5/8/09
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!
On your marks, get set, Go!!!!
Love, love, love this place, noise, dust, traffic everywhere & tiny alley's but great fun!
Arrived after one of the worst border crossings ever, standing in line in the sweltering heat waiting for your passport to be called out! Plus they were taking temperatures checking for swine flu! How they could tell if anyone had a fever in that heat is beyond me!
Found a cool little hotel down one of the alleys called Hoang Phong Hotel, $18 per night with brekkie.
Sat & had a few beverages down the main street & fell for the first blag in Vietnam! A guy came up & started massaging my shoulders, it was lush! I thought he worked at the bar & it was all part of the service but after about 15 mins & the best massage ever he wanted about $4! J gave him $2 & told him to do one!
6/8/09
Still alive after numerous road crossings! Get in!
Went on JJ's walking tour of the city all around the historical sights, needless to say we got to all the museums at lunch time & they were shut for lunch! The post office here is amazing, huge high ceilings, art deco etc....
Just stood watching the traffic at main intersections, it was hilarious!!
Stopped for a pit stop & I had an iced coffee, they put a mini perculator thing on your glass for the coffee to filter through onto a layer of condensed milk, then you mix it all up & pour over ice, lush!
The city has a real friendly feel, lots of small alleys with the narrowest houses ever with stairs leading up, kinda like bunk bed stairs! Very strong sense of community here with people all out on the streets, in the alley's talking, selling, playing games.....
Walked down what must have been shoe street with hundreds of pairs of shoes, all looking the same & then Antique road full of old coins, camera's, paintings etc....
After a full day's walking we got showered & headed out.
Walked left out of the hotel instead of right & turned one corner to find the 'Taj Mahal' Indian restaurant! What a find & it's not even curry Sunday! 2 chicken tikka's later, couple of beers & a mango lassi we've made friends with the owner a very funny smiley lady! Took J's picture with her!
Went for a walk around & found all the action so going back tomorrow night!
Friday 7 August 2009
Monday 3 August 2009
01/08/2009 to 04/08/2009 Phom Penh
01/08/2009
In Kampot until the bus pick up at 12.15 or so we thought...Went for a wander and breakfast at a Artists cafe they employ some deaf children and have something to do with the performing arts places across the road.
Waited for the bus pick up at the hotel, cut a long story short, it forgot us, managed to get the hotel guy to phone the company, get us taken down to the Taxi ranks on the back of Mopeds (moto's). We had $10 dollars back from the bus and for another $5 dollars we had our own taxi to Phom Penh, took 2.5 hours and got dropped of where we wanted not at a bus station miles out of the way.
We Headed for the Nordis Hotel on street 136 cos this is where Kevin and Theresa were staying and they knind of look for the same kind of thing as us, unfortunately it was full so round the corner got a room at the Paragon hotel on the river, we didn't go crazy and get a River view road but our room had windows on two sides towards the back and you can get out and sit on the communial balcony anyway..
Kevin and Theresa met us at happy hour, had left them a note, had a few beers then went to Huxley, English pub for dinner, Nic had her Shepherd pie with baked beans, delighted, I got crap Phad Thai.
me and kevin went round to Chivas for 50 cent beers, just thought we'd have a couple, ended up back at the guesthouse at 2.30 am oops!
Kev's new nickname is Fifty Cent (after the rapper!)
02/08/2009
Got up intending to go to the Royal Palace but we heard it was pretty rubbish and nothing like the Bangkok one so we blew it out. We decided to go for a long walk down to The Man Lou brewery pub for beer and Dim Sum breakfast. We tried all 4 of their beers (they have their own micro brewery) and opted for a a jug of the green one that is brewed from a flower from under the sea' well thats what they said any way... we got a few dims and salt chilli ribs like the old days at chef hong kong.
met the guys at Huxley, watched a bit of the test match and then went for lush Indian, curry sunday is back, tried to get them to do Garlic chilli Chicken, no luck but still lush
03/08/2009
Went to the killing fields and then to S21 torture prison in the city. To be honest we both didn't like it too much but we had to do it while we were here, there are alot of pictures and alot of skulls and bones unearthed from the mass graves at the killing fields, we are glad we did it to at least see it but not sure we would recommend it.
www.cekillingfield.com
It was a very sobering, moving place all made worse that it didn't happen that long ago, about the year I was born, plus the trial is still going on for one of the leaders called 'Dutch', Kev & Theresa went to watch some of the trial that was translated into English at the court house. Apparently this guy showed no remorse.....
On the back of seeing all the death we decided not to go and shoot AK47's at the range tomorrow.
Been trying to phone Biggy on St Davids day morning but the phone is still busy, where are you guys???
we are off out for khymer food tonight. This didn't happen as we met the guys, had a few buckets & JJ fell asleep in the bar!!! So takeaway pizza it was!
Funny things:
'Buy my book' kiddies every 5 mins would ask!
Ladies wearing pyjamas everywhere! Very funny!
'Precious menu's' no sooner have they given them toy uo but they want them back!
J's filters cost $6!!!! Needless to say he didn't buy them!
Saw a cool place called 'The viscious Cycle' which was a launderette & bicycle hire!
J found 3 more Mario Puzo books, result, so we can spend the rest of our trip reading Godfather books! He's reading 'Treasure Island' at the mo, big kid!
Donated spare t-shirts, toothbrushes & other bits to an orphanage.
In Kampot until the bus pick up at 12.15 or so we thought...Went for a wander and breakfast at a Artists cafe they employ some deaf children and have something to do with the performing arts places across the road.
Waited for the bus pick up at the hotel, cut a long story short, it forgot us, managed to get the hotel guy to phone the company, get us taken down to the Taxi ranks on the back of Mopeds (moto's). We had $10 dollars back from the bus and for another $5 dollars we had our own taxi to Phom Penh, took 2.5 hours and got dropped of where we wanted not at a bus station miles out of the way.
We Headed for the Nordis Hotel on street 136 cos this is where Kevin and Theresa were staying and they knind of look for the same kind of thing as us, unfortunately it was full so round the corner got a room at the Paragon hotel on the river, we didn't go crazy and get a River view road but our room had windows on two sides towards the back and you can get out and sit on the communial balcony anyway..
Kevin and Theresa met us at happy hour, had left them a note, had a few beers then went to Huxley, English pub for dinner, Nic had her Shepherd pie with baked beans, delighted, I got crap Phad Thai.
me and kevin went round to Chivas for 50 cent beers, just thought we'd have a couple, ended up back at the guesthouse at 2.30 am oops!
Kev's new nickname is Fifty Cent (after the rapper!)
02/08/2009
Got up intending to go to the Royal Palace but we heard it was pretty rubbish and nothing like the Bangkok one so we blew it out. We decided to go for a long walk down to The Man Lou brewery pub for beer and Dim Sum breakfast. We tried all 4 of their beers (they have their own micro brewery) and opted for a a jug of the green one that is brewed from a flower from under the sea' well thats what they said any way... we got a few dims and salt chilli ribs like the old days at chef hong kong.
met the guys at Huxley, watched a bit of the test match and then went for lush Indian, curry sunday is back, tried to get them to do Garlic chilli Chicken, no luck but still lush
03/08/2009
Went to the killing fields and then to S21 torture prison in the city. To be honest we both didn't like it too much but we had to do it while we were here, there are alot of pictures and alot of skulls and bones unearthed from the mass graves at the killing fields, we are glad we did it to at least see it but not sure we would recommend it.
www.cekillingfield.com
It was a very sobering, moving place all made worse that it didn't happen that long ago, about the year I was born, plus the trial is still going on for one of the leaders called 'Dutch', Kev & Theresa went to watch some of the trial that was translated into English at the court house. Apparently this guy showed no remorse.....
On the back of seeing all the death we decided not to go and shoot AK47's at the range tomorrow.
Been trying to phone Biggy on St Davids day morning but the phone is still busy, where are you guys???
we are off out for khymer food tonight. This didn't happen as we met the guys, had a few buckets & JJ fell asleep in the bar!!! So takeaway pizza it was!
Funny things:
'Buy my book' kiddies every 5 mins would ask!
Ladies wearing pyjamas everywhere! Very funny!
'Precious menu's' no sooner have they given them toy uo but they want them back!
J's filters cost $6!!!! Needless to say he didn't buy them!
Saw a cool place called 'The viscious Cycle' which was a launderette & bicycle hire!
J found 3 more Mario Puzo books, result, so we can spend the rest of our trip reading Godfather books! He's reading 'Treasure Island' at the mo, big kid!
Donated spare t-shirts, toothbrushes & other bits to an orphanage.
31/07/2009 kampot and kep
had an oil leak on the mini-van so had to stop while they fixed that, met a teacher guy who gave us some good Kampot, Kep and also India info, he'd lived out there a couple of years and had done the stuff that we wanted to do, plus told us about a good beach place north of Goa.
We arrived in Kampot at about 10.30 got a tuk tuk with a very nice lad for a dollar to take us to look at a couple of places, ended up taking a room at the first place for $13 dollars, Kampot didn't look all that, very quiet again and not much other than the river to see, we arranged for tuk tuk man to come get us at 11.30 and take us down to Kep, see a few sites on the way down and then stop for lunch.
Kep speciality is fresh crab fried with Kampot Green pepper corn, its absolutely lush. We ordered the large plate with a large plate of fresh bar b q big shrimps cooked on bamboo sticks with a cracked black pepper & lime juice dipping sauce, you gotta try it!!! they boil the crab then crack it up, stir fry quick with green pepper, spring onions, couple of other bit, I don't normally eat the grey bit but that was all in there in the kind of sauce, was amazing. that little lot cost $22 dollars with 2 beers, how good is that. Stopped at an old French colonial building on the way back, saw the holes still in the walls from the vietnamese invasions, fishing village on the way back... got the bus tickets to leave the next day thru the tuk tuk driver, he gets a little knock back so thought that would be ok. He was really nice, spoke perfect English, was one of five children & he was the main breadwinner. He knew he had to think of the future & that being a Tuk Tuk driver was just a 'Hand to mouth' existence so he was looking into jobs on the tour buses. He said his younger brothers were spoilt being the youngest!
found the only kind of English pub later on back in kampot, had a few pints and then shared ribs.. yes the diet is going really well.
Aparently Kampot green pepper is really famous, especially in Paris... we didn't know that...
We arrived in Kampot at about 10.30 got a tuk tuk with a very nice lad for a dollar to take us to look at a couple of places, ended up taking a room at the first place for $13 dollars, Kampot didn't look all that, very quiet again and not much other than the river to see, we arranged for tuk tuk man to come get us at 11.30 and take us down to Kep, see a few sites on the way down and then stop for lunch.
Kep speciality is fresh crab fried with Kampot Green pepper corn, its absolutely lush. We ordered the large plate with a large plate of fresh bar b q big shrimps cooked on bamboo sticks with a cracked black pepper & lime juice dipping sauce, you gotta try it!!! they boil the crab then crack it up, stir fry quick with green pepper, spring onions, couple of other bit, I don't normally eat the grey bit but that was all in there in the kind of sauce, was amazing. that little lot cost $22 dollars with 2 beers, how good is that. Stopped at an old French colonial building on the way back, saw the holes still in the walls from the vietnamese invasions, fishing village on the way back... got the bus tickets to leave the next day thru the tuk tuk driver, he gets a little knock back so thought that would be ok. He was really nice, spoke perfect English, was one of five children & he was the main breadwinner. He knew he had to think of the future & that being a Tuk Tuk driver was just a 'Hand to mouth' existence so he was looking into jobs on the tour buses. He said his younger brothers were spoilt being the youngest!
found the only kind of English pub later on back in kampot, had a few pints and then shared ribs.. yes the diet is going really well.
Aparently Kampot green pepper is really famous, especially in Paris... we didn't know that...
28/07/2009 to 30/07/2009 Sihanouk Ville
28/07/2009
We arrived on the worst over night for a while. When we booked the tickets we thought the bus might be like the picture on the poster, well wouldn't you? we expected a kind of sleeper seat bus but it turned out that it was just an express bus, we did get the water that they said but we never saw the pillow and blanket... nic was not happy, luckily super ginge had packed an extra T-shirt and she could wear that, I hardly got any sleep but it wasn't really that bad. They played the same film that we had on another bus, its about some kind of south american tribe where a village gets slaughtered and people taken away as slaves, directed by Mel Gibson. straight after that they put on another horror film, all good.
The ride was really bumpy and to be honest pretty scarey, at least in the day you can see out the window at whats coming up.
We arrived in the midle of town at about 7 am, managed to get a Tuk-tuk and went down to mainish street near Serenpidy Beach where we'd seen a couple of places in the book that sounded ok, we booked into Orchidee, knocked them down a couple of dollars to $22, the place has a pool and breakfast so will be a nice treat.
Got showered and although tired went staight out on a tuk tuk to explore the area, victory beach and stuff, when we arrived it seemed really quiet so we wanted to make sure we weren't going to be wasting time staying for too long...
On the way out we got the driver to take us via the Vietnam embassy, we thought we'd find out how long it would take, would save us time in Phom Penh, result, we were unbelievably in and out within about 5 mins, $40 each job done. We went round towards Victory hill, stopped at Hawaii beach and in a bit of a circuit then back to the Hotel. The weather didn't help much but there really isn't all that much to see.
We went for a walk along the beach road and up to the gold lions round about, then jumped in another tuk tuk up to the main town, they had a Irish pub (Emerald), we thought that would be a good start, don't bother if you ever visit it was rubbish, we had a quick toasty and went. We walked down to the main drag, popped into another place for a quick beer, full of blokes, Nic got a kind of come on on the way to the toilet, there was some really psycho looking bloke sitting on the next table, any way we had one beer and went... nothing else about really so we got a tuk tuk back, popped into the Shipwreck pub, result init was happy hour, a couple in there there, a couple in the Moon Shack 3 then back to base pretty early with a bottle of vodka for baked beans in front of the telly... I was aparently asleep by 8.30
29/07/2009
the suns out yippee, had the breakfast, good buffet type thing with even Brown bread, eggs, ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, yum.
Layed by the pool, lush, well worth the extra couple of dollars...
They have loads of bar b q places on our street so we wandered down and looked at a couple, ended up round round at the Moon Shack 3, still 50 cent draught beer, $1 vodka and cokes, $1.5 cocktails all good.. we bother went for the $5 whole red snapper with loads of home made coleslaw and baked potatoe, awesome fish, great evening.
30/07/2009
Another day of no rain so stayed by the pool after a bit of internetting.
went for a couple of early beers in the cheeky monkey, in what we thought would be the busier area, not alot going on anywhere but the lads behind the bar were funny.
ended up back at the same bar b place and had chicken and beef with a side plate full of fresh prawns..
31/07/2009
Got mini van to kampot
We arrived on the worst over night for a while. When we booked the tickets we thought the bus might be like the picture on the poster, well wouldn't you? we expected a kind of sleeper seat bus but it turned out that it was just an express bus, we did get the water that they said but we never saw the pillow and blanket... nic was not happy, luckily super ginge had packed an extra T-shirt and she could wear that, I hardly got any sleep but it wasn't really that bad. They played the same film that we had on another bus, its about some kind of south american tribe where a village gets slaughtered and people taken away as slaves, directed by Mel Gibson. straight after that they put on another horror film, all good.
The ride was really bumpy and to be honest pretty scarey, at least in the day you can see out the window at whats coming up.
We arrived in the midle of town at about 7 am, managed to get a Tuk-tuk and went down to mainish street near Serenpidy Beach where we'd seen a couple of places in the book that sounded ok, we booked into Orchidee, knocked them down a couple of dollars to $22, the place has a pool and breakfast so will be a nice treat.
Got showered and although tired went staight out on a tuk tuk to explore the area, victory beach and stuff, when we arrived it seemed really quiet so we wanted to make sure we weren't going to be wasting time staying for too long...
On the way out we got the driver to take us via the Vietnam embassy, we thought we'd find out how long it would take, would save us time in Phom Penh, result, we were unbelievably in and out within about 5 mins, $40 each job done. We went round towards Victory hill, stopped at Hawaii beach and in a bit of a circuit then back to the Hotel. The weather didn't help much but there really isn't all that much to see.
We went for a walk along the beach road and up to the gold lions round about, then jumped in another tuk tuk up to the main town, they had a Irish pub (Emerald), we thought that would be a good start, don't bother if you ever visit it was rubbish, we had a quick toasty and went. We walked down to the main drag, popped into another place for a quick beer, full of blokes, Nic got a kind of come on on the way to the toilet, there was some really psycho looking bloke sitting on the next table, any way we had one beer and went... nothing else about really so we got a tuk tuk back, popped into the Shipwreck pub, result init was happy hour, a couple in there there, a couple in the Moon Shack 3 then back to base pretty early with a bottle of vodka for baked beans in front of the telly... I was aparently asleep by 8.30
29/07/2009
the suns out yippee, had the breakfast, good buffet type thing with even Brown bread, eggs, ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, yum.
Layed by the pool, lush, well worth the extra couple of dollars...
They have loads of bar b q places on our street so we wandered down and looked at a couple, ended up round round at the Moon Shack 3, still 50 cent draught beer, $1 vodka and cokes, $1.5 cocktails all good.. we bother went for the $5 whole red snapper with loads of home made coleslaw and baked potatoe, awesome fish, great evening.
30/07/2009
Another day of no rain so stayed by the pool after a bit of internetting.
went for a couple of early beers in the cheeky monkey, in what we thought would be the busier area, not alot going on anywhere but the lads behind the bar were funny.
ended up back at the same bar b place and had chicken and beef with a side plate full of fresh prawns..
31/07/2009
Got mini van to kampot
Friday 24 July 2009
23/7/09 - 24/7/09 Cambodia - Kratie -Irrwaddy Dolphins
23/7/09
Said goodbye to 'No have', Massage' & 'Where you go' land!!!
Hmmmm how do I explain the journey from Pakse in Laos to the Cambodian border & then onto Kratie......You know those trucks you see on the motorway at home that have cattle stuffed in them with just about enough room to breath, flies all round them with the thought that they will soon be slaughtered?
Well it's kinda like that, you are stuffed into a minivan(not the nice VIP one you have just seen leave with the travellers that have yet again got the whole ticket thing sussed) with Argentinian travellers playing strange hippy music, flies & muddy seats, travel to weird villages down mud tracks stopping now & then to drop off & pick up new people or to collect the drivers shopping, when you do stop you have to pay to use the worst squat toilet ever & the woman smiles as she takes the money & looks on bemused while you frantically squirt on hand sanitizer!
At the 1st border to leave, yes, leave Laos you have to pay $2 each for the exit stamp, must be $1 to raise the arm & the same to lower it, straight into their back pocket. Then walk 1/2 a mile in the heat with your bag across no mans land to enter Cambodia where again they charge you $2 each for a stamp & of course are very moody as they ask for it! Then you go through customs where for the first time ever he asks to see our immunisation records & passports again (give this guy his due he was smiley & nice) then lets you on your way.
Back on the minivan, then you arrive at the lunch stop & the cheese baguette (if I see another one of those it will be too soon!) you ordered arrives with 2 Laughing Cow triangles (yes even the cheese laughs at you over here)& ants all over it, you then get your seat on the next minivan 1st, to ensure you have one only to be told 'You BIG, you sit in the front' so you get sat next to the tiniest Cambodian girl you've ever seen just to rub it in! Face masks are passed out by the driver to his fellow Cambodians so we asked for one too for a laugh, well I'm sure we have more to worry about than they do!
Eventually we arrive in Kratie & wave goodbye to the suckers that are doing the trip all the way to Siam Riep (another 5 hours, stay overnight then another 4ish hours)!
Bonus, the hotel we sort of made a b line for is $13, great & the boys on the desk are great fun. Wow the shower never felt so good! We even get free flip flop slippers, no robes though!
We are assured that we will see the rare, critically endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins. So with the thought in our minds that that was what they said about the bloody elephants we hand over our $28 & book the trip! Suckers!!!!
Sat in the bar next door & found cheap vodka & orange's, J had his first 'Angkor' beer, planned our next steps in Cambodia, dinner then bed to dream of dolphins!!
24/7/09
Luckily we woke up as the alarm didn't go off, shot out for brekkie before 8am when we leave to go & see the dolphins.
J had Heinz Baked Beans on toast, no not the ones he got for his birthday!
Bought a couple of books too, Treasure Island & 'A Cooks Tour' by Anthony Bourdain for when we've finished all the Godfather/Mafia books!
Got picked up by our 2 man motorbike tuk tuk & drove for about 40 mins along the mighty Mekong River through various little villages with all the people waving & saying 'Hello' as we went by. The kiddies are soooo cute & smiley! Saw a few pigs & some mud for good measure!
Got on the boat & surprisingly didn't have to walk in any mud, what's going on? Met our nice smiley boat driver & headed out to dolphin watch!
WOW, we saw them! I know this sounds like a proper'you've turned into a traveller' comment but we both felt so, so lucky & privileged to see these dolphins as they are so rare. Took loads of pictures which was fun as the water is so muddy you have trouble guessing where they will pop up next but we got a few & some film clips.
