I took a video for Day 33. I'm in a very shady Internet cafe right now, and i will blow the whole place up if i try to upload that shit. So you'll get that later. For now, here is the story of day 34. The day i was not ready.
I got off my flight and found that none of my cards were working. Then I found out busses don’t take passengers with lots of bags. So I haggled my last 700VT to get a Taxi to Florence’s farm.
I was thrown straight back into Island life.
No shoes.
Flies everywhere.
I was given a plate with 3 lumps of boiled Taro and a cup of hot water and a WHOLE packet of biscuits with which to dip in my ‘tea’.
I’d forgotten how bad boiled taro tastes.
Whereas last year, I would have eaten most of this out of politeness, this year, my Irritable Bowel prevented me from doing so. One taro and three biscuits later, I was bloated on the verge of what seemed like explosion.
I had been informed that Vanuatu now has television, so we all sat down to watch bible preaching. 6 hours later, I fell asleep, successfully avoiding Kava for one night.
The next day was much the same, with the food and the TV. I managed to unblock my cards and went into town.
Florence sent a young boy with me. I don’t know why. He refused to speak English. Actually he refused to speak at all. I offered him a seat in the Internet café, but he just chose to sit next to me and read everything I wrote on facebook.
After about an hour in town, I decided to head back, because when an awkward silence breaks the one hour mark, you know they will NEVER talk.
I couldn’t avoid the Kava this night. I had 3 Shells. Vomited horribly, then two more shells, a beer and a cigarette. It was wonderful. (Not sure how sarcastic that last sentence is supposed to be - it was actually quite nice.)
On day 36, I got on my flight to Pentecost, to transit in Santo. I was dreading it for some reason. I’ve never felt so nervous. This is the most ridiculous parallel, but, If anyone’s read Twilight, I felt a bit like Bella feels when Edward leaves her.
In Santo, I was told that the rest of the flight was cancelled because of bad weather.
I have NEVER been so elated. I think I had gone headfirst into the whole thing, with all the stress of the flight and the cards, then going DIRECT to Florence’s farm. It’s like one minutes you’re in the West, and the next minute, you’re on a farm watching Bible preachings, eating Taro.
But now I get to graduate myself into it all. Two Days in Santo, to myself. With my Macbook, and a French Patisserie.
Monday 28 June 2010
Very Almost missed my plane - Day 33
“I think I just got my Love Actually Airport Scene”
With a normal international flight, you’re given 3 hours. I imagine this is done to accommodate any hiccups. When the international flight is preceeded by a domestic connection, you’re only given 1 hour. Apparently there are no hiccups with domestic flights.
Well I forgot my passport and ticket. That’s a hiccup.
I only realised this at 6:40. My flight was at 8. So we phoned back to the house and Clare’s dad nominated himself to be the one who picks up my documents and races to the airport. While he did this, all we could do was wait.
“Can I help you sir?”
“No. I’m just waiting for my passport.”
“Hah.”
Check in closed at 7:30. At 7:25 Clare ran in with my things in her hand “Luke!”
You don’t know how elated I was.
“Luke! Where is your passport?!”
That’s right, Clare’s dad drove all the way across the City with only my ticket. So that was it, I was going to just go back home.
Clare left.
Then she ran back in, passport in hand!
Whatever that last little ‘missing-passport’ joke was, it was cruel.
We embraced.
I checked in. 7:28.
With a normal international flight, you’re given 3 hours. I imagine this is done to accommodate any hiccups. When the international flight is preceeded by a domestic connection, you’re only given 1 hour. Apparently there are no hiccups with domestic flights.
Well I forgot my passport and ticket. That’s a hiccup.
I only realised this at 6:40. My flight was at 8. So we phoned back to the house and Clare’s dad nominated himself to be the one who picks up my documents and races to the airport. While he did this, all we could do was wait.
“Can I help you sir?”
“No. I’m just waiting for my passport.”
“Hah.”
Check in closed at 7:30. At 7:25 Clare ran in with my things in her hand “Luke!”
You don’t know how elated I was.
“Luke! Where is your passport?!”
That’s right, Clare’s dad drove all the way across the City with only my ticket. So that was it, I was going to just go back home.
Clare left.
Then she ran back in, passport in hand!
