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Cambodia, Where to next...?

Angkor Whaaaaat?

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It will never fail to excite me when my google chromecast projects photographs of inspiring destinations around the world and I’ve been there. Angkor Wat is regularly featured, an incredible example of the power of Mother Nature to take back what is hers; tribes of monkeys roam around, both charming and terrorising tourists in equal measure while the gnarled roots of trees straddle temple entrances.

Built by the Khmer Empire in the 9th century as a Hindu temple, its name translates as ‘City of Temples’. In the 12th century it was transformed into a Buddhist temple before its neglect and partial abandonment in the 17th century. Since then significant funds have been invested into its restoration and it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992.

Angkor Wat has a number of ticket prices – and none of them cheap. We opted for a single day ticket and I would argue that this is sufficient unless you are a history buff. We also went in a car after a strong up-sell by our driver, and while the air con was welcome and we could go to temples further afield, a standard tuk-tuk trip would have been better value for money.

Day one

This is a day to wander about Siem Reap. Cambodia is a strange mix of western and traditional culture and there were a number of lovely coffee shops to duck in from the sudden downpours in, as well as many stalls for ice-cream rolls, little shops with the typical tourist tat as well as boutique shops, temples and a quaint little street (Alley West) which was decorated by a number of rainbow umbrellas.

In the afternoon we met our tuk-tuk driver, who had been recommended to us by a friend of mine to plan our Angkor Watt route for day 3. Top tip:  if you buy your ticket the day before, you can collect it from 5pm and can enter the complex to see the sunset the day before. This way you can have a nosey around the main temple when it isn’t too busy, so when you begin your tour the next day you can catch the sunrise and beat the crowds to your next destination. We also used this opportunity to go and see the Phare Circus, a social project aimed at providing education to children affected by poverty and to give them opportunities to pursue a career in performing arts, with a number of their artists going on to perform on the world stage.

Day two

We woke up at the ungodly hour of 4:30 to be picked up at 4:45 ready for the Angkor Watt sunrise. I’d recommend a sunrise trip for a couple of reasons: a) it’s pretty and b) the midday sun is unbearable. If you’re into photography, do your research and spend the evening before scoping out the perfect spot for that classic sunrise pic over the reflection pools. 
Although it doesn’t say anywhere, dress modestly. You can get into the complex, but not into many of the temples if you are not dressed appropriately – my biceps were showing (mad guns yo) so I had to shell out $2 on a glorious rainbow coloured elephant t-shirt emblazoned with ‘CAMBODIA’. It went very well with my elephant print skirt and sunburnt skin. Not a hard game of spot the tourist…

After Angkor Watt, we continued onto Bayon Temple. Adorned with a multitude of peaceful, smiling stone faces, they appear to watch you wherever you go. It is also inhabited by a large family of monkeys, whose babies, despite being adorable, will climb on you and try and steal whatever scraps they can find, so hide the food and hold onto your cameras.

Next stop Baphuon Temple. This beautiful temple has a number of informational signs and is characterised by a worn-down reclining buddha which can only be spotted if you know where to look. Baphuon was originally a Hindu temple but was redenominated a buddhist temple in the 15th century. It is thought that the Buddha was added using blocks from the topmost tower, but restoration events in the 20th century had to be stopped when the Khmer Rouge took power. This temple has many stairs and is blisteringly hot even in the morning sun!

We later headed to Ta Prohm which was by far our favourite temple as it was so heavily affected by nature and time. It’s also the site where Tomb Raider was filmed and the iconic doorway tree is situated – although we kept getting over excited and thinking every tree was THE tree. Everywhere you look, twisted roots and vines climb the ruins of the temples.

Finally we went to Banteay Srei – the women’s temple. While this temple was beautifully decorated with ornate and complex carvings, by this point we were templed out. There are some beautiful gardens and views out over paddy fields when you finish with the temple site, but unless you have a particular interest in temples I wouldn’t say it was worth the extra dollar to pay for a car to get here.

Most tuk-tuk drivers will have a suggested route around the main temples so planning your visit should not be too taxing. We also visited a number of smaller temples on the day which were equally beautiful. Angkor Wat should definitely be on your UNESCO World Heritage Site bucket list, along with Anurudhapura in Sri Lanka! Check out my Sri Lanka itinerary below.

Budget Backpacker’s 3 week sri lanka itinerary
Sri Lanka

Budget Backpacker’s 3 Week Sri Lanka Itinerary

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Sri Lanka is a backpacker’s paradise. Not only is it one of the few places in the world where you can still see wild elephants (and I promise you; you will see them), but it is a country of perennial summer populated by some of the most friendly people you will ever meet.

We visited Sri Lanka in July, when the north and east of the island are experiencing summer. Although the south and west were technically in monsoon season, we found that apart from a heavy shower at some point in the day the weather was still infinitely better than what we would call “summer” here in the UK. Remember when visiting any religious site that you must cover up appropriately. I would also recommend keeping a pair of socks in your bag as the temple floors get scaldingly hot after baking under the sun all day.

All recommendations are based solely on my own experience and I do not receive any financial rewards or rewards in kind for sharing them.

Day 1: The Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Days 2-4: Trincomalee
Days 5-6: Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Cave Temples
Days 7-8: Kandy
Days 9-12: Ella
Days 13-18: Arugam Bay
Days 19-departure: The South: Mirissa, Galle Fort, Unawatuna

Day One: Arrival & Anuradhapura

Get out of the city. We opted to hop on a bus as soon as we arrived to take us to Anuradhapura. When you’ve already been travelling for 16 hours, 3 more makes little difference. Don’t be fooled by the locals telling you you cannot take a bus there – find more detailed instructions here. The best way to get around Sri Lanka is on public transport – the 4 hour journey cost us 362LKR each – or £1.62.

Once here spend a day getting over the jetlag, then rent bikes from your hostel to cycle around the UNESCO World Heritage site – the Sacred City of Anuradhapura. Entrance is 4,500LKR (£20.35) and once you buy your ticket you’ll be given a site map – be sure to go to Sri Maha Bodi. Planted in 288BC it’s believed to be the oldest living tree planted by humans and is said to be the tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment! Don’t forget to pack loads of suncream and water.

Where to stay: Fig and Gecko Hostel is a lovely hostel whose owners also run Give A Fig, NGO. Supporting Fig and Gecko helps to support locals & make rural living sustainable. They also make delicious kottu for £3 which is more than enough for 2!

Where to eat: Mango Mango offers a mix of mouth watering Sri Lankan food as well as other world cuisine for a reasonable price.

Days Two, Three and Four – 3 nights in Trincomalee

Trincomalee is a city with plenty to offer whether you’re a historian, adventurous soul or beach bum. Get here by taking a bus from Anuradhapura to Horowpothana (100LKR), walk up to the main road and turn right for about 100m before hopping on a bus to Trincomalee (86LKR). Again, ignore tuk-tuk drivers telling you there is no bus.

While you’re here:

  • Scuba Dive at Scuba Safari’s. If you’re here in the right season you can see whales and whale sharks.
  • Snorkel at Pigeon Island with basking sharks and turtles – expect to pay around 4,000LKR (£18.13). Not only is this an incredible experience, especially if you don’t fancy diving, but it’s a lovely day out at a national park. Put extra sun cream on your back and legs or risk not sitting down for a week.
  • Visit Crocodile Swamp. Arrive in time for sunset and you may also be treated to a herd of wild elephants. Please remember that these majestic creatures are wild animals and keep far away from them.
  • Visit the old Portuguese fort, Fort Frederick (Trincomalee Fort) & see the deer as well as the little wooden cradles women hang in the trees when they pray for a child. At the top of the hill stands the rebuilt Koneswaram temple, a colourful Hindu monument to Shiva. On the way down, stop at one of the stalls to enjoy a cool coconut and stunning views over Trinco town.