Spent about an hour just watching them........
Back at base we walked around, booked the bus for tomorrow am to Siem Riep, only a 9 hour journey hope JJ gets enough leg room or I'll chuck him in the Mekong!!
J got a well needed hair cut for $2, well funny all the hairdressing team came out to watch, still amazed by the ginger locks!
Well we're in Cambodia now & have been greeted with happy smiley faces everywhere we go bring it on!!
Things we have noticed just crossing over the border:
1. Mechanical farm equipment has been replaced with horse/cow & cart.
2. Mopeds have no electric start, they are all kick start.
3. Saw the first rubbish bins for a long time & a big sign warning people not to drop rubbish in the Mekong. Shame, a walk around & it seems to be that the bins are not being used.....
4. Poorer people but seem really happy & would do anything for you.......
Said goodbye to 'No have', Massage' & 'Where you go' land!!!
Hmmmm how do I explain the journey from Pakse in Laos to the Cambodian border & then onto Kratie......You know those trucks you see on the motorway at home that have cattle stuffed in them with just about enough room to breath, flies all round them with the thought that they will soon be slaughtered?
Well it's kinda like that, you are stuffed into a minivan(not the nice VIP one you have just seen leave with the travellers that have yet again got the whole ticket thing sussed) with Argentinian travellers playing strange hippy music, flies & muddy seats, travel to weird villages down mud tracks stopping now & then to drop off & pick up new people or to collect the drivers shopping, when you do stop you have to pay to use the worst squat toilet ever & the woman smiles as she takes the money & looks on bemused while you frantically squirt on hand sanitizer!
At the 1st border to leave, yes, leave Laos you have to pay $2 each for the exit stamp, must be $1 to raise the arm & the same to lower it, straight into their back pocket. Then walk 1/2 a mile in the heat with your bag across no mans land to enter Cambodia where again they charge you $2 each for a stamp & of course are very moody as they ask for it! Then you go through customs where for the first time ever he asks to see our immunisation records & passports again (give this guy his due he was smiley & nice) then lets you on your way.
Back on the minivan, then you arrive at the lunch stop & the cheese baguette (if I see another one of those it will be too soon!) you ordered arrives with 2 Laughing Cow triangles (yes even the cheese laughs at you over here)& ants all over it, you then get your seat on the next minivan 1st, to ensure you have one only to be told 'You BIG, you sit in the front' so you get sat next to the tiniest Cambodian girl you've ever seen just to rub it in! Face masks are passed out by the driver to his fellow Cambodians so we asked for one too for a laugh, well I'm sure we have more to worry about than they do!
Eventually we arrive in Kratie & wave goodbye to the suckers that are doing the trip all the way to Siam Riep (another 5 hours, stay overnight then another 4ish hours)!
Bonus, the hotel we sort of made a b line for is $13, great & the boys on the desk are great fun. Wow the shower never felt so good! We even get free flip flop slippers, no robes though!
We are assured that we will see the rare, critically endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins. So with the thought in our minds that that was what they said about the bloody elephants we hand over our $28 & book the trip! Suckers!!!!
Sat in the bar next door & found cheap vodka & orange's, J had his first 'Angkor' beer, planned our next steps in Cambodia, dinner then bed to dream of dolphins!!
24/7/09
Luckily we woke up as the alarm didn't go off, shot out for brekkie before 8am when we leave to go & see the dolphins.
J had Heinz Baked Beans on toast, no not the ones he got for his birthday!
Bought a couple of books too, Treasure Island & 'A Cooks Tour' by Anthony Bourdain for when we've finished all the Godfather/Mafia books!
Got picked up by our 2 man motorbike tuk tuk & drove for about 40 mins along the mighty Mekong River through various little villages with all the people waving & saying 'Hello' as we went by. The kiddies are soooo cute & smiley! Saw a few pigs & some mud for good measure!
Got on the boat & surprisingly didn't have to walk in any mud, what's going on? Met our nice smiley boat driver & headed out to dolphin watch!
WOW, we saw them! I know this sounds like a proper'you've turned into a traveller' comment but we both felt so, so lucky & privileged to see these dolphins as they are so rare. Took loads of pictures which was fun as the water is so muddy you have trouble guessing where they will pop up next but we got a few & some film clips.
Spent about an hour just watching them........
Back at base we walked around, booked the bus for tomorrow am to Siem Riep, only a 9 hour journey hope JJ gets enough leg room or I'll chuck him in the Mekong!!
J got a well needed hair cut for $2, well funny all the hairdressing team came out to watch, still amazed by the ginger locks!
Well we're in Cambodia now & have been greeted with happy smiley faces everywhere we go bring it on!!
Things we have noticed just crossing over the border:
1. Mechanical farm equipment has been replaced with horse/cow & cart.
2. Mopeds have no electric start, they are all kick start.
3. Saw the first rubbish bins for a long time & a big sign warning people not to drop rubbish in the Mekong. Shame, a walk around & it seems to be that the bins are not being used.....
4. Poorer people but seem really happy & would do anything for you.......
10/7/09 - 11/7/09 Vang Vieng River tubing
10/7/09
Left Luang Prubang on the bus to Vieng Vieng. On the way the scenery was AMAZING, up through the northernish hills, past remote villages with people showering on the roadside etc....Had an amazing & free lunch about 1/2 way & arrived early afternoon.
What a funny, funny place well s**t hole springs to mind really! It is purely set up for backpackers who want to watch 'Friends' on TV all day & go river tubing!
So what did we do, walked around in the heat,J talked to a weird looking slightly ill looking man who mentioned spermicide at one point & who we then avoided like the plague, found a guest house & sat downstairs watching friends! Yes J too & he loved it! Ha wait til we get home!
Bumped into Jasmin, Reenie, Erin & Marcel. Ended up going to a bar with Marcel& Reenie for a few more, well until about 1am & J and Marcel order 'Happy' Garlic bread! Say no more!!!!
11/7/09
J & Marcel feeling a bit rough from the potent 'Happy' garlic bread!
Matching 'Team' t-shirts on the 6 of us, 2 Brits, 2 Aussie's & 2 Austrians headed to the office to get our tuuuubes for river tubing!
Very drunk & very, very funny, you tube down the river & they pull you into bars by throwing you a life line, lots of free Laos Whiskey, mud vollyball, mud bath, mud fights, death slides & zip wire's into the river!!!! Not sure it's the safest thing we've done but was definatly the funniest!! Erin excelled in the zip line acrobatic's competition!!
Lost Erin on the way but she managed to find her way back by walking through paddy fields, loosing her camera & watch, scratching up her legs but at least she got back safe & sound!
However.......On the way back I had a near death experience, we were all holding hands on our rings to stay together & my tube hit a tree stump, I was thrown off & went under water & then was caught by my lifejacket on the stump in the middle of the rushing water!!! Luckily Jay managed to hold onto a stump near me otherwise I'd have been well scared, yes I did cry!!! Managed to free myself eventually & get back on my ring, phew the Bird lives to see another day!!! Had massive bruises the next day on my dinner ladies though!!
Check out the photo's on Facebook!
Got back at 1 minute to 6pm so got our full deposit back yay! Oh & I also got a refund on the loan of the waterproof bag which made the near death experience a bit better!
Left Luang Prubang on the bus to Vieng Vieng. On the way the scenery was AMAZING, up through the northernish hills, past remote villages with people showering on the roadside etc....Had an amazing & free lunch about 1/2 way & arrived early afternoon.
What a funny, funny place well s**t hole springs to mind really! It is purely set up for backpackers who want to watch 'Friends' on TV all day & go river tubing!
So what did we do, walked around in the heat,J talked to a weird looking slightly ill looking man who mentioned spermicide at one point & who we then avoided like the plague, found a guest house & sat downstairs watching friends! Yes J too & he loved it! Ha wait til we get home!
Bumped into Jasmin, Reenie, Erin & Marcel. Ended up going to a bar with Marcel& Reenie for a few more, well until about 1am & J and Marcel order 'Happy' Garlic bread! Say no more!!!!
11/7/09
J & Marcel feeling a bit rough from the potent 'Happy' garlic bread!
Matching 'Team' t-shirts on the 6 of us, 2 Brits, 2 Aussie's & 2 Austrians headed to the office to get our tuuuubes for river tubing!
Very drunk & very, very funny, you tube down the river & they pull you into bars by throwing you a life line, lots of free Laos Whiskey, mud vollyball, mud bath, mud fights, death slides & zip wire's into the river!!!! Not sure it's the safest thing we've done but was definatly the funniest!! Erin excelled in the zip line acrobatic's competition!!
Lost Erin on the way but she managed to find her way back by walking through paddy fields, loosing her camera & watch, scratching up her legs but at least she got back safe & sound!
However.......On the way back I had a near death experience, we were all holding hands on our rings to stay together & my tube hit a tree stump, I was thrown off & went under water & then was caught by my lifejacket on the stump in the middle of the rushing water!!! Luckily Jay managed to hold onto a stump near me otherwise I'd have been well scared, yes I did cry!!! Managed to free myself eventually & get back on my ring, phew the Bird lives to see another day!!! Had massive bruises the next day on my dinner ladies though!!
Check out the photo's on Facebook!
Got back at 1 minute to 6pm so got our full deposit back yay! Oh & I also got a refund on the loan of the waterproof bag which made the near death experience a bit better!
Wednesday 22 July 2009
6/7/09 - 7/7/09 Chaing Rai - Laos Mekong River trip
6/7/09
I think it must have rained all night & yes it was still raining when we got up in the early hours for our pick up at 6:30am to get to Laos!
So rain mac's & umbrella's in hand off we went!
1st leg was in a minivan, just us, wow, to the Thailand border up North, here we got our exit stamps & slipped on the muddy bank, nearly went arse over tit but brought it back at the last minute & got on our boat to cross the Mekong to the Laos entry border. Got visa all OK, tuk, tuk to the longboat, bought baguettes on the way as was told there was no food or drink on board (liars!), I asked for more filling as she well scrimped!
Got on the boat that was meant to leave at 11am but eventually left at 12 after letting scarily loads more people on board! No life jackets to be seen!
Still raining.......
Met two guys from Thailand on the boat who were sat in front of us, they were really nice, just on their hols.
Seats were well uncomfortable, just wooden benches......J softened the blow by having a beer, his first Beer Lao! Oh yes, forgot to say, there was a bar on board & they sold food after all!!!!
Arrived in Pak Beng the 1/2 way stop, grabbed the bags & then had to walk on the thinnest piece of wood to get to shore, could have all ended badly! Usual crowd there selling rooms so we opted for the one furthest away unbeknown to us, oh well....
Anyway, I was in the shower & J was naked waiting for his turn (in the shower) & there was a knock at the door, J answered & there was this kid there saying 'you check in?', yes J said, we'll come down & pay for the room soon. The kid then said 'You want weed?' how funny, J was shocked, well funny!
Oh, he said no by the way, good JJ!
Went to the only Indian restaurant & experienced our first blackout! The whole place was run on generators so we ate by candlelight, ahhh it's been a long time, oh hold on, no can't remember it ever happening before! Oh J got offered weed again by the waiter.....
Well on the generators it's lights out at 10pm, literally, all power is shut off, so why did we pay extra for a fan room I hear you cry?!!! Ahhhhhhhh!
7/7/09
Up, bacon roll, sorry baguette, then off to get to the boat early to get a good seat!
I walked up back & met Reenie & Erin from OZ who had a pukka spot at the back.....
Really enjoyed the 2nd leg to Luang Prubang. We saw elephants on the bank of the Mekong working, pulling logs up the bank, great scenery, cheeky kids playing & just settled back & enjoyed. Oh & we nearly capsized much to the skipper's amusement! It woke J up though!
Left at 9am & got in about 4pm so a full days boating, no boat sticks though!
Checked into a guest house after a little walk around. Loads of French Colonial houses here that have been made into guesthouses, nice. Had a beer on the corner & bumped into the Thai guys cycling past, said hello & had a chat.
Went to a L.Planet recommendation for dinner which was a bit rubbish, I see a theme occurring, we tried dried river moss, dried pork then went to a bar on the river where we bumped into Reenie & Erin then got introduced to Jasmin & Marcel from Austria. I had my 1st glass of wine for ages......mmmmmmmm yummy! I'll sleep well tonight!
I think it must have rained all night & yes it was still raining when we got up in the early hours for our pick up at 6:30am to get to Laos!
So rain mac's & umbrella's in hand off we went!
1st leg was in a minivan, just us, wow, to the Thailand border up North, here we got our exit stamps & slipped on the muddy bank, nearly went arse over tit but brought it back at the last minute & got on our boat to cross the Mekong to the Laos entry border. Got visa all OK, tuk, tuk to the longboat, bought baguettes on the way as was told there was no food or drink on board (liars!), I asked for more filling as she well scrimped!
Got on the boat that was meant to leave at 11am but eventually left at 12 after letting scarily loads more people on board! No life jackets to be seen!
Still raining.......
Met two guys from Thailand on the boat who were sat in front of us, they were really nice, just on their hols.
Seats were well uncomfortable, just wooden benches......J softened the blow by having a beer, his first Beer Lao! Oh yes, forgot to say, there was a bar on board & they sold food after all!!!!
Arrived in Pak Beng the 1/2 way stop, grabbed the bags & then had to walk on the thinnest piece of wood to get to shore, could have all ended badly! Usual crowd there selling rooms so we opted for the one furthest away unbeknown to us, oh well....
Anyway, I was in the shower & J was naked waiting for his turn (in the shower) & there was a knock at the door, J answered & there was this kid there saying 'you check in?', yes J said, we'll come down & pay for the room soon. The kid then said 'You want weed?' how funny, J was shocked, well funny!
Oh, he said no by the way, good JJ!
Went to the only Indian restaurant & experienced our first blackout! The whole place was run on generators so we ate by candlelight, ahhh it's been a long time, oh hold on, no can't remember it ever happening before! Oh J got offered weed again by the waiter.....
Well on the generators it's lights out at 10pm, literally, all power is shut off, so why did we pay extra for a fan room I hear you cry?!!! Ahhhhhhhh!
7/7/09
Up, bacon roll, sorry baguette, then off to get to the boat early to get a good seat!
I walked up back & met Reenie & Erin from OZ who had a pukka spot at the back.....
Really enjoyed the 2nd leg to Luang Prubang. We saw elephants on the bank of the Mekong working, pulling logs up the bank, great scenery, cheeky kids playing & just settled back & enjoyed. Oh & we nearly capsized much to the skipper's amusement! It woke J up though!
Left at 9am & got in about 4pm so a full days boating, no boat sticks though!
Checked into a guest house after a little walk around. Loads of French Colonial houses here that have been made into guesthouses, nice. Had a beer on the corner & bumped into the Thai guys cycling past, said hello & had a chat.
Went to a L.Planet recommendation for dinner which was a bit rubbish, I see a theme occurring, we tried dried river moss, dried pork then went to a bar on the river where we bumped into Reenie & Erin then got introduced to Jasmin & Marcel from Austria. I had my 1st glass of wine for ages......mmmmmmmm yummy! I'll sleep well tonight!
4/7/09 - 5/7/09 - Chaing Rai
Got on the VIP bus for the 3 hour journey to Chaing Rai.
We figured out after a while that the hostess was infact a man dressed as a girl, very funny! Kept looking for a willy! How childish!
J delighted with the leg room & fully reclining seats, we even got to watch a film in Thai, got free peanuts (chicken flavour) & a bottle of water.....what more could you ask for I hear you cry?
Stumbled accross the best roast dinner ever in the Coconut bar, loads of meat & roast potatoes proper like! Got chatting to a few of the locals there & on the way back the huge golden clocktower in the middle of the roundabout was going off only we didn't know why there were crowds of people there. Turns out this thing turns into an all dancin, all singin clock tower complete with moving parts, music, flourescent lights & all! Very surreal & quite scary.....
Didn't help the traffic either!
Went to the walking market on Saturday night & luckily hadn't eaten so we had walking eating market!
This comprised of walking up & down with the locals trying to explain what each dish was, us then deciding if it was anything weird like hearts, chicken cartilage etc & generlly deciding if it looked ok then let's try it!
We had JJ's favourite satays, pork balls (no not testicles), massive pork dumplings filled with minced pork, spring onions with a parsnip like taste that looked like a flattened char sui bun, wantons, funny taco shell like things with a coconut cream & pumpkin topping.
I want to know how to make noodles? Any ideas?
The rain didn't let up at all so trekking was out of the question, as if we needed an excuse, so we booked to leave the next day for Laos!
We figured out after a while that the hostess was infact a man dressed as a girl, very funny! Kept looking for a willy! How childish!
J delighted with the leg room & fully reclining seats, we even got to watch a film in Thai, got free peanuts (chicken flavour) & a bottle of water.....what more could you ask for I hear you cry?
Stumbled accross the best roast dinner ever in the Coconut bar, loads of meat & roast potatoes proper like! Got chatting to a few of the locals there & on the way back the huge golden clocktower in the middle of the roundabout was going off only we didn't know why there were crowds of people there. Turns out this thing turns into an all dancin, all singin clock tower complete with moving parts, music, flourescent lights & all! Very surreal & quite scary.....
Didn't help the traffic either!
Went to the walking market on Saturday night & luckily hadn't eaten so we had walking eating market!
This comprised of walking up & down with the locals trying to explain what each dish was, us then deciding if it was anything weird like hearts, chicken cartilage etc & generlly deciding if it looked ok then let's try it!
We had JJ's favourite satays, pork balls (no not testicles), massive pork dumplings filled with minced pork, spring onions with a parsnip like taste that looked like a flattened char sui bun, wantons, funny taco shell like things with a coconut cream & pumpkin topping.
I want to know how to make noodles? Any ideas?
The rain didn't let up at all so trekking was out of the question, as if we needed an excuse, so we booked to leave the next day for Laos!
Wednesday 1 July 2009
26/6/08-3/7/09 Chaing Mai
Main objective to GET CHINESE VISA! But as usual we arrived on a weekend & the Embassy is shut!
Checked out of boring, crappy hostel (why they kept asking us if we wanted a cheaper room with no hot water God only knows, do we look poor now?!) & walked to the Chinese Embassy to put in our application, funny security giggled at us with our big rucksacks but let us in without a search anyway! I heard security is more tight with swine flu!
Hey ho, that done off we went to our new nice hotel with air con, hot water (we hope) & cable tv.....
Here until Thursday min until we can pick up our visa's.
What to do for 4 days.......
Well we updated our BLOG which was a mammouth feat as was uploading & sorting out all of our pictures, I gave Jay that job as I can type faster!!
Well we found a proper supermarket here with actual french sticks! Yum!
Went to the cinema twice to watch 'UP' & 'Ice Age 3', UP was hilarious & the one liner when the dog is put in 'The Cone of shame' was hilarious! Didn't know that at the start of each film in Thailand you have to stand while a film clip of the King is played, very weird! J loved the reclining seats though!
Not a lot else to report really just ate, drank, got another bout of food poisoning after a dodgy burger after drinking too much with a German guy again on our last night so we had a hangover on the bus to Chaing Rai, well if I'm telling the truth we missed the bus out completly & went the next day! JJ looked after me again & went on a Tuk Tuk (who had his own business cards!) & changed the tickets!
Oh & most importantly we got our China visa yippeeee!!!!!
Checked out of boring, crappy hostel (why they kept asking us if we wanted a cheaper room with no hot water God only knows, do we look poor now?!) & walked to the Chinese Embassy to put in our application, funny security giggled at us with our big rucksacks but let us in without a search anyway! I heard security is more tight with swine flu!
Hey ho, that done off we went to our new nice hotel with air con, hot water (we hope) & cable tv.....
Here until Thursday min until we can pick up our visa's.
What to do for 4 days.......
Well we updated our BLOG which was a mammouth feat as was uploading & sorting out all of our pictures, I gave Jay that job as I can type faster!!
Well we found a proper supermarket here with actual french sticks! Yum!
Went to the cinema twice to watch 'UP' & 'Ice Age 3', UP was hilarious & the one liner when the dog is put in 'The Cone of shame' was hilarious! Didn't know that at the start of each film in Thailand you have to stand while a film clip of the King is played, very weird! J loved the reclining seats though!
Not a lot else to report really just ate, drank, got another bout of food poisoning after a dodgy burger after drinking too much with a German guy again on our last night so we had a hangover on the bus to Chaing Rai, well if I'm telling the truth we missed the bus out completly & went the next day! JJ looked after me again & went on a Tuk Tuk (who had his own business cards!) & changed the tickets!
Oh & most importantly we got our China visa yippeeee!!!!!
20/6/09 - 25/6/09 - Bangkok
20/6/09
Yuck, why oh why do we do it to ourselves & always on a travelling day!
Hangover number 3 on K/Samui!!!!! Yes a theme is developing, sometimes I think we've just eaten & drunken our way around the world so far!!!
Luckily had made sarnies the night before so had hangover food!
