Parkinson Interview with the Intrepid Explorers!

Parkinson Interview with the Intrepid Explorers!

What are your highlights of the trip so far?


Gav:All sorts mmm……Scuba diving, biking around the islands, people we’ve met…….just general stuff.

Sue: This really is the trip of a lifetime! There are so many highlights, but to name a few would be meeting up with friends in Ko Tao & Koh Samui, Swimming with Dolphins, Elephant Trekking, Snorkelling in Phi Phi and the Bangkok Coup and becoming famous in the local papers at home!
Also more recently, Koh Chang as it was such a relaxing place and I got my Moped Wings

Describe your best day and night out

Gav:Day out: Kanchanaburi was great, 5 tier waterfalls, River Kwai Railway, Elephant trekking, river rafting, staying with wacky a plastered landlady and a great mix of backpackers was a great few days, it’s hard to remember all the days cos everything is flying past at the moment!
Night out: Lots of good nights, we’re trying to discipline ourselves to going out once a week (on the pop) but we’ve had many a great night out with fellow travellers from everywhere around the world. A lot of the best bands in Thailand come over from the Philipines and they’re really the real deal when it comes to bands. Koh Sahn Road, Chewang in Koh Samui, Koh Tao….loads of great nights out.

Sue: Kanchanburi was my best day, where we slept in a tin cabin on the River Kwai, very basic but such good fun! We spent the day Elephant Trekking, feeding them, watching them perform tricks......it was fantastic!
So many good nights out, as you can imagine with us two! One night that stands out was in Koh Samui, when Don & Alex came over to meet us, we watched a band from the Phillipines who were amazing performers. They even balanced full bottles of vodka on top of their head whilst playing guitar & singing!!!

What new skills have you learnt

Gav:As above I suppose with people skills. The exciting thing about traveling is looking at the way other people act in their countries, their behaviours and all that, which is pretty fascinating. In Thailand theres a great custom of not getting mad with anyone, they call it “Keeping Face’ we probably say ‘Staying cool’. So the Thais laugh and smile through disputes or simply work it out without resorting to name calling or raising their voice so I think I’ve learnt a bit about how to resolve things without ‘losing face’! Being a foreigner in this country, you are perceived as a very rich person (how wrong can appearances be!) so people want to try and sell you things……….all sorts of things. You kind of learn to say no politlely and after a while you learn to laugh with them when they realize that you’ve sussed them out !

Sue: Biking (on a Moped!), Snorkelling, Bartering and learning to walk with a Turtle like shell on my back!


Any regrets?

Gav:No regrets, just more ideas of what to do next time! Cos it’s really cheap to do stuff in Thailand it’s a good idea to get ‘your wings’ at things over here. Like wind surfing, diving, snorkeling, drinking…all persuits that take it out of your budget, so we’ve tried to do as much as we can

Sue: None at all, only wish I had done this trip earlier!

If you could bring 3 things from home now, what would they be?

Gav: Friends, family and …………………mmmm……a endlessly refilling travelsized pint of John Smiths.

Sue: Friends and Family (well some of you anyway!),my comfy bed and my Hairdresser!

Name the most essential travel item?

Gav:Guitar! Sounds a bit cheesy but it breaks the ice, I’m not walking round like David Brent saying ‘Go and get the guitar…’ but it’s been great, cos when the locals see it they all shout ‘Geedaaaaarrr’ and then huddle round you to see what it is- I tell em it’s a really cheap crappy one. But loads of Thais play the guitar and it’s always good to whip it out and give it a strum and pass it round on the beach. Plus it don’t cost anything and it keeps me sane, writing and playing away!!!!!!

Sue: My Round the World Ticket, otherwise I couldnt continue the trip!
Also the camera, for the memories and for the blog for all of you to see!


What have been the funniest moment of the trip?

Gav: Sue being serenaded by a guy in Samui, he started singing ‘Stuck on You’ by Lionel Richie and really turned on the cheese as he sang and smiled away at 3x2! She was really embarresed, so he carried on doing it. Also the Dutch people we’ve met have me in stitches, their sense of humour is well funny, not sure whether they intend to or not but it tickles me, I think the Dutch accent is the funniest thing ever ‘It’s sowww crayzheee!!!’(even funny than monkeys in suits!!!!.......mmmmm Dutch speaking monkeys in suits???? That could be good) . German Alex also had me in stitches cos we hireda car and he had a big motorbike and we were mooching around Koh Samui one day and he flew past and shouted ‘Keep up Kojak!!!!’ Don’t ask me why that tickled me but it was just surprising to hear a German making a joke I think!!!!


