For the first time in my life, I think I am more in tuned with how my body and mind and spirit feels and how external influences affects it. I never did before and never understood people who did.
We just spent Christmas and 5 days in Hong Kong with Bjorns family and my whole self is so much more affected by the experience than ever. For one, we just ate too damn much. And it wasnt just the huge quantities of food, but also the excessive rich nature of it all. Steak, foie gras, goose, lamb, sashimi, I dont know... everything indulgent you can think of that we can get in a wonderfully gastranomically leading city like HK. 3 huge meals a day, and between that, we just negotiated the madness crazy streets and shopping malls. Some say its ok to eat so much because we 'walked alot'. Makes sense, but I still didnt feel good. My jeans got tighter, my body heavier, more tired more sluggish. By the time we were on the plane back home, I was feeling edgy and was almost in tears every hour or so for no reason. I knew then, that I just wasnt feeling good. I felt disgusting. I felt I let myself down and made a pig of myself. I ate so much rubbish, unethical, rich food and gave nothing back. I didnt earn it, I didnt deserve it. It was all about getting to a restaurant, stuffing our faces, then waiting till the next time we're hungry enough to repeat the same. To think we were looking forward to this so much the whole 6 months we were wwoofing. We imagined all the delicious chinese food we'd be able to have and salivate. But now that we have it, I am feeling shit.
The other thing to do in HK is shopping. We didnt shop really, but we spent lots of time in shopping centres just walkinng around and waiting for the next meal. I got to see how people shopped, how I used to shop. Women in all shapes and sizes all trying to fill their lives with new nice things that will surely make them look prettier, express their personalities more, or whatever. At the swish 5 star hotel we stayed in, there were mirrors ALL OVER the room. Every possible surface was a full length mirror. Sure, it made the room look bigger, but it also made my thighs look bigger, my tummy rounder and everything else I was fine with before look not so fine. How clever, I thought. Put mirrors in these rooms to make women who just had a buffet lunch feel shitty about themselves so they can go out and shop themselves out of their misery. It was genius. For the economy. Wwoofing for the last 6 months in farms, we had so little access to mirrors and how wonderful that was. Sarah, our wwoof host in Cornwall said she prefers not to have mirrors in her house because she rather see her own reflection reflected back at her through the people in her life instead of through mirrors. I am only beginning to understand how that works now.
Back to food. For the last few weeks (and especially the last 5 days) ... I had no idea where all the meat, vegetable, rice, noodles I ate came from. I dont know which country they were flown from, how old they were when slaughtered, how they were slaughtered, whether they were male or female, how they lived. Whether the veg we ate were sprayed with what kind of insecticides, what kind of chemicals were added etc etc etc. All I know is that it tasted really really good. But it was good in a way that wasnt the same kind of goodness in knowing where it all came from. It was tasty, salty, fragrant etc. It was delicious, in the kind of familiar Singaporean way of describing good food. It was just about how it was cooked. Any information or background prior to the cooking method was not important. Inconsequential. Who cares?
Now I sit here, on our bed, writing this post, past midnight and I dont feel tired because I didnt and havent done any vigirous physical activity for a while now. Today I had
a) Pork chop curry with rice at the Char can tang this morning
b) Stir fried chicken with fungus and some greens with rice on the plane (the veg looked frightfully bright green. Almost luminous)
c) Bak chor mee (mee pok soup) from Bedok for dinner
GROSS.
But I had a choice! Why am I lamenting and bitching about what I put into my mouth when clearly, I can say NO THANK YOU and just eat a fruit or something. Of course I can. And I knew if I did, I probably be in a better off position right now, feeling great about myself. And that's the thing isnt it? I am not walking the walk. I can talk talk talk about saving the planet and all. But look at me. Look at us. We've been super eco sinners. I wanna cry. This is how we've been brought up. For most years of my life, this has been the way. My taste buds cant just change overnight. I crave this shit and I gave in. Its going to take time to unbrainwash ourselves. And I quote from my lastest favourite move - Avartar "We will teach him the way of the N'avi people. And we'll see if we can cure him of his insanity."
I see now that this so-called "normal life" we live of constant bingeing on excessive good food we think we're entitled to and shopping to fill our half-empty lives and nurture our insecurity is INSANE.
Today's Straits Times Home section talked about how wayward teen problems are rising. And it says that alot of teens from low income families turn to gangs and crime because they need to support their desire for branded goods and going drinking and clubbing. My heart sank. How different is this from turning to crime to support a drug addiction? The difference is that the ones that are benefiting from this isnt some drug lord but corporations that own those stupid brands and the government earning tax money from the alcohol and ciggarettes they buy.
These teens, were not unlike Bjorn and myself when we were kids. They just come from less privileged background and were misguided by this materialistic world they see. The only world they know. The only world we knew as well. This insane world.
Didn't expect this post to be so long. I'm not good at short and punchy I guess. But I had to get it off my chest. I think I feel tired enough to sleep now. I hope for dreams of the N'avi people as I sleep and maybe tomorrow morning, I will crave fruit and water only.
Monday 28 December 2009
Monday 21 December 2009
Singapore is a Freak of Nature
For all nature's history it was never possible for our species , or any species for that matter to be able to occupy a geographical space more than the space can sustain the people. This means we could never be more people on island than there could be food in that area to feed it.
That was until the industrial revolution changed everything, and made transportion of goods and trading a thing of norm. Thats the only way Singapore, a size of our island can 'sustain' all 5 million of us.
Without our airflown fruit and veg and meat from all over the world (more and more from further and further away like Australia, a good 5 hour to 9 hour flight away depending which part), Singapore would never be able to get so dense in population. All our food (and everything else) arrives in our airports and at our port. We're literally a freak of nature. No other country is really like us, we're the one of a kind. And 100% man made. And I think our accolade of having the largest man made waterfall in the world says alot about who we are and what we take pride in.
Most big cities are freaks of nature as well, but super metropolis like London and Tokyo at least still can probably get their food by trains, by bicycle or even by bloody foot if other oountries won't (or cant) sell us stuff anymore. But us in Singapore, we have no resources and we have no where to run if everything suddenly stops working and we stop receiving what we ordered.
Singapore is like the Titanic, an independant floating vessel carrying too many people than health and safety should allow, and surrounded by water. Both, too ambitious for its time. Charging forward too fast for its own good.
And seeing how we're developing recently, feels like the moments just before the Titanic sinks. All glitzy and flashy... hosting the Formula One (first night time formula race), buildings like the Singapore Flyer (biggest one at the moment) and ION (tallest residential building in the world), and opening 2 Integrated Resorts at the same time. Everyone living it up, oblivious to the disaster nature is about to unleash on us.
We gotta grow own food man. Who wants risk relying on the delivery guy for all the days of your life? It's crystal clear that to ensure a sustainable future, we got to quit relying so much on the whole import export thing. We're living in a very precarious situation here man. Dense as hell. 200 families living in one block. We're vertical slums. Even if we made every rooftop garden to grow food, every football field to veg plots, every green patch, will that we be enough?
If we're not careful, if we're not far sighted enough, Singapore might not survive the next 500 years. We did well for the last 150 or so. Will we just be short bright spark instead of a long warm fire in history books of the far future? I wonder. And how much longer will the spark be alight?
All I know is that I dont want to be around when we sink.
That was until the industrial revolution changed everything, and made transportion of goods and trading a thing of norm. Thats the only way Singapore, a size of our island can 'sustain' all 5 million of us.
Without our airflown fruit and veg and meat from all over the world (more and more from further and further away like Australia, a good 5 hour to 9 hour flight away depending which part), Singapore would never be able to get so dense in population. All our food (and everything else) arrives in our airports and at our port. We're literally a freak of nature. No other country is really like us, we're the one of a kind. And 100% man made. And I think our accolade of having the largest man made waterfall in the world says alot about who we are and what we take pride in.
Most big cities are freaks of nature as well, but super metropolis like London and Tokyo at least still can probably get their food by trains, by bicycle or even by bloody foot if other oountries won't (or cant) sell us stuff anymore. But us in Singapore, we have no resources and we have no where to run if everything suddenly stops working and we stop receiving what we ordered.
Singapore is like the Titanic, an independant floating vessel carrying too many people than health and safety should allow, and surrounded by water. Both, too ambitious for its time. Charging forward too fast for its own good.
And seeing how we're developing recently, feels like the moments just before the Titanic sinks. All glitzy and flashy... hosting the Formula One (first night time formula race), buildings like the Singapore Flyer (biggest one at the moment) and ION (tallest residential building in the world), and opening 2 Integrated Resorts at the same time. Everyone living it up, oblivious to the disaster nature is about to unleash on us.
