might have heard people say 'if you want to get the best Indian curry in the world, go to London'. Brick lane is famous in London for having heaps of curry houses, all 'very good quality' and good price.

Margaret, Mick and Adam - ready to drive a hard bargain!

So we went over there on the tube (it is in East London and I live in West London) and did a lap of the street. We were assured by touts out the front of nearly every door that their chef had won a brick lane chef competition and that we could have 20 or 30% off with a free pint of Cobra (Indian beer) each.

Margaret and Mick in London? Looks more like India!

The curry was excellent although it was very very mild. I think they cater for people with bland tastes. But if I go back, I'll ask for just a little bit more hot...

Visas all round

Well finally it has come through - the new UK visa has been approved. So now all I have to do is go home and get it in my passport and collect Melinda. I also just got another visa - an Indian visa! It looks like I might be off to India for a month for work. However, as is the nature of the work that I do, I'll believe it when I'm on the plane and taking off!!

Mum and Dad in London

My (Adam’s) Mum and Dad have been in the UK now for nearly 2 weeks. So far I have taken them on a trip through Wales, shown them around London (as well as seeing some sights myself!) and they have done a trip to the lake district and around Kent.

Today they have left for a week in Ireland complete with my sat nav which should guide them nicely around the island of Ireland. I am still waiting to hear about a visa which will allow Melinda to come back to the UK and unfortunately there is nothing you can do to make them hurry up. It’s ironic because I, probably like the majority of other people who have never had to deal with immigration officials, used to see people on TV winging about visas etc and think ‘oh well, who cares that’s their problem!’. Now when we are in that situation its really quite annoying!!

Nevermind, I have settled back in to London life and managed to get tickets to the Guiness Premiership Final (which is like the AFL or NRL Grand Final of English Rugby). Even better, my team Gloucester was playing! But they lost to Leicester and never really put on much of a show. The day wasn't lost though as I went to my rugby club's dinner and dance at the Queens Club where they have the Stella Artois tennis comp just before Wimbeldon. A bit of fun wearing a tux and some flash food...

Heineken Cup Final at Twickenham

Danni Minogue and cops on the plane

I (Adam) am back in London now and Melinda is staying in Australia until the new visa comes through for her. The flight back was as boring as you would expect with a couple of exceptions.

I was walking through Melbourne airport and I looked at this tiny little woman and though 'Gee you look like Kylie Minogue.....oh, you're Danni Minogue!!' Naturally I immediately phoned Melinda who is a massive Kylie fan to brag. I saw her again in the airport in Hong Kong and I must say she looks better in person than she does in her photos!!

Just in case you forgot what Danni looks like...

Anyhow, when we got to London everyone was instructed to remain in their seats as police were going to board the plane to 'conduct a search'. They came on and went straight towards to blokes who were escorted off the plane with their hand luggage.

Its now the morning after and I will be out to the airport again shortly to meet my Mum and Dad who are coming over for a visit.