Saturday 1st December
I had heard that the "Maori evening" in Rotorua was uninspiring and commercialized but I decided to go anyway because I really wanted to see some traditional Maori singing and dancing before leaving New Zealand. And I was glad I did. The fake Maori village was obviously designed to receive visitors but it was not overly tacky. On the bus to the village, about twenty minutes out of town, we had to choose a chief, who would then greet the chief of the village! The elected chief was prepped on how he should conduct himself before entering the village. When we arrived he stood alongside three other guys (from three other buses). The purpose of the ritual that followed was to establish whether they had to come to the village in peace or not. As an observer, it was hilarious to watch the genuine intimidation of these four men, as four other, beefier, stronger Maori men appeared, dancing, gesturing, hissing, shouting and getting up in their faces with spears. I think I´d feel pretty intimidated too.
We entered the village and walked around for a bit, listening to the explanations of how life used to be lived (food prepartion, housing etc.) Then we watched some singing and dancing which was very energetic, entertaining and worth the visit.
Then we moved on to the all-you-can-eat buffet, which consisted of mountains of delicious food. Inevitably we consumed more-than-you-can-eat (or should eat) and consequently I could barely move to walk back to the bus. We got our money´s worth!
The bus driver had already threathened to make us sing songs in groups on the way back. It wouldn´t have been so cringe-worthy if he hadn´t insisted on it being a nationalist affair. Everyone was to sing with their fellow countrymen. No-one was enthused with the task so to encourage us he kept repeating that we should be proud of our own countries and told us about two Americans on another bus who, to demonstrate their pride, had requested a two-minute silence "for all those servicemen and women who had lost their lives serving their country in the Iraq war". So in protest, when it came to England´s turn to sing, I joined in with "God save the Queen" but with some alternative lyrics. If I didn´t feel sick enough already, the driver then thought it would be fun to drive round and round in circles singing "She´ll be coming round the mountain". My extremely full stomach was NOT a happy bunny after that. But other than this, the evening was really enjoyable!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
White water rafting
After Queenstown we stayed in Dunedin and Lake Tekapo and then on our way back to Christchurch we went white water rafting. As someone who swore she would never go anywhere near a white water raft, I somehow found myself sitting in one, on the Rangitata River. I figured with all the extreme sports going on around me, I might as well partake in one. I´m not quite sure what made me go for rafting, as out of all the sports, it´s probably the most dangerous by a long shot. During skydiving and all the varieties of jumps amd activities in which you are suspended up in the air somehow, you are invariably strapped on to something. During rafting, you rely only on yourself, some luck and the skill of the professional rafter steering you around the protruding rocks and agressive currents.
In the first fourty minutes or so we drifted down stream , learning along the way everything we could absorb about rafting before hitting the rapids. I was asked to move to the back of the raft, from my position in the middle. I´m assuming this was due, despite my best efforts, to my lack of upperbody strength, i.e. I was moved to the weak-arse, irrelevant part of the raft, where my impact was marginal. Just as well, as most of my energy was spent on paddling the air and holding on with all my might at the appropriate moments. I was expecting it to be a bit wilder and riskier, to be honest. My team worked well together, which I think made a difference, but during the grade "5" rapids, i.e. the massive, powerful waves and rapids which immerse you totally at several points, all we had to do was hold on for dear life. All the hard work - and it was bloody hard work - was done by the skillful raftsman at the back, telling us all what to do. And in between each rapid, we got out of the raft and looked at what we were up against next. So it was all very controlled. Unlike the reports I heard later, in Peru: 8 deaths in a year and 6 people in the last month, at the same rafting centre. My friends went rafting at this centre in Peru about two weeks ago (I didn´t want to go again so soon - I´m glad I didn´t now!) and were only told this statistic after they finished (all alive). I find this statistic absolutely staggering. The company responsible will presumably continue in this reckless way. Mind boggling.
The rafting centre in New Zealand was run by dudes (the only way to describe these guys!) who made the whole experience all the more enjoyable by their laid back friendliness, their joking, their fun-loving charm and their other general dude-like qualities.
When we arrived back in Christchurch, Briony and I returned to Valentino´s for another dose of orgasmic grub. We couldn´t resist.
In the first fourty minutes or so we drifted down stream , learning along the way everything we could absorb about rafting before hitting the rapids. I was asked to move to the back of the raft, from my position in the middle. I´m assuming this was due, despite my best efforts, to my lack of upperbody strength, i.e. I was moved to the weak-arse, irrelevant part of the raft, where my impact was marginal. Just as well, as most of my energy was spent on paddling the air and holding on with all my might at the appropriate moments. I was expecting it to be a bit wilder and riskier, to be honest. My team worked well together, which I think made a difference, but during the grade "5" rapids, i.e. the massive, powerful waves and rapids which immerse you totally at several points, all we had to do was hold on for dear life. All the hard work - and it was bloody hard work - was done by the skillful raftsman at the back, telling us all what to do. And in between each rapid, we got out of the raft and looked at what we were up against next. So it was all very controlled. Unlike the reports I heard later, in Peru: 8 deaths in a year and 6 people in the last month, at the same rafting centre. My friends went rafting at this centre in Peru about two weeks ago (I didn´t want to go again so soon - I´m glad I didn´t now!) and were only told this statistic after they finished (all alive). I find this statistic absolutely staggering. The company responsible will presumably continue in this reckless way. Mind boggling.
The rafting centre in New Zealand was run by dudes (the only way to describe these guys!) who made the whole experience all the more enjoyable by their laid back friendliness, their joking, their fun-loving charm and their other general dude-like qualities.
When we arrived back in Christchurch, Briony and I returned to Valentino´s for another dose of orgasmic grub. We couldn´t resist.
Queenstown
Queenstown is pretty but the main attraction for most people are the extreme sports that you can do there. Briony did 4 bungy jumps in 2 days, including the ´Nevis´, the highest bungy in NZ (about 143 meteres, I think). It´s immense. Throwing myself off things is not really up my street, so I stood by and took photos and films of all the action. For the last bungy, Briony jumped off backwards and did a matrix style pose, which she was extremenly proud of! We got an amazing photo of it. She was on a high for several days afterwards and randomly span around every now and then saying ¨Matrix. Pow. Pow. Pow. Pow¨.
While we were in Queenstown we also made a day trip to Milford Sound. It was misty which made the landscape even more beautiful, but in hindsight I don´t think the trip was worth it. All in all we spent a total of about 10 hours on a bus for just an hour and a half on the boat. But perhaps I am prejudiced because as soon as I went on deck to see some of the wildlife (penguins, seals) I was hit with a sudden bout of motion sickness and for at least half the time I was sitting with my head down trying not to throw up.
On the last evening we had a lovely meal with a few friends we made along the way. It was a tiny, cosy pub/restaurant, hidden away on a back street, with an open fire and delicious food.
While we were in Queenstown we also made a day trip to Milford Sound. It was misty which made the landscape even more beautiful, but in hindsight I don´t think the trip was worth it. All in all we spent a total of about 10 hours on a bus for just an hour and a half on the boat. But perhaps I am prejudiced because as soon as I went on deck to see some of the wildlife (penguins, seals) I was hit with a sudden bout of motion sickness and for at least half the time I was sitting with my head down trying not to throw up.
On the last evening we had a lovely meal with a few friends we made along the way. It was a tiny, cosy pub/restaurant, hidden away on a back street, with an open fire and delicious food.
Franz Josef
On our first day there we went for a walk to Lake Wombat which was very peaceful and still. We met a disarmingly friendly family from Kentucky sitting by the lake and we talked to them for about half an hour before moving on.
The next day we hiked up the Franz Josef glacier, which was pretty amazing. The most challenging part of the day was trying to get the hiking boots and the special spikey attachments (don´t know the technical term) on to my feet. I was given size 9 spikey attachments instead of size 6 and wondered for sometime why I seemed to be having more trouble than anyone else. In the rushed confusion that followed, I left my mittens ( an essential item) down at the bottom of the glacier. I decided that rushing down the ice to get them, and spending a while trying to locate them, camouflaged on the rocks, and then rushing back up the glacier to join my group was worth the risk, as it would have been miserable without them. The group made quite slow progress up the glacier because it was sunny and the ice was melting. So about every 5 steps, the leader used his pick-axe to hack at the ice, making it safer to walk on.
The glacier was more beautiful to look at when up close and climbing through, and on top of it. A lot of the time it appeared blue, which is doesn´t from afar. At the top of the climb we were walking through clouds which felt a bit strange. Some parts of the glacier were really difficult to get through. A few icy corridors we passed through were so narrow it was almost impossible to squeaze through. We had to shuffle with one foot in front of the other (and if you have anything resembling hips, this is a lot easier said than done). The ice and snow in these narrow areas was softer and more unstable than at other points, so at one stage I was actually moving backwards instead of making progress forward, to get out of the tiny gap as fast as possible, which was a little overwhelming. Being caved in by high walls of ice can be somewhat claustrophobic. The group all made it down in one piece except for one guy who left a small chunk of his leg behind, which he had managed to chip out with one of the spikes on his own boots. Nasty! Also, Briony needed a piss so bad by the end of the day on the ice, that her bladder has actaully weakened. But it was not really possible to go to the toilet on the glacier!
The next day we hiked up the Franz Josef glacier, which was pretty amazing. The most challenging part of the day was trying to get the hiking boots and the special spikey attachments (don´t know the technical term) on to my feet. I was given size 9 spikey attachments instead of size 6 and wondered for sometime why I seemed to be having more trouble than anyone else. In the rushed confusion that followed, I left my mittens ( an essential item) down at the bottom of the glacier. I decided that rushing down the ice to get them, and spending a while trying to locate them, camouflaged on the rocks, and then rushing back up the glacier to join my group was worth the risk, as it would have been miserable without them. The group made quite slow progress up the glacier because it was sunny and the ice was melting. So about every 5 steps, the leader used his pick-axe to hack at the ice, making it safer to walk on.
The glacier was more beautiful to look at when up close and climbing through, and on top of it. A lot of the time it appeared blue, which is doesn´t from afar. At the top of the climb we were walking through clouds which felt a bit strange. Some parts of the glacier were really difficult to get through. A few icy corridors we passed through were so narrow it was almost impossible to squeaze through. We had to shuffle with one foot in front of the other (and if you have anything resembling hips, this is a lot easier said than done). The ice and snow in these narrow areas was softer and more unstable than at other points, so at one stage I was actually moving backwards instead of making progress forward, to get out of the tiny gap as fast as possible, which was a little overwhelming. Being caved in by high walls of ice can be somewhat claustrophobic. The group all made it down in one piece except for one guy who left a small chunk of his leg behind, which he had managed to chip out with one of the spikes on his own boots. Nasty! Also, Briony needed a piss so bad by the end of the day on the ice, that her bladder has actaully weakened. But it was not really possible to go to the toilet on the glacier!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Greymouth
There is not much really going on in this town. The only reason for stopping there was to go to the famous Monteith´s Brewery.
Traveling on the road in NZ is a bit weird for a Londoner. Well, for this Londoner anyway. Nothingness for quite a while and then, low-and-behold, *people*; a little pocket of civilisation! At least, the west coast of the south island is like that.
In the evening we headed down to the brewery and had a tour of the place with a really cool woman who was very enthusisatic about her job. Afterwards, we had tasters of all the different types of Monteith beer. Being a non-beer drinker usually, I was surprised at how much I actually liked some of the beer. Slightly tipsy, we made our way down to the bar to claim our free pint of whichever Monteith brew took our fancy and had a BBQ, a few more drinks, and a dance.
Traveling on the road in NZ is a bit weird for a Londoner. Well, for this Londoner anyway. Nothingness for quite a while and then, low-and-behold, *people*; a little pocket of civilisation! At least, the west coast of the south island is like that.
In the evening we headed down to the brewery and had a tour of the place with a really cool woman who was very enthusisatic about her job. Afterwards, we had tasters of all the different types of Monteith beer. Being a non-beer drinker usually, I was surprised at how much I actually liked some of the beer. Slightly tipsy, we made our way down to the bar to claim our free pint of whichever Monteith brew took our fancy and had a BBQ, a few more drinks, and a dance.
Seals in Kaikoura
Kaikoura is full of adorable fur seals. We stopped off to see a colony. If I remember rightly, fur seals can swim at 30km p.h., which is hard to believe when you see these gorgeous, chubby lumps resting on the rocks. They look so funny when they move on land - like they have a limp and have been indulging in a few beers! I got a bit enthusiastic with my photo taking. I went out on the shore, as close as safely possible, to get some goodens, and the wind swept my new hat clean off my head and straight in the sea. It was extremely blowy. As my hat was brand new, I was not prepared to give up easily on it so I was the last to board the bus, wet and wind-swept.
Kaikoura is also popular for whale-watching. Unfortunately the weather conditions were far too choppy to go out on the water, which was disappointing.
Kaikoura is also popular for whale-watching. Unfortunately the weather conditions were far too choppy to go out on the water, which was disappointing.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Christchurch, NZ
We had to get to Nadi airport in the middle of the night, so a taxi was our only option. We had booked and confirmed a taxi for 4am but 4am came along and no taxi. We had no other way of getting to the airport except for hitch-hiking, which we certainly didn´t fancy at that time of night. Eventually, after walking around the large vicinity of the Beach House for some time, searching for any signs of life, I accidentally came across the security guard, pissed and passed out on a sofa, with his flies open (I spotted him with the help of his own torch, which I had found elsewhere!)
It was impossible to convey the urgency of the situation to him, so instead, I decided to go at his delicate pace, rather than confusing him. I managed to get him to take me to where some of the other staff slept, about half a mile away and we obtained a key for the administrative office and a phone number. Just as we´d put the phone down after being told that the taxi driver´s car had broken down, we heard the sound of wheels on gravel, an hour late. But we still made it to our flight on time!
We flew to Auckland and then about four hours later caught a flight to Christchurch. New Zealand has the most ridiculously rigorous cutoms and immigration checks I have ever experienced. We arrived in Christchurch in the early evening and decided to treat ourselves by eating out. We left our hostel initially to buy some cheap food to cook for dinner and breakfast but ended up going to a delightful Italian restaurant, Valentino´s! And thank fuck we did - it was the most divine Italian food I have EVER tasted. OH. MY. GOD. An orgasm on a plate (or several, in fact). We started with some Bruschetta bread with four different kinds of pesto (mint, sun-dried tomato, basil and pumpkin). And then I had a beautifully perfect pesto spaghetti dish - a bit of an overload on the pesto front, but delicious nonetheless. So good (not for the budget) and well worth it!
Christchurch has an antiquated feel. It is meant to be the most English of the Kiwi towns and I can see why. I don´t know whether it was just our tourist leisure time that gave me this impression but it seems very quiet and slow paced as a city. The following day we went to the cathedral but decided not to go in as we were made to feel uncomfortable by a bishop, or some kind of preist-like person, who indignantly told us not to take photos while a service was taking place but the only sign visible said that photography was allowed. So we moved on and went to The Arts Centre and saw a free art exhibition by a New Zealand artist.
I had leftovers from yesterday´s Italian meal for dinner - still mmmmmm! Then we went to a really nice, old-fashioned cinema and watched a NZ film, partly set in Christchurch, called ´We´re here to help´, based on a real story of a man´s battle with the inland revenue. A missable, not particularly well acted film. We ate far too much chocolate.
It was impossible to convey the urgency of the situation to him, so instead, I decided to go at his delicate pace, rather than confusing him. I managed to get him to take me to where some of the other staff slept, about half a mile away and we obtained a key for the administrative office and a phone number. Just as we´d put the phone down after being told that the taxi driver´s car had broken down, we heard the sound of wheels on gravel, an hour late. But we still made it to our flight on time!
