E

www.surgemag.org

E
FR

SURGE travel magazine

SURGE
travel magazine
Summer 2015

Cycling Argentina

A bike ride at the end of the world

SUMMER 2015

Teach in Asia
The how-to guide

Sense of adventure
Travelling with a disability

surgemag.org

INDONESIA + ROMANIA + SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS + ROCKY MOUNTAINS

surgemag.org

Story of the cover

Editors Letter

HERES an itch, niggling away in the back of

your mind. No matter how many mountains
you climb or sunsets you witness, it
remains. Until its scratched, and youre on the
road again.
All we can do, the worlds lucky few who have
the chance to travel the world, is infect others
with our passion.
SURGE travel magazine aims to do just that.
If were lucky, this issue will inform, inspire and
entertain you, with experiences, interviews and
honest travel journalism.
A microcosm of Scotlands capital, half of us
are British and even fewer are bairns of Auld
Reekie itself. Were Scottish, English, Irish,
French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian and
Mexican. Theres even a Dundonian. Some were
raised abroad, in places such as Shanghai or
Singapore. Others have taught in Asia, au-paired
in Italy, or chalet-girled in France.
In this issue we search for a mythical cave in
the Highlands, traverse Patagonia by bicycle and
show you one way to travel the world carbon
neutral. We find out why people are exploring
Paris using a map of Berlin and show how one
womans disability gives her a unique travel
perspective.
Theres also life outside these pages at
www.surgemag.org, where youll find everything
from abandoned Chinese amusement parks to
the legendary death of a totally fictitious Dublin
priest.
As Saint Augustine said: The world is a book,
and those who do not travel read only a page.
Hopefully, reading this cover to cover could be a
start.

Contributors

Editor
Tom Crosby
Deputy Editors
Mariana Mercado
Vanessa Kennedy
Production Editor
Greg Barrie
Production Team
Carolina Morais
Philip Askew
Chief Subeditor
Lauren Beehan
Subeditors
Paul Hyland
Adam Wilson
Charlotte Barbour
Distribution Manager
Marion Guichaoua
Fundraising Manager
Arantxa Barrachina
Advertising Manager
Paul Malik
Online Editor
Madalina Dichiu
Picture Editor
Mariana Mercado

Image: Brian Hammonds

UR photographer Brian Hammonds took this image

in Greme, a historical town in the Cappadocia
region of Turkey. The region is known around the
world as one of the best places to fly in hot air balloons.
Rock formations make up the surrealist landscapes of
Cappadocia, with pigeon houses and churches carved into
the rock, along with naturally occurring fairy chimneys
(tall, thin spires of rock protruding from the bottom of
a slope). The balloons float through impressive valleys,
each with its own distinctive rock formations, colours and
features, making for breathtaking views over the region.

Tom Crosby

surgemag.org

Contents Summer 2015

Discover

Discover

Edinburghs secrets p6
Romanias unique graveyard p8
Trains in the modern era p10

Adventure
Experiences of an Olympic skier p14

Culture:
Happy graveyard

Interview:
Murray Buchan

Indonesian volcano climbing p16

Cycling in Argentina p18
One climbers journey p22

Reflect
Travelling carbon neutral p26
Concept of psychogeography p28
Search for a Highland hideout p32
Travelling with a disability p34

Cycling:
On the road

Interview:
Disabled travelling

Expectations and realities p36

Live
Learning a language abroad p40
Au-pairing in Italy p42
Teaching in Asia p44

Eat
Traditional Iberian food p50
Authentic local Chinese cuisine p52

The Last Word

Work:
Teaching in Korea

Cuisine:
Authentic China

Where is home? p54

Jirisan, the highest mountain

on the South Korean mainland

Image: Jasper Meddock

SURGE MAGAZINE | DISCOVER

Edinburgh
unseen
Words and images: Charlotte Barbour

T is famously observed that when Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson

created the split personality of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, he was describing

the dichotomous nature of the Scottish capital. For an Edinburgh native,
stumbling upon hidden or previously unnoticed pubs, gardens or closes
around the city may be a rare occurrence, but it is possible. But be warned.
Before losing yourself among the cobbled labyrinths, be prepared to leave
part of your heart there too. Because once found, these gems can never be
forgotten.

Armchair Books

72-74 Westport
Quite unlike any other bookshop in the city,
Armchair Books in the greater Grassmarket
advertises itself as a place of Victorian illustrated
and second-hand books. But upon entering, the
visitor discovers that it is so much more than that.
With a towering maze of books from all over the
world, its musky-scented, oriental-rugged, low-lit
charm makes it one in which you wouldnt mind
becoming lost.

Dunbars Close Garden

137 Canongate

Instead of leading to another street or a set of

weathered stairs- which are a common sight on the
Royal Mile - the end of Dunbars Close is home to a
beautiful Victorian garden. Built in the late nineteenth
century by Sir Patrick Geddes, a Scots biologist who
lived on the Royal Mile at the time, the gardens are
kept in pristine condition and provide a place of
solitude just a few metres from the hustle and bustle
of Edinburghs most tourist-filled street.

Springvalley Gardens

Morningside
Hidden down a side street in Morningside is
something a little bit wild. An architectural relic from
the 90s, a Wild West themed street lies abandoned.
Believed to be built to publicise a furniture business,
the street, which includes a blacksmith, a jail and
a saloon bar now lies largely dilapidated, but for
one who wishes to experience the sometimes bizarre
yet always amazing unpredictability of the city, it
is well worth a visit.

SURGE MAGAZINE | DISCOVER

The bright side

of death

In one Romanian cemetery, death doesnt always mean sorrow

Words: Madalina DichiuImages: Dinu Lazar and Razvan Pascu
Graves in Cimitirul
Vesel, Spna

surgemag.org

N Spna a village hidden

in the north of Romania,
filled with twisted humour
lies the Happy Cemetery, or
Cimitirul Vesel, a place where
laughter blends with darkness.
Every Sunday, villagers gather
here to attend the service at
the Church of the Assumption.
This magnificent local church
is behind the Happy Cemetery,
where more than 800 tombs,
beautifully coloured with blue
crosses, catch your eye.
At first, the cemetery might
seem an odd place to visit,
but go there with an open
mind and you will discover the
uniqueness of the place.
The engravings on the
wooden crosses are a tradition
started in 1935 by Stan Ion
Ptra, who carved the first
cross. Some of them have
images that show scenes from
the deceaseds life (women
with animals behind them),
while others illustrate how the

person died (a woman hit by

a car, see below). Some of the
scenes may seem innocent, but
looking closely, they say a lot
about the persons life.
The crosses are not complete
without a small poem, which
seems to be a message for
those left behind. They usually
reveal funny details about the
deceaseds character. One
proclaims: Ive lived 40 years
in this life, and all I did was look
after the chickens, I had plenty
of time to rest. Another bears
the legend: Under this heavy
cross lies my poor mother-inlaw. If she comes back home
shell criticise me even more.
The Happy Cemetery is the
place where people look death
in the eye and are not afraid
to talk about it. It is where
the villagers and visitors can
understand the meaning of life
and death. This is one cemetery
where the visitor may very well
leave with a smile on their face.

