Back from Russia with love…

I left London at 14:00 on a Friday afternoon, self-assured that everything is in place. Visa – check, accommodation – check, money and phone – check. What could possibly go wrong! Well just because I had a visa, didn’t mean they have to like me and help me sail through if I smiled right. A South African on business, ya right! Can everyone spell SUSPICIOUS? So there I was, moving more slowly forward than a sheep balancing on the end of a cliff. And Petyr didn’t fill in an arrival card…back of the queue. And the nice Russian lady goes home (with only 3 people left in her queue)…back of the next queue, oh and only 30 minutes left to get to the next terminal for my domestic departure. SHIT!!! Eventually after being royally ripped off by a box-car racer aka: taxi drivers in Moscow; I arrived at terminal 1. Only problem is terminal 1 and terminal 2 are 15 kilometres apart (for convenience I suppose)!!! Terminal 1, in Moscow on a Friday night is something like what the Great Wall of Berlin must have looked like when it tumbled down. One big mess with shit loads of people running into every direction. So I successfully managed to miss my flight to Rostov-on-Don, where I had to deliver presentations to crowds of curious students in the morning. The time now is 11pm. It took 7 different people (“Sorry, no speak a English”) to find the right person, who thankfully spoke some English. Finally that smile I had been practising earlier paid off and I managed to worm my way onto the next flight. Time is now 3am.

I’m in a plane that surely did time during the world wars. The inside is decorated with what looks like cheap kitchen wallpaper from Pep and I think my food just kicked. None the less I have a huge smile on my face. Shit I’m flying over Russia!! From way up here it looks like one big piece of camouflage material. I imagined Russia, was once a huge alpine forest. Now there are flat clearings of brown frost-bitten land, where communities huddle in the cold. These areas eat into the forest but only for the space they need. The effect is spectacular. Dark green expanses of alpine forest blended into light brown areas of land, dotted with little red roves. Huge, old rivers snake further than I can see, cutting deep black arteries into the land. The last bits of winter’s snow also does it’s bit for the overall effect; all topped off with a crisp-orange sunrise. Absolutely surreal!

Rostov people were very friendly towards me, the obvious foreigner. Driving down the main road I noticed the buildings, roads, cars and general infrastructure to be a mixture of old post-Soviet style and more new, modern creations. I definitely felt like I was somewhere very far from the world that I know. Just for assurance that I was definitely in Russia, I see a giant grizzly grey man with a full smile of gold teeth and dead fur hat; driving down the road in a battered army-coloured lorry. I’m laughing.

Business went well in Rostov and we had plenty of time to enjoy our new surroundings. Museums with fascinating history of the Kosaks, cathedrals of significant size and importance, restaurants with horse, as the main course and vodka as compulsory, nightclubs with young Russian entertainers. Sadly I said farewell to Rostov, 2 days after arriving, but not before a young security officer at the airport tried ruffling my feathers by holding me in an interrogation room. His argument > "You no register". His aim > A $50 bribe. Hahahaha. I thought to myself while he was giving me a drilling, “You chose to try bribe a South African. You idiot...we invented bribery!!!" So after an hour he let me go, for only a handshake.

Back to Moscow and those blady terminals! Luckily this time I had all day to relax and find my way around, before working the next 2 days. Arrived at a posh hotel in centre of Moscow and spent the rest of the day exploring the Russian underground system. Exploring being the correct word as everything is in Russian and guestimation, one’s only hope. After a few wrong tube-rides I arrived at Kremlin and Red Square - the middle of Moscow. This architecture is something to marvel.

Business went well in Moscow and I managed to spend some time rubbing shoulders with some really interesting people. I met one particularly interesting man who put practice to the saying: “You don’t stop playing because you old… you old because you stop playing!” Don’t take things to seriously he said to me over a chilled vodka at 1am. Sounded too simple at the time but I think he was onto something there.

My last night in Moscow, I spent walking the streets taking it all in. I wonder when I will be back here?

Lata

P

a week in aRaBiA

Dubai simply has that WOW effect - but definately not that "I feel inspired by its natural beauty" effect. I see Dubai as one of those scaled models that architectural designers use to impress a board room full of investors, except this model became a reality. The capital of Dubai oozes money from its sewers. Arabian people drive fine cars, cars that sparkle like the chrome buildings and expensive jewellery. Hospitality is a huge part of the Dubai way even to the point where I checked to make sure there wasn't someone sitting beside the toilet waiting with a roll of twin-ply.

It seemed that every new construction in Dubai aims to be bigger, higher and more decorated than other lany buildings; even if it means building an appendix to the building that is curiosly attractive but provides no practical value. Such is the hotel where I stayed, the Jumeirah Towers Hotel. This place is over-the-top posh. My room was the size of the 1st floor of the house I live in, with every extra you can think of. It made me wonder what the difference was between what the average human WANTS to help him feel comfortable AND what the average human actually NEEDS to help him feel comfortable? Frivellous extras seem a waste of time and energy but shit, it was SPECIAL to turn on the T.V and have the box display a personal "Good afternoon Mr Smith". Business went well and after 3 nights in Dubai I was off to the fascinating Arabian country of Oman.

Muscat in its most basic form; it seems like you might be driving through P.E. in South Africa. Low-rise buildings starting from the edge of the ocean expand up until the definite edge of the Muscat mountain range. The contrast between crystal clear water and the serated dusty mountains is very effective. In the town of Muscat everything is built on flat, dry desert but I felt like I was in one big oasis. All towns are like isolated pockets in and around the mountains and the buildings are mini palaces of cream and white squares, decorated intricately by artistic hands. Inside the rooms are cool, sometimes gold-plated and always serviced by friendly faces. I visited a local market place, a historians dream. Stalls have things that surely belonged to Arabian kings centuries ago. Every shop and most streets will fill your smell with frankinscence or some exotic burning fragrance. The people are happy people. The men group together, drink tea, smoke sheesha pipes and talk about daily issues, football, life in general and of course girls (of course only amongst friends though). The woman are quite and drift around scanning the markets for new shauls, jewellery or crystal scents. Most of my meals were in coffee shops, eating a selection of olives, gherkins, humus, lamb, mutton and other meditteranean foods. Arabian people have a major sweet-tooth and the best treat I had was a pint of freshly blended strawberry juice. I cant explain how good a glass full of pure strawberry juice tastes when you are in the middle of a desert. Dates and nuts are also a local treat but easy on the dates or your stomach will dance.

At night the Arab people of all ages settle into their favourite coffee shops - mostly outside - and order a sheesha pipe aka hubbly bubbly. Now the guys and I have smoked hubbly before but the Arabians have turned it into an artform. I tagged along with Majid, my new buddy from Oman. We went down to the local beach to meet some of his mates. The backdrop was impressive! A full moon-lit sky, palm trees waving in the wind and all you can see down the beach is tables of Omani people talking, laughing and tugging away at a 4ft hubbly bubbly.

I was entranced with this place. I definately prefered Muscat to Dubai and with its interesting culture, friendly community and awesome landscape; a place I would consider living.

Lata

P

and Lately in London...

Hello all my people! I hope that everyone is superbly well and having a great time.

Try have a great-time because the obvious alternative is to have a shit-time; and no one wants a shit-time! (Petyr, 2006).

Well there are loads of photos here. It has been such a long time since I posted anything that there are a few different stories to tell!!!

Firstly and probably most importantly, is that we bought ourselves a monster weber-braai. This was the best investment any South African, in the middle of English-Haalal Kebab Suburbia could make…

Summer in London was blazing! Afternoons out in the sun around a braai with cheap beer and Tyson always went down well. The days during summer went on forever. I think at peak summer we only had 4 to 5 hours of darkness. Now as we move into winter, I sit writing this at 4pm and it’s dark; pitch black.