We gotta grow own food man. Who wants risk relying on the delivery guy for all the days of your life? It's crystal clear that to ensure a sustainable future, we got to quit relying so much on the whole import export thing. We're living in a very precarious situation here man. Dense as hell. 200 families living in one block. We're vertical slums. Even if we made every rooftop garden to grow food, every football field to veg plots, every green patch, will that we be enough?
If we're not careful, if we're not far sighted enough, Singapore might not survive the next 500 years. We did well for the last 150 or so. Will we just be short bright spark instead of a long warm fire in history books of the far future? I wonder. And how much longer will the spark be alight?
All I know is that I dont want to be around when we sink.
Friday 18 December 2009
Guilty...
Tsk tsk tsk.
Since we've been back, we've not been very good. Here's a list of bad things we've been up to:
1. Have been driving the car everywhere.
2. The only walking we've done has been in shopping malls. (and to and from the car to our house)
3. Have been eating anything we see we like without any concern for its impact on the world. Lunch today was the 'freshest' salmon airflown from Norway.
4. We've been 'hiding' in our air conditioned bedroom at about 21 degrees celsius, showering with hot hot water at perhaps 40 degrees celsius.
However, the good stuff are:
1. We havent really spent any money yet, not buying into the whole consumerism shit. Next week we're going to Hong Kong and that will be a true test of our will against the glitz of the shopping malls.
2. Not sure if this one counts, but bjorn has sworn to quit instant noodles and me, to quit luncheon meat. Yes... those yummy delicious guilty snacks we grew up with. Our minds brainwashed to love and our tastebuds to savour. Gone, quit, never ever.
3. Im having trouble looking for another point here. Sad eh?
We need to not forget all the stuff we've learnt. We've only been back a couple of days, so will not start a revolution yet. I suppose.
Since we've been back, we've not been very good. Here's a list of bad things we've been up to:
1. Have been driving the car everywhere.
2. The only walking we've done has been in shopping malls. (and to and from the car to our house)
3. Have been eating anything we see we like without any concern for its impact on the world. Lunch today was the 'freshest' salmon airflown from Norway.
4. We've been 'hiding' in our air conditioned bedroom at about 21 degrees celsius, showering with hot hot water at perhaps 40 degrees celsius.
However, the good stuff are:
1. We havent really spent any money yet, not buying into the whole consumerism shit. Next week we're going to Hong Kong and that will be a true test of our will against the glitz of the shopping malls.
2. Not sure if this one counts, but bjorn has sworn to quit instant noodles and me, to quit luncheon meat. Yes... those yummy delicious guilty snacks we grew up with. Our minds brainwashed to love and our tastebuds to savour. Gone, quit, never ever.
3. Im having trouble looking for another point here. Sad eh?
We need to not forget all the stuff we've learnt. We've only been back a couple of days, so will not start a revolution yet. I suppose.
Tuesday 15 December 2009
We might have a chance...
So we just got back to Singapore. Days are mixed up with nights and we're jet lagged like anything. We've been following the rhythm of nature so closely for the past six months... working when the sun shines and resting when its down... I think recovering from this jetlag will take a little longer than usual.
Meeting interesting inspiring people is the best thing about travelling and best thing about this new life we're entering. The last 2 weeks with Jordi Pedro has truly been educational and we've taken away so much from the man.
This evening we met Lai Hock at sempang bedok for teh allia. He's the founder of GUI - Ground Up Initiative and one hour wasnt enough to hear him tell us about the whole organic/ self sustainability/ reconnecting with the land movement in Singapore. Friendly, easy going and most generous with his time, he left his IT job of 11 years and backpacked all over the world for 4 years before coming back to Singaopore to start this. He shared with us what was happening locally, his plans for an educational centre and the prospects of enlightening everyday Singaporeans of an alternative way of life without killing oneself with consumerism and soul destroying jobs.
Today my mother asked me today - Is the work hard? I replied... its no harder than going to the gym for an hour's kick boxing or puffing away on the stairmaster. The difference is that instead of paying a company, spending airconditioning, electricity etc to work out where the energy i output just goes nowhere, the energy output from me goes into producing healthy wholesome organic food for my body, and the earth/soil benefits from the work. Yes wheelbarrowing soil and straw and sand and rocks from one place to another is back breaking. Weeding for hours on end strengthens the thigh muscles (from all the repeated standing and squatting). Harvesting olives while in a tree helps my balance and core muscles. Turning compost definitely brings the heart rate up. And what do we get rewarded with? Fabulous, fresh, organic food.
You know, there hasnt been a single time, or a single thing in my whole life that I can wholeheartedly say... I love doing, feels complete, and feels whole and truly good for me and good for this world. Hahaha... I know at some point I've got to be less whimsical about describing this new way of life we're carving for ourselves. But I just cant help it! Lai Hock explained what the ethos of GUI was today... essentially... Reconnecting people with the earth, Healing the land and the human spirit. Coz that's what's happening to us. Bjorn and I. In the process of connecting with the earth, in the process of healing the land, we're healing ourselves... body, mind and soul. You may ask --- why do we need 'healing'? Were we sick? No shit, of course we were. In so many levels as well. Not just health wise with the highly processed chemical foods we're eating (I'm quitting luncheon meat as of today and Bjorn is quitting instant noodles), but we were so diseased with this modern life of excessive spending and consuming, ignorant of the impacts our daily actions have on the environment, exploitation of people less fortunate countries we cannot 'see'. The whole out of sight, out of mind attitude most Singaporeans were brought up with. Dont give a shit where my rubbish goes, as long as its gone. Dont care where the oil comes from to drive our cars, where the electricity comes out from my wall. Dont care who the underpaid bangladeshi lady who sewed my H&M jeans is. Dont care how the chicken lived or how much antibiotics was injected in my chicken wings or how patheticly paid the rice farmer was paid for my bowl of rice today. We need to change all this. We need to fucking care, and if not to care, at least be aware.
This 'farming' thing isnt just about farming, growing food, gardening or plants. It's much much more.
The evolutionary reason of why humans seem to feel better and have their spirits uplifted when being close to the earth and being with nature/plants is coz we used to rely directly on our crops for our survival. Most people on the earth for thousands of years were directly reliant on the land. In the last 100 years, immigration to the city means that now more than half the population on this planet living in big cities. More than half! The direct connection is no longer there. Middle men, factories, processing plants, resellers, traders, ports... they are all now in the middle. Thus... the need to 'reconnect'. We have to remind ourselves that city living and apartments and supermarkets is only a recent phenomenon in the history of human kind. Half the world's population has gone 'sick'. And we need to quickly start the healing process, otherwise it will be too late.
We hope the Copenhegan talks this week will make a difference. I'm sure very exciting things will happen in our lifetimes.
Meeting interesting inspiring people is the best thing about travelling and best thing about this new life we're entering. The last 2 weeks with Jordi Pedro has truly been educational and we've taken away so much from the man.
This evening we met Lai Hock at sempang bedok for teh allia. He's the founder of GUI - Ground Up Initiative and one hour wasnt enough to hear him tell us about the whole organic/ self sustainability/ reconnecting with the land movement in Singapore. Friendly, easy going and most generous with his time, he left his IT job of 11 years and backpacked all over the world for 4 years before coming back to Singaopore to start this. He shared with us what was happening locally, his plans for an educational centre and the prospects of enlightening everyday Singaporeans of an alternative way of life without killing oneself with consumerism and soul destroying jobs.
Today my mother asked me today - Is the work hard? I replied... its no harder than going to the gym for an hour's kick boxing or puffing away on the stairmaster. The difference is that instead of paying a company, spending airconditioning, electricity etc to work out where the energy i output just goes nowhere, the energy output from me goes into producing healthy wholesome organic food for my body, and the earth/soil benefits from the work. Yes wheelbarrowing soil and straw and sand and rocks from one place to another is back breaking. Weeding for hours on end strengthens the thigh muscles (from all the repeated standing and squatting). Harvesting olives while in a tree helps my balance and core muscles. Turning compost definitely brings the heart rate up. And what do we get rewarded with? Fabulous, fresh, organic food.
