www.crapelvis.com

I made an impulse buy of a $30 Elvis suit 3 weeks before leaving Australia in Jan 2008 to travel for a year.
It's crap....and now it's coming with me.
I don't sound like Elvis, look like Elvis, or sing like Elvis.
I am Crap Elvis.

crapelvis@gmail.com


World trip montage - Crap Elvis in 25 countries

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Genghis Presley: Crap Elvis in Mongolia

No time to talk you through these yet. Basically though they're all from the 3 days spent in Mongolia. One day in Ulaan Bataar, and 2 in the middle of absolutely nowhere. They include photos with nomads we met (and their gers that we slept in), a 40metre high shiny Genghis Khan, and what I thought was a demonstration I took part in....which on further googling has turned out to be me taking part in a Mongolian noodle tv commercial.
Back on the final leg of the Transmongolian railway tomorrow to Beijiing.



















Feeling husky: Crap Elvis in Siberia

Chilly here innit?! -9C when we set off for Lake Baikal - an hour away from Irkutsk.

Dogsledding near Lake Baikal, Siberia. The snow just thin enough to make it reallllllly hurt when you're thrown from the back of the homemade sled.


Snowmobile-jacking.


After a hard day's falling off a dog sled, there was chance to relax in a Russian banya. Basically the hottest, dryest, sauna-est room you've been in, followed by a thorough thrashing about the body with a bunch of birch branches and leaves, and then a stupidly cold shower. Repeat til you faint.


Lake Baikal - world's deepest lake. Too cold to put your hand in, so I'll take someone else's word on it.


So I'm guessing the high priced ticket for the big game that night was a scam.

Crap Elvis on the Transmongolian Railway

The Moscow to Yekaterinburg section weighing in at a leisurely 28 hours. Fortunately, I had no time to waste on reading or looking out of the window once discovering that I was sharing my compartment with some Russian boxing champions on the way to the National Championships in Perm. Despite only 2 boxers actually booked in this compartment, it varied from 4 to 8 at any one time. Despite not talking any Russian, and them not talking any English, we managed to repeat the same conversation over and over until they got off. Conversation may be a rather loose term for what really was this sentence "Australia! Kangaroos. Costa Tsyzu." Costa Tsyzu is a Russian boxer who moved to Australia. Kangaroos are...well, let's not get too bogged down with details.

"If you don't have a broken nose, make some noiiiiise". Just me then.


View from the train. Ooh look, another snow filled field.


Then it got really exciting.


Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk took a lazy 53 hours. No Russian boxers, just one Russian policewoman. No photos due to fear of arrest.



How 51 of the 53 hours was spent. Apart from the drunk helicopter pilot who tipped vodka in my beer. If you're ever in the country, never accept a lift in a chopper.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Red Suede Shoes: Crap Elvis in Moscow

Red Square:

Practising for my midget kickboxing bout that night.

Turning my back on the Kremlin after being denied entrance.  Wasn't able to greet Lenin in costume either.  His body is still on display in a separate building just outside the walls.  He looks only slightly more real than Michael Jackson.  And he can dance a lot better.  

If you can't beat them, join them.
Copying the Russian military's march, and auditioning for the Ministry of Silly Walks at the same time.  Kremlin entry still denied.


Stalin, Presley, Lenin (all very average representations)

Spot the odd one out (yes, third guy from the right is the only one wearing underwear)


If only I could speak Russian - then I might have some idea what this shop sells

Crap Elviski - Crap Elvis in St Petersburg, Russia

With the local language skills of a 3 year old, we arrived in St Petersburg, Russia after some strange visa delay (I think my occupation category was confusing). An unbelievable feeling of helplessness took over when emerging out of the airport, I couldn't even read, let alone speak any word on any sign. We had to resort to matching the shapes in the words.
Trying to be hardcore/cheaparse travellers, we finally boarded a local marshrutka (ford transit crazy van), then the metro (to correct the wrong direction we'd gone in the marshrutka), then another marshrutka, then a little walk to the hostel. All in all, the 25minute trip from the airport took us 2 hours.

Church On The Spilled Blood - (the vote for "Church where something vaguely unpleasant happened" was clearly beaten).





St Petersburg's Palace Square - the tourists go crazy for it. Sorry, the tourist go crazy for it.


Saturday, November 8, 2008

This just in: World still crazy

Just packing for Russia (oh yes, that should be interesting!), and thought I'd just pop up these couple of newsy bits. Unfortunately for the USA's National Examiner, world changing political situations still aren't as sensational as aliens landing on someone's face...or some stupid bloke in a cheap Elvis suit. I think this article published recently in the National Examiner proves that although they may be ready for a black President, it still may be generations before they accept the French.





Also, thanks to a friend who sent me this from the London Lite. And if you read the words underneath, yep, still getting mistaken for a fan of Elvis!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Crap Elvis v The Beatles: Crap Elvis in Liverpool and Blackpool

Yes..I know...am still slacking with just whacking photos up. Of course...words to follow soon!

Liverpool:













Blackpool:






Crap Elvis in the Czech Republic

Full wordy bits to follow in next few days...

Prague:


..and when in Prague...



Prague peace wall. Ooh, the serenity....


An important message for us all


On closer inspection, I was disappointed to find that the town wasn't actually made from cardboard cutouts

Ich bin ein Crap Elviser: Crap Elvis in Germany

Ooh look, lots of pictures. Words to follow in next few days!

Oktoberfest





Berlin: A right charlie at Checkpoint Charlie


The Wall: Serious face collection




Serious face collection aborted:


Oh, hang on...serious face back again.






Cologne: