Cambodia Adventures : 8. Lee-Hai Siem Reap, Mondulkiri Elephant Valley Project, Into The Wild and Following the Ancient Mekong River...

Soo-a-s'day!

Greetings from Cambodia!

I have not been able to have access to the internet for some weeks now since leaving Siem Reap so here is a mammoth blog highlighting the best bits of my past few weeks in the Kingdom of Wonder. I travelled from Siem Reap to Sen Monorom in Mondulkiri which means 'Meeting of the Hills' about 12 hours East of Siem Reap right into the jungles of Eastern Cambodia. I spent my last few days in Siem Reap teaching at the orphanage and in very holy places, joining the Monks and Nuns for Buddhist Prayer in the Pagoda...which was quite an experience!

The biggest storm ever then hit the orphanage on my last evening

Cambodia Volunteering: 7. Last House Build #5 Storm Family in Trach Village Rice Paddies

Soo-a-s'day!

Last House Build! in Trach Village in the Siem Reap Province....in the rice paddie fields is where I find my fifth and final house build....*sniff sniff*

Cambodia Adventures : 6. Temple Raidin', Findin' Heaven on Earth and Akim, the Lost Child of Angkor Wat....

Soo-a-s'day!

I decided to do a seperate blog about my explorations of the Temples of Angkor as they are so magnificent I thought I'd do some 'Temple Video Diaries' to give you a chance to see a snippet of my raidin' adventures in the ancient temples of Angkor....

Enjoying the sunset at Heaven on Earth at the waters of Angkor Wat...

Cambodia Volunteering : 5. House Build #4 Lisa in Phnom Krom and English lessons at the Pagoda

Soo-a-s'day!

Greetings again from Cambodia which has now been for over a month and has flown by! (and I have a seriously defined right bicep!)

House Build #4 comes from the nearby village of Phnom Krom where we're building a brand new wooden house for a kind young lady named Lisa and her struggling husband with an 18 month old son :)

Cambodia Volunteering : 4. Treak Community School, Shadow Puppets, Artisans DÁngkor, Silk Farm Factory and Phnom Penh Children's Hospital

Soo-a-s'day!

Greetings from Cambodia on Week #4 of my volunteer building relief work in Cambodia.

No house building this week, so I decided to go to a Cambodian School partnered with Volunteer Building Cambodia in the Treak Village Community. The school which I have to ride 4km from Siem Reap on a bicycle, provides free schooling for children aged nursery age plus, have been raising money through volunteer donations to build a vast expansion to their school as a community centre -  new classroom, toilets, meeting room, library, workshop rooms for women's courses, wash facilities and a playing field to provide modern and fresh facilities to the community.

Cambodia Volunteering : 3. House Build #3 Mother, Four Kids and One Bed - Thnung Vilage, Meeting Mother Buddha, Khmer Dancing, Do Goodin' at the Orphanage, Breaking Landmine Victims and Lunch'n with Monk'ns....

Soo - a - s'day!

Welcome to blog #3 of my adventures here in the Great Kingdom of Cambodia! Thank you again for your donations towards my project here with Volunteer Building Cambodia . I have now completed my third house build in Thnung Village about 50 minutes out of Siem Reap.  The family receiving the house is a 47 year old mother with four children who were sharing this small thatched palm leaved dwelling on a plot of land her mother had given her behind her own house. They had one room, one bed and two of the children are teenagers who had to drop out of school to go help their mum by working on a rubber tree farm. The others can't go to school because it is too far away for them to walk there - so we came to change that!

Cambodia Volunteering : 2. House Build #2 Mother & Son in Kror Peu Village, Kun Khmer Boxing, Phare Cambodian Circus and Blessed by a Buddhist Monk!

Soo-a-s’day!

I have finished the second house build in my international relief trip to Cambodia.  This is house build #2 and I'm out 45 minutes from Siem Reap city in a place called Kror Peu Village (Crocodile Village) We''ve started a brand new 'stilt style' house of Khmer Kadar style wood with a team of about 20 of us so hence all the bangin'! The family we are building for are a young boy and his mother who was abused by her alcoholic husband who eventually committed suicide. The two of them were living in a small one room thatched palm tree leaved roof house which we demolished and built a stilt style house with a room and porch for them to have. It’s a beautiful setting of rural Cambodia and the community are very sweet and appreciative.

Cambodia Volunteering : 1. House Build #1, The Floating Villages of Kompong Khleang and a Monk named Kosol

Release of my E-Book! The Show Must Go On - Being with an Australian Travelling Zoo

Hello World! 

