Meet the Callengelly clan AKA El Banditos – El Denuardo, Tecno Mama, Precious Jade Unicorn, The Vincinatti Kid and Cassington Bear. The perfect hybrid family of vivacious Bradfordian, Ruth Callaghan and crooning panther of love, Aussie Den. Vince came out of Ruth’s fangina whereas Jade and Cassie arrived from another magical place, with Den’s expert input. Continue reading
Well done to everyone that has shared a #metoo post on social media. It’s an important conversation. I was defensive about it a week ago though. Shame on me. Continue reading
He’s in another diving group doing his open water PADI. He’s massive. He’s got wavy black hair, a moustache and a funny, chin-beard. He seems familiar. An Italian look. Pavarotti. Continue reading
Skip off your bicycles and leave them by the shore on this tiny, white-sand island. Enter the warm water. The dead, stony, coral beneath your feet is sharp. Painful. Tread carefully. Reach a slightly deeper area where you can swim. Slip on the mask and stick your face down to see what’s happening. Crikey. Continue reading
And when I’m watchin the news,
and my daughter walks in,
And choose to ask,
“Why were all those people on the floor
sleepin’, covered in red?”
I told her that they were lookin’ for God, but found religion instead.
De La Soul (feat. Cee-Lo)
Held Down
AOI Bionix (2001)
What phrase have I re-spurted over and over, most incessantly and Tourette-like, over the last two months? It’s a toss up. It’s either, ‘Radiantly Alive’, the centre where Collette has been bending and meditating religiously in Ubud. Or it’s ‘Gado-gado’. Continue reading
Kids get older. Best friends propose. Families fight. Aunties behave appallingly. Opportunities to unite and grow are quashed by a familiar unwillingness to try. Some things missed in nine months away from home. Continue reading
Bob up through the clear, azure waters to a baked white shore. A desire to relax and explore. Here, any possible problem you might encounter has been embraced as an opportunity to impress. Adi and Sopian meet you by the boat and take the short walk to your new world. Check in. Jump on the well-maintained bicycles with your snorkel in the basket. Head to the beach. All is ready for you. Continue reading
Phwoar. Equatorial and sweaty. Decorative taxi-horse-equator-Santas jingle past. Meeting new people is a drag today. Let’s get on a sun-lounger by this ridiculous, perfect, lapping, blue ocean and wait for the world to reveal itself. If we must.
A ray of sunshine on the street in Ubud, Bali; we bump into Putu and rent a scooter. 750 thousand Indonesian rupees for the month. That’s £38 – less than £1.30 per day. We’ve asked around the place first, we know what we should pay for a scooter and we aren’t ready to be ripped off. Putu wants more than that but we’re clued up. Continue reading
complaints book available 