Playlab.net || Mark Rochefort

Filed under: Travel, Random

If you are sitting next to someone who irritates you follow these instructions:
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Filed under: Photos, Travel, Random

green shoots.

Taken in Somerset at the weekend - near Nunney. Things are starting to happen in the woods right now. Signs of new life abound. Like these guys - standing by, ready to unfurl…

Filed under: Photos, Travel

seal turns placidly and stares.

What a life these fat fellows have! Lazying about all day, just soaking up the sun and going for the occasional dip, maybe catching a fish if they can be bothered…

There’s more photos of Skye here (needs password - just ask me).

Filed under: Photos, Travel

an essential cargo - the ubiquitous san miguel beer shares a ride with us on a banka
(see the rest of the Philippines photo set on Flickr » )

Wow - that felt longer than two weeks. We’ve just returned from a different world and a very beautiful one at that. A world full of idyllic islands straight out of James Bond, with incredible diving and friendly people. The Philippines has such a bad press here in the UK and I’m almost tempted not to dispell the myths so I can keep the place all for myself… but how could I do that? Island hopping around the remote islands to the north of Palawan by banka revealed some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever seen. Thousands of deserted islands with sheer limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, secret beaches and turquoise blue waters.

However, it seems tourism “eco-development” and land title disputes are endemic in this area and corruption, at all levels, is rife. It’s a fine balance between tourism alleviating poverty in a place perceived by Westerners as “paradise on earth” and maintaining a pristine environment for future generations. As tourism encroaches on these small islands in this fragile ecology, I really hope this balance can be met.

Some of the people we met along the way (like the folk at Kudugman) were trying to do things the right way- pushing forward low-scale, low-impact and sustainable developments of two or three huts on islands that draw minimal resources and offer a very basic yet completely serene break from it all. However, the terms “sustainable” and “eco-tourism” are used all too rashly and I hope that recent measures to develop these small islands do not lead to their destruction.


Anyway - here’s some more photos. Not that I need to convince you of the beauty of the place!

Filed under: Travel

A cold yet pleasingly steady England. To be up and out of the Tsunami zone and into a hot bath within 2 days is strangely disarming. I feel as if I am betraying the local people left behind in this tragedy. Now, more than ever, people in these regions need the income from tourism to help them get back on their feet. The areas most hit obviously need the most help. But, in the badly affected places, the infrastructure is simply too strained to be able to support any further drain on water and food resources that visitors would bring. We actually left the Andamans following our intended schedule. There were enough supplies on Havelock to support the people there and many fellow travellers were choosing to stick to their original plans. Of course, news of the wider reach of the waves and the associated images that have been in the media all around the world hasn’t quite filtered round the islands yet. Believe me - I was choked by what the news showed on the plane coming home. We were blissfully unaware just how close we were.

So, now that we are home and safe with friends and family, what can anyone do to help? GIVE MONEY. Either donate to a specific organisation, such as the Red Cross and Oxfam, that are already based in some of the affected regions and doing excellent work. Or the Disasters Emergency Committee is running an appeal where you can also donate online. How much can you afford? Double it. Incredibly, even these sites are starting to buckle under the sheer enormity of things but please keep trying.

If you are looking for information about the situation in the Andaman Islands, an Andaman-Tsunami website has been created for those seeking to post or find out news.

Filed under: Travel

Chennai, India. We have just arrived from the Andaman Islands and the extent of the Tsunami’s devastation is only just starting to hit home. Sleeping in a simple hut on the beach, we were woken by a serious rumble in the morning and we certainly got a bit wet but, as there are no communications on Havelock Island, we did not know what was happening in the outside world. The lack of information and rumours just caused more panic. When we left yesterday, people were still camped out in the hills for fear of another quake. Water and food supplies were low but not desperate. When a lady from the British High Commission met us at the airport, we realised people must have been worried. I didn’t quite expect us to make the news though! Anyway - we and all the other people who were on Havelock Island (the same should go for Neil Island too) are safe; there were no casualties. As we head home, my heart goes out to all those touched by this tragedy.

