I'm going to have to write this quickly or at least try to because I
don't have too much time. The last time I wrote it was the night before
we left Siem Reap on an epic 26 hour bus journey to Vientiane in Laos.
The bus journey wasn't actually as bad as I thought but that probably
has something to do with the Valium we bought. I spent most of the day
reading Dexter so I was happy but was sad we didn't have time to stop in
4000 islands which is meant to be beautiful... damn our time
constraints!! We arrived in Vientiane early on the morning of October
30th and after an extremely quick breakfast we boarded another bus to
Vang Vieng.
If you've ever been to SE Asia you will probably know
about Vang Vieng, it is a small town in the middle of nowhere with not a
whole lot to do except the infamous tubing. For those that don't know
tubing is when you sit in a yellow rubber ring and float down a crappy
river. On the way down the river you are pulled into many bars where
there are buckets full of booze, free shots with insects in plus rope
swings and slides to injure yourself upon. By the late afternoon
everyone is pretty intoxicated and having the time of their lives. Out
aim was to do this on Halloween and of course we did not let ourselves
down. We did it 2 days in a row despite the fact I almost fatally
injured myself on a rope swing. After a day of tubing everyone heads to
the Bucket Bar for more free booze!!! We stayed in the most fantastic
hostel called Spicy Laos. You sleep in wooden huts and hang out around a
massive fire talking about your day on the river. On our second day
tubing a bunch of us from the hostel went together and we all spray
painted our right foot green, random I know but that's tubing for you!!!
Despite Daire nearly drowning both days (he can't swim) we had a blast
=)
To be honest we didn't really do much else in Vang Vieng
except chill out and eat pancakes. On our third day we left for Luang
Prabang on the most terrifying bus ride ever!! LP is a UNESCO world
heritage site due to the massive amount of temples used as places of
worship by the orange robed monks and because of this there is an 11.30
curfew. Whilst here we shopped in the amazing night market, wandered
about and went to see a magnificent waterfall. It was a pretty chilled
out couple of days to make up for the madness of Vang Vieng.
We
left Luang Prabang for Thailand on a epic 3 day trip. The first third on
the trip consisted of a full day boat trip up the Mekong to Pakbeng. We
had to stay the night in the tiny little town where only 1 bar existed.
On the second day we caught another boat to Huay Xai on the
Laos-Thailand border. We arrived too late so had to stay the night but
this time the town was a decent size and we spent the evening drinking
and playing Israeli card games with our fellow travellers. On the third
morning we had a 3 minute boat journey across the river (border
crossing) to Chaing Kong, Thailand where we caught a 7 hour bus to
Chaing Mai where we reached our first proper Thailand destination. That
evening we checked out the might Sunday market and ate some delicious
food.... mmmm I LOVE Thai food.
In Chaing Mai I did an 'elephant
experience' for a day where we got to learn Mahot training techniques,
feed the elephants, ride the elephants bare back and wash them in the
river. It was fantastic but I don't think I'd ride an elephant again
since I was terrified of falling off most of the time. That evening
Daire had a bit of an experience with the crazy red bull they sell over
here (which is banned at home) but all was all right. The following day
Claudia, Lena (our new German friend) and myself did a Thai cooking
class for the day. I made a Thai green curry, friend prawns in curry
sauce, hot and sour soup, spring rolls and sticky coconut rice with
mango for desert. We got to eat everything we made and could barely move
after. It was fantastic!!!! That evening was a bit of a chill since we
were all too full to move.
On the 10th it was Claudia's birthday
so we spent the day wandering around the city. By this stage I had
finished my 4 Dexter novels and The Alchemist so I went to a book shop,
sold The Alchemist and bought The Beach and Veronica Decided to Die. I
am currently reading The Beach and it is completely addictive, I love
it!! After our trip to the book shop we went to buy some cake followed
by a long jaunt at the Night Bazar. I decided (somewhat stupidly) to but
a beautiful handmade bed throw and matching cushion cases. Don't get my
wrong, the bed throw is stunning and cheaper than the one I almost
bought in Laos but I takes up a fair bit of room in my rucksack which is
now overflowing!!!! Nevertheless it was something I really wanted to
buy. Because it was Claudia's birthday she wanted to get one of those
fish feet massage things so of course we all had to oblige. It was
pretty weird and we all spent the first 10 minutes screaming but it did
leave our feet nice and smooth. We went out for some yummy food and hung
out with the hotel neighbours who were lighting lanterns and let u join
in, lovely!
On the next day Claudia and Daire headed off to
Bangkok on the night bus to meet Martin (Claudia's boyfriend) on the
12th. Lena and I decided to go to Pai for a few days instead, which is
where I am currently writing this. Pai is a little like Vang Vieng but
bigger. There is a fairly big hippie scene here and loads of Reggae
bars. It's nice and relaxing so I'm glad I ditched Bangkok for 2 days.
We have been to hot springs which were too hot to get into and a
waterfall that was too cold to swim in. We checked out the markets and
local shops and generally chilled out. We keep bumping into people Lena
met in Nepal and these 2 Israeli guys keep driving us about on their
mopeds which is fab... free travel and all that!!! In the evening we
have checked out the locals bars and eaten more delicious Thai food.
Pai
has been a much needed escape but this afternoon we head back to Chaing
Mai where we will fly to Bangkok this evening. It's only an hour flight
instead of a 12 hour bus journey so woop!!!
I think that is
everything but every time I write in this blog I always realise I left
something out. I'm not looking forward to Bangkok too much since I
haven't been in a buys city for ages so it'll come as quite a shock.
Daire has gone home now which is a shame and I've only got a month left
which is no time at all.
Laos was an amazing country and I would
really love to go back and see more. The country side was beautiful and
the people were so friendly, it really is the perfect retreat. Thailand
has been fab so far and I can't wait to get to the islands in the South
but I'm really worried I wont get to see everything I plan to. I'm kind
of regretting having a booked flight home but what can I do?
We only have a couple of hours left in Pai to chill out so I best dash xxxxx
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Vietnam and Cambodia, done
Sorry it's been a while but I've been super busy and haven't had the best of internet access apart from trusty wifi on my phone.
Soooo, where did I last leave you? Oh yes Hoi An in Vietnam. After another horrid night bus journey from Hoi An we arrived at the crack of dawn in Nha Trang, a lovely town on the coast of Vietnam with a nice long beach. We ended up spending nearly an entire week here because a) I did my Advanced Open Water PADI course plus Claudia and Daire did their Open Water PADI course and b) I celebrated my 24th birthday there and was too hungover to undertake another night bus ride for a few days.
