Post Travel Part 1: What's in the Bag?

Before embarking on our travels I read in a lot of places that people tend to take too much stuff with them. A huge rucksack on their backs, a smaller one on their fronts is the common approach.

I didn't want to take too much any way but the decision was made easy for me when I realised how much more flights cost when you have baggage. You basically pay about 10% extra for the privilege of putting your bags in the hold. I looked into the carry on luggage allowance and found out that it varied between 7kg and 10kg. The size was consistent across airlines: 56cm x 36cm x 23cm. Surely that's enough isn't it?

So, now was the time for a practice pack following the simple rule:

"Put everything you think you will need on the bed, then halve it."

You have to be pretty damn strict with yourself at the first stage too. It feels like you haven't got enough but trust me, you've probably got too much. Any way, let's move on...

The Bag:

I used my very old and tatty bag. This was well within the dimensions for carry on luggage which helped limit the total weight. I did have to sew it up a bit whilst on the road but this helped pass the time on the long journeys. Got some funny looks from the locals and fellow westerners but that was part of the fun really.

Here it is:

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The Contents Part 1:

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Here's my list (roughly left to right and roughly in rows). Note that this is how it ended up after the four months of travel so the contents had been fine-tuned.

• A5 Note pad, DVD of diving course*, carrier bags, duck tape, AA batteries, travel towel, phone charger and travel adapter, iPod, iPod wire
• Resealable bag containing: eye mask, beer bottle tops*, travel soap, travel shampoo sachets, nail clippers
• Metal tin containing: needles, strong polyester thread, spare phone batteries, yahtzee dice, headphone socket converter*, post-it page markers, SDHC memory cards, card reader, memory stick, imitation iTrip, lucky travel thing, UK SIM card
• Resealable bag containing: carabinas, minature screwdriver, hooks from coat hangers, 5m length of strong string/cord
• Strong carrier bag**, various papers, wet wipes, napkins, hand sanitizer, maps, various papers, various cards, spare mobile phone, headphones, various papers, playing cards, earplugs, bamboo instrument*, gorilla pod, pain killers and anti-malarials**, mosquito net**, sunglasses pouch, maglite torch, spare torch, 2 small padlocks, 2 transparent resealable bags**
• Resealable bag containing: camera battery charger, shortened AC lead, camera USB lead
• Sick bag*, passports, 2 pens, pencil, notebook, waterproof pouch*, 5 passport photos, 4 photocopies of passport, various papers, plastic cable ties
• Resealable bag containing: tea bags, creamer, sugar, various sauces
• Resealable bag containing: various sizes of elastic bands**
• Wallet.

* These items were collected during the trip

** Items of comment: Strong carrier bag was used as a cover for my bag. It was clipped on via the side straps and worked incredibly well; Pain killers, 1 packet of paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin lasted the two of us easily, we also had Malarone (anti-malarials) which were fine for us; Mosquito net, probably wouldn't take it again as only used it three or four times. It did pack up very small and was nice to know you had it; Transparent resealable bags were used for getting 100ml liquid containers passed security and on to flights; Elastic bands, so useful, just take 20 or so of varying sizes and you'll be laughing.

The Contents Part 2

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• Factor 50 sunscreen, toothpaste, toothbrush, strong mosquito repellent, weak mosquito repellent*
• Green t-shirt, dark grey polyester trousers, belt
• Light grey shorts, long sleeved black cotton shirt, sunglasses
• Swimming shorts, Lonely Planet**, orange t-shirt, short sleeved camel cotton shirt, grey t-shirt, black hiking trainers
• Goggles, grey jumper, camel polyester trousers which convert into shorts, silk sleeping sack**, sandals*
• Green cap, 4 pairs of boxers, 4 pairs of socks, red bag.

* These items were collected during the trip
** Lonely Planet was at times useful and at times a waste of time; silk sleeping sack was very light and thin so you didn't get hot in them. They were great to use if you thought the bed may be bug ridden.

