Jester in the main st of Stratford Upon Avon
2005/10/12
Mc Donalds
Here I sit in Mc Donalds on the way to Holland On Sea in Essex.... I've been able to deal with the business emails send the blog and photos to the family.... I can get on line here and I'm sure I look very strange... a middle aged gal, coke in hand and portable office amongst the clutter of Mc Donalds.... but I thank you Ronald for the Wi Fi....!!!!!
Take every oportunity you can.
Take every oportunity you can.
Journey through Britain.
Chester was my first stop. First settled by the Romans who established a camp in AD 79 to defend the fertile land near the River Dee, the main streets of Chester are now lined with timber buildings, know as the Chester Rows.
However, I was here to teach and sightseeing is secondary. I was to be the guest speaker at Region 13 of the British Quilt Guild. Approximately 250 women shared the day. I felt right at home amongst the booths selling familiar fabric, bookcases full of books, women laughing and chatting and the rattle of tea cups. The subject of my talk was “The diary of a traveling Quilt Teacher”….. there is so much to fit in a lecture and I could always do with more time… but really it’s just like having a chat and a cuppa with friends. The afternoon speaker was Dilys Fronks, a local teacher from Wales I believe, she was an amusing and enthusiastic speaker as she took us on her journey of quilting discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her beautiful quilts and listening to her stories…
Judy, my hostess and I had an opportunity to take off in the evening and as it doesn’t get dark until 7.00 we had two wonderful hours wandering around the town of Chester. It’s like walking through history. As an Australian in a very late settled country, I’m fascinated that these building still exist, some 700 years old. What stories they could tell, As we walked through the “Rows” Judy and I imagined the stall holders and
their patrons in those bygone days.
Class the next day was fun. As usual, the class is full of apprehension at learning a new technique. But they all mastered the art and went home enthusiastic. The day is always too short. But after fond farewells I was able to visit the local Starbuck Coffee House and get on to Wi Fi to send and receive email and photos from my own computer…
We ordered in Indian… and were presented with a feast that would have done four people rather than just two… but we chatted and ate with the ease of folks that have a lot in common.
Next it was off to Oxford…Whitney to be exact. I stayed with Sadie and Ernie and we had a wonderful time. Sadie and I walked Oxford yesterday, it was a perfect day, warm, sunny and we just had shirt sleeves. I found a lot of inspiration in the architecture and texture of the buildings. Sadie and I like the same things, it was a great experience. This morning I was introduced the resident garden Hedgehog and I’m really taken with Sadie’s sun room…
How can one describe Oxford, or even all that I have experienced… all I can say is "What an experience."
Last night about 60 gals met for a chat and presentation… I think it is more formally known as a lecture.. as usual I ran out of time. I’m amongst like minded folk, what more can I ask.!!!!!!
However, I was here to teach and sightseeing is secondary. I was to be the guest speaker at Region 13 of the British Quilt Guild. Approximately 250 women shared the day. I felt right at home amongst the booths selling familiar fabric, bookcases full of books, women laughing and chatting and the rattle of tea cups. The subject of my talk was “The diary of a traveling Quilt Teacher”….. there is so much to fit in a lecture and I could always do with more time… but really it’s just like having a chat and a cuppa with friends. The afternoon speaker was Dilys Fronks, a local teacher from Wales I believe, she was an amusing and enthusiastic speaker as she took us on her journey of quilting discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her beautiful quilts and listening to her stories…
Judy, my hostess and I had an opportunity to take off in the evening and as it doesn’t get dark until 7.00 we had two wonderful hours wandering around the town of Chester. It’s like walking through history. As an Australian in a very late settled country, I’m fascinated that these building still exist, some 700 years old. What stories they could tell, As we walked through the “Rows” Judy and I imagined the stall holders and
their patrons in those bygone days.
Class the next day was fun. As usual, the class is full of apprehension at learning a new technique. But they all mastered the art and went home enthusiastic. The day is always too short. But after fond farewells I was able to visit the local Starbuck Coffee House and get on to Wi Fi to send and receive email and photos from my own computer…
We ordered in Indian… and were presented with a feast that would have done four people rather than just two… but we chatted and ate with the ease of folks that have a lot in common.
