Cambodia
I'm sure a gun enthusiast could tell me what this is. I call it my small penis compensator.

Guns & Travel: Playing Rambo in Cambodia

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Guns and Travel: Going Rambo in Cambodia

I’m going to do my level best to avoid being too political in this post. Gun control is something I am quite passionate about, but I didn’t start Aussie on the Road to discuss politics, and I know how touchy my American friends get when I dare to question the sanity of them having automatic weapons so readily available.

Seeing the coverage of the recent incident in the US in which a 9-year-old girl accidentally killed her gun instructor with an Uzi she was far too small and inexperienced to use struck a particular cord with me, though.

It’s not that this single, tragic death affected me more deeply than the countless mass shootings that have occurred in the United States – more that I can’t ever picture myself being in a position where I think shooting a bunch of innocent people might be the solution to whatever ails me.

I have, however, been in a situation similar to that pictured in the video of that poor girl accidentally taking a life. It wasn’t an Uzi (it was an AK-47), but my instructor stood just as close and the setting was eerily similar.

Back to Cambodia

It’s February of 2013 and Nomadic American and I have just finished a sobering, tear-jerking visit to the Killing Fields.

As our tuk-tuk bounces along the dusty road back into Phnom Penh, our driver suddenly veers down an even dustier side road that takes us between rows of dilapidated houses and struggling farms. Soon enough, we pull up behind a large shed.

Our tuk tuk takes us down a back road to find the gun range.
Our tuk tuk takes us down a back road to find the gun range.

“You want to fire a gun?” he asks us cheerfully, apparently unaware of the uncomfortable juxtaposition that comes from going straight from the site of a massacre to a place where we can fire weapons built for murder and call it ‘fun’.

That said, the temptation is definitely there. Firing a gun is something I’ve never done and likely never will get the chance to do in Australia due to our restrictive (and bloody effective) gun control measures. It’s on the bucket list and here’s the opportunity for just $50 US. After briefly conferring with my partner in crime, it’s decided that we would like to fire a gun.

We enter into a place that bears a remarkable resemblance to a crime den – a bunch of t-shirt wearing locals playing cards while their arsenal of weapons lay scattered about the table and hanging from the walls. Rock music plays on the radio and a thick haze of cigarette smoke dances in eddies around the head of the man who approaches us.

He’s got one of those pubic hair mustaches that are probably an indication you shouldn’t try growing facial hair, and he wears aviator sunglasses that add 10% to the intimidation factor. The M16 he carries adds the rest.

“You want to fire? Check the menu”

There is a menu, actually. It’s a laminated sheet of A-4 paper onto which a list of weapons and prices has been listed. The cheapest option would be to fire a pistol, but the $50 AK-47 deal looks pretty good to us.

Farther down the list there’s the option to throw a grenade (also $50) or fire an RPG ($150). They push us in this direction, or try to tempt us with firing one of the larger stationary guns – but we’re on a budget and I’m something of a pussy, so we settle on the AK-47.

Training to Fire a Gun in Cambodia

I can’t say that I was given exhaustive training before being handed a weapon with which I could do a substantial amount of damage. I’m shown where the trigger is, how to switch between single shot or automatic, and reminded to wear my headphones at all times.

Then I’m shown how to brace the stock of the weapon against my shoulder and told to have at it.

We’re still in the large, corrugated iron shed. My target is a simple paper job at the far end of a long alley littered with sawdust and shell casings.

I’ve had all of sixty seconds between arriving at the firing range and being given the go ahead.

I prepare to squeeze the trigger on the dusty old AK-47.
I prepare to squeeze the trigger on the dusty old AK-47.

Here goes nothing.

The first few shots are fun. I can definitely see the appeal that gun enthusiasts see in letting off some steam by squeezing the trigger and feeling all that power buck back against them.

Ever the competitor, I try my level best to actually strike the target with a few shots before I’m encouraged by my doubtlessly impatient instructor to switch to automatic.