We flew to Auckland and then about four hours later caught a flight to Christchurch. New Zealand has the most ridiculously rigorous cutoms and immigration checks I have ever experienced. We arrived in Christchurch in the early evening and decided to treat ourselves by eating out. We left our hostel initially to buy some cheap food to cook for dinner and breakfast but ended up going to a delightful Italian restaurant, Valentino´s! And thank fuck we did - it was the most divine Italian food I have EVER tasted. OH. MY. GOD. An orgasm on a plate (or several, in fact). We started with some Bruschetta bread with four different kinds of pesto (mint, sun-dried tomato, basil and pumpkin). And then I had a beautifully perfect pesto spaghetti dish - a bit of an overload on the pesto front, but delicious nonetheless. So good (not for the budget) and well worth it!
Christchurch has an antiquated feel. It is meant to be the most English of the Kiwi towns and I can see why. I don´t know whether it was just our tourist leisure time that gave me this impression but it seems very quiet and slow paced as a city. The following day we went to the cathedral but decided not to go in as we were made to feel uncomfortable by a bishop, or some kind of preist-like person, who indignantly told us not to take photos while a service was taking place but the only sign visible said that photography was allowed. So we moved on and went to The Arts Centre and saw a free art exhibition by a New Zealand artist.
I had leftovers from yesterday´s Italian meal for dinner - still mmmmmm! Then we went to a really nice, old-fashioned cinema and watched a NZ film, partly set in Christchurch, called ´We´re here to help´, based on a real story of a man´s battle with the inland revenue. A missable, not particularly well acted film. We ate far too much chocolate.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Fiji
Monday 5th November - Sunday 11th November
Next we flew to Nadi, Fiji! I didn't really know much about it before going there. We spent all our time in a really lovely resort called The Beach House on the south coast of the island, Vitu Levu.
It was all very beautiful and exotic, as you would expect. We had such a relaxing, fun time and met loads of really cool people from all around the world. The resort was big but cut off from anywhere else on the island. So everyone tended to stay within the vicinity and it was like living in a small, isolated community for a week, with the dynamics altering each day as people came and went.
On the first day we tried to sunbathe on the beach but that didn't really work because it was so windy that we spent most of our time wiping sand off of ourselves. But the water was beautiful - very warm and quite clear. The area is famous for diving and snorkeling but it was all too expensive, so I just went kayaking, which was free. It's not really comparable to going under the water but it was still possible to see some sea life and coral.
One of the highlights of the weak was a trek through an area of jungle near to our accommodation. It was just Briony and I, a dog and the guide, Jiunta. He has lived in the village next to The Beach House all his life and so knew everything there was to know about the jungle - his city, as he described it. On the way, a family called Jiunta over and asked him to get some medicine from the jungle. Jiunta said that everything needed to live could be found in the jungle. He told us about a proud moment from his childhood when he and his father lived inside the jungle for a week, gathering lots of materials.
On the way to our destination, a waterfall, he picked us a ripe pineapple, a coconut and a tapioca. We were also lucky enough to meet two hunters returning to the village with their kills (two wild boars). With a straight face Jiunta joked that the boars were sleeping. I naively wondered for a split second how they could possibly be napping so peacefully, until I saw the bloody gashes on their necks.
Jiunta told us about some of the functions and uses for bamboo. It's really clever stuff! We saw three functions in action (or rather post-action) by the fire that the hunters had used. One piece was used both as a spit and a pot to cook some boar meat, and another as a water bottle. We walked through lots of mud and rivers before arriving at the waterfall. He told us to stop worrying about stepping in mud and water and just get stuck in. He walked bare foot all the way. We swam through a pool to get to the fall. Jiunta kept insisting we climb to certain parts of the waterfall so he could take photos, including one of us standing directly under the falling water, where it was not easy (actually quite painful!) to stay still long enough for the picture.
I took off my shoes to climb up the rocks, so I could get a better grip, but very quickly got bad cramp all the way up my dodgy leg, and so didn't get very far and just had to sit to sit down stranded for a while.
I took off my shoes to climb up the rocks, so I could get a better grip, but very quickly got bad cramp all the way up my dodgy leg, and so didn't get very far and just had to sit to sit down stranded for a while.
On the way back we waited for about twenty minutes altogether while Jiunta disappeared to find the medicine - the bark of one particular tree which helps with upset stomachs and stiff joints. Then we said goodbye to the very sweet and excitable dog who'd followed us all the way to and from the waterfall, and thanked Jiunta for our experience.
I played volleyball everyday. Or rather, I made lots of noise and flayled my arms about for a couple of hours everyday. It was really fun! We had a really good time in the evening as well; playing games and sharing stories. One night, a big group of us played drinking games, which ended in both tears and loads of laughter, as well as indecent exposures, sickness, fighting, people being thrown into the swimming pool (just before the fighting), singing, a cracked open head (just after the singing) and other generally raucous behaviour.
Melbourne
Sunday 28th October - Sunday 4th November
We arrived really early in the morning in Melbourne and my cousin kindly came and picked us up. It was bloody miserable weather most of the time we were there so we spent quite a lot of time just hibernating in my aunt's flat, where we enjoyed spreading out in our own space and cooking our own meals etc.
I spent most of my time catching up with my cousins, but the few times we ventured out as tourists, we visited Federation Square in the centre of town and caught the free tram (another known as "The Tight-arse Tram" around town. We also went to the botanical gardens and did a bit of shopping and went swimming. Not exactly a fast-paced week but it was nice just to sleep in the same bed for a week and not have to do anything in particular.
I really like the feel of Melbourne. It has a cosmopolitan, yet cosy vibe to it.
We arrived really early in the morning in Melbourne and my cousin kindly came and picked us up. It was bloody miserable weather most of the time we were there so we spent quite a lot of time just hibernating in my aunt's flat, where we enjoyed spreading out in our own space and cooking our own meals etc.
I spent most of my time catching up with my cousins, but the few times we ventured out as tourists, we visited Federation Square in the centre of town and caught the free tram (another known as "The Tight-arse Tram" around town. We also went to the botanical gardens and did a bit of shopping and went swimming. Not exactly a fast-paced week but it was nice just to sleep in the same bed for a week and not have to do anything in particular.
I really like the feel of Melbourne. It has a cosmopolitan, yet cosy vibe to it.
Night Safari and Sentosa Island
Friday 26th October
With our very last bit of money we bought an international phone card and managed to call my bank to sort the problem out. They gave me access to my card just before the money ran out! We were so desperate because my debit card was our only way of accessing money after the mugging. We didn't even have enough money to pay the call connection fee in the hotel we called from, but the staff let us off!
Once we had sorted the problem, we decided to celebrate by buying a drink. So we went into a traditional Chinese health cafe and tried some plum juice, just for something different. But it was disgusting!
In the evening we went to a night safari. There was a Halloween theme. It was actually quite scary. There were actors spotted around the safari park, who jumped out of the bushes and crept up on us as we went through the dark in an open, slow train. It made us quite jumpy! We saw quite a few animals including elephants, giraffes, rhinos and leopards. The animals' environments were set up so that they were similar to their natural habitats, although the areas were very small and the leopards were behind glass, so it wasn't all that natural.
Saturday 27th October
We went to China town in the morning. There was not that much to see or do really - mainly just shops and markets. Then we went for a very brief visit to Sentosa Island which has artificial beaches. We caught the clean and efficient metro service to the coast and then a cable car over to the island. It was a strange, abstracted place. We wondered around and then got the cable car back again! All the activities on the island were really expensive and we were short of time because we had to catch a flight to Melbourne that day. So it was a bit of a bitty day all-in-all. But I think we got a feel for Singapore.
We caught our flight to Melbourne in the evening.
With our very last bit of money we bought an international phone card and managed to call my bank to sort the problem out. They gave me access to my card just before the money ran out! We were so desperate because my debit card was our only way of accessing money after the mugging. We didn't even have enough money to pay the call connection fee in the hotel we called from, but the staff let us off!
Once we had sorted the problem, we decided to celebrate by buying a drink. So we went into a traditional Chinese health cafe and tried some plum juice, just for something different. But it was disgusting!
In the evening we went to a night safari. There was a Halloween theme. It was actually quite scary. There were actors spotted around the safari park, who jumped out of the bushes and crept up on us as we went through the dark in an open, slow train. It made us quite jumpy! We saw quite a few animals including elephants, giraffes, rhinos and leopards. The animals' environments were set up so that they were similar to their natural habitats, although the areas were very small and the leopards were behind glass, so it wasn't all that natural.
Saturday 27th October
We went to China town in the morning. There was not that much to see or do really - mainly just shops and markets. Then we went for a very brief visit to Sentosa Island which has artificial beaches. We caught the clean and efficient metro service to the coast and then a cable car over to the island. It was a strange, abstracted place. We wondered around and then got the cable car back again! All the activities on the island were really expensive and we were short of time because we had to catch a flight to Melbourne that day. So it was a bit of a bitty day all-in-all. But I think we got a feel for Singapore.
We caught our flight to Melbourne in the evening.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
On to Singapore
Thursday 25th October
In an effort to be more careful after the mugging, we had put all our valuables straight into the safe when we arrived at the hostel. But just before we boarded the bus to go back to Kuala Lumpur, we realized we'd left them there and were about to try and make our way out of the country without our passports, which would have made for an interesting story - but not one I would have liked to tell. I ran back to the hostel to get the valuables and we still got the bus on time. The driver of the bus was one of the most hilarious human beings I have ever encountered. The bus nearly broke down so many times and the driver got a little stressed. I thought this might be why he didn't talk, but shrieked. But in fact he shrieked throughout all of the five hour journey. I thought that there was a woman at the front of the bus with a really annoying, shrill voice, shouting at the bus driver, and realized only after some time that it was the bus driver himself. It was literally impossible to communicate with him. A couple of people tried to make inquiries about the journey but he just dismissed them with shrieks and hand gestures. It was like he was on a constant warpath. I wondered whether he was particularly jumpy because of a sensitive complex over his involuntary high-pitched tones, or whether his shrieking was a result of his temperament. I guess I'll never know, but I was very glad to debark.
After a couple of hours we were straight on to another bus to Singapore and went through the quickest immigration process so far. We were thrown off our bus once and were given no direction and had to figure out where to go and what to do. We showed our passports etc. and then jumped back on the bus again. About two minutes later we had to get off again and haul all our bags off and through security, before getting back on the bus again. When we terminated, at night, there was not a taxi driver or tout in sight, and we were slightly at a loss in this new city. We walked and hailed a cab and asked the driver to stop at an ATM machine so we could get some local currency, but my bank card would not work. I had had this trouble in Malaysia as well and had to make three international phone calls to sort it out. I was promised that the problem would not occur again (barring the card because of 'unusual' activity, i.e. possibility of fraud). So we had no money. Luckily the taxi driver was very generous and dropped us of at our hostel and said we could pay him the money the following day. We had some emergency fund left, in U.S. dollars. We used the last of that to exchange with the hostel owner, who gave us Singaporean dollars in return. We then gave almost all of that back to pay for the accommodation! We could not, for the life of us, make a successful international phone call to correct the problem, because the phone boxes and mobiles inside and just outside the hostel would not work. We didn't really want to venture out to try and find another phone as it was late and I'd managed to book us a hostel right in the middle of the red light district.
In an effort to be more careful after the mugging, we had put all our valuables straight into the safe when we arrived at the hostel. But just before we boarded the bus to go back to Kuala Lumpur, we realized we'd left them there and were about to try and make our way out of the country without our passports, which would have made for an interesting story - but not one I would have liked to tell. I ran back to the hostel to get the valuables and we still got the bus on time. The driver of the bus was one of the most hilarious human beings I have ever encountered. The bus nearly broke down so many times and the driver got a little stressed. I thought this might be why he didn't talk, but shrieked. But in fact he shrieked throughout all of the five hour journey. I thought that there was a woman at the front of the bus with a really annoying, shrill voice, shouting at the bus driver, and realized only after some time that it was the bus driver himself. It was literally impossible to communicate with him. A couple of people tried to make inquiries about the journey but he just dismissed them with shrieks and hand gestures. It was like he was on a constant warpath. I wondered whether he was particularly jumpy because of a sensitive complex over his involuntary high-pitched tones, or whether his shrieking was a result of his temperament. I guess I'll never know, but I was very glad to debark.
After a couple of hours we were straight on to another bus to Singapore and went through the quickest immigration process so far. We were thrown off our bus once and were given no direction and had to figure out where to go and what to do. We showed our passports etc. and then jumped back on the bus again. About two minutes later we had to get off again and haul all our bags off and through security, before getting back on the bus again. When we terminated, at night, there was not a taxi driver or tout in sight, and we were slightly at a loss in this new city. We walked and hailed a cab and asked the driver to stop at an ATM machine so we could get some local currency, but my bank card would not work. I had had this trouble in Malaysia as well and had to make three international phone calls to sort it out. I was promised that the problem would not occur again (barring the card because of 'unusual' activity, i.e. possibility of fraud). So we had no money. Luckily the taxi driver was very generous and dropped us of at our hostel and said we could pay him the money the following day. We had some emergency fund left, in U.S. dollars. We used the last of that to exchange with the hostel owner, who gave us Singaporean dollars in return. We then gave almost all of that back to pay for the accommodation! We could not, for the life of us, make a successful international phone call to correct the problem, because the phone boxes and mobiles inside and just outside the hostel would not work. We didn't really want to venture out to try and find another phone as it was late and I'd managed to book us a hostel right in the middle of the red light district.
More tea
Wednesday 24th October
Amanda, Briony and I made our own way to a larger, well-known tea plantation in the morning. There were some fantastic views, but unluckily our expectations of a fresh cup of tea at the end of a steep climb were not met, as the tea cafe and factory were closed for renovation, starting from that day and lasting for only three days. So, we didn't time it well! With the uncanny memory of a family holiday in Wales hovering over me, we got some inferior takeaway tea instead and sat outside - until the rain started again - and then we moved inside to drink our takeaway tea on a bench, staring at a wall and breathing in paint fumes. Good times!
Amanda got the bus back to the hostel but Briony and I walked back. It was a lot longer than we anticipated so we got caught in the rain and ended up walking about 15K altogether that day. By the time we got back to the hostel, we were completely drenched and my feet felt like a separate entity to the rest of my body.
In the afternoon I chatted with others at the hostel, all of whom were leaving the Highlands the following day because of the miserable weather. We decided to do the same. In the evening we all sat round and had a beer by a cozy fire, drying our shoes and listening to the strange sounds of one of the hostels owner's friends playing the guitar and 'singing' everything from the Beatles to Ronan Keating, in between swigs from his bottle of Whiskey.
Amanda, Briony and I made our own way to a larger, well-known tea plantation in the morning. There were some fantastic views, but unluckily our expectations of a fresh cup of tea at the end of a steep climb were not met, as the tea cafe and factory were closed for renovation, starting from that day and lasting for only three days. So, we didn't time it well! With the uncanny memory of a family holiday in Wales hovering over me, we got some inferior takeaway tea instead and sat outside - until the rain started again - and then we moved inside to drink our takeaway tea on a bench, staring at a wall and breathing in paint fumes. Good times!
Amanda got the bus back to the hostel but Briony and I walked back. It was a lot longer than we anticipated so we got caught in the rain and ended up walking about 15K altogether that day. By the time we got back to the hostel, we were completely drenched and my feet felt like a separate entity to the rest of my body.
In the afternoon I chatted with others at the hostel, all of whom were leaving the Highlands the following day because of the miserable weather. We decided to do the same. In the evening we all sat round and had a beer by a cozy fire, drying our shoes and listening to the strange sounds of one of the hostels owner's friends playing the guitar and 'singing' everything from the Beatles to Ronan Keating, in between swigs from his bottle of Whiskey.