You know, there hasnt been a single time, or a single thing in my whole life that I can wholeheartedly say... I love doing, feels complete, and feels whole and truly good for me and good for this world. Hahaha... I know at some point I've got to be less whimsical about describing this new way of life we're carving for ourselves. But I just cant help it! Lai Hock explained what the ethos of GUI was today... essentially... Reconnecting people with the earth, Healing the land and the human spirit. Coz that's what's happening to us. Bjorn and I. In the process of connecting with the earth, in the process of healing the land, we're healing ourselves... body, mind and soul. You may ask --- why do we need 'healing'? Were we sick? No shit, of course we were. In so many levels as well. Not just health wise with the highly processed chemical foods we're eating (I'm quitting luncheon meat as of today and Bjorn is quitting instant noodles), but we were so diseased with this modern life of excessive spending and consuming, ignorant of the impacts our daily actions have on the environment, exploitation of people less fortunate countries we cannot 'see'. The whole out of sight, out of mind attitude most Singaporeans were brought up with. Dont give a shit where my rubbish goes, as long as its gone. Dont care where the oil comes from to drive our cars, where the electricity comes out from my wall. Dont care who the underpaid bangladeshi lady who sewed my H&M jeans is. Dont care how the chicken lived or how much antibiotics was injected in my chicken wings or how patheticly paid the rice farmer was paid for my bowl of rice today. We need to change all this. We need to fucking care, and if not to care, at least be aware.
This 'farming' thing isnt just about farming, growing food, gardening or plants. It's much much more.
The evolutionary reason of why humans seem to feel better and have their spirits uplifted when being close to the earth and being with nature/plants is coz we used to rely directly on our crops for our survival. Most people on the earth for thousands of years were directly reliant on the land. In the last 100 years, immigration to the city means that now more than half the population on this planet living in big cities. More than half! The direct connection is no longer there. Middle men, factories, processing plants, resellers, traders, ports... they are all now in the middle. Thus... the need to 'reconnect'. We have to remind ourselves that city living and apartments and supermarkets is only a recent phenomenon in the history of human kind. Half the world's population has gone 'sick'. And we need to quickly start the healing process, otherwise it will be too late.
We hope the Copenhegan talks this week will make a difference. I'm sure very exciting things will happen in our lifetimes.
Monday 7 December 2009
Climbing trees, harvesting olives...
The last week at Jordi's in Balaguer, Catalunya of Spain has been really really fantastic. Olive harvesting is not as backbreaking as I had anticipated. But we've only done 4 days of it... 5 hours each. If you had to do it for 2 months straight I guess it takes its toll. The method we use is with a 'comb' and we brush the olives off their branches. Its quite a sweet, elegant and nurturing process if you ask me. And time goes by really quickly when you're working a tree. I also get to climb these 300 year old (estimated) trees like a monkey. Always loved climbing trees when I was little, but I never really had many chances to in Singapore. Human evolution have probably given children instincts to climb trees as it was a way of getting out of harms way of predators and floods (or parents). Overall, its enjoyable. Considering its the ONLY thing we've done and will be doing for the coming week.
Jordi is one good guy. He's a teacher, speaks almost perfect english, and french as well as spanish and catalan. He volunteers at a hospital once a week taking care of cancer patients. He helps with blood donation drives. He grows about 80% of this own food and food for us. Is an incredible cook (really really). And grows these cancer curing plants calls - Kalanchoi all over his small apartment. There are probably heaps of other things he's involved in as well, but one things for sure. He's a good guy and we enjoy doing work for good people.
We're at our final week of wwoofing now. In a week's time, we'll be back in Singapore. So many dreams I've been having, strange ones of us coming back home and its all weird. We're definitely looking forward to the food. We've already made a list of places and things we wanna gorge on when we are back. Muthu's curry, fei fei wan tan mee, siglap mee pok ta, katong laksa, the list goes (painfully for us no) on and on. Anyway,... hope to see u all soon. :)
Monday 30 November 2009
One week, two cities
Where have the days gone?
We left Fuerteventura, leaving the safe haven of our surrogate spanish family on a beautiful island into the big bad world. Yes we flew to Madrid last Wednesday, intending to spend a couple of days there when we got pick pocketed in the Metro on the way to the cit centre from the airport. Some champions league football game was just over and the metro was spilling with people. Shitty thing was that we just withdrew money from the airport so we literally lost the spending money we took out for the few days. So shitty we felt, honestly. We just felt like a couple of country bumpkins first time in a big city or something. We were not on our guard like we should be. Saavvy travellers we thought we were... NOT.
But we got to our hostel in Sol ... and the people there were really friendly, staff and fellow travellers. We settled into the noisy Madrid craziness really quickly and got stuffed with lotsa jamon bocadillos, tapas, gambas, tortillas, vino tintos and cervezas. It's easy to forget ones troubles in the flurry of good food, good drink and street buskers. Madrid was a little too mad for me. I think we're starting to discover really how the city life thing just always doesnt work out as well for us.
Anyway, after 2 museums, 1 palace, 5 tapas place and lotsa walking around, we left madrid for valencia to the east. The temperature rised a little, it was about 12 degrees in madrid and 16 degrees here in Valencia. Our room in Home Hostel was quiet, cosy and the beds are sooo comfortable. As a traveller, you just never know what kind of bed you are going to end up in when you go to someplace new. And here, its soooo nice and soft and the duvet is soft and cosy, and the sheets feel expensive.
We've had paella 5 times in the 2.5 days we;ve been here. Yes hardcore I know, but we freaking love paella - chinese people la, like to eat rice, what to do?. The food here is super. After being in northern europe - specifically the British Isles for so long, I've forgotten what its like to be in a country where food is a big thing to people. Its what I've grown up with in Singapore, eating to live. Its a given. 95% of people I know i Singapore are foodies (shout out to the 5%... I dont know how you guys can live with people talking about food all the friggin time if you guys are not into food!). There's a real connection when you meet people who love food too. At the cafes we've been, tapas bars,... when you bite into something, they wait for you to react to it. Coz they care what the food they serve tastes like. Its pride. Good food. My tummy is happy in Spain.
Tomorrow we're going to take 2 coaches to Balaguer, 150 km west of Barcelona to stay with Jordi Pedro and we're going to help him harvest olives in his orchard near by. No idea what to expect. One thing's for sure... they hardly speak English in Valencia. I think I speak more Spanish than they do English sometimes (scary). So in Balaguer, town of 15000 people, itwill certainly be more challenging. We'll see... the final section of journey part uno begins manana.
We left Fuerteventura, leaving the safe haven of our surrogate spanish family on a beautiful island into the big bad world. Yes we flew to Madrid last Wednesday, intending to spend a couple of days there when we got pick pocketed in the Metro on the way to the cit centre from the airport. Some champions league football game was just over and the metro was spilling with people. Shitty thing was that we just withdrew money from the airport so we literally lost the spending money we took out for the few days. So shitty we felt, honestly. We just felt like a couple of country bumpkins first time in a big city or something. We were not on our guard like we should be. Saavvy travellers we thought we were... NOT.
But we got to our hostel in Sol ... and the people there were really friendly, staff and fellow travellers. We settled into the noisy Madrid craziness really quickly and got stuffed with lotsa jamon bocadillos, tapas, gambas, tortillas, vino tintos and cervezas. It's easy to forget ones troubles in the flurry of good food, good drink and street buskers. Madrid was a little too mad for me. I think we're starting to discover really how the city life thing just always doesnt work out as well for us.
Anyway, after 2 museums, 1 palace, 5 tapas place and lotsa walking around, we left madrid for valencia to the east. The temperature rised a little, it was about 12 degrees in madrid and 16 degrees here in Valencia. Our room in Home Hostel was quiet, cosy and the beds are sooo comfortable. As a traveller, you just never know what kind of bed you are going to end up in when you go to someplace new. And here, its soooo nice and soft and the duvet is soft and cosy, and the sheets feel expensive.
We've had paella 5 times in the 2.5 days we;ve been here. Yes hardcore I know, but we freaking love paella - chinese people la, like to eat rice, what to do?. The food here is super. After being in northern europe - specifically the British Isles for so long, I've forgotten what its like to be in a country where food is a big thing to people. Its what I've grown up with in Singapore, eating to live. Its a given. 95% of people I know i Singapore are foodies (shout out to the 5%... I dont know how you guys can live with people talking about food all the friggin time if you guys are not into food!). There's a real connection when you meet people who love food too. At the cafes we've been, tapas bars,... when you bite into something, they wait for you to react to it. Coz they care what the food they serve tastes like. Its pride. Good food. My tummy is happy in Spain.
Tomorrow we're going to take 2 coaches to Balaguer, 150 km west of Barcelona to stay with Jordi Pedro and we're going to help him harvest olives in his orchard near by. No idea what to expect. One thing's for sure... they hardly speak English in Valencia. I think I speak more Spanish than they do English sometimes (scary). So in Balaguer, town of 15000 people, itwill certainly be more challenging. We'll see... the final section of journey part uno begins manana.
Friday 20 November 2009
No words are needed - Our brilliant wwoof at Fuerteventura!
What a sweet November we´re having in Fuerteventura.
Despite the language barrier with our hosts, we´re being treated just like family, which is certainly living up to the Canarian/Spanish reputation of ´Mi casa su casa´culture.