The rest of my clip is expended in record time. I doubt many of those shots manage to hit the target, either.

Nomadic American tries her luck next, and though she’s fired a gun before, her target comes back largely unscathed.

Nomadic American tries her luck with the AK-47
Nomadic American tries her luck with the AK-47

Mine? I landed more than a few on my stationary paper assailant. Who knew I’d have something approaching an eye for this when I’m going slowly blind in one?

I show off my firing handiwork.
I show off my firing handiwork.

Essential Posing

We’re encouraged to try more weapons (and spend more money) before we leave, but we settle instead for posing with various weapons and trying to look more bad-ass than the scared tourists who’d entered the dingy shed not long before.

I channel Rambo as I pose with a pair of M16s.
I channel Rambo as I pose with a pair of M16s.
I'm sure a gun enthusiast could tell me what this is. I call it my small penis compensator.
I’m sure a gun enthusiast could tell me what this is. I call it my small penis compensator.

I found the experience to be entertaining for what it was, but I couldn’t help feeling that a younger or less well adjusted person might have left with an entirely unrealistic view of guns. They are not toys, however much they might have felt like toys as I brandished them like Rambo. I’m not against the idea of using guns for recreation, but I do think that you should be responsible and mature enough to be considered an adult before you’re handed a death-dealer and told to have at it – regardless of who is supervising you.

But that’s delving dangerously close to politics, and I already get enough hate mail for my 10 Reasons I Hate Living in Australia post…

Your Say

Have you ever fired a weapon while abroad? Do you think it’s acceptable to do so? Or does it encourage an unrealistic view of guns and gun safety?

 

Thailand

A Koh Phangan Eco Adventure

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A Change of Pace on Koh Phangan

It was another brilliantly sunny day on Koh Phangan when Nomadic American and I decided to take a break from sipping lime & soda cocktails from a teapot by the pool at our resort, Lime & Soda. After a day and a half of banana splits, cocktails, dips in the slightly too deep pool, and soaking in the sun on the resort’s private beach – a little adventure was in order.

Pairing up with a Polish couple, we clambered into the back of our bumpy jeep and prepared for a day of outdoor adventures.

The World’s Dodgiest Zipline

The first stop on our tour was a zip line ‘tour’. While Koh Phangan does boast a number of very professional zip-line operators such as Jungle Flight and Just for Fun, our tour took us up into the hills where we came across a relatively simple zip-line setup: two lines running to and from a large tree in a valley.

Not possessing a fear of heights and having done a zip-line tour in New Zealand, I wasn’t feeling particularly daunted until I was handed a pronged stick and told that it would be my brake. No fancy in built brakes here, folks!

State of the art safety measures in place.
State of the art safety measures in place.

Thankfully, our harnesses and the actual line looked perfectly secure, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a tad discouraged by the idea of a stick broken off a nearby tree being all that stood between me and a painful landing.

The first line was the longest, and terminated somewhat abruptly in a combination net/giant tire style pad.

Awaiting my return trip after gracefully crashing into the cushion of tire and net.
Awaiting my return trip after gracefully crashing into the cushion of tire and net.

From there, I’d clamber up a few flights of steps to a rickety tower and launch myself back towards the starting point for a steep climb up the dusty, narrow path to the top of the hill.

Despite the generally rickety appearance of the whole affair, we both obviously made it out in one piece. Despite my initial concerns about safety, it was easy enough to forget once I was shooting through the canopy with the warm sun on my skin and the wind in my (beard) hair.

Koh Phangan Wipeout

The next stop on our whistle-stop tour of Koh Phangan was the famous Koh Phangan Wipeout, an aquatic obstacle course full of swings, upper body workouts, and embarrassing (but hilarious) plummets into the startlingly cold lake water.

The Koh Phangan Wipeout course in most of its glory.
The Koh Phangan Wipeout course in most of its glory.