Next it was off to Oxford…Whitney to be exact. I stayed with Sadie and Ernie and we had a wonderful time. Sadie and I walked Oxford yesterday, it was a perfect day, warm, sunny and we just had shirt sleeves. I found a lot of inspiration in the architecture and texture of the buildings. Sadie and I like the same things, it was a great experience. This morning I was introduced the resident garden Hedgehog and I’m really taken with Sadie’s sun room…
How can one describe Oxford, or even all that I have experienced… all I can say is "What an experience."
Last night about 60 gals met for a chat and presentation… I think it is more formally known as a lecture.. as usual I ran out of time. I’m amongst like minded folk, what more can I ask.!!!!!!
2005/10/10
I feel so brave.
I left Gays house in Romsey at 1.30…. I had to drive to Chester, so I set the GPS to Chester and took off. It’s wonderful, it sends me on my way with precision (if you put in the right address that is….) I took off and after 20 miles or so it seemed as if I was retracing my steps to the France Ferry…. Strange, I thought I was supposed to go the other way. So I found a place to get off the freeway. Checked my location and yep… it was actually just backtracking a little… Off again and the traffic was so heavy… 3 lanes each way, the trucks seemed to multiply with each mile and everyone went faster than ever…. I have a little bubble car folks… a bit nerve racking. I drove for hour after hour, and on and on….finally arriving at Chester at 8.00. Why so long to travel 555 kms… well I reckon we had to queue about 20 times… at one stage I was doing 91miles an hour keeping up with the traffic…. Do you know that is 146 kms an hour? I got lost when I arrived in Chester and visited with a big burly taxi driver… it was dark by now, so I think I was very brave… he directed me to the house and I still had difficulty… OK, I’ll use the phone… but the battery went flat.. It’s impossible to find the number of houses in the dark… so after going around one roundabout 6 times… I found a close resemblance of the house no…. darn the guy behind me was beeping madly, so I took off intending to turn into the next house, except there was none it was just black countryside…finally I came to a roundabout and managed to get back to that area… I parked the car and walked to find the No, and there was my hostess waiting for me with a strong coffee and a delicious dinner…. I must say I fell into an exhausted sleep at about 11.00 pm. Another experience under the belt….
The Bayeux Tapestry
Next morning. I found the Museum Tapisserie de la Reine Mathilde I was nervous to go in and it reminded me of the time I first saw the original 1776 quilt in Germany. 8 Euros and I was in… there is a long introduction to the history of the quilt and I walked and read… but I have been studying this for over a year now and will write a book of my own… so I continued on to the movie which told the story in detail of William the Conqueror and his friend and enemy Harold and the Battle of Hastings in October 1066.
As I write, I’m crossing the very straight of water that 1000’s of Williams soldiers valiantly rowed. The largest of the boats was 50 ft. They carried their provisions, their armory and 100’s of horses. It was an amazing feat.
Both crossings that I have encountered have been like a millpond, but they encountered terrible storms. It is taking me 6 hours on the Ferry… it took them several days.
After the movie you are ushered into the Tapestry
It’s in a long tunnel that is darkened with the exception of lighting over the Tapestry itself. 230 feet in length. I joined the throng. They pushed past so fast… so I hung on to the rail and refused to budge… 100’s of people passed. Everyone had their own commentary, most were too loud and caused a mixture of sound. I didn’t use mine and just took in every inch of the Tapestry, moving very slowly and at times I was alone and in silence which I relished…I think the allotted time to view is about an hour… I took 4 and I went back to the beginning several times….
This is what I came to see. I was overawed. Believe me it’s very big. I shake my head.
I needed to reflect so I hopped in the car and drove 6 miles to the coast. It was just beautiful in the sunset… rugged and windswept. This is part of the Norman Landing where the British troops gave so valiantly to save the country. I walked the beach and found huge piles of scallop shells that had been twisted into patterns by the incoming tides… On returning to Bayeux, I was feeling very proud of myself and purchased some dinner which I illegally took to my room. Then I found the Internet shop and valiantly tried to send a few emails… those who received them must have thought I’ve lost my marbles… the letters are in different places compared to our keyboard. I also found the quilt shop… it had about 20 bolts of fabric at about $32 per metre… and they also sold intimate black lingerie… I don’t think that would go too well in our shops.
It takes considerable time to process my photos for the day and I must admit, I was exhausted….and fell into t a deep sleep.