Last weekend, we had one of the best weekends ever. No exaggeration. Silverio took all of us, Cati his wife and two kids Oma and Nora in their family caravan up North to a remote beach where we spent the day swimming, sun bathing, playing with the children, trashing in seaweed, looking for strange sea creatures and fishing (inlucing gutting and scaling and eating them!). And sweetest of all, we got to camp at night under the stars. Bjorn and I counted about 9 shooting stars during our first night of star gazing together ever.
The Lopez family has captured our hearts with their generousity and warmth. Its hard to explain how priceless these kind of experiences are. No money can buy being invited into a glimpse into a typical Canarian family´s lives. We´ve even fallen in love with this strange flour cereal type thing that they cook with milk. We have it for brekkie every morning its delicious!
Yesterday it was Bjorns birthday and Silverio baked a cake for him and we had a sing song and candle blowing and everything. It was really sweet.
Here are some pics again... of the weekend before we go.
Here´s Nora holding 2 little fishies shes about to scale and gut (terribly). I´ve never seen a tiny child so unqueasy about slimy fish before. It was impressive! Mommy Cati is on the right side of the photo.
Oma and his morbid collection of slimy seaweed to impress Gorgor Bjorn
Kids go crazy with fish!
Bjorn bathed in Sunset
Beach
Happy Nora posing!
Nora took this photo of Silverio ... U can see from the angle it was a little child looking up at her Papiii.
Despite the language barrier with our hosts, we´re being treated just like family, which is certainly living up to the Canarian/Spanish reputation of ´Mi casa su casa´culture.
Last weekend, we had one of the best weekends ever. No exaggeration. Silverio took all of us, Cati his wife and two kids Oma and Nora in their family caravan up North to a remote beach where we spent the day swimming, sun bathing, playing with the children, trashing in seaweed, looking for strange sea creatures and fishing (inlucing gutting and scaling and eating them!). And sweetest of all, we got to camp at night under the stars. Bjorn and I counted about 9 shooting stars during our first night of star gazing together ever.
The Lopez family has captured our hearts with their generousity and warmth. Its hard to explain how priceless these kind of experiences are. No money can buy being invited into a glimpse into a typical Canarian family´s lives. We´ve even fallen in love with this strange flour cereal type thing that they cook with milk. We have it for brekkie every morning its delicious!
Yesterday it was Bjorns birthday and Silverio baked a cake for him and we had a sing song and candle blowing and everything. It was really sweet.
Here are some pics again... of the weekend before we go.
Here´s Nora holding 2 little fishies shes about to scale and gut (terribly). I´ve never seen a tiny child so unqueasy about slimy fish before. It was impressive! Mommy Cati is on the right side of the photo.
Oma and his morbid collection of slimy seaweed to impress Gorgor Bjorn
Kids go crazy with fish!
Bjorn bathed in Sunset
Beach
Happy Nora posing!
Nora took this photo of Silverio ... U can see from the angle it was a little child looking up at her Papiii.
Wednesday 11 November 2009
Oasis in the desert mountains
We´ve arrived in our new hosts´place and wow what a difference to the UK. Our friendly host Silverio picked us up at the airport with his 2 darling children and we drove into the desert mountains where they lived. We were delighted to find out that we were going to stay in the cottage usually reserved for his paying guests! Shiok la. Click here for his website to see our accomodation. Luxury!The views - we can say is achingly beautiful and nothing I´ve ever seen before. And their house, simple, handmade and painted, what a real honest casa.
Our first job (and I think will be our main jobs for the next 2 weeks!) is picking up stones from the mountain and building stone walls around his garden. Trust chinese people to build walls! Its in our blood isnt it? Haha. But dont underestimate how hard it is picking up stones and moving them. Bloody hell, our bodies were screaming in protest after about half an hour. Not used to physical work after our almost 3 week rest. But today´s better.
Oh and it like doesnt rain here ever. Last year, it rained 3 days and I think it hasnt rained yet this year. Its a struggle to water his plants and prevent them from dying totally. In England, when the sun doesnt shine, the plants will still grow, albeit slowly. Here, no rain means no life literally. The whole house is powered by solar panels and wind turbine.
The conversations are a little more difficult because of the language barrier but we get by. And the whole family has just been super welcoming and hospitable. It feels a little like we´re in a Spanish foreign film in the desert. With howling dogs and random cactuses here and there. We wont be able to update the blog as often as there´s no broadband or wireless in this rural area. So we will try our best. Here are some pics for now!
Crystal building a stone wall thingie
Our little cottage and a tiny green oasis (that treats & recycles our waste water)
Chillout area with a view (excuse the unsightly mop)
Bjorn pointing to our very first wall we made in our lives!Monday 9 November 2009
Back to work!
Today, our wwoofing break comes to a close! 2 and a half weeks of eating anything we want, waking up anytime want, doing whatever we want, catching up and being hosted with great old friends are over for now. And we are on our way to Fuerteventura -to stay at Atalaya de la Rosa del Taro with our new host Silverio and his family for 2 weeks. Cant wait actually!
But before we leave - would like to say thank u to Lavina, Bharat and Shaira (And little snoopy) for being such wonderful hosts in the past week in their lovely home in Gran canaria. What a gorgeous island with gorgeous weather and people. Awesome.
Here they are at the beach yesterday. Thank u guys! Smoochies.
But before we leave - would like to say thank u to Lavina, Bharat and Shaira (And little snoopy) for being such wonderful hosts in the past week in their lovely home in Gran canaria. What a gorgeous island with gorgeous weather and people. Awesome.
Here they are at the beach yesterday. Thank u guys! Smoochies.
Wednesday 4 November 2009
The canary Islandssssssssss...........
We're here in Gran Canaria for a week, staying with an old friend from Poly days and having a lovely lovely time in the hot weather! Here, we're able to go to the beach, lie on the sand in our swimming gear and when the wind blows, it isnt freezing. There had been only one week of this weather we had in the UK this summer, so this feels niiiice :).
Loads had gone on since we paused our wwoof adventure. We havent got much to report here on the blog simply because, despite the acitivity filled days, we dont have much to say about it really. For me, being in nature, the wild inspires me. And the concrete of Amsterdam and London has left us with not very much interesting things to say. Of course, it has been awesome to catch up with so many people. But in terms of anything inspiring or life-changing wwoof blog - worthy.
We did for a while, contemplate returning to London again to return to the rat race. Get a job, a flat, a life and all. There are so many people now we know in London. Its so so easy to just fall back into that. And just thinking of our own little space in the city again, makes me feel like we should totally do it. It will be our new Singapore. But do we really want that? Or was it just a distraction? What is the distraction?
And just to make everyone jealous, here's a pic of us bathing in the sunshine in the Canary islands where we'll be spending the next 3 weeks at, while we contemplate our future.
Loads had gone on since we paused our wwoof adventure. We havent got much to report here on the blog simply because, despite the acitivity filled days, we dont have much to say about it really. For me, being in nature, the wild inspires me. And the concrete of Amsterdam and London has left us with not very much interesting things to say. Of course, it has been awesome to catch up with so many people. But in terms of anything inspiring or life-changing wwoof blog - worthy.
We did for a while, contemplate returning to London again to return to the rat race. Get a job, a flat, a life and all. There are so many people now we know in London. Its so so easy to just fall back into that. And just thinking of our own little space in the city again, makes me feel like we should totally do it. It will be our new Singapore. But do we really want that? Or was it just a distraction? What is the distraction?
And just to make everyone jealous, here's a pic of us bathing in the sunshine in the Canary islands where we'll be spending the next 3 weeks at, while we contemplate our future.
Wednesday 28 October 2009
In transition....
After a slightly crazy weekend in Amsterdan, this week in London will be nice and busy! The whole world is in London these days. Meeting up with people from the past, the future, the present... all strange and true. For once, London feels a bit like singapore. Where having friends, means you have a life. Or does one really? Socialising every day outside work seems to be the most favourite past times people generally have. But over-socialising also means you leave little time for other things.
Anyway, it's just one week. And after this, we'll be in Spainfor 6 weeks, with 5 of those week again meeting new people, introducing ourselves over again and again. Then after, its back to Singapore!
Anyway, it's just one week. And after this, we'll be in Spainfor 6 weeks, with 5 of those week again meeting new people, introducing ourselves over again and again. Then after, its back to Singapore!