Where to stay: Wanderers Hostel offers a tranquil haven with good atmosphere, hammocks and a friendly owner (Kiko) who organises trips with his guests. It was Kiko that brought us to Crocodile Swamp and we saw far more there than on our £60 safari to Yala National Park!

Where to eat: Try Trinco Lanka for delicious seafood, kottu and iced coffee milkshakes, Nina’s for budget local food or Café 18th for western smoothie bowls and hipster vibes.

Days Five and Six- Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Cave Temples

After visiting Fort Frederick, hop on a bus to Inamaluwa for 150LKR and from here get a tuk-tuk to your accommodation. Get an early night and set your alarm – the best way to avoid the heat while climbing is to start before sunrise! We opted to climb Pindurangala Rock instead of Sigiriya as we wanted the views of Lion Rock, and also wanted to avoid the tourists and another steep entrance fee. Pindurangala was 500LKR (£2.28) as opposed to £25 for Sigiriya.

After a bit of a scramble we made it to the top of the rock and watched as slowly everything was bathed in golden sunlight. Despite it being crazy o’clock it was a truly magical experience and the views over to Sigiriya were incredible.

After a leisurely coffee back at the hotel, head on to Dambulla Cave Temples. Entrance to the temples came in at 1500LKR (£6.85). The caves are situated at the top of a hill, and the 364 step climb is loud with the chatter of monkeys. The 2000 year old World Heritage Site’s ceilings and walls have been elaborately painted and filled with 153 intricate Buddha statues. From here get some lunch and then jump on a bus at the bus station to Kandy.

Where to Stay: We opted to stay at Thal Sewana Lodge as when we arrived the hotel we had booked was empty! Although slightly pricier than we would usually book (4,350LKR per room, £20), we felt it was worth it to not have to source a tuk-tuk in the morning. The landlady was extremely helpful and a fantastic cook too!

Days Seven and Eight – two days in Kandy

I’m not going to lie, you could definitely skip over Kandy. This busy city was by far my least favourite place in Sri Lanka. However, it’s a good place to base yourself if you want to explore the hill country on day trips and has some interesting spots to visit.

While you’re here:

  • Take a tour of a spice garden – we visited Ranveli Spice Garden. Spice gardens are free to visit and in our experience, despite talking us through the products they offered there was no pressure to buy. However seeing as cinnamon is my all-time favourite spice, it would be rude not to…
  • Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth – a beautiful buddhist temple believed to hold the tooth of Buddha!
  • Take a trip up to Bahirawakanda Vihara Buddha Statue or the Big Buddha. Nestled into the surrounding hills and nearly 23m high, the Buddha can be seen from nearly everywhere in Kandy.

Days Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve – 4 Days in Ella

I can’t help but get excited every time my chromecast shows me pictures of Nine Arch Bridge – I’ve been on that train! Ella is one of the most incredible places in Sri Lanka and I would happily have spent an entire week here. You might notice I’ve skipped out Nuwara Eliya, Adam’s Peak and The Knuckles Mountain Range – sadly there is not enough time to do everything and due to the altitude all of these areas must be seen for sunrise before the mist comes down. Why is it when I travel my bucket list gets longer not shorter?

Try and get the earliest train from Kandy to Ella for the same reason. Heralded as one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys, you do not want your views to be clouded. Read this guide for where to sit and which tickets to buy.

While you’re here:

  • Watch the sunrise from Little Adam’s Peak.
  • Climb Ella Rock.

This hour long hike (two hours from the town) offers views for miles over the local tea plantations and farms. At the top there is a local stall offering simple food and cold coconuts to enjoy while you soak up the view. I recommend downloading maps.me as the route is clearly marked there. Alternatively follow a local dog to the top…

  • Visit 9 Arch Bridge to catch the train going across over the rice plantations. With Harry Potter vibes, this architectural gem is reminiscent of the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland.
  • Visit a tea plantation – Lipton’s Seat is a popular trip for Ella’s visitors.
  • Ella town reminds me of Pai in Thailand, filled with cute little shops and hipster cafés and restaurants. While definitely catering to western tastes, there comes a point in your trip where all you want is avocado on toast.
  • Rent a scooter (if you have an international license) and go chasing waterfalls. Diyaluma Falls appear after a short hike through the trees, striking against the mountainous backdrop. Again, use maps.me and ignore locals telling you that you need a guide. Being the second highest falls in Sri Lanka isn’t the only appealing thing about Diyaluma – at the top of the falls there are numerous pools that would rival any fancy hotel’s infinity pools.

Where to eat: Matey Hut serves delicious Sri Lankan cuisine and even offers cooking classes. There’s often a queue to get in here but it is well worth the wait.

Days Thirteen-Eighteen – 5 Days in Arugam Bay

Ain’t no bae like A-Bay. Arugam Bay is a surfer’s paradise, and backs onto Kumana National Park, also known as Yala East. Arugam is also home to some of the most incredible sunsets I have ever seen in my entire life.

While you’re here:

  • Learn to surf. Kerry and I are both beginner surfers, having surfed a couple of times before in Bali.

We took 5 days of lessons with Dylan’s Surf Company and Chuchu had us pretty much catching our own waves by the end of it. The 5am starts were hard but sitting atop your board as the sunrises and the waves lap makes it all worth it. 5 days of 1-2 hour lessons (depending on conditions) worked out at 15,550LKR (£71.30) including rentals and tuk-tuk fees.

  • Go to a beach party at Mambo’s or Whiskey Point.
  • Watch the sunset at Elephant Rock – but stay out of the river as there are crocodiles there. From these heights, you can marvel over the insane local surfers doing headstands as they catch waves!
  • Rent a tuk-tuk and control your own safari in Kumana National Park. We saw numerous elephants from our tuk-tuk on the way to surfing spots.
Kerry and Billy all set to take off on our tuk-tuk safari.
  • Relax and reset. Sometimes you can end up needing a holiday after your holiday and A-Bay is just the place to rectify this. Rent a beach lounger, buy an iced coffee and play on the beach bars’ slack lines. And breathe…

Where to stay: Hipster’s Hideout offers comfortable shared dorms with private bathrooms. We paid about 1,375 LKR (£6.30) for a bed in a 4 bed dorm. The café serves delicious iced coffees and smoothie bowls and is the perfect place to relax.

Where to eat: AR Restaurant has a fantastic hummus wrap which goes down a treat after a long surf. Don’t shrug off the food trucks either – we got many delicious samosas from local vendors for pennies. There’s also a truck on one of the side streets near Mambos which sells guac & toast to start your day right.

Days Nineteen-Twenty Three – South Coast

From A-Bay we headed south to Mirissa. The south coast is traditionally more touristic than the east and was in monsoon season so we concentrated the least of our time here. However, the south still has a lot to offer, from white beach sands to leopard safaris, beach swings to dutch forts.

While you’re here:

  • Go on a safari. I’ve saved this for last as we opted for Yala National Park (the largest, busiest and most expensive safari) as we had been lucky enough to see a whole herd of elephants in Trincomalee, so wanted the best possible opportunity to see leopards. Nearly £60 later we’d seen some boars, buffalo and crocodiles; not an elephant or leopard in sight. Now this is not everyone’s experience – safaris are luck of the draw but my advice would be to go to whichever safari suits your budget and itinerary as there is no guarantee you will see what you want. We also felt Yala was too busy with there being traffic jams when our driver had word of a leopard nearby.

Visit Galle Fort and wander about the colonial buildings with ice cream in hand. See the blinding white lighthouse flanked by coconut trees and walk the walls of the fort.

  • Visit Coconut Hill in Mirissa.
  • See the wild turtles in Hikkadura (do your research before visiting the sanctuary, we felt it was not as ethical as advertised) – there is a local man who will try to give you seaweed for the turtles and encourage you to get close although he does discourage you from touching them or entering with sun cream as this can harm the turtles.
  • Get a massage (we paid 3,000LKR for a 90 minute massage)
  • Enjoy some beers and play on the rope swing at Unuwatuna Beach (500LKR for 5 swings).