Wednesday is Market day in Bautzen.. so after breakfast I walked down to take photos, it was grey and foggy but I thought the mist would lift and looked ever upward to the sky for a hint of blue… Unfortunately it was to stay foggy for the next two days… I’ve never seen anything like it, but I do remember seeing photos of trees in the mist in france… so it’s obviously not unusual.
Monte St Michael was my destination today. Steeped in history of Wiliam the Conqueror and Harold, King of England. Once again, I took off reading the road signs and realized it was just too difficult. So on with the GPS… and it took me 40 kms to find the freeway and then 120 kms to the coast… I began to get nervous about the petrol situation… Unrealistic of me I know, but I just hadn’t seen any… finally I saw a sign and I was introduced to the intracies of a French Petrol station… very different to ours, but I managed and took off again to my final destination I was some 20 kms away and driving in fog when I viewed the majestic castle sitting on a small island in the ocean. It looked forever like a Castle from a story book floating in the grey mist. I passed through flat fields of corn, and waited for the sheep to cross the road. Their black faces and shapes very different to the sheep in our paddocks. The smell of cider was very strong and I came upon several small factories and stalls stacked with bottles of the amber fluid.
You drive out on a long Isthmus surrounded by water and I parked the car for a considerable amount of money, (well where else can you put the thing….) and I walked to the entrance of the castle… It is huge, it rises some….. feet. It’s surrounded by a small village where the streets wind as if built by a child at play…
I decided to have a French seafood lunch and it was delicious. I wasn’t influenced by the stream of American Tourists who had to have French fries and burgers…. But sharing the restaurant with dogs is an interesting experience… specially when one dog took a fancy to another….!!!!!
I climbed hundreds of steps… and my legs sure told me so, I wandered the corridors and dungeons… it is an amazing place… I’m just sorry that the weather was so glum.
I wended my way home and took a shortcut that gave the gal in the GPS a heart attack…. “When safe, perform a legal U turn”… she went on for ages, but finally I won and she put me on track and used the short cut. I saved the extra 40 kms she took me on this morning…
Once more I illegally took a meal to my room… and left the evidence too as I was leaving this morning…
I drove to Caen this morning and spent the day at the Castle and Museum… it was wonderful….It just took me ages to find my way out of the car park…. I kept going down instead of up…. I’m a bit slow. Now here I am on the Ferry so I can drive on the left side of the road in the right side of the car which is the right side for me…..!! whoopee. What will tomorrow bring.?
As I write, I’m crossing the very straight of water that 1000’s of Williams soldiers valiantly rowed. The largest of the boats was 50 ft. They carried their provisions, their armory and 100’s of horses. It was an amazing feat.
Both crossings that I have encountered have been like a millpond, but they encountered terrible storms. It is taking me 6 hours on the Ferry… it took them several days.
After the movie you are ushered into the Tapestry
It’s in a long tunnel that is darkened with the exception of lighting over the Tapestry itself. 230 feet in length. I joined the throng. They pushed past so fast… so I hung on to the rail and refused to budge… 100’s of people passed. Everyone had their own commentary, most were too loud and caused a mixture of sound. I didn’t use mine and just took in every inch of the Tapestry, moving very slowly and at times I was alone and in silence which I relished…I think the allotted time to view is about an hour… I took 4 and I went back to the beginning several times….
This is what I came to see. I was overawed. Believe me it’s very big. I shake my head.
I needed to reflect so I hopped in the car and drove 6 miles to the coast. It was just beautiful in the sunset… rugged and windswept. This is part of the Norman Landing where the British troops gave so valiantly to save the country. I walked the beach and found huge piles of scallop shells that had been twisted into patterns by the incoming tides… On returning to Bayeux, I was feeling very proud of myself and purchased some dinner which I illegally took to my room. Then I found the Internet shop and valiantly tried to send a few emails… those who received them must have thought I’ve lost my marbles… the letters are in different places compared to our keyboard. I also found the quilt shop… it had about 20 bolts of fabric at about $32 per metre… and they also sold intimate black lingerie… I don’t think that would go too well in our shops.
It takes considerable time to process my photos for the day and I must admit, I was exhausted….and fell into t a deep sleep.
Wednesday is Market day in Bautzen.. so after breakfast I walked down to take photos, it was grey and foggy but I thought the mist would lift and looked ever upward to the sky for a hint of blue… Unfortunately it was to stay foggy for the next two days… I’ve never seen anything like it, but I do remember seeing photos of trees in the mist in france… so it’s obviously not unusual.