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Goodbye Phantassie, goodbye Scotland
And after 3 weeks and a bit, it's time to leave again. :( We really had a great time here. We're so happy that we had the opportunity to work with the local full time staff here. Liz the head gardener, who lives in a cottage on the premises as well. Rose, the assistant gardener also living in the caravan nearby. Tony, a part-timer and wwoof mom who just took care of all our wwoofers needs during our stay. He even got us extra pillows when we asked! Very grateful. And there's Fiona, & Louise, the stables ladies who pack the orders, Rory the very hilarious egg man, Luisa who does all the admin, Addie driver come cool music studio guardian, Cameron also driver come food forager (picked us some delicious mushrooms once!), Douglas our eccentric 70 year old chicken man who doesnt stop working, David who takes care of the grounds, James the handyman and mechanic... all wonderful East Lothian folk that we got to know and enjoy each other's companies. There's a lovely little comradery amongst everyone. A mutal understanding and feeling that we're just all in this together and let's get along and have a good time doing it. 'This'- meaning life in earth in general! Phantassie Organics is an unintentional community. And maybe that's the best kind, as it just grew out of different purposes and organically (excuse the pun).
Feeling sad we're leaving Scotland in general. It just dawned on me yesterday that we're leaving Scotland. Didnt expect that the land would have this affect of me. We'll be back.... we will.
This kind of completes our UK wwoof journey for this year. Started 15 June 2009, and wrapping up 22 Oct 2009. Started with the sun set at 10:30pm at night, and from next week, it will set around 6pm. The autumn leaves are stunning right now. And I feel a little bad for 'abandoning' this land we've been living on and travelling on for the past couple of months. I feel bad for not 'seeing through' nature that we've been following so closely for so long. And a little hypocritical to escape to Spain after this. Just when we were getting ok with the cold. Maybe thats why people don't plan ahead when they travel, but instead, just plan as they go. Then you will do what you feel like doing best. Next time... maybe next time.
Feeling sad we're leaving Scotland in general. It just dawned on me yesterday that we're leaving Scotland. Didnt expect that the land would have this affect of me. We'll be back.... we will.
This kind of completes our UK wwoof journey for this year. Started 15 June 2009, and wrapping up 22 Oct 2009. Started with the sun set at 10:30pm at night, and from next week, it will set around 6pm. The autumn leaves are stunning right now. And I feel a little bad for 'abandoning' this land we've been living on and travelling on for the past couple of months. I feel bad for not 'seeing through' nature that we've been following so closely for so long. And a little hypocritical to escape to Spain after this. Just when we were getting ok with the cold. Maybe thats why people don't plan ahead when they travel, but instead, just plan as they go. Then you will do what you feel like doing best. Next time... maybe next time.
Saturday 17 October 2009
Twinkle twinkle little stars
If I had to pick just one reason, only one reason why I prefer to live in the country and not the city... the reason has to be - the stars. Might have mentioned stars before in the blog, but it's truly one of those things thats quite out of this world (almost literally!) and worth mentioning all the time. In fact, its a wonder how we can forget about them during the day. When we look up in the sky, like in today's sky, we saw the bluest sky blue, and a few clouds made by aeroplanes. We dont see the stars because the sun's light overpowers. We forget that there are billions of other planets, galaxys, quite possibly intelligent life other than ourselves out there. During the day, we're pretty much thinking we're all alone in this. Going about our busy day, working, living, etc. Then at night, on a clear night, without any light pollution, the most spectacular show is put on display. More stunning, heart-grabbing, profound than any other 3D, special effects, fireworks display etc can ever try to create. The stars... oh my god. And if you have a wider sky above you, with less buildings and such,.. you get wider angle view of it all.
Think me whimsical, think me idealistic and foolish. But if you are not able to be astounded as a clear sky with stars, so clear u can see the white glistening band of the milky way, containing the billions of planets and solar systems, just like ours all sharing one galaxy (I think I got that right) and feel complete wonder, then I feel sorry for you. Coz that feeling is so real, so immense, gives me tingles from head to toe just thinking of the power I see before my eyes. We need star gazing once in a while to just set everything back to perspective. It does that very very well.
Tonight is one such night. So was yesterday. If it was less cold, I would lie outside to look at it for ages.
Singapore has no stars. You know what I mean,... we can't see them. We never do. There are probably 3 shining things we see, and they probably satelites. It's a sad thing to go through everyday life without seeing stars. And maybe we are the way we've become, is coz we don't get the chance to put things back in perspective as often as other places.
Think me whimsical, think me idealistic and foolish. But if you are not able to be astounded as a clear sky with stars, so clear u can see the white glistening band of the milky way, containing the billions of planets and solar systems, just like ours all sharing one galaxy (I think I got that right) and feel complete wonder, then I feel sorry for you. Coz that feeling is so real, so immense, gives me tingles from head to toe just thinking of the power I see before my eyes. We need star gazing once in a while to just set everything back to perspective. It does that very very well.
Tonight is one such night. So was yesterday. If it was less cold, I would lie outside to look at it for ages.
Singapore has no stars. You know what I mean,... we can't see them. We never do. There are probably 3 shining things we see, and they probably satelites. It's a sad thing to go through everyday life without seeing stars. And maybe we are the way we've become, is coz we don't get the chance to put things back in perspective as often as other places.
Thursday 15 October 2009
John Muir, bowls and brownies
We had quite a nice day off today... we went to Dunbar, one of the East Lothian coastal towns here. Had lamb biriyani at the indian local - yums. Then went to John Muir's birth place which was very inspiring! He's an american but scottish born naturalist and conservationist. He friggin loved nature and best of all, a great writer. He dishes out wonderful quotes about nature like 'I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found was really going in.' and 'What is the secret of the mysterious enjoyment felt here - the strange calm, the divine frenzy?' - he says about some wonderful woods or some mountains or something I'm sure.
Then in the afternoon, Ralph showed us wood turning, and we made 2 little bowls from blocks of 80 year old local ash tree. They are gorgeous! Heres a photo of them before we oiled them with olive oil:
Then I made brownies which I need to go check now!!!!!!! tata
Then in the afternoon, Ralph showed us wood turning, and we made 2 little bowls from blocks of 80 year old local ash tree. They are gorgeous! Heres a photo of them before we oiled them with olive oil:
Then I made brownies which I need to go check now!!!!!!! tata
Tuesday 13 October 2009
An apple moment.
Today we pressed 1000 litre (or as Ris low might say 'little') of apple juice! It was fun, apple-y and juicy. We got to do some cider tastings as well. Yums. Our camera is completely f*$#ed. So no photos. But ahh if only I had a camera. Apples - a wonderful representation of autumn. The few weeks when the leaves turn crispy and fall down to the ground. Lots of rakes come out and start sweeping. It's been quite an apple-y 2 weeks with picking, sorting, pressing. I even baked an apple crumble myself for the first time in my life! Very easy.
It's crazy to remember how only a year ago, we moved into our little camden flat where we had a lone apple tree in our wee garden. And it burst into fruit in a week of us moving in which is really about now last year! (We moved in 3rd Oct last year). It was the first time I bit into an apple that only just fell from a tree. It was a pretty cool feeling. I've been having alot of those lately... that first experience of doing something you've never done before, and it etches a vivid memory of that precise moment forever and ever in my mind. And I was standing by the doorway of that little kitchen, I bit into the green apple, the crisp sweetness hit my tongue and I pulled it back into vision away from my mouth, looked at it, remembering the kitchen marble top in the background and with pure delight and amazement, I said ' Wow' this tastes friggin awesome! And what made it super sweeet, was that we didnt have to buy it with money! It was freeeee! weeeeeeee
Well, of course, nothing is really free. There's the cost of rental, soil, the original cost of buying the apple tree etc. But it felt nice that there wasnt a transaction of cash at the fruit level. I was 'closer' to my food that I would be if I bought it at Sainsbury. There was no orchard owner, no chemical fertilizer company, no machines to pick them up, no waster to wash them, no packer to pack them. No aeroplanes that fly them across oceans, no wooden crates needed to carry them in, no trucks to drive them to sainsbury, no staff to shelve them, no plastic bag manufacturer to package them. Just the apple tree a few feet from my door, the apple, and me. It is a quiet intimate feeling people have when eating the food we grow. The time & effort spent taking care of them from seed, to planting, to feeding it with good organic matter, sunlight & water. All the energy you put into it, you take it back when it goes into our bodies to nourish us. Being 'close' to your food doesnt just mean being physically close to them, but also in quite another level. It's not an emotional level, its something else. Could be spiritual? I think this is fundamentally why the foodies are the ones who want to grow their own food. It flows in your blood. The food we eat. amazing how people aren't bothered much about where it comes from eh? We've become so used to accept that it's ok to live your life at the end of long line of process and steps. The industrial age is at the most dangerous times now, the scariest thing being that majority of the world is oblivious to all that is so wrong! Just living our lives day by day, still accepting plastic bags at supermarkets, not recycling everything we can, eat junk food, because its so easy not to care. To ignore what doesnt matter right now...
