Wombats Out Of The Burrow
Place to keep in contact with wandering Wombats and perhaps meet up with a returnee.
CHUCK'S WOMBAT MEMORIES (November 2010)
Farewell TWCC. Playing for the Wombats for 9 years, I've seen TWCC develop from those very humble Koiwa league beginnings into a very successful on and off field JCA powerhouse and it's been a joy of a ride. So in memory of my 9 glorious seasons, I've put together a bit of a personal highlights package. I may have forgotten an incident or missed a game where something spectacular happened but just from what I witnessed these are the TWCC moments which I will never forget. And no this is not mean't to be a cricket homage to Steven Burke.
BEST INNINGS: Can't separate these 2 innings.
Jarrad Shearer 110n.o. vs BECC, 2006 semi-final. We lost all the top order cheaply chasing 210 and I honestly thought we were gone but Jarrad's 18 boundaries carried him through to a ton and us a victory which was welcomed with a mighty "Get that up ya!" roar that I reckon echoed up the valley all the way to the top of Mt. Fuji.
Steve Burke: 74n.o. vs Friends in the old KCL, 2005. Opposition had a big opening quick who got a bag the previous week and by all reports had the opposition jumping and ducking. Well his first 5 overs went for 50 as Burkey pulled and cut him with ferocious elegance. The further Burkey kept hitting him the faster and shorter this guy kept bowling and it was just a total mismatch. Steve's effortless upper cut for 6 to the long boundary out towards the river mouth at Fuji #2 will live long in the memory.
Special mention: Bjorn Pedersen. 68n.o. off 49 balls vs Wyverns, 2007
BEST BOWLING: Ian Gason 5/20 vs Sharks. 2005? (Curly?) One of the few times on a cricket field where I genuinely thought we were going to get a wicket every ball bowled. Ian kept bowling straight and wickets kept tumbling. I reckon I was close to being the first person knocked cold by a fellow team mate when I asked him to have a spell.
BEST CATCH: Luke Ray. "The Freak" was born when he launched himself to his left and plucked a one hander cms off the ground kicking up a cloud of dust in the old Koiwa days.
Steve Burke: 2006 GF. From my position at square leg I heard a snick. Looked to the slips to see only the soles of Steve's shoes at my eye level and that delicious "Slap!" of a cricket ball in the middle of an outstretched right hand. Only he could take such a blinder!
BIGGEST SIXES: Steven Burke. 2 in 2 balls at Shizuoka vs IECC in a practice game to take him from 44 to 56 and retirement. Off spinner bowling and Papa launched successive big rainbow arcs that landed easily 40 meters beyond the boundary.
Dave Benson (BECC player) off Ian Gason. Only time I've seen someone land a ball from Fuji #1 into #2. Was hit flat and very long and in the words of Mr. Bollywood Gulzar "Very middle!" (you remember that one don't ya Curls!)
BEST ALLROUND DISPLAY: Chris Mortimer 2-23 off 6 overs, 68n.o., a catch and no sleep the previous night due to taking home the best looking girl from Muse (As usual!). Has there ever been a better all round performance in sport?
BEST INNINGS BY AN OPPOSITION PLAYER: Chris Thurgate (Chiba Sharks) 2006
He was almost unstoppable on his way to 86 off 50 balls and went within 11 runs of winning the game for them. His placement and power that day left me basically powerless to place a field as he was piercing gaps for 4's with 7 men on the boundary!
BEST DROP: Tim (only played 1 game. See his haunted mug trapped in the back of the van in one of the early photo galleries) at Shizuoka. He was never seen again but he made an impression on me. Fielding at deep square, a top edge goes up his way and as he attempts to get into position he half trips, but keeps his eyes on the ball, takes another step and fully trips then belly flops to the turf arms outstretched as the ball plonks down a meter ahead of his outstretched fingers. Full credit to him as he watched the ball all the way but his tragic uncoordination made it bloody humorous to watch.
Luke Ray: At Kobe fielding on the boundary and a flat, curving ball is hit his way. He didn't move until the last moment and to my total disbelief did a big soccer goalie style speccy dive BUT away from the ball, instead of at it! My guess is a combination of a swerving flat hit and the previous nights indulgences left The Freak's radar a little out.
Special mention: Ian Gason for not dropping but failing to get his hands on many a high skier that went his way. To me it's a miracle he never wore one of those skiers in the face.
