Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
This is what my young cousins did to my Blog photo!
Nigel and Georgie by Rachel and Hannah Lowden. Naughty cousins..but I love it!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Almost a year has passed oh so quickly!
I really don't know what to write, well more how to sum up the time in between since I last blogged! I'm about to do it all again and although I've been there before I'm still a little scared. Last time I was itching to go, couldn't wait to get on that plane. This time I wish I had more time before I leave. Time to say some goodbyes over a few beers! I'm not sure I'm even going to have that!
Under a week now until I go so I thought I'd upload a few pictures of the two new additions to my life since last I wrote. Nigel and Lou Lou!
The beautiful Nigel deserves his own paragraph (and I could easily fill my entire website), but I'm not going to have to edit myself because I have never been one to go all mushy in public. So... we met very randomly.. on a bus! It freaks me out to think that we so easily could have not met, but for some reason (cue spooky music), I sat down in the seat beside him and the rest is history as they say (cue mushy music... some slow Elvis or Johnny Cash would be good!!). So... two souls have met and now one of them is going away for two months.. it'll be hard, but we have become very masterful at communicating by any means possible. Love finds a way... and he is coming to meet me once I finish working so I know I can do it. I will miss him very much though.
Lou Lou is my little rolly polly kitten that Mum and I rescued a few weeks back. She was being kicked by a group of teenagers in Coonamble. Mum and I saw this happening from the car as we drove past. I quickly swung around and drove right up to them...man I was so angry I wanted to run over them all! My Mum gave them a good dressing down, as did I and the next thing I knew we were being handed the kitten crying her lungs out through the car window. And that is how we came to have a new addition to our animal family.
I leave next wednesday the 28th of November so I'm busy packing and organising at the moment... it is all going at rather a slow pace because I've had a bad cold for the past two weeks.
Lots of Love,
Georgie xoxoxo
Under a week now until I go so I thought I'd upload a few pictures of the two new additions to my life since last I wrote. Nigel and Lou Lou!
The beautiful Nigel deserves his own paragraph (and I could easily fill my entire website), but I'm not going to have to edit myself because I have never been one to go all mushy in public. So... we met very randomly.. on a bus! It freaks me out to think that we so easily could have not met, but for some reason (cue spooky music), I sat down in the seat beside him and the rest is history as they say (cue mushy music... some slow Elvis or Johnny Cash would be good!!). So... two souls have met and now one of them is going away for two months.. it'll be hard, but we have become very masterful at communicating by any means possible. Love finds a way... and he is coming to meet me once I finish working so I know I can do it. I will miss him very much though.
Lou Lou is my little rolly polly kitten that Mum and I rescued a few weeks back. She was being kicked by a group of teenagers in Coonamble. Mum and I saw this happening from the car as we drove past. I quickly swung around and drove right up to them...man I was so angry I wanted to run over them all! My Mum gave them a good dressing down, as did I and the next thing I knew we were being handed the kitten crying her lungs out through the car window. And that is how we came to have a new addition to our animal family.
I leave next wednesday the 28th of November so I'm busy packing and organising at the moment... it is all going at rather a slow pace because I've had a bad cold for the past two weeks.
Lots of Love,
Georgie xoxoxo
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The Adventures of Georgianna Jones Part 2!
Have just been re-reading all my blogs from my last trip. I really can't believe that it has been nearly a year since I was there and here I am a week and a half away from going again. So much to do! Anyway, I thought I'd get this blog up and running again so you can all check in on my tomb raiding and ethiopian experiences. Soon I'll post some photos to go with the countdown to my departure.
love, Georgianna Jones xo
Friday, March 2, 2007
Ethiopia has my heart!
Even though I am writing this since arriving back in Australia, my experiences in Ethiopia are going around and around in my head. So I know I will still be as accurate in recalling them now as when I was there. You see, once you have been to a country like Ethiopia I don't think you ever recover. It is the best sickness that you can catch, and I should know! He hee.