What a rant... its only 7pm and its completely dark already. Summer is OVER. But this year, we're not feeling the depression of winter coming on. N-o-i-c-e.......:)
It's crazy to remember how only a year ago, we moved into our little camden flat where we had a lone apple tree in our wee garden. And it burst into fruit in a week of us moving in which is really about now last year! (We moved in 3rd Oct last year). It was the first time I bit into an apple that only just fell from a tree. It was a pretty cool feeling. I've been having alot of those lately... that first experience of doing something you've never done before, and it etches a vivid memory of that precise moment forever and ever in my mind. And I was standing by the doorway of that little kitchen, I bit into the green apple, the crisp sweetness hit my tongue and I pulled it back into vision away from my mouth, looked at it, remembering the kitchen marble top in the background and with pure delight and amazement, I said ' Wow' this tastes friggin awesome! And what made it super sweeet, was that we didnt have to buy it with money! It was freeeee! weeeeeeee
Well, of course, nothing is really free. There's the cost of rental, soil, the original cost of buying the apple tree etc. But it felt nice that there wasnt a transaction of cash at the fruit level. I was 'closer' to my food that I would be if I bought it at Sainsbury. There was no orchard owner, no chemical fertilizer company, no machines to pick them up, no waster to wash them, no packer to pack them. No aeroplanes that fly them across oceans, no wooden crates needed to carry them in, no trucks to drive them to sainsbury, no staff to shelve them, no plastic bag manufacturer to package them. Just the apple tree a few feet from my door, the apple, and me. It is a quiet intimate feeling people have when eating the food we grow. The time & effort spent taking care of them from seed, to planting, to feeding it with good organic matter, sunlight & water. All the energy you put into it, you take it back when it goes into our bodies to nourish us. Being 'close' to your food doesnt just mean being physically close to them, but also in quite another level. It's not an emotional level, its something else. Could be spiritual? I think this is fundamentally why the foodies are the ones who want to grow their own food. It flows in your blood. The food we eat. amazing how people aren't bothered much about where it comes from eh? We've become so used to accept that it's ok to live your life at the end of long line of process and steps. The industrial age is at the most dangerous times now, the scariest thing being that majority of the world is oblivious to all that is so wrong! Just living our lives day by day, still accepting plastic bags at supermarkets, not recycling everything we can, eat junk food, because its so easy not to care. To ignore what doesnt matter right now...
What a rant... its only 7pm and its completely dark already. Summer is OVER. But this year, we're not feeling the depression of winter coming on. N-o-i-c-e.......:)
Wednesday 7 October 2009
Finding a manageable path
Life should just be manageable shouldn't it?
I mean, the reason why there's so much stress, depression, mental breakdowns etc is essentially because life has become unmanageable. Whether it be your crappy soul destroying job, rising prices of everything except your own pay, illness of a family member, earthquakes or typhoons... there are heaps of things that can cause life to become unmanageable.
But basically, there are things that are in your control and things that aren't.
What's happening in today's world where Corporations (I use a upper case C because they are now more powerful than any one person or even God) run everything, have influence over everything like world policies, how much things costs (including our very basics like water, food, and of course property), how much we earn. Things have become too big, too unmanageable for little people to figure out what the hell has gone wrong. Issues have become so intertwined – politics, climate change, the banking mess. It's pretty hard for any one individual to know how to get out of this huge global mess we're in. Unmanageable.
Therefore, what we're probably trying to do is try our best to see k a more manageable life. Smaller scale stuff you know. In the words of Robert Dunn (our mushroom wwoof host) – 'Aspiring peasants'. I like that very much. But empowered peasants.
I probably will be looked down upon in Singapore if I decided to give up my career and become a housewife. its seen as a waste in a university education. But education shouldn't just be about getting a good paying white collared job. It's also very much about growing one's own ability to think and be critical and make choices in life that suits you best, finding your own voice and discovering what you believe and stand for in life. And there's so much joy, I've discovered in the simplest, manageable things in life. The freshness and smell of just-washed clothes. Baking muffins. Going for walks. Lying in bed in our caravan with your loved one. Making things with your hands. A warm fire. Writing. I would be content in my life if I earned a living doing manageable, enjoyable things and have extra time to pursue other interests like books, maps, travel, films, world injustice and equiping myself intellectually to make right choices for me and my family.
You must check out this book – Life Inc , I mentioned it in one of my earlier entries, but it's one of those light-bulb moment books. Read it! Or watch the streaming movie on the website.
Eric - our first scottish friend, said about us in the first hour of chatting - that Bjorn and I are Pathfinders (very world of warcraft i know!). Ones who always try and seek out their own paths and unwilling to comply with mediocrity. Lucky ones we are as well, as we are finding our own manageable paths right now, together. And having the opportunity, wwoofing now, to do so.
Its way more common for people in western europe and america to take a year's break from study and work to travel. And for people to live 'alternative' lives like having part time jobs instead of fulltime. Live in mobile homes across the country, moving when a place gets old and unexciting. Affluence in a society brings about choice and diversity. And is Singapore there yet? I believe we are economically, but our asian values and PAP-work-till-you-drop-so-you-can-get-your-5Cs brain washing makes it hard for people to do anything other than what Singapore has to offer. Which is to shop, eat, work, watch tv, party, get hdb flat, 2 kids, frequent short flights to bangkok, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, die. Wherears a care-free, simple life is deemed a wasteful, ungrateful and meaningless life...?! Do we need to become another Japan and wait for suicide rates to soar before we get people taking a break from life and doing stuff they actually want to?
What I'm saying, is that if there is a real real reason to be miserable and live a life you dont like (like u need to stay in a place to look after an ailing parent), then too bad, we feel sorry for you and you're doing the best you can yeah. BUT if you actually can control your life, but still not go for it and instead, blow loads of cash & go into debt for stuff like a car, plasma screens or that LV bags, then I say - Screw you. Dont say you're envious of what we are doing coz we dont need envy that isnt deserved.
Monday 5 October 2009
Moon gazing, bikes and the lovely Scots
We've been here at Phantassie one week now and how time flies when you're having a good time.
The weekend was lovely. We tried to ride the bicycles to Haddington – a nearby village but the wind was so strong and bjorns bike had no gears or something. So we turned back. So what did I decide to do then? Take a nap! How lovely. We havent had a 'day in' for about 4 weeks now and its time we deserved one! Hear this – we're not just 'enjoying life' and 'relaxing'. We actually do hard physical work almost everyday and when I have a snoozy afternoon nap on a Saturday, its definitely well deserved!
That evening, Tony, our 'wwoof mom', said it was a good idea to go to the beach with the full moon! And what a brilliant idea it certainly was. There's something really magical about the moonlight falling on nature. The sand, the beach, the trees, the woods. Is all different at night time, yet the same. More seductive and alluring I would say in the moonlight. Only moonlight, no street lights! It was only the next day when I got an email from Mom that I realise it was friggin Mooncake festival! This festival is one that I always always forget when I am overseas. Its coz it doesnt havea definite date on the western calendar. But anyways, I am glad that we spent it gazing at the moon on a remote beach in Scotland. The same moon our dear friends and family gazed at all the way across the globe, eating their moon cakes and lighting their lanterns. Awww...
Pic of Tony, our wwoof mom – from Yorkshire and me:
Phantassie Organics feels like a well oiled machine. Its wonderful. The lines of vegetables are all straighted and they are on top of their weeding almost all the time. The rows are planted just far apart for you to walk on, or crawl on all fours to weed. Perfect system if you ask me. They definitely have something for us to learn and take away. Very inspiring.
And the Scots... oh the Scots. How lovely they all are really. I love the Scots. I love their accent, their friendliness, their warmth, their niceness. Their down-to-earthness. English people can be quite (I now risk offending any of my loyal English readers – please don't, we love you too, but there are differences!) polite and reserved. Especially at the dinner table sometimes. All the proper use of forks and things, how its not right to use your hands to eat and all that. Today, one of the phantassie drivers, a Scottish guy whose name I haven't learnt yet (with a lovely scottish accent) drank soup straight from the bowl and then grabbed a cracker and used it directly to scoop margarine from the tub. Love it. Utensils sometimes just come in between our mouths and the food. Why do we need them for? Lol. In our time here in the UK, it has been the Scots who were always first to strike a conversation, ask if we needed help for anything, open their homes to us, offer to beat anyone up if we were in trouble. And they don't just say it, they really mean it.
I hope this isn't going to the our only travels to Scotland, because the country is beautiful, and the people are beautiful. I'm quite smitten, and had my breath taken away a few times now on a few occasions. And that's quite a lot to say about a country. I feel.