SURGE MAGAZINE | DISCOVER

surgemag.org

Inverness and Fort William), known as the

Deerstalker. The route there is stunning, travelling
over aqueducts and famous lochs, although keep
in mind that getting around the train itself can
be difficult as the carriages are a little cramped.
Tickets start at 39.50.
Travelling through Europe, if you are eager
to see as many countries as possible, rail is
probably your best bet especially if you choose
to invest in an InterRail ticket early. This gives you
unlimited access to train travel across most EU
countries for a given amount of time (from five
days to a month). You can also buy a ticket for
unlimited rail travel in a single country except in

The best way to get to know a

foreign country is to go through
it rather than over it

Nazyvayevsk Station in Siberia

On the rails
In the age of cheap and frequent flights,
what does train travel still have to offer?
Words: Philip AskewImage: Petar Miloevi

10

your country of residence, where unfortunately

you will have to buy normal tickets like everyone
else. A month-long InterRail pass starts at 44 for
a single country, and 359 for a global pass.
If youre after something exceptional, you
might consider taking a journey on the longest
single train line in the world, the Trans-Siberian
Railway. Connecting Moscow and Western Russia
to Vladivostok on the Sea of Japan, it spans
seven time zones and takes almost a week. The
route is really the only way to experience the full
immensity of the Russian wilderness, and the
miles and miles of trees and tundra, while you
stay warm inside your carriage with a hot drink.
Prices for the whole journey start at 100.
Trains across China and India also push
boundaries, not just in length but also in the
sheer number of people involved. As a result, if
youre taking a three-day sleeper from Shanghai
NCE upon a time, taking the train was the
on the eastern coast to the western border, you
most popular mode of mass transportation. can be guaranteed something interesting is going
While the introduction of high-speed
to happen on the way, and it is going to happen
rail means that it is making a comeback, budget
in your carriage. You do get what you pay for, and
airlines have made getting anywhere in the world with some tickets costing 30-40, some sacrifices
convenient and affordable. But the best way to get have to be made (privacy, peace, etc.). But what
to know a foreign country is to go through it rather a journey it can be. Maybe your neighbours will
than over it, with the added luxury of beautiful
have a protracted row with whoever used the
scenery, full catering and (hopefully) interesting
toilet last over the state they left it in. Maybe the
company. And if youre going to go through it, you guard will play Ratatouille on his laptop at full
may as well do so in style.
volume in the corridor at three in the morning.
How much style exactly depends on where
A word of warning though: before embarking,
you are in the world. In Scotland, Serco now runs
make sure youre comfortable with the toilets
the overnight Caledonian Sleeper train between
just being holes in the bottom of the carriage, or
London and the Scottish Highlands (Aberdeen,
youre going to have an uncomfortable trip.

11

Adventure

12
Image: Murray Buchan

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

Piste by piste

Training in Breckenridge, Colorado

Winter Olympian Murray Buchan speaks exclusively to

SURGE about the highs and lows of professional skiing
Words: Greg Barrie
Images: Murray Buchan

S an eight year-old boy donning ski boots

for the first time, Murray Buchan can
scarcely have imagined that a few years
down the line he would be trading Edinburghs
dry ski-slope at Hillend for the snowy mountains
of Colorado, USA.
In fact, after his first couple of trips up to the
UKs largest artificial slope, Murray was not sure
that he ever wanted to wear skis again. As he
sits and reflects on the World Championship and
Winter Olympic events that he has competed in
during the past year, hes glad that he persisted
with the sport.
As his fondness for skiing grew, so did the
attention Murray received from fellow skiers at
Hillend. He became a well-known face on the

Practising flips in Austria

14

slope by performing tricks that most adults would

be proud of before he was even a teenager.
To those who knew Murray back in his early
years of skiing, it will come as no surprise that
he has gone on to compete at the highest level.
What they may also have predicted is that
Murray continues to be his own harshest critic in
the continuous quest for improvement.
Januarys World Championships in Kreischberg,
Austria, saw him take part in his first competitive
event since he underwent several surgeries, but

Among the perks of being a

professional athlete are the
stunning settings in which we
train and compete
there was no sign of excuses in his assessment of
the contest.
He said: Unfortunately the World
Championships didnt go quite as well for me as
Id hoped. The conditions were really good and
I was feeling very positive the night before the
competition. I was slightly nervous, but nerves
are a good thing.
The night of the contest, training went well
and I was feeling good. But sadly on my first run
my amplitude was good but I had missed the
majority of my grabs, which cost me a lot with
the scoring. My second run wasnt much better. I
messed up my second run on my second air. I just
lost concentration and it cost me a good score.
However, even with his weaknesses, the
event wasnt a waste of time: As a whole, the
competition could have gone a lot better, but it
was really good to see where I was against the
rest of the field after just coming back from two
surgeries this summer.
After enduring a frustrating period away from
skiing, Murray is delighted to be back on the
road. And who can blame him? Among the perks
of being a professional skier are the stunning
settings in which both training and competition

take place. The beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado,

is where Murray spends a lot of his time
training, but there are other resorts he holds in
high regard.
There are two places that stand out for me in
all the years I have travelled. The first is Norway...
I went in the summer to ski on a glacier in a place

I messed up my second run on

my second air. I lost my
concentration momentarily and
it cost me a good score
called Folgefonna, about two hours from Bergen.
It was one of the most beautiful places I have
ever been. I was there for two weeks and I loved
every minute. We regularly went swimming in
the sea after skiing and it was a great experience.
The second place that stood out for me was
Russia. It was the most memorable experience of
my life. I was there for the Winter Olympics and it

was incredible. It was such a surreal experience.

I had never competed at such a big event before
so everything was so new and exciting The
stadiums and arenas were much bigger than I
had ever seen before.
While travelling to spectacular resorts and
skiing for a profession is a dream come true for
Murray, he admits that the amount of time he
spends away from home can be difficult: The
year of qualification (2014) was the least time
I had spent in the UK in my whole life. In total I
was home maybe three months. I found it pretty
difficult as a lot of my good friends are at home,
as are my dogs.
However, Murray happily admits that
competing at the highest sporting level for a
living, and travelling the world in the process,
is more than a fair trade for a small dose of
homesickness.
Check Murray out at: murraybuchan.com

15

Conquering Rinjani

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

Descending from the crater rim,

approx 2,700m above sea level

A reluctant hiker takes on an Indonesian volcano

Words: Paul HylandImage: Rosamond Clay

VE never been a fan of hiking.

When my uber adventurous
travel partner suggested we
make our upcoming holiday
to Indonesia a tad more
interesting by hiking a volcano, I
was sceptical.
The volcano in question is
the 3,726-metre-high Mount
Rinjani on the Indonesian island
of Lombok. The hike would
take three days: three days
away from Lomboks exquisite
beaches, which made the
idea harder to swallow. But it
would be a great experience,

16

I reassured myself. I wasnt

wrong.
The first thing to do was
find a guide. We had to rely
heavily on online reviews of
peoples experiences with their

We passed
guides... some who
just couldnt go on
guides and in the end these
proved hugely valuable. After
some research on prices and
packages, our chosen guide
was Madil, a native of Lombok

who climbed Rinjani so often he

could do it in flip-flops.
Madil explained our itinerary:
we would be going the opposite
way to most people. Wed reach
the crater rim at the end of the
first day, approximately 2,700m
up, and make the ascent to
the summit at 2am the next
morning.
Rinjanis crater is home to
a stunning turquoise lake that
hikers enjoy as a backdrop to
each evenings camp. Whats
more, the sheer number of
stars visible at night knocks you

for six. Going from seeing one

or two stars in a city to giant
glistening clusters enveloping
the night sky made the trip
worthwhile all on its own.
The climb to the summit has
been described as one of the
toughest physical and mental
challenges a hiker can face.
The last 1000m is a narrow
ridge with a steep slope of very
loose scree. You take one step
up, you slip two steps down. It
is very, very hard. We passed
guides who were being carried
by their teams, and some who
just couldnt go on. Yet Madil
was powering through, like the
legend he is, encouraging us the
whole way.

The tropical climate we

enjoyed on our initial ascent
had turned to sub-zero
temperatures with wind
battering us from all sides. It
didnt help that the sun wasnt
even teasing the horizon yet.
But we persevered. We reached
the top right before sunrise.
The reward was sensational.
Weary spirits were uplifted,
aching muscles eased as hikers
at the summit sat and watched
Rinjanis vast crater slowly fill
with morning sunlight.
Our descent was relatively
easy, but involved climbing
down to the lake, and back up
to the rim on the opposite side.
There we set up our final

camp of the trek (well, the

porters we paid for did, at
least), and enjoyed stunning
views of the surrounding
landscape and of Bali, which is
just across the way.
My advice is simple: take
hiking boots, and warm,
windproof and waterproof
clothing. The first half of the
climb is warm, but night is
cold, and the higher you go the
colder the air.
Most importantly though, if
you ever find yourself on this
incredible volcano, keep your
spirits up, stay positive, and
think of the beautiful nearby
Gili islands waiting for you upon
your descent.