Got the boat to Chumpon, high speed catamaran, I spent most of the journey in the toilet & it was rough as well so J nearly puked too!!! Don't know how but made it, disembarked & waited for the bus to arrive for Bangkok ready for our 8 hour bus ride! Yeh!
After our 12 hour total journey with hangovers eating Pringles (thought I'd found Walkers Salt & Vinegar crisps but on closer inspection they were seaweed flavour!) we arrived in Bangkok. Bartered AGAIN with another Tuk Tuk driver, why o why can't they be nice & just tell us the actual price to save all this hassle??!!! Arrived at the HI Bangkok, boutique hostel 600B per night with breakfast in the city but not too near the noise as we are getting on a bit & the place was lush!
21/6/09 - Fathers Day
Walked to the backpacker central which is Khoasan Road then onto the 'Golden Palace', had a wander around the massive place then hopped on a boat down to China Town seeing 'Wat Arun - The Temple Of Dawn' on the way, tick one more temple done!
China Town was a miss mash of shops, restaurants, alley's everywhere, struggled but found some dim sum in the end, bought a phone card to call Daddy's on Fathers Day then went back to Khoasan Road from the pier through the nice alleyways around there.
Watched the Grand Prix over a few bevvies met a really nice cheq guy & his girlfriend who had lived here for about 8 years & he invited us to his home the next day. He told us exactly how to get there & his girlfriend wrote it all down in Thai to show the boat/Tuk Tuk drivers.
Gave up hope of calling Dad's as our card wouldn't work in any phone box!
While we were sitting in the pub we got chatting to Ben & Mariah from San Fransisco who were on their honeymoon, we swapped engagement & funny travel stories with them & we each promised to cook each other breakfast either in the U.S or UK who ever made it over first! Had a right laugh with them!
Went for curry Sunday & met a nice Indian guy (no he didn't work there!) who was watching the cricket 20/20 Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan, Pakistan won!
22/6/09
Yes, you guessed it hungover today!
Called the Cheq & said we couldn't visit as too many beers, he was ok about it, might call him on our 2nd trip to Bangkok.....
Booked a trip for tomorrow to visit among other things the River Kwai.
Posted some stuff back home to Suze which will take approx 3 months by sea so don't hold your breath Suze!
Got the river boat to the Sky train station, then the Sky train to Siam Square for a look around. Ended up surprise, surprise in the Food Court of the big shopping centre there looking around the 'Gourmet Market' supermarket, had lots of free tastings & bought some BBQ pork for lunch! Saw some fresh salad wraps that looked like little flower pots with carrot thin slices as the pot & curly lettuce coming out of the top like the plant! It looked better in the flesh!
Walked to Soi 4, had a beer to shelter from the rain, I was the only Western woman with my husband! J bought s 'new sexy model' lighter that I later sussed had a light on it that was a picture of a naked lady, I'm sooo slow!!!
Got a cab back to Khosan Road or nearby, had soup from a stall a few satay's then home to bed!
23/6/08
Day trip!
Picked up at 7am! Yuck! Went round picking up all the others on our trip who were all late except us! Then off we went 1st stop:
Damnoen Floating Market: Hired a guide boat to look around the market, all very touristy then got in a Long Tail boat to go on a trip around the canals, saw a snake in the river!
2. Allied War Cemetery - Kanchanaburi
Walked around looking at all of the burial plaques, names, short messages from family/loved ones for the Dutch, British, French & Australian soldiers that died. It was really moving.....
3. Bridge over the River Kwai: walked over the bridge & some woman fell off it, what a numpty!
4. Phra Pathom Chedi: 127m tallest Buddhist monument in the world. Built in the early 6th century...... Another temple!!!!
Got dropped back at the hostel about 7pm & went for dinner at this local restaurant where all the locals stared at us as we were the only Westerners in there, but they were very nice with it!
24/6/09
Lazzzzzzy day today!
Did 2 loads of washing in a machine ourselves, God it's sad the things you miss!
Went on the Internet for ages then took the bus to go get the train tickets to Chaing Mai.
The bus was funny, it had no suspension so we flew into the air over each bump, but compared to local buses in Malaysia with their plastic hard seats & no suspension what so ever the Bangkok bus was luxury!
Got our train ticket no probs after we jumped off at the right stop, the conductor woman refused to tell us where to get off, v.helpful but 2 locals did so all was good, nice people!
Thought we would try to find the Golden Buddha as it was nearby......
After walking past it 3 or so times in the sweltering heat we sussed it was INSIDE Wat Traimit(a temple!) & not just a huge Golden Buddha as shown on our tourist map (no wonder the woman in the train station laughed when we said we'll be able to see it from the road!), doh! Met a girl on the way who'd left her sick boyfriend at the hotel & ventured out only to fall for the classic Tuk Tuk driver scams of taking her everywhere except the place she wanted to go....She tagged along to the Giant Buddha & we all were amazed at it's size, NOT when we found it! It was only 3m tall, we were looking for something 50m high!!! So with heat exhaustion setting in we took a quick piccie from the doorway, couldn't be bothered to take our shoes off & went on our way with new friend to the ferry terminal! God we're rubbish travellers!
Made sure our new friend (didn't ask her name!) was safely on the right ferry & we headed back home eventually after missing our boat stop as the spelling was wrong!
25/6/09
One more load of washing, packed sacks & hopped on the bus to Wat Po (yes, you guessed it, another temple, see what Wat means now don't you!)thought we'd get on the bus we went on yesterday but just stay on it to see the city as it did a bit of a loop, had to rely on locals taking pity on us again & showing us the stop to get off at!
I went to the Wat Po school of massage for a Thai massage. Oh my God it was great, best massage ever 480B (J said it had better be good) about 8 quid for 1 hour, Thai herbal heat massage. I was put in funny loose clothes (wasn't sure if I should remove bra or not so did for good measure anyway!) & then was pushed & pulled all over for 1 hour with hot herbal compress things on me! WOW!!!!!
J in the meantime found a bar & drank beer! He kept it cheap though & stuck to Chang's to counteract my budget breaking massage, ahhh bless!!
Got on the boat & found a place the L.Planet recommended for Roti, which we found & it was rubbish but we'd already had a cheeky Thai sausage on the way to the ferry so we didn't starve! A few beers later we deliberated how do you get fat Monks if they can only eat twice a day & not drink beer, J's ways to spot a typical Argentinian traveller (see guidelines below) & after bartering with one of the local lady street sellers for a wooden croaking frog & fake arm tattoo which was a patterned pair of tight we got some satay, Tuk, Tuk back to base camp, ordered a pizza delivery & ate it in bed yuuuuummmmmyyyyy!!!!
J's Ways To Spot An Argentinian Traveller (no offence to Argentinians out there!)
1. Dirty dread locked hair.
2. Visible tattoos that look like shit....
3. Dirty loose clothes that usually include Fisherman's trousers, bandanna's, funny beads & Jesus creeper shoes.
4. Speak Spanish.
5. Carry a musical instrument(wooden or home made).
As he kindly pointed out I have at least 2 out of the 5 & if I buy some Fisherman's trousers then he's dumping me!!!
Yuck, why oh why do we do it to ourselves & always on a travelling day!
Hangover number 3 on K/Samui!!!!! Yes a theme is developing, sometimes I think we've just eaten & drunken our way around the world so far!!!
Luckily had made sarnies the night before so had hangover food!
Got the boat to Chumpon, high speed catamaran, I spent most of the journey in the toilet & it was rough as well so J nearly puked too!!! Don't know how but made it, disembarked & waited for the bus to arrive for Bangkok ready for our 8 hour bus ride! Yeh!
After our 12 hour total journey with hangovers eating Pringles (thought I'd found Walkers Salt & Vinegar crisps but on closer inspection they were seaweed flavour!) we arrived in Bangkok. Bartered AGAIN with another Tuk Tuk driver, why o why can't they be nice & just tell us the actual price to save all this hassle??!!! Arrived at the HI Bangkok, boutique hostel 600B per night with breakfast in the city but not too near the noise as we are getting on a bit & the place was lush!
21/6/09 - Fathers Day
Walked to the backpacker central which is Khoasan Road then onto the 'Golden Palace', had a wander around the massive place then hopped on a boat down to China Town seeing 'Wat Arun - The Temple Of Dawn' on the way, tick one more temple done!
China Town was a miss mash of shops, restaurants, alley's everywhere, struggled but found some dim sum in the end, bought a phone card to call Daddy's on Fathers Day then went back to Khoasan Road from the pier through the nice alleyways around there.
Watched the Grand Prix over a few bevvies met a really nice cheq guy & his girlfriend who had lived here for about 8 years & he invited us to his home the next day. He told us exactly how to get there & his girlfriend wrote it all down in Thai to show the boat/Tuk Tuk drivers.
Gave up hope of calling Dad's as our card wouldn't work in any phone box!
While we were sitting in the pub we got chatting to Ben & Mariah from San Fransisco who were on their honeymoon, we swapped engagement & funny travel stories with them & we each promised to cook each other breakfast either in the U.S or UK who ever made it over first! Had a right laugh with them!
Went for curry Sunday & met a nice Indian guy (no he didn't work there!) who was watching the cricket 20/20 Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan, Pakistan won!
22/6/09
Yes, you guessed it hungover today!
Called the Cheq & said we couldn't visit as too many beers, he was ok about it, might call him on our 2nd trip to Bangkok.....
Booked a trip for tomorrow to visit among other things the River Kwai.
Posted some stuff back home to Suze which will take approx 3 months by sea so don't hold your breath Suze!
Got the river boat to the Sky train station, then the Sky train to Siam Square for a look around. Ended up surprise, surprise in the Food Court of the big shopping centre there looking around the 'Gourmet Market' supermarket, had lots of free tastings & bought some BBQ pork for lunch! Saw some fresh salad wraps that looked like little flower pots with carrot thin slices as the pot & curly lettuce coming out of the top like the plant! It looked better in the flesh!
Walked to Soi 4, had a beer to shelter from the rain, I was the only Western woman with my husband! J bought s 'new sexy model' lighter that I later sussed had a light on it that was a picture of a naked lady, I'm sooo slow!!!
Got a cab back to Khosan Road or nearby, had soup from a stall a few satay's then home to bed!
23/6/08
Day trip!
Picked up at 7am! Yuck! Went round picking up all the others on our trip who were all late except us! Then off we went 1st stop:
Damnoen Floating Market: Hired a guide boat to look around the market, all very touristy then got in a Long Tail boat to go on a trip around the canals, saw a snake in the river!
2. Allied War Cemetery - Kanchanaburi
Walked around looking at all of the burial plaques, names, short messages from family/loved ones for the Dutch, British, French & Australian soldiers that died. It was really moving.....
3. Bridge over the River Kwai: walked over the bridge & some woman fell off it, what a numpty!
4. Phra Pathom Chedi: 127m tallest Buddhist monument in the world. Built in the early 6th century...... Another temple!!!!
Got dropped back at the hostel about 7pm & went for dinner at this local restaurant where all the locals stared at us as we were the only Westerners in there, but they were very nice with it!
24/6/09
Lazzzzzzy day today!
Did 2 loads of washing in a machine ourselves, God it's sad the things you miss!
Went on the Internet for ages then took the bus to go get the train tickets to Chaing Mai.
The bus was funny, it had no suspension so we flew into the air over each bump, but compared to local buses in Malaysia with their plastic hard seats & no suspension what so ever the Bangkok bus was luxury!
Got our train ticket no probs after we jumped off at the right stop, the conductor woman refused to tell us where to get off, v.helpful but 2 locals did so all was good, nice people!
Thought we would try to find the Golden Buddha as it was nearby......
After walking past it 3 or so times in the sweltering heat we sussed it was INSIDE Wat Traimit(a temple!) & not just a huge Golden Buddha as shown on our tourist map (no wonder the woman in the train station laughed when we said we'll be able to see it from the road!), doh! Met a girl on the way who'd left her sick boyfriend at the hotel & ventured out only to fall for the classic Tuk Tuk driver scams of taking her everywhere except the place she wanted to go....She tagged along to the Giant Buddha & we all were amazed at it's size, NOT when we found it! It was only 3m tall, we were looking for something 50m high!!! So with heat exhaustion setting in we took a quick piccie from the doorway, couldn't be bothered to take our shoes off & went on our way with new friend to the ferry terminal! God we're rubbish travellers!
Made sure our new friend (didn't ask her name!) was safely on the right ferry & we headed back home eventually after missing our boat stop as the spelling was wrong!
25/6/09
One more load of washing, packed sacks & hopped on the bus to Wat Po (yes, you guessed it, another temple, see what Wat means now don't you!)thought we'd get on the bus we went on yesterday but just stay on it to see the city as it did a bit of a loop, had to rely on locals taking pity on us again & showing us the stop to get off at!
I went to the Wat Po school of massage for a Thai massage. Oh my God it was great, best massage ever 480B (J said it had better be good) about 8 quid for 1 hour, Thai herbal heat massage. I was put in funny loose clothes (wasn't sure if I should remove bra or not so did for good measure anyway!) & then was pushed & pulled all over for 1 hour with hot herbal compress things on me! WOW!!!!!
J in the meantime found a bar & drank beer! He kept it cheap though & stuck to Chang's to counteract my budget breaking massage, ahhh bless!!
Got on the boat & found a place the L.Planet recommended for Roti, which we found & it was rubbish but we'd already had a cheeky Thai sausage on the way to the ferry so we didn't starve! A few beers later we deliberated how do you get fat Monks if they can only eat twice a day & not drink beer, J's ways to spot a typical Argentinian traveller (see guidelines below) & after bartering with one of the local lady street sellers for a wooden croaking frog & fake arm tattoo which was a patterned pair of tight we got some satay, Tuk, Tuk back to base camp, ordered a pizza delivery & ate it in bed yuuuuummmmmyyyyy!!!!
J's Ways To Spot An Argentinian Traveller (no offence to Argentinians out there!)
1. Dirty dread locked hair.
2. Visible tattoos that look like shit....
3. Dirty loose clothes that usually include Fisherman's trousers, bandanna's, funny beads & Jesus creeper shoes.
4. Speak Spanish.
5. Carry a musical instrument(wooden or home made).
As he kindly pointed out I have at least 2 out of the 5 & if I buy some Fisherman's trousers then he's dumping me!!!
13/6/09 - 19/6/09 Ko Samui
13/6/09 Phucket - Ko Samui
Ahhhh off to another island!!! More hassle haggling for accomodation & will it be shit or not!!
Got mini bus at 8 am, changed buses to get to KS, not in the plan!
Very bumpy ride! Got a puncture so hung around by the roadside eating our sarnie, how glad were we we had food & chatted to 4 guys from London 2 of which were travelling too! Back on the bus to Surat Thani arrived about 12:30, swapped buses again just after J got thrown out of a tourist office cause he wouldn't buy a bus ticket from her! Cheekt B**ch!
Got to the port, got the ferry to Ko Samui. Waded through the local taxi guys to get the local bus, there was no local bus or it was a 4km walk away so hopped on a Tuk Tuk anyway after all that! 400B lighter (result as less than the lady quoted in S.Thani & 200B less than the 1st taxi quote so JJ very happy) & later arrived at hotel the 'Chewang Residence' not great but okfor a night, dumped bags & went to explore.
Yuck what a dump Chewang is! McDonalds etc... hardly paradise so decided to move on tomorrow am!
Had a few jugs in the Irish bar, met some guys on hols, wandered over the road to get vodka & Rum supplies, very cheap! Stopped at a Mamma's place for dinner, J went to buy some more beers to drink with dinner then diet cokes we wandered back!
14/6/09
What a hangover, mingin!
Managed to get up, showered, packed & left the hotel, don't know how but we did!
Went for a McDonalds brekkie to cure the hangover!
Got a Tuk Tuk for the correct price of 200B to Bophut Fisherman's Village where we found 'The Lord Nelson'. Hair of the dog later I left J with all the bags & went off in search of digs!!
3 hours later I returned to the pub, J was about to come & look for me as he thought I'd been kidnapped! He made sure he had a photo of me & even stopped drinking beer he was that worried! Said he was gonna call Suzanne as she'd fly over & know what to do!
Well, the 3 options were:
1. Sandy Resort: 600B (thought I'd knocked her down from 800B til we saw the big banner outside advertising it at 600B per room with a/c!!) It had a pool & was on the beach.
2. Smile House: 1,000B a/c & lush pool with great loungers on the otherside of the road to the beach. Knocked her down by 500B to the 1000B.
3. Can't remember the name but 700B would drop to 600B if booked in for 5 nights or more. Managed to knock from 800B. Had tea/coffee making facilities, a/c, no pool & on the other side of the road to the beach.
J was happy to up the budget to go for option 2 if I really wanted it but common sense prevailed & I kept to budget & we went for option 1! This meant I could have massage's galore with the saving hee hee!!
Arrived, unpacked & hit the beach as on closer inspection the pool was a bit yuck! After a swim in the sea we also found out the sea was yuck all muddy slimy sand double yuck & BOO HOO!!! I need tropical paradise, stamp feet!!
15/6/09
Decided to stay 1 more night & got a moped.
Got a puncture 10 mins down the road, got a lady mechanic to fix it for 180B, drove back to complain, had an argument with the bloke who'd only give us 70B & we were lucky to get that, he didn't get it was his fault for a crap repair first off that had leaked! Found out Thai's don't like swearing! Oops!!
That ruined the day a bit then. Went for lunch at a very basic stall for chicken, sticky rice & papaya salad, took the bike back then hit the beach.
Ventured out for dinner after the rain & found an all U can eat BBQ Steamboat for 109B pp, well funny picking our meat & veggies & cooking it ourselves on our own funny stemboat, bbq, grill thingy! Luckily the guy helped us out loads then we laughed later at the English people who came in & didn't have a clue & by then all the locals we'd watched & copied had finished so they didn't have a hope! See the early Bird & Ginge always catch the worms!
Drove back in the rain & vowed to move to original expensive option 2 in the morning! No point in being on an island paradise if you are staying in depressing digs! So I promised JJ I'd eat noodle soup all the time to bring us back in budget!
16/6/09
Yippeee moving day!
Packed, checked out & managed to get another taxi for the price it should be to go down the road, 100B, no haggling involved & also got me out of walking to help the budget!
Checked into 'Smile House'
for 1000B/night resssssult! Well done Birdy, happy, happy now! Had to barter to get the best room for a bit but all good in the end......
Drank beer to celebrate as it was a bit overcast, went to the Lord Nelson for jugs at 119B each (noo, noo, not in budget) then onto the Billabong Surf CLub, back to room for Vodka/Rum & cokes, steaming then went for a ruby! All day session really!
17/6/09
Hangover number 2 on Ko Samui!
Me = Bacon & sausage baguette
J = Poached eggs on toast
Why can't I eat healthily after a day's drinking????
Lush day by the lush pool on the lush loungers, cheap noodle soup for lunch to help the ole budget!
18/6/09-19/6/09
Pool days!Toyed with the idea of going on a boat trip but really couldn't be arsed!
Lived on noodle soup for 50B each & drinks in the room San Song Rum/Vodka & Pepsi Max!
Planned & booked to go to Bangkok as all island'd out now.......
Found out that our room was a deluxe & should have cost us 2,528B so just over a grand and a 1/2 saved!
J had his 1st haircut since Sydney for 4.50!
On our last night we were just popping out for a bite (no drinks) then back to base camp alpha for an early night as we were being picked up at some unGodly hour in the morning. But we turned left out of the place instead of the normal right (towards the Lord Nelson) & walked past this restaurant where J thought he recognised Jay a guy he used to work with, anyway said nothing & walked back passed & J went up to him & it was him & his wife Jo on their hols! How funny, was so nice to meet someone we knew, so needless to say a few jugs & a toasted Ham & Cheese sarnie later we staggered back to base, set the alarm & crashed out!
Ahhhh off to another island!!! More hassle haggling for accomodation & will it be shit or not!!
Got mini bus at 8 am, changed buses to get to KS, not in the plan!
Very bumpy ride! Got a puncture so hung around by the roadside eating our sarnie, how glad were we we had food & chatted to 4 guys from London 2 of which were travelling too! Back on the bus to Surat Thani arrived about 12:30, swapped buses again just after J got thrown out of a tourist office cause he wouldn't buy a bus ticket from her! Cheekt B**ch!
Got to the port, got the ferry to Ko Samui. Waded through the local taxi guys to get the local bus, there was no local bus or it was a 4km walk away so hopped on a Tuk Tuk anyway after all that! 400B lighter (result as less than the lady quoted in S.Thani & 200B less than the 1st taxi quote so JJ very happy) & later arrived at hotel the 'Chewang Residence' not great but okfor a night, dumped bags & went to explore.
Yuck what a dump Chewang is! McDonalds etc... hardly paradise so decided to move on tomorrow am!
Had a few jugs in the Irish bar, met some guys on hols, wandered over the road to get vodka & Rum supplies, very cheap! Stopped at a Mamma's place for dinner, J went to buy some more beers to drink with dinner then diet cokes we wandered back!