Today on this cold winter December day here in the UK is my birthday so.... I thought it might be an opportune time and occasion to say please BUY MY FIRST E-BOOK 'The Show Must Go On - Being with an Australian Travelling Zoo' which was just one of my many far-fetched experiences during my travels Down Under.

An adaptation of my story was first published overseas in German last year for travel book 'Australien wie wir es sehen' - so I've now brought you the uncut, full length English version for you to enjoy! will download from Amazon to all KINDLE DEVICES, IPAD AND IPHONES around the world.

'About The Time' ...The Quirks of Amsterdam and The Cat Boat!

'Yarr, I was riding past to verk along de Singel and stopped outside de Oude Lutherse Kerk and looked at zis canal boot and thought....hey zat boot is full of kats!'

A canal 'boot' full of cats!....meaning 'boat' in Dutch that is, said my strong accented dutch guide.... 
I'd been staying at the friendly Shelter Hostel right in the heart of the 'City of Diamonds' and took the opportunity to join their free guided walking tour of Amsterdam on a gloriously light but chilly Friday morning in the core of wintertime in The Netherlands.  Funny enough as cold it was for this chick from Blighty, Amsterdam was experiencing its mildest winter for many years.....only - 6 C. Brrrr. 

Let 'Em Skate - An Extreme Street Sports Charity Thats Off The Wall

Ok so for this scribble, even though I'm all grown up (as the conforming society will say) I'm a fan of cartoons, especially this little guy who probably is one of the most famous cartoon characters created on our third rock from the sun. Can you guess who it is ......even though there is a picture right there...yep Bart Simpson. I loved him as a kid, he was a real rebellious dude - the famous little yellow rascal who's mischievous nature is rarely seen without hurtling along on a trusty skateboard up to no good.....but actually not all skateboarders are up to no good, undeserving of the whole 'tut tut tut' waving the pointed finger in disgust at them as if they were juvenile delinquents. Lets lift those judgemental stigmas.....they actually should be encouraged.

Meeting The Amazon Man - Alan Holman - The Record Breaking Kayak Down The Amazon

Ahh life....row row row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.....not for this guy it wasn't....and it certainly wasn't a stream.....

Last week, I met an incredible Guinness World Record Holder.....my first one too!

Now at 68, British man Alan Holman who in 1982 at the age of 38, is the first and only man on record that has ever kayaked the entire length of the 4,000 mile long Amazon River, you know what he said to me...

'Young lady, nothing ...is 100% impossible, but  
                  nothing is 100% sure'

                            awww.

Two Summer Books that will Inspire the Free Spirit in you!

Hello people,

It's still summer and you should be in high spirits!! so I'd like to share with you two fantastic travel books I own that are guaranteed to inspire the free spirit you've always wanted to unleash!


How to Travel The World on $5 A Day : Travel, Cheaper, Longer, Smarter
- Matt Kepnes

'TRAVEL CAN BE DONE ON A BUDGET WITHOUT SACRIFICING COMFORT OR THE ADVENTURE YOU SEEK'

Bingo! isn't that just music to the ears of anyone who has dreamt of exploring to the ends of the fantastical suspending sphere of Planet Earth - 'without sacrificing comfort OR the adventure you seek'. C'mon this is not just another 'travel book' appearing on the shelf, its written by long term American traveller Matt Kepnes from the largest travel blog online  today Nomadic Matt who has gathered invaluable information from his seven years of full time travelling on a budget around 70 countries to date....he knows a thing or two about travelling, showing you that by spending approximately $50 a day, you can travel longer without having to be living the cliché life of a pauper on bread and water and squatting in rat infested backpackers with dripping ceilings as a budget traveller (I have never had a rat as a roommate but was lucky enough to get a dripping ceiling on one occasion!). Matt generously shares his experience and knowledge in an attempt to eradicate the 'travel is just for the rich' or 'too expensive' ethos that acts as an obstacle to many who dream of adventure and discovery without breaking the bank. Full of tricks, tips and secrets the book includes how to live and budget differently whilst saving for your travels, how to get free flights, finding cheap and comfortable accommodation and how to make your finances last for travelling cheaper, longer and smarter....plus more. 




Disrupting The Rabblement : Think For Yourself, Face Your Fears, Live Your Dreams, Piss Off Some Zombies
- Niall Doherty

Friendly Irish-born Niall Doherty of 'Disrupting the Rabblement' quit his job nearly three years ago and has since become a self-employed vagabond. Choosing to think for himself, he remains unconditioned by society to pursue his passions and help other people escape mediocrity whilst he takes on the challenge of travelling around the world without flying. Along with his You Tube Channel 'Renaissance TV' his E-book 'Disrupting the Rabblement' is his personal take on showing people how to 'rabble rouse' taking control of their own lives, challenging conformity and eradicate thoughtless living....tempting you to realise you can become fully conscious to your decisions and living a more fulfilling life.