17

From the end

of the Earth

The road to Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia, Argentina

Three men on an epic bicycle journey across Argentina

Words: Tom CrosbyImages: Michael Hall and Tom Ashton

HE end of the world is actually a fairly

hospitable place. Its just not the best
choice of location to begin an epic 4,000km
bike ride across Patagonia, from the South
American Cape Horn to Argentinas
capital of Buenos Aires.
Ushuaia is the southernmost city on Earth.
It clings to the foot of Tierra del Fuego, behind
snow-capped mountains and battered by
perpetual gale force winds. It defies the odds
to function as a tourist Mecca and a busy, if
belligerent, naval base and port. For all that
Patagonia is, it is not cycling country.
Three men were to take the trip. Three men
who had met on the Korean English teaching
circuit; Michael Hall, an experienced cyclist and
fitness addict, Tom Ashton, a fluent Spanish
speaker, and myself, who just like Tom, was a
rookie in the saddle.
We unpacked and rebuilt our bikes under
falling spring snow, before dragging them
through the mountain passes that surround the
city. We headed north, on the only road, into the
stark beauty of the Patagonian landscape.

The roa

d out o

che

San C

Barilo
arlos de

Cycling in Patagonia is best defined by the

wind and the loneliness. Tiny towns are dotted
hundreds of kilometres apart, like oases in

The wind slows you to a crawl,

even on the downhill
a desert. You carry all the food you can, and
camp in whatever cover is available. Ghostly
dying forests, abandoned farmhouses, or even
pipes under the road transform themselves into
adequate shelter. Unchecked, the wind blasts
the skin from your face and slows you to a crawl,
even on the downhill.
The first month was like a military exercise.
Wild camping, war rations and very early starts
became the norm. It pushed us, hard. Michael
didnt need me throwing my helmet to the floor
every time we stopped, usually to eat lunch
while cowering from the wind in a ditch. None
of us needed the sheer weight of Toms bike to
relegate him to the mind-numbing position of
our pelotons rear guard throughout the journey.
All troubles were forgotten as we watched

f Ushua

ia

the Perito Moreno glacier creak and crack, with

chunks of ice the size of boulders falling into the
surrounding lakes like stones into a pond.
The turning point came when we reached
the tourist town of San Carlos de Bariloche.
After a week of recovery in its pseudo-Germanic
landscape, things became, quite simply, glorious.
With the wind at our backs and hitherto
undiscovered muscles in our legs, we flew. The
scrub deserts of northern Patagonia seemed to
melt away under our tyres. We crossed hundreds
of kilometres through the night, on astoundingly
flat roads, wearing nothing on top but high-viz
jackets and with LEDs strapped to every other
exposed surface. Seeing the moon rise and set
high above Rio Negro province will stay with me
forever.
It took only a couple of weeks for us to cross
the country from west to east, hitting first Baha

We wore nothing on top but

high-viz jackets and LEDs
Blanca and then The Plate. The further into
civilisation we got, the more we tried to avoid it.

We were now passing three or four towns a day,

sticking to the smallest roads, which carried the
least freight.
In Cabildo, a village somewhere in La Plata
province, the Mayor, wearing just his boxer
shorts, greeted us. He let us sleep in the fire
station. We were interviewed by local TV and
radio and slept like truckers behind petrol
stations and in town plazas. Edging, bit by bit,
towards the capital.
And suddenly, it was done. After two months
travelling and five to six weeks of solid cycling,
we slid into the decaying colonial splendour of
Buenos Aires under the cover of a rainstorm.
I left a month later, to pursue a career at
home. Tom travelled South America for months
before finally returning to the UK. And Mike, well
Mike stayed. He taught English for a while and
might still have been there now, had Australia not
called in late 2014.
For all the hardship, pain and glorious scenery,
theres still talk of doing it all again, in Cuba,
later this year. Weve heard theres less wind,
apparently. Although there could be more
hurricanes. Well keep you posted.

hton &
Tom As l Hall
Michae

A spide

r, Rio N

egro Pr
ovince

ar sign,
Wild bo ro Province
g
e
N
Rio

Darwin
Rio Neg Town Sign,
ro Prov
ince

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

surgemag.org

Argentina biking

Luxuries:
Touring Bike I chose the

Tips and tricks

Getting There
Bike boxes are huge cardboard
creations in which bicycles are
shipped worldwide. They are the
most efficient way to get your bike
out of the country. The best part
is bike shops give them away for
free. All you have to do is ask.
Once you have removed the front
wheel, collapsed the handlebars
and wrapped the box in industrial
strength sticky tape, its ready and
youre good to go.

Most airlines count a bicycle as
sports/musical equipment, so they
can be checked in just like skis,
golf clubs or a double bass. Theres
usually a fee involved, although
some airlines dont charge as long
as it falls under a certain weight.
Expect the cost to be anywhere
between 30 and 80. You may
also have to pay again if you are
changing flights. Airline policies
can differ, so be careful.

Top Tips

Come equipped. Make

sure you have a cycling
multi-tool to hand when
you land, in case youre
rebuilding your bike at the
airport.
Make space. Store
additional bulky gear, like
your tool kit or helmet, in
the box too.
Keep weight down. Travel

light. This means clothes, kit,

tent- everything. Take only
bare essentials and buy the
lightest equipment you can
find. My whole bike and gear
was less than 30kg. Easily.
Cheating happens. Not the
whole world is bike-able.
We took a few buses here
and there when things got
drastic: biking 4,000km and
bussing about 600km more.
Change hand positions
regularly. This prevents
nerve damage and reduces
the inevitable long bouts
of pins and needles in your
fingers. A good set of cycling
gloves is vital.

A bike box, in all its glory

A bicycle multi-tool. Sadly no SMS

Revolution Country Travell

er
from the Edinburgh Bike Cooperative. The more you pay
the better, but 400-500 will
get you just about anywhere.
Two Panniers Two big
waterproof panniers, with
a
polythene bag on the pannier
rack in between for your tent
and food etc. Front wheel
panniers are clumsy and
needless.
Inflatable Roll Mat (Ha
lf Size)
Okay, so its not essential,
but
these days they are small and
light. Youll thank me for it.
Travel Cooker This shou
ld
attach directly to the top of
the
gas canister. Small and vita
l.
Hooked Bungee Cords
If you
have a couple, buy a couple
more. They are genius.
Tent One-man prefera
bly, as
light as possible. Youll savour
the privacy.
One Pan & Two Mess Tin
s
High quality multi-tool

SPD Pedals and Shoes

pplies
Vital Su
Vaseline

ur
of Humo
A Sense
The llama sign:
Michael Hall and
the dangers of
local wildlife

The route up Argentina. The straight line is by bike, the

dotted line by bus.

20

21

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

Hold on
For lifelong climber Richard Worth,
bouldering is a spiritual experience
Words & illustration:
Mariana Mercado
Images: Lauren Porter (top
right) and Ewan John
(bottom right)

ock climbing is emerging

as the preferred activity
for adventurers and thrillseekers. It is a discipline that
combines the exploration of the
world with a deep examination
of ones own limits. Often,
those who venture into the
limit of their reach must face
the raw power of nature
beautiful, immense, terrifying

Climbing involves
the Romantic ideas
on the love of nature,
the perfect life
and deadly and stand face-toface with what Schopenhauer
called the sublime: the
immensity of the Universe and
the pleasure and horror derived
from the knowledge of ones
own insignificance.
Richard Worth is no stranger
to the sublime. With more than
36 years of climbing experience,
he has seen the world in ways
that most of us will probably
only read about. Through
climbing in places such as New
York State, California, France,
Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria,
Hungary and Japan, Richard has
earned a unique understanding