THE SPECIAL MOMENTS: Steve Burke. 5 4's in a row vs Chiba Sharks in a final.
Ian Gason bitch slapping a six into the river bushes at Gunma to win a game early in Wombats history.
Paul Shackleford's one handed catch in gully to dismiss Chino in the 2007 GF.
All the Grand Final victories.
James "Birdy" Watson's full length haka at the top of his bowling mark at Koiwa.
ONLY IN JAPAN!
Does the opposition captain stop a game, walk off the field and complain to the Wombats skip that one of the Wombats batsmen out in the middle is sledging the opposition fielders.
Do the opposition batsmen walk off the ground and refuse to bat because it's too windy.
Does an opposition batsmen refuse to bat on after belting us for 20 runs in the previous 4 balls and win the game for his team because a few drops of rain have made his footing not perfect.
Does the CEO of Japan cricket deliberately charge and shirtfront a player and get away completely without any penalty.
THE VAN AND KOBE TRIPS
Spacey's golden showering of Wombats from the top of the van at a Tomei stop.
Rich Cosway earning his nickname "Chunky" by spewing out the window of the front seat of the van (after only 4 beers!) only to have it vacuum back in through the open jump seat window with Zulu and Ai coping facials.
Andrew "Nikka" Hall then grossing all out by cleaning the van windows with his tongue after the before mentioned Chunky incident.
Those Dutch oven van rides made victory all the more euphoric!
The pile ons. I swear my neck was almost broken when Dino, Laids and Beefy pinned me to the the soggy, beer stained floor one time.
Killer does Kobe!
The Jinro Jokers vs The Whisky Swillers.
The aftermath of the Australia vs Japan soccer game. Laids spending the night in an unknown location somewhere in Yokohama and Killer ending up being arrested in Shizuoka and with his only telephone call, calling Dino!
How did Morty talk that girl into jumping into a van full of unknown smelly, inebriated foreigners?
THE QUOTES
"The Wombats aren't for everyone"
"Some people like to mix coke with that!"
"The monument to the human struggle"
"I just got to Harajuku Station and saw all your shit everywhere"
"That'd be me!"
"I'm sorry I pissed in your milkshake"
"Wow! Check out the moon fellas"
"Andy Bichel. How’d he get a game?!"
"Work the shaft and cradle the balls"
"It was very middle!"
MY TWCC ALL TIME 11 (in batting order)
1. Steven Burke: Would be playing for Australia if he wasn't so nice. Finals batting average of well over 100 testiment to his quality. Took catches only he could take and once hit 723 runs in a season. No coincidence that his arrival at the club coincided with our run of GF victories.
2. Gavin Beath: Naturally gifted stroke playing opener who cuts and pulls with authority. Picks up handy wickets with his NZ honed dibbly dobbly's. Hates beer and short pitched bowling.
3. Ross Ferris: Perfect #3 because he scores big and quickly. Rare ability off his pads and surprisingly devastating with his gentle offies. Always pack a bag of candy when playing with him.
4. Chris Mortimer: Always plays in the V, solid and dependable averaging 48 with the bat and a genuine allrounder who's aggressive with the ball in hand. Great team man, ladies man, dresser and eloquent speaker.
5. Tim Whisker: Aggressive, consistent and hard hitting expat Kiwi who averaged 40 with the bat and they always came quickly. Was a sight to behold carving up Roppongi dance floors.
6. Mark Ainslie: The second genuine allrounder in the team who never died wondering with bat or ball in hand. Bowled genuinely quick on his day and dealt mainly in bowleds and LBWs. Loved hitting the ball hard and far and another great team player. Occasionally had too much sex on the mind me thinks.
7. Jarrad Shearer: The rock from which so many partnerships and victories were built around. Best expat keeper in Japan whose work behind the stumps is often brilliant. The worst sledger ever!
8. Gerrard Brady: Only played the 1 full season with TWCC and against us in a couple of others. Had a huge impact with his genuine pace and wicket taking ability. Drew blood and inflicted bruising on the opposition regularly. Displayed inexperience with Finnish love making techniques.
9. Ian Gason: Dependable workhorse is TWCC leading wicket taker. He always wanted the ball in his hands, was at times brilliant in the field and handy lower order biffer. Should have worn a helmet more often. Fittest Wombat ever. Total nondrinker-thank goodness!