Filed under: Travel

Chennai, India. Catching a lift with an Indian family and their kitchen sink, my nose is pressed close to the window. Sacred bulls stand dazed in the heavy traffic - either mesmerised by headlights or bewildered by the neon and noise of the night market. I catch my partner’s eye and we smile. Yep - we are back in India.

Filed under: Photos, Travel

Kandy, Sri Lanka. After nearly four hours sat in a cybercafe, I have managed to upload some photos. Email me for the password

Filed under: Travel

Ella, Sri Lanka. We woke at 3am this morning, after only getting to bed at 1am (beers under the full moon on a beautiful beach - just too enticing!) and arrived at Uda Welawe National Park to catch the dawn troop of elephants. As the mist cleared, we stalked the odd beasties in our jeep - all that was missing was a voiceover from David Attenborough. I like elephant footprints.

Filed under: Travel

Mirissa, Sri Lanka. We’ve been doing a fair bit of diving lately and, a couple of days ago, we saw a turtle. I’ve never seen one so close. He effortlessly banked round right in between us, as we made our ascent from the deep. You could even see his smile - chuckling at how clumsy we looked trying to be fish.

Filed under: Travel

Mirissa Beach, Sri Lanka. Sun, sea, surf, snorkelling… Oh and a bit of diving. Nuf said really

Filed under: Travel

Colombo, Sri Lanka. A busy city, yes. But a world away from the busy we’ve left behind in India. The traffic goes in the same direction, on the correct side of the road. And on tarmac roads too! With pavements and everything.

After a month of curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner it has been a welcome treat to find a place serving culinary delights such as sushi and a cool beer. This really is a little cosmopolitan heaven. Although, seeing Christmas decorated plastic palm trees in a shopping mall is perhaps stretching even my ideas of consumer utopia a little too far. And, I have to admit, I found it a little disconcerting riding the elevator up the west tower of the World Trade Centre - Colombo’s very own twin towers.

Filed under: Travel

madurai, tamil nadu. i don’t believe it - we have just spent the last four days surrounded by complete mayhem and i get to an internet cafe to upload our photos and it says the data is corrupt! technology schmechnology.

last night we wandered around the spell binding temple again, taking it all in, and were duly blessed by the holy painted elephant. then, as we stepped out into the heavy evening, the sky and streets were suddenly alive with a non-stop assault of bangs, squeals and cascading colours from a second wave of diwali attack. mothers in saris lit mischievous firecrackers and dads dueled with fireworks of ever increasing size. we escaped to a rooftop and watched the beautiful battle unfold around us. the thick air becoming even thicker with gunpowder smoke and the smell of incense.

and, of course, this morning the sacred cows were out in force - happily munching on all the spent munitions littering the streets.

Filed under: Travel

madurai, tamil nadu. i have sought a brief air-conditioned solace from the war zone of deepavali firecrackers out in the streets. it seems nothing is spared by kids letting off bangers - bottles, fruit, bikes, cows - all are no match for the fireworks that they are armed with.

the temple this morning was equally crazy, in a very different way; sacred painted elephants wandering about between the butter throwing, prostrating and chanting devotees. we explored the temple, through the labyrinth of corridors, shrines and ceilings - decorated with elaborate stories of various deities in fantastical detail. the noise and buzz of holy activity created a truly magical atmosphere. it felt like wandering round an indiana jones movie.

Filed under: Travel

madurai, tamil nadu. we have a room on the roof of a hotel that has amazing views of the city and sunrise this morning was rather special. the huge temple towers, thought to be decorated with 3.3 million brilliantly painted sculptures, dominate the vista. while the chants, wails, toots and beeps rise from the chaotic streets of the bustling holy city below. you can feel the excited anticipation as everyone prepares for deepavali. this is a very different india to goa and kerala - and i think i’m going to enjoy it.