Living on a remote island, Cambodia - what is it really like?

I have been thoroughly enjoying the past two weeks of staying on a remote island off the coast of Cambodia whilst volunteering and lecturing with Projects Abroad. The island we are staying on is called Koh Sdach and it is a small island with a population of approximately 3000 people and zero tourists. The village consists of stilted houses that sit above the turquoise waters and there is no mains electricity, sewerage or mains water. We are utterly reliant on rainwater for our shower and toilet needs and it is rustic at its finest!We are here for three weeks to educate the volunteers, staff and local school children about the plight of sharks and we are having a fantastic time. Admittedly, living in 30+C heat and high humidity without air conditioning is a challenge but being a part of this friendly community is a great opportunity. It saddens me that the island has no waste management system and that the majority of the waste generated ends up in the oceans. There is literally plastic everywhere...on local beaches and on the beaches of neighbouring uninhabited Islands. There are discarded fishing nets on the reefs that are killing corals and all manner of other waste to be found.But, this is the good part, Projects Abroad are working hard to tackle this with regular beach and reef cleans up, by educating locals and by hopefully introducing a waste management system in the future. The diving is incredible here and the project is making a very real difference to the health of the coral reefs and the marine creatures that inhabit them.I hope you enjoy my insight into a week living and volunteering on Koh Sdach, including an underwater discovery that had the volunteers smiling all day long:http://www.mytripblog.org/pg/blog/cambodia-social-manager/read/408119/a-week-in-koh-sdach-cambodia-by-kathryn-hodgson-friends-for-sharks

http://www.mytripblog.org/pg/blog/cambodia-social-manager/read/408119/a-week-in-koh-sdach-cambodia-by-kathryn-hodgson-friends-for-sharks

Deepavali Colour

The skies may be dark with thunder and the streets covered in deep puddles of rain, but the atmosphere today in Kuala Lumpur has been one of colour and light. As the city prepares for Deepavali, the Hindu Festival of Light, the Pavilion mall is being decorated with window displays and intricate artwork made from tiny, colourful beads. It was a beautiful sight to behold and Nicholas and I spent an afternoon exploring the artwork and two local temples in Chinatown.

Sadly my ancient iPhone didn't do either temple justice with its photographic ability (or lack thereof...) but hopefully the images give an impression of the colour that can to be found in Kuala Lumpur away from the main city hustle and bustle.  

Nesting in Kuala Lumpur

After a long and noodle soup-fuelled three days of flights I have made it from Fiji to Kuala Lumpur (via Melbourne, Auckland, Hong Kong and Singapore). I lost sight of which airport was which during the 18,000Km of flights but enjoyed exploring each airport during layovers and in a haze of sleepiness and hunger. Noodle soup and our colourful new travel cushions certainly kept us entertained.Kuala Lumpur is known to be a foodie heaven and it has already exceeded expectations with its endless variety of Asian foods from many countries, all at street food prices. I have enjoyed sushi lunches, more noodle soup than I can shake a chopstick at and avoided the pungent durians at all costs. A highlight so far has been our exploration of KL's China Town, which was typically decked out with giant red lanterns and a myriad of covered and open-air market stalls and alleys. The sights, sounds and smells of the alleys and bubbling Chinese pots of fish being stirred by ancient Chinese women were overwhelming at times and yet fascinating. Having already filled ourselves on local samosas we had little room for more food but will definitely return another day. We contented ourselves instead with exploring the bustling market stalls and admired local fruits, knock off goods, a street performer undertaking a very long headstand which turned his face purple and an endless array of flower bouquets containing teddy bears. An eclectic mix!As I am also approaching a move to New Zealand in mid-December I have taken to stocking up on some basic goods essential to a writer's life....my favourite pink Muji pens and a new journal. I have missed those simple items during my three years of being on the move and, as someone kindly pointed out, I am definitely 'nesting'. It feels great to be travelling and even better to be preparing to make a home. 