I had tears in my eyes the day I was sitting on the plane bound for Nairobi taking me away from Ethiopia. It certainly wasn't the first time, I had two experiences that when I recall them still cause the same effect.We arrived in Addis Ababa somewhat exhausted from our crazy Safari. The altitude grounded us for the first few days, but once adjusted we ventured out huffing and puffing. It is rather overwhelming walking around the streets of an African city, white people kind of stick out.. I couldn't stop staring at the people, their beauty is indescribable. They were however staring back at me just as intensely, but not for my beauty...my blue eyes deem me rather freakish to them!
After a few days exploring the city we caught a plane to the village of Lalibela, high up in the mountainous north region of the country. Gosh, before I jump to that I must speak of the extraordinary young man (and our brother) that is BOGALE (I posted a photo of he an I). Andy had been emailing Bogale for quite a few months before we arrived. He was the guide (you must take guides with you to most places) for one of Andy's very good friends a few years ago. Anyway, he came to meet us the night before we were due to fly to Lalibela, Bogale's hometown. He greeted us with an Ethiopian hello (please remind me to demonstrate this for you..It is amazing!), that you receive from someone who is a very good friend.
Afterwards, Andy and I went back to our hotel rooms and just buzzed with joy and anticipation for the next three days that we would be spending with him. Lalibela is only a small village perched on top of a mountain, and surrounded by breathtaking views of the jagged remnants of many erupted volcanos. Firstly, it looks like how you would imagine Bethlehem to look centuries ago, mud huts and donkeys, goats and children running around everywhere...sometimes living together. Then you actually meet the people. Ahhh the people of Lalibela.... they don't have much but most would offer us everything that they had. If we offered them anything, even just a few moments to talk with them, they were overwhelmed with happiness. The sense of community there is so powerful. There are of course the annoyances of being a foreigner, sometimes there was unwanted attention but a few words in Amharic from Bogale and we were left alone.
We had some wonderful adventures, I rode a mule up a mountain to see a cliff-top rock-carved church. One of those incredible experiences that moved me to tears happened just out of Lalibela on the way to another extraordinary church. Let me describe it as best I can for you and then when I get my rolls of film back I can illustrate it for you! After driving along some very hairy bends around some very steep mountains we come to some lowlands and we decided to pull up for a break. Andy wasn't feeling well so he stayed in the vehicle. The moment I stepped out some very young children who were shepherds or children of the farmers surrounded me. Within minutes I think there were at least 20 kids and now some young adults just staring at me. I greeted them with my limited Amharic, but they just stared. Bogale offered to take a photo of me with the children..which of course I declined because as you know I hate photos of myself and I hate set up photos like that. I mean I was looking at them wanting desperately to be invisible so I could just capture them as they were..But you have to spend time with them in order to do that and I wasn't even sure that they would let me photograph them. After a while after no change in their intense staring I walked through the crowd and decided to take a few photos of the countryside. So I grabbed my camera (my digi was closest)...their eyes widened and it suddenly occurred to me that they most likely had not seen a camera like mine. This gave me an idea. I told Bogale that I would like a photo with the people, he asked and they agreed. Afterwards I grabbed the camera and showed them the screen on the back. CHAOS! There was a mass moving of people as each one crowded around me, grabbing my arms, shoulders and waist for a better look. Apparently I disappeared from sight. Quite a few moments passed and I was able to break free and quickly snap a few portraits of some of the children. Then I showed them. Loud giggles and hands over faces followed, and this became the procedure for the next half and hour in the hot blazing sun ....no wonder I got horribly sunburnt....as if I cared. I had had enough after half an hour and another idea came to me because i could see how much joy this was bringing them and I didn't want to stop. I was also aware that I was holding up our driver and Bogale but when I asked if we could stay, Bogale replied with...'just be free George'. So that is exactly what I did. I picked a young man, put the camera strap around his neck, gave him a very quick lesson in digital photography (using sign language) and then stepped back. He seemed shocked that I would offer him use of my camera...but very quickly a big smile came over his face once Bogale had explained that he was now the photographer. Shrieks of laughter could be heard from the group as he went around taking photos of his family and friends, much pointing, pushing and posing was happening as well! Even some of the elderly people were letting him photograph them, something that is unheard of because they are very supersticous about having their photo taken. Whilst this was going on I quickly picked up my film camera and shot about 3 or 4 rolls, they completely ignored me...except when they were trying to take photos of me which was hilarious, there as some really awful angles of my face on my digi camera! A few Ethiopian photographers later and I don't know how many minutes, possibly hours and it was time to go. They all shook my hand and smiled at me, especially the kids. I waved to them as we drove away and I guess you can imagine my emotional state. I wonder what the photos will look like. Bogale has promised to go back and give them the prints of their work ...if he can find them!