Whatever that last little ‘missing-passport’ joke was, it was cruel.
We embraced.
I checked in. 7:28.
Friends in Melbourne - Day 32
So i'm kind of refraining from making this an ordinary travel blog. While they're exiting to read, i am just trying to do it a bit differently, i.e less diary like.
So this entry is pictures of all the friends i saw while in Melbourne. It's not all my pictures, and i didn't see them in one day, this is just how i do.
So this entry is pictures of all the friends i saw while in Melbourne. It's not all my pictures, and i didn't see them in one day, this is just how i do.
The Hag - Day 31
I get this every so often. I got it on the plane last week, only for about 10 seconds so that was okay. I got it again last night, for at least half an hour. It’s been said that the experience can be turned into an out of body experience. That’s kind of what happened to me last night.
It’s brought on by irregular sleep, change in location and stress (i.e Jet Lag). I woke up at 4am, sat around, then went back to sleep at 7.
I awoke to find myself paralysed. To stop this, I attempted to fling myself around the room, headbutt the walls, bite my arm etc. Each time, I was sucessful (the out of body part) but my consciousness was then quickly flung back into my paralysed body, to lay in wait.
It’s the most horrifying experience ever. But when I look back on it, it would make a cool movie. So I’m a little grateful, in a strange way.
Thursday 24 June 2010
Ballarat Cemetary - Day 30
Had the day free in Pikinini Janes' hometown Ballarat. I heard the graveyard was quite pretty. It was. And the lighting was great.
Wednesday 23 June 2010
Yarra Valley - Day 29
Ate my first Mushroom. Saw my first Kangaroo's! Tasted wine. Tasted wine. Tasted wine. Tasted wine. Tasted wine. Tasted wine. Tasted wine.
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Disiderata - Day 28
About 9 months ago i found a secluded bench in a park in London, on the bench was written
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence."
I found it a really beautiful quote, and took a photo. I don't know where the photo has gone but it stuck with me. 9 Months and a continent later, i was at my friend Shannyn's house in the middle of the Australian bush, and something caught my eye. It was this poem stuck to her wall:
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit; If you compare yourself with others you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here; a. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dream, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Every line is full of sound advice. x
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence."
I found it a really beautiful quote, and took a photo. I don't know where the photo has gone but it stuck with me. 9 Months and a continent later, i was at my friend Shannyn's house in the middle of the Australian bush, and something caught my eye. It was this poem stuck to her wall:
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit; If you compare yourself with others you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here; a. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dream, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Every line is full of sound advice. x
Day 27 - Time
You only realize that when you do one of a few things. Take psychadelic drugs, and travel at light speed are two of them, which I don’t really know about. The third is fly to the other side of the world. 24 hours ago it was 11am, and I was with my mother in the airport, having a coffee. Now, 24 hours later, exactly one day later, its 10pm and I’m eating dinner. 24 hours after 11am it’s 10pm. How does that work! It’s not just the clocks that help toward the confusion though, the light in the sky also proves that time is up to mischief.
The airlines don’t really know what to do about the time discrepancies either. I flew clockwise round the world this time, so we were moving with time, with the earth, rather than against it, if that makes sense. After four hours of flying clockwise, it was 2pmish, whereas if we flew four hours anti clockwise, it would be like 8am.
When I flew anti clockwise, the meal system worked quite well. But this time it was a tad fucked. 2 hour after take off, we were served breakfast – omelette with sausage and beans. 3 hours later it was snack time; ice cream and cookies. 4 hours later, it was 9 hours since breakfast. Our bodies told us it was 9pm, but our location, above eastern Europe, told us it was about 3am. What to do? The airline chose to go with our body clocks and served us pork casserole. 2 hours later (11pm according to the bosy clock), they decided to switch and start running on Eastern european time, and we were served a fried breakfast again. So we land in hong kong, 7am. Or 1am? By this point, I didn’t know, or care.
Any semblance of a meal clock then went out of the window, seemingly, when we transferred flight and were served seared fish at 8am. Or 2am? Either way, that’s not the right time to have fish. I then went to sleep, only to wake up several hours into the future. Now, UK time, it was 6am. Hong Kong time it was midday, but we were now above Australia and it was some time in the afternoon. The planes dietician rolled a dice and decided it was dinner time again. I passed on the chicken meal. I didn’t pass on the packet of Polo’s and cup of Jasmine tea that were then passed around (???!)
