Burma Caves

After getting the local advice on how to travel to Burma Caves, only a 10 min walk, 1.80 bus ride, and hop skip and a jump over... we set out on a mission. About a 3 hour walk, 1 hour bus ride, and almost a taxi, we found it!! Funny thing about Malaysia that there is so many ways to get somewhere and everyone has their own idea of "the best way". A taxi may have charged us 40-60 ringgit, whereas if we'd known about the tram, it'd only have cost 1-3 ringgit and dropped us off directly. Bit of an adventure either way!!

Up the stairs, 288 steps, there is a large tavern that houses several temples, and is home to a variety of monkeys, roosters, and pythons. Don't worry, the pythons are pets... just don't let them sleep with you.

A rather strange combo to have roosters, monkeys, and pigeons fighting over the same scraps. There were so many!! This guy looks a little out of place.

Exploring Pulau Ubin

Pulau Ubin is a small island in the Singapore Strait, that reminds us of Singapore back in the 1960's. It's full of hiking and biking trails, geocaches, and fruit trees. I saw my first coconut tree and my first bananna tree!! I was so excited, my friend Jordan nearly fell off his bike, lol.

These are typical, houses and shops on the island, and is still lived and worked in.

A well we found off the trail, its probably still used as well.

 A view of one of the many lakes on the island, a spectacular place to go biking and exploring!

How to Prawn

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prawn  (prôn) n.

Any of various edible crustaceans similar to but larger than the shrimps.

intr.v. prawned, prawn·ing, prawns

To fish for prawns.

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[Middle English praine, prane.]

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 How to prawn :

1. Grab a hook and line on stick, more commonly known as a fishing pole

2. Measure the depth of the water and set the bobber at a length where the hook will just at the bottom of the pool.

3. Bait the hook (we used worms or chicken heart [which apparently also works for crabs])

4. Develop your own technique to entice the little buggers to take the bait- don't let them tease you, make em want it!!

5. Once they grab the hook, slowly tighten the line, then pluck them onto shore.

6. Remove their claws, or... just don't let em get ya!

7. Carefully remove the hook

8. Place them in a net (back in the water of course), till you've got enough to eat

9. Fire up the BBQ!!

10. Place them on a skewer or pinch them between two wire racks, remember they will try to walk off.

11. Roast them till they're red and their shells crisp

12. Feast.     Recommended with garlic and butter.
... 

After 5 1/2 hours of prawning, a bit of screaming like a little girl, a bit of boredom and a lot of excitement, I've learned how to catch prawns! Man I tell ya people in Singapore know how to have fun!

Puddle of Posts

In case you were wondering, I had a stash of random thoughts and blogs I wrote and was waiting for the right time to put them up... Well in no particular order, I've posted several posts that I've written over the last year, cause now is as good as time as any.  :)

Random Thoughts

"When I find my cheese again, I'm going to glue it down!"
"Why does my cheese have such quick legs"

I found a memo I wrote to myself it said: "It is written."  If only I could remember what the sticky note fell off of, I'd know what it meant. What is written?

I like to re-invent the wheel, a better wheel, why can't I simply re-write it. I'm ambitious, whats wrong with that?

If it's meant to be it will be, but how do you know? Is it really written? Do we re-write. Its only a few short pages from me being a shy quiet kid to becoming an outspoken fire-spinner wearing a corset dress.
How do I know which destiny is my own. Are you saying I have no say in my own destiny? Perhaps I helped write it?

Ni Hao Singapore!!

WHAT A DAY!!! Oh man, first day in Singapore... intense. So I didn't actually arrive till 10pm NZ time, but I've definitely had my share of fun!! Went to see a Chinese New Years Parade, like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade I always watched on TV as a kid, only bigger, better, and LIVE!! It feels like a dream. I already love the food, the people, everything. I've got some great photos to share! So many people, met a fire spinning crew, had heaps of delicious food. THANK YOU JORDAN for being an awesome tour guide, I'd be Absolutely LOST without you!