22

of the emotional and physical

demands that come with
outdoor climbing. For him, rock
climbing and mountaineering
in general have a significant
spiritual component. He
says it is a continuation of
the Romantic movement. It
involves the ideas of Coleridge,
Wordsworth and Russo on the
love of nature, the perfect life,
the perfect existence.
Richard has always been
interested in climbing, but it
is not his only love. Music is
Richards other passion. This
funk-master flute virtuoso has
conquered all kinds of climbs:
from touring the world with a
jazz group, to, more recently,
being awarded a Ph.D. in
Composition and subsequently
teaching at university level. If
that wasnt enough, Richard
is also a Pilates instructor who
likes running and jumping off
rocks into deep water, and yet,
oddly enough, he sometimes
prefers the quiet and calm of
building model airplanes.
He remembers a time when
music and climbing were parts
of the same thing. Back in the
80s and 90s when Richard
endured his toughest climbs
he was touring as a member
of the jazz group Groove
Collective. He exploited his
responsibility over the bands
tour schedule to coordinate
it with his climbing trips. I
climbed in Austria and then
had to catch a train through to
Budapest so that I could catch
up with the band whod already
got there. I once was climbing
in Colorado and these guys gave
me a lift back and dropped me
off just in time for the end of
sound-check before the show.
Being a musician limited
Richard to living in big cities,
mainly New York, so he was
forced to find climbing spots

Richard Worth climbing at Fontainebleau

in unconventional places.
He regularly climbed an
overhanging boulder hed found
at the edge of Harlem, and

No one else would

climb there because
of the junkies and
needles
someone began calling it the
Worthless Boulder as a joke
on his name. Richard smiles
at this: I kept climbing there,
but nobody would go because
of the junkies and needles.
But soon after, the park got
cleaned up and became much
less problematic and so loads of
people started climbing there.

Worthless Boulder is now a

recognised rock within the
climbing community.
Richards experience
can be very intimidating.
Here is a man who could be
justifiably arrogant about his
achievements, yet he is very
friendly, accessible and eager
to share his knowledge with
others. His advice for absolute
beginners is to start indoors in
a bouldering room. Just climb
and dont worry about levels of
difficulty. Climb and realise that
your feet will take loads of your
weight, even on the smallest
holds. It wont take long before
you realise you are doing
something pretty cool.

Over the page:

After being inspired by Richard,
SURGE writers Adam WIlson,
Vanessa Kennedy and Paul
Hyland give bouldering a try for
themselves.
Turn over to find out how they
got on...

23

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

Image: Brian Hammonds

Off to a rocky start

SURGE team members Paul, Vanessa and Adam turn
their hands (and feet) to bouldering
Paul, Vanessa and Adam (left to right)
at the Pleasance sports centre

For more info visit

www.ed.ac.uk

Image: Mariana Mercado

Image: Mariana Mercado

Paul

Vanessa

Adam

Ive never gotten along with

heights. So when I was told
Id be trying out bouldering
rock climbing without a
harness for an article, my
initial reaction was one of
anxiety, unnecessary rage, and
a few indiscriminate shin kicks
to colleagues in my immediate
vicinity.
But when I was told it
would be indoors with a soft
floor so that chances of injury
or death were minimal, I
apologised for the violence.
The experience was
thoroughly enjoyable. It was
not only a great workout for
arms and legs, but learning
to plan and conquer various
routes around the walls gave
me a newfound enthusiasm
for an activity I never gave a
second thought to. Hopefully
Ill get the chance to go back.

My reaction when I first

thought about bouldering?
Fear. How could climbing with
no ropes or harness possibly
be fun? And what happens
if, by some miracle, I reach
the top? How on earth do
I manage to clamber back
down unscathed?
Despite my reservations,
I gave it a go, and contrary
to my first impression of
the sport, bouldering is not
simply about climbing your
way to the top. It is about the
technique of manoeuvring
your way around the wall,
and is an amazing way to
build core strength. Once you
get a rhythm going it is an
extremely satisfying sport.
I will admit, my descent was
not exactly what you would
call smooth but, hey, not bad
for a first timer.

I had some previous

experience with rock climbing,
albeit when I was around 13.
That one PE trip ended with
rivers of sweat falling from
my red puffed-up face and
the inability to lift my chubby
arms after only five minutes
on the wall.
Despite flashbacks to a
painful adolescence, I was
looking forward to the
opportunity to try bouldering
again. I am in no way the
fittest of individuals, so Ive
been looking for a tough,
but fun, way to be active.
And after this experience of
bouldering, I wanted to get
back on the wall as soon as I
got off.
The experience made me
realise how accessible the
activity is, and Ill definitely
look for classes in Edinburgh.

24

Reflect
Street performer on
Edinburghs Royal Mile

Street performer on Edinburghs Royal Mile

25

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | REFLECT

Carbon
neutral

Photographer Nol Bauza proves you can travel the world

without damaging the environment...or your wallet
Words: Marion GuichaouaImage: Nol Bauza

O you love travelling, but

using modern transport
goes against your
ecological principles? Nol
Bauza may have found a way
for you to reconcile the two
without travelling by horse.
His project, Anywhere
Anytime Photography, consists
of travelling to every country in
the world, while compensating
for his carbon footprint.

22 tonnes of CO2 will be cut in

India. And thousands of Indian
people wont die because of
ways of cooking using kerosene.
When I finished this world
tour, I decided to pursue the
project. It started a year and a
half ago and Ive already visited
44 countries.

When did this project start and

how did you come up with the
idea of doing it?

No, the aim of the project is not

to do the carbon compensation
myself, or to take part in
humanitarian projects. It is to
show people that it is easy and

At first, I wanted to do a world

tour with a friend but we did
not want to pay for it. We
did 48 stops in five months
and everything was paid by
sponsors.
But travelling is a major
source of pollution so we

We can travel
comfortably and
have no carbon
footprint

Nol choosing his next destination

26

decided to compensate for all

the CO2 we would produce.
We produced 20 tonnes of
carbon dioxide but, thanks to
a project by Action Carbone,
a French association, we
compensated for 22 tonnes.
The purpose of the project
is to show that we can both
travel comfortably and have
no carbon footprint, in a very
cheap way. The principle is
quite simple: you calculate the
amount of pollution you release
and pay an association that
will avoid this same amount
elsewhere. I chose a project
that replaces highly polluting
kerosene cookers with ecofriendly fuels. In the first year,

Did you take part in the

compensation project in India?

It started a year
and a half ago and
Ive already visited
44 countries
comfortable to travel while
being eco-friendly.
One tonne of carbon costs
about 5.55 to compensate,
so someone who travels from
Marseille (South of France) to
Edinburgh by plane creates
about 220 grams of CO2, which
costs only 96p to compensate,
there and back.
What did you tell the
companies to convince them to
sponsor you?
If companies are interested, I
ask them to participate in a way
that suits them. For instance,
Samsonite provided me with
740 of whatever I needed.
Another sponsor paid for all my
carbon compensation for 2015.
Nightswapping helps me find
places to stay wherever I go. I
also have media partners.
In the end, companies gain
a good image, an ambassador

abroad (I can promote their

brand in other countries), and
free rights to my pictures.
Whats coming next?
I would like to be an
intermediary between people
who would like to compensate
and associations who arrange
projects. I am going to launch
my own website.
I want to show people that it
is easy, it can be done in three
clicks. You can pay every month
or just for a particular trip.
Spending 22 a year to cover
your pollution, thats nothing.
For instance, British people
create 7.8 tonnes of CO2 per
year, so it would cost around
4.80 per month.
It seems to me that all this is
not just about travelling
Of course I like travelling but
the idea behind it is to urge
people to compensate
Scottish people, for example,
would save more than
295 each year. There is an
economical logic behind all I am
doing. By eliminating the
pollution issue you would
reduce the governments
expenses because they would
not have to pay for pollutionrelated health problems.
Everybody would win.

Nols tips for trying a similar

project:
-Be motivated and prepared
to work at it
-Contact a lot of companies
-Accept refusals and move on
-Find something original that
makes you stand out to
prospective sponsors

27

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | REFLECT

Let your

mind wander
Delving into the world of psychogeography
Words: Adam Wilson
Illustration: Mariana Mercado

OW more than ever people have the

resources and the ability to travel. Yet,
with millions of us undertaking worldwide
journeys every year it can be difficult to find
a nourishing, and more importantly unique,
experience in a new location.
Perhaps the final destination of this pursuit
isnt a place or a new way of travel, but rather
a way of thinking which offers a new method of
experiencing a place, and this may come in the
form of psychogeography.
Now, before fully explaining the meaning
of what looks like two words inelegantly stuck
together, we need to delve into some simplified
history.
As a concept, the roots of psychogeography
go back to the 19th century with French poet
Charles Baudelaire and his idea of the flneur;
the wandering Parisian gentleman whose sole
purpose was to walk and observe the cafs,
arcades, parks and promenades. He soaked

When we travel, we live in

bubbles that shut us off from
the real world
up the city, exploring what defines it and the
people living there. In the mid-20th century,
philosophical groups such as the Lettrists and
Situationists developed the concept to a more
theoretical level by analysing how the physical
presence of a city affects the consciousness of its
inhabitants.
This is where the concept of the drive
appears: the practice of allowing the
subconscious to guide the body around an urban
environment. Lettrist Guy Debord defined a
drive as the path of least resistance that is
automatically followed in aimless strolls.
Author Will Self popularised psychogeography
with his weekly column of the same name in
The Independent, which was then compiled into
a book. Selfs columns are an excellent starting
point to get into the practice. He talks about his

28

experiences in psychogeography in places such as

Istanbul, Morocco, Australia and Thailand.
So here we have the essence of
psychogeography, and why it can be useful to
follow not only abroad, but at home as well. All
this theory and philosophy can be condensed
down to a very simple act: walking.
A number of Selfs articles would concentrate
on walking, and how he would walk to and
from the airports of the cities he was visiting, to
truly understand the place he was visiting. His
argument being that when we travel we live in
bubbles that shut us off from the real world: the
taxi that takes us to the airport, the hotels we
stay in and the tourist traps that we are lured to.
If this all seems too much, there are a number
of apps to help you get started. There is the
web-based Drive app that will help you take a
randomised exploration of a city and turn it into
a game, or the iOS Drift app that will guide
you on a walk with random instructions and will
encourage you to seek out obscure and hidden
things.
So liberate yourself. Create your own drive;
buy a copy of Joyces Ulysses and follow the
protagonists path around Dublin, or walk
through Bangkoks streets in the shape of a
snake. There are more wacky examples, like
using a map of Madrid to traverse Paris. Or you
could simply walk, avoid the overly hyped tourist
spots, appreciate the scenery and think about
where your subconscious path has taken you.

Books on Psychogeography:
Will Self, Psychogeography (2007): A
collection of Selfs columns documenting his
walks around the world. This is an inspiring
book.
Merlin Coverley, Psychogeography (2010): An
accessible introduction to the subject which
encourages beginners to discover cities by way
of psychogeography.

29

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

surgemag.org

Against the tide

Two elderly women in
Jambiani, Zanzibar, race
against the coming storm
to farm seaweed from the
Indian Ocean. During the
rainy season, productivity
is severely disrupted by the
weather. Seaweed is heavily
relied upon in eastern
Africa as a source of local
income, and is exported for
use in the pharmaceutical,
food, textile and cosmetic
industries. Recent
advancements in farming
technology are currently
being trialled in Zanzibar
that could increase
productivity by almost
30%. These women are still
farming the old-fashioned
way, using small sticks
bound together with
rope to hold the seaweed
seedlings in place after the
tide retreats.

Peter Jan Van Schalkwyk

SURGEs editing team first met
PJ while working in the Far
East. Since then, PJ has crossed
continents in search of the
perfect shot. Hes currently
based in Abu Dhabi, UAE

30

31

The Queens Well; located in the

basin of Glen Esk and the first
marker en route to the cave

SURGE MAGAZINE | REFLECT

surgemag.org

Eat, sleep, cave, repeat

A search for a hidden cavern in the Scottish Highlands
becomes a personal odyssey
Words and image: Paul Malik

COTLAND, the unicorn-horned land of crags,

glens, lochs and cairns. A mere 45-minute
drive from some of the most populated
cities can take you to some of the most idyllic and
remote locations on the British Isles. Hollywood
sentimentality paints the mountainous areas of
Scotland as majestic, royal, mysterious and cold.
Despite being responsible for some truly terrible
stereotypes, the Hollywood system has got
Scotlands look bang on.
Searching for something in the mountains
captivates everyone. Balnamoons Cave is an
almost invisible blip on an ordnance map.
Journeying out to find it captivates local
adventurers and travellers alike.
So, in February, we made the decision to
search for the elusive cave in Glen Esk. The

The cave was named after the

wife of a Jacobite soldier who
hid in it while on the run
from the British army
cave has been the subject of our searches in
the valley since the very first time we ventured
there as shaggy-haired teens. It has taunted us
with nothing more to go on than local hearsay
and a rough grid location on a tatty old map.
Rhuaraidhs father, a police mountain rescue
officer, had found it once. Once.
An hours drive north of Dundee, Glen Esk
is a flat, U-shaped valley. It sits snugly within
the boundaries of the Cairngorms National
Park. Being able to say you have hiked in the
Cairngorms National Park adds a certain gravitas
to your adventure. Wading through the River Esk
is difficult. Wading through the River Esk you
know, the one that permeates its way through
the Cairngorms, that inhospitable mountain
range that is as likely to bring snow in summer
as Hibernian are to bring me disappointment
on a Saturday kindles the spirit of Scott of the
Antarctic. You can effortlessly add to your hillwalking credentials by simply stepping over the

32

parks boundary.
We set off early, the morning sun barely
penetrating the February clouds. Leaving base
camp we ventured north by northwest. The
mountains beckoned, goading us with the
promise of finally discovering a treasure that we
have failed to find for almost ten years.
Journeying along the basin of the Glen,
the rolling foothills that enveloped us cast a
foreboding shadow. The footpath, usually clear
in summer, was hard-packed with compact
snow. The cold had turned it into a bobsleigh
track. Rhuaraidhs dog Buddy took great delight
in racing ahead, his paws leaving tracks beside
those of something much bigger. A stag shared
our path.
The cave was named after the wife of a
Jacobite soldier who hid in it while on the run
from the British Army. Its location, still so evasive
in our age of GPS locators and Google Maps,
must have infuriated the Redcoats as much as it
did us. For four hours we scoured, elevating to
almost 800ft (240m) facing the Crag of Dounne.
We had been advised to search for a dishwashersized boulder, put our back to it and face 242
south. After that, it was a simple case of walking
straight. Theres a lot to be said for local
knowledge. Usually. Again, we still could not find
the cave. Another time perhaps, in the not so
distant future.
The fledgling teens that first ventured out
so long ago had dreamed of rock-stardom
and mansions. In the immortal words of Jeff
Goldblum: Lifeuhfinds a way. Career path
wrong-turns, misplaced faith and council tax
meant that our own idealistic goals hadnt quite
materialised. Not being able to find a cave on the
side of a hill pales somewhat into insignificance
in comparison to what is really important. Lifes
journey is not about the end goal. It isnt about
the cave. Its about the valley. Its about the ice
pass. Its about wading through the river and
always looking up. Our journey to the cave was
not about finding it. It was about appraising
ourselves. But there was also a dog, so it wasnt
all drama and existential introspection.

33

SURGE MAGAZINE | REFLECT

Sense of
adventure

Disability has never stopped Christina McCarthy from

exploring the world

Words: Marion GuichaouaImages: Mariana Mercado, Lauren Beehan

F travelling means experiencing difference,

people who live with a disability are constant
travellers. Their testimony may highlight how
travelling always teaches you something about
yourself and how to laugh at yourself too.
25-year-old Christina, from Ireland, who is blind,
agreed to take us on her personal journey.
When people travel, images seem to be quite
important. How do you perceive the change of
atmosphere between countries?
For me, sound is really important. The sound of
the sea, for instance. Also smell. When I was in
the south of France, the family I was living with
had a lot of fruit trees and I always remember
the smell of those. From India, I will never forget
the smell in the slums.
Even when people describe things to me for

34

example, a white marble statue of a horse I

wont imagine anything white because colours
dont mean anything to me, but Ill imagine a
really small version. Ill scale it down so that it
can fit into my hand, so that I can get an idea of
it, physically.
Does the idea of travelling make you confident
or are there too many obstacles?
Its getting better. For example, most
smartphones now have audio GPS systems,
and there are apps, such as TapTapSee, that are
designed to help blind people. That makes a huge
difference. I feel a lot more comfortable travelling
on my own now than even if I was this age ten
years ago. And most of the airports have really
good travel assistance.
Tourist sites, as well, are getting much

surgemag.org

more accessible. For example, when I went to

Edinburgh Castle, they had a new Braille guide.