Cuppa teeeeaaa!
We went on a six hour trek with a local guide called Kali. Another woman, named Amanda, joined us for the trip. It was really hard work, partly because of the high altitude. It was very overcast, misty and rainy, so unfortunately, after our 1 1/2 hour hike uphill, we couldn't see a thing. Then we started walking through very thick jungle on a track that evidently hadn't been trodden down by many before us. There were some amazing, peculiar plant life to see. Kali made us two bracelets each, using one of the plants. When he was making the first two, he kept suddenly stopping and staying dead silent, trying to work out what the rustling, treading sound was, quite close by us. We were a little apprehensive as about 5 minutes before this he told us about the tigers who live in the jungle but don't like to go near humans. If it wasn't for the fact that we were having to be quiet, I was going to ask whether this applied to all tigers, including those who were hungry or having a bad day, for example.
It was very slippy and muddy and Amanda and Briony went over on their arses several times during the day. I didn't fall over but was concentrating so hard on not doing so, that at one point I walked smack, bang into a tree branch, banging my head an shattering my teeth together!
A little light relief from the intense exercise and concentration, we arrived in a small village next to a tree plantation. All the children knew Kali by name. Word got round quickly that we'd arrived, and all of Kali's sweets he'd brought for the children disappeared just as rapidly.
Then Kali took us right inside a plantation and we watched two workers cutting the tea leaves. The best quality tea leaves apparently used to be picked by hand from the top, but now it is done by machine. The next stop was a tea house where I had a divinely beautiful cup of tea (as well as a scone and half a brownie!) After scoffing ourselves we had lost momentum somewhat, so when faced with the choice of hitching a ride back to town with one of Kali's mates, or another 1 1/2 hours of vertical climbing on a different route, in the rain, we opted for the sensible cop-out.
It was very slippy and muddy and Amanda and Briony went over on their arses several times during the day. I didn't fall over but was concentrating so hard on not doing so, that at one point I walked smack, bang into a tree branch, banging my head an shattering my teeth together!
A little light relief from the intense exercise and concentration, we arrived in a small village next to a tree plantation. All the children knew Kali by name. Word got round quickly that we'd arrived, and all of Kali's sweets he'd brought for the children disappeared just as rapidly.
Then Kali took us right inside a plantation and we watched two workers cutting the tea leaves. The best quality tea leaves apparently used to be picked by hand from the top, but now it is done by machine. The next stop was a tea house where I had a divinely beautiful cup of tea (as well as a scone and half a brownie!) After scoffing ourselves we had lost momentum somewhat, so when faced with the choice of hitching a ride back to town with one of Kali's mates, or another 1 1/2 hours of vertical climbing on a different route, in the rain, we opted for the sensible cop-out.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Kuala Lumpur
We went on a city tour with a driver and a really friendly Australian couple, Susie and Peter. We went to see the Royal Palace, a war memorial, a tin shop, a watch shop, a chocolate shop and the Batu Caves. Going to the shops was a waste of time, as everything was really expensive, and we went to the caves last and only had about ten minutes there! We just had time to climb the very steep steps up to the caves, looked around the entrance area, and came back down again! In front of the caves is the most ENORMOUS, golden Buddha - towering into the sky. And all the way up the stairs were lots of flurrying, confident monkeys. One of them would not let Susie pass until she gave up a pink plastic bag poking out of her rucksack. It was very fascinating watching them and their very human behaviour.
Next on our whistle stop tour of Asia we got a bus to the Cameron Highlands. We didn't have any accommodation booked so it was a bit scary arriving in the misty, cold and black highlands not knowing where we were going. But we found a really cool hostel with its own bar and cheap rooms - and hot showers!
Next on our whistle stop tour of Asia we got a bus to the Cameron Highlands. We didn't have any accommodation booked so it was a bit scary arriving in the misty, cold and black highlands not knowing where we were going. But we found a really cool hostel with its own bar and cheap rooms - and hot showers!
From Cambodia to Malaysia
On the bus back to Phnom Penh, a friendly woman kept speaking to me in Khmer. Eventually I gave up making gestures indicating I wasn't following her line of thought, and just smiled and laughed. She could tell that I didn't like the papaya I had bought during the journey (it tastes like poo) so I gave it to her and she offered me some of her fruit. Presumably still as part of this sharing culture, she helped herself to the wooden stick I was using to eat my fruit with, peeled is slightly to make it thinner, and used it to clean our her ears. Erm, yeah no worries - I wasn't using it anyway...
We got dropped off at the airport and caught a flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We stayed in an eight-bed dormitory. I got hardly any sleep as a couple of inconsiderate dicks arrived late in the room and made one racket after another. And then one of them took the bunk below me and throughout the night, tried to carve his own body shape into his mattress, with the amount of wriggling he was doing.
We got dropped off at the airport and caught a flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We stayed in an eight-bed dormitory. I got hardly any sleep as a couple of inconsiderate dicks arrived late in the room and made one racket after another. And then one of them took the bunk below me and throughout the night, tried to carve his own body shape into his mattress, with the amount of wriggling he was doing.
Sihanoukville
Wednesday 17th October - Saturday 20th October
We caught a bus to Sihanoukville, a smaller town on the coast. We stayed just by Serendipity Beach, which is very beautiful. I got wrangled into having my legs waxed by the young women and children who immediately flocked to try and sell us their goods. It's quite painful: they take a piece of string and hold it between the teeth, and then push down and encircle it around the hairs, before pulling up sharply. Basically, it's a more painful but meticulous, long drawn-out version of waxing!
We just took it easy during the week, not doing anything in particular. The next day I met an extremely charming Chinese woman on the beach, who calls herself 'Shelley'. She approached me asking if she could practise her English with me. We ended up talking for hours, until it got dark, about every subject under the sun. She had come to Cambodia two years previously to learn English by speaking to foreigners, and to earn a better living, so she hoped. But she now misses home and her living conditions were marginally better in China anyway, where she worked as a surgeon, a paediatrician and in Chinese medicine! And she will return in a few months to try and get a job as a translator.
She seemed a bit alienated and lonely but very optimistic and grateful for the human contact and stimulating converation, I think. At about the same time the following day, and the day after that, she returned and we spoke non-stop until the sun set again. It was quite sad saying goodbye to her! But she wrote to me saying she had grown in confidence a lot.
We caught a bus to Sihanoukville, a smaller town on the coast. We stayed just by Serendipity Beach, which is very beautiful. I got wrangled into having my legs waxed by the young women and children who immediately flocked to try and sell us their goods. It's quite painful: they take a piece of string and hold it between the teeth, and then push down and encircle it around the hairs, before pulling up sharply. Basically, it's a more painful but meticulous, long drawn-out version of waxing!
We just took it easy during the week, not doing anything in particular. The next day I met an extremely charming Chinese woman on the beach, who calls herself 'Shelley'. She approached me asking if she could practise her English with me. We ended up talking for hours, until it got dark, about every subject under the sun. She had come to Cambodia two years previously to learn English by speaking to foreigners, and to earn a better living, so she hoped. But she now misses home and her living conditions were marginally better in China anyway, where she worked as a surgeon, a paediatrician and in Chinese medicine! And she will return in a few months to try and get a job as a translator.
She seemed a bit alienated and lonely but very optimistic and grateful for the human contact and stimulating converation, I think. At about the same time the following day, and the day after that, she returned and we spoke non-stop until the sun set again. It was quite sad saying goodbye to her! But she wrote to me saying she had grown in confidence a lot.
Back to Phnom Penh
Monday 15th October
We got an early bus from Siem Reap back to Phnom Penh. We went straight to the embassy to collect our temporary passports but they were not ready, so we had to spend another day and night in Phnom Penh.
Tuesday 16th October
We collected our passports and were robbed for what we hoped was the final time in Cambodia - by the British state, who charge $150 for a one-year temporary passport. Scandalous. Then we had to pay $40 each for exit visas (twice the price of normal visas).
The highlight of today was seeing an elephant sauntering along the road! He was so enormous, as elephants tend to be; just cruising on down the main street in Phnom Penh. It was an amazing sight and made our extra couple of days in Phnom Penh worthwhile!
We got an early bus from Siem Reap back to Phnom Penh. We went straight to the embassy to collect our temporary passports but they were not ready, so we had to spend another day and night in Phnom Penh.
Tuesday 16th October
We collected our passports and were robbed for what we hoped was the final time in Cambodia - by the British state, who charge $150 for a one-year temporary passport. Scandalous. Then we had to pay $40 each for exit visas (twice the price of normal visas).
The highlight of today was seeing an elephant sauntering along the road! He was so enormous, as elephants tend to be; just cruising on down the main street in Phnom Penh. It was an amazing sight and made our extra couple of days in Phnom Penh worthwhile!
Angkor Wat etc.
Saturday 13th October and Sunday 14th October
We hired bikes from our guesthouse and made our way to the Angkorian National Park, where we visited Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and other temples. It was amazing but very touristy, which was to be expected. I think we enjoyed ourselves even more on the second day when we were able to take it easy and absorb it all in a more leisurely way. This was partly because by the second day we were more familiar with the layout of all the temples, whereas we spent most of the first day unintentionally finding out what roads to go down, by finding out all the places not to go and working on a process of elimination! But we preferred to see the temples by making our own way. The park is so vast, so a form of transport is necessary to get around, but hiring a tuk-tuk and a tour guide was another expense which we didn't need.
As well as being very impressive structures, the temples also have lots of very fine detail throughout. The environment around the temples is very beautiful. The more remote, less frequented ruins have a fairytale-like quality to them.
We must have cycled about 20 miles across the two days - a bit too much for my granny knees and other parts of my anatomy to handle. My whole body was in pain, but I survived and it was well worth it!
All the temples have varying degrees of beauty, depending on the time of day and the light. We made a comic balls-up during our last moments there, waiting for the sunset to fall behind Angkor Wat. "Where's this bloody sunset then?" We must have sat there for about 45 minutes before turning around to see the sun disappearing behind us. It is in fact sunrise that you can view over Angkor Wat, and sunset is behind another temple entirely. Oh well, we still had fun while we waited! There were lots of monkeys around the temples, and while we had our backs to the setting sun, I got a classic photo of a monkey holding a cigarette packet and looking very cool.
Having waited around too long, we had to make our way back through the park and the town in rush hour in the dark, which wasn't the safest activity as our bikes were a bit run-down and didn't have any lights or bells or even fully-functioning breaks! But this meant I forgot about the pain in my knees and crutch while I concentrated on not getting myself killed.
We hired bikes from our guesthouse and made our way to the Angkorian National Park, where we visited Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and other temples. It was amazing but very touristy, which was to be expected. I think we enjoyed ourselves even more on the second day when we were able to take it easy and absorb it all in a more leisurely way. This was partly because by the second day we were more familiar with the layout of all the temples, whereas we spent most of the first day unintentionally finding out what roads to go down, by finding out all the places not to go and working on a process of elimination! But we preferred to see the temples by making our own way. The park is so vast, so a form of transport is necessary to get around, but hiring a tuk-tuk and a tour guide was another expense which we didn't need.
As well as being very impressive structures, the temples also have lots of very fine detail throughout. The environment around the temples is very beautiful. The more remote, less frequented ruins have a fairytale-like quality to them.
We must have cycled about 20 miles across the two days - a bit too much for my granny knees and other parts of my anatomy to handle. My whole body was in pain, but I survived and it was well worth it!
All the temples have varying degrees of beauty, depending on the time of day and the light. We made a comic balls-up during our last moments there, waiting for the sunset to fall behind Angkor Wat. "Where's this bloody sunset then?" We must have sat there for about 45 minutes before turning around to see the sun disappearing behind us. It is in fact sunrise that you can view over Angkor Wat, and sunset is behind another temple entirely. Oh well, we still had fun while we waited! There were lots of monkeys around the temples, and while we had our backs to the setting sun, I got a classic photo of a monkey holding a cigarette packet and looking very cool.
Having waited around too long, we had to make our way back through the park and the town in rush hour in the dark, which wasn't the safest activity as our bikes were a bit run-down and didn't have any lights or bells or even fully-functioning breaks! But this meant I forgot about the pain in my knees and crutch while I concentrated on not getting myself killed.
Siem Reap
Friday 12th October
We wandered around Siem Reap and got lost a couple of times, but saw more remote parts of the city because of this! We really wanted to try out a massage in Cambodia, so we went for an all-body option, which lasted an hour. It turned out to be not a wholly enjoyable experience, however, as the masseuses were not very good! We had to put on what looked like pyjamas, which were very comfortable. But the tiny room we were in had way over the top air-conditioning, so we were quite cold by the end of it. Due to the temperature, My legs and feet felt like they were on the verge of cramp throughout, and several times my left leg seized up. I think I frightened my masseuse a little with my sudden jumping motions and cries of "oooh, aaahh, oh shit it's gone again".
In the evening we had a buffet meal while watching some traditional Apsara dancing. I was really looking forward to it, but I found the dancing a bit dull, to be honest. But we had some delicious food and a fun evening.
We wandered around Siem Reap and got lost a couple of times, but saw more remote parts of the city because of this! We really wanted to try out a massage in Cambodia, so we went for an all-body option, which lasted an hour. It turned out to be not a wholly enjoyable experience, however, as the masseuses were not very good! We had to put on what looked like pyjamas, which were very comfortable. But the tiny room we were in had way over the top air-conditioning, so we were quite cold by the end of it. Due to the temperature, My legs and feet felt like they were on the verge of cramp throughout, and several times my left leg seized up. I think I frightened my masseuse a little with my sudden jumping motions and cries of "oooh, aaahh, oh shit it's gone again".
In the evening we had a buffet meal while watching some traditional Apsara dancing. I was really looking forward to it, but I found the dancing a bit dull, to be honest. But we had some delicious food and a fun evening.
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
Thursday 11th October
We finally got out of Phnom Penh and caught the six hour bus to Siem Reap. Because of all our plans being thrown into disarray, due to the bastards on the bike, as they will now be known, we rolled up to Siem Reap without any accommodation booked, which was a little stressful, as it was dark by the time we got there, but we borrowed the mobile of a guy who was running an internet cafe and made a local call to a guest house.
Siem Reap is more run-down and smaller than I was expecting. I kept having to remind myself how underdeveloped Cambodia is, even in the tourist areas. A lot of the development is superficial - just a front line to greet tourists; a very fine line, behind which are families living in construction sites and cardboard boxes; children running around naked in muddy shacks, and men, women and children everywhere wasting their talents by trying to eek out a living, selling their skilled but often useless services to monied people.
We finally got out of Phnom Penh and caught the six hour bus to Siem Reap. Because of all our plans being thrown into disarray, due to the bastards on the bike, as they will now be known, we rolled up to Siem Reap without any accommodation booked, which was a little stressful, as it was dark by the time we got there, but we borrowed the mobile of a guy who was running an internet cafe and made a local call to a guest house.
Siem Reap is more run-down and smaller than I was expecting. I kept having to remind myself how underdeveloped Cambodia is, even in the tourist areas. A lot of the development is superficial - just a front line to greet tourists; a very fine line, behind which are families living in construction sites and cardboard boxes; children running around naked in muddy shacks, and men, women and children everywhere wasting their talents by trying to eek out a living, selling their skilled but often useless services to monied people.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
A day with the Cambodian police
Wednesday 10th October
Much worse than the mugging itself, was the ordeal of the following day, most of which was spent in Cambodian police stations. By the end of the day, I would certainly have said it was not worth the trouble, except for the fact that unfortunately we relied on a police report in order to get our replacement, temporary passports and for any insurance claims.