Chat to the owners of the bar – while we were there they had collected all the turtle eggs that had been laid on the beach and hatched them. They were waiting for the babies to be strong enough to be released collectively into the ocean. Seeing baby turtles is not an experience I’m likely to forget soon!

  • Cry because you’re going home.

Where to stay: During off season the south is very quiet. We opted to take advice from fellow travellers who had just been down south and stayed at JJs hostel in Mirissa then Rockstel in Unawatuna.

Where to eat: R&R in Mirissa does delicious kottu and roti, as does Dewmini Roti Shop.

I have to say that Sri Lanka is probably my favourite trip to date. We found that in general the locals were extremely welcoming, the food was delicious and our daily expenses were cheap. I also loved navigating the country on local transport – in many other Asian countries it’s unsafe or challenging to do so. And Sri Lankan buses are a treat – the multicoloured lights, colourful decoration and blaring music make you feel more like you’re on a party bus than a local bus. They can be very crowded so it’s wise to travel against peak times to ensure room for you and your backpack.

Planning a trip to Sri Lanka? Let me know your trip plan in the comments!

Remember when travelling, you are a guest in another country and culture. Find out how to be welcomed warmly through responsible tourism.

How To Be A Responsible Tourist

Before You Go...

How To Be A Responsible Tourist

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It’s such a stark example of hypocrisy; I spend my life either being a tourist, or counting down the days until I can be again, and yet in my own city and my own country I find myself grumbling about the tourists and their obnoxious behaviour. Anyone who’s been to Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival can understand my irritation – a 10 minute walk up the Royal Mile can quickly become half an hour, weaving in and out of tourists who have stopped dead in their tracks to photograph some stunning building or to look at a map. So what does it mean to travel responsibly? How can we satisfy our wanderlust without being that tourist?

Table of Contents

Language and Culture

It will be unsurprising to many of you that language is on my mind. Before travelling to a new country, learn a few key phrases in the local language. If someone arrived to the UK and insisted on speaking to you in their native tongue we would consider it horribly rude. The locals will have greater respect for you and you may find a new love for the language – if nothing else it will be a useful tool at the markets.

Similarly, learn about the local culture. Adhere to their dress codes (I must admit, I find this one challenging as often it is the female body that is considered offensive; however it is important to respect the traditions of the country you are in) and their rules. For example, in Thai culture it is considered disrespectful to point at or turn your back to a buddha. Respect is mutual: your welcome in a country will be much warmer if you respect their culture.

Support the local economy

We’ve all been there: you’ve been travelling for a while so you miss your home comforts and the Starbucks on the corner is calling your name. However, in addition to be significantly more expensive and cutting into your trip budget; giving chain stores and restaurants your business only lines the pockets of some multi-millionare somewhere. Support the local economy wherever possible; staying at local guesthouses feeds money back into the community and has the added benefit of great local tips for restaurants and activities.

Consider your approach to bartering as well. It can be a huge surge in adrenaline when you get a brilliant bargain and walk away with two pairs of hareem pants for less than a pound, however consider a fair price. This will be significantly less than it is at home – noone is suggesting you pay £15 a pair but will that extra pound make a huge difference to you? In Bali for example, the minimum salary for a month is £126. To families on that salary an extra £1 will go a long way.

Single Use Plastics

This ones seems like common sense no? Say no to straws, plastic bags, bring a reusable bottle… but what does the reality actually look like? In much of Asia there isn’t the same culture around plastic as we have in the western hemisphere and it can be challenging to buy groceries that aren’t wrapped in miles of plastic. Pair that with the fact you can’t drink the tap water and it becomes a lot more complicated. Try asking before purchase for no plastic bag or straw, and check with your hostel if they have free drinking water. If not, try to buy large bottles of water to refill yours from.

There are also many opportunities to make a difference during your travels. Try getting involved with local clean up efforts – a great way to meet other people and to leave a positive trail behind you. Dive Into Travelling has an interesting post about her efforts joining in with #dailybeachclean during her time on Koh Tao. Read it here.

Transport

I would walk 500 miles… Consider your travel options and try to minimise flying as much as possible. It’s estimated that 2% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the aviation industry alone. While walking 500 miles isn’t a viable option for most people, taking a train or a bus has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than a plane or even taking a tuk tuk or taxi.

Where you can, try to walk or even rent a bike between landmarks. Kerry and I spent a (very sweaty) day cycling around the ruins of Anarudhapura in Sri Lanka and it’s one of the highlights of our trip. If the environmental benefit isn’t enough to convince you – try the financial cost. A bus from Luang Prabang (Laos) to Chang Mai (Thailand) cost us about £20 compared with over £100 to fly. In Sri Lanka we took 4-5 hour bus journeys for less than £2.

Animal Tourism

Animal tourism is one of the big moral dilemmas you will face while travelling, and can be more complex than it seems. We went to visit elephants in Thailand but put a lot of research into where we went. Some “no ride” sanctuaries cater to visitors in the morning while offering afternoon rides. One of the arguments in favour od these places is that as the laws in Thailand allow elephants to be owned, their owners will use them for worse means than tourists, such as logging. By having the tourist industry it allows their owners to profit from them without harming the animal.

Now where you stand on that is your own moral dilemma but please, please do the research. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka is one of the main destinations for tourists and looks amazing on instagram, but further research showed that the elephants are chained in the middle of the river and unable to move, in addition to allegations that their handlers treat them unfairly. For me, it wasn’t worth the risk of animal maltreatment and we opted for glimpses of them out of bus windows instead.

Volunteering

Similarly to animal tourism, make sure you do your research. There are a huge number of amazing projects out there that do wonderous things for the local people, but be wary of scams. I’ve heard numerous reports of orphanages in Cambodia where the children have been taken from their parents with well-meaning tourists donating towards the upkeep of the orphanage and where do you think that money goes?

Equally consider your skills. If you are volunteering to build a well – do you have any construction skills? Or would you be better suited to teach English or help with beach clean ups? I was once named and shamed in a blog about “white saviourism” for volunteering in a refugee camp. As a fully qualified teacher with a few years’ experience under my belt this was null and void, but raised valid questions about how helpful we are being. Are the locals going to have to tear down your shoddy well and rebuild it once you have left?

Read: Introducing the Karen People about my time in Mae Rah Moe Refugee Camp

Get off the beaten path

Overtourism is an issue with many areas groaning under the weight of more tourists than local residents. In these instances the infrastructure isn’t there to support the demand for services. Bali is not the tropical paradise you see on instagram, instead of being left speechless by incredible nature I was appalled by the number of cars on the road. It took us 3 hours to go the 20km from the airport to our hostel. Instead, try to find some hidden gems. Stay overnight in areas that usually form part of a day trip – a highlight of my Bali trip was the week we spent on Nusa Penida enjoying the peace and quiet away from the bustle of millions of tourists on the mainland.

In summary, just be sound and do your research. How do you try to be a responsible tourist? Let me know in the comments what steps you take.

If you enjoyed this post, why not check out some of my destination blogs?

Read: Where to next?

Scotland

Top 10 NC500 Highlights

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Scotland’s answer to Route 66, North Coast 500 was launched in 2015 to attract more tourists to the magnificent north coast of Scotland. The 516 mile trip starts in Inverness, heads up north to John O’Groats, bears west across to Durness then turns south back down to Applecross before returning east to Inverness. It can be completed clockwise or anti-clockwise and is a wonderful starting point for many trips further afield across to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Skye.

It must be noted that the NC500 is largely comprised of narrow and single track roads which have ‘passing places’ to allow vehicles to overtake or pass each other in opposite directions, and have an etiquette along with them. Please make sure to familiarise yourself with how to drive on such roads, as well as with the Outdoor Access Code which applies to wild camping and parking camper vans. These areas, although sparsely populated belong to the locals and all attempts should be made to be respectful tourists during your visit.