10. Paul Shackleford: Unwavering in his tossing the ball up mandate. Not a big spinner but always gets wickets. Second highest wicket taker in TWCC history and has the best strike rate of any player with more than 10 games and 20 wickets. His offies balance the side beautifully and he has always supported a really lovely hairstyle.
11. Alex Koolhof: Another bowler who consistently gets wickets with his nagging length. Not quick but always bowls in the right areas. An elegant mover in the field.
12th man. Grant Turner: Bowling allrounder with the best outswinger in Japan. Never gets hit around and on his day is a joy to watch bat with his sweet timing.
Well Wombats it's been exciting, eventful, memorable and most of all just plain fun. I'm so thankful that TWCC formed because without the characters I met and the friends I made living in Japan just wouldn't have been so enjoyable.
Remember, Once a Wombat, always a Wombat!
Equipoise forever lads!
ADELAIDE WOMBATS CATCH UP FOR A FEW BEERS (October 2008)
Photo 01
Photo 02
AXE'S BIKE TALE (July 2007)
With what started from taking a quick trip down to the shops on the pushy to pick up a carton of milk all went horribly wrong when my brother took a wrong corner and now 25 000kms over a stretch of 18 months in a monster bicycle tour around Australia, he has become the first person ever to reach the 7 most extremes of Australia - the most southerly, northerly, easterly, westerly, highest and lowest, and the geographical centre of australia - the first person mad enough to ever do so on a pushbike. He`s trying to get people out of their cars and onto their pushy`s when they head off to work - if you`re interested in reading a bit more, check out his website www.ozbybike.com
I had a quick couple of weeks with him around Kangaroo island where we knocked up 440kms on the pushys, saw seals, kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wedgetailed eagles, sea eagles, cape barren geese, sheep, cows, inbred locals, drop bears and the occasional hoopsnake. Saw some amazing scenery, faced 50 knot winds, got poured on from a great height, baked by the sun, covered in 5 day old sweat, stuffed my knee, but at the end of the day - nothing that isnt funny with a few beers. here are the pix - Tour Photos
Read Tour Diary
CURLY'S MIDDLE EAST ADVENTURE - Part 1 (Nov 2005 to Jan 2006)
>>>Curly's pics from Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and Syria
Never ending journeys along corrugated roads on battered, rusted buses, with broken seats, broken windows and broken suspension. While this might have been the reality in Pakistan, since then it has been pretty plain sailing. So far, we have been to 5 countries, with just Jordan and Egypt to go.
1 truck, 1 ferry, 2 trains and 30-odd taxis and buses have taken us about 12,000kms from Lahore to Istanbul and now south towards the Red Sea and Egpyt. Total time in transit: 205 hours.We have visited some amazing sights, walked 30 minutes across a frozen border in minus 15 degree temperatures, and sweated in the stands of Multan's Cricket Stadium. By and large the people have been great to us, helping us out whenever they could. The trip hasn't been without hitches. The biggest no doubt was having to grab our gear and run as fire bellowed out of the dunnies of our hotel! No harm done, just a bit of extra washing to do.
Rather than explain the beauty of these places, or the feeling of calm that comes across when you enter a mosque, I'll give it to you in a format that is easy for the Wombats to understand: The Highlights.
WORST ROADS/BUSES: Pakistan. See above, then add an extra row of seats down the aisle, a broken air-con, a baby throwing up, and a driver that insists on playing his favourite tunes at 2am. 12, 14 hours of it.
BEST HOSPITALITY: Pakistan. Every where we went people wanted to buy us tea, say hello. In restaurants, owners would refuse to take money, as would bus conductors. At the cricket, we were given VIP treatment, including free lunches, drinks and our own personal security detail. Where else can you ge a free meal by being from the same country as David Boon?
BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY: Lonely Planet Persian Phrase Book. Impossible to search, badly organised, and with useful phrases like "Can we have a high chair for the baby?" The way people looked at me when they read the choice phrases, it seemed the words were as out dated as saying,"my good man, launder my pantalons!"
BEST FOOD: Turkey, in a photo finish from Syria. Fresh vegetables, spicy meat dishes, stews, soups....variety and quality, 2 things we had been missing so much in Iran.
BEST SCENERY: Eastern Turkey. Snow capped mountains and mountain ranges that seemed to roll on forever. Clear water lakes, green fields, traditional villages. Day after day was spent in stunning scenery. But bloody cold!
WORST CITY: Tehran. Think the Saikyo-line isn't crowded enough? Then try the Tehran subway. Twice the number you'd get on a J-train! Expensive, bad food, bad hotels, a minimum of attractions and pollution, Tehran had it all.