14/6/09
What a hangover, mingin!
Managed to get up, showered, packed & left the hotel, don't know how but we did!
Went for a McDonalds brekkie to cure the hangover!
Got a Tuk Tuk for the correct price of 200B to Bophut Fisherman's Village where we found 'The Lord Nelson'. Hair of the dog later I left J with all the bags & went off in search of digs!!
3 hours later I returned to the pub, J was about to come & look for me as he thought I'd been kidnapped! He made sure he had a photo of me & even stopped drinking beer he was that worried! Said he was gonna call Suzanne as she'd fly over & know what to do!
Well, the 3 options were:
1. Sandy Resort: 600B (thought I'd knocked her down from 800B til we saw the big banner outside advertising it at 600B per room with a/c!!) It had a pool & was on the beach.
2. Smile House: 1,000B a/c & lush pool with great loungers on the otherside of the road to the beach. Knocked her down by 500B to the 1000B.
3. Can't remember the name but 700B would drop to 600B if booked in for 5 nights or more. Managed to knock from 800B. Had tea/coffee making facilities, a/c, no pool & on the other side of the road to the beach.
J was happy to up the budget to go for option 2 if I really wanted it but common sense prevailed & I kept to budget & we went for option 1! This meant I could have massage's galore with the saving hee hee!!
Arrived, unpacked & hit the beach as on closer inspection the pool was a bit yuck! After a swim in the sea we also found out the sea was yuck all muddy slimy sand double yuck & BOO HOO!!! I need tropical paradise, stamp feet!!
15/6/09
Decided to stay 1 more night & got a moped.
Got a puncture 10 mins down the road, got a lady mechanic to fix it for 180B, drove back to complain, had an argument with the bloke who'd only give us 70B & we were lucky to get that, he didn't get it was his fault for a crap repair first off that had leaked! Found out Thai's don't like swearing! Oops!!
That ruined the day a bit then. Went for lunch at a very basic stall for chicken, sticky rice & papaya salad, took the bike back then hit the beach.
Ventured out for dinner after the rain & found an all U can eat BBQ Steamboat for 109B pp, well funny picking our meat & veggies & cooking it ourselves on our own funny stemboat, bbq, grill thingy! Luckily the guy helped us out loads then we laughed later at the English people who came in & didn't have a clue & by then all the locals we'd watched & copied had finished so they didn't have a hope! See the early Bird & Ginge always catch the worms!
Drove back in the rain & vowed to move to original expensive option 2 in the morning! No point in being on an island paradise if you are staying in depressing digs! So I promised JJ I'd eat noodle soup all the time to bring us back in budget!
16/6/09
Yippeee moving day!
Packed, checked out & managed to get another taxi for the price it should be to go down the road, 100B, no haggling involved & also got me out of walking to help the budget!
Checked into 'Smile House'
for 1000B/night resssssult! Well done Birdy, happy, happy now! Had to barter to get the best room for a bit but all good in the end......
Drank beer to celebrate as it was a bit overcast, went to the Lord Nelson for jugs at 119B each (noo, noo, not in budget) then onto the Billabong Surf CLub, back to room for Vodka/Rum & cokes, steaming then went for a ruby! All day session really!
17/6/09
Hangover number 2 on Ko Samui!
Me = Bacon & sausage baguette
J = Poached eggs on toast
Why can't I eat healthily after a day's drinking????
Lush day by the lush pool on the lush loungers, cheap noodle soup for lunch to help the ole budget!
18/6/09-19/6/09
Pool days!Toyed with the idea of going on a boat trip but really couldn't be arsed!
Lived on noodle soup for 50B each & drinks in the room San Song Rum/Vodka & Pepsi Max!
Planned & booked to go to Bangkok as all island'd out now.......
Found out that our room was a deluxe & should have cost us 2,528B so just over a grand and a 1/2 saved!
J had his 1st haircut since Sydney for 4.50!
On our last night we were just popping out for a bite (no drinks) then back to base camp alpha for an early night as we were being picked up at some unGodly hour in the morning. But we turned left out of the place instead of the normal right (towards the Lord Nelson) & walked past this restaurant where J thought he recognised Jay a guy he used to work with, anyway said nothing & walked back passed & J went up to him & it was him & his wife Jo on their hols! How funny, was so nice to meet someone we knew, so needless to say a few jugs & a toasted Ham & Cheese sarnie later we staggered back to base, set the alarm & crashed out!
7/6/09-12/6/09 Phucket
7/6/09 - Phi Phi to Phucket
Slept in & missed the 1st ferry to Phucket!
Packed, nice cup of cha (in a real mug!) got the woman to change our ferry ticket to the afternoon one then went back to the Sports Bar again for lunch & to wait for the ferry. Both a bit hangin again!
Yum jacket potato with chilli & cheese & J had 2 cheese & bean toasties! Lush hangover food again, both feeling fat!
Got ferry & then minibus to our hotel'Karon Living Room'
I negotiated 100B off the room bringing it down to 600B or 12 pounds pn for a lush room a/c, massive bed, nice bathroom & beer fridge nice one!
Went for a Sunday Roast which was OK & met some Northern girls, one of which had only eaten tomato soup for her whole 2 week holiday!
8/6/09
Best nights sleep in a long time!! Woke up at 10am with earplugs in & face mask on!
Beach, hired jeep for the next day 700B, got transport quotes to Ko Samui & Noodle soup for lunch (back into spending less mode now).
I had a foot massage, heaven, stocked beer fridge with vodka & coke, J kept rowing across the tiled floor to the fridge for re-fills in his boxers, well funny!
He also threatened to take my England shirt off of me for asking what he would do if England lost against Andorra!
Oh & we met some small boys selling roses in the bar with two northern girls we met, they asked where their Mum was 'She's dead' was the reply and the Dad too! Lying little......!!!
9/6/09
Hired the jeep for the day & drove to try to get to the James Bond Island on the cheap! That'll teach us! No cheaper at all so we headed back, popped into Phucket town for lunch, went to look in Tesco's then made our way along the coast passing the view points & nice beaches back to base!
10/6/09-12/6/09
Hired a moped for beach days, had a 7 Eleven pick nick in the room with drinkies & got a bit drunk!
England 6 Andorra 0!!
Got roped into one of these 'time share' style holiday clubs (I know, we're supposed to be intelligent) with the promise of me winning the star prize of a laptop! Got a free brekkie out of it though it did take up 4 hours of the day!
Bought bus ticket to Ko Samui for 10 pounds each!
Slept in & missed the 1st ferry to Phucket!
Packed, nice cup of cha (in a real mug!) got the woman to change our ferry ticket to the afternoon one then went back to the Sports Bar again for lunch & to wait for the ferry. Both a bit hangin again!
Yum jacket potato with chilli & cheese & J had 2 cheese & bean toasties! Lush hangover food again, both feeling fat!
Got ferry & then minibus to our hotel'Karon Living Room'
I negotiated 100B off the room bringing it down to 600B or 12 pounds pn for a lush room a/c, massive bed, nice bathroom & beer fridge nice one!
Went for a Sunday Roast which was OK & met some Northern girls, one of which had only eaten tomato soup for her whole 2 week holiday!
8/6/09
Best nights sleep in a long time!! Woke up at 10am with earplugs in & face mask on!
Beach, hired jeep for the next day 700B, got transport quotes to Ko Samui & Noodle soup for lunch (back into spending less mode now).
I had a foot massage, heaven, stocked beer fridge with vodka & coke, J kept rowing across the tiled floor to the fridge for re-fills in his boxers, well funny!
He also threatened to take my England shirt off of me for asking what he would do if England lost against Andorra!
Oh & we met some small boys selling roses in the bar with two northern girls we met, they asked where their Mum was 'She's dead' was the reply and the Dad too! Lying little......!!!
9/6/09
Hired the jeep for the day & drove to try to get to the James Bond Island on the cheap! That'll teach us! No cheaper at all so we headed back, popped into Phucket town for lunch, went to look in Tesco's then made our way along the coast passing the view points & nice beaches back to base!
10/6/09-12/6/09
Hired a moped for beach days, had a 7 Eleven pick nick in the room with drinkies & got a bit drunk!
England 6 Andorra 0!!
Got roped into one of these 'time share' style holiday clubs (I know, we're supposed to be intelligent) with the promise of me winning the star prize of a laptop! Got a free brekkie out of it though it did take up 4 hours of the day!
Bought bus ticket to Ko Samui for 10 pounds each!
4/6/09-6/6/09 - Phi Phi
4/6/09 - Ko Lanta to Phi Phi
Minibus picked the three of us up after brekkie at 8:30am. Got accross on the 2 ferries straight away then onto Krabi town (had to do it this way as the direct boat had stopped in the rainy season), had some argy on the bus when they thought this French guy had kept his room key, threatened to charge him 500B for it! Little shit in the front stopped outside the police station to search the guy & his bags & then threatened he wouldn't make his flight! They found the key back at the hotel so they let him off, no apology though!
Got dropped off at another tourist office, not the ferry terminal as asked to haggle for the ferry ticket to Phi Phi! J got quoted 350B, went next door & it was 300, back next door & got him down to 300 too! Haggled for a room too & was told no air con room for under 800B so we said we'd get it when we arrived! Got quoted 350B for the ferry Phi Phi to Phucket & Rich at the desk behind us got quoted 400B, he was just sitting behind us the cheeky buggers! He played up & got his 50B back though!
Went for lush Pad Thai for lunch, beat the boys again with my food choice! The lady had to hold back the savage dog while we went to the loo!
Back to the Tourist Office to get the 'free' bus to the ferry terminal. Rich went next door & asked their price Phi Phi - Phucket & was told 300B, 50 less again so he came back in & kicked off at the guy, was well funny, he told all the customers not to buy from here & then said he would take drinks from the fridge to the value of the 50B if they didn't give him the refund of 50B! The little guy hid behind J & said 'Fuck you' in broken English, funny then gave him back the 50B! Total silence in the office then with tumble weed & everything!
Got to the ferry & found the tickets should be 400B, oh well!
Nice trip over, me & Rich fell asleep but J managed to stay awake. We all hatched the plan of attack to get digs at the best price on Phi Phi. Arrived & told no cheaper than 700B with a/c for a room & well, well the 2nd place we went into was 600B, a/c & sea glimpses, I tried my crap haggling skills to get it for 550B but failed miserably much to the amusement of the boys!
Dumped bags (place was above a snooker hall!) then went for ciders(God haven't had that for ages!) with Rich. Found a place on the beach with large beers & G&T's, got chatting to 2 Israel's, had a few too many, watched the sunset, wandered back to the room, showered then out for din dins. Rich had been told about this place with a real salad bar & BBQ so we headed there, God it was soooo nice having proper salad, jacket pots, corns & BBQ meat. Rich had the salmon steak, gutted his looked lush! Couple more'buy 1 get 1 free' cocktails at the flame throwers beach bar in the rain then bed!
Nice to have different food choices again after Lanta but need to dump Rich as spending too much money, hee hee!!
5/6/09
Brekkie, quick check of e-mails, had another one from Bob well funny, made us both LOL!
3 of us decided to walk up to the view point. Got a map & set off. Walked up the steepest hill for ages with no water (all well prepped as usual!), in the midday sun only to meet a girl who said we'd gone the wrong way! Dying, we walked back down feeling a bit dizzy, water was needed. Found the right turning for the viewpoint & Rich went up but we went to the beach!
Swam in the really shallow water, Rich (Hero!)took out a kayak & we went for lunch & beer, too much sun today!
Went out in the evening for burger & pasta in the '2 4 1' cocktail bar, then off to the Apache Bar to use the 'Free bucket' voucher, had a bucket each made with nearly 2 bottles of vodka then went onto the beach party for dancin & more buckets which were the find of the day! Think we got back at 4am ish!
6/6/09
HANGIN!!!!!! NO MORE BUCKETS EVER THEY ARE BAD!!!!!
Went for brekkie pizza & a fry up & Rich turned up, he'd missed the first ferry!!
I had to go back to the room soon after, watched movies all day puked & drank water!
Good JJ came back after saying bye to Rich on the afternoon ferry with more water & a doughnut for me. Both slept some more, managed to get a few beers down in the room then donned the England shirts (felt like a pikie!) to watch the 1st World Cup qualifier, result = England 4 Kazakhstan 0!! Mmm cheese & bean toasties & cheesy chips!!
Minibus picked the three of us up after brekkie at 8:30am. Got accross on the 2 ferries straight away then onto Krabi town (had to do it this way as the direct boat had stopped in the rainy season), had some argy on the bus when they thought this French guy had kept his room key, threatened to charge him 500B for it! Little shit in the front stopped outside the police station to search the guy & his bags & then threatened he wouldn't make his flight! They found the key back at the hotel so they let him off, no apology though!
Got dropped off at another tourist office, not the ferry terminal as asked to haggle for the ferry ticket to Phi Phi! J got quoted 350B, went next door & it was 300, back next door & got him down to 300 too! Haggled for a room too & was told no air con room for under 800B so we said we'd get it when we arrived! Got quoted 350B for the ferry Phi Phi to Phucket & Rich at the desk behind us got quoted 400B, he was just sitting behind us the cheeky buggers! He played up & got his 50B back though!
Went for lush Pad Thai for lunch, beat the boys again with my food choice! The lady had to hold back the savage dog while we went to the loo!
Back to the Tourist Office to get the 'free' bus to the ferry terminal. Rich went next door & asked their price Phi Phi - Phucket & was told 300B, 50 less again so he came back in & kicked off at the guy, was well funny, he told all the customers not to buy from here & then said he would take drinks from the fridge to the value of the 50B if they didn't give him the refund of 50B! The little guy hid behind J & said 'Fuck you' in broken English, funny then gave him back the 50B! Total silence in the office then with tumble weed & everything!
Got to the ferry & found the tickets should be 400B, oh well!
Nice trip over, me & Rich fell asleep but J managed to stay awake. We all hatched the plan of attack to get digs at the best price on Phi Phi. Arrived & told no cheaper than 700B with a/c for a room & well, well the 2nd place we went into was 600B, a/c & sea glimpses, I tried my crap haggling skills to get it for 550B but failed miserably much to the amusement of the boys!
Dumped bags (place was above a snooker hall!) then went for ciders(God haven't had that for ages!) with Rich. Found a place on the beach with large beers & G&T's, got chatting to 2 Israel's, had a few too many, watched the sunset, wandered back to the room, showered then out for din dins. Rich had been told about this place with a real salad bar & BBQ so we headed there, God it was soooo nice having proper salad, jacket pots, corns & BBQ meat. Rich had the salmon steak, gutted his looked lush! Couple more'buy 1 get 1 free' cocktails at the flame throwers beach bar in the rain then bed!
Nice to have different food choices again after Lanta but need to dump Rich as spending too much money, hee hee!!
5/6/09
Brekkie, quick check of e-mails, had another one from Bob well funny, made us both LOL!
3 of us decided to walk up to the view point. Got a map & set off. Walked up the steepest hill for ages with no water (all well prepped as usual!), in the midday sun only to meet a girl who said we'd gone the wrong way! Dying, we walked back down feeling a bit dizzy, water was needed. Found the right turning for the viewpoint & Rich went up but we went to the beach!
Swam in the really shallow water, Rich (Hero!)took out a kayak & we went for lunch & beer, too much sun today!
Went out in the evening for burger & pasta in the '2 4 1' cocktail bar, then off to the Apache Bar to use the 'Free bucket' voucher, had a bucket each made with nearly 2 bottles of vodka then went onto the beach party for dancin & more buckets which were the find of the day! Think we got back at 4am ish!
6/6/09
HANGIN!!!!!! NO MORE BUCKETS EVER THEY ARE BAD!!!!!
Went for brekkie pizza & a fry up & Rich turned up, he'd missed the first ferry!!
I had to go back to the room soon after, watched movies all day puked & drank water!
Good JJ came back after saying bye to Rich on the afternoon ferry with more water & a doughnut for me. Both slept some more, managed to get a few beers down in the room then donned the England shirts (felt like a pikie!) to watch the 1st World Cup qualifier, result = England 4 Kazakhstan 0!! Mmm cheese & bean toasties & cheesy chips!!
Friday 29 May 2009
30/5/09-3/6/09 Ko Lanta
30/5/09 - Hat Yai to Ko Lanta
Up, packed, brekkie over the road consisted of tuna salad & J had the usual Pad Thai noodles!
Checked out & hailed a Tuk Tuk to the main bus station. Saw a cute kiddie on the way who kept waving at us foreigners, bless! Eventually got the mini bus to Trang for 100B pp 2 hours & result the bus didn't stop every 10 mins to drop someone off yippee!
Arrived at Trang train station after another hairy minibus drive & booked our onward bus to Ko Lanta Yai with the promise of a hotel/beach bungalow for 600B. Had a quick lunch then off to another minivan (found out we'd been ripped off again!)& two car ferries later we arrived! Haggled with the lady in the Tourist office for a bungalow, sooo tired I just want somewhere nice, free of rat poo, insects that has a nice pool! No crying though this time! Booked into 'Blue Adaman' for 500b pn, double room, ensuite, tv & aircon approx a tenner let's see what it's like! Another ride in the back of a cattle truck, funny down a dirt track & we arrived. Lush bungalow, lush pool, hallelujah bring it on & the best bit is the price drops to 400B tomorrow, yes let the hols commence! Big sigh of relief!
Dumped bags, had Happy Hour cocktails in the bar, strangest Long Island Ice Tea I've ever had but the cheapest, watched the sunset ahhhh.
Both vowed to drink water (during the day - come on now!) & to eat fruit for brekkie!
J fell asleep watching the FA Cup!
31/5/09-3/6/09
Spent the last few days lazing by the pool, very quiet here off season. Watched sunsets, v.nice ate, the waitress kept mixing up the orders & it was difficult to tell what was what in the dark....
On our last day we hired a moped, I was on the back no surprise there that Ginge didn't trust me & we went all around the island, didn't take long! Four pounds for the whole day, not bad. Had a nice home made ciabatta sandwich for lunch, made a change from the bungalow food.
Met a guy called Rich & a strange lady in her 60's who'd been travelling forever! Rich decided to come to Phi Phi with us the next day in search of 'striking limestone formations!'& the James Bond Island. Left J & Rich drinking & went to bed.
Oh, we managed to get a discount on the bus ticket from 'smiler' that's gotta be a 1st!
Up, packed, brekkie over the road consisted of tuna salad & J had the usual Pad Thai noodles!
Checked out & hailed a Tuk Tuk to the main bus station. Saw a cute kiddie on the way who kept waving at us foreigners, bless! Eventually got the mini bus to Trang for 100B pp 2 hours & result the bus didn't stop every 10 mins to drop someone off yippee!
Arrived at Trang train station after another hairy minibus drive & booked our onward bus to Ko Lanta Yai with the promise of a hotel/beach bungalow for 600B. Had a quick lunch then off to another minivan (found out we'd been ripped off again!)& two car ferries later we arrived! Haggled with the lady in the Tourist office for a bungalow, sooo tired I just want somewhere nice, free of rat poo, insects that has a nice pool! No crying though this time! Booked into 'Blue Adaman' for 500b pn, double room, ensuite, tv & aircon approx a tenner let's see what it's like! Another ride in the back of a cattle truck, funny down a dirt track & we arrived. Lush bungalow, lush pool, hallelujah bring it on & the best bit is the price drops to 400B tomorrow, yes let the hols commence! Big sigh of relief!
Dumped bags, had Happy Hour cocktails in the bar, strangest Long Island Ice Tea I've ever had but the cheapest, watched the sunset ahhhh.
Both vowed to drink water (during the day - come on now!) & to eat fruit for brekkie!
J fell asleep watching the FA Cup!
31/5/09-3/6/09
Spent the last few days lazing by the pool, very quiet here off season. Watched sunsets, v.nice ate, the waitress kept mixing up the orders & it was difficult to tell what was what in the dark....
On our last day we hired a moped, I was on the back no surprise there that Ginge didn't trust me & we went all around the island, didn't take long! Four pounds for the whole day, not bad. Had a nice home made ciabatta sandwich for lunch, made a change from the bungalow food.
Met a guy called Rich & a strange lady in her 60's who'd been travelling forever! Rich decided to come to Phi Phi with us the next day in search of 'striking limestone formations!'& the James Bond Island. Left J & Rich drinking & went to bed.
Oh, we managed to get a discount on the bus ticket from 'smiler' that's gotta be a 1st!