I have had the distinct pleasure of completing the NC500 twice – once in April and once in August. I’ve comprised a list of my top 10 highlights for the NC500. For me, the beauty of Scotland’s untamed wilderness is largely found in long hikes, but given the temperamental weather here in Scotland not quite as much hiking was done as desired!

  1. Stac Pollaidh
  2. Sandwood Bay
  3. Wailing Widow’s Waterfall
  4. Bone Caves
  5. Ceannabeinne Beach
  6. Smoo Cave
  7. Duncasby Stacks
  8. Dunnet Head
  9. Bealach na Bá
  10. Dunrobin Castle

1. Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh is definitely one of the most beautiful walks we took during our road trip – perhaps it was the unseasonably warm weather, but this relatively easy hike has unrivaled views across Assynt and Achiltibuie. Reaching the true summit requires a challenging scramble which we did not manage – the path is unclear and a little daunting although there were a few folk looking statuesque, lording over their kingdom from the summit.

2. Sandwood Bay

Located just south of Durness, Sandwood Bay boasts beautiful sand, tropical turquoise waters and the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life. Don’t let the colour of the water fool you however – the North Sea is absolutely baltic and not at all the refreshing dip in the water you hoped for! Access to the beach is granted after a gentle 4 mile walk which we completed with all our camping equipment in order to wild camp there that evening. I would strongly recommend double checking you have everything to avoid adding an extra 4 miles to your journey when you realise you forgot the stove…

This photo was taken at 10pm…

3. Wailing Widow’s Waterfall

There is something enchanting about this 15m waterfall. Legend has it that a young man was out hunting when he fell to his death from the top of the falls. Distraught with grief, the following day his mother took herself to the falls and threw herself off to be reunited with her lost child. The falls are not found on Google Maps, but can be accessed by Loch na Gainmhich. There’s a parking place just around the bend of the A894 (coordinates here) which leads into a gorge – a short walk down there leads you to the bottom of the falls. Alternatively, you can reach the top of the falls by parking up by the lake and traipsing across the boggy land.

4. Bone Caves

My expectations for Bone Caves were far too high – I read that polar bear and reindeer skulls were found here and in my head, that meant they were still there. Oh how wrong I was, rather than relics of eras past, the only thing we found in the caves was evidence of a camper who couldn’t quite wait to get to the toilet… Why exactly are these on my list? Well, if you hadn’t gathered by now, I love a walk. And this walk takes you through a stunning U-shaped valley, bringing me back to high school geography where we learned about glaciers shaping the terrain of our country and to be honest, that’s pretty fricking cool. The route begins beside a gently murmering stream, past rushing waterfalls and steeply up a hill to the dens of animals long extinct on this island.

5. Ceannabeinne Beach

Ceannabeinne Beach is found just before Durness and is the perfect wild camping spot – be careful as during summer this fills up fast. Parking can be found just across the road and you can easily pitch up in the grass. There’s not much more relaxing than watching the sun go down with a beer in hand and waking up to the sound of waves lapping the shore. In the morning stop off at Cocoa Mountain in Durness for luxuriously rich, creamy hot chocolate and home made treats sure to warm your freezing bones.

6. Smoo Cave

About 5 minutes drive from Ceannabeinne beach you reach Smoo Cave, the largest sea cave in the UK. In the summer you can hop on a boat and take a tour through the cave run by local cavers for only £6. It’s worth not only taking the tour but also walking up to the top (on the opposite side of the road) where you can watch the waterfall into the second cavern.

7. Duncansby Stacks

A trip on NC500 would be incomplete without heading up to John O’Groats. Just a short drive east brings you Duncansby Head where you will park up next to the light house. A well-trodden path across the fields gives way to the impressive sea stacks, home to thousands of seabirds including puffins in the correct season. Not that we’ve ever been lucky enough to spot them despite visiting twice, but I’m not bitter…

8. Dunnet Head

Ok, if I’m honest there’s not a lot at Dunnet Head. It’s a great spot for bird-watching if that tickles your fancy, but the real pull to it is that it’s the most northern point of mainland Britain. We also wild camped on the road up here in the hopes we would see the northern lights but had no such luck.

9. Bealach na Bá

Bealach na Bá (The Cattle’s Pass) has the greatest ascent of any road in the UK, despite only being the third highest road in Scotland. Laden with hairpin turns and gear-grinding hills, I haven’t actually driven it; preferring instead to blast ‘500 miles’ and ‘If It Wisnae Fur Yer Wellies’ while Kerry does the hard part. A viewpoint at the highest point rewards you with breathtaking views over to Skye before the steep descent into the sleepy village of Applecross – where we wild camped on the beach. Be sure to check out The Walled Garden for great coffee and bacon rolls (among many more gourmet options for lunch and dinner).

10. Dunrobin Castle

As you might have noticed from the rest of the ‘must-see’s on my list, I’m not really one for architecture. I do however, fancy myself a bit of a princess and Dunrobin’s round towers and conical turrets are straight out of a fairy-tale. Does the owner have any sons? Asking for a friend.

The truth is, 10 highlights really isn’t enough for NC500. There are so many beaches that would make you swear that you were in a tropical country (so much so that Thailand actually used a picture of one in their tourist guide – don’t believe me?) as well as beautiful road-side stops, delicious restaurants and quaint villages that it’s impossible to create the perfect itinerary. My advice? Choose one or two main landmarks a day that you want to visit, and leave yourself plenty of time to detour at your leisure. You never know what you might find…

Planning a trip round NC500? Let me know where you’re planning to go in the comments, or drop me an email on theflightinstinct@gmail.co.uk.

Why not check out my post on trekking in Laos – a magical country with rugged mountains and their own version of whiskey!

Read ‘Trekking in Laos – Waterfalls, leeches and lao-lao whiskey’
iceland, Where to next...?

Itching for Iceland

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All this time stuck inside due to The-Virus-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named has got my feet itching. I had a number of upcoming trips cancelled and further ahead ones up in the air. While I know there are much more serious consequences of our current situation, my experience has got me reminiscing about simpler times…

Like a time where I, stressed upon my return to teaching after a year of adventures, spontaneously booked a flight to Iceland, made friends with 3 strangers, rented a car together and went exploring around the island, chasing those elusive northern lights. I thought I’d take this time with a captive audience to share some of my favourite places and hopefully inspire some of you to get out, get abroad, and get adventuring when all of this is over.

I have to say that Iceland is one of my favourite places I’ve ever been. The barren volcanic landscape, interspersed with glacial lagoons, thundering waterfalls, powerful geysers and towering cliffs is nothing short of magical. I do however have two main tips for budget travellers like myself: buy booze in duty-free in your own country, pack a few packets of super-noodles/tinned tomatoes and get the hell out of Reykjavik. I think my whole trip there cost about £500 for a week (including having to rebook flights, but that’s a story of my idiocy that need not be shared). So without further ado, here are some of my “must-see” recommendations.

Things to Do
Landmarks to See
Places to Stay

Things to do

Two mexicans, a german and an irish girl get in a car. Sounds like the start of a semi-racist joke but these were my amazing travel companions who must be mentioned. After being chased by the police for a short while (turns out it’s illegal to drive without lights on in Iceland, even during the day) we arrived our first stop: Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River. We didn’t make it to the Blue Lagoon due to the extortionate entry-fee (£60? No thanks.) Anyone who knows me will know that I am never happier than when in the great outdoors, and this pleasant 1 hour hike definitely made me happy.

  • A very content me, prior to smearing thermal mud all over my face for that “Blue Lagoon” experience. Please note I had no reason to do this and I don’t even know if the mud is good for your face.

A meandering gravel path leads you gently uphill between hot springs that you could happily make a cup of tea with if it weren’t for the smell until arriving in view of the steaming thermal river. The further upstream you go, the hotter it is.I would recommend wearing your swimming costume there as this is very much wild and the small wooden slats afford little privacy; as one might expect in Scandinavian culture! It was not particularly busy here, however we did notice a small group of young men with beers which seemed like an excellent idea – just remember: take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints!

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Reykjadur Thermal River in all its glory.

At Skaftarhreppur there is a short, steep walk up to the top of the twin waterfalls (Systrafoss), where you can see a beautiful flat lake that comes with its own local myth. I’ll not spoil it for you (i.e. can’t remember it!) so you will have to make it to the top to find out for yourselves. The path begins by the hotel and brings you past a traditional icelandic dwelling before continuing upwards.

  • Traditional Icelandic Dwelling marking the beginning of the walk.
  • Systrafoss. Sadly it was dusk when we arrived but the falls are beautiful nonetheless, don’t you think?

Of course, there is only one real reason that anyone would go to Iceland during Autumn/Winter and that is to chase the notoriously elusive Northern Lights. I am lucky enough to live in a country where they can be seen, but despite years of trying I have never managed to catch them in Scotland. While there are many organised tours to take you to see the Aurora, for the budget traveller I offer an alternative. Using the app ‘Aurora’ you can see the likelihood of seeing them, cloud cover and where in the world they are currently dancing. Skip to me, lying in bed, pissing off my new travel companions saying “It says that they’re here, but there’s 40% cloud cover, maybe they’re dancing, maybe we can see them, it’s all I want on this trip…” until Andrea broke. “Just go and look out the window for fuck’s sake and then we can all get some sleep.” Minutes later we are all stampeding out the door, mesmorised by the shifting grey-green lights in the sky. I can honestly say that it is one of the most incredible sights I have ever experienced. I would like to note however that they do not appear green as you would see on a camera and you need a camera with long exposure in order to capture them. However, some things should be experienced with the eyes, and not through a screen; something that I am terribly guilty for.

Landmarks to See

It is impossible to drive around the corner in Iceland without coming across some majestic, foaming waterfall. I won’t bore you all with rambling passages describing each of their incredible features, but I will add a wee photo gallery for you here. A photo says a thousand words as the saying goes. However I would like to add a note here: please don’t feel you must see everything in the “Golden Circle”. While many of the landmarks there are truly magnificent, there are equally beautiful and significantly less populated landmarks further afield; the Golden Circle landmarks have been named due to their beauty but also their proximity to Reykjavik and the ability to do them in a daytrip.

  • Bruarsfoss
  • Gullfoss
  • Seljalandsfoss
  • Oxarárfoss – by far the best picture I’ve ever taken.

Vik’s black sand beach – Reynisfjara – is like nothing you’ll have ever seen before. Unless you’ve already been to a volcanic beach, in which case it’s still pretty cool. We’re used to seeing blinding white sand, deep turquoise waters with the sun bouncing off and dazzling the eyes; but this could not be more different. To me, there was something fascinatingly ominous about the deep, black sand and the dark, geometrical caves. It serves as a reminder of who is really in charge – Mother Nature – through the evidence of eruptions past.

If you’ve ever been to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland you’ll be reminded of it as the cliffs are lined with hexagonal stones – perfect for pretending you’re in a band.

If you have the time to make it further afield, Jokulsárlón glacial lagoon is well worth a visit. Diamond icebergs glitter in the water as the glacier looms in the distance. Seals can be spotted in the lagoon, their heads bobbing up above the water in between their hunt for fish. There are boats available to take you into the lagoon (at considerable cost), but the shore provides a stunning opportunity to stretch your legs.

  • Has anyone ever been so happy?

Thingvellir National Park is home to the breath-taking Oxarárfoss waterfall pictured above at sunset. If you can coordinate the timings, try to go just before sunset as I genuinely believed at that point how the country can be full of mystical tales of fairies and omnipotent gods. The golden light was resplendent as it bounced off the surrounding rocks, basking the whole site in a magical glow… I nearly burst into song but I was afraid that would scare everyone off. Thingvellir also allows you to walk between the tectonic plates dividing two continents, which move apart roughly 2.5cm per year.

  • Touching two continents at once.

Finally on my list of landmarks is the west of Iceland. Any Game of Thrones fans out there will recognise Kirkjufell. Kirkjufell erupts out of the flat landscape, watching over the small village of Grundarfjordur. While we were there we saw a couple getting their wedding photos taken at Kirjufellfoss – can you imagine a more beautiful location? There are a number of beautiful walks and stops to take on route here – but the road itself is worth the journey. Every corner you turn brings with it scenery that would bring a smile even the most cantankerous human.

Places to Stay

As a traveller on a shoe-string budget, my travel recommendations are based solely upon my own experience and budget. I receive no commission if you decide to book these places. When I travel I largely stay in hostels, however due to having a small group of travellers we were able to stretch out to some small self-catering places. We all booked using booking.com and were able to build up discounts by sharing the app with each other and getting initial booking discounts – it’s worth checking if anyone in your party doesn’t already have the app in order to save a bit of cash.

Hellisholar Cottages are quaint self-catered cottages close to Seljalandsfoss. The cottages sleep 4 comfortably and there is a restaurant onsite if you can’t be bothered cooking. I think this worked out about £30 each – less with our discount. Click here to see the booking.com page.

  • Hellisholar Cottages

West Park Guesthouse is located on the road to Hellissandur, and due to its remote location is perfect for viewing the northern lights – not that they decided to show up while we were there. While not the most luxurious of places to stay, it was self-catered, cheap, clean and the staff were friendly. Plus we had the whole house to ourselves which added to the appeal. Click here for the booking.com page.

Galaxy Pod Hostels in Reykjavik is a slightly more expensive hostel than I would usually go for (£36 for a bed in a 24 bed dorm), but you get to sleep in a pod and feel like an astronaut so if like I did, you’ve a bit of spare cash at the end of your trip it’s worth splashing out for. Click here to see the booking.com page.

Where is on your Iceland bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

Enjoyed this post? Check out my post about Scotland’s north coast – laden with waterfalls to rival Icelands and some truly spectacular beaches, it should definitely be on your travel vision board!

Top 10 NC500 Highlights

Ramblings of a Wandering Mind

Daydream Believer

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I’m a dreamer, I always have been. Not in the typical gazing out of the window during lessons kind of way, rather in the over-think and plan everything in my mind kind of way.

Isn’t it funny how far a dream can go with a shaky foundation?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. As a stubborn redhead, brought up to believe she really can do anything she sets her mind to, when a dream pops up in that vast space between my ears, I decide it’s going to happen. If you were to ask anyone who knows me what my current dream is, I’m sure they would all tell you that I am desperate to move to South America to teach in an international school. They would probably even specifically mention Colombia.

So in the last couple of weeks and I’ve been firing out CVs to different international schools in South America. I then actually sat down and researched the cities in which I had applied. I’ve had my heart set on teaching in South America for about 5 years now, ever since I opted to take my Erasmus in Spain rather than going further afield (a boy may have been a deciding factor in that, look at how that worked out! Stay single boys and girls). And yet, as I read article after article, blog post after blog post, comment after comment I realized – I’m willing to sign away 2 years of my life on a dream I made 5 years ago because somebody else’s adventure seemed greater than mine.

Because that is the truth of it. I want my adventure to be the biggest, the best, the most exciting. Not for Instagram, or to make other people jealous, but to prove to myself that I’m not scared, that I can do anything that I put my mind to. But let me tell you something, I am scared. A city where it rains 50 more days in the year than it does in the UK? A city where it’s 4 times more crowded than London? (Which I hate, incidentally). A city whereby there is a real risk of being robbed at gunpoint**? No thanks. Or, alternatively, to a beautiful smaller city (albeit still 4 times the size of Edinburgh), with lovely surroundings and opportunities for adventure, but taking a crazy huge pay cut for what will likely be significantly more work? (Those private schools really like to get value for money I’ve heard).

It’s crazy when I think of many of the life decisions I’ve made that have been built on dreams I’ve whipped up out of thin air. A lot of my choices have happened simply because I told somebody once that I wanted to do it, and then it became a challenge in my mind, something to complete and tick off. I’ve always lived by the motto that if something scares you, it means that you will grow from it and therefore, you should probably do it. So far, these have all lead to incredible experiences, even if they occasionally lead to me having periods of crying, trying to remember why I decided this was a good idea. Flashback to being 15, sitting on a plane to go and live in Spain without my parents, brother or friends and suddenly realizing that I did not speak a word of Spanish. To moving to Wales to go to university, 2 trains, a boat and a bus away from anyone I knew. To muddling through my first year teaching, crying every night because it was such a challenge. To deciding to volunteer in a refugee camp where there would be no flushing toilets or electric showers. You get the gist of it; I cry a lot.

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Another adventure done on a whim – au pairing for summer of 2010 with one of the kindest families I have ever met. (Hey guys, if you’re reading!)

So what now? I guess now is time for my next challenge – to decide what my next dream really is. Should I stay in Scotland, and spend all my school holidays backpacking, or give up material goods in the name of adventure?

…Or should I follow my new dream, as of 10 minutes ago, to live and work in the Falkland Islands?

Does anyone else plan their life based on loosely formed notions like this? Let me know in the comments below!

**I am aware that times are a-changing and that South America is a significantly safer place than it was a few years ago! However the risk is still significantly higher than here in the UK, and I’m not the most switched on of travellers….

Laos, Where to next...?

Trekking Laos: waterfalls, leeches and lao-lao whiskey

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Laos is probably one of the most scenic countries I have ever visited – second to Scotland, of course – so during our short 8 day trip there, we decided to get off the beaten track and get up those mountains, and boy were we glad we did.

We did a lot of research prior to beginning our hike as is our tendency, and decided we were going to mosey on up to Nong Khiaw and do a two day trek with a local home-stay included. There are a few companies who do these treks, so make sure you have all the info you need. While we had a positive experience, there were some factors about our journey which took us by surprise.

The day started at a local restaurant – 45 minutes later my muesli finally arrived and I wolfed it down to head off to the office to get started. We were introduced to our lovely young guide, Peng. ‘It means expensive in English, you call me expensive’ he repeated over and over again. This young man was certainly full of energy, and we were able to ask him a lot of questions about Laotian culture and traditions which we would perhaps not have felt comfortable asking an older person.

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Views from the boat as we set off!

Off we wandered down to the river’s edge, and hopped into a narrow, really rather rocky boat. I cannot explain to you how beautiful the scenery was, meandering down the Nam Ou river between rugged green mountains on either side. Along our little journey we watched young monk novices playing in the river while the elder monks bathed, families paddling by on their boats and local fishermen trying to catch that night’s supper. We also saw the heartbreaking pollution as plastic bags and tetra-packs floated down the river alongside us getting tangled in the tree roots at the river’s edge- completely unavoidable in South-East Asia, no matter how remote you think you are. Little reminder to say no to unnecessary plastic while travelling – does your take-away coffee really require a carrier bag?

Our boat pulled up on the banks and were greeted by a tiny village where we sat and had a cold drink before beginning our trek up the 100 waterfalls. Joined by a lovely french couple, we were impressed as their tour guide seamlessly switched from English, French and Laotian. Here we were greeted by a local guide who joined us on our trek, bringing up the rear of the group to make sure everyone got up all right. As we walked along Peng and the local guide (I’m afraid I don’t remember his name!) picked bits and pieces to supplement our lunches, including banana leaves to use as plates, and a strange berry that we all thought was disgusting but they were delighted by.

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Kerry trekking through the falls!

The hike was lovely, we got to climb up and through the waterfalls clinging onto a rope at some points. For the relatively fit, this hike is no bother at all and only took a couple of hours. For the less fit, the French couple were certainly older, probably about 50/60 and they took the walk at a more leisurely pace, supported by walking sticks their guide scavenged for them among the fallen branches. They also took an alternative route to climbing through the waterfall. Unfortunately going in wet season meant that there were leeches aplenty, and as I decided the clever idea was to wear my hiking sandals so that I could see them if they latched on, rather than closed toe shoes, meant that I was the lucky recipient of a wiley leech who hid himself under the strap of my sandal for a good 20 minutes. Thankfully after 30 seconds of me screaming like a little girl, Peng came to the rescue and flicked it off nonchalantly with a stick. Not my best “strong independent female” moment.

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The 100 Waterfalls

At the top of the waterfall we stopped for a lovely home cooked lunch which could have fed a small army. Huge portions of rice carefully wrapped in banana leaves to keep them warm and clean gave us sustenance for the (significantly easier) walk down. We hopped back into the boat to visit local caves where the Laotian people hid during a relatively recent war. Unfortunately Peng did not have many details for us on what the war was about or who was involved, but we did see the remnants of old war bullets and parts of bombs, as well as hundreds of bats swooping around the ceiling.

In the evening we had a lovely meal with our host family – trés spicy but delicious despite my tongue wanting to fall off – and wandered into a local wedding. This was absolutely hysterical, we lost our guide and were gestured to sit among benches of villagers who had started the drinking a few hours previously… we were then brought inside and got to give money bracelets to the happy couple. In Laotian tradition when a couple get married you tie string bracelets on their wrists and tuck a few notes inside to get them started. The couple then proceeded to keep filling up our cups with beer, then, as always, one person broke out the lao-lao whiskey – a distilled rice spirit of questionable and highly varying percentage – which kept getting passed around. I had a very strange exchange with a lovely older man who was intent on explaining every detail of the traditions to me, despite not having a word of English but not wanting to pause for Peng to translate, or allow me to look at him begging for help! And, not unsimilar to western weddings, we left as the groom vomited down a gap in the bamboo slats of the house. Some traditions really don’t understand land or sea borders!

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We dragged ourselves out of bed the next day to recommence our trek through other tribal villages where we were greeted by more local children who dropped everything to guide us to the waterfalls. This was a huge culture shock for us – 5 children, between about 4 and 10 years old just ran off on a two hour hike without any word to their parents. It just reminds us the level of bubble-wrapping that goes on with western children – sometimes with good reason as you can’t just trust the random foreign strangers who walk into your village in the UK, but it’s a sad fact that we can’t. As Peng explained “The children here, they raise themselves.” These kids hopped into the waterfall to play, and sped off home as soon as they heard the distant rumble of thunder, squabbling the whole way down. I can honestly say the return trip on the boat was less than enjoyable as we got thoroughly soaked to the skin as the heavens opened. Well, I got soaked to the skin. I got off the boat to find my two travel companions had been quietly handed ponchos while I was sat breaking the rain in the front seat…

This trek was a fantastic experience, and although the second day was mainly trekking along dirt-roads as opposed to through the mountains, we were told this was to avoid the tangle of leeches found on those paths at this time of year. We got a lovely insight into the local tribes and their way of life, as well as a bit of a reality check – while we’re off travelling the world, taking out 2,000,000 laotian kip to last us 5 days in Laos, there are families in the villages earning 5,000,000 kip a year, as a good wage. Despite the obvious discomfort and white-privilege guilt that presents, is this not what travelling is about, expanding our knowledge and giving us opportunities to re-frame our thinking?

What do you think the purpose of travel is? What can we do to travel respectfully and support local communities? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Mae Ra Moe Refugee Camp, Thailand

Introducing: the Karen People

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*Disclaimer, this post is speaking generally and does not reflect the experience of all Karen people in Myanmar. I am by no means an expert, and my knowledge is based almost purely on discussions with refugees in Thailand.

Ever heard of the Karen people? Nope, me neither.

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Beautiful scenery in MRM refugee camp

One of the ways that we try to keep our costs down whilst backpacking is by getting involved in volunteering projects that offer food and lodgings in exchange for a few hours work a week. We stumbled upon Project Kare on Workaway.info and thought that this would be an incredible opportunity to give back and extend our thinking whilst swanning around the world on our ‘gap yeahhr‘. Through Project Kare we organised to spend two weeks volunteering in Mae Ra Moe Refugee Camp in Thailand, about 6 hours from Chiang Mai. After a lovely three-way Skype chat with Ron where he filled us in on the real-life practicalities of being in a refugee camp, we officially signed up to teach in Bible School (third-level education, the students are studying to receive a Bachelor’s in Theology). Ron kept in touch in the 6 weeks before we arrived, letting us know all and any steps that we needed to take, and putting us in touch with the other volunteers we would be arriving with as well as some past volunteers who could give us hints and tips.