Gondor, despite the food poisoning, was really interesting. But it was the Simien Mountains that left a huge impression on me. I am also quite proud of the fact that I survived a 5hr trek and four nights in a tent with my brother. He has a great love of trekking and due to my rather weakened state (food poisoning and altitude sickness…we were over 3,000 ft above sea level) I opted to stay behind and do my own exploring. This is when I met a boy sitting by a well trying to do his English homework, the rest I will show you in my photographs. I made many friends that day and over the next few days we met at the same time. Mostly they were trying to teach me Amharic which was always the source of a good belly laugh. One boy in particular looked like an african version of an elf from Lord of the Rings, Tuggallele was his name and he was exactly as Tolkien describes the elves. Definitely not of this world.
Anyway, I feel like I have written an Ethiopian thesis. I will return one day that is something I am very sure of.
I look forward to sharing some of my photographs with you all when I finish developing them. I also look forward to catching up with you all when I am back in Sydney… I have missed you very much.
Lots of love, Georgiana Jones signing off until the next big adventure…….xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I had tears in my eyes the day I was sitting on the plane bound for Nairobi taking me away from Ethiopia. It certainly wasn't the first time, I had two experiences that when I recall them still cause the same effect.We arrived in Addis Ababa somewhat exhausted from our crazy Safari. The altitude grounded us for the first few days, but once adjusted we ventured out huffing and puffing. It is rather overwhelming walking around the streets of an African city, white people kind of stick out.. I couldn't stop staring at the people, their beauty is indescribable. They were however staring back at me just as intensely, but not for my beauty...my blue eyes deem me rather freakish to them!
After a few days exploring the city we caught a plane to the village of Lalibela, high up in the mountainous north region of the country. Gosh, before I jump to that I must speak of the extraordinary young man (and our brother) that is BOGALE (I posted a photo of he an I). Andy had been emailing Bogale for quite a few months before we arrived. He was the guide (you must take guides with you to most places) for one of Andy's very good friends a few years ago. Anyway, he came to meet us the night before we were due to fly to Lalibela, Bogale's hometown. He greeted us with an Ethiopian hello (please remind me to demonstrate this for you..It is amazing!), that you receive from someone who is a very good friend.
Afterwards, Andy and I went back to our hotel rooms and just buzzed with joy and anticipation for the next three days that we would be spending with him. Lalibela is only a small village perched on top of a mountain, and surrounded by breathtaking views of the jagged remnants of many erupted volcanos. Firstly, it looks like how you would imagine Bethlehem to look centuries ago, mud huts and donkeys, goats and children running around everywhere...sometimes living together. Then you actually meet the people. Ahhh the people of Lalibela.... they don't have much but most would offer us everything that they had. If we offered them anything, even just a few moments to talk with them, they were overwhelmed with happiness. The sense of community there is so powerful. There are of course the annoyances of being a foreigner, sometimes there was unwanted attention but a few words in Amharic from Bogale and we were left alone.
