Street art and alleyways of Melbourne (in pictures)

One of the charming characteristics of Melbourne are its alleyways. Every major street have smaller ones that run from both sides of them, creating ideal canvases for street artists. New things are created here every day. 
The city is one of the world capitals of street art, which includes stencils, paste-ups and murals (this doesn't include graffiti and tagging - which are illegal).
I was lucky enough to have lots of time for wandering around the city and these photos are just a small percentage of the street art I found. 

Blond confessions: On how I fell out of a boat in Koh Tao and what happened with my passport

I was advised by a friend of mine to take a long tail boat from Ko Tao to Ko Nang Yuan, a small island, which is pretty popular with divers.
I got up in the morning and went to the beach to look for a boat, which could take me there. 
I didn't have to look for long. A nice, Burmese man took me for a return trip for 400 Baht. 

Reflections on my first month on the road

Last month I set off on my journey. Anxious, worried and excited, with everything I owned in my 60 litre backpack, I boarded a plane to Bangkok. 
I am not only on a journey in a physical way, but spiritual and mental as well. These are my reflections on my trip so far.

Melbourne markets - a great way of spending your afternoon in the city

Markets can tell you a lot about the society. From looking at the sellers you can tell what majorities (if any) live in the area, what the locals like to eat, what kinds of clothes they wear, how they behave and what they like to eat.
I always try to visit a market wherever I am. I aim for the less known places, less touristy spots, where I can observe the people and get a feel of the city.
There are countless market places in Melbourne. Each with its unique feel and atmosphere. There are food markets in suburbia, crafts markets in a bush, or on the beach, where you can pick up a bracelet, a handmade top, 
or a colourful boomerang, made by a local artist. 

First impressions of Australia

When I was around 7 years old my dad went to Australia for a year, where he worked on a farm. He came back tanned, relaxed and in owe of the things he'd seen. 
Till this day he says that Australia is the best country he has ever been to. 
No wonder then that visiting Oz became my dream. After 25 years I have finally managed to travel all the way here. I arrived with my expectations high, hoping to find an amazing country, which I will fall in love with.
These are my impressions after 10 first days. 

Relax, this is Asia!

Koh Tao didn't blow me away. It was nice, relaxing, but it was too expensive, there were too many western style pubs and bars and too many 25 year old American/Canadian tourists with huge egos, who spoke with a certain way, finishing every sentence with a question mark. All they were talking about was getting drunk on cheap booze.

The island was also a place where I have seen the most laid back locals ever. They sat in their little shops and cafes whole day and watched tourists passing by. Sometimes it seemed that even talking was an effort to them. 
There was no rush in their movements, no stress was visible on their faces.
The westerners, who lived there, had exactly the same attitude. I experienced it the hard way when I was leaving the island. 

Wat Saket - Golden Mountain Temple

Wat Saket - Golden Mountain Temple stands on an artificial hill, overlooking the entire Bangkok. 

It's history dates back to Ayutthaya era and was renovated by the King Rama I in the 19 th century.

Wat Arun - the most beautiful temple in Bangkok

Wat Arun means The Temple of Dawn and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Bangkok. It was called after Aruna, the Indian God of Dawn. 
The building represents the Mount Meru, the centre of the world in Buddhist cosmology. 

New beginning

I would have never expected to be this hard to leave London, its people, its crowded streets and the bloody transport system.
I would have never expected that one day I will be sleeping on my friend's couch and miss having my own space.
I would have never expected that I will be so scared of going to another country.

The Blond confessions: my next trip is coming closer

I haven't updated the blog for a while, mainly because the fact that I'm busy, and if I'm not busy I am tired. I mean, tired to a point that I can't keep up with the daily world. For the last week or so I have been suffering from insomnia. I sleep a few hours per night, wake up at 2 am and can't fall back to sleep. My mind goes on 100 miles an hour and doesn't want to stop, and I still need to get up at 6 and go to work. I still need to get on a packed train, walk down to the underground with thousands of other tired passengers, sit at my desk for 7 hours and pretend that I'm doing something, so the Company can pay me my share at the end of this month.

4 ways to get rid of your stuff before setting off on your travels

I have 6 weeks left. 6 weeks people!!! (read my itinerary here). It’s scary and exciting and overwhelming. 

Last week I got up and looked around my tiny flat. I still have so many things: clothes, accessories, books, photos, documents. I panicked a little. I really need to think of what I’m going to do with all this stuff. I keep putting the idea of sorting it out off. It might be that I’m too scared of the perspective of leaving. I have been enjoying myself a lot lately and I start to think that I don’t really want to go anywhere (that’s bull**, to be honest. I want to go. I’m just scared, that’s all). After thinking about it, I drew a little plan for myself and a list of what I could potentially do with my things. So, if anyone is preparing for a trip, like me, maybe you will also find it helpful. 

The Blond confessions - my itinerary for the end of 2013

So, here it is! I've finally decided what I want to do and where I want to go. Well, not entirely, as I want to keep some space for the unexpected. I also have lots of questions for those of you, who have been to the places I am going to visit.