Monte St Michael was my destination today. Steeped in history of Wiliam the Conqueror and Harold, King of England. Once again, I took off reading the road signs and realized it was just too difficult. So on with the GPS… and it took me 40 kms to find the freeway and then 120 kms to the coast… I began to get nervous about the petrol situation… Unrealistic of me I know, but I just hadn’t seen any… finally I saw a sign and I was introduced to the intracies of a French Petrol station… very different to ours, but I managed and took off again to my final destination I was some 20 kms away and driving in fog when I viewed the majestic castle sitting on a small island in the ocean. It looked forever like a Castle from a story book floating in the grey mist. I passed through flat fields of corn, and waited for the sheep to cross the road. Their black faces and shapes very different to the sheep in our paddocks. The smell of cider was very strong and I came upon several small factories and stalls stacked with bottles of the amber fluid.
You drive out on a long Isthmus surrounded by water and I parked the car for a considerable amount of money, (well where else can you put the thing….) and I walked to the entrance of the castle… It is huge, it rises some….. feet. It’s surrounded by a small village where the streets wind as if built by a child at play…
I decided to have a French seafood lunch and it was delicious. I wasn’t influenced by the stream of American Tourists who had to have French fries and burgers…. But sharing the restaurant with dogs is an interesting experience… specially when one dog took a fancy to another….!!!!!
I climbed hundreds of steps… and my legs sure told me so, I wandered the corridors and dungeons… it is an amazing place… I’m just sorry that the weather was so glum.
I wended my way home and took a shortcut that gave the gal in the GPS a heart attack…. “When safe, perform a legal U turn”… she went on for ages, but finally I won and she put me on track and used the short cut. I saved the extra 40 kms she took me on this morning…
Once more I illegally took a meal to my room… and left the evidence too as I was leaving this morning…
I drove to Caen this morning and spent the day at the Castle and Museum… it was wonderful….It just took me ages to find my way out of the car park…. I kept going down instead of up…. I’m a bit slow. Now here I am on the Ferry so I can drive on the left side of the road in the right side of the car which is the right side for me…..!! whoopee. What will tomorrow bring.?
One of my dreams have come true.
It has taken me three days to be able to write this. I’ve had the time, but somehow the feelings were not right.
I’m on the Ferry from France back to England after an amazing three days.
When I got off the Ferry on Monday, It was a warm sunny day…. I ignored my GPS and followed the signs to Bayeux which I believed was about 30 kms from the Ferry Port…. It was just like driving in a picture postcard…. The sun was low on the fields and everything was golden … the sunflowers were abundant and the narrow roads wound through green fields and small villages… Sheep, cows and horses studded the fields. The houses were wonderful. Rustic, ancient by our standards and welcoming with garlands of flowerboxes… sometimes the shutters were blue, at other times they were white… but always framing lace curtains. The roads were unnervingly narrow and considering that I had to drive a right handed car on the right side of the road, which is really the wrong side for us… I think I did pretty well.
However… I did get lost and after going round and round for an hour or so, I put on the GPS which directed me to an ugly freeway and cars whizzed past me at an alarming speed.
Finally I arrived in Bayeux… but I couldn’t find the hotel, so after going down a one way street and having the locals wave and gesticulate wildly … I parked the car, causing a little dispute with an angry English Tourist… I decided I was safer to walk and after an hour or so and a little detective work, I finally found my elusive lodgings… I booked and was shown to my room… well, it was not quite what I’m used to I must say, but it was clean, very sparse but comfortable and quiet.
Shrugging my shoulders…I walked off to find my car and finally was ensconced in the hotel…. I had one heck of a headache… and decided the need for coffee. There is no food allowed in the room, so I had to go to a Brassier and have a meal. I don’t speak French, but I managed to order a traditional meal, and the coffee was to die for.
I slept like a log. No noise, the computer playing classical music quietly, and no TV. (I couldn’t stomach Days of our lives in French.) However I was frustrated that I couldn’t get on to the Internet… that’s like cutting off my right arm.
I’m on the Ferry from France back to England after an amazing three days.