We had some wonderful adventures, I rode a mule up a mountain to see a cliff-top rock-carved church. One of those incredible experiences that moved me to tears happened just out of Lalibela on the way to another extraordinary church. Let me describe it as best I can for you and then when I get my rolls of film back I can illustrate it for you! After driving along some very hairy bends around some very steep mountains we come to some lowlands and we decided to pull up for a break. Andy wasn't feeling well so he stayed in the vehicle. The moment I stepped out some very young children who were shepherds or children of the farmers surrounded me. Within minutes I think there were at least 20 kids and now some young adults just staring at me. I greeted them with my limited Amharic, but they just stared. Bogale offered to take a photo of me with the children..which of course I declined because as you know I hate photos of myself and I hate set up photos like that. I mean I was looking at them wanting desperately to be invisible so I could just capture them as they were..But you have to spend time with them in order to do that and I wasn't even sure that they would let me photograph them. After a while after no change in their intense staring I walked through the crowd and decided to take a few photos of the countryside. So I grabbed my camera (my digi was closest)...their eyes widened and it suddenly occurred to me that they most likely had not seen a camera like mine. This gave me an idea. I told Bogale that I would like a photo with the people, he asked and they agreed. Afterwards I grabbed the camera and showed them the screen on the back. CHAOS! There was a mass moving of people as each one crowded around me, grabbing my arms, shoulders and waist for a better look. Apparently I disappeared from sight. Quite a few moments passed and I was able to break free and quickly snap a few portraits of some of the children. Then I showed them. Loud giggles and hands over faces followed, and this became the procedure for the next half and hour in the hot blazing sun ....no wonder I got horribly sunburnt....as if I cared. I had had enough after half an hour and another idea came to me because i could see how much joy this was bringing them and I didn't want to stop. I was also aware that I was holding up our driver and Bogale but when I asked if we could stay, Bogale replied with...'just be free George'. So that is exactly what I did. I picked a young man, put the camera strap around his neck, gave him a very quick lesson in digital photography (using sign language) and then stepped back. He seemed shocked that I would offer him use of my camera...but very quickly a big smile came over his face once Bogale had explained that he was now the photographer. Shrieks of laughter could be heard from the group as he went around taking photos of his family and friends, much pointing, pushing and posing was happening as well! Even some of the elderly people were letting him photograph them, something that is unheard of because they are very supersticous about having their photo taken. Whilst this was going on I quickly picked up my film camera and shot about 3 or 4 rolls, they completely ignored me...except when they were trying to take photos of me which was hilarious, there as some really awful angles of my face on my digi camera! A few Ethiopian photographers later and I don't know how many minutes, possibly hours and it was time to go. They all shook my hand and smiled at me, especially the kids. I waved to them as we drove away and I guess you can imagine my emotional state. I wonder what the photos will look like. Bogale has promised to go back and give them the prints of their work ...if he can find them!
Gondor, despite the food poisoning, was really interesting. But it was the Simien Mountains that left a huge impression on me. I am also quite proud of the fact that I survived a 5hr trek and four nights in a tent with my brother. He has a great love of trekking and due to my rather weakened state (food poisoning and altitude sickness…we were over 3,000 ft above sea level) I opted to stay behind and do my own exploring. This is when I met a boy sitting by a well trying to do his English homework, the rest I will show you in my photographs. I made many friends that day and over the next few days we met at the same time. Mostly they were trying to teach me Amharic which was always the source of a good belly laugh. One boy in particular looked like an african version of an elf from Lord of the Rings, Tuggallele was his name and he was exactly as Tolkien describes the elves. Definitely not of this world.
Anyway, I feel like I have written an Ethiopian thesis. I will return one day that is something I am very sure of.
I look forward to sharing some of my photographs with you all when I finish developing them. I also look forward to catching up with you all when I am back in Sydney… I have missed you very much.
Lots of love, Georgiana Jones signing off until the next big adventure…….xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
African Safari and itchy bites
Hello all! I apologise for the length of time between posts and unfortunately this will be a short one.