Note: The only thing missing from these photos are my camera, for obvious reasons.

If anyone wants details of a particular item or has questions just add a comment.

Benefits

Here are some of the benefits of having carry on luggage only:

1. Speed: No need to hang around the carousels at baggage reclaim - just walk off the plane, get through immigration and passport control and off you go. Same goes for buses - keep your bag at your seat/on your lap rather than having it put on the roof or under the bus.
2. Security: As the bag is always with you, you can be pretty sure that no-one is going through it and stealing valuables. I have heard stories of people having stuff stolen from their bags on night ferry crossings from Ko Phanghan to Surat Thani and also on various night coach journeys.
3. Size: South East Asia is hot. Damn hot. Hotter than the sun. Imagine carrying a huge and heavy bag on your back and a small one up front in a sauna. Not fun. With a small bag it is so much easier to get around, plus you get to laugh at those people who have not only got a huge bag but a big red, angry face and are clearly thinking to themselves "I hate this damn bag!"/"It's so bloody hot!".
4. Freedom: A small bag means no laptop (I suppose you could fit in an iPad but whipping that out in South East Asia will make you look like bit of a knob, and a rich knob at that). No laptop means a) you don't book hotels in advance (a very good thing) and b) you don't miss half of your travels due to spending time glued like a pixel junkie to Facebook and catching up on what colour Sam from Scunthorpe has dyed her hair, etc.
5. Organisation: As you only have a few things, you get to know their place in your bag. Also when it comes to packing up and moving on (and you do this a lot!), it's dead easy.

There are bound to be more benefits but that's all I can think of now.

At the end of our trip I can honestly say that I didn't need anything that I didn't have in the bag. The only two limitations I can think of were that I would have liked my big SLR camera and that I would have liked my Swiss army knife (no scissors, knives, etc allowed in cabin). That's it really.

For completeness, here is Claire's bag. She should have done a girls version but couldn't be bothered! Maybe she'll write up what she had at a later date. Her tip is "Take crap clothes that you don't mind getting rid of because you will buy new clothes out there"

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Bangkok - the Seedy Side.

Arrived into Bangkok and got off at the train station as we didn't really want to stay on Khao San Road again. We only had one night so thought there was little point in heading to that area. Walked around for a few minutes and couldn't find any decent accommodation so just hopped on a tuk tuk and headed to the Khao San Road.
Found a guesthouse which had air conditioning and then headed out for dinner. Ate at the place opposite and then enquired about ping pong shows. Must have got scammed by a tuk tuk driver on this because he told us that they had been made illegal and there are only a few left. Saw his list of 'tricks' and after twenty minutes of travel we arrived at some dodgy looking club. Haggled on the price and got 25% off the ticket. It seemed a bit easy to haggle so no doubt the price was still inflated.
Was quite glad to see plenty of other westerners and back packers in the club as it really did feel a bit dodgy. Got our 'free drink', a tiny little vodka and redbull, and took our seats. The show was fairly amusing but mainly just a bit weird. Whistle blowing, 10 metres of rope pulling, balloon popping and bottle opening were amongst the tricks on display during the 45 minute show which then looped over and over again. They must get bored surely!
Got a lively tuk tuk back to base and went for some drinks. Saw a really good two piece band play many an indie classic and then had a walk up and down the Khao San Road armed with a big bottle of Leo (not Chang this time). Met loads of people and just hung out all night. Got another rigourous Thai massage in the gents but this was more brutal than the one I had in Chiang Mai - they tried to crack my hip joints or something but I managed to wriggle out of it and escape. It was like being in Wrestle-Mania or something. They are very thorough.
It got light so we knew it was late (or early) so went to bed. Decided to pay half room rate so that we good stay until 6pm. Woke up at about 1pm and went through our bags chucking out anything we didn't need so that we made the 7kg hand luggage weight limit.
Checked out but forgot to get back my 200 baht key deposit - gutted! I wonder how many people do the same thing. Enquired about a bus to the airport and were told that due to traffic jams it can take three hours. Hmmm, bit worrying so opted to take the airport train link. Got the same lively tuk tuk driver to the train station and then boarded the train. Very clean and efficient.
Arrived at the airport over four hours before our flight so had lots of time to kill. Had some miso soup and then went to Burger King for dinner - classy I know! Bangkok airport is huge - it takes a lot of time to get to your gate but it's air conditioned so at least you aren't sweating like a pig. Boarded the plane late and took off waving goodbye to the enormous and mad city of Bangkok, then to Thailand, then to the entire region of South East Asia.
Didn't sleep too much on the plane but got more than Claire who wasn't feeling too good. Landed in Melbourne at 10am and got Claire's barking deer teeth that she found on our second trek through customs (the guy even went and gave them a brush for us). Bought a tram pass (Myki). We were immediately stunned by how quiet everything seemed. Quiet and clean. What a contrast to Bangkok.
Got back to Joel and Debs house in Port Melbourne and am currently typing this blog on a laptop. So much easier than using my phone!
Bangkok, our third flying visit, was lots of fun. The ping pong show was pretty crap to be honest but its now ticked off the list of things to do. The night out in the Khao San Road area was really good fun and it was nice to end our South East Asian travels with a big party. The city of Bangkok is huge - it seems to go on forever. Seeing it at night from the sky was really nice but being in the middle of the chaos was quite hard work. We didn't see many sights except those we passed in the many tuk tuks we rode in.
To summarise Thailand the second time round I'd say that it was just as good as our first visit in April. The North of the country is certainly cheaper and friendlier but the Eastern Gulf island of Ko Chang was very nice too. Bangkok doesn't change - it's always busy, always loud and always hot. I'd take it or leave it to be honest.
Next up, a round up of the travels and maybe some photos. Hope you've enjoyed reading this blog.