The day began comically, as not one person could direct us to a police station. It was not marked in any guidebooks or maps either. We had read that the police were a bit of a joke in Cambodia and it was evidently true. Our guesthouse owner also informed us of the rife corruption - and told us if we paid a sum of money, we could perhaps have our passports 'retrieved', i.e. the criminals and the cops were one and the same. Although this did not exactly come as an almighty shock to the system, the fact that the corruption was so openly known and talked about, made us a little apprehensive.
Eventually, someone in a tourist office, which happened to be situated close to a police station, gave us some very vague, hesitant instruction, and we stumbled across it. Except 'it' wasn't really 'it'. I think it must have been some kind of administrative base. There were a couple of men inside, who didn't know what to suggest when we told them we'd been mugged. One of them said the police station was closed. Soon a crowd of men had gathered on the street - most of them not police. After much discussion and deliberation and a series of misunderstandings, the conclusion was that we had to go somewhere else - to another station. Hoping that we were not hopping on to the back of a moto with a complete randomer, we were off.
We arrived at the other station - a grubby room with a few men lazing around inside, playing cards and watching telly. No-one budged an inch to acknowledge our presence. No eye contact, no greeting and no change of activity or body language. Just hostility and sarcasm. All the officers laughed at us during the day, but looking back on it now, I think the laughter was more out of embarrassment of their own incompetence and lack of training. There was a feeling of improvisation throughout.
They got someone off the street to translate, as none of them spoke any English. What followed, was a painful half hour or so, of us trying to describe what happened and the contents of the snatched bag. Then Briony went off on a moto with one of them to show exactly where it happened. We'd got up really early to try and sort this out because we'd hoped to get a bus that afternoon, out of the city. But we were told to come back at 3pm. So next we went to the British Embassy to sort out our passports. We were told there also, that it would be useful to give a bit of money here and there to the police to speed things up. So when we arrived back at about 2.30pm, we gave $5 to the man who had taken down the initial report and driven us to the embassy, saying it was for petrol for his moto. Eventually we were taken upstairs and sat in a room for a while - again with no-one telling us what the hell was going on. Everyone just looked around and smiled awkwardly, and we wondered when the interview, or whatever, was going to begin. By this time, another translator had arrived, but at this point we didn't know that he was also an outsider. So when he told us about how hard and expensive it was to deal with crimes like this, we asked if a bit of money would help speed things along, as we were all just sitting there and we wondered if they were waiting for money before beginning! The translator said yes, but when we put $5 on the table for the policeman who it appeared was going to interview us, he wouldn't except the money, saying that we had just been robbed and it would be wrong to take money from us. All very embarrassing and confusing.
Then we were told to get up and go to another room, where apparently the boss was sat. The boss, like the others, was rude and did not acknowledge our presence. While we twiddled out thumbs, he just carried on doing his own thing, chewing gum really loudly, with his mouth wide open, on what I assume was a very large piece, by the exaggerated movements of his ugly jaw. Of course, there was no progress made with the case during the hours that had passed. We were asked exactly the same questions all over again and Briony went out once again - with the boss - to show where the incident had occurred. While away, Briony was also treated to a kiss, a cuddle and an arse grope from the boss, and I spoke to the translator about his regular job as a hotel driver, and the corruption of the police.
Shortly after Briony and the boss returned, the translator left and a woman came and sat in his place. To my dying day, I will never know what her and the boss spoke/argued about, but it felt so distinctly fake - like they were acting. He was probably asking her about another case, but it was just so surreal. Then she just upped and left and smiled at me on the way out, like nothing had just happened. We naively thought that the process had come to an end, but oh no. Now we had to see the English tourist police, for the ACTUAL report. So far we had just obtained the investigative report. While we waited for the tourist police, the boss treated us to a mini exhibition of horrendous photos that he was extremely proud of; photos of him and his officers having 'retrieved' passports etc. for other people who had been mugged; a group of disgruntled youth who he'd caught smoking; and a whole series of bloody, nasty photos of Cambodian people having been beaten up (it not being clear whether they were the victims of the criminals or the criminals themselves), including a bloody naked woman lying in a shower, who looked like she'd been raped. Briony did her best to jolly him along, saying 'very good' to everything presented to us. I, on the other hand, was at this stage finding it quite difficult to hide my bemusement and disgust.
We waved the sleazy, egotistical wanker boss goodbye as we got on to the tourist policeman's moto for the 15K drive out of town to the closed tourist police headquarters. By this point, they were really taking the piss. We had been waiting around for hours already during the day. We insisted on making a stop to call the British Embassy before going to the tourist police station out of town. And it's a good thing we did because the woman there who we'd dealt with earlier said that the tourist policeman who was accompanying us had just charged $50 each for police reports for two other girls who had been robbed the same day as us, and told us to pay no more than $10 - $15 each. Of course, we were not supposed to be paying anything at all. It's all just bullshit.
When he finally finished the reports and told us it would set us back $50 each, rather than be confrontational about it and not pay anything at all, seen as it was now dark and we were in the middle of the Cambodian countryside at the mercy of 2 or 3 crooks, we decided to play dumb and acted surprised - very shocked, in fact - when he told us the sum. "We don't have that kind of money" I explained. "We've just been robbed" etc. His reaction was actually quite pathetic and he looked like we'd hurt his feelings. When he was out of the room, we hid all our cash in one bag, and put just $30 and a few riel in my wallet. When he came back, I sadly put the money on the table and told him that was all we had, but that we also had to eat that evening and tell our families what had happened - to make it all sound more real. Although I think he completely believed us, he still took all the money. Unbelievable!
The we got into the car of another policeman who drove us most of the way back, with his rap music playing loudly. It was really eerie, because it was the holiday festival in Cambodia, so the station was closed and they were just open for business like ours, and it was very quiet all around.
For the last leg of the journey, we got back on to the moto of the tourist policeman leading the whole debacle. About half a mile from our guesthouse his moto broke down and we had to get a tuk-tuk. He was not best pleased. I laughed so hard as we saw him wheel his moto off into the distance.
We arrived at the other station - a grubby room with a few men lazing around inside, playing cards and watching telly. No-one budged an inch to acknowledge our presence. No eye contact, no greeting and no change of activity or body language. Just hostility and sarcasm. All the officers laughed at us during the day, but looking back on it now, I think the laughter was more out of embarrassment of their own incompetence and lack of training. There was a feeling of improvisation throughout.
They got someone off the street to translate, as none of them spoke any English. What followed, was a painful half hour or so, of us trying to describe what happened and the contents of the snatched bag. Then Briony went off on a moto with one of them to show exactly where it happened. We'd got up really early to try and sort this out because we'd hoped to get a bus that afternoon, out of the city. But we were told to come back at 3pm. So next we went to the British Embassy to sort out our passports. We were told there also, that it would be useful to give a bit of money here and there to the police to speed things up. So when we arrived back at about 2.30pm, we gave $5 to the man who had taken down the initial report and driven us to the embassy, saying it was for petrol for his moto. Eventually we were taken upstairs and sat in a room for a while - again with no-one telling us what the hell was going on. Everyone just looked around and smiled awkwardly, and we wondered when the interview, or whatever, was going to begin. By this time, another translator had arrived, but at this point we didn't know that he was also an outsider. So when he told us about how hard and expensive it was to deal with crimes like this, we asked if a bit of money would help speed things along, as we were all just sitting there and we wondered if they were waiting for money before beginning! The translator said yes, but when we put $5 on the table for the policeman who it appeared was going to interview us, he wouldn't except the money, saying that we had just been robbed and it would be wrong to take money from us. All very embarrassing and confusing.
Then we were told to get up and go to another room, where apparently the boss was sat. The boss, like the others, was rude and did not acknowledge our presence. While we twiddled out thumbs, he just carried on doing his own thing, chewing gum really loudly, with his mouth wide open, on what I assume was a very large piece, by the exaggerated movements of his ugly jaw. Of course, there was no progress made with the case during the hours that had passed. We were asked exactly the same questions all over again and Briony went out once again - with the boss - to show where the incident had occurred. While away, Briony was also treated to a kiss, a cuddle and an arse grope from the boss, and I spoke to the translator about his regular job as a hotel driver, and the corruption of the police.
Shortly after Briony and the boss returned, the translator left and a woman came and sat in his place. To my dying day, I will never know what her and the boss spoke/argued about, but it felt so distinctly fake - like they were acting. He was probably asking her about another case, but it was just so surreal. Then she just upped and left and smiled at me on the way out, like nothing had just happened. We naively thought that the process had come to an end, but oh no. Now we had to see the English tourist police, for the ACTUAL report. So far we had just obtained the investigative report. While we waited for the tourist police, the boss treated us to a mini exhibition of horrendous photos that he was extremely proud of; photos of him and his officers having 'retrieved' passports etc. for other people who had been mugged; a group of disgruntled youth who he'd caught smoking; and a whole series of bloody, nasty photos of Cambodian people having been beaten up (it not being clear whether they were the victims of the criminals or the criminals themselves), including a bloody naked woman lying in a shower, who looked like she'd been raped. Briony did her best to jolly him along, saying 'very good' to everything presented to us. I, on the other hand, was at this stage finding it quite difficult to hide my bemusement and disgust.
We waved the sleazy, egotistical wanker boss goodbye as we got on to the tourist policeman's moto for the 15K drive out of town to the closed tourist police headquarters. By this point, they were really taking the piss. We had been waiting around for hours already during the day. We insisted on making a stop to call the British Embassy before going to the tourist police station out of town. And it's a good thing we did because the woman there who we'd dealt with earlier said that the tourist policeman who was accompanying us had just charged $50 each for police reports for two other girls who had been robbed the same day as us, and told us to pay no more than $10 - $15 each. Of course, we were not supposed to be paying anything at all. It's all just bullshit.
When he finally finished the reports and told us it would set us back $50 each, rather than be confrontational about it and not pay anything at all, seen as it was now dark and we were in the middle of the Cambodian countryside at the mercy of 2 or 3 crooks, we decided to play dumb and acted surprised - very shocked, in fact - when he told us the sum. "We don't have that kind of money" I explained. "We've just been robbed" etc. His reaction was actually quite pathetic and he looked like we'd hurt his feelings. When he was out of the room, we hid all our cash in one bag, and put just $30 and a few riel in my wallet. When he came back, I sadly put the money on the table and told him that was all we had, but that we also had to eat that evening and tell our families what had happened - to make it all sound more real. Although I think he completely believed us, he still took all the money. Unbelievable!
The we got into the car of another policeman who drove us most of the way back, with his rap music playing loudly. It was really eerie, because it was the holiday festival in Cambodia, so the station was closed and they were just open for business like ours, and it was very quiet all around.
For the last leg of the journey, we got back on to the moto of the tourist policeman leading the whole debacle. About half a mile from our guesthouse his moto broke down and we had to get a tuk-tuk. He was not best pleased. I laughed so hard as we saw him wheel his moto off into the distance.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Birthday treat: Killing Fields and mugging
Tuesday 9th October
AM - Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre - another dose of horrendous, Cambodian history - the killing fields of Choeung Ek. We got a moto there - our first while sitting on the same bike, so we had the added excitement of making sure Briony, who sat at the back of the bike, stayed on the bike.
Near the entrance of the site is a memorial which is very splendid on the outside. Inside, it is filled to the brim with human skulls. The site is quite small, with one mass grave close to the next. Beside the graves, there are signs with brief messages about who was buried there. There were also a couple of other signs next to trees, saying something like "Tree which children were held against while being battered to death". Another: "Magic tree - on which a loud speaker was hung, to drown the moans of victims".
But most disturbing of all, are the clothes and bones poking out of the ground, which I assume have been left there on purpose, but I'm not sure how they have survived. Really horrible.
It was my birthday, so we went out in the evening and had a really nice time, until we were mugged. When we were on the road, Briony, who was carrying all our possessions in one bag, felt a hand slide over her shoulder, slippping her bag off. Two guys on a moto drove by us very close and fast and snatched her bag. Briony was very confused and called out my name. I was disorientated and firstly thought that she had been hit by the bike. Then I thought they had grabbed her wrist and were dragging her away. But then I saw the green strap of her bag stretched out in front of her and watched in horror as she was dragged into the distance, still keeping hold of the bag. It was probably foolish to try and retrieve the bag but it was just instinctive to keep hold of it. And it really looked like Briony had a chance to snatch it back again, especially at the beginning of the struggle. But afterwards, she thought that perhaps they were even taunting her. They were going quite fast and it was hard for her to keep up with them as she had flip-flops on. She decided to let go when they turned a corner, even though she knew that she would fall over. And she did, rolling across the floor, bruising and scratching herself quite badly.
Briony cried out after a tuk-tuk driver going the same way, asking him to try and follow the moto which, thinking about it now, is quite comic - but he started driving after the moto! Of course, it was all in vain and the tuk-tuk turned around back towards us, and I decided to finish my rant of 'You stupid fucking bastards! You arseholes! You FUCKING BAAAASTAAAARDS!!!', etc.
Luckily, the tuk-tuk driver was nice and so were the two men inside it, who gave us a lift back to our guesthouse and gave us a few dollars to be getting on with. The driver informed us that the area we were in was very common for robberies - of local people as well as tourists. And it was a holiday in Cambodia too, so muggings were even more common. We are normally so much more careful than we were that night. We've learnt the hard way not to be complacent!
We arrived at our guesthouse, minus 2 passports, 2 mobile phones, lots of money, an expensive camera, bank cards and various other items of monetary and sentimental value :-( It was stupid to carry that amount of stuff around with us, but then items get nicked from guesthouses all the time too. The gate of the guesthouse was locked, even though the night was young, due to its rude interruption. So, we had to humiliate ourselves further by shouting from the street. The owner of the guesthouse was also very kind and took us in his car to a 24-hour internet cafe, so that Briony could cancel her bank cards. We eventually got to bed, tired, shaken and severely pised off.
AM - Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre - another dose of horrendous, Cambodian history - the killing fields of Choeung Ek. We got a moto there - our first while sitting on the same bike, so we had the added excitement of making sure Briony, who sat at the back of the bike, stayed on the bike.
Near the entrance of the site is a memorial which is very splendid on the outside. Inside, it is filled to the brim with human skulls. The site is quite small, with one mass grave close to the next. Beside the graves, there are signs with brief messages about who was buried there. There were also a couple of other signs next to trees, saying something like "Tree which children were held against while being battered to death". Another: "Magic tree - on which a loud speaker was hung, to drown the moans of victims".
But most disturbing of all, are the clothes and bones poking out of the ground, which I assume have been left there on purpose, but I'm not sure how they have survived. Really horrible.
It was my birthday, so we went out in the evening and had a really nice time, until we were mugged. When we were on the road, Briony, who was carrying all our possessions in one bag, felt a hand slide over her shoulder, slippping her bag off. Two guys on a moto drove by us very close and fast and snatched her bag. Briony was very confused and called out my name. I was disorientated and firstly thought that she had been hit by the bike. Then I thought they had grabbed her wrist and were dragging her away. But then I saw the green strap of her bag stretched out in front of her and watched in horror as she was dragged into the distance, still keeping hold of the bag. It was probably foolish to try and retrieve the bag but it was just instinctive to keep hold of it. And it really looked like Briony had a chance to snatch it back again, especially at the beginning of the struggle. But afterwards, she thought that perhaps they were even taunting her. They were going quite fast and it was hard for her to keep up with them as she had flip-flops on. She decided to let go when they turned a corner, even though she knew that she would fall over. And she did, rolling across the floor, bruising and scratching herself quite badly.