There have been many random parties…of course! Put 3 Gonubie boys, 1 East London boy and Pommie chick into a house and it’s obviously a recipe for a great time (that’s the opposite of a shit-time, remember). The Halloween party we had is one to remember (and not just because Aidan ‘Love Machine’ Collins did the most elegant, drunken swan-dive directly onto the bridge of his beautiful little nose) but because its one of the few that any of us can actually remember…Shit I’ve said too much! For any concerned parents reading this thinking, “Oh my stress levels, my children are wasting their lives away on sex, drugs and doof doof music.” Think again! I will have you know that as I write this, I am actually sitting at my desk, doing my 9 to 5, earning a living, being responsible and only having sex, doing drugs and listening to doof doof on Saturday’s and possibly Sunday’s…

Myself and some fellow buddies have also invented this great game called ‘Texas hold em Poker’ CLAIM!!! And every Friday evening we gather around a table of cigars, single malt whiskey and topless waitresses; at my house and gamble our pennies away. Currently I am suffering from a huge case of gamblers fallacy, due to my recent LUCKY winnings and I think this Friday I might bet my kidney or anything else of value; that I have left…

I was in Germany just the other day, which was really cool. Worked most of the time but managed to find some sneaky gaps in the time and landed up meeting some great people. A big shout-out to my new Germany buddie, Ariane. She managed to score me a free ticket to the best V.I.P. party I have ever crashed. The Berlin Olympic Stadium – architecture at its most amazing and colossal.

What else is there to say that the photos haven’t already! So for now, until again I sign out your best friend, brother, son, guy you know and now soon to be UNCLE PETE. Well done to my big sis for getting some dough on the baking tray!

Peace people….P

A quick visit home

I had to back to Sunny SA to get another visa...

I got off the plan at J'burg and the smiling faces, the smells, the lingo all rushed into me at once and instantly reminded me how unique South Africa really is.

With only 2 weeks to spare, time was short and the waiting list was long - obvious as I am the most popular, not to mention down to earth guy around.

I managed all the essentials, including; a surf, some fishing, a beer on the the hotel roof, burning a little fenwick down with my little brother, several raw steaks still covered in hide and a bottle of red on the porch with the ou tops.

A completely coincidental surprise was making it back for young Michal 'Crab' Fletchers 21st. As the pictures above can tell you, it was dress up and myself and Bull and I wore (or didnt wear) the most successful costumes I have ever seen. People loved the Smurfs so much we had to shower and get the paint off us so everyone remebered it was actually Michaels 21st, the queer looking guy in the Sailors outfit.

It was good to be home, get sea sand all over myself, wash it off in the crispy-fresh ocean and see how everyone is getting along.

Cowabunga dudes!

P'tong

CoLoUrS oF LoNdOn

1. King of the Concrete Jungle - Westminster
2. Midnight meeting point - Piccadilly Circus
3. Party ala stylish-io - Collins celebrates his 21st
4. 2nd biggest carnival in the world - Notting Hill
5. His parents must be so proud - Camden Town (where else)
6. She defines the word ReTrO - my peach, Katie

Im still here

For all of you who might have thought I have dropped of the face of the earth...stress less. Im still very much here amd kicking, in London.

Its taken some settling down but I am finding my feet now. I have landed a great job that will be flying me around the world. Of course thats the cool part and I dont travel all the time. Im going to Berlin in November; Dubhai in February next year and I think some random place...Miami!!!

I have been slack with updating my blogspot but be ready for a sneaky story. London is where it all happens. Like the Notting Hill Carnival. The 2nd biggest carnival in the world, next to Rio De Janerio. Over a million people including T-Bone (aka the Hake Jacobsen), Fletcher, myself, my beautiful girlfriend and a shit load of jamacian beer.

I will post this and more as soon as I can!

Until then, take care and remember that its right there...just take it.

Farewell South Devon College

I started working at South Devon College in January 2006. Today I leave but be assured I will not forget all the laughs I had, prospectuses I carried, balloons I inflated, Open Evenings I worked, HE fairs I travelled to, posters i put up, press releases i wrote and of course the £2 lunches i had at the International Cafeteria.

Working in the Marketing Department was enriching, not only because i now have a qualification in 'professional gossiping' but because i really did learn alot. Oracle and Princess, what can i say except WHAT great girls you are. M and PhotoshopCop it was great meeting you. Keep in touch. To my new found friends, see you in South Africa for your FREE safari trip.

Pat, if you reading this then instinctively you are proof reading this and cringing. So if there are any mispelt words and non corporate writing...I will improve. Thanks for everything.

It has been a pleasure to work with all of you at South Devon College. Best of luck for the future.

Take care and if you see me begging in the streets of London, throw me a £1.

Petyr