Writerly Wednesdays

What's not to love about a blog that promises Monster Mondays, Tips Tuesdays, Writerly Wednesdays, Thinky Thursdays, Fan Fridays, book review and more?! Welcome to the world of Tasha's Thinkings!Tasha Duncan-Drake is an author who also runs her own small publishing company Wittegenpress with her twin sister and she recently invited me to be interviewed about my biography No Damage. I really enjoyed discovering Tasha's website and answering her questions. Especially this great question:'Do you have any odd (writing) habits?' Read on to enjoy our interview and discover more about my one odd habit...the pink writing hat, ahem:http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/interview-kathryn-hodgson.html

Author Interview: Pukah Works

It has been a busy and exciting few weeks since I last blogged and that time has seen me say farewell to New Zealand and hello to sunny Melbourne, where I am currently based as part of our Friends for Sharks world tour. I have really enjoyed our time in Melbourne so far and have been teaching at Kunyung School in Mount Eliza, Melbourne and completed our 80th shark conservation event with SEA LIFE Melbourne. That fantastic event was an evening with Friends for Sharks and included champagne, canapes, our lecture and a  Q&A session in front of the shark tank. We really enjoyed our evening and it was staggering to think we had come to the other side of the world to be there (via various countries and 79 other events since January 2015). What a milestone for us. [gallery link="file" ids="371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380"]

I'd like to take a moment away from my travels though to introduce you to my latest author interview, which is with the author K.Caffee from Pukah Works. The questions for this interview were great fun to answer and very thought provoking. Read on to find out how I balance my writing with other activities, how No Damage came about, the books that have inspired me through life and more:https://pukahworks.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/author-interview-kathryn-hodgson/

 

Diving the Poor Knights

I had no idea the marine life of New Zealand could be so diverse and colourful until I saw these photographs from Nicholas's recent day of diving the Poor Knights marine reserve. They left me speechless! This is one of the world's top dive sites and Nicholas's experiences there with Dive! Tutukaka certainly did that title justice. This site is one for the bucket list and it also demonstrates the importance of marine reserves for the health of our oceans and fish stocks. Read on to find out more:http://www.friendsforsharks.com/02/09/2015/blog/diving-the-poor-knights/

To the top of New Zealand

We made it to the top of New Zealand! After almost six months of travel in our Wendekreisen Travel Ltd campervan and 66 shark conservation events we reached the very top of the North Island. It was an epic moment when we realised just how far we have come; both literally and with Friends for Sharks. I hope you enjoy the stunning photography of Nicholas's, which really demonstrates how beautiful the sub-tropical Northlands are. Onwards we go into our final week in Auckland and then Australia.http://www.friendsforsharks.com/01/09/2015/blog/hello-from-the-top-of-new-zealand/

West Coast Wanderings

Back online after a busy and fun-filled few weeks traveling the West Coast and Northland of New Zealand whilst providing our Friends for Sharks conservation events. It was wonderful exploring the rugged scenery of surf hotspot Raglan and we stayed at an eco-retreat called Solscape. It was a unique and inspiring place to recharge our batteries and that of our campervan home! We have been traveling New Zealand for almost six months now with our marine conservation cause and trusty Wendekreisen Travel Ltd campervan Bertha. We also took time out to visit Hamilton Gardens and Nicholas's photography of the themed gardens in this blog are stunning:http://www.friendsforsharks.com/31/08/2015/blog/west-coast-wanderings      

Memoir Reviews

I have been featured on Jackie Parry's blog with a review of my memoir No Damage. Jackie is a hero in my mind and someone that inspires me a great deal. She has sailed around the globe with minimal prior experience, explored far flung destinations and written memoirs including an inspiring adventure travel memoir Of Foreign Build: From Corporate Girl to Sea Gypsy Woman.She has also trekked the Australian bush with five horses, detailed in her latest book A Standard Journey, and is currently traveling through Europe on her dutch barge. Her blog and books are an adventure in themselves and well worth reading. Here's the link to her blog:http://jackieparry.com/2015/07/15/memoir-reviews/   

Top 15 Alternative Places to Shout 'View!' in New Zealand

My third guest article recently has been for Not Australia with my article Top 15 Alternative Places to Shout 'View!' in New Zealand. I really enjoyed revisiting our highlights of Aotearoa and it certainly reminded Nicholas and I of why we have applied for residency in New Zealand.http://www.not-australia.co.nz/top-15-alternative-places-to-shout-view-in-new-zealand/

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