Today is our last day in Tanzania. We began in Nairobi (Nairobbery but lucky for us it didn't live up to it's name.) You know when the hotel staff make a point of showing you where not to go and where to go on the street there could be some safety issues. We were greeted by vibrant colours and happy faces with a simple 'Jambo!'. After our last week in Egypt(which will go down as my all time worst experience in Egypt - the felucca ride and security guard from hell) this was profoundly welcomed.
Our safari began with a wonderfully tense ride in a very small aircraft from kenya to Kilimanjaro the very next day (I kept thinking of 'out of Africa' to distract as I looked down upon the African landscape not far below, but then i remembered that that story ends with a plane crash.)
The unofficial Safari began from the moment we touched down. One hour in a hot van to the hotel where we were meeting our driver for the next 10 days, Mr Amir....the best Safari driver in all of Africa!! I didn't really expect the extreme 4wd driving that we had to endure for the next 7hrs. We were thrown around the truck like we were ragdolls as we took on some rather scary angles and deep deep muddy tracks. At first I panicked everytime i saw a pot hole, but after a while it was obvious that Amir knew what he was doing and I decided to go up the back of the vechile and enjoy the ride...i don't think i've had so much fun for quite a while!! Yipeeeee!! It was short lived when we attempted to get to the Serengetti some days later.... it was extreme! I'm hoping my photos will show you some of the angles and roads we took on that day... i can not do it through words. You would not believe me.
Now to the animals.... the beautiful animals of Africa. They are just extrodinary to watch in the wild. Often they don't even acknowledge your presence... especially the Lions. One day in the Nogorongoro Crater, we came upon a lioness and her cub. A few moments later we noticed the most magnificent male lion that i have ever seen... just a few yards behind us. Nervously we watched as they crossed the road in front of us...the male coming right up to the vehicle (we all panicked and shut the windows...teh roof was still open however). He then leapt over the water on the road... it was so frightening but the way he moved when he leaped was incredibly graceful. I'm quite certain all of us sighed at this point. Andrew was beside himself.
Anyway...i really must end this now...we are about to catch a flight from Zanzibar back to Nairobi...then onto Ethiopia!!!! By the way i have also discovered that i am allergic to not only blue bottles, but also stinging plankton. I am a sight to behold. Covered in the most ugly itchy blotches...i look like i have the chicken poks again. I had a fever last night and then the most itchy skin. Oh well... at least i got to go snorkling once!!!
love, Georgie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooo
ps will attempt to email individually when i am in ethiopia..too expensive here.
Today is our last day in Tanzania. We began in Nairobi (Nairobbery but lucky for us it didn't live up to it's name.) You know when the hotel staff make a point of showing you where not to go and where to go on the street there could be some safety issues. We were greeted by vibrant colours and happy faces with a simple 'Jambo!'. After our last week in Egypt(which will go down as my all time worst experience in Egypt - the felucca ride and security guard from hell) this was profoundly welcomed.
Our safari began with a wonderfully tense ride in a very small aircraft from kenya to Kilimanjaro the very next day (I kept thinking of 'out of Africa' to distract as I looked down upon the African landscape not far below, but then i remembered that that story ends with a plane crash.)
The unofficial Safari began from the moment we touched down. One hour in a hot van to the hotel where we were meeting our driver for the next 10 days, Mr Amir....the best Safari driver in all of Africa!! I didn't really expect the extreme 4wd driving that we had to endure for the next 7hrs. We were thrown around the truck like we were ragdolls as we took on some rather scary angles and deep deep muddy tracks. At first I panicked everytime i saw a pot hole, but after a while it was obvious that Amir knew what he was doing and I decided to go up the back of the vechile and enjoy the ride...i don't think i've had so much fun for quite a while!! Yipeeeee!! It was short lived when we attempted to get to the Serengetti some days later.... it was extreme! I'm hoping my photos will show you some of the angles and roads we took on that day... i can not do it through words. You would not believe me.