The diving was brilliant, definitely one of the better places I've dived and the course was great. I specialized in navigation. deep, photography, night and search & recovery. I was really happy Claudia and Daire decided to dive too because it means we can dive together in Ko Phi Phi, Ko Tao and Borneo =) I dived with Rainbow who were brilliant so if you are ever in Vietnam check them out!! After the course I joined Claudia and Daire at Octopus Diving and did a few fun dives which were extremely enjoyable due to the intensity of the advanced course. I saw loads of amazing fish plus I racked up quite a few numbers in my dive log.
On the 17th I celebrated my birthday with a few friends we've made whilst travelling. Natalie and Bob bought me a conical hat which is hilarious and I'm dong my best not to loose it (or squash it). Claudia bought me a beautiful silk kaftan and we went out for dinner where I had some over priced lobster which unfortunately wasn't worth the money I paid. Several bars ensued plus some paddling in the sea and we eventually arrived back at the hotel in a pretty bad worse-for-where state at 5am. I managed to get a bar to play some Green Day and ended up with a free bottle of champagne and chocolate cake, brilliant!!!
The 2 days were spent sleeping on the beach and we eventually left on another night bus for Saigon. Nha Trang was brilliant and even though it was a bit over cast the ocean was lovely and warm plus the town had a really good atmosphere about it.
Once again the night bus dropped us off at 6am in Saigon where we had to spend 3 hours napping in a hotel reception until a room was available for us. Saigon was fantastic whilst it was even bigger and busier than Hanoi it was more exciting and I would definitely go back. During our time there we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the War museum plus a pagoda and crazy market. The tunnels and museum were really interesting yet a completely harrowing experience. Whilst my history about the Vietnam war wasn't so great before I embarked on this trip I have learnt so much about the atrocities the US army did to the people of Vietnam. Yes, the Viet Cong did some awful stuff too which was very apparent at the Cu Chi Tunnels but the War Museum really showed the extent of the Holocaust like action the US Army caused with Dioxins and the other chemical they dropped on the country.
Anyway, enough of a history lesson. After Saigon we left Vietnam (1 week later than scheduled) and arrived in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. Whilst here we visited the Silver Pagoda (mega rip off), Killing Fields and Genocide Museum. This was another depressing day learning about the action of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pott's regime. The Genocide Museum (S21) is a bleak prison where thousands of Khmer people were sent for fear of bringing down the communist regime from the inside. The majority of people sent here were completely innocent and had to endure horrific interrogation and torture. The place reminded me of Auschwitz which I visited last year whilst inter railing. After being sent to the S21 the prisoners were then transported to the Killing Fields (just outside the city) where they were immediately executed. Babies and children were even killed here and now the person in charge of these actions is awaiting trails!!! Despite the reason for the Killing Fields it is quite a tranquil place and a memorial has been constructed in the centre where is holds the bones of the people who were murdered there.
After a few days of really depressing day trips we headed up north to Siem Reap (our current location) to marvel at some wonderful temples. We bought a 3 day pass for the Angkor temples and since then we have seen a crazy amount and personally I never want to see another temple again!!! On our first day we did the 'small circuit' which included Ta Prom my favourite temple of the 3 days. It is huge and has not undergone much renovation so is still in its original shape plus it has all thee magnificent tress growing through the rocks and looks completely stunning. It was the temple used in Tomb Raider so you would probable recognise it. We also went to see Bamteary Seria pink temple 30km outside the city and another one I can't remember the name off!!! There was a temple we wanted to see even further outside the city with a waterfall but our tuk tuk driver would not take us there unless we paid more and since we had already spent a significant amount on the temple pass we opted out.
On the second day we did the 'big circuit' which included some truly wonderful sights the temples of Angkor are unlike any temples you would normally see, they are in fantastic condition complete with intricate wall carvings plus they are HUGE!!! At the end of the second day we climbed the mountain (read large hill) to another temple to view sunset however the overcast weather made this a slight waste of time. That evening we checked out the market and met up with Natalie and Bob to explore Pub Street and eat Mexican food, yum yum!!! We knew we had to get up early so headed back to the hotel in good time however a problem struck... Daire, who was the last one out of the room locked the door but left the key inside.... Okay not to much of a problem because all hotels have spare keys right? WRONG!!!!! The crappy hotel we are staying in seemed to have a spare key for every room except ours. We spent over an hour trying to get in. We tried to pick the lock and failed, the staff tried to take the lock of the door and failed. Eventually Daire constructed a massive rod thing with a coat hanger at the end weaved t through the window and managed to pick up the key!!! It was all rather hilarious but a bit scary at the time since we almost couldn't get in!!!
After a short sleep and early 4.30am rise we headed to Angkor Wat to see sunrise. Angkor Wat is meant to be the most magnificent temple of them all because it is in such good condition and is huge!!! Anyway the sunrise was a complete waste of time and despite the grandeur of the temple I really wasn't 'feeling' it. Nevertheless we headed to Angkor Thom next where Bayon temple reside. This temple was really great because it is covered in faces carved into the towers. We looked around a few more temples and eventually headed back to the hotel at noon for some much needed sleep. This evening we are meeting people again for dinner, the night market and maybe doing that thing where you stick your feet in the water and the fist eat the dead skin!! Tomorrow we are headed to Laos and have to take a 24 hour bus journey because they plane is too expensive, joy!!! Cambodia has been a strange country and whilst the prices are surprisingly high and the people cam seem somewhat unfriendly I have enjoyed the contrast of war vs temples. However, I am really looking forward to Laos and tubing on Halloween.
Must dash now, lots to do plus I have to pack. The bus leaves a 6am, FUN!!!! Laterz xxxx
Soooo, where did I last leave you? Oh yes Hoi An in Vietnam. After another horrid night bus journey from Hoi An we arrived at the crack of dawn in Nha Trang, a lovely town on the coast of Vietnam with a nice long beach. We ended up spending nearly an entire week here because a) I did my Advanced Open Water PADI course plus Claudia and Daire did their Open Water PADI course and b) I celebrated my 24th birthday there and was too hungover to undertake another night bus ride for a few days.
The diving was brilliant, definitely one of the better places I've dived and the course was great. I specialized in navigation. deep, photography, night and search & recovery. I was really happy Claudia and Daire decided to dive too because it means we can dive together in Ko Phi Phi, Ko Tao and Borneo =) I dived with Rainbow who were brilliant so if you are ever in Vietnam check them out!! After the course I joined Claudia and Daire at Octopus Diving and did a few fun dives which were extremely enjoyable due to the intensity of the advanced course. I saw loads of amazing fish plus I racked up quite a few numbers in my dive log.
