The Traveling Toastmaster

2006-03-14T02:30:00.000+13:00

Pictures from Pete's trip to Cardiff

2006-03-14T02:21:00.000+13:00

Miriam and Dan walking to work...

2006-03-14T00:38:00.000+13:00

London Corinthians

2005-10-27T03:55:00.000+13:00

At every London Toastmaster club I have attended, everyone has always said - "You must visit Corinthians". So I visited Corinthians - and what a club! Not only did they stick to their schedule, they also had the area TableTopic champ to treat us to a speech about the "Big Job" from the entertaining speeches advanced manual. Add another 3 ATM speeches and a general evaluation from 17 year TM veteran and you have a impressive display of TM values.
Things the club does well:

* The tabletopic mistress kept her introductions to under 30 sec, this allowed the contestants to interpret the topic as they liked and show their creative side.

* People got to vote for their best speaker/TableTopic speaker and write individual comments about the speeches (a constant theme throughout all the London clubs)

* Finished under the allocated time (nearly all the clubs I have ever attended have gone over time)

Things I could have done better during my table topics session:

* Make gestures with my feet as well as with my hands

* Introduce more humor into my topic ("Do I see the world as black & white or shades of grey")

London Cardinals Toastmasters

2005-10-24T01:48:00.000+13:00

London Cardinals Toastmasters was the first TM club I have visited in London. What made the club stand out for me was the professionalisim with how it was run.

The meeting started on time, had voting slips for best speaker/evaluator, an amazing website (www.londoncardinals.com) and (most importantly) was held in some nice digs!

Cole (the President) started the meeting with this contagous enthusiasm that everyone
caught. There was even a Profesional speaker from the US to evaluate the entire meeting - I never knew evaluations could be so humerous! Drew (the meetings timekeeper) was even nice enough to buy me my first British beer - cheers Drew!

London Calling

2005-10-06T01:12:00.000+13:00

First off I have to say that I was very impressed with the efficiency of EasyJet's flight from Schiphol (Amsterdam) to London. Ways they could make their operations even more efficient is by:

* Have an electronic check in system
* People being able to choose their aircraft seating position on-line
* Eliminate the second metal detector test

On to London, the first thing that hits you is the amount of people work in the centre of London. The only other place I've experienced that amount of people has been in Amsterdam during Sail '05. Then there's the traffic, only in Geneva did I see more congestion. The black cabs are everywhere, and I shudder to think what it was like before the congestion charge was introduced.

The tube isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. If I were to rate the mass transport systems of all the places I've been to, it would be (in descending order): Singapore's MRT (clean, cheap and safe - what more could you ask?), France's Metro (very old), London's Underground (train directions could be better), Netherlands NL (very expensive but the cleanest I've been in), and lastly Belgium's Metro (it's cheap, but a nightmare to navigate).

Accommodation is cheaper than I expected - I was able to find a dorm bed with breakfast in zone 2 for 19 NZD - bear in mind that it's the off season.

2005-09-24T00:57:00.000+12:00

Congrats go to this man who managed 3rd place in Toronto - Well Done!!

2005-08-28T23:44:00.000+12:00

Me by some anonymous tower

Paris

2005-08-28T23:11:00.000+12:00

Paris! The name itself conjures up all the preconceptions of romance, history, wine, baguettes, museums, and of course the Eiffel Tower. Are all these preconceptions justified? a big WEE!!

I'm strolling down a anonymous back street in the centre of Paris and I come across a monument that's older than civilization in NZ.
I'm sitting in the metro (which in itself is a museum) and an busker suddenly starts playing a typical French tune in the background.
Sitting down for dinner, a street seller offers to sell you a dozen red roses...

All these examples seem so cliche now that I'm back in the land of cheese, but once you're immersed in the intoxicating atmosphere of Paris - all these things seem so novel.

I did have one major disappointment - the Mona Lisa. I was underwhelmed by it seemingly A4 size - I imagined that the most analysed painting in the world would have a bigger footprint.
However, I was impressed by how the background was actually an extension of the models state of mind (plus the half smile\smirk)...

And on the Eiffel Tower... yes it's tall, old and surrounded by some impressive architecture. However I was more astonded by the surrounding lights that seem to extend to infinity when you're up the tower at night.

One major recommendation I have for future traveler's to Paris: Take a significant other - unless you're going for the history/architecture, Paris becomes like any other old European city.

On to London...

2005-08-27T00:13:00.000+12:00

Me and Mrs. Woon

2005-08-27T00:11:00.000+12:00

Bridesmaids + stranger

2005-08-27T00:09:00.000+12:00

One down, three to go...

La Roisre - French Alps

2005-08-26T23:47:00.000+12:00

My sister could not have chosen a more serene location to have her wedding. Surrounded by peaks on every side and with Mount Blanc in the background, the wedding was perfect.

My speech went well, I managed to get a few laughs (tip: speeches are more warmly appreciated after everyone has had a few glasses). My Father and the best man also gave great speech's, with each one revealing a little bit more of the brides/grooms history.

Apart from the celebrations, I managed to run the 8 km to Italy. The only hard part was the steep windy roads that were used for the beginning of the "The Italian Job" film.

So la Roisre - thanks for the memories, weather and experience. I promise I'll be back :)

2005-07-28T00:47:00.000+12:00

My main mode of transport and 19 windmills...

2005-07-28T00:44:00.000+12:00

The Belguim Royal Palace

2005-07-28T00:42:00.000+12:00

Monica Pissa in Brussels

2005-07-28T00:40:00.000+12:00

What happens when you have such an amazing holiday, that you forget about your burnt finger for a week.

2005-07-28T00:37:00.000+12:00

Wheat, cabbage, brocoli and lettece - all perfectly aligned

2005-07-28T00:34:00.000+12:00

Time for a silly photo (the classic move from the Karate Kid)

2005-07-28T00:32:00.000+12:00

Eating mussels with Thomas in Brussels...

Brussels - Belgium

2005-07-28T00:30:00.001+12:00

What Brussels has going for it is the number of old buildings that are still in existence.
What Brussels has going against it is a lack of building maintenance laws. I.e. like the laws the Netherlands has which specify what style of house you are allowed to build, how tidy you have to keep it, the height of your hedges (and you get a strongly worded letter if you don't maintain your house).
This means that in Belgium you get very poorly maintained houses and a clash of continuity when a 21st century house is built next to a 17th century building.

On my trip around Brussels I did meet Thomas who provided me with a insight in the life of a merchant ship seaman. Short summary: their life is very un-PC. e.g. after 9/11 all the huge Merchant ship companies fired all the Muslims without regard to employment law. However he has set foot in places I have only flown over and experienced a whole range of cultures (French women he said, are the most beautiful in the world). And he's also an excellent cook which he demonstrated by cooking the most delicious mussels I've ever eaten (and by using such phrases as "the sauce will be too dominating").

2005-07-28T00:30:00.000+12:00

Me being showing my patriotic side in the EU parliment (god the tour was boring...)

2005-07-28T00:21:00.000+12:00

I couldn't resist...

Prairie in North Belgium (where the three remaining buffalo's exist)

2005-07-17T19:34:00.000+12:00

Look at my clothes I brought for the wedding mum!!

2005-07-17T05:50:00.000+12:00

All that I need now is a pink tie...

Day One: Bleiswijk -> Rotterdam -> Dordecht -> Moerdijk

2005-07-16T20:21:00.000+12:00

Below you will find my interpretations of what I've seen and experienced during my 6 day cycle tour of south Holland and north Belgium.

Day One: Bleiswijk -> Rotterdam -> Dordecht -> Moerdijk

Woke up on day one realizing that I didn't have a tent for camping (how did I miss something major as a tent? I remembered my deodorant but forgot my tent?) so the first stop was a hardware store to buy me a plastic sheet.Then I'm off on my cycle tour.
First mode of transportation is a bus to pick up my bike from Rotterdam. The bus ride is uneventful except for the occasional random stops needed for the bus driver to respond to his text messages.
Next I use the Metro to get from Rotterdam to my Tante (Aunt) Wil's house in Portugaal (a Rotterdam Suburb) to pick up my tour bike. Although I could interpret the train schedule, I just couldn't figure out where I had to pay for my train ride. There was no (working) turnstiles, no conductor and no exit turnstile, so I used my foreign ignorance and rode the metro for free.
Leaving Tante Wil's with my tour bike, I looked back over a picture perfect row of Dutch houses complete with sheep, a dam and two huge smokestacks in the background. I was so impressed with the contrast of suburbia and industry, I just had to take this picture. Despite the smokestacks, the first section of my tour, from Portugaal to Dordecht would have to be one of the more serene and beautiful landscapes I would see. It had just the right ratio of open spaces to villages, a large river (the Maas), a golf course and wooded area's.Arriving in Dordecht I was impressed by the age of the buildings.
Arriving in central Dordecht, everything seemed to be stuck in the 14th-15th century. The highlight of the city was the old church where was possible to climb the church tower and survey the old and new sections of the city. Best of all, there were no cars in the city! If only all cities provided a car free central, it would makes things so much safer for us cyclists.
From Dordect onto Moerdijk where I spent my first night in a camping ground. I quickly realized that all my survival skills I learnt in NZ are based on the assumption that there are trees around. There were no trees in this camping ground, so I created a tent around the frame of my bike and spent the worst night of my life trying to fight off waves of mosquito attacks and get some sleep.