Thursday 28 May 2009
27/05/2009 - 29/05/2009 Hat Yai
27/05/2009 - Mummy's Birthday, we sent some flowers
4 hours on the shuttle, no probs thru border and visa all good.. English Budhist with mobile phone and smoking at every chance, didn't seem right... he was delighted that Thailand were an hour behind so he could still eat before 12... we think thats cheating a bit
What a crap hole, I thought Nic was going to cry again... nice hotel tho, we are staying at the Kosit http://www.kosithotel.com/ for about 10.0 per night, made sure we had satellite TV ready for the champs league final which I just about stayed awake to see then fell asleep, woke up 4 minutes into it to see the first Barca goal, then I woke again with Nic moaning about the noise when Alex ferguson was being interviewed... gutted I missed it.. I hear Utd weren't up to it, did they really miss Darren Fletcher that much? they will probably re-run it today (28th).
we wandered, got a Tuk Tuk down to the main bus station, some wierd girl jumped on with us for the ride, kept squeezing my leg, very strange, and singin, Nic was well pissed off!!! got ripped off a bit apparently Tuk Tuk should be 20 Baht a person, we paid 60... will know for tomorrow (29th)... we'll need to get back down there for a bus tomorrow, should be fun, can't buy a ticket just pay as you get on, they go to Trang every 40 mins..
We met some really nice guys from Singapore, Leo, Li and Eye.. we sat chatting for ages and they invited us to dinner with them, they are Muslim so we went to a Halal place, no pork on the premises, Eye ordered everything, they even slyly paid... we had Sea fungus, like white mushroom, salt fish, dry beef, rice, veg, Tom yam prawn soup, fish noodle salad, was really good...
We saw an elephant in the street after, very odd, they wanted you to buy food to feed it...
We took the guys for a drink, they don't drink alcohol but gave us a chance to chat a bit more..
We might see them tomorrow, they are getting mopeds... Nics isn't feeling too good so we'll see... I had to check the symptoms of swine flu for her...
28/05/2009
Nic still not too good... went and found Dim Sum which was really good... we came back to the Hotel to do a bit of the blogg, Nic felt ill again so went up 3 hours ago, I've been sitting here for 5 hours according to the time, thats 100 Baht altogether... and I need a beer.. have finished everythin since Singapore, not bad with me 2 finger typing... we now need to catch up New zealand
Don't know what we'll do later, should go see the guys from last night...
We picked up the email from Mich about Bob popping the question, well done guys...
TO BE CONTINUED....
Nic here! Well, we ventured out again for dinner, I was feeling a bit better. Wandered around & saw the guys from Singapore & walked around a shopping mall with them for a bit....J resisted the nice white Y fronts! Said godbye to the guys & found a restaurant for dinner. Mmmmm Chicken & Ginger, rice, veggies & crispy pork all washed down with a beer for J & another water for me! God 1st beer free day for ages! Back to the hotel stopping on route for room supplies, beers, OJ & some nice fresh fruit from a roadside stall! Watched a movie then bed!
29/5/09
Got up, I'm feeling a bit better so went for brekkie which was a disaster, ham & eggs on toast but their toast has sugar in it so didn't taste that good. Stopped for another dim sum brekkie, so, so, then off to the internet cafe to update BLOG on NZ & J's looking at Ko Lanta accomodation, looking good nice beach bungalow's with pool! Yes we decided where to go next!
Well after hours in the internet cafe & finding the most recent Lonely Planet guide to Thailand where it said not to go to H.Yai because of it's terrorist bombings we found the Irish bar & 4 vodka tonics & a few beers later we were steamin!
I went to 'Siam & Guy' instead of 'Toni & Guy' for a haircut, Jay came looking for me after 1 hour as he was worried, ahh bless!! Really gopod haircut, bit short but straight & shiny yes!
Beers in hotel then out for dinner to a steakhouse for fried chicken, pork steak & proper veggies yum. Found a bar with a funny menu that included crispy swamp cabbage, Pork innards, deep fried snake head & stinky bean with pork! Oh & not forgetting deep fried bird with garlic & pepper! Obviously this was the best dish in the house!
Off now for sleep before journey tomorrow to ko Lanta!
4 hours on the shuttle, no probs thru border and visa all good.. English Budhist with mobile phone and smoking at every chance, didn't seem right... he was delighted that Thailand were an hour behind so he could still eat before 12... we think thats cheating a bit
What a crap hole, I thought Nic was going to cry again... nice hotel tho, we are staying at the Kosit http://www.kosithotel.com/ for about 10.0 per night, made sure we had satellite TV ready for the champs league final which I just about stayed awake to see then fell asleep, woke up 4 minutes into it to see the first Barca goal, then I woke again with Nic moaning about the noise when Alex ferguson was being interviewed... gutted I missed it.. I hear Utd weren't up to it, did they really miss Darren Fletcher that much? they will probably re-run it today (28th).
we wandered, got a Tuk Tuk down to the main bus station, some wierd girl jumped on with us for the ride, kept squeezing my leg, very strange, and singin, Nic was well pissed off!!! got ripped off a bit apparently Tuk Tuk should be 20 Baht a person, we paid 60... will know for tomorrow (29th)... we'll need to get back down there for a bus tomorrow, should be fun, can't buy a ticket just pay as you get on, they go to Trang every 40 mins..
We met some really nice guys from Singapore, Leo, Li and Eye.. we sat chatting for ages and they invited us to dinner with them, they are Muslim so we went to a Halal place, no pork on the premises, Eye ordered everything, they even slyly paid... we had Sea fungus, like white mushroom, salt fish, dry beef, rice, veg, Tom yam prawn soup, fish noodle salad, was really good...
We saw an elephant in the street after, very odd, they wanted you to buy food to feed it...
We took the guys for a drink, they don't drink alcohol but gave us a chance to chat a bit more..
We might see them tomorrow, they are getting mopeds... Nics isn't feeling too good so we'll see... I had to check the symptoms of swine flu for her...
28/05/2009
Nic still not too good... went and found Dim Sum which was really good... we came back to the Hotel to do a bit of the blogg, Nic felt ill again so went up 3 hours ago, I've been sitting here for 5 hours according to the time, thats 100 Baht altogether... and I need a beer.. have finished everythin since Singapore, not bad with me 2 finger typing... we now need to catch up New zealand
Don't know what we'll do later, should go see the guys from last night...
We picked up the email from Mich about Bob popping the question, well done guys...
TO BE CONTINUED....
Nic here! Well, we ventured out again for dinner, I was feeling a bit better. Wandered around & saw the guys from Singapore & walked around a shopping mall with them for a bit....J resisted the nice white Y fronts! Said godbye to the guys & found a restaurant for dinner. Mmmmm Chicken & Ginger, rice, veggies & crispy pork all washed down with a beer for J & another water for me! God 1st beer free day for ages! Back to the hotel stopping on route for room supplies, beers, OJ & some nice fresh fruit from a roadside stall! Watched a movie then bed!
29/5/09
Got up, I'm feeling a bit better so went for brekkie which was a disaster, ham & eggs on toast but their toast has sugar in it so didn't taste that good. Stopped for another dim sum brekkie, so, so, then off to the internet cafe to update BLOG on NZ & J's looking at Ko Lanta accomodation, looking good nice beach bungalow's with pool! Yes we decided where to go next!
Well after hours in the internet cafe & finding the most recent Lonely Planet guide to Thailand where it said not to go to H.Yai because of it's terrorist bombings we found the Irish bar & 4 vodka tonics & a few beers later we were steamin!
I went to 'Siam & Guy' instead of 'Toni & Guy' for a haircut, Jay came looking for me after 1 hour as he was worried, ahh bless!! Really gopod haircut, bit short but straight & shiny yes!
Beers in hotel then out for dinner to a steakhouse for fried chicken, pork steak & proper veggies yum. Found a bar with a funny menu that included crispy swamp cabbage, Pork innards, deep fried snake head & stinky bean with pork! Oh & not forgetting deep fried bird with garlic & pepper! Obviously this was the best dish in the house!
Off now for sleep before journey tomorrow to ko Lanta!
23/05/2009 - 27/05/2009 Penang
23/05/2009
So bus left an hour late, we stopped at a realldodgy looking place en-route.. stopped for diesel again while full of passengers and engine running, seems to be the normal thing over here.. went thru a couple of roads blocks, one of them plain clothed police came on looking for a fugitive, all good fun..
Arrived at the long distance bus station and shared a cab to Georgetown with a couple of girls, we fixed a price but the guy still tried to squeeze us for 2 drops as agreed, he got nothing, I swear I'm gonna slap one of these f*ckers soon...
Arrive at the Hutton Lodge, was lovely.. we had shared bathroom but it was so clean that you didn't really notice, was lush and cost 60RM, nice staff and TV where I could watch F1 and last day of the Premiership tomorrow...
They have a guy who does a Thai visa service so we arranged that for Monday
We had a wander round near to the hotel, had beer for a change at D'joint watched the grand Prix qualifiers Monaco, Button pole, Lewis crashed out, had food at the Red Garden Food stalls, was really good, BBQ Butter Prawns, Thai bit, veg, Satay... excellent.. they had some singers on, was hilarious..
24/05/2009
Good nights sleep..
Went to get photos for our Visa with Stephen and the 2 girls Bianca and Mand who were getting there's too, it was a proper photo studio place, we got 12 done and a CD.. there is an excellent free bus in Penang round the main parts of the city, don't get any cabs!! while they were being developed Stephen took us on a mini tour then when we had all the photos he got us to the 101 bus, the 4 of us went to watch the International dragon boat racing, he hadn't told us how far it was, took about 3/4 hour then we had to walk on what must have been the hottest most humid day on record up to the lake, its fomed by a damned river... we watched the first race fter a water stop, met some Ozzy guys who were over for 5 days from Perth, its only 5 hours for them.. her mate goes to Bali on a days shopping from Perth apparently, its only 2 and half hours, lucky buggers..
we headed back after the first race, we weren't all that interested in seeing more of the same...
Went for a pint, then back to hotel, I watched the F1 then the football.. I loved it.. nic stayed up til about 10, she didn't do too bad... I waited for the Liverpool goals after the game and went to bed at about 0130... the guy I was chatting to was a Spurs supporter which made it sweeter, 3 - 1, who cares if Keene scored against us..
25/05/2008 - Our Anniversary
Had to go with Stephen with our 4 Passports on the back of his moped, I don't think this was part of the service, was funny tho, I had to pretend to be the girls uncle.. hee hee
I had to go back with him in the afternoon so me and Nic just went for lunch and a coffee close by, all very un-romantic.. then I had to go back and get the passports..
For some silly reason we had arranged to go to the big night market with Stephen and the Girls, left at 6pm on the free bus, went into a couple of Chinese family Jetty's they live all together, a bit like the Malay long houses but obviously not exactly, we saw the Chew's and Li's, went into one of the houses as it was a relative of Stephens, shews had there own Temple on their's.. wandered down to the market had a couple of Satyays and a sweet corn and got the bus back... we intended to go back out but we weren't all that hungry so se cracked open the bottle of Pirates 24RM Rum and ended up sitting there and drinking the whole bottle with diet pepsi, we had a good laugh, met a few other people and got very drunk, there are few good pics to go up of all that...
26/05/2009
Had a proper look round Geogretown, got the free bus about... had lunch in Little India at Sri Ananda Bahwan, vegetarian place, North India special Thali was lush... walked thru and had a coffee at same place as the day before, nice to have proper brewed coffee... we walked past the Eastern and Orient hotel and then stopped on the way at bar Thirty-Two which has a little beach terrace, we had a quick drink at happy hour, I had beer, Nic Mohito... we wlked back past a place we were thinking about going for tea, Local Peneng cooking is Nonya so we thought maybe we should try on our last night... we didn't in the end but it looked good...
walked down the hotel, got cleaned up, went down to Red Garden again, at least we knew what the score was down there, we had Dim Sum then Nic had Chicken Curry in bread and I had the set BBQ pork, rice veg and soup.. we well over ate after such a good day yesterday... there were lots of older couples about at tables just drinking water, seemed a bit strange until later on when the Ballroom dancing started, was really good, the old folks loved it..
we walked back and I got a little bottle of Brandy, what an alcy, was about 3 larges ones wort, was about the same as one beer at the hotel, was just ecomomising I told myself.. Nic went to bed I finished me bottle chatting to the Manchester guys with the 3 year old who had been out and bought the same maharaja cheap Brandy, think we had started a bit of a trend there...
27/05/2009
0830 shuttle bus to Hat Yai in Thailand - hopefully we can decide our route thru Thailand from there...
So bus left an hour late, we stopped at a realldodgy looking place en-route.. stopped for diesel again while full of passengers and engine running, seems to be the normal thing over here.. went thru a couple of roads blocks, one of them plain clothed police came on looking for a fugitive, all good fun..
Arrived at the long distance bus station and shared a cab to Georgetown with a couple of girls, we fixed a price but the guy still tried to squeeze us for 2 drops as agreed, he got nothing, I swear I'm gonna slap one of these f*ckers soon...
Arrive at the Hutton Lodge, was lovely.. we had shared bathroom but it was so clean that you didn't really notice, was lush and cost 60RM, nice staff and TV where I could watch F1 and last day of the Premiership tomorrow...
They have a guy who does a Thai visa service so we arranged that for Monday
We had a wander round near to the hotel, had beer for a change at D'joint watched the grand Prix qualifiers Monaco, Button pole, Lewis crashed out, had food at the Red Garden Food stalls, was really good, BBQ Butter Prawns, Thai bit, veg, Satay... excellent.. they had some singers on, was hilarious..
24/05/2009
Good nights sleep..
Went to get photos for our Visa with Stephen and the 2 girls Bianca and Mand who were getting there's too, it was a proper photo studio place, we got 12 done and a CD.. there is an excellent free bus in Penang round the main parts of the city, don't get any cabs!! while they were being developed Stephen took us on a mini tour then when we had all the photos he got us to the 101 bus, the 4 of us went to watch the International dragon boat racing, he hadn't told us how far it was, took about 3/4 hour then we had to walk on what must have been the hottest most humid day on record up to the lake, its fomed by a damned river... we watched the first race fter a water stop, met some Ozzy guys who were over for 5 days from Perth, its only 5 hours for them.. her mate goes to Bali on a days shopping from Perth apparently, its only 2 and half hours, lucky buggers..
we headed back after the first race, we weren't all that interested in seeing more of the same...
Went for a pint, then back to hotel, I watched the F1 then the football.. I loved it.. nic stayed up til about 10, she didn't do too bad... I waited for the Liverpool goals after the game and went to bed at about 0130... the guy I was chatting to was a Spurs supporter which made it sweeter, 3 - 1, who cares if Keene scored against us..
25/05/2008 - Our Anniversary
Had to go with Stephen with our 4 Passports on the back of his moped, I don't think this was part of the service, was funny tho, I had to pretend to be the girls uncle.. hee hee
I had to go back with him in the afternoon so me and Nic just went for lunch and a coffee close by, all very un-romantic.. then I had to go back and get the passports..
For some silly reason we had arranged to go to the big night market with Stephen and the Girls, left at 6pm on the free bus, went into a couple of Chinese family Jetty's they live all together, a bit like the Malay long houses but obviously not exactly, we saw the Chew's and Li's, went into one of the houses as it was a relative of Stephens, shews had there own Temple on their's.. wandered down to the market had a couple of Satyays and a sweet corn and got the bus back... we intended to go back out but we weren't all that hungry so se cracked open the bottle of Pirates 24RM Rum and ended up sitting there and drinking the whole bottle with diet pepsi, we had a good laugh, met a few other people and got very drunk, there are few good pics to go up of all that...
26/05/2009
Had a proper look round Geogretown, got the free bus about... had lunch in Little India at Sri Ananda Bahwan, vegetarian place, North India special Thali was lush... walked thru and had a coffee at same place as the day before, nice to have proper brewed coffee... we walked past the Eastern and Orient hotel and then stopped on the way at bar Thirty-Two which has a little beach terrace, we had a quick drink at happy hour, I had beer, Nic Mohito... we wlked back past a place we were thinking about going for tea, Local Peneng cooking is Nonya so we thought maybe we should try on our last night... we didn't in the end but it looked good...
walked down the hotel, got cleaned up, went down to Red Garden again, at least we knew what the score was down there, we had Dim Sum then Nic had Chicken Curry in bread and I had the set BBQ pork, rice veg and soup.. we well over ate after such a good day yesterday... there were lots of older couples about at tables just drinking water, seemed a bit strange until later on when the Ballroom dancing started, was really good, the old folks loved it..
we walked back and I got a little bottle of Brandy, what an alcy, was about 3 larges ones wort, was about the same as one beer at the hotel, was just ecomomising I told myself.. Nic went to bed I finished me bottle chatting to the Manchester guys with the 3 year old who had been out and bought the same maharaja cheap Brandy, think we had started a bit of a trend there...
27/05/2009
0830 shuttle bus to Hat Yai in Thailand - hopefully we can decide our route thru Thailand from there...
21/05/2009 - 23/05/2009 Kota Bharu
21/05/2009
so, after the water taxi we caught a cab up to Kota Bahru. It was the oldest cab with the oldest driver, we got just out of Besut when we had a blow out tyre, good start, people stopped or waved as they went past, I left the old man to do his own tyre to nics discust, well tough I thought, plus it was bloody hot too...
we got into the city but instead of dropping us at the Hotel he decides to turn the other way and leave us a 10 minute walk and sweat, I was now very happy that he'd done his own tyre, the git, I nearly gave him less than we had agreed but Nic wouldn't let me.. she's too soft.
Got to 'Kencana Lodge'.. I had a bit of a hissy fit cos it was very old but it was actually ok in the end, we showered and went to see about doing our thai visa's, we couldn't do it in the 3 days we wre there cos they have there weekend friday and Saturday and we weren't staying long enough, tomorrow was Friday, we always do this, we need to get a bit wiser I think..
We wlked towards town, had a beer,we discovered Malay Jaz Beer, cheap and very nice, ended up being the place in the planet book with out knowing it, then we walked to the nigh market which wasn't all that good, had a quick satay, lucky nic read the labels, choice was chick neck, liver or body... I'd picked liver without looking properly... after that we went back to where we had come from... good food and more beers, had a TV in our room so we watched a movie
22/05/2009
Went to the city market, very busy, had a wandr round, couldn't decide what to eat so we had McDonalds, very bad but needed a break from noodles...
Went and done a load of Blog stuff then went to yesterdays bar for beers, got chatting to some great guys from West Oz, Tony and Lynne, Lynne does handi-crafts and arty stuff, she made me an ashtray out the Tiger beer can, all good re-cycled stuff.. we sat with them for probably a couple of hours then we went off to find the four season chinese restaurant we;d walked past the day before, you've guessed it, it was closed.. next door to the hotel was a chinese hawker place, we managed to find someone who spoke English so we ate and had a couple of beers...
23/05/2009
Bus to Penang... an hour late, no surprise
Tony and Lynne
so, after the water taxi we caught a cab up to Kota Bahru. It was the oldest cab with the oldest driver, we got just out of Besut when we had a blow out tyre, good start, people stopped or waved as they went past, I left the old man to do his own tyre to nics discust, well tough I thought, plus it was bloody hot too...
we got into the city but instead of dropping us at the Hotel he decides to turn the other way and leave us a 10 minute walk and sweat, I was now very happy that he'd done his own tyre, the git, I nearly gave him less than we had agreed but Nic wouldn't let me.. she's too soft.
Got to 'Kencana Lodge'.. I had a bit of a hissy fit cos it was very old but it was actually ok in the end, we showered and went to see about doing our thai visa's, we couldn't do it in the 3 days we wre there cos they have there weekend friday and Saturday and we weren't staying long enough, tomorrow was Friday, we always do this, we need to get a bit wiser I think..
We wlked towards town, had a beer,we discovered Malay Jaz Beer, cheap and very nice, ended up being the place in the planet book with out knowing it, then we walked to the nigh market which wasn't all that good, had a quick satay, lucky nic read the labels, choice was chick neck, liver or body... I'd picked liver without looking properly... after that we went back to where we had come from... good food and more beers, had a TV in our room so we watched a movie
22/05/2009
Went to the city market, very busy, had a wandr round, couldn't decide what to eat so we had McDonalds, very bad but needed a break from noodles...
Went and done a load of Blog stuff then went to yesterdays bar for beers, got chatting to some great guys from West Oz, Tony and Lynne, Lynne does handi-crafts and arty stuff, she made me an ashtray out the Tiger beer can, all good re-cycled stuff.. we sat with them for probably a couple of hours then we went off to find the four season chinese restaurant we;d walked past the day before, you've guessed it, it was closed.. next door to the hotel was a chinese hawker place, we managed to find someone who spoke English so we ate and had a couple of beers...
23/05/2009
Bus to Penang... an hour late, no surprise
Tony and Lynne
18/05/2009 - 21/05/2009 Pulau Perhentian Kecil - Perhentian Islands
Arrived at D'lagoon, it was a small beach with only their own bar and restaurant, there were bungalows, tree house and Dorm accommodations...
We had a bungalow, it had a great view but the place was lets just say a bit too basic for us posh travellers, thee was some kind of poo in the shower/toilet room, we later worked out it was from the Geckos that shared the open shower room with us... all very nice, not. The food wasn't bad but there wasn't much to chose from, they did have beer tho, and we had brought a bottle of rum and some vodka just in case
The next morning Nic got a bit upset cos she was hoping for a beach paradise, it wasn't quite that, although it looked OK it just wasn't clean, a real shame, it spoilt it a bit for us... trying to be positive I got us a water taxi round to Long beach, the busy bit, we had a coke and then walked over to Coral beach. We had a look at some other rooms but in the end decided not to hassle ourselves with moving, we had lunch served by the moodiest women..
went back to our place a laid on the beach for a bit, the water was lovely and warm.
we lounged for the next day then went... it ws ok but next time we'll be a bit more careful with where we stay I think...