On the 17th I celebrated my birthday with a few friends we've made whilst travelling. Natalie and Bob bought me a conical hat which is hilarious and I'm dong my best not to loose it (or squash it). Claudia bought me a beautiful silk kaftan and we went out for dinner where I had some over priced lobster which unfortunately wasn't worth the money I paid. Several bars ensued plus some paddling in the sea and we eventually arrived back at the hotel in a pretty bad worse-for-where state at 5am. I managed to get a bar to play some Green Day and ended up with a free bottle of champagne and chocolate cake, brilliant!!!
The 2 days were spent sleeping on the beach and we eventually left on another night bus for Saigon. Nha Trang was brilliant and even though it was a bit over cast the ocean was lovely and warm plus the town had a really good atmosphere about it.
Once again the night bus dropped us off at 6am in Saigon where we had to spend 3 hours napping in a hotel reception until a room was available for us. Saigon was fantastic whilst it was even bigger and busier than Hanoi it was more exciting and I would definitely go back. During our time there we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the War museum plus a pagoda and crazy market. The tunnels and museum were really interesting yet a completely harrowing experience. Whilst my history about the Vietnam war wasn't so great before I embarked on this trip I have learnt so much about the atrocities the US army did to the people of Vietnam. Yes, the Viet Cong did some awful stuff too which was very apparent at the Cu Chi Tunnels but the War Museum really showed the extent of the Holocaust like action the US Army caused with Dioxins and the other chemical they dropped on the country.
Anyway, enough of a history lesson. After Saigon we left Vietnam (1 week later than scheduled) and arrived in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. Whilst here we visited the Silver Pagoda (mega rip off), Killing Fields and Genocide Museum. This was another depressing day learning about the action of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pott's regime. The Genocide Museum (S21) is a bleak prison where thousands of Khmer people were sent for fear of bringing down the communist regime from the inside. The majority of people sent here were completely innocent and had to endure horrific interrogation and torture. The place reminded me of Auschwitz which I visited last year whilst inter railing. After being sent to the S21 the prisoners were then transported to the Killing Fields (just outside the city) where they were immediately executed. Babies and children were even killed here and now the person in charge of these actions is awaiting trails!!! Despite the reason for the Killing Fields it is quite a tranquil place and a memorial has been constructed in the centre where is holds the bones of the people who were murdered there.
After a few days of really depressing day trips we headed up north to Siem Reap (our current location) to marvel at some wonderful temples. We bought a 3 day pass for the Angkor temples and since then we have seen a crazy amount and personally I never want to see another temple again!!! On our first day we did the 'small circuit' which included Ta Prom my favourite temple of the 3 days. It is huge and has not undergone much renovation so is still in its original shape plus it has all thee magnificent tress growing through the rocks and looks completely stunning. It was the temple used in Tomb Raider so you would probable recognise it. We also went to see Bamteary Seria pink temple 30km outside the city and another one I can't remember the name off!!! There was a temple we wanted to see even further outside the city with a waterfall but our tuk tuk driver would not take us there unless we paid more and since we had already spent a significant amount on the temple pass we opted out.
On the second day we did the 'big circuit' which included some truly wonderful sights the temples of Angkor are unlike any temples you would normally see, they are in fantastic condition complete with intricate wall carvings plus they are HUGE!!! At the end of the second day we climbed the mountain (read large hill) to another temple to view sunset however the overcast weather made this a slight waste of time. That evening we checked out the market and met up with Natalie and Bob to explore Pub Street and eat Mexican food, yum yum!!! We knew we had to get up early so headed back to the hotel in good time however a problem struck... Daire, who was the last one out of the room locked the door but left the key inside.... Okay not to much of a problem because all hotels have spare keys right? WRONG!!!!! The crappy hotel we are staying in seemed to have a spare key for every room except ours. We spent over an hour trying to get in. We tried to pick the lock and failed, the staff tried to take the lock of the door and failed. Eventually Daire constructed a massive rod thing with a coat hanger at the end weaved t through the window and managed to pick up the key!!! It was all rather hilarious but a bit scary at the time since we almost couldn't get in!!!
After a short sleep and early 4.30am rise we headed to Angkor Wat to see sunrise. Angkor Wat is meant to be the most magnificent temple of them all because it is in such good condition and is huge!!! Anyway the sunrise was a complete waste of time and despite the grandeur of the temple I really wasn't 'feeling' it. Nevertheless we headed to Angkor Thom next where Bayon temple reside. This temple was really great because it is covered in faces carved into the towers. We looked around a few more temples and eventually headed back to the hotel at noon for some much needed sleep. This evening we are meeting people again for dinner, the night market and maybe doing that thing where you stick your feet in the water and the fist eat the dead skin!! Tomorrow we are headed to Laos and have to take a 24 hour bus journey because they plane is too expensive, joy!!! Cambodia has been a strange country and whilst the prices are surprisingly high and the people cam seem somewhat unfriendly I have enjoyed the contrast of war vs temples. However, I am really looking forward to Laos and tubing on Halloween.
Must dash now, lots to do plus I have to pack. The bus leaves a 6am, FUN!!!! Laterz xxxx
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Hue and Hoi An
Whilst Hanoi was a city bursting with life, noise and colour Hue, a city
in Southern Vietnam was much more tranquil and less exhausting. The
night bus journey to Hue was pretty horrific but once we got there and
settled into out hostel, Hue Backpackers (FYI it was amazing - free
beer!!!) we instantly feel in love with the place and it's chilled out
atmosphere. The first day in Hue was spent exploring the old citadel
which to be honest was a bit disappointing especially when compared with
the Forbidden City in Beijing. The weather was absolutely boiling which
really did not add to my appreciation of the ruins. When we arrived in
the citadel we bumped into Ben and Fran, an English couple we met in
Halong Bay and arranged to go for a drink that evening. After exploring
the old ruins and all the surrounding streets we headed back to the
hostel for free beer, fish n chips and headed out for the evening. We
went to a couple of bars including one with the most mental waitress
I've ever met. Apparently she was called Crazy Bonkers and not only was
she extremely annoying but hilarious she also had the most high pitched
deafening laugh ever!!!!! The evening was a succession of jagerbombs and
cocktails... not the best idea considering we had to get up at 7.30am
the next morning.