Ko Chang, our Final Beach.

First of all let me explain the journey. The night train from Chiang Mai was enjoyable. A 2nd class sleeper was nice enough. Had a good meal and drank Hong Thong (whiskey) and coke. Train arrived into Bangkok four hours late.

Next was a public bus to Victory Monument to catch a minibus to Trat. This was kind of painless but slow due to the traffic. Found the minibus stop and about an hour later were on the road to Trat. Driver was yet another wanker. So fast despite the heavy rain. Reached Trat and continued to the ferry terminal.

Missed the car ferry by seconds so had to wait for the next one. Took about half an hour to reach the island of Ko Chang from where we got a sangtheuw to Lonely Beach.

Total journey time: 26 hours. Time flies by.

Found a hut to stay in, went for dinner and slept pretty well. Woke up and couldn't find a beach, just rocks. Had lunch and generally did very little.

The second day we got up late and had lunch. Got back to our hut and had a shower. Mid way through the shower Claire mentioned an ant problem. Got out of shower and realised that the problem was more a crisis. Millions of ants had found our emergency toffee which we'd had for the whole trip. They were everywhere. Pants, socks,etc covered in the little fockers.

Claire was not feeling to good (conveniently) so antageddon was up to me. Took ages to rid the place of them and in the heat of battle I needed to have seven shower breaks to cool down.

Most of the day was lost so we just had some drinks, well actually a lot of drinks, and partied. Had a great night out and woke up feeling rough.

Finally found the beach and it was just brilliant to run into the sea again. The waves were pretty big and it was fun to get wiped out, catch breath and get wiped out again. It was a great beach and an even better sunset. Got a few mossie bites but Tiger balm saved the day. What a great substance Tiger balm is. Works miracles on bites.

It's our last evening here on Ko Chang as I write this (told you I was up to date) and I'm sat in a plush chair on a balcony listening to the waves crash and recede. We've been to the beach again and played in the waves. Had a nice dinner at a beach side restaurant and walked back in the dark narrowly avoiding some buffalos.

We moved lodgings today as Claire was a bit unwell. This new place is very nice. Right on the sea front and has a fridge. My Chang beer has remained cold all day.