Briony cried out after a tuk-tuk driver going the same way, asking him to try and follow the moto which, thinking about it now, is quite comic - but he started driving after the moto! Of course, it was all in vain and the tuk-tuk turned around back towards us, and I decided to finish my rant of 'You stupid fucking bastards! You arseholes! You FUCKING BAAAASTAAAARDS!!!', etc.
Luckily, the tuk-tuk driver was nice and so were the two men inside it, who gave us a lift back to our guesthouse and gave us a few dollars to be getting on with. The driver informed us that the area we were in was very common for robberies - of local people as well as tourists. And it was a holiday in Cambodia too, so muggings were even more common. We are normally so much more careful than we were that night. We've learnt the hard way not to be complacent!
We arrived at our guesthouse, minus 2 passports, 2 mobile phones, lots of money, an expensive camera, bank cards and various other items of monetary and sentimental value :-( It was stupid to carry that amount of stuff around with us, but then items get nicked from guesthouses all the time too. The gate of the guesthouse was locked, even though the night was young, due to its rude interruption. So, we had to humiliate ourselves further by shouting from the street. The owner of the guesthouse was also very kind and took us in his car to a 24-hour internet cafe, so that Briony could cancel her bank cards. We eventually got to bed, tired, shaken and severely pised off.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Tuol Sleng Museum
Monday 8th October
The museum was quite difficult to find. It was badly marked on our map and we went round in circles, walking down dirty, dusty back streets, before stumbling upon a small, concentrated Western hub - with the usual cold drinks for sale, white faces, beggars and tuk-tuks.
The museum was quite interesting. There was not much to read, but it was useful just to get a feel for what went on there. Before it became the S-21 Prison, and then the museum it is today, it was a school. In the grounds there is an uneasy incongruous mix of children's climbing frames and the remains of torture tools, including a big wooden frame on which political prisoners were hoisted upside down until losing consciousness. Then afterwards they would be plunged into a big pot of manure, or something similar, to be torn back into consciousness again.
The individual torture chambers were particularly eerie, each one similar to the next: a bare room, besides an old metal bed frame with various rusty iron torture tools resting on top; a photo above the bed - bad quality, blown-up, black and white photos of torture victims - post-torture, with blood, limbs and flesh all over the place; the imagination doing most of the work.
Then upstairs there were rows and rows of badly lit, tiny individual cells. There was a seemingly randomly placed cardboard cutout of a prisoner sitting inside one of them, which because of the light, I didn't see at first and it scared the shit out of me.
There were also rows and rows of photos of prisonsers, including very young children.
In the evening we couldn't be bothered to have dinner so we just ate peanuts and chocolate instead.
The museum was quite difficult to find. It was badly marked on our map and we went round in circles, walking down dirty, dusty back streets, before stumbling upon a small, concentrated Western hub - with the usual cold drinks for sale, white faces, beggars and tuk-tuks.
The museum was quite interesting. There was not much to read, but it was useful just to get a feel for what went on there. Before it became the S-21 Prison, and then the museum it is today, it was a school. In the grounds there is an uneasy incongruous mix of children's climbing frames and the remains of torture tools, including a big wooden frame on which political prisoners were hoisted upside down until losing consciousness. Then afterwards they would be plunged into a big pot of manure, or something similar, to be torn back into consciousness again.
The individual torture chambers were particularly eerie, each one similar to the next: a bare room, besides an old metal bed frame with various rusty iron torture tools resting on top; a photo above the bed - bad quality, blown-up, black and white photos of torture victims - post-torture, with blood, limbs and flesh all over the place; the imagination doing most of the work.
Then upstairs there were rows and rows of badly lit, tiny individual cells. There was a seemingly randomly placed cardboard cutout of a prisoner sitting inside one of them, which because of the light, I didn't see at first and it scared the shit out of me.
There were also rows and rows of photos of prisonsers, including very young children.
In the evening we couldn't be bothered to have dinner so we just ate peanuts and chocolate instead.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
HCMC to Phnom Penh
We got up early to get a taxi to the airport for a short flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was an extremely smooth exit out of the swish Phnom Penh airport. The visas and baggage collection were very quick and we were immediately met by lots of taxi drivers outside the airport. This time around, we took our time and didn't let the energy of potential scammers influence us with their fluster. We ensured that we knew the going rate for a taxi, and set the price - before getting inside one.
The taxi driver had a bit of trouble finding our guesthouse, but did quite well considering the completely illogical and haphazard system of road and house numbers in Cambodia. There is no system. House numbers are not necessarily in order and can be repeated in one street. The guesthouse was run by a French woman and a Cambodian man and had a really nice atmosphere. Imagine hammocks, a slightly hippy commune feel, with Jack Johnson playing in the background and an absolutely delicious blend of Khmer and Western food.
The taxi driver had a bit of trouble finding our guesthouse, but did quite well considering the completely illogical and haphazard system of road and house numbers in Cambodia. There is no system. House numbers are not necessarily in order and can be repeated in one street. The guesthouse was run by a French woman and a Cambodian man and had a really nice atmosphere. Imagine hammocks, a slightly hippy commune feel, with Jack Johnson playing in the background and an absolutely delicious blend of Khmer and Western food.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
War Remnants Museum, HCMC
We got up and had a farewell breakfast and then saw people off.
Then Briony and I headed to the War Remnants Museum, which was basically just a powerful exhibition of photographs taken during the Vietnam War.
It was utterly gut-wrenching. We were quite overwhelmed by the end of it. One really awful photo after another, of imperialist warfare: photos of petrified women and children just before being shot by U.S troops; pictures of torture by U.S. troops, of citizens and 'suspected Viet Cong'. I did not realize the extent of the devastation - at least 6 million Vietnamese killed or injured during the war. The photos were so graphic and it was hard to absorb the evil of the U.S. bombardment and the terror of its occupation.
There was also a section of photos of children born with very bad deformities, as a direct result of the chemicals their parents were exposed to, e.g. 'The Orange Agent', napalm, etc. from the chemical bombs which were dropped by the U.S. on a massive scale.
An exhibition like that just lets you see so clearly through the bullshit and lies, still told by many today. No scruples - just imperialist warfare - bloody, openly brutal, ruthless and devastating.
In the evening, Hoang and a couple of others who were still in Vietnam went out in the evening, but Briony and I had an early night because we're old women.
Then Briony and I headed to the War Remnants Museum, which was basically just a powerful exhibition of photographs taken during the Vietnam War.
It was utterly gut-wrenching. We were quite overwhelmed by the end of it. One really awful photo after another, of imperialist warfare: photos of petrified women and children just before being shot by U.S troops; pictures of torture by U.S. troops, of citizens and 'suspected Viet Cong'. I did not realize the extent of the devastation - at least 6 million Vietnamese killed or injured during the war. The photos were so graphic and it was hard to absorb the evil of the U.S. bombardment and the terror of its occupation.
There was also a section of photos of children born with very bad deformities, as a direct result of the chemicals their parents were exposed to, e.g. 'The Orange Agent', napalm, etc. from the chemical bombs which were dropped by the U.S. on a massive scale.
An exhibition like that just lets you see so clearly through the bullshit and lies, still told by many today. No scruples - just imperialist warfare - bloody, openly brutal, ruthless and devastating.
In the evening, Hoang and a couple of others who were still in Vietnam went out in the evening, but Briony and I had an early night because we're old women.
Around HCMC
Hoang gave us an orientation tour around HCMC and then we went it alone. We ended up walking aroung the city for about 6 hours and got back to the hotel completely knackered and filthy. It was such hard work trying to find anything. We had to sort out flight tickets to Phnom Penh, visas, and other organisey stuff. But we seemed to spend at least half the time trying to find something to eat. We ended up scuttling in to the completely overpriced Rex hotel, soaking wet and very hungry, after getting caught in the predictable afternoon downpour.
Part of the problem was trying to find some vegetarian food, which wasn't from a fast food place or from an expensive restaurant. One of the many places which we looked at was an ostrich restaurant, which sold NOTHING but ostrich meat, in its various (and numerous) forms.
We went for a farewell meal with the whole group in the evening. Then we went for a piss-up and played pool - again! It was really sad that everything was nearly over in Vietnam.
Part of the problem was trying to find some vegetarian food, which wasn't from a fast food place or from an expensive restaurant. One of the many places which we looked at was an ostrich restaurant, which sold NOTHING but ostrich meat, in its various (and numerous) forms.
We went for a farewell meal with the whole group in the evening. Then we went for a piss-up and played pool - again! It was really sad that everything was nearly over in Vietnam.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Ho Chi Minh City: Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta
Thursday 4th October 2007
Arrived in HCMC at 4am. We waited around for a while in a hotel lobby, before shifting out on to the street at the first signs of life, to find breakfast. We sat on the tiny stools of a street vendor's restaurant - the kind we sat at before in the other cities, with their improvised, haphazard feel. This is how most people eat in Vietnam. Even a lot of the enclosed cafes and restaurants receive their food from street vendors. Often, cafes and other eateries will have dirty crockery piled up outside on the street, presumably waiting for the vendor to collect it again. This also explains why I've seen women skillfully rushing around the streets with bowls of piping hot food.
We ate everything from beef noodles to eggs, tea, bread and Laughing Cow cheese (OK - the last item was just me - it's big here!)
One of the advantages of having a tour leader is being able to eat at places where local people go and do things local people do. Without the authority that speaking the language and local knowledge have - i.e. being Vietnamese - it would have been quite awkward or difficult to do some of the things we have done as a group. But I think we were very lucky too as our tour leader was very talented and skilled at introducing us to new environments. Early in the morning, I asked Hoang whether he wanted Vietnam to be more like Singapore and whether he thought the reintroduction of capitalism in Vietnam, including foreign capitalists being able to buy up land, would be a good thing for the country. It was very interesting to hear his response: he wanted Vietnam to be more like China and capitalism would mean the massive widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. At the moment, there are no very rich people and the state still provides for ordinary workers, to a certain extent. Although there is still poverty, this would be greatly worsened by capitalism.
After once again stuffing our faces with grub, we headed to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, about a 2 hour bus ride outside of the city. They were presented well, with a good mixture of original and artificial features. I didn't realize how clever the tunnels and the guerilla warfare were. The tunnels were tiny - MINISCULE! Too big for me - or American soldiers - to fit into. I found it difficult even crouching through a short distance of artificial tunnel, three times bigger than the original system. It was extremely claustrophobic with very little lighting, and quite scary as it kept branching off in different directions. I was blindly following the person in front of me who was just as clueless as me about how to get out again. I was so relieved when I spotted a stern member of staff crouching by a ray of sunlight. My thigh muscles were killing and I had accumulated several mud patches. That was enough guerilla warfare for one day.
We saw the mechanisms of various ingenious traps that the guerillas set for the Americans and the South Vietnamese army. Really nasty! A lot of life happened in the tunnels. People ate, slept, had meetings, nursed the sick and even delivered babies. These activites took place in the chambers, spotted in between the tiny tunnels.
Then we drove to the the Mekong Delta and got a boat down the river. We had a fresh coconut and then stopped for lunch. It pelted down with rain, which limited our activity, but we just played cards! We listened to some more live traditional music. Again, the last song was Auld Lang Syne, which the musicians moved straight on to without a flinch or hint of a change of expression.
Then we boarded some much smaller boats and floated down a narrow river with amazing, jungle-like surroundings. It was wild and perfect at the same time, like something out of a movie set.
We had dinner in a market and I discovered the first beer I've ever enjoyed drinking - Red Saigon beer!
Arrived in HCMC at 4am. We waited around for a while in a hotel lobby, before shifting out on to the street at the first signs of life, to find breakfast. We sat on the tiny stools of a street vendor's restaurant - the kind we sat at before in the other cities, with their improvised, haphazard feel. This is how most people eat in Vietnam. Even a lot of the enclosed cafes and restaurants receive their food from street vendors. Often, cafes and other eateries will have dirty crockery piled up outside on the street, presumably waiting for the vendor to collect it again. This also explains why I've seen women skillfully rushing around the streets with bowls of piping hot food.
We ate everything from beef noodles to eggs, tea, bread and Laughing Cow cheese (OK - the last item was just me - it's big here!)
One of the advantages of having a tour leader is being able to eat at places where local people go and do things local people do. Without the authority that speaking the language and local knowledge have - i.e. being Vietnamese - it would have been quite awkward or difficult to do some of the things we have done as a group. But I think we were very lucky too as our tour leader was very talented and skilled at introducing us to new environments. Early in the morning, I asked Hoang whether he wanted Vietnam to be more like Singapore and whether he thought the reintroduction of capitalism in Vietnam, including foreign capitalists being able to buy up land, would be a good thing for the country. It was very interesting to hear his response: he wanted Vietnam to be more like China and capitalism would mean the massive widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. At the moment, there are no very rich people and the state still provides for ordinary workers, to a certain extent. Although there is still poverty, this would be greatly worsened by capitalism.
After once again stuffing our faces with grub, we headed to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, about a 2 hour bus ride outside of the city. They were presented well, with a good mixture of original and artificial features. I didn't realize how clever the tunnels and the guerilla warfare were. The tunnels were tiny - MINISCULE! Too big for me - or American soldiers - to fit into. I found it difficult even crouching through a short distance of artificial tunnel, three times bigger than the original system. It was extremely claustrophobic with very little lighting, and quite scary as it kept branching off in different directions. I was blindly following the person in front of me who was just as clueless as me about how to get out again. I was so relieved when I spotted a stern member of staff crouching by a ray of sunlight. My thigh muscles were killing and I had accumulated several mud patches. That was enough guerilla warfare for one day.
We saw the mechanisms of various ingenious traps that the guerillas set for the Americans and the South Vietnamese army. Really nasty! A lot of life happened in the tunnels. People ate, slept, had meetings, nursed the sick and even delivered babies. These activites took place in the chambers, spotted in between the tiny tunnels.
Then we drove to the the Mekong Delta and got a boat down the river. We had a fresh coconut and then stopped for lunch. It pelted down with rain, which limited our activity, but we just played cards! We listened to some more live traditional music. Again, the last song was Auld Lang Syne, which the musicians moved straight on to without a flinch or hint of a change of expression.
Then we boarded some much smaller boats and floated down a narrow river with amazing, jungle-like surroundings. It was wild and perfect at the same time, like something out of a movie set.
We had dinner in a market and I discovered the first beer I've ever enjoyed drinking - Red Saigon beer!
Nha Trang
Monday 1st October 2007
A long day: 10 hours on a train from Hoi An to Nha Trang, with cockroaches and 2 free meals that literally smelt like poo, thrown in for free. It wasn''t just me - the tour leader, Hoang brought his own food too. But it could have been worse - I got some reading done and had fun arsing around with Briony.
Tuesday 2nd October 2007
Lazy day. I had a lie-in and then had lunch, which consisted of some Gorgonzola pasta and a salad entitled "Green salad, Garlic'' - and it was just that: green lettuce leaves with lumps of garlic! But it had some oil on the side and was really nice. Although Briony was not so keen on it - at least, not on the odour I exuded for the rest of the day, and probably the next. But I''m a big fan of garlic and it's a massive part of the diet in Vietnam.
Then on to a mud bath! I was expecting the mud to be lumpy but it was like watered down clay. Then we walked through various showers and sat in a hot tub. At the end of the process we swam in two VERY hot swimming pools of mineral water. I couldn't stay in the second one (38 degrees!) for too long as it was so overwhelming.
All very pleasant, except for a rich Japanese woman who was very rude to me and ruined my reverie for a while. But then I remeberbred where I was and got over it!
I always wondered what a mud bath would feel like. It''s quite weird. I can''t say I noticed much difference to my skin, but it was worth the experience.