After an early start we headed out on a boat tour to visit some tombs and temples. The temples were pretty templey (as if I'm templed out all ready) but the tombs were really fascinating. We saw 3 in total and each one was better and more grand than the previous. I can't remember their names and I don't have 'the bible' handy so I'm not even going to try and guess but I would definitely recommend checking them out if you are ever in this part of the world. Each tomb was completely different in terms or design, size and architecture but each fascinating to walk around and wonder how the emperors used to live way back then. Some of the sites were merely for burial purposes but other had live in areas and hence much larger in size. We meet another English couple on the tour, Bob and Natalie (we seem to have a thing for picking up these Brits) and that evening the 5 of use met Ben and Fran for some good English grub minus the beers and plus the hangover remnants.
Another 7.30am rise meant we could catch the early bus to Hoi An, a small city on the coast where tailor made clothing is a speciality. We arrived in the high heat and decided to stay at the first place are eyes meet. This happened to be a luxury hotel next to the bus stop and for $6 each we were in heaven complete with a swimming pool, a first on this trip!!! After a swim, it started to rain so I decided to have a cheap facial and pedi (Daire had a massage!!!) until the weather died down and we could hit the streets to get some clothes made. After looking for ages I found a place to have my 2 dresses made. A replica of a shift dress I already own and a floaty maxi dress perfect for summer parties and evenings on the beach. Daire had a suit and 2 shirts made and Claudia got a top and playsuit.
That evening we meet all the Brits again at an arranged time and place and enjoyed happy hour cocktails and beers plus some non Vietnamese food!!!!!! Once again not ideal for a 7.30 wake up call but fun nevertheless.
Today we went to check out My Son, an ancient Cham temple in the jungle which was pretty interesting but really run down. It was hit badly during the war and not much is really left standing. If I never see a temple again (except Angkor Wat!!!) it'll be too soon!!!!!! The afternoon was spent collecting out tailor made clothes. Daire and I got ours made in the same shop and they did such a good job neither of us needed any adjustments. Claudia however was not so lucky and is waiting to pick up her adjusted items as I type. Tonight we have to catch another night bus to Nha Trang, our much need beach stop!!! I plan to scuba dive and hopefully pick up my advanced PADI plus laying on the beach reading my Dexter novels will be a well deserved treat from all our early mornings and busy days.
I got a little sun burnt today but hopefully it'll sort itself out by the time I go diving! Last night we also had to say goodbye to the Brits as they are on a much longer and more relaxing time scale than us. The night bus this evening will probably be as horrific as the last one but at least we'll get a few relaxing days on the beach to catch up on sleep. It was pouring with rain again today so fingers crossed for some nice weather. After the beach we are heading to Hoi Chi Minh and the Mekong Delta before entering Cambodia where things will calm down significantly and we wont be as busy... phew!!
Anyway, must dash now. Bus to catch and shower to have. Speak soon xxxxxxxxxxxx
After an early start we headed out on a boat tour to visit some tombs and temples. The temples were pretty templey (as if I'm templed out all ready) but the tombs were really fascinating. We saw 3 in total and each one was better and more grand than the previous. I can't remember their names and I don't have 'the bible' handy so I'm not even going to try and guess but I would definitely recommend checking them out if you are ever in this part of the world. Each tomb was completely different in terms or design, size and architecture but each fascinating to walk around and wonder how the emperors used to live way back then. Some of the sites were merely for burial purposes but other had live in areas and hence much larger in size. We meet another English couple on the tour, Bob and Natalie (we seem to have a thing for picking up these Brits) and that evening the 5 of use met Ben and Fran for some good English grub minus the beers and plus the hangover remnants.
Another 7.30am rise meant we could catch the early bus to Hoi An, a small city on the coast where tailor made clothing is a speciality. We arrived in the high heat and decided to stay at the first place are eyes meet. This happened to be a luxury hotel next to the bus stop and for $6 each we were in heaven complete with a swimming pool, a first on this trip!!! After a swim, it started to rain so I decided to have a cheap facial and pedi (Daire had a massage!!!) until the weather died down and we could hit the streets to get some clothes made. After looking for ages I found a place to have my 2 dresses made. A replica of a shift dress I already own and a floaty maxi dress perfect for summer parties and evenings on the beach. Daire had a suit and 2 shirts made and Claudia got a top and playsuit.
That evening we meet all the Brits again at an arranged time and place and enjoyed happy hour cocktails and beers plus some non Vietnamese food!!!!!! Once again not ideal for a 7.30 wake up call but fun nevertheless.
Today we went to check out My Son, an ancient Cham temple in the jungle which was pretty interesting but really run down. It was hit badly during the war and not much is really left standing. If I never see a temple again (except Angkor Wat!!!) it'll be too soon!!!!!! The afternoon was spent collecting out tailor made clothes. Daire and I got ours made in the same shop and they did such a good job neither of us needed any adjustments. Claudia however was not so lucky and is waiting to pick up her adjusted items as I type. Tonight we have to catch another night bus to Nha Trang, our much need beach stop!!! I plan to scuba dive and hopefully pick up my advanced PADI plus laying on the beach reading my Dexter novels will be a well deserved treat from all our early mornings and busy days.
I got a little sun burnt today but hopefully it'll sort itself out by the time I go diving! Last night we also had to say goodbye to the Brits as they are on a much longer and more relaxing time scale than us. The night bus this evening will probably be as horrific as the last one but at least we'll get a few relaxing days on the beach to catch up on sleep. It was pouring with rain again today so fingers crossed for some nice weather. After the beach we are heading to Hoi Chi Minh and the Mekong Delta before entering Cambodia where things will calm down significantly and we wont be as busy... phew!!
Anyway, must dash now. Bus to catch and shower to have. Speak soon xxxxxxxxxxxx
Friday, 8 October 2010
Hanoi and Halong Bay
My last blog post felt rather rushed so I'm going to take my time to do this one properly.
On Sunday evening I arrived in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam where I met up with my friends Claudia and Daire. After a lot of catch up chat we feel asleep and woke up to a hot busy city on Monday morning. Hanoi is many things, terrifying, busy, colourful and delightful. It is terrifying because of the sheer number of mopeds over running the streets, crossing the road is a pure nightmare and on several occasions I've come close to having my toes lobbed off!!! On October 10th Hanoi celebrates 1000 years of being capital so you can imagine how absolutely crazy busy it is. More mopeds than usual, more people selling crap than usual, more people in general and most of all a complete wonderful buzz around the entire city, especially the lake area. A far as colour goes Hanoi is bursting with life. The streets are full of lanterns, the shops fronts are full of toys, the trees are full of glow-in-the-dark lights and there roads and people are covered in yellow and red celebratory ribbons and stickers. Whilst all the noise, air pollution and killer traffic may not be your cup of tea and certainly not relaxing the city is still a delight and full of old traditional buildings, funny looking houses, happy people and most of all cheap-as-chips beer =) enough to keep anyone happy!!!