In his own words..

'Disrupting the Rabblement is for all those people who have been doing what was expected of them and following all the rules, only to find that type of life extremely unfulfilling. It’s also for people who have already broken free and are aiming to make a positive difference in the world. It’s for anyone who wants to think for themselves, follow their dreams and help others do the same.'



Read the book if this sounds like you....its not a crime to think for yourself or say 'That doesn't make sense to me....'

Happy reading!



'International Inspiration' - Tennis Colouring The Third World

By Sal Bolton

The Royal Baby - Awaiting The Heir to the Throne

It's the morning of Monday 22nd July 2013 in London, England and a historic event is about to ignite a spark in the slumbering world and the future of the British monarchy and Commonwealth. The morning news and tabloids are fired up with the unexpected headline that Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge has gone into labour....a baby is on its way.
  

But this is no ordinary birth that the world are ruffling their feathers over in colossal anticipation - its the birth of a baby that is destined to rule a nation and commonwealth. The future heir of England.

The Day Murray Won Wimbledon - My Video Blog

Our hearts were in our mouths, our knees quivering as we held our breaths in the rally of the final point....but after 77 years, 15 Prime Ministers and 3 Monarchs, a British Man FINALLY wins the Wimbledon Men's Singles Title...and I was there...here's my video blogs following me on the unforgettable day that Andy Murray made sporting history....

A Royal Encounter...The Queens 60th Coronation Day

4th June 2013. London, England.

Blue skies, warm weather - It can't be? really British Summer? Today, a somewhat unusually summery British day in the capital is championed by a special royal occasion -the celebration of Britain's long reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth's II 60th Anniversary of her Coronation in 1953. I wasn't even thought about then, but Queen Lizzie's the only British Monarch that has been a constant presence in my life; stamps, coins, T.V, Movies, Cartoons - c'mon she must be a real person.

You can pretty much tell there's a national occasion taking place in Merry Ole' London, which to give us credit, we do very well at staging, as we did with  the controversial National Funeral of Margaret Thatcher on that gloomy morning in April and of course the London 2012 Games.

Carribean Sports Fever - How A New UK Initiative is Nurturing the Islands Hidden Talents

Ok, so the British Summer is around the corner, well you would think on some days but then on others you're disappointedly whipping out the winter wardrobe again. But.... usually summer time means the emergence of more active sporting activities with the more tolerable temperatures and prolonged lighter evenings in our favour. But some places out there in this big wide world, really, in the one outside your back garden, the gym or your local park or playground, are missing out on sporting opportunities due to their poor or otherwise non existent sports infrastructure.

The National Funeral of The Iron Lady - As I Saw It

The Iron Lady. The Iron Lady. Margaret Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher - now I'm not one that can sit and talk about politics all day but I don't have to be a political junkie to know who Margaret Thatcher was or 'The Iron Lady' as she was affectionately christened based on her nerves of steel and her strong and hearty manner. Love Her or Hate Her she was one tough lady, couldn't have been an easy job. I was only a toddler throughout her time governing the country at 10 Downing Street, so I guess I have no memories of her and know very little about her political lifetime. The news of her death earlier this month in the UK seemed to bring rejoice to certain societies and affectionate praise and blessings from others. So I thought it would be an interesting experience to hop on down to the streets of London to observe the atmosphere of this highly anticipated and controversial national funeral of the former Prime Minister. A historic occasion not to be missed.

Livin' London 2012 - My Short Life as a Games Maker Volunteer

Summer of 2012 - this short period of my hopefully long life I call my Games Maker Life.  I need to be at the Olympic Park by 7.00am for a morning shift as a 'GM' - my identity during the English summer. Afternoon shifts don't start till 2:00pm which gives me a little time to catch some of the morning coverage on T.V. Morning shifts means a 5:00am bus ride and hop on a summer mornings tube up to the Stratford, the home of the Olympic Park in the east of the city. Funny enough I actually enjoy the getting up early part, but I can never sleep very well knowing that I need to be up at the crack of dawn to travel into the city. I leave in my generously free special purple and poppy uniform, which only a handful of people have been selected to have. Looking very militant, I could almost feel myself totally out of character marching down the street like I'm on duty somewhere. That's just dumb.

Memories of a Games Maker - The Rehearsal of the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

 

So London 2012 is over, the build up over seven years for hosting the Greatest Show on Earth has now climaxed. But man what a summer it was. I want to share my experience witnessing the rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony that shook the world on the night of 27th July 2012.