In the evening we went for a BBQ in a place which was very popular with the local people as well. Mini BBQs were placed on the table and we were given plates of food to cook. As usual, being special (a veggie) I got my own personal BBQ!
Afterwards we went for a piss up in a touristy joint with two for one on cocktails, which reduced my already fairly poor pool game to an almost non-existent game.
Wednesday 3rd October 2007
Another lazy day. We went on a boat trip and did some snorkelling - or not, in my case. I sort of dipped my head in the water for a few seconds with some very uncomfortable goggles plastered to my face, swam about for a bit, and got back on the boat again. The water was cold and muddy and the current was strong. No-one seemed really in the mood either, which I think was partly due to sea sickness. We had another feast served up for us, but again, because of the choppy conditions, we couldn't really eat.
Nevertheless, the journey was very enjoyable and I prefer slightly cooler, stormy conditions to the scorching sun of the dry season. We stopped off on a very cute beach and I had my first ever manicure and pedicure! Although the woman trying to do something with my chewed up fingernails had a bit of a job on her hands. And I had a Vietnamese massage! Luxury. Elin, one of the Swedes, and I had our manicure, pedicure and massage at the same time. We kept exchanging looks as one of the women pampering us would not stop talking. She literally talked non-stop for about 45 minutes and her friend barely got a word in. It was quite curious. Of course, we had no idea what she was talking about but by the end we wondered if she wasn't one fruit short of a basket.
Speaking of baskets, we stopped off on a small fishing island where most of the fishing is done from small basket boats. It takes 2 weeks to make one boat but they looked pretty sturdy and last for about 5 years. Apparently they are used in Wales as well!
On the island, there were a few cockerals in cages. The inhabitants of the island were having a day of rest and were gearing up to an immenent, illegal cock fight!
In the evening we caught a our last night train - to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It was the most uncomfortable yet, with the beds so hard that most people hardly got a wink of sleep. But we played cards again before going to bed ,which was really fun. The group has really bonded over the last few weeks - partly during our raucous card games.
A long day: 10 hours on a train from Hoi An to Nha Trang, with cockroaches and 2 free meals that literally smelt like poo, thrown in for free. It wasn''t just me - the tour leader, Hoang brought his own food too. But it could have been worse - I got some reading done and had fun arsing around with Briony.
Tuesday 2nd October 2007
Lazy day. I had a lie-in and then had lunch, which consisted of some Gorgonzola pasta and a salad entitled "Green salad, Garlic'' - and it was just that: green lettuce leaves with lumps of garlic! But it had some oil on the side and was really nice. Although Briony was not so keen on it - at least, not on the odour I exuded for the rest of the day, and probably the next. But I''m a big fan of garlic and it's a massive part of the diet in Vietnam.
Then on to a mud bath! I was expecting the mud to be lumpy but it was like watered down clay. Then we walked through various showers and sat in a hot tub. At the end of the process we swam in two VERY hot swimming pools of mineral water. I couldn't stay in the second one (38 degrees!) for too long as it was so overwhelming.
All very pleasant, except for a rich Japanese woman who was very rude to me and ruined my reverie for a while. But then I remeberbred where I was and got over it!
I always wondered what a mud bath would feel like. It''s quite weird. I can''t say I noticed much difference to my skin, but it was worth the experience.
In the evening we went for a BBQ in a place which was very popular with the local people as well. Mini BBQs were placed on the table and we were given plates of food to cook. As usual, being special (a veggie) I got my own personal BBQ!
Afterwards we went for a piss up in a touristy joint with two for one on cocktails, which reduced my already fairly poor pool game to an almost non-existent game.
Wednesday 3rd October 2007
Another lazy day. We went on a boat trip and did some snorkelling - or not, in my case. I sort of dipped my head in the water for a few seconds with some very uncomfortable goggles plastered to my face, swam about for a bit, and got back on the boat again. The water was cold and muddy and the current was strong. No-one seemed really in the mood either, which I think was partly due to sea sickness. We had another feast served up for us, but again, because of the choppy conditions, we couldn't really eat.
Nevertheless, the journey was very enjoyable and I prefer slightly cooler, stormy conditions to the scorching sun of the dry season. We stopped off on a very cute beach and I had my first ever manicure and pedicure! Although the woman trying to do something with my chewed up fingernails had a bit of a job on her hands. And I had a Vietnamese massage! Luxury. Elin, one of the Swedes, and I had our manicure, pedicure and massage at the same time. We kept exchanging looks as one of the women pampering us would not stop talking. She literally talked non-stop for about 45 minutes and her friend barely got a word in. It was quite curious. Of course, we had no idea what she was talking about but by the end we wondered if she wasn't one fruit short of a basket.
Speaking of baskets, we stopped off on a small fishing island where most of the fishing is done from small basket boats. It takes 2 weeks to make one boat but they looked pretty sturdy and last for about 5 years. Apparently they are used in Wales as well!
On the island, there were a few cockerals in cages. The inhabitants of the island were having a day of rest and were gearing up to an immenent, illegal cock fight!
In the evening we caught a our last night train - to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It was the most uncomfortable yet, with the beds so hard that most people hardly got a wink of sleep. But we played cards again before going to bed ,which was really fun. The group has really bonded over the last few weeks - partly during our raucous card games.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Hoi An
Friday 28th September 2007
We travelled from Hue to Hoi An by bus. We stayed in a hotel with a swimming pool and pool tables! So in the evening we had fun with the girls in the pool and played a few games of pool. This was the chilled out part of our trip, after the trekking and night trains.
And we went.......shopping! I bought quite a lot of stuff: presents and other things (for me!) - didn't exactly keep within budget that day, but I'm looking at my buys as investments....! Hoi An is famous for its tailoring. You can walk into almost any shop and get measured up for a pair of shoes or a suit for such a scandalously cheap price.
While we were playing pool in the evening, a very playful, but slightly psychotic puppy would not stop biting our feet, or anything else it could get its nashers into. He followed me to my room afterwards and I had to fend him off with an umbrella.
Saturday 29th September 2007
We went for a bike and boat ride. I had not been on a bicycle since I was 16 when I fell off and broke my arm, so I was not sure if I could do it. But it turned out to be totally amazing. I feel like I can do anything now, if I can ride a bike on a Vietnamese road - not only had I not been on a bike for years, but I was thrown in at the deep end, riding alongside the motos on busy roads!
After we got off the roads, we had the equally challenging task of riding through rural villages, with very rough roads and trying to avoid small children and chickens popping out from the bushes. We stopped off at a house to meet a family. There were three teenage girls studying. They were all very giggly and very sweet. The family was quite poor because it had to rely on a small, sandy patch of land where maize was growing. The girls also go to town to work in restaurants etc., to earn extra cash. Hoang uses spare money from the fees for the trip to buy bags of rice for the families he visits.
We met two other families. At the third house, we didn't enter, as the father of the family had just died. A quiet, sad teenage boy was there, who I assumed was his son. It was just him and an older man, who I would guess was the grandfather. This family was particularly poor because it suffered with mental illness. Also, the grandfather was missing half a leg, which he lost after the war, when he had no job and came across an unexploded bomb when searching for scrap metal to sell. So, the family can only sustain itself by the work that the children can do and from donations from other villagers.
After the bike ride we boarded a boat and had a gorgeous BBQ lunch. I had some divine tofu - covered with a lemon flavoured sauce...soooo good! I never normally like tofu because the texture is too meaty, but this tofu was in curled up strips and must have had some magic ingredient.
In the evening we played pool and psycho puppy came out to play again.
Sunday 30th September 2007
Stupid, fucking psycho puppy woke me up really, really early in the morning and wouldn't shut the fuck up.
In the morning, we did a bit of sightseeing: saw a Cantonese Assembly Hall, crossed over a coverved Japanese bridge and visited an ancient house.
In the afternoon we road quite fast on bikes to the beach. It was a bit stormy so we didn't stay long. I couldn't really swim in the sea as the stormy waves and current forced me to spend most of my energy trying to keep my bikini on.
In the evening, Briony and I had dinner with another member of the group, from New Zealand. The three of us have had quite a few discussions over the past few weeks about many subjects, and although we did not agree on immigration, the United Nations, American presidents, the death penalty and other things, it seemed we were in complete agreement on strikes, picket lines and trade unions, which was refreshing. A couple from Stoke, England, were sat on the table next to us, ploughing into their twelth bottle of beer (although this was their figure and I'm not sure how clear they were on the matter at this point). The guy joined us for a game of pool afterwards and although completely pissed, managed to play some amazing shots and beat us all anyway!
We travelled from Hue to Hoi An by bus. We stayed in a hotel with a swimming pool and pool tables! So in the evening we had fun with the girls in the pool and played a few games of pool. This was the chilled out part of our trip, after the trekking and night trains.
And we went.......shopping! I bought quite a lot of stuff: presents and other things (for me!) - didn't exactly keep within budget that day, but I'm looking at my buys as investments....! Hoi An is famous for its tailoring. You can walk into almost any shop and get measured up for a pair of shoes or a suit for such a scandalously cheap price.
While we were playing pool in the evening, a very playful, but slightly psychotic puppy would not stop biting our feet, or anything else it could get its nashers into. He followed me to my room afterwards and I had to fend him off with an umbrella.
Saturday 29th September 2007
We went for a bike and boat ride. I had not been on a bicycle since I was 16 when I fell off and broke my arm, so I was not sure if I could do it. But it turned out to be totally amazing. I feel like I can do anything now, if I can ride a bike on a Vietnamese road - not only had I not been on a bike for years, but I was thrown in at the deep end, riding alongside the motos on busy roads!
After we got off the roads, we had the equally challenging task of riding through rural villages, with very rough roads and trying to avoid small children and chickens popping out from the bushes. We stopped off at a house to meet a family. There were three teenage girls studying. They were all very giggly and very sweet. The family was quite poor because it had to rely on a small, sandy patch of land where maize was growing. The girls also go to town to work in restaurants etc., to earn extra cash. Hoang uses spare money from the fees for the trip to buy bags of rice for the families he visits.
We met two other families. At the third house, we didn't enter, as the father of the family had just died. A quiet, sad teenage boy was there, who I assumed was his son. It was just him and an older man, who I would guess was the grandfather. This family was particularly poor because it suffered with mental illness. Also, the grandfather was missing half a leg, which he lost after the war, when he had no job and came across an unexploded bomb when searching for scrap metal to sell. So, the family can only sustain itself by the work that the children can do and from donations from other villagers.
After the bike ride we boarded a boat and had a gorgeous BBQ lunch. I had some divine tofu - covered with a lemon flavoured sauce...soooo good! I never normally like tofu because the texture is too meaty, but this tofu was in curled up strips and must have had some magic ingredient.
In the evening we played pool and psycho puppy came out to play again.
Sunday 30th September 2007
Stupid, fucking psycho puppy woke me up really, really early in the morning and wouldn't shut the fuck up.
In the morning, we did a bit of sightseeing: saw a Cantonese Assembly Hall, crossed over a coverved Japanese bridge and visited an ancient house.
In the afternoon we road quite fast on bikes to the beach. It was a bit stormy so we didn't stay long. I couldn't really swim in the sea as the stormy waves and current forced me to spend most of my energy trying to keep my bikini on.
In the evening, Briony and I had dinner with another member of the group, from New Zealand. The three of us have had quite a few discussions over the past few weeks about many subjects, and although we did not agree on immigration, the United Nations, American presidents, the death penalty and other things, it seemed we were in complete agreement on strikes, picket lines and trade unions, which was refreshing. A couple from Stoke, England, were sat on the table next to us, ploughing into their twelth bottle of beer (although this was their figure and I'm not sure how clear they were on the matter at this point). The guy joined us for a game of pool afterwards and although completely pissed, managed to play some amazing shots and beat us all anyway!
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Motorbike tour around Hue
I was really scared to get on to a motorbike at first - after my observations as a pedestrian! But it was also because I couldn't imagine how I would stay on the vehicule as I had never ridden a motorbike before. So when we approached the drivers, I chose the most placid looking one. It seemed my instincts were correct as he was very sweet - when it started raining, he stopped the bike and got me out a mac. It made me very sweaty and was not really needed as by the time we got it on and caught up with the group again, it had more or less stopped raining, but it was sweet all the same.
I gripped tightly to the back of the bike but as soon as we got off the curb, it felt ok, and then I got cocky and didn't hold on at all. As a pedestrian it feels daunting weaving in and out of the bikes, but when on the motorbike, it was actually quite exciting and relaxing.
The leader of the tour was quite an entertaining character. He had a wicked laugh and would make big gestures to accompany every single thing he said. Consequently, his explanations tended to take some time. Our first stop was an animal fighting arena. Tigers and elephants used to fight in the arena. Apparently, the emperor who built the arena would order the tiger's claws and most of its teeth to be taken out so that the elephant would win the fight. The tiger would be starved before the fight so that it would find it too tempting not to attack the elephant.
Next stop: incense making. I had a go at rolling some incense sticks but resisted buying any as I have no room to carry such luxuries! My driver had picked up some meat along the way which looked almost unfit for human consumption.
Then on to a Buddhist pagoda. It was very tranquil. We watched 4 monks praying. They pray at 4am, 10am and 4pm, and meditate twice a day, as well as surf the internet, play football and occasionally go out to pray for people.
The praying we observed lasted about 15 minutes. One of the monks looked thoroughly unimpressed and another kept yawning. They didn't seem to want to be there, but then I don't know the first thing about Buddhist prayer rituals. There was quite a lot of melodic chanting/singing, banging of bells and getting up and down from the floor. Quite fascinating to watch.
The tour guide told us that unlike in Thailand and Laos, monks in Vietnam do not go out asking for money, but live purely on donations they receive, that people bring to the pagoda.
It turned out that my sweet driver had bought the meat to feed to a dog who was starving, staggering around just inside the gates of the pagoda. Either that or he had bought it for himself and had decided the dog needed it more.
Then we went to an orphanage, run by nuns. The conditions seemed very good and the children seemed very happy. There were about 200 children there, with a percentage of disabled children, including a blind toddler waving his little hand in front of his eyes. I'd never been to an orphanage before. Although the children seemed to be well looked after, the place still had a desolate, lonely feeling to it.
We visited a royal tomb next, which was more like a village - it went on forever! Building after building. It was a place to amuse the emperor who was buried there during his life, as well as his resting place. It included a theatre and beautiful grounds.
Then we drove out to the countryside to see a lovely covered bridge. Sitting underneath it were mainly very elderly men, dressed in white and taking it easy. On the other side of the bridge we saw 3 beautiful water buffalo frolicking in the water, in what I'm guessing is their favourite time of the day. They seemed very relaxed and playful.
I gripped tightly to the back of the bike but as soon as we got off the curb, it felt ok, and then I got cocky and didn't hold on at all. As a pedestrian it feels daunting weaving in and out of the bikes, but when on the motorbike, it was actually quite exciting and relaxing.
The leader of the tour was quite an entertaining character. He had a wicked laugh and would make big gestures to accompany every single thing he said. Consequently, his explanations tended to take some time. Our first stop was an animal fighting arena. Tigers and elephants used to fight in the arena. Apparently, the emperor who built the arena would order the tiger's claws and most of its teeth to be taken out so that the elephant would win the fight. The tiger would be starved before the fight so that it would find it too tempting not to attack the elephant.
Next stop: incense making. I had a go at rolling some incense sticks but resisted buying any as I have no room to carry such luxuries! My driver had picked up some meat along the way which looked almost unfit for human consumption.
Then on to a Buddhist pagoda. It was very tranquil. We watched 4 monks praying. They pray at 4am, 10am and 4pm, and meditate twice a day, as well as surf the internet, play football and occasionally go out to pray for people.