Wednesday 30 September 2009
Day one at Phantassie
What a brilliant first day.We are totally inspired again! We started the day harvesting the pumpkin patch. Pumpkins of all sizes and shapes - wish I got a photo of it. Its definitely the quintissential autumny thing to do on a farm isnt it? Just feels so good doing real proper farm work again. Working on a big area, breaking our backs, knowing that this delicious food is going into someone's contented belly.
Phantassie is a really nice, chill place with lotsa perm staff working along side wwoofers. We eat together during lunch and have tons of break during the day. Good stuff. Their walled garden is sooo quaint really. Apparently its 150 years old! and here's a picture of farmers then:
We have our own little private caravan and its thefirst place we make our own supper - a nice change, and we can get our rice and noodles / asian food fix as often as we like :)))
Tuesday 29 September 2009
Moving on again
Updates!
Last Friday we left Fraoch Lodge after almost 3 weeks and moving on again...
Stayed in Edinburgh for the weekend as I had to do my IELTS test (stupid english test that cost me 100 pounds to validate my standard of english for our aussie PR application). We stayed with Eric and Alison at his cool pad in Muirhouse - apparently the film and novel Trainspotting was based in that exact building in Edinburgh! Have to watch it again. Anyway... it was a great weekend, staying with our first ever Scottish friends being showed the local ways. Lovely.
Our camera is busted. Sand or soil got into it and it couldnt zoom in or out. So bjorn took the whole thing apart and now the screen doesnt work! So its like taking photos in the old days now, just pointing and shooting and only when we go back and slot the card into our PC, we will see what the hell we took. Quite fun. But sometimes it just doesnt work. ARGH.
Arrived in Phantassie yesterday and it was a very positive welcome! People actually knew our names already when we arrived and everyone was so friendly. We have our very own very clean and comfortable caravan and icing on the cake - every wwoofer has their frst day off! So here we are, just woken up not too long ago and wondering where shall we wonder about on our first day...
Will try to update some more later this week.
OH! Before we forget, we got mentioned in the Wwoof independent's enewsletter! Check it out here - the link might change next month when they archive september's issue but for now it should work. :)
Snaps from Edinburgh:
Eric's pad in Muirhouse...
Old statues
Old buildings
Us halfway up that hill in edinburgh
Last Friday we left Fraoch Lodge after almost 3 weeks and moving on again...
Stayed in Edinburgh for the weekend as I had to do my IELTS test (stupid english test that cost me 100 pounds to validate my standard of english for our aussie PR application). We stayed with Eric and Alison at his cool pad in Muirhouse - apparently the film and novel Trainspotting was based in that exact building in Edinburgh! Have to watch it again. Anyway... it was a great weekend, staying with our first ever Scottish friends being showed the local ways. Lovely.
Our camera is busted. Sand or soil got into it and it couldnt zoom in or out. So bjorn took the whole thing apart and now the screen doesnt work! So its like taking photos in the old days now, just pointing and shooting and only when we go back and slot the card into our PC, we will see what the hell we took. Quite fun. But sometimes it just doesnt work. ARGH.
Arrived in Phantassie yesterday and it was a very positive welcome! People actually knew our names already when we arrived and everyone was so friendly. We have our very own very clean and comfortable caravan and icing on the cake - every wwoofer has their frst day off! So here we are, just woken up not too long ago and wondering where shall we wonder about on our first day...
Will try to update some more later this week.
OH! Before we forget, we got mentioned in the Wwoof independent's enewsletter! Check it out here - the link might change next month when they archive september's issue but for now it should work. :)
Snaps from Edinburgh:
Eric's pad in Muirhouse...
Old statues
Old buildings
Us halfway up that hill in edinburghMonday 21 September 2009
My 29th year, our first munro!
For my birthday today, we took the day off and 'bagged our first munro'! A munro is a term for a Scottish mountain above 3000 ft. And the one we went up today, Cairngorm, is about4000ft! But we started quite high already so it was not that long. Still, it was a bloody windy day, a tough climb to top, but once again, well worth it!
Me doing a model pose about 10 min into the hike. Still looking fresh and ready to take on the munro!
Bjorn precariously balancing in the wind!
The painful last bit to the summit!
Finally! Munro number one!
Having a well deserved birthday lunch of a can of tomato sardines and a bun.
Me doing a model pose about 10 min into the hike. Still looking fresh and ready to take on the munro!
Bjorn precariously balancing in the wind!
The painful last bit to the summit!
Finally! Munro number one!
Having a well deserved birthday lunch of a can of tomato sardines and a bun.Friday 18 September 2009
So many things to do, so MUCH time!
Not being employed, not working in the office 5 days a week, 10 hours a day plus 2 hours of commuting, does wonders for the brain and spirit to think and consider other pursuits in life.
When I was employed and being remunerated each month, I didnt feel compelled to 'improve' my life with other skills. Since starting work after university, I have not done any language courses, crafts courses, picked up any new sport (dabbled in wake boarding a bit once, which was where bjorn and i met!), or learnt anything new. All 15 days of my annual leave was preciously reserved for beach holidays where I could veg by the beach/pool, work on a tan and be mentally retarded for X number of days. Weekends were spent just recuperating from usually a 'big' Friday or Saturday - which meant lotsa comfort food, aircon, naps and TV. It was almost like, slaving away in the office & being paid for it is enough to validate my short temporary existence on this planet. Employment filled my life with stuff so I didn't have to bother need to think about what I reeeeaaally wanna do in this life.
Of course, this is just me and that part of my life. There are plenty of people in this world that have good work life balance. That participate in non-work activities like sport and volunteering etc. And I am only making a generalisation based on me.
But now... we have so so many things on our to do list! And we have to prioritise!
1. First aid course - being alone on ben resipol made me realise how ignorant and foolish of us to think that we were capable of taking care of ourselves when we didnt know the first thing about first aid.
2. Bushcraft/Survival skills - If we want to do more outdoor/camping we need to learn basic things like making a fire, building shelter, wild food foraging etc. Think Bear Grylls!
3. Cooking classes - Hopefully cheap and good ones in the neighbourhood comminuty centres. I want to see how people teach cooking, so maybe in the future when we set up our small holding somewhere in australia, we can grow our own organic asian veg and i can hold asian cooking classes from our farm
4. Knitting / Sewing - A lady who stayed at Fraoch lodge was knitting woollen socks and they were gorgeous! And apparently really easy to do. Definitely want to learn this one real soon!
5. Pottery - I love food. And recently, after staying with Tyr who is a super potter and eating off pottery at her place and some other places we've been to, makes me reeeeally keen on finding out more about how to do this. Apparently its not that easy, and u need lots of kit/room. But we'll see!
6. Hill-walking / Trekking - Bring it on! After a couple of hills we have done in Scotland, we're hooked BIG time. Love the exercise, fresh air, nature, stunning views, the streams, the solitude and mostly, the time Bjorn and I get to spend talking and chatting and enjoying each others company while being all alone in the 'wild', one with nature. According to Trail magazine, 'Walking does wonders for the mind, gives people a sense of betterment, and uplifting sense of achievement when you reach a summit and the chance to marvel at the sheer raw beauty of our natural hills and mountains.' - So true lor...
7. Language courses - I feel silly and awful that we're going to be in Spain for about 6 weeks and we hardly know any spanish besides 'Hola' and 'Gracias' and 'Paella' and 'Mi casa su casa'. If theres a way I could do a crash course before we go... hmmmm I'll need to check it out.
8. Travelling..... Oh oh oh, to go to someplace new, to try new cuisine for the first time, speak to locals about their homes, their land, their lives. I find it hard to find words to describe how important I think travel is to build character, expand our views, and humble ourselves at the same time. More more more please!
9. Read more and write more - Have been quite pleased at the number of books I've managed to read in the past couple of weeks. All completely life-enriching books, I'll name a few here that has been particularly good:
- The Omnivore's Dillemma - Michael Pollan
- Life Inc - Douglas Rushkloff
- Confessions of an Eco Sinner - Fred Pearce
- The Ultimate Heresay - John Seymour
- A Brave new world - Aldous Huxley
- No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith
- The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
Alrighty, I think there's more to add on this list, but my shower is calling and I say this to those who are employed.... Have a lovely weekend! :) Coz you're going to need it.
Peace out...
When I was employed and being remunerated each month, I didnt feel compelled to 'improve' my life with other skills. Since starting work after university, I have not done any language courses, crafts courses, picked up any new sport (dabbled in wake boarding a bit once, which was where bjorn and i met!), or learnt anything new. All 15 days of my annual leave was preciously reserved for beach holidays where I could veg by the beach/pool, work on a tan and be mentally retarded for X number of days. Weekends were spent just recuperating from usually a 'big' Friday or Saturday - which meant lotsa comfort food, aircon, naps and TV. It was almost like, slaving away in the office & being paid for it is enough to validate my short temporary existence on this planet. Employment filled my life with stuff so I didn't have to bother need to think about what I reeeeaaally wanna do in this life.