When I got off the Ferry on Monday, It was a warm sunny day…. I ignored my GPS and followed the signs to Bayeux which I believed was about 30 kms from the Ferry Port…. It was just like driving in a picture postcard…. The sun was low on the fields and everything was golden … the sunflowers were abundant and the narrow roads wound through green fields and small villages… Sheep, cows and horses studded the fields. The houses were wonderful. Rustic, ancient by our standards and welcoming with garlands of flowerboxes… sometimes the shutters were blue, at other times they were white… but always framing lace curtains. The roads were unnervingly narrow and considering that I had to drive a right handed car on the right side of the road, which is really the wrong side for us… I think I did pretty well.
However… I did get lost and after going round and round for an hour or so, I put on the GPS which directed me to an ugly freeway and cars whizzed past me at an alarming speed.
Finally I arrived in Bayeux… but I couldn’t find the hotel, so after going down a one way street and having the locals wave and gesticulate wildly … I parked the car, causing a little dispute with an angry English Tourist… I decided I was safer to walk and after an hour or so and a little detective work, I finally found my elusive lodgings… I booked and was shown to my room… well, it was not quite what I’m used to I must say, but it was clean, very sparse but comfortable and quiet.
Shrugging my shoulders…I walked off to find my car and finally was ensconced in the hotel…. I had one heck of a headache… and decided the need for coffee. There is no food allowed in the room, so I had to go to a Brassier and have a meal. I don’t speak French, but I managed to order a traditional meal, and the coffee was to die for.
I slept like a log. No noise, the computer playing classical music quietly, and no TV. (I couldn’t stomach Days of our lives in French.) However I was frustrated that I couldn’t get on to the Internet… that’s like cutting off my right arm.
2005/10/06
2005/10/02
The joys of Train Travel
Traveling through the green pastures in the midlands of England. I'm able to get online on the train to write this blog, but not to pick up my emails.... however, I've just spent the past few hours answering students and writing instructions for a pattern to go out tonight..
So much has happened in a few short days.
I arrived in London after a 12 hour flight from Bangkok and the atmosphere and temperature couldn't have been more different to Bangkok. Just a short wait in the club and a hasty coffee and I was on the plane again for the 2 hour trip to Edinburgh Scotland... There I sat up the front in business class dressed like a quilter with all the shiny shoed,tweed suited British Business Men... They whipped out their palm computers, fancy mobile phones and laptops.... Hand so did I....A group from the Poldrate Quilters were there to meet me and they must have has some inside knowledge of my passion... we sat straight down for a chat and a latte.... Well the real reason was that there was a large quilt show on just down the road and we couldn't get in until 10.00 so we had to wait a little... but it was a good excuse for a chat.
The quilt show was just super... I'm not too sure how many quilts there were, but they were of a very high standard and I photographed almost all of them...
I was impressed by the different expressions in the quilts and indeed there was some very fine quilting.
I'm not sure how many vendors there were, but i would estimate about 20 or so.... so it was a super introduction to quilting in Britain.
My Hosts Sally and Ian were a delightful couple... Sally and I walked down to the beach on the firth and Forth sea inlet)... the colours were just super, The sky was almost black, but the sun shone from the other direction and capture the rugged coast in it's glow....
Yesterday was a class with all the gals and we had a great time... it was my birthday and they made it very special...however, it's always a heartwrench when you are away for your birthday. I ate Haddock, chocolate cake and wine for dinner... succumbed to sleep quite late after a lovely day....
Now I'm on the second leg of my trip today... the first was a 3 hour bus ride to Newcastle, and here I sit as hedged fields, a castle or two and stone pitch roofed villages pass by under a cloud studded sky... next I have to get a taxi to Waterloo and a train to Winchester and then I will have reached my destination...3/4 of the way through Britain in one day...
Tomorrow is another day and I can hardly bear thinking abut it... I'm off driving on my own to Bayeux France... I'm nervous and absolutely excited..., hopefully I will be able to get on line to share with you all...
So much has happened in a few short days.
I arrived in London after a 12 hour flight from Bangkok and the atmosphere and temperature couldn't have been more different to Bangkok. Just a short wait in the club and a hasty coffee and I was on the plane again for the 2 hour trip to Edinburgh Scotland... There I sat up the front in business class dressed like a quilter with all the shiny shoed,tweed suited British Business Men... They whipped out their palm computers, fancy mobile phones and laptops.... Hand so did I....A group from the Poldrate Quilters were there to meet me and they must have has some inside knowledge of my passion... we sat straight down for a chat and a latte.... Well the real reason was that there was a large quilt show on just down the road and we couldn't get in until 10.00 so we had to wait a little... but it was a good excuse for a chat.
The quilt show was just super... I'm not too sure how many quilts there were, but they were of a very high standard and I photographed almost all of them...
I was impressed by the different expressions in the quilts and indeed there was some very fine quilting.
I'm not sure how many vendors there were, but i would estimate about 20 or so.... so it was a super introduction to quilting in Britain.
My Hosts Sally and Ian were a delightful couple... Sally and I walked down to the beach on the firth and Forth sea inlet)... the colours were just super, The sky was almost black, but the sun shone from the other direction and capture the rugged coast in it's glow....
Yesterday was a class with all the gals and we had a great time... it was my birthday and they made it very special...however, it's always a heartwrench when you are away for your birthday. I ate Haddock, chocolate cake and wine for dinner... succumbed to sleep quite late after a lovely day....
Now I'm on the second leg of my trip today... the first was a 3 hour bus ride to Newcastle, and here I sit as hedged fields, a castle or two and stone pitch roofed villages pass by under a cloud studded sky... next I have to get a taxi to Waterloo and a train to Winchester and then I will have reached my destination...3/4 of the way through Britain in one day...
Tomorrow is another day and I can hardly bear thinking abut it... I'm off driving on my own to Bayeux France... I'm nervous and absolutely excited..., hopefully I will be able to get on line to share with you all...
Experiences beyond my control
The title of this blog is ‘the diary of a Traveling Quilt Teacher’… Oh how true it is….
I’m sitting in the Qantas club in Bangkok, earphones blocking out all the surrounding noise and concerto No 1 by Bach is soothing my soul. I traveled with a gal recently who was quite indignant at my comment that I often isolate myself when traveling…. Let me tell you folks its self preservation… said gal has never found herself in some of the situations I experience. Talking with my very experienced peers in the US… they do exactly the same… It was funny at a recent conference when we all realized that we carried the same comforts… ipods, speakers, and the mini comforts of home.
I’ve just had an interesting ride from my hotel to the airport… Now, road travel in Bangkok is not the best at most times… but at peak period it sure makes for an interesting trip. Keith and I have been in two accidents on this very road… Tonight I was the lone passenger in the mini bus that only had one gear. I understand that low gear is necessary in traffic… but it was all I could do from jumping into the front seat and changing gear as we hit 100 on a straight stretch of road….. The engine roared above the traffic noise and I thought that the over stimulated engine would seize at any minute. Suddenly we came to a screeching halt as a bus just pulled in front of us… this happened several times… and I was beginning to think, “Third time lucky”… My luggage slid around mercilessly and I looked up to see that I need not worry at all, we were very well protected 15 small statues and about 10 images were glued on top of the glove box protecting us… Silly Me.!!!!
Yes we arrived safe and after a quick wai and lots of smiles… the van took off for home still in the same gear.
Next to book in the luggage…. I’m a Traveling Quilt Teacher, I have luggage and I was given an extra luggage allowance in Adelaide by a high ranking Qantas official…. You know 45 KG instead of 20kg…Goodness how can you manage to teach with just 20 kg of luggage… and that includes your clothes as well…..Whoops, he forgot to notify Bangkok… and after polite smiles through gritted teeth and a wake up call to Husband Keith (who informed me it was midnight)…. Hmmm.. I paid the $350 excess and vowed to claim it back when the authority arrived…….. Jeez Joice.!!!!!!!!
So here I am in the lounge… in my own world… music, computer, my work and to heck with the one gear bus and the charming gal on the desk… I have a 14 hour trip ahead of me and I intend to sleep peacefully….
I enjoyed my experience in Bangkok… it was enforced rest in a way. A breather before the exciting days to come.
Quilting hasn’t been far from my mind though, I conversed with students via the internet, did a little research, wrote a little more of my book and took a range of photos of lotuses and leaves… one smart friend commented “is there anything else in Bangkok”? Cheeky…..