BEST CITY: Istanbul. A huge choice of restaurants, a compact and colourful historic quarter, some of the worlds greatest religious buildings. The setting is second to none, a river seperating Europe from Asia, and hills coming down to the sea. Downside? Expensive.
MOST MOVING PLACE: Not Gallipoli. but the city of Bam, Iran. Almost completly destroyed by an earthquake 2 years ago which left 100,000 dead. The city is still in ruins, house after house, suburb after suburb gone. People living in houses which consisted of just one wall.
THE CHIANG MAI REPORT (Mar/Apr-2005)
The ultimate cricket destination? A Test series in the Carribean? An Ashes Tour? No, Thailand's Chiang Mai Sixes! Held annually in April, it is the Grand-daddy of the now popular Sixes comps running from Morocco to Newcastle to Shanghai. This year Tokyo Wombats became the first Japanese club to compete at this great event.
Eight of us made the journey. Included in our party was long-lost Wombat Marty; Shrek, a daiquiri destroying Canadian 'tour manager'; Paul, well and truely retired from cricket, plus the more mundane Wombats, NIKKA, Reggie, Dino, Zulu and Curly.
The organization of the tournament is meticulous. The standard runs the full parameter of abilities, from mug to weekend warrior to Test playing internationals. The atmosphere is first class throughout, and the players, no matter who they are or where they are from, are an easy going bunch there to enjoy their favourite game.
The ground is superb, in the middle of the 19th century Gymkhana Club golf course, complete with sight-screens, scoreboard, nets, trees, 2 bars, hammocks and team tents. No bicycle paths or searching through weeds here! Only 40 minutes a day was spent in mortal combat. OK, we spent a bit of time in the nets, and warming up. Most of the time was spent under cover at the tent watching the games, enjoying the food on offer, or gossiping away at the bar.
Perhaps NIKKA's comments sum it up best: "having a beer with world-class cricketers after getting smashed around the ground by them. It was a week of comradeship both from teammates and opposition. The enjoyment of being with your mates, consistent lack of sleep, and just knowing what ever you`ve got planned both day and night will be a top laugh."
While the cricket was competitive and our reason for being there, it was the socializing that made the week. Drinking with your opposition is mandatory, and a few minutes after the pads are off, teams meet at The Boundary Bar, buy each other drinks and have a laugh. Most of the people we met were genuinely interested in Japanese cricket, and often had similar tales from their own cricketing frontiers. No egos here, even the international stars are just regular blokes here, and several times I didn't realise that some guy I was talking to had represented his country before!
Having helped secure the Wombats invitation, Paul Knighton pulled on the whites for the first time in a quarter century. Sending down our first over was a highlight for him: "Bowling our best figures (as I recall it anyway) against a 1992 World Cup winner! If I'd known who he was I would have bottled it probably!"
Seeing Marty afer 18 months on the Goldie was a treat, as was his bowling, and he soon became the Wombats Dr Death, after closing out with 2 wickets in 2 balls v Bahrain. He was also able to add some valueble runs throughout, until that monster bruise took its toll! Two quick wickets caught the injured wommie off guard, and few will forget the sight of him pulling his shirt on as he walked out needing 13 with 3 balls to go. To top it off, he got a single, which allowed NIKKA to bitch-slap a six and put victory within reach. (A second bitch slap fell metres short of the required six.)
We came through a tough group with just one win, but importantly a lot of respect. Reggie's running, rolling gather on the boundary in our elimination game typified the fight we showed. Zulu and NIKKA keeled over, huffing, puffing and almost hurling after running 5 was another highlight. Dino, after bagging our first duck, belted some big runs, and his running love-hate relationship with on ground commentator Rick will live on for years to come.
But most of our respect was won on the Pig Picking Night, when we all donned the yukatas. Marty even got up and sang the 'Sukiyaki Song'. The yukatas stayed on all night and we made quite a sight running round Chiang Mai. Paul's comments however can't be ignored, "Woofta Aussies who ALL wore something UNDER the yukata .. having all sworn the opposite!"
Unfortunately we had to speed back to work and missed the Closing Party. Paul was there for us, though. "The closing dinner was a hoot. Rick entertained with a long run through of the week - all the usual thank-yous etc., then a warm welcome to the new teams. I felt the Wombats were deliberately saved till last and given special kudos. Your plane flew over right in the middle of this! Obviously we were remembered best for our off the park activities although it was commented on what a tough group we'd been drawn in."