Tomorrow we head to Bangkok for one night before flying to Melbourne late on the 24th July.

Ko Chang has been a pleasure. As with most of Thailand the people have been more than friendly, the quality of food has been good and the weather has remained great (too hot at times though). The accomodation is cheap and of decent standard. Lonely Beach is really cool. Shame it took us so long to find the actual beach! Glad we ended on an island as it's just brilliant to be here.

Next up, Bangkok, Ping Pong shows and dirty Ho's

Twice in Chiang Mai and a Healthy Slice of Pai

Chiang Mai Part I

Landed in Chiang Mai and got through immigration very quickly. Having no luggage to collect makes things so much easier. Got a sangtheuw into the old town and as Claire was still not well we grabbed the first guesthouse we saw.

The place had a swimming pool and air conditioning but a bit of a whiff and very scatty staff. Had some crap pasta at the guesthouse and went to bed.

I decided we should move guesthouse as for half the price you can get a decent place. Packed all our stuff up and made the move. Claire thankfully liked the new guesthouse more.

Played doctor again and went on a reconnasance of the old town. It's seemed a really nice and bustling town. Lots of street vendors, smiling faces and generally just a good vibe.

The next day Claire was feeling a bit better so we ventured out and visited some wats. Had a delicious lunch in a cute little cafe which had hummingbirds nesting in one of the trees. Took many photos of the chicks getting fed spiders and the like. Note to self, must upload photos! Walked around the vast Sunday market and got Claire a t-shirt. I tried some local grub but it wasn't too good.

Got back to our neck of the woods and realised the men's wimbledon final was on so watched a bit of that before going back to our guesthouse. A couple of guys were watching it there so I had a few beers with them. Claire had relapsed a bit so went to bed.

After a few whiskey and cokes with Dave and Tom, they asked if I wanted to go out to a Thai disco with them and Eva, the owner of our guesthouse. I succumbed to peer pressure and off we went.

The disco was more a live music venue and the Thai rock band were actually pretty decent. Can't remember their name though. The weirdest thing was paying a visit to the bog. Whilst washing my hands, four Thai guys who work there give you a seriously brutal massage, clicking my shoulders, neck, etc. I had been warned but it was still a bit of a shock. Felt really loosened up afterwards. Maybe Thai massages aint so bad after all.

Got home at about 3am and spoke to Dave for ages before heading to bed. Claire was awake, a bit worried about where I was. Oops.

Had some breakfast at a sushi place and had some awful tempura vegetables including tempura oven chips, undercooked. Got a tuk tuk to the bus station and boarded the minibus up to a place called Pai.

Pai

The road from Chiang Mai to Pai is extremely steep and relentlessly windy. It took four hours to get there. I was starving so we went to a restaurant called the Witching Well. It was delicious food and Claire got a pot of herbal tea which was also good.

Had some beers at Yellow Sun Reggae bar and met Nelson the barman. He was cool as were the other staff who worked there and two kids called Malay and Ban. We spent most evenings here.

Met a couple of Belgian girls and got chatting about doing a trek. Had a bit of a bar crawl with them (Lio and Lena) and spoke to a photographer selling his prints in the street. There are many arty types in Pai. It's hard to walk ten yards without stopping to look at something arty.

Claire arranged with the girls to go to yoga the next morning. I watched James Bond on tv. Much more fun. Whilst Claire was at yoga I hired a moped and drove way out of town to a fishing lake that had big piranhas in it. Got a bit lost on the way but found it eventually and spoke to another Dave, the owner.

Headed back to Pai and picked up Claire so we could go fishing. Had great fun fishing and it was so cute when Claire caught her first fish. Big smile on her face. We caught about seven fish in total.

Claire was hooked (so to speak) and we went fishing at the same place a further two times. Both times Claire kicked my ass and caught loads including a two pound snakehead fish. Ugly thing with teeth.