After a hurried safety demonstration, it’s time to launch off from the big swing. A naturally graceful man, I hit the water with nary a splash…

A graceful entry by yours truly.
A graceful entry by yours truly.

The course then proceeded to run me through a series of obstacles that reminded me just how out of shape I truly was. I handled the monkey bars with aplomb, but climbing up the slick and constantly moving inflatable obstacles proved immensely taxing.

Once I did manage to get to the top, my time there was short-lived. I hit the first of the red balls, bounced to the right, and landed back first in the water.

Heather takes a breather.
Heather takes a breather.

Once we’d both run the obstacle, we decided to tackle Wipeout’s infamous ‘Blob’ – an inflated cushion that acts as a catapult. Heather positioned herself at the lake end and I readied myself to jump off a high platform and send her catapulting into the lake.

Despite having followed their instructions and hitting where I was told to, poor Heather didn’t go forward at all. Instead, she went straight up.

She then came down head-first, striking the mat and disappearing into the water.

Worried that she might have broken her neck or knocked herself out, I hurriedly swam to her and used my limited lifesaving skills to tow her back to the steps so we could get her out. I was a little annoyed that despite her obvious difficulty I was the only one trying to help – the staff seemed content to watch on while I tried to tow a clearly scared and struggling girl in only minutes after exhausting myself on the course.

Once we were on solid ground, it was clear that Heather had avoided the worst, but she did rock a nasty headache for the rest of the day.

The Jungle Hike

The third leg of our journey came after a pretty tasty picnic lunch. We’d be trekking on foot into the jungle to visit a secluded waterfall.

All four of us were feeling refreshed after our lunch of BBQ chicken, salad, and soda – but it didn’t take long before we all sacrificed chatter for heavy breathing and the occasional arm-waving that accompanies attempting not to fall over on uneven ground.

By the time we reached the waterfall we were all drenched with sweat and had sore legs, but the walk had been totally worth it. The waterfall was beautiful and the pool at its base, blessedly cool.

We were certainly not short of eye candy at the pool, either.
We were certainly not short of eye candy at the pool, either.

Snorkeling

The final step in our day of adventure was by far the most relaxing. Grabbing some snorkeling gear and wading out over slick rocks, we were soon immersed in a beautiful underwater landscape of vibrantly coloured fish and coral.

An idyllic stretch of beach on our walk to the snorkeling site.
An idyllic stretch of beach on our walk to the snorkeling site.

We weren’t alone in the area by any stretch, but there was plenty of reef for everybody, and it was a relaxing way to finish what had been a fun but entirely exhausting day.

It’s Fun to be Risky

While the day was certainly not without its near misses and risks, it was a lot of fun. The sometimes dated or non-existent safety equipment and the fact we were clambering over rocks, leaping from heights into water, launching ourselves off of unpredictable inflatable cushions, and using sticks to brake meant that we were glad we had travel insurance.

The worst didn’t happen, but I can’t imagine how we’d have handled things if Heather had seriously injured herself or one of us had broken an ankle while clambering over rocks on our way to the waterfall. Having a travel insurance policy with a company like Southern Cross travel insurance offers great piece of mind when you want to live on the wild side.

Your Say

Do you like to take a walk on the wild side when you travel? Do you have any stories of near misses while on the road?

Musings

The Little Things

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I’m sitting on the train that will take me from the hustle and bustle of Sydney to the blessed quiet of Ben Lomond over the course of eight creaking, swaying hours. I’ve got music on my iPad, my iPhone connects me to the world if I so desire, my Kindle boasts the complete works of Stephen King, and I’ve even got my laptop and about a thousand movies if I get bored.

Yet, in spite of all these modern conveniences and their convenient distractions, it’s out the window I find myself staring. The familiar glow of my Apple branded time-wasters is forgotten as I stare (longingly?) at the brilliant muddy green of the Brisbane Water and the march of Eucalyptus trees that stops at the very edge of the waters as if afraid to step into the doubtlessly cold river.

