Ok today I have a cold starting. From the border crossing, the english climate here and 3 days in a damp room. Great.
But we get up early and go on a bus journey to ha long bay. It's a 3 hour bus journey with a stop at a place where you buy photocopied books (the quietman and other vietname stories, although no dear hunter), also embroidery, which was beautiful, that the disabled children have made themselves.
We get up at 7 for our first tour to the Perfume pagodas. Let me tell you with a hangover and spending the night in a damp room is no fun. The hotel people are really nice and friendly though even if there is damp all up and down the walls.
Woke up to weather like at home damp and drisserly, but boy is it a different city. Impossible to get your bearings as we are in the old quarter. Narrow streets with small doorways, but long at the back and all the shops covered from head to toe in red lanterns or soft toys or local art.
Eventually the taxi arrives at 6.30 to take us to what we thought was the bus station. Turns out its a 15 minute ride to a hotel where we meet all the other travellers. At 7 o'clock we leave with all bags in the back of the bus. We were told VIP with airconditioning. Turns out the airconditioning was keep the window open.
Continue reading "Viantene to Hanoi"After a shower you go outside and within 5 minutes you need another shower. This is early in the morning as well. We have decided to spend our last day doing the tourist thing and having an early super before our 22 hour bus ride to Hanoi.
From Alex's mum & Dad:
We have not heard from Alex for a few days, as she is on a 22hr land trip and the transport is not standard, she is going over the border from Laos to Viet-Nam to Hanoi. She has to get from there to Phom Pen to meet gavin by the 5th april... I am told transport is quite sub standard
( basic)... its cheaper to fly... the only reason she is going over land to VN is that Laos airlines by line is... we try to get u there!!!!
She sounds as thou' she has seen some sights and is having a fantastic time, have enclosed a couple of photos...
A beauitiful city which we arrive at after 3 hr bus journey. Get there by 1pm. Discover a guest house with a shower curtain... yep, a shower curtain, I am getting to the stage where this is a luxurious item.
Still sore fom sunburn and we walked around the city in an hour. Meet Brendas Dutch friends so I learn a few words of dutch. Am not sure if I should try it as not sure what they are teaching me. Tomorrow we go to Buddha Park and day after a 22 hr bus journey to Han Houi. Should be fun, hey safer than loas airways whose motto is we hope you get there safely!
Well after and adventurous 6 hour bus journey wer arrive at vang viang.
Discover its like a nothing see side viallge with a speciality of inner tubing.
Finally we arrive. What we discover is 700km (Ed: km!??) away from twon (Ed: Town?). A guy takes my bag and walks up the steep bank for it and tries to charge me loads of dosh. Nicolas my night in shinning armour to the rescue again.
After a long wait with the tuk tuks 8 of us wait for the boat. Frist and family from seattle and the two japenese tourist go. That leaves Nicola and I. Thank god I was with him...we wait...we wait and we wait. Next a bus of six tourist come along and get on the speed boat. Nicolas and I we wait...we wait and we wait.
Was up for 9.30 bus ride from Chiang Kong. Would like to add about Chiang Mai that it is a beautiful city and you really need a week to enjoy.
The bus ride was a 7 hr journey to the small river based town of Chiang Kong. They have a post office and temple there and that's it.
Just to add to the trekking bit. When we were at the first village a heard of 20 cows came storming through round the dinner table, not what you expect to see.
That evening went to a brilliant fish restaurant with Mori and Nicole the Australian honeymooners I met. They were great and took charge in ordering everything so we had every different kind of prawn dish imaginable. Must go to 1770 when I am in Aussie land as it sounds brilliant (Nic's home town). They are an ace couple and well worth the next day hang over.
Continue reading "Chiang Mai"Just returned from a 3 day treck. First thing I did was shower and have the luxury of toilet paper.
Talk about roughing it!!!!!!!!
Arrived In chang mai. Went to a traditional Thai dance show... more like a thing for the tourists. Met an Irish couple there who are both techhies so talked shop for an hr or so... All web companies seem the same.
Hi sorry to be a pain but can all comments to me be posted on the site as I am getting loads of spam that takes time to go through and individual emails a lot longer...
Cheers me deer's
Continue reading "Quick note"After a six hour bus journey reached Sukhothai, hired bycycle and watched the sunset over them temples of the historical park... that was neat. Chilling out for a day here, I hired a moped and braved the journey into new Sukhothai. Not like riding my bike at home still I haven't fallen off yet.
Back to historical sight then up early to Chiang Mai, another six hr bus journey. Not much else to do here!
Continue reading "Sukhothai"Ok so the adventure begins. I finally mastered the TUK TUK drivers after learning that they take you on an endless shopping spree. Hey I am not the only one that fell for it.
Well not long before I go. Am absolutely petrified but hey it's all good butterflies.
Will be checking mail but post comments here so keep me posted on whats happening in the world and check here for what I'm up to.
Will miss you all and see you in 8 months.
Continue reading "Well I'm off now"