Quick history lesson for you: the Karen people are one of the largest ethnic tribes in South East Asia – about 5-7 million. They hail from Karen State, (Kawthooli in Karen) in Myanmar and have been at war with the Burmese government since 1949. Yup, it’s one of the longest standing civil wars in history, and most of us have never heard of it. Over 150,000 Karen have left Myanmar and are now in refugee camps in Thailand and further afield. And have been. FOR SIXTY YEARS.

What’s the war about? Well, the Karen People want Karen State to be an independent nation. I have to be fully honest here: I do not understand the full extent of the development of the conflict. Despite all my googling and reading, everything is a little fuzzy. Some of this is due to a lack of reliable information – even when trying to establish the population of Karen people in Myanmar, one link suggested the last reliable census was taken in 1931. We did however have the distinct pleasure of meeting the lovely Steph, a politics major based in Washington University who has spent a lot of time in Mae Ra Moe and was able to help us with a few of the details. What I do know is that the Karen are persecuted in their own country, denied education and jobs. Many of the children in the camps are there with no family in order to receive an education.

 

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Professional Development Centre students preparing debates about the cost of education.

But the Karen people are so much more than their refugee status. They are resilient. Despite everything they have been through in Myanmar, when you speak to them they have a distinct sense of hope, and determination to end the conflict. We taught English in a Bible school to students from 17+ in their first year of further education. These classes were both hysterical and eye-opening in equal measure. Many students were so driven to learn English in order to emigrate to the USA, fuelling our hatred of President Trump as new laws stopped students who previously would have been reunited with their parents and siblings from having this opportunity. Others wanted to return to Karen State to join the KNU (Karen Nationalist Union who also have an armed wing) and fight for their nation, while others still just wanted to join a missionary to share their truth with the world. What about this was hysterical? The conversations we had, the terrible, terrible Scottish ceilidh dancing and teaching the conditional tense through many, many rounds of ‘Would you rather?’ Not a day went by in that classroom where we weren’t in stitches laughing at least once.

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Receiving our gifts on our last day.

They are generous. The Karen in Mae Ra Moe treated myself and Kerry like queens. We were escorted everywhere, students insisting on carrying our bags; cooked for (despite our begging them to please let us help, they were probably well aware we would be far more of a hinderance than a help, having very limited experience cooking over an open flame!) and cleaned up after; if they noticed we bought ourselves something, they would make sure they had it for us the following day as well. It’s not just foreigners that are treated this way; but all guests. Two guest Karen Theology teachers working in the camp for two months received the same generosity and respect.

Their generosity does not just extend to food and hospitality. We met one amazing woman who, as it turns out, did not need to relocate to a refugee camp. Her husband came to work on a church missionary, and they decided as a family that they wanted to do more for their people, despite the obvious upheaval for them and their children. They both work to educate the students, teaching them English and theology and are now unable to freely and safely return home to visit friends and family as they would be persecuted.

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A house in MRM.

They are innovative. So here’s the thing. Typical privileged white girl speaking (or rather, typing) and I have ZERO knowledge of refugee camps. Yes, I have seen the news, the ads for charity and pictures online, but nothing prepared me for this. All we see are starving, dirty children crying next to ramshackle huts. This may be the case in some camps but it is not the case in Mae Ra Moe. Seeing as how the camp has been around for 20+ years and houses 20,000 people (the largest has existed for 60 years and boasts a population of about 60,000), the people have used their skills to build a community. There is a hydroelectric generator for electricity and little wifi huts. The houses are bamboo, but they’re sturdy, and some people have tvs. While Steph was doing her interviews for her thesis one comment stuck out in particular. She asked how the first refugees in MRM build a sense of community, and the man answered ‘There was so much to do. We had to work together to build the village. We didn’t have a choice.’

So, now the scene is set. My English teacher always said that was very important. If you’re reading this Mr. E, let me know how I did. Typed preferably, that handwriting was like cracking a spy’s code…

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Conversation circles at Bible School – a little like pulling teeth at time!

Camp was a HUUUGE culture shock for us. Our contact, Ron (co-founder of Project Kare, a charity to help support the Karen people) had tried to warn us what it would be like. Even after two weeks of backpacking, with our new and significantly lowered standards, it was a shock. We were the lucky owners of a Western toilet! It did still need a pail to be flushed but was very convenient when a certain travel buddy of mine – I won’t name her to try and maintain her dignity- caught a stomach bug. Pail showers were fun. I kept forgetting that due to the painful amount of rain – I swear to God I kept expecting an arc to rock up – the electricity was off and I had to shower in the dark. Refreshing and shocking every time.

We also weren’t quite braced for how religious the Karen people are. While Karen people follow many religions, the majority are Christian. Very Christian. Being asked as a first introduction whether we believed in God and why not, had we read the Bible? never failed to shock us. However it was all well-meaning and led to some very interesting conversations. Interactions between boys and girls are really interesting to watch – even as young adults there is a playful innocence about them. We gave up trying to have male/female partners for ceilidh dancing and there was absolute hysteria when one boy put his arm around our shoulders for a photo on the last day.

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Kerry and I with our Bible School class on our final day.

When we left our students created a beautiful ceremony for us. It involved a speaker announcing in Karen what would be happening (kindly translated by the teacher), songs played on a guitar and sung by individuals and the class, being escorted up and down the room for gifts and speeches – one girl, in tears thanked us for our time and apologised for when they are bad and make us angry, something that never happened! We were given a Karen shirt, necklace and bag, another Karen bag from a different class and one of the girls who took care of us literally hand-weaved a beautiful embroidered traditional shirt for us while we were at work. I can barely even sew a badge on my backpack.

I wish that I could share with you all of the funny stories, experiences and phenomenal characters that we met while in MRM, and maybe over time I will, but for now I will leave you with this:

The Karen people need our help. Those in refugee camps are given provisions by the Thai government but not allowed into Thailand. They cannot even work the field for a few pennies for a local farmer without running the risk of being arrested. And we won’t talk about what happens in Thai prison. Not only are the police dangerous, but the environment. In our time there, three young men went to work at a local farm to earn some money, and took the long route back across the river to avoid being caught. The rain had made the river rapid, and two of them were washed away along with all the money they had worked for. During rainy season, the schools wash away and need repaired, the hospital does not have the provisions it needs and schools struggle to provide even the most basic resources – students must find their own ways to purchase pens and paper. Most staff in the camps are volunteers, working unpaid for their shifts as teachers, doctors and camp management. If you have a few spare minutes please check out Project Kare’s website. If you’ll be in Thailand and would like to volunteer I urge you to – please feel free to hound me with questions via my email or on Instagram if you prefer!

Until next week!

About The Flight Instinct

The origins of my travel-bug

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You know that annoying child sat behind you on a long-haul flight, whining about being bored and kicking your chair? Yeah, that was me.

I’ve been travelling as long as I can remember.

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Ready for our first transatlantic move … some of us blatantly more excited than others.

By the time I was 8, we had lived in 10 houses and I had attended 6 different schools. I wasn’t quite so exotic as those military kids – our travels were based in the UK, Ireland, and the USA. We can all thank Poppa Hepburn and his career for this one.

So picture this, the perfect happy family road-tripping across America (or rather, two very frustrated and fed-up parents trying their best not to just open the car doors and get rid of the two arguing demons in the back seat), visiting beautiful landmarks such as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the 4 Corners where 4 states intersect, all the National Parks… and do you think I remember any of this? Nope. Turns out the memory of a 5-year-old is pretty similar to that of a goldfish.

