Signs and Symptoms - Liverpool

How so very English. Wonder what a "rude notice" would be?

My brother's travels - Cape Town, South Africa

Dear my favourite family,

How do I cook rice? I'm serious - so hard without a proper rice cooker. Anyone have any tips on cooking stuff that would take less than 20 mins? I've basically been eating frozen stuff and biscuits for dinner cuz cooking Asian food takes sooo long + troublesome. Been eating a lot of Indian food from school though, today got two bowls of it - the Indian woman looked a bit suprised.

Bought a second hand mountain bike, it was good - until an entire pedal dropped off. Tried cycling with only one pedal but it doesn't really work. Still trying to see how I can fix it.

Feeling kinda hungry again, going to get more food now.

Take care,
Thiyachai

Wales - Snowdonia

Also known as Eryri in Welsh, Snowdonia is a National Park in north Wales only a couple of hours from Liverpool. Best known for having the highest peak, Snowdon, in England and Wales (mountains are higher in Scotland) at about 1085m.

Went with a bunch of coursemates in five cars. We stayed at the University of Liverpool's chalet in a village callen Deiniolen. Lots of fun and games, including a board game called Articulate, in the evenings.

All of us managed to get up to the top of Snowdon, by various routes, all tiring, some via more adventurous routes than others. While we were there, there was a mountain rescue helicopter that picked up a climber that fell a few hundred feet. A few of our group met up with some of the unfortunate man's hiking companions who saw him fall.

I was trying to climb that same route but chickened out. It was a bit steep for me and the wind was very strong. I thought I might be blown off the mountain. For those that know me you will know why I thought that. And less than ten minutes after I turned back to go to the easier path, a helicoptor appeared to airlift the climber who fell. But a few good climbers in our group successfully walked the more difficult path, Crib Goch. The name does sound a bit scary, doesn't it?

Apart from that, all of us had a very good time indeed. Great camaraderie and lots of sore knees and limbs. Lots of good food and drink. A rather European group, Italians, Spanish, Greek Cyrpiot, Indian, Norwegian, German, Scots, English and Irish etc.

And the local sheep breed here are the Lleyn. See Lakes District sheep.

The waterfall is Swallow Falls, a stopover on our way back to Liverpool where we had a nice lunch.

My brother's travels

Dear my favourite family,

I shall try to keep this email short so that it won't end up on a certain someone's blog =)

It's great that my big brother is enjoying the course. I always love being with idealistic people - it makes you that much more motivated. I might be taking off to a little village 13 hours away to help with some building or teaching or something. Really want to do something off the tourist track while I'm here.

There're so many opportunities for MSF-type things here in Africa. Hmm...too 'bad' I didn't actually contract malaria back in June, although one of my friends from Canada who is in Tanzania did. I fought off 3 muggers armed with knives though, does that kind of balance the scales?

Went travelling down the Garden Route (the 800km-ish stretch of Coast east of Cape Town which rounds off the Southern most tip of Africa. Did a lot of things, from crawling through the Cango Caves, hiked a few trails in Tsitsikamma National Park, piloted a houseboat around the Knysna Lagoon, Bungee Jumped of the Bloukrantz Bridge - the highest in the world at 261m, and saw some elephants, kudus, lions, zebras, buffalos, etc in the Addo National Park.

Yeap, I had a one week break. Photos will follow soon, I guess. Internet here is so slow, and I'm a bit apprehensive about carrying my *sniff* new camera around after my favourite one got stolen.[In that mugging]

Really feel like I should be doing more 'African' things while I'm here - most of the people I've been hanging out with are Americans, Canadians and Europeans, and although travelling with them is fun, I feel that I'm probably missing out on the real Africa. So, might go venturing out alone to the rural bushlands or something, not sure yet. Have a feeling mama might not be too amused though =)

On a more serious note, how are things in Thailand? I heard about the bombings in Haadyai. More recently, the military coup launched by Gen Sondhi Boonyaratklin in Bangkok might be a cause for concern. Isn't he the muslim guy in charge of handling the siutation in the South? Not such a great track record eh?

Anyhow, gonna go get ready to go eat. A friend promised to cook Korean Bbq (YAY free food!). Hope everyone is doing well - Che, let me know your travel plans once they are finalized - might ask you to bring a thing or two =)

Love,
Lil bro/son/cousin/nephew/something

England - Lake District

Walked around the area known as Dungeon Ghyll in the Lake District today. Went with some course mates. Ashok very kindly drove Hans and I there from Liverpool. He even prepared sandwiches for us. As Hans said, he's a very good mother!

There we met up with Ashok's Nottingham Neurologists Walking Club. Lal, Radha, Sha and her husband Stuart. We started off with breakfast at the very picturesque (everywhere in the lake District is picturesque) New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

A six hour walk through fog and fine rain. The views where somewhat obscured due to the heavy fog but it was still a beautiful day. The local breed of Herdwick sheep are scattered throughout the hills in the area. The dry stone walls in the area, built without are also amazing.

My knees gave me some grief with the downhill bits with the rest of my body feeling it tomorrow.

Rubber Ducky and friends

London - Proms in the Park

Went with my sister, her fiance Ken, my cousin Lisal and a few of her friends to a music event called Proms in the Park. Lots of people in an open air concert in Hyde Park in London. We all contributed to a huge picnic dinner. Was a bit chilly as the night went on as a breeze was blowing through the grounds. Our duvet which we brought as ground cover eventually reverted back to its original function. Three bodies huddled under a duvet invited a few amused looks.

One of the highlights was Lionel Richie. Yes, that guy from the 1980s, singing some of his newer songs which I, and I suspect many in the audience, didn't recognise at all. But there were also his hits from about 20 years ago Hello and the evergreen All Night Long, which everybody knew and sang along to. More than a few people have remarked that he still looks the same now as he did 20 years ago apart from being somewhat fairer in complexion. Not that anyone is suggesting that cosmetic surgery has any role at all. Banish the thought.

There were also good performances by various singers and orchestras. It is after all meant to be a celebration of classical music. Didn't feel particularly like that though.

Towards the end it of the concert, it is apparently tradition to play Land of Hope and Glory. The chorus was sung with much enthusiasm by the crowd in a sort of public Karaoke session and involed waving lots of Union Jacks. Any Ormond person will smile at this...

Land of Hope and Glory,
Mother of the Free,
How shall we extol thee,
Who are born of thee?
Wider still and wider
Shall thy bounds be set;
God, who made thee mighty,
Make thee mightier yet
God, who made thee mighty,
Make thee mightier yet.

We left early to avoid the crowds so missed the probably spetacular fireworks display.

As an aside, I must commend the London public for there being remarkably little litter despite the tens of thousands of people there. There was a fair amount of rubbish but they were generally in the right places ie the bins.

Liverpool, UK

Was in London for a few days staying with Gan Heng and fiancee, Carolyn. Also had dinner with Martin, Gan Heng and Carolyn at a nice restaurant/cafe.

Travelled by train to Liverpool where I'm doing a 3 month course.

Liverpool, home of the Beatles and Liverpool Football Club, and Everton. Was an important English port and industrial city in days gone by. The area around here also called Merseyside as it is situated along the Mersey River.

People here speak Scouse, a strong North-West English. If they're speaking among themselves, sounds to me like another European language, not English. Generally very friendly people though.