They have good snorkling and diving but we decided to leave that for maybe Thailand, we'll see...
We had a bungalow, it had a great view but the place was lets just say a bit too basic for us posh travellers, thee was some kind of poo in the shower/toilet room, we later worked out it was from the Geckos that shared the open shower room with us... all very nice, not. The food wasn't bad but there wasn't much to chose from, they did have beer tho, and we had brought a bottle of rum and some vodka just in case
The next morning Nic got a bit upset cos she was hoping for a beach paradise, it wasn't quite that, although it looked OK it just wasn't clean, a real shame, it spoilt it a bit for us... trying to be positive I got us a water taxi round to Long beach, the busy bit, we had a coke and then walked over to Coral beach. We had a look at some other rooms but in the end decided not to hassle ourselves with moving, we had lunch served by the moodiest women..
went back to our place a laid on the beach for a bit, the water was lovely and warm.
we lounged for the next day then went... it ws ok but next time we'll be a bit more careful with where we stay I think...
They have good snorkling and diving but we decided to leave that for maybe Thailand, we'll see...
15/05/2009 - 18/05/2009 Cameron Highlands
15/05/2009
Arrived at Tanah Rata Bus station and got met by Paul from Fathers guest house, got into our room which was nice and clean again, we were just in time for dinner, they have food and beer there so you don't really need to go anywhere else... met up with James and Megan & compared notes about bus trip, they were delayed by an hour as well..
16/05/2009
4 of us took a taxi up to the Honey Bee Farm for 15 RM, then we made our way back down the road stopping at the Butterfly garden, which was rubbish, and the Strawberry farm where we had tea and scones with home made local jam, local tea and squirty cream (no clotted).. stopped at a few food places, the guys had chicken nuggets, we had corns and a bit of skewer stuff, tried the smelly Durian fruit which was quite nice, had some black drink full of molasses sugar.. Got to Brinchan and walked round Cactus valley, was just like a cactus garden centre, took some silly picture and messed around like kids..
Got a taxi back, me and Nic had a couple of beers then walked back to the Guesthouse for tea... I watched the Man Utd game, they got the point they needed so won the title, the Fulham game was on straight after so didn't have to watch them get the thophy again!!
17/05/2009
Went for an organised day trip with the guest house guide plus James and Meg, drove to a track that we then followed off road up to where we started our hour walk up to see the large Rafflesia flowers, the off road ten minute ride was hilarious, the flowers were quite disappointing to be completely honest.. managed not to get stung by the the honey bees which kept landing on my sweaty salty arms, sweat towel helped me flick them of.. it was raining by the time we got the jeep back down the track, was even better than the way up..
Stopped at a small village for a blow pipe demo in the rain, don't think anyone was that interested but some of us had a go, some of the suckers bought a short version..
Left there and drover up to the Tea plantation, had a quick tour then tried the garden, best tea, at last could get a sandwich we were starving, was 3 already.. on the way down we went past a temple where the guys were throwing yellow paint at each other (was curry powder and water), they knew our driver Bob so they stopped our Jeep to throw paint at us, we held our doors but Bob (now curry Bob) had to let his best mate in to give him a covering, was very funny... took some photos of the Tea Plantation, was really nice and so quiet..
Drove up to the highest mountain in the Highlands for the view and Francis the other guide told us about some of the plants and what to do if we get bitten by a snake, all good info..
Went for a quick tramp in the Mossy Forest, another great view and wierd walking on the mossy forest floor.. dropped a few farts on James hee hee
Then back to the guesthouse... we got cleaned up and went for Banana leaf Indian with James and Meg in town then back to the TV for Liverpool Newcastle, the writing was on the wall for them after our win...
18/05/2009
10am Suttle van transfer to Kuala Besut then water Taxi to D'Lagoon on Perenthian Islands
Arrived at Tanah Rata Bus station and got met by Paul from Fathers guest house, got into our room which was nice and clean again, we were just in time for dinner, they have food and beer there so you don't really need to go anywhere else... met up with James and Megan & compared notes about bus trip, they were delayed by an hour as well..
16/05/2009
4 of us took a taxi up to the Honey Bee Farm for 15 RM, then we made our way back down the road stopping at the Butterfly garden, which was rubbish, and the Strawberry farm where we had tea and scones with home made local jam, local tea and squirty cream (no clotted).. stopped at a few food places, the guys had chicken nuggets, we had corns and a bit of skewer stuff, tried the smelly Durian fruit which was quite nice, had some black drink full of molasses sugar.. Got to Brinchan and walked round Cactus valley, was just like a cactus garden centre, took some silly picture and messed around like kids..
Got a taxi back, me and Nic had a couple of beers then walked back to the Guesthouse for tea... I watched the Man Utd game, they got the point they needed so won the title, the Fulham game was on straight after so didn't have to watch them get the thophy again!!
17/05/2009
Went for an organised day trip with the guest house guide plus James and Meg, drove to a track that we then followed off road up to where we started our hour walk up to see the large Rafflesia flowers, the off road ten minute ride was hilarious, the flowers were quite disappointing to be completely honest.. managed not to get stung by the the honey bees which kept landing on my sweaty salty arms, sweat towel helped me flick them of.. it was raining by the time we got the jeep back down the track, was even better than the way up..
Stopped at a small village for a blow pipe demo in the rain, don't think anyone was that interested but some of us had a go, some of the suckers bought a short version..
Left there and drover up to the Tea plantation, had a quick tour then tried the garden, best tea, at last could get a sandwich we were starving, was 3 already.. on the way down we went past a temple where the guys were throwing yellow paint at each other (was curry powder and water), they knew our driver Bob so they stopped our Jeep to throw paint at us, we held our doors but Bob (now curry Bob) had to let his best mate in to give him a covering, was very funny... took some photos of the Tea Plantation, was really nice and so quiet..
Drove up to the highest mountain in the Highlands for the view and Francis the other guide told us about some of the plants and what to do if we get bitten by a snake, all good info..
Went for a quick tramp in the Mossy Forest, another great view and wierd walking on the mossy forest floor.. dropped a few farts on James hee hee
Then back to the guesthouse... we got cleaned up and went for Banana leaf Indian with James and Meg in town then back to the TV for Liverpool Newcastle, the writing was on the wall for them after our win...
18/05/2009
10am Suttle van transfer to Kuala Besut then water Taxi to D'Lagoon on Perenthian Islands
12/5/09 - 15/5/09 Kuala Lumpur & Melacca
12/5/09
Arrived on the bus from the airpot & walked down to our hostel 'Matahari Lodge'http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/31465/ near China Town.
Got a great welcome & the room was lovely & clean & tidy! Result! after a while we elt at home, friedly staff who remembered our names & just a chilled out place, you need one of those once in a while!
Popped to the 'Beatles Bar' for a beer & Happy Hour G & T. It was a funny bar all they played was Beatles music & i do't even like it! Then one of the local guys started Kareoke! He was really bad & was singing in broken English, the couple of guys that were also in there soon got up & left, so we thanked them for leaving us!
Wet for an Indian dinner, God klnow's how we odered as there were no menu's but we had a great dinner in the end for about 1.30!
13/5/09
Got the train to the Petronas Towers & got our tickets to go back at 4:30pm.
Then we had a quick look around M&S at the wine & got the bus to the Indian Embassy to get our visa's sorted. Got all the way there only to be told that the Tourist Visa's are done at another office 2 blocks from our hostel, gutted!
Submitted the visa & then it started to rain so we went back to the hostel for a beer
& then got up the momentum to go to the Towers! Towers were ok, just more tall towers really!
Met a guy called Tom in the evening & again when we were in the Beatles Bar again. He couldn't resist the singing!
14/5/09
Day trip out to Melacca with a couple we met at the hostel, James & Megan. James is as silly as Jay! The Drivers there and back were clearing their thoats and gobbing out the window, Jay and James were cracking up...
Wandered around the old town in Melacca, had a cheap Laksa lunch & a couple of beers then got the bus home, missed the big Tesco's that was next to the bus station to go for Dim Sum in KL.
Found the hawker stand on Jalan Alor & ordered loads of lush Dims. I went to the loo & saw a nice huge rat in the kitchen on the way back but tummies were all good the next day!
Got a taxi back in the rain, beers & bed!
15/05/2009
Had luch with Tom in China town, was really good, had a couple of beers, last thing we wanted to do was get on a bus for a few hours...well 6 hours..
Went back and got our sacks and walked up to the bus station, sweating again, then we had to walk across the road to where the bus went from, then we had to walk again to find it... got on the bus sweaty and very happy, not.. the bus was really crappy, did have air con, we were lucky..
On the way up to the highlands its really twisty and the driver goes like a crazy man, shame it was dark,more gobbing from the driver, we heard from James and Meg that the views were really good..
ArrivedCameron Highlands, Tanh Rata the main town...
Arrived on the bus from the airpot & walked down to our hostel 'Matahari Lodge'http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/31465/ near China Town.
Got a great welcome & the room was lovely & clean & tidy! Result! after a while we elt at home, friedly staff who remembered our names & just a chilled out place, you need one of those once in a while!
Popped to the 'Beatles Bar' for a beer & Happy Hour G & T. It was a funny bar all they played was Beatles music & i do't even like it! Then one of the local guys started Kareoke! He was really bad & was singing in broken English, the couple of guys that were also in there soon got up & left, so we thanked them for leaving us!
Wet for an Indian dinner, God klnow's how we odered as there were no menu's but we had a great dinner in the end for about 1.30!
13/5/09
Got the train to the Petronas Towers & got our tickets to go back at 4:30pm.
Then we had a quick look around M&S at the wine & got the bus to the Indian Embassy to get our visa's sorted. Got all the way there only to be told that the Tourist Visa's are done at another office 2 blocks from our hostel, gutted!
Submitted the visa & then it started to rain so we went back to the hostel for a beer
& then got up the momentum to go to the Towers! Towers were ok, just more tall towers really!
Met a guy called Tom in the evening & again when we were in the Beatles Bar again. He couldn't resist the singing!
14/5/09
Day trip out to Melacca with a couple we met at the hostel, James & Megan. James is as silly as Jay! The Drivers there and back were clearing their thoats and gobbing out the window, Jay and James were cracking up...
Wandered around the old town in Melacca, had a cheap Laksa lunch & a couple of beers then got the bus home, missed the big Tesco's that was next to the bus station to go for Dim Sum in KL.
Found the hawker stand on Jalan Alor & ordered loads of lush Dims. I went to the loo & saw a nice huge rat in the kitchen on the way back but tummies were all good the next day!
Got a taxi back in the rain, beers & bed!
15/05/2009
Had luch with Tom in China town, was really good, had a couple of beers, last thing we wanted to do was get on a bus for a few hours...well 6 hours..
Went back and got our sacks and walked up to the bus station, sweating again, then we had to walk across the road to where the bus went from, then we had to walk again to find it... got on the bus sweaty and very happy, not.. the bus was really crappy, did have air con, we were lucky..
On the way up to the highlands its really twisty and the driver goes like a crazy man, shame it was dark,more gobbing from the driver, we heard from James and Meg that the views were really good..
ArrivedCameron Highlands, Tanh Rata the main town...
Monday 4 May 2009
5/5/09 - 11/5/09 Malaysia - Kuching
5/5/09
Crossed the border by bus to Johur Baru then caght a flight to Kuching (Malysia Borneo). Arrived at our Hostel in the evening Borneo B&B.
The hostel is a family run place, got checked in by the two sons, room was well basic....& not made up as they didn't get our booking because the internet was down.
The bed was bending in the middle & J got up in the middle of the night & it actually broke!!! So spent the rest of the night with L.Planet books underneath the break for support!
6/5/09
Got up & found the bus to the Cultural Village so hopped on. The place has 7 different houses representing the different tribes of the Sarawak area. Got a passpot to take into each house to get a stamp, did the whole lot & ten watched the show with all of the different tribes dancing & traditional costume. Saw a guy using the blow pipe & then J got up on stage for a dance with the locals!
Booked our longhouse trip through Boreo B & B as you go & stay with her Sister at her Longhouse & our hotel (Tune Hotel) for when we got back after 2 nights, 3 days roughing it.
HAd Wonton soup at 'Green Hill Corner' with 'Gorgeous' the waiter/ess, lush home made wontons!
7/5/09
Left for the Iban Longhouse trip, dropped off at Kuching main bus station, got the bus to Sri Aman & then got picked up by Auntie in the smallest car in the world!
Our trip was just 3 of us, us two & Ray who was 72 years old. He was on a mission to travel & find his Father In Law's lost war grave as noone knows were he is buried.
Funny trip, got in the small car with Ray's big case , she said to me 'ou sit in the front as very big!', so the 2 blokes got in the back with Rays great big suitcase on top of them! Ray also had to mind his feet as she'd stored a live fish by his feet that she'd bought from the market!
On the way out we went to see a delapitated English Fort from the war time tha looked out as a guard against the Japs coming down the river.
Drove along to an old graveyard in the grounds of an old school (St.Lawrence) where Iban children board, the kids were funny, ran all round us saying 'hello. how are you, what is your name?' They were well cute, we took photo's of them & showed them on the play button & they were cracking up... J was disapointed at the amount of Man U shirts though!
Next stop was a modern longhouse, brick built & not wood, met the Chief, had a cup of tea, J rolled loads of ciggarette's for each of them as he as only the 2nd person they had seen rolling his own! Saw the Head Hunters 'Skulls' in a basket with the bones of the warrior in a tomb above them to watch over them. Each week they smoke the skulls to preserve them! Very rare to see this now.
Cracked on, had a drink & some monkey nuts with Auntie & the locals in the shop before getting to the actual Longhouse in Batu Lintang. In the distance you could see the purple hills of Indonesia.
Unpacked the car & the fish & was met by Gloria(daughter in law), Julia(Grandaughter) & Jeffery(Grandson), they love the English names!
Went for a swim/shower in the river to cool off & clean up. Auntie brought the soap! Aunty gave Nic a sarong to wear like a proper Iban woman!
Out the back of the house Antie had a couple of pigs which she was fattening up ready for her celebration at the end of May, very smelly when the wind changed!
Had dinner & sat around, her Son Charles arrived home, thought he was acting a bit weird especially when he laid down in the missle of the lounge & went to sleep but it turned out he'd been drinking with his cousin all afternoon.....
The Langkow (rice wine but boiled to make it stronger in alcohol, it's illegal Longhouse brew bought for 5 Ringets a bottle) came out then it all got messy! We all sat on the floor drinking shots followed by a glass of water to take the burn away, I had to have very small glasses & hold my nose! When that went we had a small bottle of normal rice wine which was a lot easier to drink then we went to bed on the floor & giggled at the fish splashing around all night in the tank by Ray's room! Poor old Ray went to bed tired without Langkow. Auntie said'He's very old'....
8/5/09
Got up for a real shower which was actually a bucket of water with a big ladel so you could throw it on yourself... was clean tho..
Went for a jungle treck in the morning, walked past where we had our river shower the night before, saw somw pine apples growing, I'd never seen them growing before... walked over a rickety old briged and round to where they had there cememtry for the local people of the Longhouses.. Ray was loving that, we weren't too sure, took a few photos.
Walked thru the jungle which was mostly all Aunty's, there were lots of fruit trees, unfortunately harvest is end of October so nothing for us to see.. walked past a small shed where Aunty used to have a Indonisian family living who used to work herv land. Went past some big holes in the ground which used to be under their old Longhouses during the war, they used to use them as bunkers when the Japanese attacked. Walked on to where all her Rubber trees were and had a go at cutting the bark to release the rubbber river which then drained down in to a cup, they used to then take that too market... there were hundreds of trees about.. we searched out some Bamboo shouts, we pick these and peeled them and chucked them in the bag, these were for dinner.. we went back to the house for lunch, Nic and I went for a quick river dip as we were melting alot...
After lunch we wandered down the river to get in Aunty's boat to go down to her vegetable garden.. had to prune a few pepper bushes, well actually loads of them, the whole lot between us, Ray got told off for slacking, he was very old she said, there were chilli plants and herbs too... had a few bananas and water abd more cigarette, aunty loved a smoke...
Went back down to the river for a swim and a jump in, there's a a film clip of bottler me.. hen had a funny journey back up stream to the house, we kept going off course and getting a bit stuck... we were meant to put a net in for fishing but it was going to rain so couldn't, the water get really high and would have washed the expensive net away..
Got back to the house, we helped prepare the Bamboo shouts for tea, while Gloria did everything else as usual... Had dinner went round to another place in the long house, Aunty's cousin there does handi-crafts, we didn't buy anything, Ray bought a couple of bits and bobs... got back to the house and watched a bit of TV, I just commented 'no Langkow tonight then?'... Charles went and got some so t 4 of us got stuck into that.. ended up drinking far too much, 2 bottles of the hard stuff laughed alot and then went to bed...
09/05/2009
We dropped Ray off at the bus stop and then Aunty took us back to Sri Aman for our bus, we had time to have a look around the Jungle market, all the local paople bring their produce to sell, Aunty got us some fruit for the journey..
got to bus back to Kuching, no air conditioning, after an hour we realised we could open the windows.. divs..
Got picked up by two of the sons from the B & B and got a lift to the Orang-utan Santuary (Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation centre)..
we saw a Mother and the youngest baby of 2 months up by the car park then we went down to the feeding area, they hadn't seen any Orang-utans there for 4 days cos there was loads of food about for them in the jungle but we were really lucky and saw about 4 there, they were playing and messing about, was really great to see, the facial expressions were brilliant... the rain started so we headed away from there, and the Mum and Baby were down in another area. We wandered down there, there was a 3rd, a young male having a feed.. I sat under a shelter while Nic got some photos, the mother and Baby had the same idea and came to sit next to me, we heard that the mother had gone for a Chinese tourist who had got too close before, I was scared so made a move, Nic just about got a fuzzy photo of me with them...
Got picked up by the boys and went back to Borneo B & B, we had already booked into to the Tune which was a bit imbarrassing cos Mum had made up another nicer room for us.. felt very guilty we did...
10/05/2009
After a nice sweaty walk we found the Jungle market in Kuching, it's on every Sunday where all the villagers come into town to sell their wares. Saw the Jungle ferns again that we'd eaten at the Longhouse, had a spot of lunch away from the stinky market & then went to the Museum. It was actually surprisingly interesting all about the history & hw the war came about, all stuff we didn't have a clue about until Ray opened our eyes.
Got back after a few watermelon juices & beers & then off out for dinner in the local hawker place so J could watc the footie!
11/5/09
Got up early, walked to the bus station, grabbed a Chinese bun & got on the local bus to Baco National Park. After an hour or so on a bus with no suspension & hard plastic seats we got to the park base where we shared a water taxi to the actual park. It was blistering hot! Arrived & booked our boat time back, on the way to the office we spotted a huge group of rare Silver Leaf monkeys playing near the beach & the even rarer Proboscis Monkey's in the tree's with the funny noses! So result no need to walk a trail in the heat (no such luck). Walked the Paku trail through the jungle for 1 hour to a nice secluded beach, on the way J spotted a massive spider in it's web where we saw him munch some insect & a Hermit crab who was a funny thing moving around!
At the beach we saw some funny lizard things skiming on the water. Left our tops in the sun to dry out & had a rest!
Saw some monkeys in the trees on the way back but not a really good view, we could hear them though.
Saw a huge Wild Boar, pig thing by the office when we got back & missed the huge snake that was aprently sitting by the canteen! Saw some weird tiny one clawed crabs too in red & turquoise colours....
Got the boat back & hopped onto another local bus although a taxi was very tempting! The bus was full of kids as we'd hit the school run, they all said hello again & wanted their photo's taken....
12/5/09
Left Kuching for Kuala Lumpur on an Air Asia flight.
Crossed the border by bus to Johur Baru then caght a flight to Kuching (Malysia Borneo). Arrived at our Hostel in the evening Borneo B&B.
The hostel is a family run place, got checked in by the two sons, room was well basic....& not made up as they didn't get our booking because the internet was down.
The bed was bending in the middle & J got up in the middle of the night & it actually broke!!! So spent the rest of the night with L.Planet books underneath the break for support!
6/5/09
Got up & found the bus to the Cultural Village so hopped on. The place has 7 different houses representing the different tribes of the Sarawak area. Got a passpot to take into each house to get a stamp, did the whole lot & ten watched the show with all of the different tribes dancing & traditional costume. Saw a guy using the blow pipe & then J got up on stage for a dance with the locals!
Booked our longhouse trip through Boreo B & B as you go & stay with her Sister at her Longhouse & our hotel (Tune Hotel) for when we got back after 2 nights, 3 days roughing it.