Sue: Watched a ladyboy show and afterwards one of them called Yoko came and sat with us. Gavs face was a real picture, he was quite scared and not sure what to do at first. After a few more drinks Yoko was pulling down her top and we were asking her about her operation costs etc!!

What has been your worst embarrassing moment?

Gav:The C.I. Nuff said.

Sue: I have two!! As you all know I am a little accident prone!

My first one is when we went on a 2 day trip to Kanchanaburi, we were sat with our group for lunch, not knowing anyone at this point, when I fell off my chair into the guy next to me!! he then helped me up from the floor when I knocked over my bottle of water over everyone! By then I kinda knew everyone in our group! What an icebreaker!
The next embarressing moment was when I had food poisoning and was sick in the restaurant all over their cushions and floor etc in front of people having their dinner! Poor Gav then had to clean it all up for me! Thanks Munners!

What has been your most adrenalin fueled experience so far?

Gav: Going under a coral arch 30 foot in the sea on the last day of diving to get our licence. The arch was four foot at its highest part and was pretty dark and you had to remember all the things you’d learnt about keeping yourself from rising or falling as you passed through it. There were fish swimming through it besides you, was really good.travelling on any kind of transport is also good for the nerves…….I’ve hung off the back off pick-ups, been on a scooter with a woman and child…..actually yesterday our impatient arse of a Tuk Tuk driver got reversed into by a taxi-car! Also we had a bump with another boat as we we’re docking in Phi Phi-that’s where we learnt why you shouldn’t hang your feet over the sides when docking! The whole coup thing was pretty nervy as well, cos we’d been told to stay in the hotel by the bbc etc, but it was pretty obvious that it was all pretty calm so when we got to the military headquarters the next day it was all buzzing with tanks and armed soldiers, that was good

Sue: Learning to Scuba Dive

What was your scariest moment?

Gav:Probably getting my air tank caught in an anchor line when we were diving, but the instructor taught us how to deal with that before, but it was pretty hairy…..the situation not the anchor line. When you’re underwater if anything goes wrong your head and body want to get to the surface asap, but you can’t because of decompression and busting your lungs and all that so you have to deal with it and move on! And hiking a lift with a presumed pair of phycho

Sue: Biking (alright it was a Moped!)
Having Gav as my instructor is scary enough, when all his advice was take it "Nice & Easy"!
I was learning and a bit unsteady at times, but when we had to navigate chicanes that were really steep and you have big 4x4 jeeps trying to get past you, I was not happy!This was my white knuckle ride!!

What is your current catchphrase?

Gav: Apparantly “Nice and Easy’ and Always good’ in a smarmy American accent when anyone asks “are you good? Sue: I didnt think I had one, but apparently eveything is either Nice or Weird!

Do you feel you have changed, if so how?

Gav:Don’t know, maybe for other people to say. It’s only been three months but I feel a bit more streetwise about stuff. Feel a bit humbled by other peoples lives and stuff, but I don’t know! You learn pretty quickly when you’re traveling to adapt, it’s not that hard and really worth the little effort, you change your ideas about a lot of things and your opinions are constantly changing so I think I’ve become more open minded to stuff.

Sue: I have become more practical (I know i can hear you laughing reading this!)
I am also more independant (Gav has not carried my bag once!)
Also learnt not to worry about things, what will be....will be!
Gran you once told me that too!
Lastly I am not scared to try something new, I am doing things that I couldnt do at home, so yeah I guess I am changing!!

What are you most proud of accomplishing on this trip?

Gav: “The fingerpicking to Mother Natures Son by The Beatles! I don’t know about accomplishing anything but before we came over we said we were going to do stuff we wouldn’t or couldn’t try in England and I suppose we’ve done that, but a bit too early for accomplishment stories yet!Sue: Going out of my comfort zone on a regular basis and coping!

What are you looking forward to?

Gav: Tomorrow! Seeing ‘Our Kid’ in China cos I know am looking forward to the endless games of chess and debates on the socio-economic effect of goat herding in western……..I mean just catching up…it’s been waaaaay tooo long!!!!! Everything really, every day theres usually stuff to plan, but long term…….Oz will be great to see my mad family and friends over there, they’ll be bee-keeping and coral diving to do…..and one of the ideas at the mo for america is to maybe buy an old Dodge and drive across, still early days yet and I’m trying not to plan anything, but looking forward to the unexpected!