Even though Hanoi is a huge city there isn't too much to see on the sight seeing front. We spent a full day walking around the Museum of Literature where Chinese architecture was in abundance. We also saw the 1 pillar pagoda, the lake, a few other pagodas and caught a dodgy rickshaw ride. Unfortunately we couldn't see the Hoi Chi Ming mausoleum because he's body is apparently in Russia but we did wonder around the grounds a little and I even got booted out of a church for wearing shorts, oops!!!! The evening was spent enjoying 'less than $1 beer' and eating random Vietnamese food i.e rice rice and more rice.
On Tuesday we left Hanoi for our 2 night tour of Halong Bay. We arrived on the boat and enjoyed a delicious sea food lunch and meet some wonderful people. Halong Bay is a UNESCO world heritage site and consists of 1000+ islands poking up from the Gulf of Tonkin, it is a beautiful and peaceful place where the water is warm and the light breeze blows against your skin. The afternoon was spent cruising around the island (some look like animals e.g. fighting cock island) walking through an amazing cave full of more animal shaped rocks and finally taking a swim in the lush water. Claudia and I being the dare devils we are jumped off the boat's roof!!!! After more yummy food for dinner we finished the evening drinking beer and singing karaoke!!!! I am not normally a fan but couldn't resist joining in for Bohemian Rhapsody, Boys Don't Cry and some other tasteful delights. We slept on the boat and were made to awake at 7am for an adventure packed day of kayaking, bicycle riding, jungle trekking and experiencing Cat Ba island from the inside of a hot sweaty mini bus. After the jungle trek on an island I can't remember the name of, Claudia, Daire and I were left in a remote village to spend the night in a bungalow instead of the hotels everyone else was heading too. The bungalows were basic yet endearing except for the giant spiders we made the bungalow owner man kill with a massive stick. Fortunately our beds came equipped with mosquito nets but that didn't stop us being horrified from all the creepy crawly noises we could hear in the dark. After another early start at 6am the 3 of us cycled back to the harbour to catch a boat to Cat Ba island where we were reunited with our other tour members. We spent a few hours cruising around the islands of Halong Bay and were taken back to the main land for lunch and the 3 hour bus ride back to Hanoi. Because we stayed in the bungalow we missed out on a trip to the beach and due to the not so great weather we were unable to visit monkey island =(
Halong Bay was an absolute dream and so relaxing making our arrival in Hanoi last night rather chaotic plus the air pollution felt 100 times worse after spending 3 days by the coast where only a few mopeds could be seen. Daire and I are getting so sick of eating rice we insisted on finding a pizza place for dinner. The pizza and fries was glorious!!!! We spent the evening walking around the lake and witnessing all the celebrations. The air was full of happiness and cheer, glow-in-the-dark toys were in abundance and the skies were full of flashing lights. After a sneaky cocktail we headed back to the hostel and enjoyed a much need sleep.
Today we leave Hanoi for Hue, a southern Vietnam town on the coast. The bus journey is 14 hours but hopefully my Dexter novels will keep me going. The bus leaves this evening so I think we'll spend the day chilling, walking around a little, blogging (obviously) and maybe buying some food for the horrific bus ride.
The weather here is nice, not too hot but high enough we can spend the day walking around in shorts and dresses. I'm getting really paranoid about being bitten by buys though!!!
Speak soon xxxx
On Sunday evening I arrived in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam where I met up with my friends Claudia and Daire. After a lot of catch up chat we feel asleep and woke up to a hot busy city on Monday morning. Hanoi is many things, terrifying, busy, colourful and delightful. It is terrifying because of the sheer number of mopeds over running the streets, crossing the road is a pure nightmare and on several occasions I've come close to having my toes lobbed off!!! On October 10th Hanoi celebrates 1000 years of being capital so you can imagine how absolutely crazy busy it is. More mopeds than usual, more people selling crap than usual, more people in general and most of all a complete wonderful buzz around the entire city, especially the lake area. A far as colour goes Hanoi is bursting with life. The streets are full of lanterns, the shops fronts are full of toys, the trees are full of glow-in-the-dark lights and there roads and people are covered in yellow and red celebratory ribbons and stickers. Whilst all the noise, air pollution and killer traffic may not be your cup of tea and certainly not relaxing the city is still a delight and full of old traditional buildings, funny looking houses, happy people and most of all cheap-as-chips beer =) enough to keep anyone happy!!!
Even though Hanoi is a huge city there isn't too much to see on the sight seeing front. We spent a full day walking around the Museum of Literature where Chinese architecture was in abundance. We also saw the 1 pillar pagoda, the lake, a few other pagodas and caught a dodgy rickshaw ride. Unfortunately we couldn't see the Hoi Chi Ming mausoleum because he's body is apparently in Russia but we did wonder around the grounds a little and I even got booted out of a church for wearing shorts, oops!!!! The evening was spent enjoying 'less than $1 beer' and eating random Vietnamese food i.e rice rice and more rice.
On Tuesday we left Hanoi for our 2 night tour of Halong Bay. We arrived on the boat and enjoyed a delicious sea food lunch and meet some wonderful people. Halong Bay is a UNESCO world heritage site and consists of 1000+ islands poking up from the Gulf of Tonkin, it is a beautiful and peaceful place where the water is warm and the light breeze blows against your skin. The afternoon was spent cruising around the island (some look like animals e.g. fighting cock island) walking through an amazing cave full of more animal shaped rocks and finally taking a swim in the lush water. Claudia and I being the dare devils we are jumped off the boat's roof!!!! After more yummy food for dinner we finished the evening drinking beer and singing karaoke!!!! I am not normally a fan but couldn't resist joining in for Bohemian Rhapsody, Boys Don't Cry and some other tasteful delights. We slept on the boat and were made to awake at 7am for an adventure packed day of kayaking, bicycle riding, jungle trekking and experiencing Cat Ba island from the inside of a hot sweaty mini bus. After the jungle trek on an island I can't remember the name of, Claudia, Daire and I were left in a remote village to spend the night in a bungalow instead of the hotels everyone else was heading too. The bungalows were basic yet endearing except for the giant spiders we made the bungalow owner man kill with a massive stick. Fortunately our beds came equipped with mosquito nets but that didn't stop us being horrified from all the creepy crawly noises we could hear in the dark. After another early start at 6am the 3 of us cycled back to the harbour to catch a boat to Cat Ba island where we were reunited with our other tour members. We spent a few hours cruising around the islands of Halong Bay and were taken back to the main land for lunch and the 3 hour bus ride back to Hanoi. Because we stayed in the bungalow we missed out on a trip to the beach and due to the not so great weather we were unable to visit monkey island =(
Halong Bay was an absolute dream and so relaxing making our arrival in Hanoi last night rather chaotic plus the air pollution felt 100 times worse after spending 3 days by the coast where only a few mopeds could be seen. Daire and I are getting so sick of eating rice we insisted on finding a pizza place for dinner. The pizza and fries was glorious!!!! We spent the evening walking around the lake and witnessing all the celebrations. The air was full of happiness and cheer, glow-in-the-dark toys were in abundance and the skies were full of flashing lights. After a sneaky cocktail we headed back to the hostel and enjoyed a much need sleep.