Our DVD has arrived incomplete, but within a week or two (Thai time!) we will have all 5 games and be screening them at The Clubhouse. Should refresh some foggy memories, as well as inspire the rest of you to make it in 2006.
CRICKET, CURLY and MUMBAI (2004)
It might have taken me ten years longer than planned, but finally I made it to India. 35 years of waiting also came to an end for Australian cricket, when they wrapped up the series in Nagpur....meaning I was flying off to a dead rubber.
Enough has been said in the media about the pitch, the result and our batting in Mumbai. Rain on the first day reduced play to just 40 minutes, which was enough time for India to lose 2 wickets. That resulted in mile long queues on Day Two, as everyone hoped to see local hero Sachin Tendulkar come to the rescue. When word of his dismissal spread, the queues disappeared and half of Mumbai trudged off to work.
Inside the ground, the crowd let the Aussies have it, with some orignal chants such as "AUSSIE SUCKS", "JASON IS A BASTARD", or my favourite, which sounded something like "Plinky, plinky plonky, Martyn is a donkey." Adam Gilchrist picked up an imaginary Border-Gavaskar Trophy and held it aloft to silence the crowds.
Other highlights included Justin Langer's playing kick to kick during the rain stoppages, several thousand people singing "Happy Birthday" to one of the Aussie supporters, the Sachin Tendulkar look-alike getting more cheers than the real one, and some Indian kid running around with a stuffed kangaroo on his shoulders. Hedging his bets, perhaps?
One thing the crowd couldn't do was a Mexican Wave (which, being old and grumpy I believe belongs at the pyjama cricket....). Two bays would all stand up together, and no-one would follow suit. For two days this went on (like the match), but in the final session they finally got it going (like India). Round and round it went, gathering speed with each lap, circling the stadium in a break-neck 6 seconds!
Loud? How loud can you imagine? It still doesn't even come close! When the Aussie wickets began tumbling in the fourth innings, Wankhede Stadium erupted. By now a full house of 50,000+ had crammed into the furnace, and were making the place shake as they jumped up and down and shouted.
Whistles, drums, horns, "AUSSIE SUCKS" ringing in your ears as batsman after batsman threw his wicket away Dizzy, Hauritz and Kaspo put the celebrations on hold, but when McGrath strode to the crease it was on for young and old. They were still celebrating the 9th wicket by the time Pigeon had got out. Somehow our lame batting had manufactured one of the more memorable Test results, and the atmosphere during that one session alone was worth the airfare.
The streets of Mumbai around the ground echoed with "93! 93!" (our score) as the local fans took some delight from the end to the series.
The constant honking of horns is the one sound I'll always associate with Mumbai. As in most parts of Asia, the horn and not the breaks is the preferred method of avoiding an accident, and here, an overcrowded city of 20 million it is taken to extremes. Thousands of black and yellow 1950s style taxis compete with double decker buses, scooters and the occaisonal cow for a piece of the road. Amazingly, I didn't see one accident.
I jumped into one those taxis and headed to the Metro Cinema, where I had heard the sports shops could be found. Apparently they had been doing a brisk trade as plenty of the other Aussies had the same idea. First shop I tried had sold out of the SG Test balls we Wombats use. It would have been easy to pick up half a dozen bats, as I'm sure some did. I put the breaks on after buying just a dozen balls, one hockey stick (Y1600), one MRF (Y6000) and cheapie bat (Y400) for my mate's son. I can still picture another 3 or 4 I wish I'd bought.
The tucker was first rate. From the cheapie 'thali' curry shop, where a set plate costs Y50 to the flash buffet where lunch for 3 cost Y1500, I don't think I put a gastronomic foot wrong. The veg biryani at the cricket was a stand out, and it was interesting to see a dozen other Aussies take the plunge once I had acted as guinea pig! And not one attack of the infamous Delhi Belly the whole time.
The old seaside district reminded me of St Kilda, with its art-deco buildings, broad boulevards and palm trees. Not as many down and outs as St Kilda though. There you find the maginficent Taj Mahal Hotel, facing the Gateway Of India, built to commemorate the arrival of some Pommie king yonks ago. Back away past the museums and dozens of other classic colonial buildings is The Oval. A large green lung in the centre of a hot, dirty town, The Oval is naturally a cricket haven. Dozens of tennis ball games go on side by side and back to back, with balls criss-crossing several 'fields'. Unlike Wankhede, the council does maintain 'proper' pitches for the use of the wealthier schools.