Malaysian Rubber

2005-07-16T20:15:00.000+12:00

Nice combination

2005-07-16T20:06:00.000+12:00

Windmills found in Malaysia

2005-07-16T20:02:00.000+12:00

2005-07-12T06:54:00.000+12:00

How they drink beer in Singapore

Toastmaster club of Singapore - Singapore

2005-07-04T00:07:00.000+12:00

The Toastmaster club of Singapore was the first club outside New Zealand that I have visited. It is also the oldest of the 150 Toastmaster clubs in Singapore as it was founded in 1966. What was even more surprising is that a founding member still regularly attends the meetings - now that's what I call commitment!

The reason I think the Singapore club has been going for so long has been that core group of Toastmasters who make the club work - organize the meetings, volunteer for those odd jobs and mentor new members. This core group is a common theme that I have seen throughout the club meetings I have attended.

Another thing that I noted about the Singapore club is that they asked for "volunteers" for tabletopics. This is an interesting concept as it allows people to choose topics that are suitable for them. For my topic I choose why men should have long hair - focusing on my facial hair. I managed to get a few laughs but was marked down for having a poor conclusion - doh!

The night ended with three marvelous speeches. One about coral reefs around Singapore (something to visit next time I am in Singapore). Secondly a call to action about how to increase club membership (currently sitting at around 30). Finally concluding with an inspiring speech about why we are here at Toastmaster by the area govenor.

All in all a very organized meeting that ran for approximately 3 hours and really showed the range of cultures and opinions of the people that populate Singapore. Thank you Singapore Toastmasters!

Malacca - Malaysia

2005-07-03T16:44:00.000+12:00

I arrived in Malacca yesterday with no place to stay, no local currency and no idea of where I was. When I said my holiday was going to be unplanned, I didn't expect it to be this random. However, I was approached by a trustworthy looking Malaysian who suggested that I stay at the "Eastern Heritage". He was even kind enough to negotiate my taxi ride in Singapore dollars so I didn't pay twice the local rate.

Costing 8 RM (~$3 NZD) a night at the eastern, you cannot expect much more than a safe place to sleep. In fact it is so safe, you don't even have to lock up your gear (this could also be because there are no lockers to lock your gear in).

I would highly recommend the Eastern if you don't mind the lack of hot water, lack of air conditioning, basic sleeping conditions and mixed dorms. A redeeming quality is the Malaccain (spl?) receptionist, Mohamed, who is very friendly and is a great source of information of what to do or (in my case) not to do in Malacca.

One of the things Mohamed advised was to take in the sights and sounds of China Town stalls that appear every Saturday night. There I found karoke displays where people actually pay to get up and sing. You have food stalls that sell everything from delicious fresh mango juice to honey lime kebabs (I tried both). You even had the Malaysian book of records man who can punch his ways through a coconut with his finger (as well a sing a whip to cut pieces of paper that his son is holding up). When he heard that I was from NZ he started doing the Haka - which got me thinking if that's how other people perceive NZ as...

So today I'm relaxing - checking email admiring the Dutch architecture (the Dutch used to rule Malacca for around 170 years) and drinking more of that delicious fresh mango juice. Things I learnt from this trip are to do minimal planning. I.e. plan and book where you are going to stay and how to get there. I could have easily wound up in some overpriced western hotel paying for too much for the taxi ride if it wasn't for the guy who put me onto the Eastern Heritage. However don't plan what you are going to do. Leave that to the locals who know best and can advise you what to do.

P.S. unfortunately there are no Toastmaster clubs in Malacca, despite the city having a population of 600,000!