Maybe this entry started as a time travel entry. But I’m so jet lagged (coincidentally, from all the time travel), that I gave up trying to make sense in the second paragraph. Time travel doesn’t make sense anyway. But, if you ever travel at light speed, or take psychadelics; the most efficient way of calming your mind at the end of it is with a nice mint and some jasmine tea, obviously.
The airlines don’t really know what to do about the time discrepancies either. I flew clockwise round the world this time, so we were moving with time, with the earth, rather than against it, if that makes sense. After four hours of flying clockwise, it was 2pmish, whereas if we flew four hours anti clockwise, it would be like 8am.
When I flew anti clockwise, the meal system worked quite well. But this time it was a tad fucked. 2 hour after take off, we were served breakfast – omelette with sausage and beans. 3 hours later it was snack time; ice cream and cookies. 4 hours later, it was 9 hours since breakfast. Our bodies told us it was 9pm, but our location, above eastern Europe, told us it was about 3am. What to do? The airline chose to go with our body clocks and served us pork casserole. 2 hours later (11pm according to the bosy clock), they decided to switch and start running on Eastern european time, and we were served a fried breakfast again. So we land in hong kong, 7am. Or 1am? By this point, I didn’t know, or care.
Any semblance of a meal clock then went out of the window, seemingly, when we transferred flight and were served seared fish at 8am. Or 2am? Either way, that’s not the right time to have fish. I then went to sleep, only to wake up several hours into the future. Now, UK time, it was 6am. Hong Kong time it was midday, but we were now above Australia and it was some time in the afternoon. The planes dietician rolled a dice and decided it was dinner time again. I passed on the chicken meal. I didn’t pass on the packet of Polo’s and cup of Jasmine tea that were then passed around (???!)
Maybe this entry started as a time travel entry. But I’m so jet lagged (coincidentally, from all the time travel), that I gave up trying to make sense in the second paragraph. Time travel doesn’t make sense anyway. But, if you ever travel at light speed, or take psychadelics; the most efficient way of calming your mind at the end of it is with a nice mint and some jasmine tea, obviously.
Friday 18 June 2010
Day 26 – Leaving.
I’m going away for a few weeks now. With this 100 day malarkey, I somehow managed to fall 10 days behind myself only just after starting, so I might find it quite tough to blog every day whilst on holiday.
What I want to try, which you might like the sound of, is a video blog. It’d be easier than writing, and my mum would sure enjoy it, but I don’t like the idea of watching video’s of myself just cotching on a beach. We’ll see.
So while I most likely will not blog every day for the next 75 days, by the time day 100 comes around, there will be 75 more entries. Does that make sense?
My travel nurse made so much sense this morning.
“So you need to take 1 tablet every day, and you’re away for 10 weeks. That’s easy. 10 times 7 is 77.”
Thanks for that, Nurse.
I think I might also start my own book club, which my sister and my friend Oyin might like.
Bońtafuha
What I want to try, which you might like the sound of, is a video blog. It’d be easier than writing, and my mum would sure enjoy it, but I don’t like the idea of watching video’s of myself just cotching on a beach. We’ll see.
So while I most likely will not blog every day for the next 75 days, by the time day 100 comes around, there will be 75 more entries. Does that make sense?
My travel nurse made so much sense this morning.
“So you need to take 1 tablet every day, and you’re away for 10 weeks. That’s easy. 10 times 7 is 77.”
Thanks for that, Nurse.
I think I might also start my own book club, which my sister and my friend Oyin might like.
Bońtafuha
Thursday 17 June 2010
Day 25 - Working on my fitness
Because my Sister and Mother did a 5k Race, i was inspired to do a run myself.
And, also, I still want to look like Marc Jacobs.
Sponsor me while I'm away!
And i'll run my little bum off for you.
And, also, I still want to look like Marc Jacobs.
Sponsor me while I'm away!
And i'll run my little bum off for you.
Wednesday 16 June 2010
Desktop Cleanout
So before I go away, i'm clearing out everything from my Desktop. Here's some things.
He's About My Height
So i think it's acceptable for me to aim for this body.