Today we leave Hanoi for Hue, a southern Vietnam town on the coast. The bus journey is 14 hours but hopefully my Dexter novels will keep me going. The bus leaves this evening so I think we'll spend the day chilling, walking around a little, blogging (obviously) and maybe buying some food for the horrific bus ride.
The weather here is nice, not too hot but high enough we can spend the day walking around in shorts and dresses. I'm getting really paranoid about being bitten by buys though!!!
Speak soon xxxx
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Beijing and Hong Kong
Wow, it certainly has been a busy week for me so I guess the best place to begin is the very beginning.
After an exhausting 18 journey from London including a 4 hour stop over in Dubai I arrived in bright, sunny Beijing. Beijing was a fantastic place sight seeing wise and boy was there a lot to do. The first day I spent walking around the city and exploring the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, Jingshan Park, hutongs and markets. The Forbidden City is where the Chinese Emperors used to live and was completely banned from the public, hence the name. The architecture is traditional Chinese and completely beautiful. All the buildings are made with wood and panted in beautiful colours. There are large pots all over the grounds which used to be full of water to put out fires. You can look into loads of the buildings and see all of the ancient treasures, it's completely amazing! After walking around the Forbidden City and the beautiful Imperial Gardens I walked down to Tiananmen Square. There were guards all over the place making sure protests break out and keeping a look out for any other trouble.
In the afternoon I attempted to find a place to eat lunch mentioned in my tour book. I spent ages trying to find the restaurant only to discover it was full. So I walked around the hutongs (traditional Chinese streets) and found another place that served all kinds of weird meals. After lunch I explored the Temple of Heaven Park and more Chinese architecture and climbed to the top of Jingshan Park to see over the city and all the roofs on the Forbidden City.
After an exhausting day walking I rushed back to my hostel Peking International (lovely place) and went out to see some Chinese Acrobatics which was completely amazing! Those people can move in ways you wouldn't even imagine!
Wednesday was my Chinese high light because it was the day I walked along the Great Wall of China. Words cannot describe how amazing this day was. The views were the most fantastic I have ever seen, walking across the crumbled ruins for 3 hours was breath taking and I can't wait to show you all the photos. It was an exhausting trek but completely worth it, amazing!!!!
That evening I walked through the night market and saw all the weird food on sticks e.g. snakes, beetles and worms, gross!!! I also went out for some famous Peking duck which was completely delicious. Beijing was a fantastic experience, the Chinese traditions were beautiful but the hygiene was disgusting. Their toilets are literally holes in the ground and completely horrid!!!!
On Thursday I flew to Hong Kong to met Charlotte. We've had such a fun time here and I'll be so sad to leave, Hong Kong really is one of the most amazing places on earth. The first night there we went out with Charlotte's work colleges in the famous Lan Kwai Fong where the atmosphere was buzzing and the people were in abundance. Everyone was playing ICE where you have to kneel down when presented with a bottle of Smirnoff Ice and down it! The next thing we knew one guy had bought an entire crate of bottles, hilarious!!! After exploring many bars including one on the 23rd floor of a skyscraper with amazing views we headed home to sleep in preparation for a few days of sight seeing.
On Friday we went for delicious Dim Sum for lunch followed by the bird and ladies market where I bought a few cheap treats. We got the famous Star Ferry across to the markets and back again so at night when all the building had their lights on the views were fantastic. In the evening we went out for Mexican food (a welcome change from Chinese) and headed back to the flat.
Yesterday, we went over to Lantau to see the massive Buddha. after queueing for what felt like forever we got the chair lift over the island where the views were stunning. After climbing 200+ stairs to see the Buddha which was amazing we had some noodles for lunch and joined the queue again for the chair lift again. We headed back to the flat for dinner and then went up to The Peak to see more stunning views of Hong Kong a night. The Peak is the largest viewing point on the island and boy were the views incredible. There really is no other place on earth like the Hong Kong skyline, it is completely breathing taking a night with all the sky scrapes and lights. After a few cocktails at The Peak we caught the rickety tram back down the hill.
My time in Hong Kong with Charlotte has been amazing. I've seen so much, been to so many places and experiences so many things. This city is probably one of the best places I've ever been and I hope I can come back one day. Compared to Beijing, Hong Kong is so clean and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed both places and am really looking forward to meeting Daire and Claudia in Hanoi, Vietnam later!
See you later x
After an exhausting 18 journey from London including a 4 hour stop over in Dubai I arrived in bright, sunny Beijing. Beijing was a fantastic place sight seeing wise and boy was there a lot to do. The first day I spent walking around the city and exploring the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, Jingshan Park, hutongs and markets. The Forbidden City is where the Chinese Emperors used to live and was completely banned from the public, hence the name. The architecture is traditional Chinese and completely beautiful. All the buildings are made with wood and panted in beautiful colours. There are large pots all over the grounds which used to be full of water to put out fires. You can look into loads of the buildings and see all of the ancient treasures, it's completely amazing! After walking around the Forbidden City and the beautiful Imperial Gardens I walked down to Tiananmen Square. There were guards all over the place making sure protests break out and keeping a look out for any other trouble.
In the afternoon I attempted to find a place to eat lunch mentioned in my tour book. I spent ages trying to find the restaurant only to discover it was full. So I walked around the hutongs (traditional Chinese streets) and found another place that served all kinds of weird meals. After lunch I explored the Temple of Heaven Park and more Chinese architecture and climbed to the top of Jingshan Park to see over the city and all the roofs on the Forbidden City.
After an exhausting day walking I rushed back to my hostel Peking International (lovely place) and went out to see some Chinese Acrobatics which was completely amazing! Those people can move in ways you wouldn't even imagine!
Wednesday was my Chinese high light because it was the day I walked along the Great Wall of China. Words cannot describe how amazing this day was. The views were the most fantastic I have ever seen, walking across the crumbled ruins for 3 hours was breath taking and I can't wait to show you all the photos. It was an exhausting trek but completely worth it, amazing!!!!