It's about 7am New Zealand time now... and the last few nights were spent sleeping on random couches and in airports. Is it tomorrow yet?!?!

PS. I hitchhiked my way out of New Zealand, it took me 9 hitches and a bus into the proper place in Auckland to get where I was going. Thanks Sebastian for a wicked place to crash in AUK, an awesome time spinning poi, and sweet geocashing!!

Kiwiburn

Liberate your soul and renew your mind, refresh your body and become a part of what is greater than ourselves. Share everything you have and want nothing. Be at peace with yourself.

Koru, a spiral fire maze representing new beginnings, the last burn of the festival.

Kiwiburn was an absolute epic adventure that no amount of words nor photos could ever describe. It's a cultural journey in a society where the rules are entirely different to western culture. Where handshaking as a greet is considered rude instead of a hug. Money has no place, what you wear and how much is completely optional, there is no communal religion, and all are accepted as they are. We burn things, the famous burning man, statues of flame throwing cows, and the sacred temple. Its a place to bring all your hopes, dreams, fears, and come to terms with them. Its a place to let go and a place to renew, of understanding and adventure. It's a bit like never never land, grownups aren't allowed, and your imagination is the limits of reality.

  

Burning of "The Temple" last night of Kiwi Burn. They say, "Bring your largest burden, and place that stone in our temple." Tears of joy and pain fill this temple with artwork, notes to friends and family "Dad I miss you" and "I'm sorry for what I did". Notes, letters, and and that are never meant to leave the temple, but let to rest on the final night. 

Ukuleles and ocopella music fills the air after a long silence. A community of people share their deepest fears and sorrows, and give each other the strength to let go. Then after the fire maze, we come together in strength and mind. 

As I said before, no words could possible describe the experience, and so often we simply forget to take photos cause we're too busy living in the moment. In so short of words, here's a brief idea of what it was like:

Day 1: Go down the rabbit hole into "twisted reality" the 2011 theme: Erect a village of tents, bars, lounges, etc. Free kayaks, meeting and hugging random people, exploring the lake, go on a jungle trek, discovered a hidden spa, paint a flame-throwing cow, danced a jig in the paddock,

Day 2: Erect "Burning Man" learn heaps of poi moves all festival, drumming workshop, learned to tighten the head on my drum, temporary tattoos. Pancakes and french toast breakfasts. Sushi rolls made while camping.

Day 3: Hitchhiked with aliens, hula hooping, face painting, swimming. Deliver Kiwiburn post to "Joe, the guy with blond dreads" (Like that narrowed it down), Rain, Rain Rain. Giant flame throwers, music and dancing all night, exchanging items in the treasure boxes.Heaps of rain, try to keep the village from blowing away.

Day 4: Burn the man, hundreds of fire spinners, fawn on stilts, more drumming, poi poi poi, rode on the pirate ship, hashish, free BBQ's, tunnel of mirrors and, stunning costumes, laughter yoga- AMAZING!!

Day 5: fire maze, burn the temple, giant dream weaver, piggy back ride from the human taxi. chai tents, bean bags, large scale art.

I've most certainly left out heaps of amazing unexplainable things, but like I said... you just have to experience it.

Geocashing!!!

Some time ago I discovered this amazing sight called geocashing.com. Basically it's a world wide treasure hunt for adults. Kids can do it too, but don't tell them ;) Today was the first time I've gone to look for a geocash, and well... got a little carried away. With Ty and Rory, my fire spinning mates, we managed to find 7 geocashes today!!! We logged into each, and blogged the treasures we found.

Currently I have two travel bugs, who each have a mission. One, a Shelby 550 will be traveling up towards Auckland with me, while the other is trying to make its way to "Auntie" close to Wellington.

Tomorrow I'm off on the open road, my thumb fully stretched. Wish me luck!!

"THE PLAN"

Did I mention itchy feet got the best of me?  Well, off on my feet again, have heaps to catch you up on already! Tomorrow I'm off again hitchiking with recently found geocash bugs headed north. By next week I'll be touring Southeast Asia for 3 months or so, then making my way around North America again.

Never a boring day!