What is the funniest story you have about

travelling with a disability?

Is disability perceived differently in different

countries? And did travelling make you feel
differently about your own disability?

Last year I was going to Poland to visit friends.

They live in Wroclaw, so I asked my dad to book
me a flight to Vrotz-lav, which is how you
pronounce it. So when the plane landed, my
friend rang me: Are you not in the airport?.
We figured out through Facebook, thanks to
the option to share your location, that I was in
Bratislava, in Slovakia.
In case you ever need to know, its 527km from
Bratislava to Wroclaw. I took a taxi that cost 450
(335), and my phone died in the middle of the
journey. I speak French, Spanish and English: the
driver spoke Polish, Russian and German. The
only English words he knew were water, stop and
thank you. So we drove for six and a half hours
in silence. It was the most bizarre experience Ive
ever had.
My friend still wont let me book my flights,
shes still going to do it for me next time I come.

Yes it did. Travelling gave me a lot more

confidence in what I could do. It taught me to
ask for help a lot more freely and made me more
aware of what the disability means for me, what
my needs are and how to communicate them
better.
It also made me realise that the quality of the
assistance is not the same from one country to
another.
In India, Ill never forget it, we came across a
child just sitting on the ground. The poor kid had
one leg damaged and she was blind. What kind of
society lets that happen to people? I was 16 and
it just really struck me that in a lot of western
societies that could not be allowed to happen.
Thats an extreme example, but it gave a lot of
perspective on what I had.

Listen to this interview online at surgemag.org

35

SURGE MAGAZINE | REFLECT

surgemag.org

Perceptions
vs Reality

The view is different when youre on the ground

Words: Lauren Beehan Images: Brian Hammonds (below, left and right)

AKE a guess: why does the

Japanese embassy in Paris
send around 20 tourists
home to Japan each year?
Visa issues, perhaps? Crime?
They cant afford their flight
home?
Incredibly, these unfortunate
tourists are repatriated because
Paris is so different to their
expectations that they suffer
mental trauma. The image
of a romantic, film-like Paris
jars with the real city they find
themselves in: beautiful, but
marred with similar problems
to everywhere else.
Culture shock, of course,
comes in many milder forms.
French tourists to Ireland must
be perplexed when their plane
lands in a modern city. Didnt
the adverts promise green
fields full of tweed-wearing
farmers? Or what about

36
36

visitors who come to Scotland,

expecting to find tribes of kiltwearers and hills overrun with
wild haggis? The wild haggis is
an enduring myth: not so long
ago, one third of American

We feel familiar
with places weve
never visited,
because weve
almost experienced
them second-hand
visitors thought haggis was an
animal and 23% hoped to
catch one.
These days, we all have a
perception of a country before
we visit it. Weve read the
guidebooks, watched the films
and seen our friends Instagram
photos. Like never before, we

feel familiar with places weve

never visited and feel we know
them, because weve almost
experienced them secondhand. In 1996, sociolinguist
Graham Dann warned that
guidebooks turned tourists into
chasers of images, who only
seek out places theyve already
seen in photos. Nowadays,
social media does the same.
We all chase images. We
naturally want to witness places
with our own eyes, see those
things weve heard so much
about. But resolutely seeking
images could lead to missed
opportunities to see a place
in all its glory, to discover new
adventures. As novelist Henry
Miller wrote, a destination is
never a place, but a new way
of seeing things. We may be
chasers, but we can be creators
too.

A view of the Eiffel

Tower, Paris

Our perceptions of a place before visiting rarely match reality. SURGE asked the following people
about their image of Scotland and what shocked them most when they arrived.
(Images: Lauren Beehan, Will Thwaites)
Will, 21, England
I thought Scotland was going to be grim and feral, with lots of crime
and very little in the way of ambitions and prospects. What shocked me
the most was that it is very similar to home. There is very little difference
between peoples attitudes to daily life. But I noticed a lot fewer people wear
headphones and other media players while they walk about. This suggests to
me that they are less shy and maybe even less scared of their surroundings, as
they are happy to be exposed to it more. Its also a lot hillier than I thought.
Inna, 30, Finland
I thought that Scotland would be more rainy (maybe I had luck with
the weather), with a lot of history: buildings, museums, places... as well as
the Scottish accent, which I thought I wouldnt understand. The things that
shocked me were the wind, which is insane, the beauty of the nature up in the
North, peoples kindness and politeness, and the size of Edinburgh. I thought it
would be bigger.
Karel, 21, Czech Republic
I definitely expected it to be colder here weather-wise, and that people
ate chips all the time with absolutely everything. The biggest difference is, in
my opinion, how tame everyone is when it comes to subjects like gender and
race. [They] are obsessed with not saying anything with a remote possibility of
it being not to someones liking.
Saiman, 19, Nepal
The biggest shock for me was the huge mix of different cultures that exists
in Scotland. Where I come from everyone is the same; same religion, same
race I love the mix of cultures, it has made me curious about the world and
has made me want to travel and discover.

View of Edinburgh
from Calton Hill

37

Enter the world of Henderson Wines.

From the economical to the extravagant we have it covered.
Our extensive range of more than 1000 wines surprises most
visitors on entering this Alladins cave.
It is a homage to wine makers from around the world.
An impressive range of beers and spirits.
If you dont know about us, pop in and give us a try.

Henderson
Wines

109 Comiston Road, EH10 6AQ, Edinburgh

0131 447 8580
www.hendersonwines.co.uk

Live
Image: Brad Hammonds

Lisbon, Portugal

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | LIVE

Found in
translation
Words: Lauren Beehan
Images: Emilio J. Rodrguez Posada

Im embarrassed, not pregnant and other things you

learn while studying Spanish in Spain

OBODY speaks like the

textbooks. No matter
how many Spanish
classes you take at home,
nothing prepares you for
arriving in Spain and realising
the locals speak nothing like the
grammar book suggested. They
have accents. Slang. Regional
dialects. The only way to fully
learn the language is to
immerse yourself in their
culture.
People sometimes say its
hard to find a truly Spanish
town to study the language

classroom, youre surrounded

by the living language and
strong local accents. You
quickly grasp the different
pronunciations, so you dont
buy horsemeat (caballo)
instead of mackeral (caballa),
or inadvertently proposition
your waiter instead of ordering
chicken (pollo; polla is slang for
male genitalia).
Theres nothing like realising
youve been telling people
youre boring (soy aburrida),
not bored (estoy aburrida),
or that embarazada doesnt

Culture defines a language;

one couldnt exist without the
other. El Puerto has many of the
cultural landmarks that drive
the Spanish language: bodegas
where sherry is fermented,
the Plaza de Toros where
controversial summer bullfights
still draw crowds, cafs selling
cortados (espresso cut with
milk), street-markets that are
busier at midnight than midday,
beaches with magnificent
sunsets, tapas restaurants and
lazy Sunday afternoons when
shops are closed and families

Calle de Luna, one of the towns busiest pedestrian streets.

in Spain. Widespread tourism
has created entire coastlines of
resorts where youre more likely
to see an episode of Coronation
Street than hear anyone speak
Spanish. Look a little further,
though, and youll find towns
like El Puerto de Santa Mara,
across the bay from Cdiz,
where the only tourists are
Spaniards themselves. In fact,
fellow students aside, the only
English-speakers I encountered
there were a lost couple that
had taken the wrong bus.
The beauty of taking Spanish
classes somewhere like El
Puerto is that, outside the

40

Plaza de Toros in El
Puerto de Santa Mara

actually mean embarrassed, it

means pregnant, which could
leave you very embarrassed
indeed.
Immersing yourself in the
local culture is a sure-fire
way to understand Spanish
expressions that make no
sense in English. Only context
will teach you that somebodys
half an orange is their
partner, or that being a
sideways zero means that
youre useless. And if someone
tells you to go fry asparagus,
well, youd better scurry home
quickly rather than ask them
for recipes.

are together. All of these show

where Spanish has come from;
indeed, it was from El Puerto
that Columbus set sail on his
second voyage in 1493 and
the first world-map was drawn
there in 1500.
Columbus aside, there are
cities like El Puerto de Santa
Mara all over Spain and,
indeed, all over the world:
towns which have kept their
original character in the
face of global tourism and
the dominance of English.
These towns, goldmines for a
language learner, teach what a
grammar book never could.