That evening I walked through the night market and saw all the weird food on sticks e.g. snakes, beetles and worms, gross!!! I also went out for some famous Peking duck which was completely delicious. Beijing was a fantastic experience, the Chinese traditions were beautiful but the hygiene was disgusting. Their toilets are literally holes in the ground and completely horrid!!!!
On Thursday I flew to Hong Kong to met Charlotte. We've had such a fun time here and I'll be so sad to leave, Hong Kong really is one of the most amazing places on earth. The first night there we went out with Charlotte's work colleges in the famous Lan Kwai Fong where the atmosphere was buzzing and the people were in abundance. Everyone was playing ICE where you have to kneel down when presented with a bottle of Smirnoff Ice and down it! The next thing we knew one guy had bought an entire crate of bottles, hilarious!!! After exploring many bars including one on the 23rd floor of a skyscraper with amazing views we headed home to sleep in preparation for a few days of sight seeing.
On Friday we went for delicious Dim Sum for lunch followed by the bird and ladies market where I bought a few cheap treats. We got the famous Star Ferry across to the markets and back again so at night when all the building had their lights on the views were fantastic. In the evening we went out for Mexican food (a welcome change from Chinese) and headed back to the flat.
Yesterday, we went over to Lantau to see the massive Buddha. after queueing for what felt like forever we got the chair lift over the island where the views were stunning. After climbing 200+ stairs to see the Buddha which was amazing we had some noodles for lunch and joined the queue again for the chair lift again. We headed back to the flat for dinner and then went up to The Peak to see more stunning views of Hong Kong a night. The Peak is the largest viewing point on the island and boy were the views incredible. There really is no other place on earth like the Hong Kong skyline, it is completely breathing taking a night with all the sky scrapes and lights. After a few cocktails at The Peak we caught the rickety tram back down the hill.
My time in Hong Kong with Charlotte has been amazing. I've seen so much, been to so many places and experiences so many things. This city is probably one of the best places I've ever been and I hope I can come back one day. Compared to Beijing, Hong Kong is so clean and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed both places and am really looking forward to meeting Daire and Claudia in Hanoi, Vietnam later!
See you later x
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Off again
Today I begin my next adventure, South East Asia with my two friends
from uni Claudia and Daire. First stop Beijing and then Hong Kong to
visit Charlotte. I'm very excited and but also scared as I'll be in
Beijing on my own for 3 days. After visiting Hong Kong I'm meeting
Claudia and Daire in Vietnam. We will also travel to Cambodia, Laos,
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and hopefully Bali. I'm back on December
10th and will miss you all. I'll try and blog about my adventures as
often as I can but who knows what the internet will be like out there!!
Last night I discovered that my camera is broken, I can't get the battery out to charge it PLUS I can't even find the battery charger!!!! I'm going to buy a (cheap) camera in China but so far this isn't a great start...
Take care and see you in 2.5 months
Hannah xxxxxxxxxxx
Last night I discovered that my camera is broken, I can't get the battery out to charge it PLUS I can't even find the battery charger!!!! I'm going to buy a (cheap) camera in China but so far this isn't a great start...
Take care and see you in 2.5 months
Hannah xxxxxxxxxxx
Friday, 18 September 2009
Final chapter
I've been home a couple days now and realised I need to finish my blog so here goes.
Berlin was fab, I did the free tour of East Berlin and it was amazing! We saw loads of Pre WWII sights as well as Nazi related buildings, artefacts from the Cold War and memorials, excellent! I would have tipped the guy more than a fiver but I really couldn't afford too. He was brilliant, told loads of interesting stories, including the most dramatic account of the fall of the Berlin Wall and completely made the city come alive with history, I would definitely recommend it! I also went to the East Side Gallery which is the largest remaining section of the wall, it is covered in art which is currently being repainted to celebrate 20 years since the fall. The art was fantastic! I also went into the Reicstag, to view the city from the famous glass dome which was really beautiful, despite queueing for an age in the cold.
The next day I wondered around the city a bit more to see some other sites and have a stroll through the beautiful Tiergarten. That afternoon I was meant to catch the direct train to Copenhagen. I was half an hour early so patiently waited on the platform for the train. Some how the train came and went without me even realising. How this happened I'm not sure but it was definitely the most retarded thing that happened to me. I managed to find an alternative route where i had to catch 4 train, I arrived in Copenhagen at 2am, fun! Berlin was amazing though, I love the city and really want to go back. There aren't many buildings standing that were built pre WWII but those that are, are covered in bullet and shell holes, graffiti and all sorts, it really make the history come alive and make you realise how recent the war was. Berlin is still a beautiful place despite suffering so much trauma in the last 100 years!
Copenhagen was ace, apart from the terrible bedroom I had! The city was beautiful and serene with plenty to see and do. There were bikes everywhere and I was convinced I would be run over (fortunately not)! I walked around for hours, went to see the Little Mermaid (not great), the harbours, Tivioli (the hugely popular theme park where I went on the rides on my own, sad!) and other sights which I can barely even remember now. I ate the most amazing mussels of my live and really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. The next morning I took a trip to Kristiania which is a free community in the heart of the city. Everyone was on drugs, most stoned, and the atmosphere was so chilled out you could have fallen asleep at the various bars. Everyone lives together and work alongside each other to keep this community going and too not become a refuge for the junkies. There are frequent raids from the Danish police but generally the place is really peaceful. You aren't allowed to take photos which is a shame because there is a lot of beautiful graffiti art and nature as its pretty much a park wit a few buildings.
I found some amazing vintage shops in the city, the selection of clothes and accessories was amazing, unlike the prices!! The high cost is a running theme throughout North Europe, Copenhagen wasn't the worse place for rip off prices but it was still bad. Despite that the city was an amazing place.
That afternoon I caught the ferry to Oslo. On board I watched Harry Potter 6 and slept! Not the most exciting part of the trip!
I arrived in Oslo the next day with no clue where to go! Eventually found the hostel, dumped my stuff and proceeded to explore as i was only in the city for 24 hours. Oslo was very pretty but with little to actually see. Everything was expensive and the free museums weren't amazing. I saw some cool Viking artefacts but the museum with the impressive boats was too far away.
My next port of call was Stockholm which was much more interesting. First of all the city is massive therefore there is a lot more to see. I went to the palace and saw the crown jewels, royal apartments and the museum. I went to the view point, the harbour, wondered around the old town for hours, I went to the comic shop which was full of FREAKS! I have nothing against comics, I read them myself but the people here were a new bred of weird!! I was mesmerized by the half marathon that afternoon and ended up watching against the road side for at least an hour, the people were amazing and I found myself a bit emotional by the whole experience. One of my room mates at the hostel had actually ran it so it was fun talking to him that evening about the whole experience! I want to run the London Marathon one day so my first step is going to be to dig out some trainers and start running.
