Best of 2011 with The Gypsy Baroness!

After bicycling across Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, I managed to complete the Paris Marathon! Many thought I was mad at my age to attempt such a thing, but determination got the better of me and I managed to raise over £2,500 for the school's 'Kitchen and Garden' project supported by Jamie Oliver.

Having bought a little house in Umbria Italy, I decided to renovate it and completed it this year (it took two years in the making!) Now all I have to do is rent it out. Anyone want it for the new year?

My second book has come out "The food and cooking of Scandinavia" It can be found on Amazon. Lots of succulent recipes from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, Now Scandinavian cooking is taking over the world, look at NOMA!!!!!!!

Have started writing my third book "Going Wild in Scandinavia". It has been great fun doing the research and especially because it was the best year foraging for mushrooms in Sweden that I can ever remember. See photos for evidence!

I must not forget the lovely time I had hosting Jamie Oliver's Big Feastival at Clapham Common this summer, it was a huge honour and great fun.


In all a good and enjoyable year. Lots done and lots achieved...

Jamie Oliver's Big Feastival in Clapham Common

Now all you followers of Gypsybaroness Blog can go to a real Gypsy Caravan and have their palm read tomorrow at Jamie Oliver's Big Feastival in Clapham Common.  This is a festival for foodlovers and music lovers alike.  Think Taste of London meets Latitude.

Here's an article live on Jamie Oliver's website. Much fun!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/news/anna-mosesson-gets-cycling-so-orford-pri

Thank you

Thank you dear all for following me on my bicycle ride through Indochina.  What an experience, I did notice something rather wonderful though, Every market I went to sold posters or T shirts with a picture of Tintin and Snowy on them.  Not sure whether Tintin actually ever went to Vietnam, but I have a lovely T shirt with "Tintin in Vietnam" on it.  It gave me an idea that I should start a "Tintin Trail" and go to all the places where Tintin went.  I am such a fan and it would be a great journey.....Perhaps I will do it in a Tuctuc, less hard work on the thighs which are now like steel and the bottom which is like a brick.  Hopefully Richard Branson will get his act together soon and we can travel to the Moon!  After all, Tintin did!

Do read on.... Next story is when I attempt the Paris Marathon on April 10th

Keep following me......

Just like my faithful dog Bacchus!

Went to see a school in Thailand, the children removed their shoes before going into classroom!

So sweet.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

Group photo

What a jolly holiday we all had....

Various Lillies & Lotus

A few more pictures

Group photo in front of US tank at Cu Chi
Ego with Python!
Sad little Cambodian boy in cooking vessel afloat

Eat your heart out Angelina Jolie

The first photo is taken at the Cambodia Vietnam border where we had to change bikes
The second photo was taken in Angkor Wat where Tomb Raiders was filmed with Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft.
The Third photo is one of the few taken of me cycling, just to show that I actually did it!

I can upload photos now, lots to show you....

On our last 35 km to Saigon, I wore a Vietnamese coolie hat, (with determination) was told firmly that it was not allowed, but did I listen? It slowed me down a bit, but the ride was fun and since it was the end of our trip, I decided to do it in style.  When we arrived at our destination, Elliot, (beefcake from Birmingham) decided that we should do a stint of Yoga to loosen us up a little.  We took it in turns to do more and more difficult poses, until, Neil (Jewish New Yorker) decided that he was going to show us the ultimate position.  He ran to the central reservation of the motorway and stood on his head, now that beats all.

My new nick name is 'Winnie the Pooh', stuck in hole.... Have to go on diet!

I can up load pictures! This was taken in Cu chi tunnels near Saigon

Typing with an iPhone!

Just ready most recent blogs... I am shocked by how many mistakes there are, I might as well have written the blog in Vietnamese! It is rather difficult to type with an iPhone and the print is so small I cannot read what I have written, but I have to say it does make me laugh. Next time I wrote a blog, I hope to be able to use a proper computer. signing off for the day now and I hope to have made you giggle a bit.

Just a little bit more

Tomorrow we are going to visit the Cuti tunnels where the Vietnamese hid during their thirty year war.....