Now to the animals.... the beautiful animals of Africa. They are just extrodinary to watch in the wild. Often they don't even acknowledge your presence... especially the Lions. One day in the Nogorongoro Crater, we came upon a lioness and her cub. A few moments later we noticed the most magnificent male lion that i have ever seen... just a few yards behind us. Nervously we watched as they crossed the road in front of us...the male coming right up to the vehicle (we all panicked and shut the windows...teh roof was still open however). He then leapt over the water on the road... it was so frightening but the way he moved when he leaped was incredibly graceful. I'm quite certain all of us sighed at this point. Andrew was beside himself.
Anyway...i really must end this now...we are about to catch a flight from Zanzibar back to Nairobi...then onto Ethiopia!!!! By the way i have also discovered that i am allergic to not only blue bottles, but also stinging plankton. I am a sight to behold. Covered in the most ugly itchy blotches...i look like i have the chicken poks again. I had a fever last night and then the most itchy skin. Oh well... at least i got to go snorkling once!!!
love, Georgie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooo
ps will attempt to email individually when i am in ethiopia..too expensive here.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
A needle for Christmas?!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my friends and family! It seems I haven't been a good girl because for Christmas I could barely eat and I spent it in bed suffering from stomache cramps and nausea. The only present I received that day was a needle, given to me by a strange Dr who laughed as he indicated in sign language that I was to be given an inection in my bottom. Am still perplexed by this.Actually no I am not, some things you experience here it is best not to think to deeply...and I no longer try to decipher the logic... there is none! Anyway, am better now..according to my team members it seems it was my Egypt initiation. Everyone must go through...just a shame it coincided with Christmas and meant that I missed out on a good party.
I have only one day left on site which is distressing me. Such an incredible experience, hard slogging work, but now after iniitally being overwhelmed a part of me wants to stay and keep working. Craziness!!!! I will miss the challenges, the beautiful Gufties and the adrenaline rush of going down into a tomb. I will also miss some of my work colleagues....you know who you are! We have been through a lot together, there is nothing like gastro or a personal crisis overseas to bring people together!! At least now I will be able to see more of Egypt and travel to Aswan and Luxor.Ah..the anticipation!
My brother arrives tomorrow night. I will definatley hug him when I see him despite it being a cultural tabu. You see he was in Bangkok when the bombing occured. When I saw the SMH website I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack. Then I recieved a text message from him telling me he was in the middle of a thai massage. It was a beautiful moment in the internet centre here I can tell you!
I spent an amazing day yesterday visiting three sites around Cairo which are not open to the public and therefore unkown to the common tourist. I climbed/slid down into the burial chamber of a partially intact pyramid overlooking Cairo. When I noted the rocks falling from the roof... I quickly scampered out. The french are about to start work there so who knows what they will find!!!
Must be off now. Love to all!!
love, Georgie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have only one day left on site which is distressing me. Such an incredible experience, hard slogging work, but now after iniitally being overwhelmed a part of me wants to stay and keep working. Craziness!!!! I will miss the challenges, the beautiful Gufties and the adrenaline rush of going down into a tomb. I will also miss some of my work colleagues....you know who you are! We have been through a lot together, there is nothing like gastro or a personal crisis overseas to bring people together!! At least now I will be able to see more of Egypt and travel to Aswan and Luxor.Ah..the anticipation!
My brother arrives tomorrow night. I will definatley hug him when I see him despite it being a cultural tabu. You see he was in Bangkok when the bombing occured. When I saw the SMH website I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack. Then I recieved a text message from him telling me he was in the middle of a thai massage. It was a beautiful moment in the internet centre here I can tell you!
I spent an amazing day yesterday visiting three sites around Cairo which are not open to the public and therefore unkown to the common tourist. I climbed/slid down into the burial chamber of a partially intact pyramid overlooking Cairo. When I noted the rocks falling from the roof... I quickly scampered out. The french are about to start work there so who knows what they will find!!!
Must be off now. Love to all!!
love, Georgie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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