I was sitting with a group of aspiring Tendulkars, Under-13s perhaps, as they waited for their turn to bat at training. Wombats' cap proudly on my head, I turned to watch some older boys in fielding drills.
"Sir?" a young voice from behind me enquired. "Your name is...Curly?"(If you are thinking of joining the Aussies on tour, please check out Luke Gillian's http://www.wavingtheflag.com . Ticket only and hotel packs usually available for the tour group respected most by our Test cricketers. They even came to our welcome party!) >>> pictures.
AL KOOLHOF'S EXCURSION (2003) - After an exciting, tumultuous and rock'n'roll start to the Wombats first year of cricket in Japan, I decided to take some time off and go and spend all my hard earned cash. Backpacking around Asia had long been something I really wanted to do and here was my chance. I could write pages and pages of 8 exciting months of travel memoirs for you as I experienced and saw so much in 7 different countries, but instead I'll give you the "In a nutshell" version.
My route went basically like this: Overland all the way from Tokyo to Mumbai, India. From Shimonoseki, a ferry to Pusan, South Korea. Seoul to Qingdao, China by ferry. Took the Trans-Mongolian train to Ulaan Baator and spent 3 weeks in the land of Mongolia ... including four wheel driving in the Gobi.
Across China to the far west ... to Kashgar, near the borders of Pakistan, Kyrgystan, Afghanistan etc. Hitched in a petrol tanker and other assorted vehicles for 10 days across disputed borders of India and China (passing K2) down into Tibet, to Lhasa. Four Wheel Drive via Mt Everest Base Camp to the Nepali border. Bus to Kathmandu. Bus to Varanassi, India. Across to Delhi, through Rajhastan, down to Mumbai. Flew to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and after 3 weeks flew back to Chennai in India. Down, around the south of India, to Goa, then up to Calcutta. Plane to Bangkok, Tokyo, and then back to Tassie for 3 months for some time with the family and friends over xmas.
If I had to make a sentence/remark or two about each country I visited then this it. (If I don't give it to you like this, then I'd never be able to stop typing!)
South Korea: Bushwalking in the mountains was great the Koreans love it the food was yummy too.
China: A land of many extremes and many ethnic groups lots of things to see and interesting people to meet (great fun haggling) and great food to eat.
Mongolia: Beautiful but extreme country with very friendly people ready to let you stay in their nomad tents. Gobi desert was amazing.
Tibet: The place I miss the most ... the friendliest people on earth brings tears to my eyes just thinking about them and the way they go about their poor but happy lives under political oppression. (China). Mt Kailash and Mt Everest Base Camp were great. I will go back.
Nepal: Great for the adventurous (I was stuck in the monsoon!).
India: Love it or Hate it, its an amazing country full of extremes from the guy on the train insisting that he sell you a toothbrush to the cricket crazy kids in Calcutta. I liked the South better. In the end I had to get out of India or I'd have gone mad, but now I'm yearning to go back!
Sri Lanka: Beautiful island paradise with yummy curries and great beaches.
You can see all my travel photos online at http://picasaweb.google.com/japal4649
BIRD'S DIARY (2004) - At 6:30 in the morning of the fifth of Feburary I was up and about with one mission in mind, find our passports (having left them with one of the numerous travel companies on Koh San road the day before to get our Cambodian visas). Once they were located (half an hour walking up and down Koh San road looking for a man with a twitch on a motorbike)it was back to the guesthouse to get packed up before jumping on a bus to Trat.
After a very pleasant bus ride it was a short hop ,on a ferry, over to Koh Chang. By the time we arrived at Lonely beach and checked into our free bungalow for the night (score!) - and James had eaten, nerves or hunger who can tell - the sun was setting. We sat on the beach with the sun setting in the background and the waves gently lapping at the white sand shore. I leaned over and said something very romantic which culminatated with me unfolding my hand to reveal a white gold diamond ring and asking Ruth to marry me. A very shocked and happy Ruth said yes!!. I will post pictures of the happy couple soon. Hopefully by now we have contacted all of you to let you know our happy news, sorry it has taken so long but communications on Koh Chang were virtually non-existant or hugely over-priced. Thanks for all the congratulatory messages that people have sent, it has meant a lot to us. BIRD's roving diary
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