Sail boats skit across the water beneath a sky of brilliant blue, and the occasional glint of silver hints at the presence of million dollar homes with multi-million dollar views.

It’s a trip I’ve made at least two dozen times in my life, yet that view and what it represents never gets old. Even this close to Australia’s biggest city, the weight of this country’s eons old beauty strikes me and leaves me dumbfounded. It’s entrancing in the way impossibly puffy clouds are reflected in the water, and the way the dense greens and browns and dusky reds of the Australian bush hint at the ageless tenacity of this place that birthed me into the world.

I pause from my bare-faced admiration to check if my fellow passengers are seeing what I’m seeing. Are they as grateful for the banks of fantastically shaped clouds that hang over the horizon or the way the sun streaks the water with gold?

But most of them are staring straight down at their phones – their ears distracted by mp3 and their eyes glued to Facebook or YouTube or the procession of pretty faces on Tinder.

I look outside and I wonder what it might feel like to settle down on the grass and let the late winter sun lull me into a mid-morning nap. I imagine what it might have been like to grow up on these shores and spend my summers out on (or in) the water. I long to be a part of the scenery that rolls by unremarked, rather than an impassive observer to it all.

So often in travel, it’s the little things and our ability to appreciate them that bring us the most joy. Sure, the thrill of seeing, touching, and experiencing a landmark is thrilling – as are are the very tangible things such as eating exotic foods, meeting new people, and checking items off a list we’ve made – but, to my mind, it’s being able to stop and appreciate just how lucky we are that lies at the very heart of travel.

In built up, often frustrating China; it was in the way cherry blossoms dusted the too crowded streets around Xuanwu Lake in pink, and the rare occasions when the sun would push through the oppressive pall of smog and seemed to burn away the stink and noise of the city.

In South Korea, it was the wooded mountains that rose above and from the very heart of the heavily urbanised cities that cover most of the country. The mist-shrouded pine trees on a winter morning and the weekend exodus of city folk to the jagged stone and tangled undergrowth.

In the mountains I call home, it’s the seemingly infinite sprawl of stars against a backdrop of deep blue, unfathomable black, and enchanting purple – all of it strewn across the ghost that is the Milky Way.

The sun sets over Uralla as the train rolls on towards Armidale.
The sun sets over Uralla as the train rolls on towards Armidale.

There’s poetry in all things, and too often it’s easy to become caught up in the shiny distractions we’ve created for ourselves as a kind of barrier against silence and moments of reflection and appreciation.

Are we that afraid of realizing the size and scope of the world we live in and our own miniscule, almost non-existent place in it that we can’t bear to consider it? If so, we’re missing out.

Armidale, Australia, New England, Plans

Exciting Things to Come in Australia

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Being ‘home’ in Australia doesn’t mean an end to my adventures by any means, and I’m already filling up my six months of family time with all manner of epic journeys.

Fresh off a battery recharging but wallet depleting two weeks here in Sydney packed with catch-ups, bachelor party beers, and seeing my best friend tie the knot with his lovely bride – I’m headed home to northern NSW tomorrow to see my family and start focusing on my novel, Dustbowl.

What have I got in store for you?

Wine and Romance

Coming up in late September, I’ve been invited along to be a travel ambassador for the Broke Fordwich region of the Hunter Valley. Advertising itself as the tranquil side of the popular Hunter Valley wine region, I’m excited to see what the region from which my ancestors come has to offer up close and personal.

I’ll be joining two Sydney food bloggers, Weekend Food Escapes and Next Stop: Food. I’m really excited to get to see more of my own backyard while also sampling what Broke Fordwich has to offer so that I can tell you all about it!

I’ll be sure to tell you more about this exciting adventure as it gets closer.

Exploring the New England

One of the best things about my best friend’s wedding after the obvious reasons was the opportunity to reconnect with the friends I made in high school. With so many of us scattered across Australia and the world, it was a rare chance to get the old gang back together.