I Don't really know who these girls are
But these pictures reminded me of my hair. What was supposed to be one weekend of Lavender, has turned into an almost 5 month habbit. It's a difficult thing to maintain, and has, i think, been, at some point, every colour in these pictures. Also, i want a fat Barbie.
This Woman Inspires me
She got onto the BBC for pretended to be Royal
The Environment and I were so Happy back then
But i hope that the cloud stays at bay for the weekend.
He's About My Height
So i think it's acceptable for me to aim for this body.
I Don't really know who these girls are
But these pictures reminded me of my hair. What was supposed to be one weekend of Lavender, has turned into an almost 5 month habbit. It's a difficult thing to maintain, and has, i think, been, at some point, every colour in these pictures. Also, i want a fat Barbie.
This Woman Inspires me
She got onto the BBC for pretended to be Royal
The Environment and I were so Happy back then
But i hope that the cloud stays at bay for the weekend.
Day 24 - Once we were Strangers
This is Tania
It's only now that i facebooked her to find that picture, that i realised that one of us has deleted the other somewhere along the line. It's ironic cos that's what this blog entry was about.
Olivia was about to leave the country for 3 months, so we went for a stroll. While strolling, i spotted Tania coming the other way. We were always just acquaintances at sixth form. She spotted me too. We knew we had nothing to talk about so we smiled politely and went to walk on.
Then Tania spotted Olivia, and hesitated. She didn't really have anything to say to Olivia either, but the hesitation caused Olivia to hesitate.
So there we found ourselves, stopped in the street.
"Tania!"
"Olivia!... Lukas!"
"Hi!"
"How are you?"
"Good. Doing Law... You're back from your travels!"
"Yeah... i've been back a year. I'm actually going away again tomorrow."
"Wow. How do you do it!"
"Lukas did it too."
"Really? When?"
"Last year. I'm also leaving again this week."
"Ah."
"Ok. well. Have fun!"
"Um Ok"
"Bye!"
"Bye!"
You don't really need to know who said what. It wasn't really an akward conversation. I just found the whole concept quite interesting.
Friends catching up is one thing, but accidentally catching up with an acquaintance is a bit wierd. It also puts lives in perspective, compares them, and makes you realise how other people view you, and how they live. Interesting.
It's only now that i facebooked her to find that picture, that i realised that one of us has deleted the other somewhere along the line. It's ironic cos that's what this blog entry was about.
Olivia was about to leave the country for 3 months, so we went for a stroll. While strolling, i spotted Tania coming the other way. We were always just acquaintances at sixth form. She spotted me too. We knew we had nothing to talk about so we smiled politely and went to walk on.
Then Tania spotted Olivia, and hesitated. She didn't really have anything to say to Olivia either, but the hesitation caused Olivia to hesitate.
So there we found ourselves, stopped in the street.
"Tania!"
"Olivia!... Lukas!"
"Hi!"
"How are you?"
"Good. Doing Law... You're back from your travels!"
"Yeah... i've been back a year. I'm actually going away again tomorrow."
"Wow. How do you do it!"
"Lukas did it too."
"Really? When?"
"Last year. I'm also leaving again this week."
"Ah."
"Ok. well. Have fun!"
"Um Ok"
"Bye!"
"Bye!"
You don't really need to know who said what. It wasn't really an akward conversation. I just found the whole concept quite interesting.
Friends catching up is one thing, but accidentally catching up with an acquaintance is a bit wierd. It also puts lives in perspective, compares them, and makes you realise how other people view you, and how they live. Interesting.
Some Hats were destined for Wales
You would have thought that about this hat. But no.
This hats destiny lay in Brighton.
This hats destiny lay in Brighton.
Weekend Away; Days 21 -23
I'm going back to the Island in a week
And the day before i get back, my friend Nana goes to New York for 5 months.
We realised we wouldn't see eachother for around 8 months, so the opportunity was taken to spend time with her, in Brighton.
Things like this happened:
And the day before i get back, my friend Nana goes to New York for 5 months.
We realised we wouldn't see eachother for around 8 months, so the opportunity was taken to spend time with her, in Brighton.
Things like this happened:
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Day 20
I kind of like how, all that happened was that breakfast was consumed, and yet these pictures seem to form a story.
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