My final journey was to get another overnight ferry to Helsinki, where I proceeded to sleep for 12 hours. Helsinki was amazing! I wandered around the markets, took a boat trip around the islands, went Christmas shopping and more. By the end of my trip I had seen so many churches, cathedrals, parliaments, city halls I couldn't really be arsed with doing that in Finland so I just walked and explored without a tour book. I chatted for ages with the people at the Hostel and generally had a great time in the vibrant city. I went to an Irish bar and had a stupidly priced cider and tried to buy reindeer meet but 50 quid was too much for a tin!!
After 2 nights in this fab city it was time to get my plane home! A guy from the hostel was also travelling to London and was on the same flight as me, excellent, so it was fab to have company on the otherwise boring 3 hour journey. Mummy met me at Gatwick and after seeing her I realised the trip was at an end!
I had a bloody amazing time and so glad I went, even on my own. It did get a bit lonely at times but I still had the best 5 weeks ever and can't get over how many places I've been and how much I've seen, A LOT! It was nice to come home, I was completely exhausted and in desperate need to vitamins plus I missed everyone a bit by this stage but I'm determined to do more travelling now, but with some friends!
Now that this journey has ended the next is about to begin. In a week and a half I start my masters at Surrey Uni and I'm mega excited! I don't think I'll update this blog until my next adventure but who knows you can never be too sure! So until next time, go see Europe everyone cos its great!
Berlin was fab, I did the free tour of East Berlin and it was amazing! We saw loads of Pre WWII sights as well as Nazi related buildings, artefacts from the Cold War and memorials, excellent! I would have tipped the guy more than a fiver but I really couldn't afford too. He was brilliant, told loads of interesting stories, including the most dramatic account of the fall of the Berlin Wall and completely made the city come alive with history, I would definitely recommend it! I also went to the East Side Gallery which is the largest remaining section of the wall, it is covered in art which is currently being repainted to celebrate 20 years since the fall. The art was fantastic! I also went into the Reicstag, to view the city from the famous glass dome which was really beautiful, despite queueing for an age in the cold.
The next day I wondered around the city a bit more to see some other sites and have a stroll through the beautiful Tiergarten. That afternoon I was meant to catch the direct train to Copenhagen. I was half an hour early so patiently waited on the platform for the train. Some how the train came and went without me even realising. How this happened I'm not sure but it was definitely the most retarded thing that happened to me. I managed to find an alternative route where i had to catch 4 train, I arrived in Copenhagen at 2am, fun! Berlin was amazing though, I love the city and really want to go back. There aren't many buildings standing that were built pre WWII but those that are, are covered in bullet and shell holes, graffiti and all sorts, it really make the history come alive and make you realise how recent the war was. Berlin is still a beautiful place despite suffering so much trauma in the last 100 years!
Copenhagen was ace, apart from the terrible bedroom I had! The city was beautiful and serene with plenty to see and do. There were bikes everywhere and I was convinced I would be run over (fortunately not)! I walked around for hours, went to see the Little Mermaid (not great), the harbours, Tivioli (the hugely popular theme park where I went on the rides on my own, sad!) and other sights which I can barely even remember now. I ate the most amazing mussels of my live and really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. The next morning I took a trip to Kristiania which is a free community in the heart of the city. Everyone was on drugs, most stoned, and the atmosphere was so chilled out you could have fallen asleep at the various bars. Everyone lives together and work alongside each other to keep this community going and too not become a refuge for the junkies. There are frequent raids from the Danish police but generally the place is really peaceful. You aren't allowed to take photos which is a shame because there is a lot of beautiful graffiti art and nature as its pretty much a park wit a few buildings.
I found some amazing vintage shops in the city, the selection of clothes and accessories was amazing, unlike the prices!! The high cost is a running theme throughout North Europe, Copenhagen wasn't the worse place for rip off prices but it was still bad. Despite that the city was an amazing place.
That afternoon I caught the ferry to Oslo. On board I watched Harry Potter 6 and slept! Not the most exciting part of the trip!
I arrived in Oslo the next day with no clue where to go! Eventually found the hostel, dumped my stuff and proceeded to explore as i was only in the city for 24 hours. Oslo was very pretty but with little to actually see. Everything was expensive and the free museums weren't amazing. I saw some cool Viking artefacts but the museum with the impressive boats was too far away.
My next port of call was Stockholm which was much more interesting. First of all the city is massive therefore there is a lot more to see. I went to the palace and saw the crown jewels, royal apartments and the museum. I went to the view point, the harbour, wondered around the old town for hours, I went to the comic shop which was full of FREAKS! I have nothing against comics, I read them myself but the people here were a new bred of weird!! I was mesmerized by the half marathon that afternoon and ended up watching against the road side for at least an hour, the people were amazing and I found myself a bit emotional by the whole experience. One of my room mates at the hostel had actually ran it so it was fun talking to him that evening about the whole experience! I want to run the London Marathon one day so my first step is going to be to dig out some trainers and start running.
My final journey was to get another overnight ferry to Helsinki, where I proceeded to sleep for 12 hours. Helsinki was amazing! I wandered around the markets, took a boat trip around the islands, went Christmas shopping and more. By the end of my trip I had seen so many churches, cathedrals, parliaments, city halls I couldn't really be arsed with doing that in Finland so I just walked and explored without a tour book. I chatted for ages with the people at the Hostel and generally had a great time in the vibrant city. I went to an Irish bar and had a stupidly priced cider and tried to buy reindeer meet but 50 quid was too much for a tin!!
After 2 nights in this fab city it was time to get my plane home! A guy from the hostel was also travelling to London and was on the same flight as me, excellent, so it was fab to have company on the otherwise boring 3 hour journey. Mummy met me at Gatwick and after seeing her I realised the trip was at an end!
I had a bloody amazing time and so glad I went, even on my own. It did get a bit lonely at times but I still had the best 5 weeks ever and can't get over how many places I've been and how much I've seen, A LOT! It was nice to come home, I was completely exhausted and in desperate need to vitamins plus I missed everyone a bit by this stage but I'm determined to do more travelling now, but with some friends!
Now that this journey has ended the next is about to begin. In a week and a half I start my masters at Surrey Uni and I'm mega excited! I don't think I'll update this blog until my next adventure but who knows you can never be too sure! So until next time, go see Europe everyone cos its great!
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