41

Just a spoonful
of gelato

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

surgemag.org

There is no better way to spend a

summer than channelling
your inner Maria Poppins in Italy
Words: Vanessa Kennedy

Images: Vanessa Kennedy (left), William Mercado (below)

ID the prospect of
working as a live-in nanny
in a foreign country, with
absolutely no knowledge of the
language, scare me? Of course.
Was it the best experience I
have ever had? Absolutely.
These days, au pairing is an
increasingly popular way to
truly experience a new country,
culture and lifestyle. Au pairing
in Italy not only opened my
eyes to all the wonders this
vibrant country has to offer, but
it allowed me to make life-long
friends and even gain some
new language skills.
The prospect of a summer
at home between university
semesters simply did not
appeal to me. I was craving a
new adventure and, luckily, au
pairing was surprisingly easy
to arrange. There is a huge
number of au pairing websites
that will register you for free;
all you have to do is create a
profile with your experience
and preferences, and the
invitations pour in.
This arrangement is mutually
beneficial, as host parents
in Europe are often keen
for their children to interact
with a native English-speaker.
Some families include basic
housekeeping duties in the
job description, and I was
happy to help my newfound
family. But most days my main
responsibility, apart from being
a nanny, was teaching a few
hours of English.
Naturally, the daily task of
taking the children to the vast
stretches of unspoiled Sardinian
beaches was a terrible chore.
But in all seriousness, the

42 Porto Venere, La Spezia, Liguria

glittering sea and abundance

of authentic gelato really did
become a part of my daily
routine. Best of all, I built
up the most wonderful and
priceless bond with the children
while teaching them basic
English. I found that, depending
on the age of the children,
playing games and sneaking
in some English words worked
a treat for the more unwilling
student. Bribery by gelato may
also have played a small part
in the success of my teaching
skills.

Family bonds
A common question people
ask about my experience is
about the wage. Typically an au
pair can expect to earn around
50 to 60 a week. However,
seeing as board and food are
already included in this job,
it goes a lot further than you
might expect.
Au pairing gave me the
opportunity to explore a new
place in my free time, socialise
with my host family, and return
to the UK with not only a great
sense of achievement, but
also a feeling that I now have a
second home.

43

surgemag.org

SURGE MAGAZINE | LIVE

The yin and yang of teaching in Asia

The number of people choosing to teach

English abroad is increasing every year. When
it comes to selecting a place to up and move
to, many people look to Asia. SURGE brings
you a practical guide to some of the most
popular destinations, followed by two accounts
from teachers whove been there and done that
in Korea - one of whom wasnt disappointed.

44

Image: Brad Hammonds

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Circa. 1395, Seoul, South Korea.

45

An English teachers guide to the Asian job market

Words: Paul Hyland and Tom Crosby
Images: Brad Hammonds (background right), Tom Crosby (all others)

Vietnam

China

Visa: Visa requirements are a little unclear in

Vietnam. Teachers say the required documents can
change at any time. It is safest to check with the
Vietnamese embassy in advance.
Qualifications: Depends on the school or company.
Some will only hire CELTA-qualified teachers while
others accept applicants with a TEFL certificate
and/or degree.*
Pay: Ranges between 900 and 1300 per month.
The more qualifications you have, the higher your
salary.
Work hours: In no way set. Some teachers work
three days a week, some five.
Holidays: Again, this depends on the school. Some
give 20 paid days while others give ten. Some only
give national holidays.

Thailand

Visa: Most schools should offer you a visa but

expect complications. The midnight visa-run
to Hong Kong is common.
Qualifications: A degree is required,
apparently, but many dont have them. CELTA
and TEFL qualifications are also desired.
However demand for teachers far outstrips
supply.
Pay: Anything from 200 to 2000 a month.
It all depends upon your experience, your
institution and the city you live in (Beijing,
Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou pay the
best). Living costs are very low.
Holidays: Limited national holidays plus an
average of five to ten days paid leave.
Work Hours: Completely varies, from a few
shifts a week to 60 hours.

Japan
Japan

Visa: Most people join the

JET Programme, which has a
stringent application process
with limited places. However,
if successful, theyll help you
with your visa. The application
process takes up to 10 months.
Qualifications: Youll need to
be a native English-speaker
and have a degree. CELTA
or TEFL certificates are not
required, but you will take
a rigorous English exam and
attend several high-intensity
interviews.
Pay: About 1500 a month in
your first year. Bear in mind
that the cost of living can be
quite high and apartments are
not paid for.
Work Hours: 35 hours a week.
Holidays: Aside from Japans 15
national holidays, applicants
get a minimum of ten paid
days off, but you may be
required to work during the
students school holidays.

Visa: You will need an employment offer, education

certificates (such as TEFL or CELTA and your degree) and a
criminal background check.
Qualifications: You must be a native English-speaker, with
a degree and a TEFL qualification.
Pay: On average, 500 a month but the more
qualifications you have, the more you earn.
Work hours: If you are fortunate to work for a
government school, you will work 20-25 hours per week.
If not, it depends on the school/company.
Holidays: Government schools give teachers one month
vacation in April, and two months in August/September.
Private institutions give a lot less.

Thailand: Ko Phi Phi Island

Vietnam: Vietnamese women in Ho Chi Minh City
Japan: Restaurant owner in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu Island
China: Fenghuang (Phoenix) Ancient Town, Hunan Province

*Qualifications
Glossary
JET - Japan Exchange and
Teaching Programme
TEFL - Teaching English as a
Foreign Language
CELTA - Certificate in
Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages

Bongeunsa Temple, Gangnam

District, Seoul, South Korea.

Eat

SURGE MAGAZINE | LIVE

Words: Tom Crosby

Korea: The Bad

HIS is the Land of the

Morning Calm, and the
afternoon shout, and the
evening unpaid overtime, and the
night-time paperwork marathon.
As far as teaching abroad goes,
its supposed to be the easy
option. Free flight, free flat, high
wages and all the kimchi (pickled
cabbage) you can eat.
However, in the hagwons
(private Korean cram schools),
expect to learn the true meaning
of the term fee-paying school.
The client is king, be it the parent
or the child. Tests are doctored
to ensure that every child passes,
for fear it would reflect badly on
the institution. Spats over crayons
between six year olds are given so
much credence they spill over into
full-blown diplomatic incidents,
more akin to the UN than Mr Uns
English Academy.
Unhappy children are bad for
profits.
Many hagwon teachers are paid
late, if at all. Theyre overworked
and under-supported and made
to feel grateful for their meagre
holidays and their three paid
sick days a year, while being left
to teach from banal repetitive
textbooks written in pidgin English.
Of course, not all of Koreas
hagwons are like this, but horror
stories of their working conditions
are never far from the surface.
An extreme example is one
girl who shattered her wrist on
Sunday night and worked Monday
afternoon, full of opiates and with
metal pins sticking out of her arm.
Despite the compounding
drawbacks, the money is good, the
food is incredible and the drinking
culture unsurpassed.
Sometimes, even trapped in a
terrible job thousands of miles
away from home, you wouldnt
change anything for the world.

