Zambia – Habitat For Humanity
Just for anyone who happens to read or come across this blog – I am going with twelve other people to Zambia in September to build two houses in a project to help citizens living in substandard conditions.
We are aiming to raise £19,500 in sponsorship and fundraising in order to cover costs of travel and accommodation, but mainly to donate money to Habitat for Humanity, the organisation who have set this project up.
If anyone would like to donate any money (literally anything at all would be wonderful) then please do so. This is obviously a bit of a long shot since potentially I could be anyone and I might just be taking the money for myself.
But I am completely genuine so send some pennies in the post!! Because every little helps and we need all the help we can get.
If you would like to donate or you have more money than you know what to do with, the address to send to is:
Rowena Russell, Pennsylvania Road, Exeter University, Exeter, EX4 4PL.
Thank you for reading!
Dubai
The final days of my trip were spent in Dubai with James, Pom, Kate & Ciara. I travelled from Melbourne at 4 o’clock in the morning to Sydney and spent eleven hours at Sydney waiting for my flight to Bangkok, then flew from there to Dubai. After being awake for forty hours I was very happy to arrive in Dubai, where I slept for an entire 24 hours!
Because I arrived in the summer, it was around 40 degrees during the daytime and sometimes it almost reached 50, so a lot of my time there was spent in the pool or inside.
Pom and James took me and the girls to a lovely brunch at the country club where I met some of their friends and their kids.
The next day I went shopping in a market and haggled for a few souvenirs but by 2 o’clock it was so hot I went back to the house to chill by the pool.
Kate; Ciara building a sandcastle
Ciara running into Pom’s arms! (this was repeated several times)
The mosque nearest to the house
Since it is a Muslim state, there is a mosque twenty minutes away from anywhere in Dubai, there were four quite near to the house and the call for prayer was at a slightly different time at each mosque. Luckily I’m a heavy sleeper so it didn’t affect me!
In town; the world’s only seven-star hotel
I have now arrived back to England safe and sound but I’m definitely going travelling again as soon as I get the opportunity.
Melbourne & Erinsborough
Sorry I haven't posted for three weeks – I just never got around to it.
On our first weekend in Melbourne we went for a walk in the forests and played pooh sticks! It was the coldest I've felt since being in England but it was lovely scenery and afterwards we saw a beautiful sunset.
On one of our trips into Melbourne, Mel and I went to the Melbourne museum and found a mock-up of the Scully's kitchen! Check out the picture of me at Lyn's counter!
Later on in the week, we drove to Ramsay Street (which is actually called Pin Oak Court) and bumped into the official tourbus, so we managed to nick the Ramsay Street sign for a quick photo. We had met a few people who had told us it was much smaller than you would expect, but it was unmistakeably the same road.
The first time we tried to go to Neighbours night we were going to go with Naomi and her crazy friend Paul but since it's in a pub, we had to dress Naomi up to look eighteen.
Before After
Doesn't she look great?
We ended up getting into Melbourne too late to go to Neighbours Night so we just mooched around instead and got entertained by Paul who is extraordinary.
Me & Boyd; Max!
Me & Janelle; Max and us sharing an in-joke
Last Monday Mel, Ed and I did make it to Neighbours Night where we met Janelle, Boyd and Max WHO IS A LEGEND! When he came from backstage he was so drunk and he was just cracking all these outrageous jokes! When we met him I said I was from Hampshire and he asked if that's where they make hampers…he was very very drunk!
Anyway I hardly have any time left in Melbourne but I've had such a great time here – the aforementioned activities have been interspersed with Singstar battles, card games, watching the World Cup and a couple more (recreational) trips to the casino. Don't worry I didn't lose any money – Ed won about $180 and treated us all to beer and potato wedges!
I have decided to spend three days in Dubai at the end of this trip and I will be staying with the Harris' Aunty Pom. I leave Australia on Wednesday 28th. Will post again soon xxxx
Out & About In Cairns
Since Saturday we have been having a lot of fun in Cairns but not really doing that much. On Wednesday night a whole group of people from the hostel went out to a meal, karaoke and then a bar. The only photos I have are at the meal, where I suddenly started a beer mat flipping contest. I now have it down to an art.