“Where did she get it from?” My parents beg each other as they board the plane to relocate to Arizona, their nest finally empty with their two adult children having moved out. “We just don’t understand it!” They say on their 30-mile cycle around Italian lakes. “It must be from your side of the family.” My mother tells my father as they reminisce about their summer inter-railing around Europe as young adults.

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Me and my cousin hanging out at Mount Hood, very impatient to get back in the car so that we could continue reading Harry Potter…

I would argue that travelling is definitely in my blood. No matter what my parents say, they have wandering spirits too – Dad had the option to accept a post in Ireland or to travel to the other side of the world to an arid landscape with his family, which would entail further relocations over the years. His reasoning? ‘We looked at the weather forecast in Arizona, and it was like nothing we’d ever experienced before – 40 degrees Celcius with 0 humidity? We had to go.’ Boom. Traveller. His first realization of what they had done arrived when I was 14 and asked to go to Spain for half a year. ‘Sure,’ he replied naively, ‘if you sort it out yourself.’ You can bet your butt he didn’t expect me to do that. I’m sure my mother gave him quite the row that evening. Moral of the story for all you fathers out there – never underestimate the determination of your teenage daughter.

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Finding out how small I am at the Redwood Forest in San José.

Being exposed to all of this at such a young age has developed in me the sense of being a minute part of such an enormous world, and I want to see it all. It’s also made me a massive commitment-phobe, terrified of the concept of a mortgage and a job contract and not having the freedom to hop on a plane and run away to sunnier climates. It’s gotten to the point where travelling has become almost instinctual for me – hence the blog’s original name The Flight Instinct (See what I did there?)

Trying to fit in with the locals at Saddleback Mountain.

With this in mind, I relocated to Edinburgh 3 years ago to finish my teacher training, and I love being based here and watching my little cousins grow up, going to dinner with my grandparents and settling into the city where my mother bought her first flat… so long as every few months I can run away from it all in search of new adventures. I hope you enjoy following my journey around the world and perhaps are inspired to commence a similar journey! And hey, perhaps if you’ve made it all the way to the end of this you’ll be interested in hopping on over to instagram and giving https://www.instagram.com/duskyfootprints a follow for regular updates on my travels!

I’ll just leave this here for you all… working on my instagram poses from a young age!

Finding my good side on Diamond Lake 💎[
Before You Go...

Pack It Up!

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Since returning from my 10 week trip to South East Asia – my first proper backpacking trip! – I’ve been inundated with messages from friends planning similar trips. One of the messages I get time and time again (and I sent to all my backpacking friends before leaving!) is ‘HELP ME! How the hell do I pack for 3 months in a BACKPACK!’ Well, ladies and gentlemen, your prayers are answered, here lie the contents of my backpack. If you’re already bored, scroll on past the list for my top tips – hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Table of Contents

Ready...Steady...
Ready, set, go! Here is my backpack, fully packed and ready for a map to jump out and send me on an adventure. (Dora the Explorer anyone?)

I have an Osprey 55l in S/M. I’m 5′ 1 1/4″ (the quarter is highly important) and weigh about 50kg so I had to find a backpack the right size for me. I went for the largest possible to fit my frame. My recommendation? Go smaller. 40l is what can be taken as carry-on which will save you a lot if you’re taking flights.

Suits and Boots

  • 10 pairs of pants (I got dragged into my research and invested in moisture-wicking underwear to fend off the sweaty crotch syndrome often suffered in the humid climate of SEA… while I didn’t suffer this humiliation, neither did my travel buddy, who is less susceptible to peer pressure and did not invest.)
  • 1 bra, 2 sports bras and 2 bralettes (I can honestly say the bra maybe got worn once #freethenipple)
  • 3 pairs socks
  • 11 shirts (Way too many, I only wore 5 of these!)
    • 3 sports tops
    • 2 vest tops
    • 2 nice(r) strap tops for going out
    • 1 short sleeved blouse
    • 3 crop tops
    • 1 thick strapped linen shirt.
  • 2 lightweight jumpers to cover up
  • 1 sweater
  • 1 pair of exercise leggings
  • 1 pair of harem trousers (embrace them, you will soon be living in pyjamas)
  • 1 pair of denim shorts
  • 1 pair of sports shorts
  • 2 maxi skirts
  • dungarees
  • 2 bikinis
  • 2 pairs of pyjamas
  • flip flops
  • hiking sandals
  • trainers

Bits and Bobs

  • passport
  • microfibre travel towel
  • travel pillow
  • sleeping bag liner
  • chargers and adaptors (I packed EU, US and UK chargers, you can buy a universal one but I had these lying about)
  • bank card, and back-up bank card, and back-up back-up bank card
  • passport photos for visas
  • USD for visas
  • jewellery
  • hairbrush and hair tyes
  • diaries and pens
  • Kindle Fire (gotta have me my Netflix for those infernal 23-hour bus journeys)
  • pack of cards
  • dry bags (I’ll write more about these later)
  • waterproof cover for my backpack

The Powder Room

  • 2x 400ml Boots Once Factor 50 3hr Protect and Swim (This ginger needs her protection)
  • 2x 50% DEET bug spray
  • 2x deodorant
  • LUSH solid shampoo
  • Soap bar
  • Toothpaste, toothbrush
  • Cleanser and Make-up Remover
  • Basic make-up bag
  • Perfume
  • Moisturiser
  • Basic first aid kit – hand sanitiser, paracetamol, plasters, allergy tablets, rehydration salts and prescribed medication
  • wet wipes and toilet roll
  • small ziplock with washing powder for handwashing underwear.

I need all that…?

As you can see, I packed everything but the kitchen sink. I have always been known as a terrible packer, and recently turned up for a 6 day trip down to Birmingham for a friend’s wedding with the same backpack rammed full. However, this does mean I feel fully qualified to tell you what is worth bringing, and what just to leave behind.

  • My first tip is DRY BAGS. These were recommended to us, and I can honestly tell you they were a life-saver. Or at least a comfort saver. Why were these so great? Well, my faithful readers, you may have heard about the humidity in SEA. In the UK we do have 98% humidity but IT IS NOT THE SAME. We found that the air was so hot and damp that anything left out of the dry bags got damp and would not dry. The other handy thing about dry bags is they also double as those infamous packing cubes you’ve been reading about on other travel blogs, and when you pack them and squeeze out the air they’re like little vacuum packs. Having everything categorised makes packing up at the end of your stay much faster as even when you’ve pulled everything out in search of that dress that will look just perfect for your Instagram feed; you’ve only actually disturbed a small portion of your bag.
  • As for toiletries, if you’re fairly confident in your appearance, ditch the make-up. I dragged mine all around SEA for 10 weeks and hardly wore it; backpackers don’t glam up. I did, however, get my eyelashes dyed (ginger eyelashes make you look like an alien; it’s highly attractive). The same goes for jewellery, straighteners, hair dryers etc. That hair is gonna be a frizzball no matter what you do, so own it girl.
  • Solid shampoo, conditioner and soap were also a huge convenience. They take up next to no space, and no plastic means you’re doing good for the environment.
  • If you have sensitive skin like me, it’s an idea to bring your suncream etc out with you, but realistically you can get everything you need there and it is mainly the same brands. Dry skin sufferers, take moisturiser unless you enjoy bleaching your skin because these cultures hate a tan. You’ll be swapping your Dove Golden Glow for Pearly White.
  • Logistics. Not sexy but very important. I would definitely recommend bringing USD as it’s cheaper than paying for VISAs in local currency. Having passport photos ready also speeds up the process and avoids a cheeky unofficial fee from the guards.
  • My final tip is to take whatever you want to pack, and half it. Get your staples (denim shorts etc) and plan your outfits around that. Research where you’re going and pack appropriately for there – make sure you have cover-ups for going into temples.
...and so the adventure begins!
…and so the adventure begins! Kerry and I on the 5am bus to the airport on a surprisingly sunny day in Edinburgh.