The praying we observed lasted about 15 minutes. One of the monks looked thoroughly unimpressed and another kept yawning. They didn't seem to want to be there, but then I don't know the first thing about Buddhist prayer rituals. There was quite a lot of melodic chanting/singing, banging of bells and getting up and down from the floor. Quite fascinating to watch.
The tour guide told us that unlike in Thailand and Laos, monks in Vietnam do not go out asking for money, but live purely on donations they receive, that people bring to the pagoda.
It turned out that my sweet driver had bought the meat to feed to a dog who was starving, staggering around just inside the gates of the pagoda. Either that or he had bought it for himself and had decided the dog needed it more.
Then we went to an orphanage, run by nuns. The conditions seemed very good and the children seemed very happy. There were about 200 children there, with a percentage of disabled children, including a blind toddler waving his little hand in front of his eyes. I'd never been to an orphanage before. Although the children seemed to be well looked after, the place still had a desolate, lonely feeling to it.
We visited a royal tomb next, which was more like a village - it went on forever! Building after building. It was a place to amuse the emperor who was buried there during his life, as well as his resting place. It included a theatre and beautiful grounds.
Then we drove out to the countryside to see a lovely covered bridge. Sitting underneath it were mainly very elderly men, dressed in white and taking it easy. On the other side of the bridge we saw 3 beautiful water buffalo frolicking in the water, in what I'm guessing is their favourite time of the day. They seemed very relaxed and playful.
Hue
Wednesday 26th September 2007
I woke up in a sweaty heap on the night train, at 8am and we struggled with our bags to the hotel (it's going to be interesting to see how Briony and I cope with luggage - and everything else - when we don't have the comfort of travelling with a tour leader and group!)
We realized only when we arrived at the hotel in Hue, that we didn't get all of our laundry given back to us when we picked it up yesterday, which was a real nuisance. Oh well, one way of lightening our load.
Then on to the large citadel in Hue. It's 200o years old and vast. Now, relatives of the old royal family who used to inhabit it, live normally in 2 villages nearby.
In the evening we went as a group to a special restaurant where you have a banquet - quite literally. We received costumes to wear - Briony was the queen! I asked if the costumes were unisex before picking one out and was told categorically that they were. But that wasn't strictly true, as I managed to pick out the only one designed for a eunuch (which for those of you who don't know, as I didn't, is a man who has had his balls chopped off) and was advised to pick out another...
Another in the group was the king, and he and Briony sat at the head of the table, which was in our own private room, which we walked to in procession! We also had live, traditional music played throughout our ten course meal. I really liked the music. It was not as good as that at the water puppetry, but was still entertaining. The singers jump up and down the scale unexpectedly and the sounds can be quite tonal, at times. The sound does not always seem to correspond with the movement of the mouth - appearing a bit like a bad ventriloquist. At the end there was a surreal moment when the musicians started playing The Godfather tune and auld lang syne!
It was a very fun evening.
I woke up in a sweaty heap on the night train, at 8am and we struggled with our bags to the hotel (it's going to be interesting to see how Briony and I cope with luggage - and everything else - when we don't have the comfort of travelling with a tour leader and group!)
We realized only when we arrived at the hotel in Hue, that we didn't get all of our laundry given back to us when we picked it up yesterday, which was a real nuisance. Oh well, one way of lightening our load.
Then on to the large citadel in Hue. It's 200o years old and vast. Now, relatives of the old royal family who used to inhabit it, live normally in 2 villages nearby.
In the evening we went as a group to a special restaurant where you have a banquet - quite literally. We received costumes to wear - Briony was the queen! I asked if the costumes were unisex before picking one out and was told categorically that they were. But that wasn't strictly true, as I managed to pick out the only one designed for a eunuch (which for those of you who don't know, as I didn't, is a man who has had his balls chopped off) and was advised to pick out another...
Another in the group was the king, and he and Briony sat at the head of the table, which was in our own private room, which we walked to in procession! We also had live, traditional music played throughout our ten course meal. I really liked the music. It was not as good as that at the water puppetry, but was still entertaining. The singers jump up and down the scale unexpectedly and the sounds can be quite tonal, at times. The sound does not always seem to correspond with the movement of the mouth - appearing a bit like a bad ventriloquist. At the end there was a surreal moment when the musicians started playing The Godfather tune and auld lang syne!
It was a very fun evening.
Another day in Hanoi
Tuesday 25th September 2007
Ahhhh, I had a lie-in - glorious! And much needed.
In the morning, a few of us went to the museum of fine arts in Hanoi. I liked a lot of the art but there was hardly any factual information for the average ignorant Westerner to absorb. Apparently, this is because it is thought of as patronising to accompany displays of artwork with lots of writing about its significance and context.
In the afternoon we went to see the famous water puppetry show. It was fantastic, I thought. Most of the group were not that inspired and didn't like the music very much. But I absolutely loved it. The extroardinary, wavering tones of the two female singers, who were acting as some kind of chorus to the action, as far as I could tell (everything was Vietnamese).
I had never heard anything like it before - it was very traditional music and sounds a little screechy at first. But after a while, I really began to enjoy the melodies and the tone became more beautiful. It was very rhythmic too, at times. It reminded me of some Irish and English folk music.
I nearly got run over 3 times today by motorbikes. Everyone beeps their horns continuously but no-one pays any attention - neither the pedestrians or the other drivers. So, I tried to do the same, but that's quite difficult when a motorcyclist is ruthlessly heading towards you.
As I already mentioned, the pavements are so busy with parked motorbikes and improvised stalls that you are constantly forced on to the road, to dance with the motorbikes, hoping that you will arrive at your destination in one piece - no doubt more by luck than judgement. Although it sounds awful to admit it, as a tourist, there is a certain amount of relief to step into the decadence of an air-conditioned hotel lobby. It would be easier to spend longer on the streets if it were possible to blend into the background, to observe the life going on there. But with my pasty white face and clunky traveller's clothes, that's never going to happen.
We caught a night train to Hue, which was pretty skanky but it did the job.
Ahhhh, I had a lie-in - glorious! And much needed.
In the morning, a few of us went to the museum of fine arts in Hanoi. I liked a lot of the art but there was hardly any factual information for the average ignorant Westerner to absorb. Apparently, this is because it is thought of as patronising to accompany displays of artwork with lots of writing about its significance and context.
In the afternoon we went to see the famous water puppetry show. It was fantastic, I thought. Most of the group were not that inspired and didn't like the music very much. But I absolutely loved it. The extroardinary, wavering tones of the two female singers, who were acting as some kind of chorus to the action, as far as I could tell (everything was Vietnamese).
I had never heard anything like it before - it was very traditional music and sounds a little screechy at first. But after a while, I really began to enjoy the melodies and the tone became more beautiful. It was very rhythmic too, at times. It reminded me of some Irish and English folk music.
I nearly got run over 3 times today by motorbikes. Everyone beeps their horns continuously but no-one pays any attention - neither the pedestrians or the other drivers. So, I tried to do the same, but that's quite difficult when a motorcyclist is ruthlessly heading towards you.
As I already mentioned, the pavements are so busy with parked motorbikes and improvised stalls that you are constantly forced on to the road, to dance with the motorbikes, hoping that you will arrive at your destination in one piece - no doubt more by luck than judgement. Although it sounds awful to admit it, as a tourist, there is a certain amount of relief to step into the decadence of an air-conditioned hotel lobby. It would be easier to spend longer on the streets if it were possible to blend into the background, to observe the life going on there. But with my pasty white face and clunky traveller's clothes, that's never going to happen.
We caught a night train to Hue, which was pretty skanky but it did the job.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Snake farm
We went to a snake farm for dinner - it was really exotic! We watched them being killed first....suffocated, then the blood is drained, then the gall bladder taken out, then the heart which sits on the side still beating away. A 7 course meal followed - all dishes made from the snake we watched being killed: snake spring rolls, snake skin, grilled snake, snake tail with fried vegetables, snake soup, ground snake bones, and something else I can't remember! And that's not including the snake blood and the liquid from the gall bladder. The latter is very bitter apparently, but both are mixed with the extremely strong rice wine we also tried in Sapa. Hoang also drank down the heart with one of the cups of blood.
Being a dirty vegetarian, I was very boring and stuck to fried rice and green beans. They also had porcupine at the restaurant farm. This restaurant is very famous and a big deal in Hanoi. It cost about $100 which is A LOT of money in Vietnam. Westerners do not usually go there - only better off Vietnamese, although it is situated in the poorer back streets.
It was fascinating watching the city at night in the rain on the way to the restaurant. Everyone wears big hooded macs - especially on motorbikes.
The motorbike has right of way in Vietnam! You take your life into your hands every time you step out on to the street. Often, there is effectively no pavement because they are covered with parked bikes, women selling fruit and flowers, and all kinds of food, and people sitting on small stools doing varous things, from eating, to playing cards, to grooming one another. I can't remember if I already mentioned the habit of women looking through men's hair to spot for white hairs. And women do it for women, but I haven't seen men doing it for women.
After the meal I went to a jazz club. It was so cool. A famous Vietnamese saxophonist was there (but I can't remember his name). It was a nice atmosphere and there was no fee to get in. They played lots of famous pieces and it didn't really sound different to other jazz I have heard.
Being a dirty vegetarian, I was very boring and stuck to fried rice and green beans. They also had porcupine at the restaurant farm. This restaurant is very famous and a big deal in Hanoi. It cost about $100 which is A LOT of money in Vietnam. Westerners do not usually go there - only better off Vietnamese, although it is situated in the poorer back streets.
It was fascinating watching the city at night in the rain on the way to the restaurant. Everyone wears big hooded macs - especially on motorbikes.
The motorbike has right of way in Vietnam! You take your life into your hands every time you step out on to the street. Often, there is effectively no pavement because they are covered with parked bikes, women selling fruit and flowers, and all kinds of food, and people sitting on small stools doing varous things, from eating, to playing cards, to grooming one another. I can't remember if I already mentioned the habit of women looking through men's hair to spot for white hairs. And women do it for women, but I haven't seen men doing it for women.
After the meal I went to a jazz club. It was so cool. A famous Vietnamese saxophonist was there (but I can't remember his name). It was a nice atmosphere and there was no fee to get in. They played lots of famous pieces and it didn't really sound different to other jazz I have heard.
Back to Hanoi
We arrived in Hanoi at 4.30am. At first, I was dreading this, but actually the city is very interesting and lively at this time. We had tea on the street while we waited for the city to warm up. It got light very suddenly and it was an amazimg site to watch women by a lake doing Tai Chi at 5am. I joined in with the Tai Chi a little, with the tour leader, which was quite relaxing, but I probably looked quite strange.
Men and women were charging around everywhere - power walking, jogging and playing badminton on the pavement! I never knew the Vietnamese were so health conscious. I guess doing exercise this early, everyone can get it out of the way before the long working day begins, and before the heat sets in.
Then we had some free time so Briony and I went to get our laundry done and managed to get lost. It turned out to be a good adventure and we saw more of Hanoi that way.
Men and women were charging around everywhere - power walking, jogging and playing badminton on the pavement! I never knew the Vietnamese were so health conscious. I guess doing exercise this early, everyone can get it out of the way before the long working day begins, and before the heat sets in.
Then we had some free time so Briony and I went to get our laundry done and managed to get lost. It turned out to be a good adventure and we saw more of Hanoi that way.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Bac Ha Market
We left Sapa by bus for Bac Ha and its famous market. It is mostly frequented by ethnic minorities and local people but is gradually becoming more geared up for tourists.
There were some manificent buffalo rolling around in the mud at the back of the market, just taking it easy. Although one of them became a bit leary when I tried to get too close to photo him. There was a great atmosphere there with people all gathered at the back of the market eating lunch together.
Then on to Lao Cai where we had dinner. On the way we passed the Chinese border and saw a Chinese toy market. It's fairly easy for tourists to cross the border apparently.
Finally, we borded a night train back to Hanoi.
There were some manificent buffalo rolling around in the mud at the back of the market, just taking it easy. Although one of them became a bit leary when I tried to get too close to photo him. There was a great atmosphere there with people all gathered at the back of the market eating lunch together.
Then on to Lao Cai where we had dinner. On the way we passed the Chinese border and saw a Chinese toy market. It's fairly easy for tourists to cross the border apparently.
Finally, we borded a night train back to Hanoi.
Sapa - Part 3
We left Ta Van village in two groups - one for the buff people to trek the hard, but more beautiful route, and one for the tired and weak! I would normally have put myself in the second category, but always up for a challenge, I tried to pretend I was buff and went with the former. But I was so glad I did - we passed a spectacular waterfall and sat at the top for a while. And we walked right beside the rice terraces, seein people in the early mornin, going about their daily lives.
The buff people set a buff pace - so by the end I was sweating like a pig and huffing and puffing like the wolf who tried to get him and his two friends.
My condition wasn't helped particularly by the guide who joined us for the trek, who thought it would be amusing to vigourously rock the Indiana Jones, dodgy, thrown-together, style bridge which crossed very high over a river.
In the afternoon, we did absolutely nothing, except stare and watch a crap American film - but I was so knackered I couldn't do anything else.
Later that day we (that's Briony and I) witnessed our first, and hopefully last, motorbike accident. It wasn't too bad - the only victim was a goat. I think one motorbike collided with a stationary one and the goat fell off but he was still tied to the bike so it fell with him. He didn't look mightily comfortable anyway as his neck was unnaturally tied down sideways to the rest of his body. Probably off to be slaughtered and he was bleeting so painfully.
The buff people set a buff pace - so by the end I was sweating like a pig and huffing and puffing like the wolf who tried to get him and his two friends.
My condition wasn't helped particularly by the guide who joined us for the trek, who thought it would be amusing to vigourously rock the Indiana Jones, dodgy, thrown-together, style bridge which crossed very high over a river.
In the afternoon, we did absolutely nothing, except stare and watch a crap American film - but I was so knackered I couldn't do anything else.
Later that day we (that's Briony and I) witnessed our first, and hopefully last, motorbike accident. It wasn't too bad - the only victim was a goat. I think one motorbike collided with a stationary one and the goat fell off but he was still tied to the bike so it fell with him. He didn't look mightily comfortable anyway as his neck was unnaturally tied down sideways to the rest of his body. Probably off to be slaughtered and he was bleeting so painfully.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Sapa - part 2
There are 5 ethnic minorities in Sapa, but three main ones. I think the people partly wear the tribal gear for the benefits of the tourists. It looks very hot.
I slapped on the suntan cream and the sun hat and we began our first trek through the unimaginably beautiful countryside of Sapa. Children and women tried to sell us things virtually during the whole trek - that's a long working day. Quite a few women and children had red circle marks on their foreheads. Apparently this is as a result of a treatment for headaches where the head is sucked with air trapped in a glass. I don't know how scientific this is, of whether it is complete superstition.
We stopped along the way and met some families who live in the hills and among the many, many stunning rice terraces. We listened to a man playing some kind of pipe, which appeared to me to be like an old fashioned bag pipe - not on its actual appearance but in the way it was played and the way it sounded. In the same house, the women made bags etc. to sell, and had dye stains all over their faces and hands.
You are not supposed to take any photos of children without first asking the permission of the parents as the people there believe that the soul is at the top of the head and that it will be stolen. I asked permission when the children or parents were looking but I have to admit to some soul stealing as well.
It was sometimes a little hard to suppress the Greedy Westerner feeling, particularly when you hear some of the ignorant and patronising comments from other westerners. My lifestyle is so far removed from the people I met in Sapa, I had to constantly question my own sensitivity as well.