Saigon

We have arrived at our final destination. What a city. So bustling with crowds of people, I have never seen so many scooters/motorbikes in my life. I have left my trusty steed which has carried me far for two weeks. In that time, I managed to have a puncture and my chain came off and worst of all on the penultimate ride, I fell off! Such a relief to be helped onto a little wooden boat which took us sown the Mekon river to a kingly island with crocodiles on it. Tucked in the woods was a beautiful old wooden bungalow where we stayed the night on hard benches (we were offered hammocks, but they didn't have mosquito nets.

That evening we had a cooking demonstration where we learnt how to make Vietnamese spring rolls. There was no mains electricity so we cooked over an open fire. There was a generator for emergencies, but it wasn't used. They had a small shrine in memory of their father/grandfather. This type of religious called Confusciou

Z
For dinner we ate elephant ear fish which hade berb deep fried with garlic there were also our spring rolls which we had

Click on thé photo above to see the charity I am doing this epic adventure

I met an old woman in the Market who was a palm reader and she told my fortune which is going to be considerable . I was thrilled and went away with a smile on my face. The smiling is catching.....
I met some fantastic people who run a sxool and an orphanage and translate English childrens books into Khmer for the children to rea. It was a revelation to meetauch a couple who are tireless in their volunteer work. Thank you Mark for introducing them to me. We have been to a restaurant which is run by the street Kids' the food was delicious. Off down the Mekong river in a boat (light relief from cycling) sleeping under the stars on a island in the river. Only a mattress and a mosquito net. . No Internet cafe!

VIETNAM!

The people in Indochina all smile. How lovely it is to bicycle past cheery people. I am told it takes much less muscles and effort to smile than frown, why do we look ao glum in England. Is it the weather? It is good Cor the heart and soul to smile, we could learn a lot from these wonderful people, even the statue of Budda has a beatific smile.
I have not really told you of my adventures yesterday in Phnom Penh. I visited the killing fields and was horrified by the genocide which has happened so recently. Pol Pot was a monster as were the Khmer Rouge. One third of the entire population in Cambodia was tortured and murdered or starved to death. Let us Home nothung lie this ver happants again

We are off again crossing the Vietnamese Border

I was cut off in mid flow yesterday. There must have been a powercut! as I was saying... A real mixed bag. Funny and charming, not a dud amongst them. Some very sporty (one girl has already run 13 marathons!) others not so sporty. We have a professor in Japanese history, we have a little trophy which is handed out each night to someone new. Our professor was the last one to win and decided to award it tor or miss Congeniality (no-one wanted to win since being 'congeniality' is usually awarded to the one who is not good enough to be best). I am rambling npt sure when next wifi will be. We have just been called to mount our bikes. Off down Mekon river to Vietnam.... Look forward to my next instalment...

A continuation

I am loving the cycling and the lovely thing is that I am loving the eccentric crowd that have decided to do this same trip. There are Australians, American Jews, Scots, Irish, English, French and Swedish (that's me). A real mixed bag. There have been some very funny moments and some rather surprising ones.
The first night in Cambodia we went to a night Market where there were people having their feet cleaned by small fish

In a fish tank
Sharing a room can. # I hop

Back in the room!

It has been such a long time since I updated my blog but now at last I have been able to go online! Please don't give up on me, I need your (rather infrequent) comments to keep me going.
I went over the border to Cambodia and experimented at the first stall on the side of the road which sold deep fried insects. Crunchy, but delicious. The black beetles were a mouthful and tasted a bit fishy, I am told this is because they feed on fish! Not sure I have already mentioned that I had a puncture. Probably but I am confused. probably the heat..... We eventually arrived at Siem Reap which is near Angkor Wat, this place must be one of the wonders of the world. I wish I could download some photographs on this blog, still haven't worked out how to do it, no computer boffins amongst us! Tired now.. More to come.

Over the border

Lovely bikeride of 90km today saw an elephant on the road and some beautiful little hairy porkers just crossing the road when they saw me coming. one wonderful thing happened though, I went to a fantastic Thai food Market, it was a revelation
All the fish was alive until you bought it and then they would gut it and fillet or for you while it was still wriggling about. We bought some bana fritters which were sublimely delicious with toffee and sesame seeds. Good for extra energy. Had a puncture and swapped bikes with the guide who said when he tried to ride my old jellopy (after it was mended)"you are velly strong woman!" he arrived at the destination dripping with sweat from the strain and exertion. Hope there will be no mre surprises.
The biggest honour for me was that I won a trophy for being the cheeriest and funniest member of the group. What an accolade!