HAd Wonton soup at 'Green Hill Corner' with 'Gorgeous' the waiter/ess, lush home made wontons!
7/5/09
Left for the Iban Longhouse trip, dropped off at Kuching main bus station, got the bus to Sri Aman & then got picked up by Auntie in the smallest car in the world!
Our trip was just 3 of us, us two & Ray who was 72 years old. He was on a mission to travel & find his Father In Law's lost war grave as noone knows were he is buried.
Funny trip, got in the small car with Ray's big case , she said to me 'ou sit in the front as very big!', so the 2 blokes got in the back with Rays great big suitcase on top of them! Ray also had to mind his feet as she'd stored a live fish by his feet that she'd bought from the market!
On the way out we went to see a delapitated English Fort from the war time tha looked out as a guard against the Japs coming down the river.
Drove along to an old graveyard in the grounds of an old school (St.Lawrence) where Iban children board, the kids were funny, ran all round us saying 'hello. how are you, what is your name?' They were well cute, we took photo's of them & showed them on the play button & they were cracking up... J was disapointed at the amount of Man U shirts though!
Next stop was a modern longhouse, brick built & not wood, met the Chief, had a cup of tea, J rolled loads of ciggarette's for each of them as he as only the 2nd person they had seen rolling his own! Saw the Head Hunters 'Skulls' in a basket with the bones of the warrior in a tomb above them to watch over them. Each week they smoke the skulls to preserve them! Very rare to see this now.
Cracked on, had a drink & some monkey nuts with Auntie & the locals in the shop before getting to the actual Longhouse in Batu Lintang. In the distance you could see the purple hills of Indonesia.
Unpacked the car & the fish & was met by Gloria(daughter in law), Julia(Grandaughter) & Jeffery(Grandson), they love the English names!
Went for a swim/shower in the river to cool off & clean up. Auntie brought the soap! Aunty gave Nic a sarong to wear like a proper Iban woman!
Out the back of the house Antie had a couple of pigs which she was fattening up ready for her celebration at the end of May, very smelly when the wind changed!
Had dinner & sat around, her Son Charles arrived home, thought he was acting a bit weird especially when he laid down in the missle of the lounge & went to sleep but it turned out he'd been drinking with his cousin all afternoon.....
The Langkow (rice wine but boiled to make it stronger in alcohol, it's illegal Longhouse brew bought for 5 Ringets a bottle) came out then it all got messy! We all sat on the floor drinking shots followed by a glass of water to take the burn away, I had to have very small glasses & hold my nose! When that went we had a small bottle of normal rice wine which was a lot easier to drink then we went to bed on the floor & giggled at the fish splashing around all night in the tank by Ray's room! Poor old Ray went to bed tired without Langkow. Auntie said'He's very old'....
8/5/09
Got up for a real shower which was actually a bucket of water with a big ladel so you could throw it on yourself... was clean tho..
Went for a jungle treck in the morning, walked past where we had our river shower the night before, saw somw pine apples growing, I'd never seen them growing before... walked over a rickety old briged and round to where they had there cememtry for the local people of the Longhouses.. Ray was loving that, we weren't too sure, took a few photos.
Walked thru the jungle which was mostly all Aunty's, there were lots of fruit trees, unfortunately harvest is end of October so nothing for us to see.. walked past a small shed where Aunty used to have a Indonisian family living who used to work herv land. Went past some big holes in the ground which used to be under their old Longhouses during the war, they used to use them as bunkers when the Japanese attacked. Walked on to where all her Rubber trees were and had a go at cutting the bark to release the rubbber river which then drained down in to a cup, they used to then take that too market... there were hundreds of trees about.. we searched out some Bamboo shouts, we pick these and peeled them and chucked them in the bag, these were for dinner.. we went back to the house for lunch, Nic and I went for a quick river dip as we were melting alot...
After lunch we wandered down the river to get in Aunty's boat to go down to her vegetable garden.. had to prune a few pepper bushes, well actually loads of them, the whole lot between us, Ray got told off for slacking, he was very old she said, there were chilli plants and herbs too... had a few bananas and water abd more cigarette, aunty loved a smoke...
Went back down to the river for a swim and a jump in, there's a a film clip of bottler me.. hen had a funny journey back up stream to the house, we kept going off course and getting a bit stuck... we were meant to put a net in for fishing but it was going to rain so couldn't, the water get really high and would have washed the expensive net away..
Got back to the house, we helped prepare the Bamboo shouts for tea, while Gloria did everything else as usual... Had dinner went round to another place in the long house, Aunty's cousin there does handi-crafts, we didn't buy anything, Ray bought a couple of bits and bobs... got back to the house and watched a bit of TV, I just commented 'no Langkow tonight then?'... Charles went and got some so t 4 of us got stuck into that.. ended up drinking far too much, 2 bottles of the hard stuff laughed alot and then went to bed...
09/05/2009
We dropped Ray off at the bus stop and then Aunty took us back to Sri Aman for our bus, we had time to have a look around the Jungle market, all the local paople bring their produce to sell, Aunty got us some fruit for the journey..
got to bus back to Kuching, no air conditioning, after an hour we realised we could open the windows.. divs..
Got picked up by two of the sons from the B & B and got a lift to the Orang-utan Santuary (Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation centre)..
we saw a Mother and the youngest baby of 2 months up by the car park then we went down to the feeding area, they hadn't seen any Orang-utans there for 4 days cos there was loads of food about for them in the jungle but we were really lucky and saw about 4 there, they were playing and messing about, was really great to see, the facial expressions were brilliant... the rain started so we headed away from there, and the Mum and Baby were down in another area. We wandered down there, there was a 3rd, a young male having a feed.. I sat under a shelter while Nic got some photos, the mother and Baby had the same idea and came to sit next to me, we heard that the mother had gone for a Chinese tourist who had got too close before, I was scared so made a move, Nic just about got a fuzzy photo of me with them...
Got picked up by the boys and went back to Borneo B & B, we had already booked into to the Tune which was a bit imbarrassing cos Mum had made up another nicer room for us.. felt very guilty we did...
10/05/2009
After a nice sweaty walk we found the Jungle market in Kuching, it's on every Sunday where all the villagers come into town to sell their wares. Saw the Jungle ferns again that we'd eaten at the Longhouse, had a spot of lunch away from the stinky market & then went to the Museum. It was actually surprisingly interesting all about the history & hw the war came about, all stuff we didn't have a clue about until Ray opened our eyes.
Got back after a few watermelon juices & beers & then off out for dinner in the local hawker place so J could watc the footie!
11/5/09
Got up early, walked to the bus station, grabbed a Chinese bun & got on the local bus to Baco National Park. After an hour or so on a bus with no suspension & hard plastic seats we got to the park base where we shared a water taxi to the actual park. It was blistering hot! Arrived & booked our boat time back, on the way to the office we spotted a huge group of rare Silver Leaf monkeys playing near the beach & the even rarer Proboscis Monkey's in the tree's with the funny noses! So result no need to walk a trail in the heat (no such luck). Walked the Paku trail through the jungle for 1 hour to a nice secluded beach, on the way J spotted a massive spider in it's web where we saw him munch some insect & a Hermit crab who was a funny thing moving around!
At the beach we saw some funny lizard things skiming on the water. Left our tops in the sun to dry out & had a rest!
Saw some monkeys in the trees on the way back but not a really good view, we could hear them though.
Saw a huge Wild Boar, pig thing by the office when we got back & missed the huge snake that was aprently sitting by the canteen! Saw some weird tiny one clawed crabs too in red & turquoise colours....
Got the boat back & hopped onto another local bus although a taxi was very tempting! The bus was full of kids as we'd hit the school run, they all said hello again & wanted their photo's taken....
12/5/09
Left Kuching for Kuala Lumpur on an Air Asia flight.
1/5/09 - 5/5/09 Singapore with Jules & posse!
01/05/09
Jules came and met us at the airport what a star, got a taxi down to the Hangout hostel at mount Emily, brillian place we thought.. then off to a bar in Emerald Hill road, 3 beers for $20 happy hour, it aint cheap here... so we sat there and had a few beers and a chat... there's a 2 hour time difference so our 11pm here was already 1am for us but we hung in there... was good fun
They have this wierd thing here that only 15% of outside tables can be smoking ones, or you can go stand in the street..
$50 fine if you jay walk with 50 metres of a crossing, obviously hard for me not too.. hee hee
I also found out that I wasn't allowed to bring in my pouches of baccy without paying duty... only open packs allowed without singapore tax being paid... malboro lights about $12 at the newsy.. about same as at home i think
we stayed here, $89 per night online... 195 if you walk in... don't do it... was really good http://www.hangouthotels.com/
recon we were out til 2am..
02/05/09
11am... good sleep.. Got a taxi down to Raffles and met Jules for a cocktail.. very back packers, Nic had the good old Singapore sling, Jules and me went for a Raffles Revelry, very nice indeed, they bring you out salted monkey nuts and you just chuck the shells on the floor, yes even at Raffles... the long bar is really nice inside, with swinging fans that surely don't do any thing... in the courtyard there was a wedding going on the bride was just giving a speech as i bowled in over the rope to chuck me fag but in the bin, no one noticed fortuneatly..
we wandered on past the cricket ground and old parliment buildings and down to the river, took a 45minute boat trip for a look about then it was good for a look about... went for lunch at a place on the water had sort of oriental,we just shared a few differnt plates, had stingray sounds wrong i know but tastes lush, some greens, satay, rice, dumplings...
they have a real mix of foods, indian, chinese, japanese, vietnamese, can get that in the same restaurant too
Sha Sha's birthday, out at the Helipad funky bar... and very loud for the old ginge, drank lots and lots... the four of us went for dinner first at the Lao Beijing restaurant, was lush, dusk, spicy pork, scallop and bean curd soup, greens etc... sha sha ordered it up with a bit of help from Jules, it was lush
03/05/09
Met Jules down at the Prince of wales in Little India, got some curry sent over to the pub, what a great idea
poor Rick Hatton lost, we couldn't watch it anywhere...
Went down to Muddy's Irish pub that Bjorn manages, drank lots just like at home on a sunday, then we all went down to Chijmes bar restaurant and ate and watched the mighty Liverpool beat up Newcastle, I do hope they don't go down but we really needed the points to get auto qualify in the champs league..\
stayed out drinking til gone midnight, Sha Sha was bought a white waterfall drink, a bit of a tradition with the group...
I stayed on for a beer with Bjorn once everyone had gone... Nic was already back at the ranch burnt out..
04/05/09
We were pretty burnt out so we hung around the Hotel and done some blogg, we are getting there, actually had our first breakfast at the hotel, we had baked beans yippee... we've got a can in the sack in case of emergency's...
Went too Marks and Spencers, yes Bird needed a new Bra, and guess what bought another top..
Met poor old Jules down Emerald Hill for a few beers... poor bloke had been at work after the heavy weekend.. he perked up after a couple San Mig lights
got the train down to a Hawkers type place, Lau Pa Sat Festival Market and had lush food again, also nice and cheap, the tiger beer lady bring, its a definite must do, you can get any kind of food you want... left there and went to chian square for beer... went on to some courtyard place and unfortunately saw a fight between a couple of Koreans, Jules knew them too, you don't get fights over here..
last beer near the river then a cab back.. another 2 am finish
05/05/09
Meeting Jules down POW in little India for lunch then off on our travels at 3pm
Cheers Jules its been awesome seeing you!!!! and cheers to your friends too they are great
Jules came and met us at the airport what a star, got a taxi down to the Hangout hostel at mount Emily, brillian place we thought.. then off to a bar in Emerald Hill road, 3 beers for $20 happy hour, it aint cheap here... so we sat there and had a few beers and a chat... there's a 2 hour time difference so our 11pm here was already 1am for us but we hung in there... was good fun
They have this wierd thing here that only 15% of outside tables can be smoking ones, or you can go stand in the street..
$50 fine if you jay walk with 50 metres of a crossing, obviously hard for me not too.. hee hee
I also found out that I wasn't allowed to bring in my pouches of baccy without paying duty... only open packs allowed without singapore tax being paid... malboro lights about $12 at the newsy.. about same as at home i think
we stayed here, $89 per night online... 195 if you walk in... don't do it... was really good http://www.hangouthotels.com/
recon we were out til 2am..
02/05/09
11am... good sleep.. Got a taxi down to Raffles and met Jules for a cocktail.. very back packers, Nic had the good old Singapore sling, Jules and me went for a Raffles Revelry, very nice indeed, they bring you out salted monkey nuts and you just chuck the shells on the floor, yes even at Raffles... the long bar is really nice inside, with swinging fans that surely don't do any thing... in the courtyard there was a wedding going on the bride was just giving a speech as i bowled in over the rope to chuck me fag but in the bin, no one noticed fortuneatly..
we wandered on past the cricket ground and old parliment buildings and down to the river, took a 45minute boat trip for a look about then it was good for a look about... went for lunch at a place on the water had sort of oriental,we just shared a few differnt plates, had stingray sounds wrong i know but tastes lush, some greens, satay, rice, dumplings...
they have a real mix of foods, indian, chinese, japanese, vietnamese, can get that in the same restaurant too
Sha Sha's birthday, out at the Helipad funky bar... and very loud for the old ginge, drank lots and lots... the four of us went for dinner first at the Lao Beijing restaurant, was lush, dusk, spicy pork, scallop and bean curd soup, greens etc... sha sha ordered it up with a bit of help from Jules, it was lush
03/05/09
Met Jules down at the Prince of wales in Little India, got some curry sent over to the pub, what a great idea
poor Rick Hatton lost, we couldn't watch it anywhere...
Went down to Muddy's Irish pub that Bjorn manages, drank lots just like at home on a sunday, then we all went down to Chijmes bar restaurant and ate and watched the mighty Liverpool beat up Newcastle, I do hope they don't go down but we really needed the points to get auto qualify in the champs league..\
stayed out drinking til gone midnight, Sha Sha was bought a white waterfall drink, a bit of a tradition with the group...
I stayed on for a beer with Bjorn once everyone had gone... Nic was already back at the ranch burnt out..
04/05/09
We were pretty burnt out so we hung around the Hotel and done some blogg, we are getting there, actually had our first breakfast at the hotel, we had baked beans yippee... we've got a can in the sack in case of emergency's...
Went too Marks and Spencers, yes Bird needed a new Bra, and guess what bought another top..
Met poor old Jules down Emerald Hill for a few beers... poor bloke had been at work after the heavy weekend.. he perked up after a couple San Mig lights
got the train down to a Hawkers type place, Lau Pa Sat Festival Market and had lush food again, also nice and cheap, the tiger beer lady bring, its a definite must do, you can get any kind of food you want... left there and went to chian square for beer... went on to some courtyard place and unfortunately saw a fight between a couple of Koreans, Jules knew them too, you don't get fights over here..
last beer near the river then a cab back.. another 2 am finish
05/05/09
Meeting Jules down POW in little India for lunch then off on our travels at 3pm
Cheers Jules its been awesome seeing you!!!! and cheers to your friends too they are great
23/4/09 - 1/5/09 Sydney!!! Yippeee!!
Well a whole 8 nights in Sydney, yippeee!!!
We arrived all ok from NZ with 2 litres of Woodstock! The view from the plane was amazing, all over the harbour, think we must have come in a different way before!
We got to the hotel in Glebe, dumped the bags & went out for dinner & drinks.
Stayed at the Haven Inn as a cheap hotel with pool (supposedly heated!, room was nice with a strange balcony with a window for all to jump through!
Glebe area was really nice, quite bohemian/studenty & only a short walk to the city.
Walked into town on Friday & managed to book our trip for China & sort all our flight dates out which was brilliant so no more stuff to do for the rest of the week! Wandered around & went to the rocks for drinks & saw the same barman from 4 years ago! He remembered you Suzanne!(not really) In the evening we went for dinner in Glebe at a place called Thai On Wok.
It was a great buzzy BYO Thai cafe & it was busy & I mean really busy every night. All meals were about $10, bonus so we seemed to eat there every night with Jay always having the same Thai herbs with chilli & stir fried veg & bottle of red wine!!
Saturday morning it was Anzac day, we walked down through Sydney fish market & saw all of the cheap lobster & oysters, yum yum! We met U.Mike & A.Lori at their hotel, late due to the parade we couldn't cross the road, infact this seemed to be no excuse as we seemed to be late each time we met up with them! Oh well we all laughed about it! We had a great day soaking up Sydney, we walked around the Rocks Markets & then round Circular Quay then got the ferry over to Manly, had a sarnie & a wander then came back to CQ & U.Mike suggested going to Neutral Bay as none of us had been there. So we all got on the ferry, A,Lori was happy because the seats were more comfy! It was so funny because there was nothing there to look at so we just stayed on & went all the way back to CQ, so we had a nice boat ride!!! In the evening we all went for dinner, Chris joined us & we went to a lovely Italian restaurant called Bambini . We had a lovely meal & gorgeous wine & Jay tried rabbit for the first time & liked it.
Sunday we met up with U.Mike (we were late again!)& walked around Circular Quay to Woolloomolloo, past Russel Crowes penthouse & yacht (he invited us up for drinks but we were too busy!) to the place me & Jay used to go with Suzanne for beers (micro brewery)we had a drink & then A.Lori & Chris met us & we went for lunch. After lunch we went with Chris to Harry's Cafe De Wheels as he hadn't seen the famous pie floaters!
We then had a few more beers in Kings Cross & had a really good catch up, well the boys talked sport most of the time to be fair!! (only joking!) We hope Chris comes over soon so we can show him round. It wasn't long enough this visit! He sends his love to you all back home! We dropped him off for his train to the airport & then went back to Glebe for you guessed it 'Thai on Wok' again!
Monday we went on the bus to Coogee but the weather was too windy to sit out so we hopped on the bus back to town & enjoyed a few pints in Darling Harbour & then 'Thai on Wok' for dinner but alas it was closed, so we had to get super cheap $5 Thai instad & ate it on our balcony!! Managed to buy some 2nd hand L.Planet books for the rest of our trip at a bargain price from this little 2nd hand book shop in Glebe!
Tuesday we met A.Lori & U.Mike for a farewell lunch at the Hilton lush fig tart! It was really relaxed & we had a nice chat before saying a tearful goodbye.
Wandered around for the rest of the day, bought maps for the rest of our trip, walked through 'The Rocks' to D.Harbour for a few & then got the bus back & went for 'Thai on Wok'!!!
Wednesday we got up, had brekkie then headed out on our long North Shore harbour walk. We walked from Glebe over the harbour bridge to North Sydney then picked up the trail all the way to the last bridge before Manly. We stopped for a late lunch at Balmoral beach which was nice. Got the boat back to C.Quay from Manly & it was pouring with rain, there was a big rainbow over the harbour ahhhhhh!
Got the bus back from C.Quay to Glebe, showered then went for dinner at the pub over the road for steak & lamb shanks! Tried our best to drink some bourbon in the room!
Thursday it rained all day, met Zoe & Nick at lunch time after we had dodgy haircuts!
Wandered around the Paddy's markets with them, introduced them to Char Sui buns & then went to Darling harbour, wandered back to Glebe & went for, you guessed it 'Thai on Wok'!
Friday had lunch in the pub opposite after we'd walked around for a bit, got the shuttle bus to the airport & left for Singapore to meet Jules, yey it's great being met at the airport by someone you know! Remaining Bourbon travelled with us in a plastic bottle!
We arrived all ok from NZ with 2 litres of Woodstock! The view from the plane was amazing, all over the harbour, think we must have come in a different way before!
We got to the hotel in Glebe, dumped the bags & went out for dinner & drinks.
Stayed at the Haven Inn as a cheap hotel with pool (supposedly heated!, room was nice with a strange balcony with a window for all to jump through!
Glebe area was really nice, quite bohemian/studenty & only a short walk to the city.
Walked into town on Friday & managed to book our trip for China & sort all our flight dates out which was brilliant so no more stuff to do for the rest of the week! Wandered around & went to the rocks for drinks & saw the same barman from 4 years ago! He remembered you Suzanne!(not really) In the evening we went for dinner in Glebe at a place called Thai On Wok.
It was a great buzzy BYO Thai cafe & it was busy & I mean really busy every night. All meals were about $10, bonus so we seemed to eat there every night with Jay always having the same Thai herbs with chilli & stir fried veg & bottle of red wine!!
Saturday morning it was Anzac day, we walked down through Sydney fish market & saw all of the cheap lobster & oysters, yum yum! We met U.Mike & A.Lori at their hotel, late due to the parade we couldn't cross the road, infact this seemed to be no excuse as we seemed to be late each time we met up with them! Oh well we all laughed about it! We had a great day soaking up Sydney, we walked around the Rocks Markets & then round Circular Quay then got the ferry over to Manly, had a sarnie & a wander then came back to CQ & U.Mike suggested going to Neutral Bay as none of us had been there. So we all got on the ferry, A,Lori was happy because the seats were more comfy! It was so funny because there was nothing there to look at so we just stayed on & went all the way back to CQ, so we had a nice boat ride!!! In the evening we all went for dinner, Chris joined us & we went to a lovely Italian restaurant called Bambini . We had a lovely meal & gorgeous wine & Jay tried rabbit for the first time & liked it.