One of this gang, the irrepressible ‘Schmo’, still lives in our home town and we had a long chat at the reception about some local excursions we could do to places such as Dorrigo, Washpool, and Bald Knob. These road trips won’t just let me get back in touch with nature after two and a half years in industrialised China, but they’ll also give me a chance to road test the Yakima roof rack that the company were kind enough to let me try out.

I’ve written in the past about the many things to do in New England, and it will be fun to get to do some of them while I’m home.

The Return to Green Valley Farm

A few years ago, I visited the strangest theme park in Australia, Green Valley Farm. The place holds a lot of fond memories from my childhood, and my good friend obviously agrees with me – as he’s doing the Australian leg of his wedding there! Two days of riding the water slide, chilling out in the gardens over a few beers, and catching up with old friends sounds fantastic!

The towering water slide at Green Valley Farm is heaven on a hot summer day.
The towering water slide at Green Valley Farm is heaven on a hot summer day.

Safari in Tanzania

Perhaps the most exciting upcoming adventures is the opportunity to take a four day safari in Tanzania with Shadows of Africa tours. I’m still having to pinch myself when I think about the fact I’ll get to see giraffes, lions, hippos, elephants, cheetahs and more in the wild. It’s a life long travel dream, and I cannot wait!

After the safari, I’m also hoping to sneak a few days of R&R in on Zanzibar. I can’t think of many more beautiful places to spend my 31st birthday!

Queensland!

Two of the best people I met in China were Courtney and Colin – an Aussie girl and her American boyfriend. They’ve since relocated to rural Queensland and I’m looking forward to catching up with them over a few beers or wines sometime in October.

With Queensland right on my doorstep, I’m also hoping to see more of Australia’s sunshine state. The theme parks of the Gold Coast, the beautiful beaches of the Sunshine Coast, and the opportunity to add a few dives to my logbook all make Queensland a tempting proposition.

The Asian Nations Cup

I don’t comment on it often, but I’m a die hard football fanatic when it comes to international football. Another of my bucket list aspirations is to see the Socceroos play in the World Cup, and next January’s Asian Nations Cup will be a perfect warm up. With nations such as Japan, China, South Korea, Palestine, Iraq, and Iran coming downunder to contest Asia’s top international cup – my brothers and I are hoping to see a few games in Sydney, Brisbane, and Newcastle.

The Tamworth Country Music Festival

I first fell in love with country music while I was dating a girl from Idaho. Spending six weeks traveling around the Pacific North West with her indoctrinated me into the church of Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Josh Perry, and many others.

Tamworth’s annual Country Music Festival might not boast the above names, but it’s a showcase of Australian and international country music right on my door-step (Tamworth is just two hours from my home town). I’m hoping that 2015 might just be the year where I finally make it to the region’s most well known festival.

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As you can see, I’ve got a lot to look forward to in the coming months – and that’s not including the obvious things like meeting my beautiful niece and nephew, catching up with my brothers, spending Christmas with my family, and the many other things that come with being home.

Your Say

What are you looking forward to in the back end of 2014?

What would you like to read more about on Aussie on the Road that I can tackle while I’m home?

Life on the Road, Travel Tips

Budget travel doesn’t mean you can’t have a memorable experience

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Can you imagine how dull life would be without traveling? You would never be able to experience life differently and explore new and wonderful places. It’s a sad picture, and such a lifestyle seems monotonous, right? Traveling makes life so much better, and it’s an investment you make in yourself. It’s an opportunity to expand your horizons and discover new cultures, landscapes, and perspectives, which enriches you in ways you never thought possible. The good news is that you don’t need a lot of money in your bank account to travel to exciting places. You can gift yourself a memorable trip even if your resources are small! We’re here to give you valuable tips on traveling on a budget, so read on!