Sue: The rest of the trip, not knowing what the next day will bring!
Also looking forward to seeing Mum & Dad in Australia, it will be an early and my only Christmas present!!!

What has surprised you?

Gav: The generosity of people who have nothing to gain and the ruthlessness of people who have nothing to lose

Sue: I can live without hair straightners!!!!
Also that this travelling lark is a lot easier than I expected!

Favourite Album of the moment?

Gav:Black Eyed Peas, Highway 61 Revisted and David Hasselhoff’s Greatest Hits
Sue: Black Eyed Peas

Best book you have read since we set off?

Gav: The Damage Done by Warren Fellowes
Sue: Damage Done & Memoirs of a Geisha (a close second!)

Favourite Joke of the moment?

Gav: Erm,mmmmmmmmmm, blond pushes her car into a garage and says ‘It’s not working’ the mechankic takes a look at it for a while and fiddles about under the bonnet. When he’s finished he says to the girl ‘It’s Ok now, just crap in the carburetor and she says ‘Oh dear…How often?’
Sue: As you all know, I cant remember any jokes to save my life!

What is each others worst habit?


Gav: Sues....mmmmmmmmm....howmuch space have we got left????!!!!Noseying and getting half a story about stuff and then thinking I'm interested in what the couple next to us on the bus had for breakfast! Oh and obviously faffing.

Sue: Gav is really untidy......I walk into our room and think we have been robbed!!!
Also he is very grumpy...especially in the mornings!!!

What is each others best quality and how has it benefited the travel experience?

Gav: Her ability to laugh at my jokes....no her ability to laugh at stuff when things get a bit hairy is cool and also her ability to fall, trip and lose balance when we're in a social situation to break the ice that's commendable! This is a true story that i saw with my own eyes and i wish I had the camera at the time. I was getting a drink on this river raft and sue was sitting on a plastic chair and was litterally gorping at the people next to her and the chair began to give way, with plenty of time to save herself from falling she chose to keep staring and went down staring!!! Now viewer that, as the dear departed Roy Castle said, is 'Dedication'

Sue: Gav's sense of humour, he can always make me laugh whatever situation we are in!
Also his guitar playing has helped us meet some great people!
PS I have now learnt 3 chords on the guitar so watch out David Brent!!

What creepy crawlies and wildlife have you seen?

Gav:Huge Great Farty Sounding Toads, all kinds of lizards from 3 inch to 6 foot long, angry flying ants, Big ugly airy dragonflies, Ephelants, Turkles, Fishies, SlipperySnakes, Crazy Crocs, Cheeky Monkeys.

Sue: Bullfrogs, Lizards, Snakes, Flying Ants, Cockroaches, Butterflies, Spiders, Beetles, Monkeys, Crickets, Hawks, Storks, Elephant, Turtles and Dogs with fleas!


What tips would you give to people thinking about going travelling?

Gav: Plan a little and do a lot. expect the unexpected, practice bladder and bowel control, learn a bit of the language. learn the local knowledge. It's easy the hardest thing is booking the ticket.

Sue: Just do it!!! Its great fun, everyday is an adventure!
Pack light!! Its hard to do but thats hot off the press!
Buy a Lonely Planet, it does become your bible!
Dont have a planned schedule......cos it will change!!
Oh and of course get yourself a BLOG!!!!!

Has the trip changed your outlook about life in the UK?

Gav: ‘I think it’s a bit early to say but I think life in the UK may be a bit strange after all this. People said ‘Oh you’ll get the travel bug’ and I suppose I have!

Sue: It has reminded me of how lucky I am to have such good friends and family!
I know its cheesy, but I do mean it! I have seen and met less fortunate people and it makes me appreciate what I have got!
Also I would like to travel more, city breaks over weekends and exotic holidays when I can!
Lastly I dont want to work ever again!!......but of course I will have to get back to the real world!!!

What is the meaning of Life?

Gav: Have the craic!
Sue: Its life Jim, but not as we know it!!
Also as a good friend said to us before we left......"Its all about the journey"
and that is sooooo true!!
Gav: Yeah but he also said something about smelling of fish too so ..............!!!!