DISQUS

At first I thought this guy was attached to a reverse bungee waving around a shotgun and I concluded "only in America" Then I realised it was a trick of the eye and concluded "I should get a coffee"

Nice article, Matt. This is one of the best you've put out there, and that's saying something as you're pretty much everywhere I turn right now! haha. Nicely done, this will give the naysayers a real, high quality insight into life as a solo traveller.

Incidentally, what will you do if/when you meet a partner? It will mean giving up that solo lifestyle and adapting. I bring this up, as its exactly what happened to me and though I still yearn for the haven of solitariness I now thrive on sharing great moments with a consistent partner. Finally, good luck with the new sites...

<abbr>Ant´s last blog post..The Reprint: ‘All in a Days Work’</abbr>

You can't tell these children 'no', they're trained (for want of a better word) to persist. But what I think is important, is if you are saying no, don't say NO! Remember your p's and q's and the effect you'll have on their later life. You can't give to everyone. I remember a time in Lhasa when I was asked for money by three or four children, I didn't give them any but I returned to the monastery the next day with a small toy for each of them. Needless to say, I didn't see the other eighteen round the corner and me and my gang of do-gooders soon had a dilemma on our hands and a flood of tears! While on the subject - I applaud the Nepalese kid who asked "school pen, school pen?", I shrugged and told him I didn't have any and he ran off into the distance. Five minutes later he was back "which colour? red? blue? black?". I laughed, he laughed and I bought myself a "school pen". How could I not?!

<abbr>Ant´s last blog post..Lynch of the Grinch</abbr>

Would you expect to be fluent by the time you leave South America? I'm interested as I'll be doing something similar in the future. Sounds like a headache! You said it's having an effect on your train of thoughts, do you think it's having an effect on your writing per se?

<abbr>Ant´s last blog post..Penny for the Poor</abbr>

A purposely passionate post, Christine.

I think some people struggle with others not conforming to their own perception of travel. Travel has become such a brand these days that anyone who doesn't comply is almost seen as unfashionable. I think it's a generation thing, the 80's generation (that's me) grew up without the right of claiming true Hippy status, so they got together (probably in Thailand) and realised they all looked and acted pretty similar - so naturally that was the way things would be.

Only the Hippy's never died, they just went into hiding. My point being. Each generation will have the text book way to being loose, but we all know that it's those that throw the book away (therefore ignore the rules) that we find the most compelling.

<abbr>Ant´s last blog post..The Big Shift</abbr>

That link is awesome Monna, pretty much covers the problem Gillian faces!

<abbr>Ant´s last blog post..The Reprint: ‘Me Ol’ China Plate’</abbr>

Could you sell your car on one side of the gap, then buy another the other side, the do the same in reverse and by some fantastic turn of events (that's intrinsically linked to the economic crisis) you actually get a better car out of it in the long run?

Or.

Write a new book called 'Car. Gap. Shed.' or simply 'I Lost my Car in The Gap'

<abbr>Ant´s last blog post..The Reprint: ‘Me Ol’ China Plate’</abbr>

A great bunch of blogs, I just woke up from a clicking craze and found your site. Just wanted to say it's really good, I'll be catching up over the next couple of weeks... but by then, I guess I'll be behind again!

A divine shot... just curious though, exactly how many world's largest sitting Buddha's are there in the world?! I came across one in China, I heard about one in Sri Lanka and Bangkok and now I see you found him in HK!