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!
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