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
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodia. Show all posts
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
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
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