Huge Hamburgers!; Andy & Lauren
The beer mat flipping contest
During the ten days that we have been in Cairns we have managed to spend more money than we have spent for the whole of Australia beforehand (because all of the activities are very expensive), and there just happens to be a Casino right in the centre of Cairns…so Mel and I decided that we would try our luck for some extra cash.
I went along to the casino and this guy gave Mel and me $10 each in chips. I played blackjack and I WON $160!!! (I paid the guy his $10 back too).
That's about sixty five quid! What I was most excited about was that I got a legendary green one-hundred dollar note (a bit like a fifty pound note – they never come out of cash machines) and I had been wanting one for ages. Unfortunately I will have to spend it at some point so I've just taken a photo (both sides of the note) to commemorate the occasion 
My winnings!
I am leaving Cairns a more tanned and a richer person!
Great Barrier Reef
Yesterday we went on a sailing boat 18 miles out to sea to explore the Great Barrier Reef. It was a beautiful clear sunny day (the first one in months according to everyone in Cairns) and we had the opportunity to go snorkelling which was AMAZING!
We hired an underwater camera for the day so we could take some pictures and we have taken about five hundred in total…the best of which are here. Snorkelling in the reef was just breathtaking (literally!…I actually stopped breathing every time I took a picture because there were so many fish to see and it was a challenge to catch them at the right time) and I would definitely do it again and again.
We spent about two hours in total just swimming around the reefs, a couple of people did scuba diving but where we were, the water was really shallow and the coral and fish were only a metre or so below the surface. Truly the best thing I've done in Australia so far and completely different from anything before.
Due to the hole in the ozone layer above Australia, Mel and I were barbecued on the back and we are feeling it today!! It is the first time I have so much as caught the sun since I've been in Australia so it came as a bit of a surprise. We are looking forward to the slow progression from deep crimson to golden tan. Until then we are like crispy fried chicken! (only cooked properly on one side) Yum.
Anyway here are the pics, hope you enjoy xxxx
Shoals of fish
Tiger fish; Rainbow fish! (my favourite)
More shoals
Group of fish; me and Mel pouting
Skydive!
Today we jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet and did a one minute freefall at terminal velocity. IT WAS GREAT!! I have some amazing photos but this stupid website won't let me upload half of them.
The whole thing feels like a complete blur now but I have the photos to prove it and it was totally worth it!! The first three seconds were really scary because we were accelerating but as soon as we reached terminal velocity it was really relaxing, nice view as well. Then after a minute the parachute was released and it was about three or four minutes until landing.
At first I thought I had popped my eardrums because of the air pressure – they still aren't completely back to normal yet!
We are spending another eight days in Cairns and hopefully we will do some snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef. It is very easy to spend money though and I am keeping a strict eye on my budget. Work is very difficult to find here unless you have bar experience or are staying in excess of 2 months.
We talked to our roommate though and they told us about some work painting a boat in exchange for diving, so we might do that.
Brisbane & Byron Bay
We have almost come to the end of our time in Brisbane. We have decided that once we are in Cairns, we will try to get a job to make some money so we can do a skydive. We also want to do some snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef!!
Over the past couple of weeks, we have spent the weekend in Byron Beach, where we bumped into another couple of people from back home! There aren't as many sights to see in Brisbane but we've been having loads of fun anyway, here are some pictures….
The lighthouse at Byron; Mel
The Easternmost point of Australia
Mel & Jill beside the seaside; me beside some cliffs at midnight (I know it looks like a fire!!)
I will blog again to update on the skydive! xxxxx
Sydney & Byron Bay
Hello, we arrived in Sydney 9 days ago, I just haven't had the chance to sit down and write on my blog. We spent 4 days in Sydney, went on a cruise in the harbour (it turned out to be much shorter than expected so we complained and got our money back!!) but we got some nice pictures. On Wednesday, we went to Manly to see where Mel's mum used to live. Then we went to see Aunty Dorothy and she was very happy to see us – we went out for lunch and she told me a lot of things I didn't know about our family! She has travelled to so many different countries…it has just increased my desire to travel.