Sunday we met up with U.Mike (we were late again!)& walked around Circular Quay to Woolloomolloo, past Russel Crowes penthouse & yacht (he invited us up for drinks but we were too busy!) to the place me & Jay used to go with Suzanne for beers (micro brewery)we had a drink & then A.Lori & Chris met us & we went for lunch. After lunch we went with Chris to Harry's Cafe De Wheels as he hadn't seen the famous pie floaters!
We then had a few more beers in Kings Cross & had a really good catch up, well the boys talked sport most of the time to be fair!! (only joking!) We hope Chris comes over soon so we can show him round. It wasn't long enough this visit! He sends his love to you all back home! We dropped him off for his train to the airport & then went back to Glebe for you guessed it 'Thai on Wok' again!
Monday we went on the bus to Coogee but the weather was too windy to sit out so we hopped on the bus back to town & enjoyed a few pints in Darling Harbour & then 'Thai on Wok' for dinner but alas it was closed, so we had to get super cheap $5 Thai instad & ate it on our balcony!! Managed to buy some 2nd hand L.Planet books for the rest of our trip at a bargain price from this little 2nd hand book shop in Glebe!
Tuesday we met A.Lori & U.Mike for a farewell lunch at the Hilton lush fig tart! It was really relaxed & we had a nice chat before saying a tearful goodbye.
Wandered around for the rest of the day, bought maps for the rest of our trip, walked through 'The Rocks' to D.Harbour for a few & then got the bus back & went for 'Thai on Wok'!!!
Wednesday we got up, had brekkie then headed out on our long North Shore harbour walk. We walked from Glebe over the harbour bridge to North Sydney then picked up the trail all the way to the last bridge before Manly. We stopped for a late lunch at Balmoral beach which was nice. Got the boat back to C.Quay from Manly & it was pouring with rain, there was a big rainbow over the harbour ahhhhhh!
Got the bus back from C.Quay to Glebe, showered then went for dinner at the pub over the road for steak & lamb shanks! Tried our best to drink some bourbon in the room!
Thursday it rained all day, met Zoe & Nick at lunch time after we had dodgy haircuts!
Wandered around the Paddy's markets with them, introduced them to Char Sui buns & then went to Darling harbour, wandered back to Glebe & went for, you guessed it 'Thai on Wok'!
Friday had lunch in the pub opposite after we'd walked around for a bit, got the shuttle bus to the airport & left for Singapore to meet Jules, yey it's great being met at the airport by someone you know! Remaining Bourbon travelled with us in a plastic bottle!
11/4/09 DOC site Whatanango Bay Picton
Green lipped mussels, lost flip flop!
Beers with Nick & Zoe.
Cards in the van.
Beers with Nick & Zoe.
Cards in the van.
2/4/09 - 4/4/09 Christchurch
Camp in city, cupcakes, walk. Met Texan girl, dodgy eel in chinese! Monteiths Brewery pub, jugs.
19/9/09 Moana (Arthurs Pass)
19/9/09
Left Westport & trucked down the coast onto Punakaiki where a short walk led us to the Pancake Rocks. Not very impressed really, didn't think the rocks stacked up looked anything like pancakes! Not good travellers really! Weather still not too good so we went onto Greymouth, stopped to get food supplies & bumped into both couples from the A.Tasman kayak trip in the same supermarket, well funny! Had a chat with them, then went to the info centre, found out that the Great Alpine Railway through Arthur's Pass was best during the winter & snow so binned that idea & drove out to A.Pass ourselves to have a look. Not much there, had a beer in a very old hotel where the land lady told us about the famous whitebait, you have them in an omelet, best without flour added & they guaranteed 20g per fritter. They are smaller than our whitebait & are transparent you could just see the eyes! Yuck not very appetizing but about 80 NZD/kilo!!
Decided to stay the night at Lake Brunner(Moana) as Greymouth was not that great. Arrived, parked up & had a walk by the lake, it was really quiet here, not much going on.
Left Westport & trucked down the coast onto Punakaiki where a short walk led us to the Pancake Rocks. Not very impressed really, didn't think the rocks stacked up looked anything like pancakes! Not good travellers really! Weather still not too good so we went onto Greymouth, stopped to get food supplies & bumped into both couples from the A.Tasman kayak trip in the same supermarket, well funny! Had a chat with them, then went to the info centre, found out that the Great Alpine Railway through Arthur's Pass was best during the winter & snow so binned that idea & drove out to A.Pass ourselves to have a look. Not much there, had a beer in a very old hotel where the land lady told us about the famous whitebait, you have them in an omelet, best without flour added & they guaranteed 20g per fritter. They are smaller than our whitebait & are transparent you could just see the eyes! Yuck not very appetizing but about 80 NZD/kilo!!
Decided to stay the night at Lake Brunner(Moana) as Greymouth was not that great. Arrived, parked up & had a walk by the lake, it was really quiet here, not much going on.
18/9/09 Westport
18/9/09
Left Nelson after brekkie & trucked on down route 6 through Murchinson taking in the scenery to Buller Gorge where we stopped & walked across the Buller Gorge Swing bridge & zip wired back across it! Took a video clip of it. It was raining & all these little flies came out & were all over us, we got bitten to death! Think they were sand flies! Carried on through the Buller Gorge to Wesport through some great scenery, it was lashing down by now! Didn't think much to Wesport, the brewery was shut for the day so we went round the corner to Cape Foulwind & parked up at a Top 10 campsite for the night that was nothing but a glorified car park!
Left Nelson after brekkie & trucked on down route 6 through Murchinson taking in the scenery to Buller Gorge where we stopped & walked across the Buller Gorge Swing bridge & zip wired back across it! Took a video clip of it. It was raining & all these little flies came out & were all over us, we got bitten to death! Think they were sand flies! Carried on through the Buller Gorge to Wesport through some great scenery, it was lashing down by now! Didn't think much to Wesport, the brewery was shut for the day so we went round the corner to Cape Foulwind & parked up at a Top 10 campsite for the night that was nothing but a glorified car park!
16/3/09 - 17/3/09 Nelson & Abel Tasman National Park
16/3/09
Lush campsite right on the beach!
Got up & I went for a walk on the beach then we had brekkie & headed into Nelson town to the info centre for Abel Tasman trips. Went food shopping then headed back to the campsite. Made lunch then wandered to a local bar for a beer & waded through the leaflets of trips to do at Abel Tasman National Park. Booked on an all day Kayaking trip with Kiwi Kayaks www.kiwikayaks.co.nz the next day where we walk out then kayak back. Headed back & had dinner & an early night ready for the next day's activities!
17/3/09
St.Patricks Day!
Got picked up round the corner early to start our trip. Drove up to Abel Tasman National Park & got geared up for our day's trip. We got an upgrade to a full day's kayak so the walking got dropped, so we actually get to see loads more of the park. Put on our kayaking skirts, met our group, 2 girls from Holland, 2 from Germany & off we went! Had about a 40 min boat ride out to Bark Bay then got in our kayaks (2 people) to kayak all the way back! Was well funny once we'd got into the swing of paddling in time with each other, few strong words....
Kayaked around the coast, water was so clear & the sun was baking down. Very peaceful on the water.
We kayaked around Adele Island where they have a seal colony & we saw seals popping up. Stopped for a sandwich lunch & a dip (water was freezing!) in Torrent Bay, J went for a walk & looked down onto the beach & I sunbathed. On the 2nd island we came to called Fisherman's Islands where we saw more seals & they swam right up & under the kayak they followed us for a while, it was great as we saw babies too & to be so close was amazing! Then we paddled slowly back to the beach at Sandy Bay - Marahau taking in the scenery & racing the girls from Holland!!
Great day but we did ache a bit!
Got dropped back, showered then walked to the pub for St.Patrick's Day! Had some drinks & food & then walked back where we met a local old guy who lived on the campsite permanently, he had a plot right on the beach. He invited us to his local club the next night to watch him in a poker match, he'd won a lot that night too already!
Lush campsite right on the beach!
Got up & I went for a walk on the beach then we had brekkie & headed into Nelson town to the info centre for Abel Tasman trips. Went food shopping then headed back to the campsite. Made lunch then wandered to a local bar for a beer & waded through the leaflets of trips to do at Abel Tasman National Park. Booked on an all day Kayaking trip with Kiwi Kayaks www.kiwikayaks.co.nz the next day where we walk out then kayak back. Headed back & had dinner & an early night ready for the next day's activities!
17/3/09
St.Patricks Day!
Got picked up round the corner early to start our trip. Drove up to Abel Tasman National Park & got geared up for our day's trip. We got an upgrade to a full day's kayak so the walking got dropped, so we actually get to see loads more of the park. Put on our kayaking skirts, met our group, 2 girls from Holland, 2 from Germany & off we went! Had about a 40 min boat ride out to Bark Bay then got in our kayaks (2 people) to kayak all the way back! Was well funny once we'd got into the swing of paddling in time with each other, few strong words....
Kayaked around the coast, water was so clear & the sun was baking down. Very peaceful on the water.
We kayaked around Adele Island where they have a seal colony & we saw seals popping up. Stopped for a sandwich lunch & a dip (water was freezing!) in Torrent Bay, J went for a walk & looked down onto the beach & I sunbathed. On the 2nd island we came to called Fisherman's Islands where we saw more seals & they swam right up & under the kayak they followed us for a while, it was great as we saw babies too & to be so close was amazing! Then we paddled slowly back to the beach at Sandy Bay - Marahau taking in the scenery & racing the girls from Holland!!
Great day but we did ache a bit!
Got dropped back, showered then walked to the pub for St.Patrick's Day! Had some drinks & food & then walked back where we met a local old guy who lived on the campsite permanently, he had a plot right on the beach. He invited us to his local club the next night to watch him in a poker match, he'd won a lot that night too already!
10/3/09 - 15/3/09 Wanganui - Wellington - South Island
09/3/09
Not much to see here so bought dinner & parked at a camp by the sea! Strange folk nosing at us from their caravan! Did 2 large sacks of washing, result!!
10/3/09
Left this morning for a few days in Wellington with George.
Stopped on the way at a place called Paikakariki that George said was nice. Made sarnies by the sea & ate them watching the local kids school do training in the sea near the surf club. Then cracked on into Wellington City, eventually found our way round the 1 way system to the info office, picked up a few bits to do & ferry info to the South Island. Couldn't get over how small the Capital City was, the main road out equivalent to our M25 was only 1 lane!!! Popped into the Lower Hutt info centre to get a map of Upper Hutt so we culd find George's house.
Trucked onto Upper Hutt & parked up at a bar for a few Woodie's to wait for George to get home from work.
Met up with George, dumped the bags then went around to his Mum's for dinner. Met Marion & George's daughter Kathryn, Marion still had a broad Scottish accent even though she has lived in NZ for years now! Ate our first roast dinner since leaving home & with J's favourite cheese sauce! Well lush! Rex (Marions Hubbie) got in from work & joined us, he was funny too, he talked us through the South Island a bit as he used to visit there a lot for work. J chatted him up for brekkie the next day so he could watch the Liverpool match!
11/3/09
J got up & went round to Rex's with some eggs & a tin of Heinz Baked Beans for brekkie & to watch the footie! I chilled & washed clothes & booked our ferry to the S.Island for Sunday. Rex made him poached eggs on toast & they watched the game together.
Walked into Upper Hutt for lunch (roast roll!) & to get supplies for dinner from Pak 'N'Save, had a few beers then wandered back, made chicken curry, George & Kathryn got home, we ate dinner but it was too hot for Kathryn & George wasn't that keen, after talking to Suze she said he was more of a meat & 2 veg kinda guy! Oh well Shepherds Pie next then! After dinner George took us to his mate Shane's where we met him & his girlfriend, had a chat & got an invite to his 30th birthday on Saturday night. Then we went to the top of Mt Victoria & looked down over the city which was nice, me & Kathryn sat in the car as it was freezing! Then we went to his workmate's house right cut into the hill overlooking the city, beautiful house. Then off to his Bro's house to get some fresh eggs for brekkie, had more tea & some lush kinda Rocky Road biscuit.
12/3/09
Drove into Wellington & went on the cable car to the top of the Botanical Gardens & then walked the short distance back down through the gardens. We carried on doing the walking tour in the L.Planet book taking in all the sights. Went for beers
at Mac's microbrewery then walked along the Quay watching the training for the Dragon Boat festival to the parked van.
Went to Pak 'N' Save again & cooked Shepherds Pie for dinner for us all which went down better than the curry!!
13/3/09
George booked today off as hols to show us around which was really nice. J cooked poached eggs for us 3 then we went off for the day.
Drove into Wellngton & up to the wind turbine on the hill for some more great views, then bck down & George drove all the way around the coast/headland/harbour showing us all the sights, the coastline was lovely with some really nice houses.
Went for a beer in town & George won on the Pokies, then went for a sarnie & then off to another viewpoint.
Got back to George's, showered & changed then George drove us into Lower Hutt for dinner at this steak house he goes to then we went for beers at his old local pub & watched a band. Met some of his old mates which was nice then we went & stopped for some crispy fish on the way home!
14/3/09
Nothing day today really, Kathryn got home from staying at her mate's & we all just chilled out. Later me & J went to get supplies for the party & fry up for Sunday morning. We all went round to Marion & Rex's for a great BBQ in the garden b4 the party. Had a lovely time, Rex was funny! Marion dropped us at Shane's for the party & so we ate & drank lots all night, J tried to watch the Liverpool Vs Man U match but kept falling asleep, I had lots of text's from Neil about it hee hee they lost! Had a call from New York Big Eyes & Bob which was nice but was very drunk so don't remember much of it! Lots of drunken texts sent that night!
15/3/09
Got up late & J cooked us all a fry up, lush, just what we all needed! Got a call from Sarah & Paul & kiddies which was nice, great to hear their voices. Marion popped round to bring Kathryn home & she had also made us some sarnies for the trip, bless her & gave us a pot of home made jam, result! Packed up the van & said a sad farewell to the guys. Off to catch the ferry to the South Island.
Got onto the ferry all ok, had a nice chat with the guy showing us onto the ferry, everyone's so nice here, didn't see any dolphins on the way out but the crossing was flat & clear which was good with hangovers!
Arrived into Picton, I drove & we decided to head on round the west coast as far as we could get before dark. Drove through Havelock where they have the Mussel Festival onto Nelson. In Nelson we carried on to Tahuna Beach Holiday Park www.tahunabeachholidaypark.co.nz, found a beachside spot for the night, idealic.
Not much to see here so bought dinner & parked at a camp by the sea! Strange folk nosing at us from their caravan! Did 2 large sacks of washing, result!!
10/3/09
Left this morning for a few days in Wellington with George.
Stopped on the way at a place called Paikakariki that George said was nice. Made sarnies by the sea & ate them watching the local kids school do training in the sea near the surf club. Then cracked on into Wellington City, eventually found our way round the 1 way system to the info office, picked up a few bits to do & ferry info to the South Island. Couldn't get over how small the Capital City was, the main road out equivalent to our M25 was only 1 lane!!! Popped into the Lower Hutt info centre to get a map of Upper Hutt so we culd find George's house.
Trucked onto Upper Hutt & parked up at a bar for a few Woodie's to wait for George to get home from work.
Met up with George, dumped the bags then went around to his Mum's for dinner. Met Marion & George's daughter Kathryn, Marion still had a broad Scottish accent even though she has lived in NZ for years now! Ate our first roast dinner since leaving home & with J's favourite cheese sauce! Well lush! Rex (Marions Hubbie) got in from work & joined us, he was funny too, he talked us through the South Island a bit as he used to visit there a lot for work. J chatted him up for brekkie the next day so he could watch the Liverpool match!
11/3/09
J got up & went round to Rex's with some eggs & a tin of Heinz Baked Beans for brekkie & to watch the footie! I chilled & washed clothes & booked our ferry to the S.Island for Sunday. Rex made him poached eggs on toast & they watched the game together.
Walked into Upper Hutt for lunch (roast roll!) & to get supplies for dinner from Pak 'N'Save, had a few beers then wandered back, made chicken curry, George & Kathryn got home, we ate dinner but it was too hot for Kathryn & George wasn't that keen, after talking to Suze she said he was more of a meat & 2 veg kinda guy! Oh well Shepherds Pie next then! After dinner George took us to his mate Shane's where we met him & his girlfriend, had a chat & got an invite to his 30th birthday on Saturday night. Then we went to the top of Mt Victoria & looked down over the city which was nice, me & Kathryn sat in the car as it was freezing! Then we went to his workmate's house right cut into the hill overlooking the city, beautiful house. Then off to his Bro's house to get some fresh eggs for brekkie, had more tea & some lush kinda Rocky Road biscuit.
12/3/09
Drove into Wellington & went on the cable car to the top of the Botanical Gardens & then walked the short distance back down through the gardens. We carried on doing the walking tour in the L.Planet book taking in all the sights. Went for beers
at Mac's microbrewery then walked along the Quay watching the training for the Dragon Boat festival to the parked van.
Went to Pak 'N' Save again & cooked Shepherds Pie for dinner for us all which went down better than the curry!!
13/3/09
George booked today off as hols to show us around which was really nice. J cooked poached eggs for us 3 then we went off for the day.
Drove into Wellngton & up to the wind turbine on the hill for some more great views, then bck down & George drove all the way around the coast/headland/harbour showing us all the sights, the coastline was lovely with some really nice houses.
Went for a beer in town & George won on the Pokies, then went for a sarnie & then off to another viewpoint.
Got back to George's, showered & changed then George drove us into Lower Hutt for dinner at this steak house he goes to then we went for beers at his old local pub & watched a band. Met some of his old mates which was nice then we went & stopped for some crispy fish on the way home!
14/3/09
Nothing day today really, Kathryn got home from staying at her mate's & we all just chilled out. Later me & J went to get supplies for the party & fry up for Sunday morning. We all went round to Marion & Rex's for a great BBQ in the garden b4 the party. Had a lovely time, Rex was funny! Marion dropped us at Shane's for the party & so we ate & drank lots all night, J tried to watch the Liverpool Vs Man U match but kept falling asleep, I had lots of text's from Neil about it hee hee they lost! Had a call from New York Big Eyes & Bob which was nice but was very drunk so don't remember much of it! Lots of drunken texts sent that night!
15/3/09
Got up late & J cooked us all a fry up, lush, just what we all needed! Got a call from Sarah & Paul & kiddies which was nice, great to hear their voices. Marion popped round to bring Kathryn home & she had also made us some sarnies for the trip, bless her & gave us a pot of home made jam, result! Packed up the van & said a sad farewell to the guys. Off to catch the ferry to the South Island.
Got onto the ferry all ok, had a nice chat with the guy showing us onto the ferry, everyone's so nice here, didn't see any dolphins on the way out but the crossing was flat & clear which was good with hangovers!
Arrived into Picton, I drove & we decided to head on round the west coast as far as we could get before dark. Drove through Havelock where they have the Mussel Festival onto Nelson. In Nelson we carried on to Tahuna Beach Holiday Park www.tahunabeachholidaypark.co.nz, found a beachside spot for the night, idealic.
7/3/09 - 9/3/09 Raglan - New Plymouth (Fitzroy Beach)
Left Raglan after having a mooch around the small surfy town. The weather was not too good so Jay decided against having surf lessons!
Still laughing about how many wee's I have to get up for in the night!
We stopped at Waitomo Caves on the way down & went on a guided walk & boat tour though the deep caves to gaze up at the glowworms. Amazing, just like twinkly stars in the night.
We got to Fitzroy beach late afternoon & booked into a nice camp by the sea. They had black sand here! J cooked a lush meatball dinner but the gas ran out half way through so he transferred to the kitchen & we met some drunken girlies who were funny!
The next day we walked along the coastal walkway for 7km & then back through town for beers in the Irish bar then back towards camp stopping for another beer where we had missed the $10 roast Sunday dinner, gutted!
Got up the next day for Jay to have his 1st surf lesson! He got the wetsuit on & looked quite buff! He managed to get up but needs more practise to get up to championship standards me thinks!
Trucked on after lunch around the coast to Wanganui for the night.
Still laughing about how many wee's I have to get up for in the night!
We stopped at Waitomo Caves on the way down & went on a guided walk & boat tour though the deep caves to gaze up at the glowworms. Amazing, just like twinkly stars in the night.
We got to Fitzroy beach late afternoon & booked into a nice camp by the sea. They had black sand here! J cooked a lush meatball dinner but the gas ran out half way through so he transferred to the kitchen & we met some drunken girlies who were funny!
The next day we walked along the coastal walkway for 7km & then back through town for beers in the Irish bar then back towards camp stopping for another beer where we had missed the $10 roast Sunday dinner, gutted!
Got up the next day for Jay to have his 1st surf lesson! He got the wetsuit on & looked quite buff! He managed to get up but needs more practise to get up to championship standards me thinks!
Trucked on after lunch around the coast to Wanganui for the night.
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