That night we booked a trek with the enigmatic Mr Chart. The guy is nuts but after reading good reviews decided this trek sounded more interesting than the others. We would live in the jungle for two days and learn survival tricks. We would sleep next to a huge waterfall in a bamboo shelter built that very day. Persuaded Lio and Lena to come too. Got an early night in preparation for the trek.

Met early the next morning and Mr Chart was wearing some crazy clobber but seemed in very good spirits (homemade rice whiskey no doubt). The trek was very long and hard. We walked, climbed, swam, fell, visited ethnic tribes (and their angry dogs) all day long over massive mountains and in the searing heat before finally reaching camp. Such a relief to rest!

We went swimming in the waterfall to cool off before making dinner and playing drinking games with the two other guides and Mr Chart. Had many shots of whiskey from bamboo shot glasses and just chatted until the small hours.

The guides went out hunting (yes, they were armed and dangerous) and in the pitch black of the jungle night we all jumped as a single shot rang out. Soon later we saw the kill. A flying fox. Claire not happy. We ate it for breakfast before another tough trek through the mountains to our lift back to civilisation.

It was an epic trek, hard but ultimately rewarding. I had many cuts and bruises to show for my efforts but more importantly a sincere sense of achievement.

Spent another three nights in Pai (the longest we have stayed in one place for our entire trip). On the last day we went elephant trekking. This was great fun but so painful after a few hours on their backs. We had read reviews on Thom's Elephant farm to make sure the beasts are treated kindly. Some other places are a bit mean but this one was top class. We didn't want to ride them using a seat on their back as this apparently hurts them so bareback it was. Their skin is like sandpaper!

We rode through some jungle to a river and then, still on the back of Taddao (our 19 year old and biggest of the lot elephant) waded out into the water. A few commands from our mahout later and we were thrown off into the water and hosed down by her trunk. Played in the water with the elephants for a while then rode back to the camp for a dip in the hot springs.

Got some elephant hugs and waved goodbye. It was such a fun day and a real joy to ride an elephant. They are magnificent creatures. Our money will go on to help the elephants so it was for a good cause too.

Pai was great. One of my favourite places we visited. There is lots to do and the vibe here is special. It's like Glastonbury really. Could have stayed forever!

Chiang Mai Part II

Did the windy journey in reverse and arrived back into Chiang Mai at about 5pm. Went to the train station to get our tickets for the night train which we would catch to Bangkok the day after.

On the way back to the old town Claire found a place that sold cider so we had a couple before going back to the guesthouse we had stayed at the first time around. Fully booked! Bollocks! No worries as we found an even nicer room opposite.

Went for dinner at a mexican place and got tickets to the Muay Thai boxing. This was fun. Watched seven fights and enjoyed them all, especially a skinny French guy versus a huge American guy. This ended in a draw.

The next day we wandered around town heading for the train station. Stopped at a cafe opposite the station for a few changs in the rain then at 4pm boarded the southbound train.

Chiang Mai is a great place. It's busy but not horribly busy. There is lots to do, it's really cheap and there is a good feeling about the place. Much nicer than Luang Prabang.

Next up, Ko Chang, our final beach.

Up North: Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw

Luang Prabang Part I

Got a double decker bus for the seven hour journey over some huge mountains to Luang Prabang. We hit a dog along the way. Dog presumed dead. Arrived at about 6pm and got a tuk tuk into town. Had to walk through the ethnic handicraft night market which had a head clearance of about five foot so I had to duck all the through it. Annoying.

Had a look at two guesthouses on the main strip and took the second one as it had air conditioning and it was so bloody hot we needed it. Staff were a bit miserable but room was nice.

Headed out for dinner and a look at the town. It's a pretty place with ornate wats here there and everywhere. There are also a lot of old people around dragging their suitcases. The place caters for all types of people.

I ordered a pizza from the hopeless Coconut restaurant and the waiter dropped it as he was coming out of the kitchen. I clearly saw this act of clumsiness but he brought the pizza over anyway minus one of the six slices.
I told him that I'd seen him drop it and he said ok, he'll give me a discount. Nearly burst out laughing when he offered a measly 10% off. The thing was burnt as well and looked bloody awful. I politely refused the deal of the century and requested a new pizza, less burnt and less dropped. Eventually got my pizza and it was horrid, as was Claire's.