I’m sitting in the Qantas club in Bangkok, earphones blocking out all the surrounding noise and concerto No 1 by Bach is soothing my soul. I traveled with a gal recently who was quite indignant at my comment that I often isolate myself when traveling…. Let me tell you folks its self preservation… said gal has never found herself in some of the situations I experience. Talking with my very experienced peers in the US… they do exactly the same… It was funny at a recent conference when we all realized that we carried the same comforts… ipods, speakers, and the mini comforts of home.
I’ve just had an interesting ride from my hotel to the airport… Now, road travel in Bangkok is not the best at most times… but at peak period it sure makes for an interesting trip. Keith and I have been in two accidents on this very road… Tonight I was the lone passenger in the mini bus that only had one gear. I understand that low gear is necessary in traffic… but it was all I could do from jumping into the front seat and changing gear as we hit 100 on a straight stretch of road….. The engine roared above the traffic noise and I thought that the over stimulated engine would seize at any minute. Suddenly we came to a screeching halt as a bus just pulled in front of us… this happened several times… and I was beginning to think, “Third time lucky”… My luggage slid around mercilessly and I looked up to see that I need not worry at all, we were very well protected 15 small statues and about 10 images were glued on top of the glove box protecting us… Silly Me.!!!!
Yes we arrived safe and after a quick wai and lots of smiles… the van took off for home still in the same gear.
Next to book in the luggage…. I’m a Traveling Quilt Teacher, I have luggage and I was given an extra luggage allowance in Adelaide by a high ranking Qantas official…. You know 45 KG instead of 20kg…Goodness how can you manage to teach with just 20 kg of luggage… and that includes your clothes as well…..Whoops, he forgot to notify Bangkok… and after polite smiles through gritted teeth and a wake up call to Husband Keith (who informed me it was midnight)…. Hmmm.. I paid the $350 excess and vowed to claim it back when the authority arrived…….. Jeez Joice.!!!!!!!!
So here I am in the lounge… in my own world… music, computer, my work and to heck with the one gear bus and the charming gal on the desk… I have a 14 hour trip ahead of me and I intend to sleep peacefully….
I enjoyed my experience in Bangkok… it was enforced rest in a way. A breather before the exciting days to come.
Quilting hasn’t been far from my mind though, I conversed with students via the internet, did a little research, wrote a little more of my book and took a range of photos of lotuses and leaves… one smart friend commented “is there anything else in Bangkok”? Cheeky…..
2005/09/29
Bangkok too
I have put up the first photos I have taken on webshots... http://community.webshots.com/user/caljin
I had breakfast at a sumptuous restaurant in the hotel overlooking the river. And I was in heaven, rice and curry and kongee for breakfast... There is a ferry shuttle that takes you on a 15 minute ride down the river to meet the sky train. For 30 Baht, I was whisked high above the city streets of Bangkok and I alighted right at MBK, known as Mah Boon Krong. A favorite place for our family as tourists for over 20 years. The last time I visited we came by fast ferry boat and taxi, I think it took two hours and the water was a little suspect folks...
It has changed so much and I wandered the floors not recognizing much at all. I thought OK, at least I know the food hall.... not so, it is very upmarket now and I was unable to find our favorite chicken satay.... however, chicken and rice and sticky rice and mango were the chosen delights washed down with iced coffee... 100 bt. $3.21 to be exact.
There is an entire floor of cell phones... 100's of stalls... and they all seemed to be pulling the phones apart... excuse my naivete, but what on earth are they doing....? and I was able to buy a 'genuine' copy of the latest photo editing program for $4.20.
You can buy almost anything here... from designer t shirts for just $6 to the latest in Jeans and shoes. I have to admit, there isn't too much in my size, or in fact that I need. 150,000 people visit MBK daily and that may seem a nightmare for some, but in fact it's exciting.
At 4.00 I was tired of walking and sensory overload I caught the skytrain back and then hopped on the boat shuttle... to be presented with cold scented towels and a bottle of cold water... Fantastic.... I dined at a local restaurant rather than the exclusivity of the hotel and retired early.
'The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.'
- Augustine (354-430)
I had breakfast at a sumptuous restaurant in the hotel overlooking the river. And I was in heaven, rice and curry and kongee for breakfast... There is a ferry shuttle that takes you on a 15 minute ride down the river to meet the sky train. For 30 Baht, I was whisked high above the city streets of Bangkok and I alighted right at MBK, known as Mah Boon Krong. A favorite place for our family as tourists for over 20 years. The last time I visited we came by fast ferry boat and taxi, I think it took two hours and the water was a little suspect folks...