Next stop: Singapore! (again)

Singapore

2005-06-29T17:34:00.000+12:00

Arriving in Singapore, the first thing you realize is how everything is so clean and parental (for lack of a better word). Taking the MRT (Mass Rail Transport) to my hostel, I'm amazed at the lack of graffiti or litter. Then we told (through an unemotional voice) to "Beware of suspicious parcels", "please surrender your seat to more needy passengers" and "please wait for passengers to leave the train before boarding". All which seem implicit to me, but for some reason the Singapore authority likes to make them explicit.

As soon as you leave the air conditioned luxury of the MRT the heat hits you. It's the humid kind of heat you would find in a sauna. So if you're lugging around 35kg, you begin to sweat straight away.

The traffic system in Singapore has those little differences that make it slightly confusing. Firstly the major intersections have counters to let you know how much time before the green or red light changes. And if you want to use the pedestrian crossings, you have to stand right next to the button or the light doesn't change. The horn is used more liberally - it's used by taxi's to attract clients attention. By motorists to tell the other motorists to go faster.

The only Toastmasters club I found was Singapore Toastmasters (toastmasters.org.sg). I'll pay them a visit on Monday and hopefully share some of my experiences in a Tabletopic.

Friday I will head to Melecca to experience the old Arab\Portuguese\Dutch\British cultures that remain there.

2005 Toastmaster Convention -Tauranga

2005-05-08T00:26:00.000+12:00

Earlier this month, a Varisty Toastmasters contingent attended the 2005 convention in Tauranga.... and.....

Jassvir has Won!
Congratulations to Jas for winning the NZ Toastmaster international speech competition!
He wooed the audience with his red rose, stripper pants and PVC pants.
Now he's busily preparing his next speech for the world competition in Toronto.
Unfortunately I won't be able to make it because I'll be in Europe doing the OE thing.
However I wish Jas well on his journey in becoming the world champ!

Aside from Jas routing the opposition, we had a entertaining road trip. We did the L&P bottle thing and spent a relaxing afternoon in the Mount Manguanui Spa... just the break I needed from study :)

Twilight Talkers - Auckland

2005-05-02T00:37:00.000+12:00

Twilight talkers meet once a fortnight in the Vodafone building. My first impressions are that they are a highly charged bunch of young-ish professionals . What really impresses me about this club is that their club rooms are so organized. It gives a real professional impression to visitors. The club has a high proportion of women, which makes table topics that much more interesting.

The night Varsity club attended, I presented my "Live your Dream" speech, and our Club President presented Twilight talkers with "Beary". "Beary" is a tool used to promote inter-club visits by the following means (source http://www.varsitytm.org/trophy.html)

A club can only present Beary to another club in one of two ways. They can either:

visit Varsity Toastmasters and bring to our meeting three or more guests.
visit any other club in Auckland and take to their meeting five or more guests.

If clubs follow this approach, more members will visit other clubs and gain new ideas on how they can run their clubs more effectively.

Varsity Toastmasters - Auckland University

2005-05-01T01:06:00.000+12:00

Varsity Toastmasters... It has a unique place in the cultural spectrum of Auckland Toastmaster clubs. Consisting mainly of graduate students and young professionals, Varsity's just-in-time meetings are peppered with the humor that makes it one club that you must visit.

When I first joined Varisty, I did it through a Speechcraft course. I was initially surprised at how fluid the meetings were. However, I soon appreciated the experience it gave me in impromptu speaking and the wide range of roles I could undertake.

The first half of this year, I held the secretary role in the club executive. It gave me an insight into the work involved in running the club. The organizational effort needed to get contestants to competitions and the running of speechcraft.

I highly recommend everyone visit Varsity (http://www.varsitytm.org) to experience what I have experienced and meet a hilarious bunch of people :)

Post Zero

2005-05-01T00:02:00.000+12:00

Welcome to Pieter's Toastmaster traveling blog.

This blog has two main themes:

The first theme will be "Pieter's experiences" as he travels from Auckland->Singapore->Malaysia->Europe.
The second theme of this blog will be "Toastmasters", as I intend to visit as many toastmaster clubs as I can while I travel the world!

Why Toastmaster clubs? Toastmasters is much more than a group of people who practice public speaking, it is a worldwide network of friends who all are all waging the same battle against their fear of public speaking. Having a common interest means that you can turn up at any Toastmaster meeting in the world and be warmly welcomed.

So, in the coming months I will share with you my thoughts on the clubs & countries that I have visited, their culture, the people and most importantly pictures!

I always love to hear comments from readers, so don't hesitate to email me of a place you think I should visit, activity I must do, people I must see or culinary delight that I must eat.

Regards,
Pieter.