48

Words: Paul Hyland

Korea: The Good

Images: Tom Crosby and

Paul Hyland
1. Students wearing
traditional hanbok
for the Chuseok festival.
2. Photoshoot at SLP
English Academy,
Changwon.
3. A typical public school
classroom.
4. Vicky, Gina, Vera, Ellen

O teach in the wonderfully

weird South Korea, one
needs to be from an Englishspeaking country, have a university
degree, and a strong sense of
humour.
Working hours in public
schools are preferable to those of
hagwons. With classes finishing
by 2.40pm, teachers are usually
expected to deskwarm, that is,
stay until 4.30pm to prepare the
next days lessons.
Working conditions in public
schools are generally superior
to those experienced by my
sulky comrade in his hagwon. A
Korean co-teacher in every class
helps enormously because the
kids understand you better, they
behave better, and the class,
although somewhat formulaic,
moves smoother.
Having at least five weeks
holiday also gives you ample time
to explore the rest of Asia.
Korean food is among the best
in the world, as natives love to
tell you, and when it came to my
school dinners, they were spot
on. Every day I was served a dish
of meat, soup, rice and kimchi
with the food being the same
standard as a decent local Korean
restaurant.
But perhaps the greatest aspect
of life in Korea is one custom that
involves compulsory socialising
with your principal. By socialising,
I mean drinking, heavily, as is
common practice in Korea. When
the boss takes a sip, everyone
takes a sip. Weekly staff nights
out are commonplace, and they
are glorious. Until the next day
of course, when slurping instant
noodles just doesnt cut it as a
hangover cure.
The cuteness of kids cheering
when you enter the classroom is a
start, though.

Confectioner, Marrakech, Morocco

surgemag.org

49

SURGE MAGAZINE | ADVENTURE

surgemag.org

Iberian delights
Youve heard of paella and bacalhau, but why not delve

Arnad

Words: Arantxa Barrachina

Images: Marisqueria Lham and
Riberaexpress.es

Arnad is a traditional dessert from the city of

Xtiva in Valencia, created in the ancient Arab
Independent Kingdom of Valencia, between the
11th and 13th centuries. Arnad is considered the
most ancient sweet dish on record in Europe.
The recipe appears in a cookbook called Book of
Sent Sov, written in 1324, along with the oldest
surviving Catalan recipes. It owes its sweet flavour
to either pumpkin or sweet potato, enriched with
almonds and a touch of sugar and
cinnamon.

into some of Spain and Portugals other culinary masterpieces?

Words: Carolina Morais

Images: aosdomingosnacozinha.com
and petiscos.com

Farfias

Clouds on Earth: thats how this traditional

Portuguese dessert is known. Made from typical
ingredients of Portuguese confectionery (whipped
egg whites, lemon, milk and cinnamon), farfias
are highly appreciated for their fluffy texture and
sweet cream. This dessert,
created centuries ago in the heart of Lisbon, is
very easy to make and mainly consumed during
Christmas and New Year celebrations. There is
nothing like enjoying the warm cream mixed with
the fluffy clouds on a cold winters day.

Fideu
Fideu is a typical dish from the Valencian
regions which is made in a similar way to the
famous paella. The Valencian word fideu
means a large quantity of noodles.
The legend says that fideu was invented in the
port of Gandia by a ships cook who wanted
to cook paella, the captains favourite dish. He
realised that he did not have any rice - the main
ingredient in the pantry and added noodles
instead. The experiment was a success, the
recipe proved popular and the fame of fideu
quickly spread throughout the region.
The dish is made from special fideo noodles,
seafood and fish stock.
Each year, an International Fideu Contest
is held in Gandia (Valencia) and many chefs
compete for the top prize.

50

Sardinha Assada
Arnad is considered the most
ancient sweet dish on record in
Europe, dating back to 1324

A true native goes out into the

streets, eats sardines, drinks good
wine and dances all night long

Sardinha assada is considered one of Portugals

Seven Wonders of Gastronomy. These
delicious sardines are seasoned with coarse
salt, usually the day before they are cooked,
and put on the grill until the skin reaches a
golden and crispy texture. Boiled potatoes and
grilled peppers are a must-have with this dish.
The secret is to combine it with a thick slice
of bread from the region of Alentejo, which
absorbs the fishs natural oil. The final touch?
Season it with olive oil and vinegar.
There is a time of year when sardines play
a starring role. In June, when different regions
celebrate the feast days of the Popular Saints,
a true Portuguese native goes out into the
streets, eats sardines, drinks wine and dances
to traditional music all night long.

51

SURGE MAGAZINE | EAT

China on a plate
The SURGE team discovers the real tastes of the Orient
Words: Philip AskewImages: Mariana Mercado

HERE is a time and place for mystery meat in radioactive sauce, served in plastic containers. But
if youre prepared to delve a little deeper, you can treat yourself to a unique Oriental banquet
that is both healthy and delicious, and at a reasonable cost. Here is a handy guide to discovering
the real taste of China for yourself. Pull this magazine out at any self-respecting Chinese food joint and
pronounce as written for immediate results.

Taste of China (175 Gilmore Place, Tollcross)

We took one look at this restaurants name and figured it would be a pretty sure bet. Fairly traditional,
you choose a selection of dishes from the menu, and mix and match from the Lazy Susan in the
middle.

A platter of ingredients, ready for the hotpot

Xiangbala Hotpot (63 Dalry Road, Haymarket)

Chongqing Chilli Chicken chong ching la dzir jee (

)
Straight out of Sichuan.
Seasoned with sesame seeds
and deep fried. Very spicy.

Braised eggplant - hong shau

chye dzir ()
And other assorted vegetables
in soy sauce. Meat does
not always have to be the
centrepiece of a meal.

Tomato and egg soup - shee

hong shir jee dan tung (
)
Tomatoes and eggs made into a
soup. Love it or hate it.
Its everywhere in China.

Home-style tofu - jya chang

doe fu ()
A great accompaniment to
spicier dishes so as to cushion
the blows. Served with veggies.

Boiled fish with bean sprouts

in chilli oil - fey tung yoo (
)
Boiled until disintegration, then
stewed with chilli.

Double-friedporkwithbell
peppersandchilli - huey goor
row ()
Double-fried for double the fun.
Only mildly spicy.

52

After 6pm, Xiangbala Hotpot is easy to pick out from the outside because its the only shop on the
road with its windows perpetually steamed up. Walking inside is like entering a greenhouse: every
table features its own heating plate, and a pot filled with water.
You pay per person for all you can eat. Once youve selected from the menu what you want to cook
up and what broth to cook them in, you are presented with a platter of ingredients to prepare at your
leisure.
We tried our best to get a bit of everything and heres what we can recommend:
King prawns - kwang gouw dway shya ()
Oysters - moo li ()
Mussels - ee bay ()
Scallops - shan bay ()
Razor clams - chung dzir ()
Squid - yo yoo ()
Tofu - tofu ()
Chinese cabbage - da bok choy ()
Sliced beef - neo row ()
Glass noodles - shyen myen ()
Heres what wed stay away from:
Kojacs filaments
No idea what these were. Bit like prunes.

Sauces and seasonings

53

SURGE MAGAZINE | THE LAST WORD

surgemag.org

Going
home
Words: Adam Wilson
Image: Nol Bauza

N New Years Eve 1998, when I was

nine years old, as the bells were
ringing, my Dad picked me up, put
me on his lap and told me our family was
moving to France, and then wed be moving
on to Singapore.
To my tiny child brain this was like being
told my entire world would be destroyed
because of grown-up reasons I didnt care
the slightest bit about.
The most powerful protest I could
muster was a teary-eyed I dont want to
go to stupid France (I didnt even know
what Singapore was). But my masterful
counterpoint fell on dead ears; so a few
months later my world was shattered and
we moved from Scotland to France. A
year later, we continued from France to
Singapore.
Its been 16 years since I first moved away
from Scotland, and I wouldnt change my
experience for anything.
Because of my upbringing, Im often
asked about where I consider home, and its
not easy to come to any sort of definitive
answer. The years I lived in Scotland werent
formative, although I did keep my accent.
My personality took shape in the years I
lived in Singapore. But my parents no longer
live there, and neither do a lot of my
friends, and I probably wont be going back
anytime soon.
When I came back to Edinburgh for
university, I found that I had connections
to the culture, but I still wouldnt consider
myself to be truly Scottish. This isnt my
home and neither is Singapore; Im a child of
the 21st century, globalised world, and so is
the SURGE team.
The majority of the team doesnt come
from Scotland, and those who do have had
experiences worldwide, even if theyve not
lived anywhere else.
Our experiences are indicative of a world
where people will find it harder to define
where their home is.
And that is not a bad thing.

54

View of the Hub from the

Royal Mile, Edinburgh

55