Get travel insurance

This is a crucial step to take if you want to save money on your trip. While it may seem like an extra expense, travel insurance is, in fact, a worthy investment, as it can save you money if you face an emergency (you can read about my non-insured travel personal disaster here). There are no guarantees that your trip will be smooth and free of hazards. You may go through an unfortunate experience during the trip or before it. For instance, your baggage may get lost, or you may get sick. You can’t prevent these things, so it is always better to be prepared for the unexpected, and getting travel insurance can help.

Plan in advance

There is nothing wrong with spontaneity as long as you have money for it. But planning in advance is a good idea if you want to travel more affordably. It will help you determine the duration of your trip, the route you want to take, as well as how much money you will spend on food, accommodation and entertainment. Obviously, this doesn’t mean you should be tight and strict with your choices – the goal is to eliminate unexpected spending from the equation as much as possible.

Book early

Booking in advance is another way to spend less on your trip. Avoid a last-minute rush so your long-awaited vacation can go as you want without being forced to extend it. Instead, book your flight, accommodation and other necessary services earlier to prevent such incidences. Airlines generally provide discounts to people who book their flight some time before the departure date. Plus, during peak seasons, the transaction fees and exchange rates are higher, so you can save some bucks by booking early. For example, Boston logan airport parking is quite expensive, and central parking can cost more than $50 daily, while economy parking costs $26. Fortunately, it is possible to get lower rates by using specific services. Besides money, booking in advance will also save time as you won’t have to wait in long lines, and thus, you will be able to enjoy a hassle-free trip.

Travel light

Traveling light can help you reduce luggage expenses. Airports require additional fees for heavy baggage, which can quickly add up, and you may spend more than expected for your trip. To avoid this, pack only the essentials and consider layering your clothing. If possible, you should aim to have luggage light enough to keep it by your side. That way, you ensure your luggage won’t be left behind accidentally. Traveling with fewer items doesn’t only save money, but it also makes it easier to get around.

Look for special discounts and offers

Consider staying informed about special discounts and offers for a more affordable trip. Suppose you’re planning a trip in the next few months. In that case, take the time to search for airlines that provide discounted rates to those who book their flights months or weeks earlier. Discounts allow you to get the best possible deals, and the only thing you must do is plan ahead. For example, JFK parking rates can be pretty high, but you can use off-site parking and save money on your trip. Compare different prices and then choose the best option and book online. Offers and discounts allow you to reap huge benefits in terms of an affordable trip, so make sure to take advantage of them.

Avoid peak season

Some people can only travel during the peak season when the demand is high. This greatly benefits the travel industry, which takes advantage of the situation by increasing the prices of different services and activities. Fortunately, it is possible to avoid spending a lot of money by not traveling during those times. You will enjoy your vacation more as the crowd will be smaller, and thus, there will be short lines at the airports. Moreover, during the off-peak season, the weather is generally more pleasant, meaning you can have fun outdoors as much as you want! On top of that, the services are more personalized and of higher quality in the low season.

Eat local

Experiencing new cuisines is one thing many people love about traveling. But eating on a budget is not easy! The cuisines can be so alluring that you may forget to stay within your budget’s constraints. So, is there a way to save money while delighting your taste buds with delicious foods? Luckily, yes! You can do so by eating local food. Instead of going to luxurious restaurants, opt for eateries outside the city’s center. The food served at these places is often less expensive, and you can enjoy a wonderful environment. You can find the best eateries by checking out websites, reading the reviews, or directly asking bartenders or passengers.

Get around with public transport

Using public transportation is a great way to save money when traveling. That’s because buses, trains and subways are less expensive than renting a car or taking a taxi – especially in cities where parking tends to be costly. Plus, public transportation is also more eco-friendly, helping reduce air pollution. So, using it isn’t only good for your wallet but also the environment. Carpooling is another option to consider, as many apps and websites are available to help you find others who want to share a ride. This can help split the cost of gas and tolls, which can quickly add up during a long trip.

Last words

Traveling on a budget may seem challenging, but it is definitely doable with a bit of experience. Follow the tips above, and you will have a wonderful trip without breaking the bank.