Me & Dorothy; Manly Sunset
Then on Thursday we went to see the Sydney Opera house and bumped into someone from college – which was so strange! It was really weird, halfway through the conversation we had, I had to remind myself that we were in Sydney…it was really odd.
Sydney Opera House
On Friday we couldn't afford to climb the bridge in Sydney harbour ($150) but we did the Pylon lookout, where we got a great panoramic view. I have taken several photos that I hope to be able to photoshop together so you get the whole of the surrounding view. I don't know if it will actually work though…
The bridge from Pylon Lookout
We also went for a pleasant stroll in the Botanical gardens. Sydney was far far more expensive than either of us had anticipated and as a result we spent over our budget, even though we were living very very frugally.
Me at Botanical Gardens; Sydney at night
On Saturday we travelled to Byron Bay and we didn't really do much…but that's where Brian & Gill came to meet us and we went to a pub to see a band, then we went to a lighthouse at the Eastern-most point of Australia and caught a beautiful sunset.
Sunset at the Lighthouse
Now we are staying with Brian & Gill in Brisbane and we haven't done that much yet…we seem to be very good at relaxing and having breakfast at 1pm. And we have NEIGHBOURS here!!! But tomorrow we are going to do a tour of Brisbane by boat and we are researching skydives and bungee jumps.
I will post again soon to let you know the latest xxxxx
Chiang Mai
I arrived in Thailand on Monday at midday after a five hour flight from Colombo. Then I hopped straight on the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The person I met in Polonnaruwa told me about a Libra guesthouse that organised two-day treks in the mountains, so I just went on impulse. It is slightly cooler here than in Bangkok, and relatively peaceful even though it is the capital of the North. The guesthouse is really great and the staff are friendly and helpful.
I went on the two-day trek on Wednesday and Thursday and it included riding on elephant-back, hiking up mountains (it was really strenuous but the tourguide does it twice or three times a week with no problem), sleeping in a hut in a hill-tribe village, more hiking and then bamboo rafting. I met some really fun people there as well and when we got back to Chiang Mai we went out for dinner and drinks – here are the photos….
A temple in Chiang Mai
The mountains; elephant riding; our crazy tour guide (his name was Runi but he wanted to be called Miss Thailand or Dana International)
Mountains; Juan, Genevieve & Phillipe at the waterfall; kid on a bike; Our trekking group
Bamboo rafting; TESCO!
A whole lot of us in the bar
I am flying to Sydney on Monday evening so I will go to Bangkok on the bus on Sunday night. It takes 12-15hrs to get there. Meanwhile there are loads of temples to go and see and I’m enjoying the opportunity to relax after such a lot of exercise.
Will post next when in Australia. xxxx
The Wedding & Polonnaruwa
It was Azziyan's wedding on Sunday and I wore a saree. It was a separate wedding (the men and the women dine separately) but since all my friends are male i sneaked onto their table and it was ok.
This is what I looked like in a saree.
Azziyan & Fathima
The feast and all my friends
Jawidh & his son; Suwfia, Hasanah & husband; Nadhira.
The next morning I went to Polonnaruwa on the bus and it took SIX HOURS. When I got there I was exhausted. Then on Tuesday I met someone at the same hostel and we went around Polonnaruwa together.
Ruins; dome; lake
Reclining Buddha; some palm trees growing out of the water!
Polonnaruwa was okay but the weather wasn't very good and I was very tired all the way. We cycled around but kept on going the wrong way so my legs are still aching. I travelled back to Colombo at 6am on Wednesday and then went to Azziyan & Fathima's homecoming on Wednesday evening. I didn't take any photos but everyone looked great. I am just finishing off loose ends and trying to send stuff home now.
I hear the birthday parcel arrived home. Happy Birthday Mummy hope you had a great time. I might post before I go to Thailand. xxxxxx
