2002-2005 (c) GetJealous.com, All rights reserved. http://www.getjealous.com/martinblake/rss.xml Hello! Welcome to my traveling blog. It has roughly up to date diary entries, more up to date photos and a funky map which shows my ridiculous route around the world. Leave a message if you like or email me at blakey-78@hotmail.co.uk if you actually want me to reply. Cheers! http://www.getjealous.com/martinblake http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=546584&go=martinblake The plane to Jaipur touched down to cheers and midway through taxi-ing most people on board were up heedless to the pleas from the stewardesses to remain seated. Our first taste of crowd mentality in India - it doesn"t matter how little good it will do you, pushing and jostling for position are just something you do. After successfully finding a quiet little hotel just outside the walls of th... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=546584&go=martinblake Wed, 5 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=528850&go=martinblake For the first time this year, I arrived in a country and was actually cold. Melbourne was positively chilly - not that it stopped me wearing shorts and a t-shirt - it is Australia after all. The first thing I did on arriving at 8am was to have something I hadn"t had for about 6 months - a good old fry up - this one appropriately called the ‘Big Fat Pommie Breakfast"! I spent the fi... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=528850&go=martinblake Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=516217&go=martinblake My month in China started pretty well with Jamie offering me a ticket to the women's beach volleyball Olympic final! This was the first of 3 Olympic events that I managed to see, the only one which was not undercover and the only one where it rained torrentially throughout. Happily, as China were in the final against the US, the atmosphere was not dampened at all by the weather and the match was ... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=516217&go=martinblake Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=502727&go=martinblake The first foray into Thailand didn't start too auspiciously with the minivan driver getting lost en route from the border to Bangkok and depositing us on Koh Sahn Road 2 hours later than scheduled. However, his mild incompetence was far more preferable to the scheming of our next succession of tuk-tuk and taxi drivers - the first of which told us Chinatown shut at 9pm (!) and took us instead to hi... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=502727&go=martinblake Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=502726&go=martinblake A long boat ride brought us from the border at Chau Doc to the capital, Phnom Penh and the Okay guesthouse (in both name and character). We arrived late but fortunately not too late to visit the renowned Heart of Darkness club. Apparently it used to be one of the more 'alternative' and must see venues in PP but it had gone mainstream in more recent years. The result as far as we could see was one ... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=502726&go=martinblake Mon, 7 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=497906&go=martinblake After collecting Cromey, my new traveling buddy, in Dubai and living a jet set lifestyle for a few days (including champagne brunch at the Park Hyatt - in true backpacker stylee) while staying with his slightly crazy Belgian friend, Bart, the Tour moved onto Singapore where we again went for luxury over budget. Eating lots, checking out the VIP areas of clubs courtesy of Josh's model agency owning... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=497906&go=martinblake Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=489402&go=martinblake After a brief stop in the UK, it was off again, this time heading east to Oman on my way to meet up with Cromey in Dubai before heading on with him for our Big South East Asia Tour.But first, Oman. The temperature had risen significantly since I was last here in January and the heat hit me as soon as I stepped off the plane. The fact that it was 10pm didn't stop the temperature being close to 40 d... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=489402&go=martinblake Tue, 27 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=477950&go=martinblake Having flown from Managua into Guatemala City, I skipped straight on to Antigua, the old colonial capital 45 mins away. Antigua is in remarkably good nick and you soon work out why. There are lots and lots of toursist here (especially Amrican ones), and everything is set up to cater for them. Travel agencies compete with bars and restaurants and jade shops for space on the cobbled streets in the c... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=477950&go=martinblake Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=474562&go=martinblake And so I reached the end of my travels in South America... an 8 hour flight took me north right into the heart of Central America (in considerable comfort thanks to an unexpected free upgrade) and Managua, the capital of Nicaragua.Having heard that Managua isn"t the nicest of capital cities, after meeting Kate at the airport, we hot-footed it straight to Granada, a delightful old colonial tow... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=474562&go=martinblake Sat, 5 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=474561&go=martinblake My first night in Rio was spent doing a bit of research purely for the benefit of the guys from work who were arriving a day later - I couldn"t possibly have them arrive and not know where the best nightspots were so, being the team player that I am, I duly obliged by checking these out until the early hours.The herd arrived the following evening, just in time for a meat feast of epic proport... http://www.getjealous.com/getjealous.php?action=showdiaryentry&diary_id=474561&go=martinblake Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT