El spido, near vomito

I had to leave Thailand to get another 30-day visa, so I decided to take the opportunity to spend about 5 days checking out neighbouring Cambodia.

The tour started off well. I was moderately hungover after a night out with some rugby mates, which saw me jump off a mechanical bull in a disco at 3am, sleep for an hour, then leave home for the airport at 4.30am.

Despite the lack of sleep, I managed to have a look around a bit and met a couple of fellow travelers on my first day in Phnom Penh. Over a couple of beers that night, they mentioned they had gone out and eaten tarantulas at a restaurant the night before.

I couldn't imagine a more ridiculous exercise.

Now, for those that know me, I absolutely hate spiders. Maybe it stemmed from the multitude of redbacks in my family's back shed during our days in Canberra. Or maybe it results from some suppressed memory of me being molested by a man wearing a spiderman outfit...I don't know - either way, they scare the absolute crap out of me.

But I though to myself - I'm young, traveling and a mate of mine back in Oz needed some help with a work project. Mon works for a production company in Sydney and needed some video blogs developed and posted on one of her client's website.

So off I went to this restaurant with these two crazy-ass travelers and an American woman who personified nails down a chalkboard. You can see/hear them in the clip.

Check out the action here:

www.natgeoadventuretv.com.au/blog

Go to 'Recent Posts' on the lefthand side nav-bar, then click on the video 'Munching Spiders'.

Thanks to Mon for cutting up and posting the footage for me. She had the laborious task of cutting out most of the painful comments from the yank bird, so I am forever indebted. Apologies as well for the odd expletive, but I really was packing it.

If anyone has some recent footage of them doing anything adventurous in Australia or across the world, jump onto the website, sign up, and post it! It's a really cool initiative and something I think has the potential to collate some excellent experiences! I think there's some prizes up for grabs or something as well.

Enjoy!

Classic Thailand (2)

After watching the All Blacks play England today at a local pub with a few mates, I was walking home when I came across this.

Please note:

• Two dudes. Fixing a bundle of lines. One balancing on the powerline, the other on a makeshift bamboo ladder.
• No protective equipment.
• Other dudes just sitting around having a smoke.
• The hazardous, contorted pavement.
  

Classic Thailand.

I've got a job

That's right, I've stepped out of the dole queue and onto the fast-track to employmentville.

Only moments ago, I formally accepted an offer with a NZ-based agency with an office here in Bangkok...a 3-month trial contract predominantly working on a prominent bank here in Thailand.

I will be flying to Singapore in a couple of weeks to meet the members of the office based there, as well as sort everything out on the visa front.

In the words of Mark Occhilupo: "Stoked".

Isn't life funny?

I have toiled.

Every day, I have located 15-20 jobs I can do, only to read three lines into the job description either "Thai Nationals Only", "Female, 24-30 years" or "Foreigners need not apply".

Of the ones not including those phrases, I have distilled, researched, applied for and followed up over 35 different jobs - not one reply.

I have been to several 'networking' functions and talked absolute shit - to people who talk and promise an equal amount of shit.

I have met innumerable people in the industry for coffees, lunches, beers and chats.

My CV has traveled more in Bangkok via the internet, than I have by taxi, tuk-tuk, foot and skytrain.

I have gotten involved with a Chamber of Commerce here in Bangkok - volunteered to help develop their publication and produce an upcoming issue.

I have been worried I wouldn't get a job and be able to stay in Thailand with Clare.

And today, after 3 months and a whole lot of crap, I had two 2nd interviews - one yielded an offer, the other a "your in the front running". Isn't life funny like that?

So I reckon I'm going to take the offer, pending visa and salary requirements. It's with a consultancy, doing PR for one of Thailand's biggest and most established banks.

And I may, or may not have, celebrated with a few schooners (pints) here tonight after cricket training.

Dining with the locals

Ever eaten with an elephant?

I have.

This picture was taken down the road at Clare and my local street food market. I had just smashed a bowl of egg noodles with pork wontons, morning glory, and slices of roasted pork.