It rained in the night and there was a very annoying and loud dripping right outside our window so neither of us slept. Complained in the morning and moved rooms. Second room was just as bad really but we got a bit more sleep thankfully.

In the morning we went to a posh French cafe and Claire had a really nice quiche. The waiter kept topping our glasses up with water as it was unbearably hot. Must have drank about ten glasses in the half an hour we were in there.

Wandered about the town all day and in the evening went to a fashion show at a trendy bar in the entertainment quarter. Cocktails were really tiny and overpriced. Fashion show was ok, all the clothes were made by the various ethnic tribes so it was quite interesting to watch. Had to endure some unfunny American guys talking utter bollocks in the next bar so left and went to bed.

Decided that Luang Prabang was not for us so tried to get a flight out to Thailand. Found out that you have to book three days in advance which presented us with a bit of a dilemma. We didn't want to stay in Luang Prabang but couldn't get out. As we had been recommended it by Malek and Ulrika (friends who we met in Halong Bay and later in Hoi An), we booked a bus even further North to a small town called Nong Khiaw. Had another disappointing meal and another restless night and were glad to leave early the next morning.

UNESCO world heritage site, Luang Prabang was a massive disappointment. Despite it being quite a pretty place, it feels incredibly fake and contrived. Too many things went wrong for us and we just didn't enjoy it at all. We were a bit gutted that we'd have to spend one more night there in order to make our flight to Chiang Mai in Thailand.

Nong Khiaw

It was a nice drive in a minibus up to Nong Khiaw and we arrived in heavy rain. Fortunately it eased and we quickly realised why the place is recommended. We thought Vang Vieng was scenic but this was on another level altogether. Enormous karsts rising all around the tiny village and the river winding through the middle. Simply stunning.

Decided to stay on the other side of the river from Nong Khiaw as there were nicer bungalows and more restaurants. Our bungalow was gorgeous. Right on the riverfront with a hammock from which the view was spectacular. Bought a couple of changs and just relaxed. Had some local sausage and sticky rice for tea. Not bad at all.

Slept really well but soon had a panic when we found out the only internet place was shut as it was low season. With no laptop and a bipolar phone we didn't have a method of booking our flights. Feared that we'd have to stay in Luang Prabang for more than one more night. Asked around and got pointed to a posh resort which thankfully had a computer. Booked plane tickets and took a deep breath.

Went for a long walk in the countryside taking extra special care not to stray from the footpaths as there are lots of unexploded landmines in the area. Got to a cave but didn't go in as there was a padlocked gate on the entrance stairs. Bit annoyed that it wasn't open but hey, I don't like caves so not that annoyed really!

On the way back we stopped off at a little restaurant and had some spring rolls and a beer. The restaurant was named after the cute baby girl who lived there. Really nice family and good food.

Spent the rest of the day on the balcony watching the butterflies and enjoying the scenery. Also found out how to get back to Luang Prabang from some other travellers. No travel agents in the village so it would be public buses for us.

The next morning we saddled up and walked to the bus station. Waited for a while as usual and the 11am bus finally left at about noon. Lao time is just like this. You get used to it but it does kind of get on your nerves. During the journey we had a man with a rifle sat behind us and a monk to the side. The driver was a maniac and looked like he could have used some sleep.

Nong Khiaw (or more accurately the village on the other side of the river) was unbelievably scenic. Possibly the most scenic place I've ever visited. Gibbon calls through the mountain mist, a myriad of butterfly species and very cheerful and friendly locals made it a welcome break from the circus of Luang Prabang. Shame we couldn't have stayed a bit longer really.