It has changed so much and I wandered the floors not recognizing much at all. I thought OK, at least I know the food hall.... not so, it is very upmarket now and I was unable to find our favorite chicken satay.... however, chicken and rice and sticky rice and mango were the chosen delights washed down with iced coffee... 100 bt. $3.21 to be exact.
There is an entire floor of cell phones... 100's of stalls... and they all seemed to be pulling the phones apart... excuse my naivete, but what on earth are they doing....? and I was able to buy a 'genuine' copy of the latest photo editing program for $4.20.
You can buy almost anything here... from designer t shirts for just $6 to the latest in Jeans and shoes. I have to admit, there isn't too much in my size, or in fact that I need. 150,000 people visit MBK daily and that may seem a nightmare for some, but in fact it's exciting.
At 4.00 I was tired of walking and sensory overload I caught the skytrain back and then hopped on the boat shuttle... to be presented with cold scented towels and a bottle of cold water... Fantastic.... I dined at a local restaurant rather than the exclusivity of the hotel and retired early.
'The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.'
- Augustine (354-430)
Bangkok
This is the third day of my trip. My day of traveling was not a pleasant experience due to a 3 hour plane delay... It would have been happier if we were delayed in the airport rather than sitting on the plane for that amount of time. I thought I had a cold and my ears were at bursting point on the plane... but my arrival in Bangkok has seen that affliction disappear and the hot weather is just what I needed.
I actually arrived at my Hotel around 4.00 am Adelaide time and after a welcoming shower I fell into an exhausted sleep.
My Hotel the Marriott Bangkok is a pleasant respite from the hectic pace of our my tour over the past 6 weeks.
My room overlooks the Chao Phraya River It's dark still, but as I sit at my desk facing the river, the lights of Bangkok are causing long streams of light to dance on the surface of the water.
My family and I are familiar with Bangkok. Keith and I first came here almost 30 years ago to adopt son Joshua. It was a life changing experience. How things have changed in the past 30 years ... I think we have visited almost 20 times and it's some 8 years since my last trip. The change has been even more dramatic than at any other period of time.
Keith and I stayed in some very interesting places... unknowingly our first Guest House "The Maya Guest House" turned out to be the local brothel....!!!! even in those days I was told to "walk more slowly" by the proprietor of the guest house... I was running everywhere, while the locals slid in their flip flops and didn't raise a sweat- an introduction to the pace of Thailand.
That first encounter of Bangkok is a precious memory. At 27, Keith and I were positive in our naivete and embraced the philosophy that we could change the world. Well I guess we did in our own way. Shopping was limited to the local markets and one small department store called Robinsons, which serviced the needs of the expats. Klongs (or small rivers) were everywhere and served as a means for transport and ablutions. Even 8 years ago transport was impossible. A 3 hour trip in those days took me 30 minutes yesterday.
I actually arrived at my Hotel around 4.00 am Adelaide time and after a welcoming shower I fell into an exhausted sleep.
My Hotel the Marriott Bangkok is a pleasant respite from the hectic pace of our my tour over the past 6 weeks.
My room overlooks the Chao Phraya River It's dark still, but as I sit at my desk facing the river, the lights of Bangkok are causing long streams of light to dance on the surface of the water.
My family and I are familiar with Bangkok. Keith and I first came here almost 30 years ago to adopt son Joshua. It was a life changing experience. How things have changed in the past 30 years ... I think we have visited almost 20 times and it's some 8 years since my last trip. The change has been even more dramatic than at any other period of time.
Keith and I stayed in some very interesting places... unknowingly our first Guest House "The Maya Guest House" turned out to be the local brothel....!!!! even in those days I was told to "walk more slowly" by the proprietor of the guest house... I was running everywhere, while the locals slid in their flip flops and didn't raise a sweat- an introduction to the pace of Thailand.
That first encounter of Bangkok is a precious memory. At 27, Keith and I were positive in our naivete and embraced the philosophy that we could change the world. Well I guess we did in our own way. Shopping was limited to the local markets and one small department store called Robinsons, which serviced the needs of the expats. Klongs (or small rivers) were everywhere and served as a means for transport and ablutions. Even 8 years ago transport was impossible. A 3 hour trip in those days took me 30 minutes yesterday.
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