Of course, this is just me and that part of my life. There are plenty of people in this world that have good work life balance. That participate in non-work activities like sport and volunteering etc. And I am only making a generalisation based on me.
But now... we have so so many things on our to do list! And we have to prioritise!
1. First aid course - being alone on ben resipol made me realise how ignorant and foolish of us to think that we were capable of taking care of ourselves when we didnt know the first thing about first aid.
2. Bushcraft/Survival skills - If we want to do more outdoor/camping we need to learn basic things like making a fire, building shelter, wild food foraging etc. Think Bear Grylls!
3. Cooking classes - Hopefully cheap and good ones in the neighbourhood comminuty centres. I want to see how people teach cooking, so maybe in the future when we set up our small holding somewhere in australia, we can grow our own organic asian veg and i can hold asian cooking classes from our farm
4. Knitting / Sewing - A lady who stayed at Fraoch lodge was knitting woollen socks and they were gorgeous! And apparently really easy to do. Definitely want to learn this one real soon!
5. Pottery - I love food. And recently, after staying with Tyr who is a super potter and eating off pottery at her place and some other places we've been to, makes me reeeeally keen on finding out more about how to do this. Apparently its not that easy, and u need lots of kit/room. But we'll see!
6. Hill-walking / Trekking - Bring it on! After a couple of hills we have done in Scotland, we're hooked BIG time. Love the exercise, fresh air, nature, stunning views, the streams, the solitude and mostly, the time Bjorn and I get to spend talking and chatting and enjoying each others company while being all alone in the 'wild', one with nature. According to Trail magazine, 'Walking does wonders for the mind, gives people a sense of betterment, and uplifting sense of achievement when you reach a summit and the chance to marvel at the sheer raw beauty of our natural hills and mountains.' - So true lor...
7. Language courses - I feel silly and awful that we're going to be in Spain for about 6 weeks and we hardly know any spanish besides 'Hola' and 'Gracias' and 'Paella' and 'Mi casa su casa'. If theres a way I could do a crash course before we go... hmmmm I'll need to check it out.
8. Travelling..... Oh oh oh, to go to someplace new, to try new cuisine for the first time, speak to locals about their homes, their land, their lives. I find it hard to find words to describe how important I think travel is to build character, expand our views, and humble ourselves at the same time. More more more please!
9. Read more and write more - Have been quite pleased at the number of books I've managed to read in the past couple of weeks. All completely life-enriching books, I'll name a few here that has been particularly good:
- The Omnivore's Dillemma - Michael Pollan
- Life Inc - Douglas Rushkloff
- Confessions of an Eco Sinner - Fred Pearce
- The Ultimate Heresay - John Seymour
- A Brave new world - Aldous Huxley
- No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith
- The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
Alrighty, I think there's more to add on this list, but my shower is calling and I say this to those who are employed.... Have a lovely weekend! :) Coz you're going to need it.
Peace out...
Thursday 17 September 2009
Exciting Spain ahead with HelpX!
Oh so exciting! We just got a reply from a Helpx host (www.helpx.net) that we can come to his farm near Barcelona in early December for Olive harvesting before we head home to Singapore! Olive harvesting!! Always wanted to do that in the mediterranian somewhere but didnt expect we'd get a chance this year! WOW!
Here's a link to the description of the farm: http://www.helpx.net/host.asp?hostID=904&network=3
Unfortunately u can only see photos if you are a member of Helpx. Its a wonderful online community we were recommended by a lady we met in wales that lists volunteer work all around the world! A membership of 18 pounds give u access for 2 years to the whole world's network! Certainly cheaper than wwoof that only lets you get access per country. Even better, you get to read all the reviews of people who've been to these places so basically you can get a sense of whether a place is good or not.
Here's a link to the description of the farm: http://www.helpx.net/host.asp?hostID=904&network=3
Unfortunately u can only see photos if you are a member of Helpx. Its a wonderful online community we were recommended by a lady we met in wales that lists volunteer work all around the world! A membership of 18 pounds give u access for 2 years to the whole world's network! Certainly cheaper than wwoof that only lets you get access per country. Even better, you get to read all the reviews of people who've been to these places so basically you can get a sense of whether a place is good or not.
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Shroomin' & Walking in the Highlands!
We've been here at Fraoch Lodge/ Mountain Innovations, in Boat of Garten, Inverness-shire for one week now and its been quite good so far! Highlights have been:
Mushroom Foraging! Andy, our host whose a mountain guide cum mushroom enthusiast took us on our first even into the nearby woods to collect a giant cauliflower fungus thats located in a secret place at the foot of a pine tree! What we discovered is how many varieties there are in these woods! Some are so beautiful fairy tale like toad stools, some just yummy looking and the definitely edible ones we've picked - porcini & chanterelles. Yummeeeeee...
While we didnt pick EVERYTHING we saw, I definitely went on a photo hunt with my camera! To europeans who live in the countryside all their lives, its probably no big deal, but to us, this is WOW amazing!
A group photo at the summit. From left to right.. Bjorn, Andy (our host and guide), Andy (yes another one), Kris, Gee, Amanda, Sheila)
View of Loch Alvie in the background
Mushroom Foraging! Andy, our host whose a mountain guide cum mushroom enthusiast took us on our first even into the nearby woods to collect a giant cauliflower fungus thats located in a secret place at the foot of a pine tree! What we discovered is how many varieties there are in these woods! Some are so beautiful fairy tale like toad stools, some just yummy looking and the definitely edible ones we've picked - porcini & chanterelles. Yummeeeeee...
While we didnt pick EVERYTHING we saw, I definitely went on a photo hunt with my camera! To europeans who live in the countryside all their lives, its probably no big deal, but to us, this is WOW amazing!
Edible chanterelles!
Another highlight so far, is on our off day, we got to join in on a hill-walking in the cairngorn highlands! It was a briiiiilliant day. Almost too hot actually. Super blue skies and fantastic views. The ascent wasnt too bad, decent was a little harder, but overall, great day, great group as well!
A group photo at the summit. From left to right.. Bjorn, Andy (our host and guide), Andy (yes another one), Kris, Gee, Amanda, Sheila)
View of Loch Alvie in the backgroundThursday 10 September 2009
Being spoilt at Ardna Mushrooms!
When you move around so much and you leave just when you get to know people, everything feels so brief, without continuity almost. The thing about wwoofing is that you get thrown into the unknown pretty much every couple of weeks. And you learn to adapt. But the most beautiful part of it is that you get the chance to collect so many precious experiences to remember for life.And that's definitely what our experience at Ardna Mushrooms was to us. For almost 2 weeks, we lived with the quirky & coolest Dunn family (though they will argue that they are not that cool lol) in the most amazing spot on this island so far - the west coast of Scotland. We've been quite spoilt as well, coz we were only allowed to work 4 hours a day! Not a minute more. Sweet eh? So most afternoons we just tinkered around here and there, go for a walk with Marmite (the Dunns black labrador), cycle up and down the loch etc...
Robert and Justine almost live the good life, so to speak (I say almost because we would have pigs not just hens, which they used to but not recently). They have a beautiful house which they restored themselves in a remote beautiful part of scotand, and bringing up 4 children the best possible way they can. From the moment they said that when the children all grow up and leave the house, they want to start becoming more fuller time activists and their passion lie in non-violence protesting. And would happily go to jail in pursuit of justice and equality. It was then, we knew that these 2 nutters and us probably had quite a few things in common :)
Here are some excerpts of our time in Strontian... its so excruciatingly beautiful, with people in the village, equally lovely, we'd definitely go back there again in a heartbeat.
Bjorn harvesting Shitake from 'loafs' of 'logs'. A daily task we do every morning! The aroma of the shitakes is just incredible!
Dinner time with the Dunns! From left... (after bjorn and me) Sam, James, Angus, Justine and Robert - the 'crazy mushroom man'.
Our cozy little caravan.
Having a cuppa at with local compost community club members. We said we'd post this photo online so here it is! From left to right (hope i get this right)... Robert, Johnathan, Robert, Bill, Bjorn.
Taking Marmite for a walk just at the back of the house. Amazing views only 10 min walk away.
Robert showing us how he makes biodiesel from used vegetable oil which comes up to only 12p a litre!
Henry the barman, ex-wwoofer and guitar player entertaining us at the local hotel/pub - Ben View Hotel. We had really nice memories there as well as we visited it quite a few times during our stay!
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