Last lap in Thailand 90 km to Cambodia!

I will not be wifi for a bit now so you will just have to wait until I reach civilisation again. We are off into the jungle by the Mekon valley deep into the Cambodian territory sleeping slightly rougher, all good for the soul. Let's hope 'Ganesh' will be protecting us. Having just managed hello and thank you in Thai I have to now learn how to say it in Cambodian. Oh how tough it is to be changing countries so frequently....

Hot & Sweaty

Still haven't worked out how to download photos yet. You will just have to enjoy the day to day diary. We biked 70km on rolling hills. Saw a rubber plantation, a tapioca plantation and a paddy field. This country is truly beautiful and I learnt a bit about Thai cookery today. They cook with a pot with three compartments, each compartment filled with a different stock, meat noodle and vegetable. They use just one knife which they sharpen frequently and looks a bit like a meat cleaver!

Had a Thai massage which was the best massage I have ever had. Two friends sharing a room (MaryAnne & Mel) had a massage by two male masseurs in their room. having not had a Thai massage before, they thought they had to remove their clothes (as one does with a Swedish massage) and their were peels of mirth when the boys shyly said no no no (Amy winehouse rehab )

First Yoga lesson

Great start to the day. I am the allocated yoga teacher, only two pupils. I was asked to show a good position to get the bowels moving...after a few salutations to the sun, the downward dog did the trick! My class should be bigger tomorrow.

I am sorry about the spelling mistakes. I am using my iPhone and the letters are so small I cannot always see the mistakes. Does anyone know how to download photographs from an iPhone onto a blog?

I am at last in Thailand after an excessively long journey. Wanted to rest but there was to be none of that. we had to acclimatise ourselves to the heat and to the saddle. Was caught in a tropical storm with torrential rain. Two people fell off and I was narrowly missed by a falling tree. 20 km later I got lost and thought 'what the he'll am I doing in this mosquito infested place'? Went to bed after chewing on a red hot chillie which was decoration on my special 'chop suey' I am still recovering from a raw burning bot which was the after effects!

Today was a doodle in comparison. Only 80 km up and down hills where I saw two bright green snakes and was attacked by a dog. I am told spider is on the menu tomorrow, that could be netter than snake or dog! More adventures tomorrow. Food is really good though Iust remember not to chew on the decorations.....

First posting from iphone

I am checking to see if I am able to dowload a posting fromy phone while I am away. If you don't see any postings it is because there is no wifi in the jungle or I have lost my phone!

Bangkok to Saigon on a bike!

On Saturday the 19th of February I will start this epic trip.  I have never been to Indochina, but now intend to discover this extraordinary part of the world on a bicycle!  I hope all of you who log onto my blog will enjoy the story I tell on my journey.  The incredible sights, the food, the history, the spirituality....

Very excited as I pack my bags, so much to think of so little time to do it... I asked my friend who is going on the trip with me how she was getting on, she said
"Oh I have so much to do" I said
"What do you have to do?"  There was a pause for thought...
"I have to wax my legs!"

Bangkok to Saigon on a bike!

Trying to calm down...listening to Glenn Gould play Bach, it almost did the trick until I got an email from a friend who wants to ghost write my Blog!  His first attempt I quote:

PS maybe i should ghost write your blog. . . . "Day 11, 70km mostly down hill, legs were going round faster than a wind turbine in a force eight gale! crashed into a tree while checking out the guy with cute backside going the other way on his rikshaw, not to worry some lycra clad beauty hauled me out, now eating rice out of a cup in a shed. . . . ."

Bangkok to Saigon on a bike!

Look at    http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AnnaMosesson  or click on photo above!
On Saturday the 19th of February I will start this epic trip.  I have never been to Indochina, but now intend to discover this extraordinary part of the world on a bicycle!  I hope all of you who log onto my blog will enjoy the story I tell on my journey.  The incredible sights, the food, the history, the spirituality....

Very excited as I pack my bags, so much to think of so little time to do it... I asked my friend who is going on the trip with me how she was getting on, she said
"Oh I have so much to do" I said
"What do you have to do?"  There was a pause for thought...
"I have to wax my legs!"