The next day we trekked to a village called Ta Van to stay overnight with a family. The scenery was even more amazing today! We stopped about half way before we arrived at the village and had lunch. Lots of children were hanging around us and we took loads of photos. The boys were all carefree and having the time of their life goofing around with one another and posing for our photos. The girls, on the other hand, all appeared very sad and sombre. They did not play but just tried to sell us things or watched on from a distance, which was really sad. Eventually, our tour leader spoke to them and they smiled a bit but the did not stop trying to sell. The boys said they went to school in the morning.
A little girl called Chi befriended me when we arrived in the village. Although I knew that her aim was to get me to buy something eventually - a whistle, a keyring, a bracelet, a cushion cover, a blanket, etc. - I went along with it because she was so charming and spoke such good English (learns it in school as well), I enjoyed speaking to her. She made me a crown and a bunch of flowers made up out of woven grass and other materials, in remarkably quick time. They were incredibly intricate and I was taken aback by this girl's talent! I caved in this time and bought a bracelet - it was very nice anyway and only cost 10 000D (about 30p) - it wasn't exactly going to break me. It's just such a shame that she has to spend her energies and talents selling to tourists. It's a 2 hour trip to get to school in the morning, and then selling all afternoon and evening before going home. She was only about ten years of age. Another girl who had walked up to the home stay with us would not go home until she had sold something. She was crying and guilt tripping, and all sorts. It was horrible to watch. It seemed that she probably wasn't allowed to go home perhaps, until she had sold something.
Even though the town was so remote, there was phone signal and internet in the house!
In the evening we played cards. One of the local people living in the house came to play with us and taught us some of his language while he played, although he was very pissed on the 'Rice Wine', which is a very strong alcohol that you should take in shots. Deadly stuff. He had this 'happy water' in a water bottle and was getting through it at a worrying pace.
I slapped on the suntan cream and the sun hat and we began our first trek through the unimaginably beautiful countryside of Sapa. Children and women tried to sell us things virtually during the whole trek - that's a long working day. Quite a few women and children had red circle marks on their foreheads. Apparently this is as a result of a treatment for headaches where the head is sucked with air trapped in a glass. I don't know how scientific this is, of whether it is complete superstition.
We stopped along the way and met some families who live in the hills and among the many, many stunning rice terraces. We listened to a man playing some kind of pipe, which appeared to me to be like an old fashioned bag pipe - not on its actual appearance but in the way it was played and the way it sounded. In the same house, the women made bags etc. to sell, and had dye stains all over their faces and hands.
You are not supposed to take any photos of children without first asking the permission of the parents as the people there believe that the soul is at the top of the head and that it will be stolen. I asked permission when the children or parents were looking but I have to admit to some soul stealing as well.
It was sometimes a little hard to suppress the Greedy Westerner feeling, particularly when you hear some of the ignorant and patronising comments from other westerners. My lifestyle is so far removed from the people I met in Sapa, I had to constantly question my own sensitivity as well.
The next day we trekked to a village called Ta Van to stay overnight with a family. The scenery was even more amazing today! We stopped about half way before we arrived at the village and had lunch. Lots of children were hanging around us and we took loads of photos. The boys were all carefree and having the time of their life goofing around with one another and posing for our photos. The girls, on the other hand, all appeared very sad and sombre. They did not play but just tried to sell us things or watched on from a distance, which was really sad. Eventually, our tour leader spoke to them and they smiled a bit but the did not stop trying to sell. The boys said they went to school in the morning.
A little girl called Chi befriended me when we arrived in the village. Although I knew that her aim was to get me to buy something eventually - a whistle, a keyring, a bracelet, a cushion cover, a blanket, etc. - I went along with it because she was so charming and spoke such good English (learns it in school as well), I enjoyed speaking to her. She made me a crown and a bunch of flowers made up out of woven grass and other materials, in remarkably quick time. They were incredibly intricate and I was taken aback by this girl's talent! I caved in this time and bought a bracelet - it was very nice anyway and only cost 10 000D (about 30p) - it wasn't exactly going to break me. It's just such a shame that she has to spend her energies and talents selling to tourists. It's a 2 hour trip to get to school in the morning, and then selling all afternoon and evening before going home. She was only about ten years of age. Another girl who had walked up to the home stay with us would not go home until she had sold something. She was crying and guilt tripping, and all sorts. It was horrible to watch. It seemed that she probably wasn't allowed to go home perhaps, until she had sold something.
Even though the town was so remote, there was phone signal and internet in the house!
In the evening we played cards. One of the local people living in the house came to play with us and taught us some of his language while he played, although he was very pissed on the 'Rice Wine', which is a very strong alcohol that you should take in shots. Deadly stuff. He had this 'happy water' in a water bottle and was getting through it at a worrying pace.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Sapa - part one
It is a very different atmosphere in Sapa, from other parts of Vietnam that we have visited so far. It is colder because it is higher up and can actaully get chilly in the evenings even though it is stiflingly hot during the day. I was a little disorientated when we arrived in this remote tribal town, to be greeted immediately by young children, dressed in traditional clothing (I think the name of their ethnic minority is 'Mong' people) speaking good English with crisp American accents - much better English than any other Vietnamese I had spoken to before. I wondered why this was and asked Hoang. He said that it was because a lot of the children (who's charm and friendliness is primarily in order to sell you things) don't go to school, and learn their English from meeting tourists. The people in his town don't seem to stop working - trying to sell things from early in the morning until late at night.
During the trek we were informed that all Vietnamese people are happy that things are 'changing' in Vietnam. The five point star on the national flag (with each point representing the peasant, the worker, the intellectual etc.) will apparently soon be changed to include a sixth point - for the tour guide.
During the trek we were informed that all Vietnamese people are happy that things are 'changing' in Vietnam. The five point star on the national flag (with each point representing the peasant, the worker, the intellectual etc.) will apparently soon be changed to include a sixth point - for the tour guide.
Boat Cruise and National Park
On 18th September, we went on a boat cruise to Cat Ba Island. It was absolutely stunning! Soon, I will have to try and upload some pictures becuase my descriptions will not do justice to some of the sights I've seen - neither will the photos, but they will help.
We had lunch lunch on the boat, which was more like a feast. How can Vietnamese people eat so much and still be so small? Being an awkward vegetarian, I get lots of my of dishes, and end up with even more food than anyone else!
We saw floating fish farms and houses on the water, which were fascinating. It seems to be a fairly laid back way of earning a living, compared to some other jobs here. We went kayaking which was great becauase it meant we could be even closer to the life on the water. We stopped off on a mini island to have a rest. The exercise showed how unfit I still am!
The next day we went to a national park which was an amazing experience. We trekked through jungle territory and were advised to put on insect repellant, and a bloody good thing too as the place was swarming. We still got bitten but not too badly. I brought a zapper contraction with me which relieves the itching from bites by puncturing the skin with static electricity. It's very effective but I overdid it that day and couldn't move my ankle properly as I slightly paralysed it with too many zaps...
We trekked up and up and up, sometimes negotiating very chalenging terrain which felt almost vertical - but rock climbers would probably tell me what we did was nothing. But I'm no rock climber.
There were rare birds and monkies there but unfortunately we didn't see any.
We stopped off afterwards to see a hospital used by soldiers during the war - it was a concrete block hidden high up.
Then we jumped on a ferry for a couple of hours and I managed to sleep, which was really refreshing as I have hardly had a decent night's sleep since I arrived in Vietnam thanks to one of the side effects of my malaria tablets. They can give you bad dreams - and they certainly do - I've had everything from bizarre and surreal to quite harrowing! The heat and noise don't help either.
When we arrived on land there were lots of men offering lifts on motorbikes - the primary way of getting around in Vietnam. Soon, helmets will be compulsory everywhere, but I wonder whether this will apply to babies and youg children who sometimes squeeze on the vehicles three, four at time wiht their parents. And it's common to see a very young child/toddler supporting itself with just its hands or feet on the front, resting in the legs of the driver. But the only accident I've seen so far has involved a goat - more on that later.
Then we got a night train to Sapa. We played cards with some of the group before trying to sleep It was really fun - we learnt a version of 'Shithead' from our tour leader, Hoang.
We had lunch lunch on the boat, which was more like a feast. How can Vietnamese people eat so much and still be so small? Being an awkward vegetarian, I get lots of my of dishes, and end up with even more food than anyone else!
We saw floating fish farms and houses on the water, which were fascinating. It seems to be a fairly laid back way of earning a living, compared to some other jobs here. We went kayaking which was great becauase it meant we could be even closer to the life on the water. We stopped off on a mini island to have a rest. The exercise showed how unfit I still am!
The next day we went to a national park which was an amazing experience. We trekked through jungle territory and were advised to put on insect repellant, and a bloody good thing too as the place was swarming. We still got bitten but not too badly. I brought a zapper contraction with me which relieves the itching from bites by puncturing the skin with static electricity. It's very effective but I overdid it that day and couldn't move my ankle properly as I slightly paralysed it with too many zaps...
We trekked up and up and up, sometimes negotiating very chalenging terrain which felt almost vertical - but rock climbers would probably tell me what we did was nothing. But I'm no rock climber.
There were rare birds and monkies there but unfortunately we didn't see any.
We stopped off afterwards to see a hospital used by soldiers during the war - it was a concrete block hidden high up.
Then we jumped on a ferry for a couple of hours and I managed to sleep, which was really refreshing as I have hardly had a decent night's sleep since I arrived in Vietnam thanks to one of the side effects of my malaria tablets. They can give you bad dreams - and they certainly do - I've had everything from bizarre and surreal to quite harrowing! The heat and noise don't help either.
When we arrived on land there were lots of men offering lifts on motorbikes - the primary way of getting around in Vietnam. Soon, helmets will be compulsory everywhere, but I wonder whether this will apply to babies and youg children who sometimes squeeze on the vehicles three, four at time wiht their parents. And it's common to see a very young child/toddler supporting itself with just its hands or feet on the front, resting in the legs of the driver. But the only accident I've seen so far has involved a goat - more on that later.
Then we got a night train to Sapa. We played cards with some of the group before trying to sleep It was really fun - we learnt a version of 'Shithead' from our tour leader, Hoang.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Halong City
We had dinner in the evening and talked a little about tourism in Vietnam. Hoang, our tour leader told us that Vietnam is happy that tourism is increasing. Vietnam is apparently more 'open' and better than it used to be. No-one feels compelled to join the Communist party. And no-one does. Because no-one cares.
It's fascinating just watching the street life here. Women wear big, conical hats - in the sun, in the rain; in the morning, in the evening; at work, at leisure; to carry things; to fan themselves, and anything else that comes in handy.
I thought at first that women wore scarves around their faces to protect from pollution but apparently the primary reason is to keep their skin lighter in order to find a good husband. Oops, gotta go. More later.
Journey to Ha Long City
We got up for breakfast and met the rest of out tour group - 9 of us all together: 2 Australian girls our age, a Swedish couple and 3 New Zealanders, so quite a nice mixture.
And then we were off on our first journey - to Halong Bay. We stopped off for some water and I was again reminded of the sweltering heat and constant sweating that comes with moving out of an air-conditioned vicinity. Being used to the cloudy English weather, this takes some getting used to.
I just wanted to take photos of EVERYTHING! But it's hard to get a balance between what's acceptable and what's invasive. I miss a lot anyway because my camera is soooooo fucking slow and it eats up battery power like there's no tomorrow.
We arrived in Halong City and I bought a beautiful Vietnamese style brolley to protect against the intense heat and sun. Lots of Vietnamese women have complemented me on it so I think I made a good choice! I figure if the locals cover themselves up all the time, then I better do so as well. Even if school children don't have hats on, they will use a book, or something to cover their head. Although people are generally quite poor in Vietnam, the school uniforms always appear immaculate and very smart. All school children and young people carry tiny stools to and from school, which presumably they use to sit on. They are so tiny - smaller than the seats I had in reception class! The children have various ingenious ways of holding the stools as they ride to and from school, piled up two, three, four at a time on bicycles - we'll come to road safety in Vietnam a little later.....
School start early. The hours are generally 7 - 11 and 2 - 4/5pm, that is if a child goes to school at all, and if they go in the afternoon as well as the evening.
And then we were off on our first journey - to Halong Bay. We stopped off for some water and I was again reminded of the sweltering heat and constant sweating that comes with moving out of an air-conditioned vicinity. Being used to the cloudy English weather, this takes some getting used to.
I just wanted to take photos of EVERYTHING! But it's hard to get a balance between what's acceptable and what's invasive. I miss a lot anyway because my camera is soooooo fucking slow and it eats up battery power like there's no tomorrow.
We arrived in Halong City and I bought a beautiful Vietnamese style brolley to protect against the intense heat and sun. Lots of Vietnamese women have complemented me on it so I think I made a good choice! I figure if the locals cover themselves up all the time, then I better do so as well. Even if school children don't have hats on, they will use a book, or something to cover their head. Although people are generally quite poor in Vietnam, the school uniforms always appear immaculate and very smart. All school children and young people carry tiny stools to and from school, which presumably they use to sit on. They are so tiny - smaller than the seats I had in reception class! The children have various ingenious ways of holding the stools as they ride to and from school, piled up two, three, four at a time on bicycles - we'll come to road safety in Vietnam a little later.....
School start early. The hours are generally 7 - 11 and 2 - 4/5pm, that is if a child goes to school at all, and if they go in the afternoon as well as the evening.
A rocky start
A bit of a rocky start to my trip - my traveling partner's (Briony) first flight, to London, was delayed so we almost didn't board our very first flight!
Then, although I had ordered a vegetarian option for my flight, there were no veggie meals, so I asked people if they would like to share, as I didn't want to waste the food. I asked the man sitting beside me if he would like my sausage, which was perhaps not the best way of phrasing the question.
On the other end, in Bangkok, where we stayed overnight to get a connecting flight, the humidity hit me immediately as we waited for a bus shuttle service that never came.
Eventually we got on a bus which said it would take us to the street we needed but it dropped us off in the middle of another lot of buses. We were completely clueless - which was our fault - and so we got completely scammed for our bus ticket into town - paying more than I do in London! We relied on the help of a friendly woman on the bus for what stop to get off at.
The following day we got a taxi to the airport, after getting a Thai massage, which was lovely, but a little painful, with limbs being pulled all over the place. Only when in the taxi did we realize that we were a day behind on ourselves and had missed our connecting flight to Hanoi, Vietnam. Our tour in Vietnam was meant to start that day and we were still in Bangkok. What utter plonkers! But we still managed to get a flight that day and arrived late in the evening before the tour group moved on the next day, Briony with a stonking migraine and me with an eye infection from having scratched the new mosquito bites scattered around my face....phew!
Then, although I had ordered a vegetarian option for my flight, there were no veggie meals, so I asked people if they would like to share, as I didn't want to waste the food. I asked the man sitting beside me if he would like my sausage, which was perhaps not the best way of phrasing the question.
On the other end, in Bangkok, where we stayed overnight to get a connecting flight, the humidity hit me immediately as we waited for a bus shuttle service that never came.
Eventually we got on a bus which said it would take us to the street we needed but it dropped us off in the middle of another lot of buses. We were completely clueless - which was our fault - and so we got completely scammed for our bus ticket into town - paying more than I do in London! We relied on the help of a friendly woman on the bus for what stop to get off at.
The following day we got a taxi to the airport, after getting a Thai massage, which was lovely, but a little painful, with limbs being pulled all over the place. Only when in the taxi did we realize that we were a day behind on ourselves and had missed our connecting flight to Hanoi, Vietnam. Our tour in Vietnam was meant to start that day and we were still in Bangkok. What utter plonkers! But we still managed to get a flight that day and arrived late in the evening before the tour group moved on the next day, Briony with a stonking migraine and me with an eye infection from having scratched the new mosquito bites scattered around my face....phew!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
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