Luang Prabang Part II

Got back to overrated Luang Prabang and grimaced as we realised that we had mixed our dates up. We had returned a day early so had two nights in Luang Prabang instead of just the one. Noooooo! Could have happily stayed in our bungalow in Nong Khiaw. Oh well, let's give Luang Prabang another chance at charming us. To be fair, it was nicer this time round. We stayed in a different part of town and tried to stay away from the touristy part.

Claire had left her earrings in the guesthouse we stayed at on our first visit so we went to try and get them back. No sign of them so clearly the cleaner had swiped them. Claire not happy.

We found a place that did a cheese platter and wine so gorged all evening before finding a happy hour where Claire could get even more wine. Met a couple we'd spoken to after tubing in Vang Vieng and stayed up past the local curfew drinking with them.

Claire got ill with bad stomach cramps in the morning so I had to play doctor. Went on many errands during the day so didn't really get to do that much, not that there was that much to do anyway.

The next day we were finally leaving Laos. Got a tuk tuk to the airport and waited for our flight. The airport is tiny and there is nothing to do after you've gone through the security gate. No shop or anything, not even any water available.

Claire was still in a bad way but did well and made it on to the plane ok. The plane was tiny. Two propellers and many empty seats. Service was excellent and the flight was enjoyable, especially the free beer Lao and sandwiches. Just one hour later we landed in Chiang Mai.

Second time around, Luang Prabang was a bit better. I'm still struggling to see what all the fuss is about though. I'd say there are much better places to visit.

Laos itself was also a bit disappointing. True, it has awesome scenery and a relaxed feel but it seemed expensive for what you get in comparison to the neighbouring countries and the people weren't as welcoming. The time it takes to get around is also a bit tiresome after a while. Its capital city was diabolical and its cultural heart was overrated. Tubing was great though.

Next up, Twice in Chiang Mai, a healthy slice of Pai.

Vang Vieng, tubing, tuna sandwiches and Family Guy.

Boarded perhaps the oldest bus in the world and climbed over many sleeping westerners, some who had already endured 20 hours on the bus already, to reach our seats. The bus had two working gears and soon required roadside assistance. After two hours we had travelled about five miles. This was a VIP bus as well!

Finally reached Vang Vieng about six hours later and caught a free pick up truck to take us into town.

Before our travels I had been sceptical of Vang Vieng as it had received a lot of bad press especially from moronic Australian current affairs tv programmes. Twitter campaigns warning people off visiting were all the rage it seemed. The main draw to the place is tubing which involves sitting in an inner tube for a tractor tyre and floating down the river stopping at various bars along the way. Deaths occur each year due to iffy safety measures but mainly due to people getting wasted and drowning. It's also a place that annoys the locals as it goes way against their customs and modest attitudes. This is instantly obvious as straight away you see groups of chavs walking down the street.

Despite the negative reviews we wanted to see it for ourselves. The scenery is incredible. Huge karsts rising high above the meandering river look truly amazing. Ok, the town is a bit ugly but it was nowhere near as bad as we had expected. The restaurants either had Friends on loop or Family Guy. We watched lots of the latter during our stay.

Found a very nice bungalow right on the river with brilliant views of the mountains and so many varieties of butterfly. The place also had a swimming pool so we took a dip. A storm was brewing but it was nice to be swimming in the rain. Had a few beers in town then went into a Family Guy bar for dinner. We spent lots of time in this bar as the guy working there was really friendly and funny. The tuna sandwiches were exquisite too. We had atleast eight in our four days in Vang Vieng.

The day had come to go tubing so we bought a waterproof bag and some tubing shorts for Claire and soon were on the way upstream in the back of a pick up truck.

The first bar was ok, there was a very high board that you could jump off which looked a bit dodgy but we saw no deaths here. The next bar was better, you have to catch a bottle of water tied to a rope to get to the bars. Hold on to the rope and get pulled in by the staff. Simple, just watch out for flying bottles.

Played some football at the back of the second bar and cracked my big toenail. It hurt and was bleeding so I washed it as well as I could and we headed off to the next bar.

This bar was great fun. We got a bucket to share and watched many an idiot go on the rope swing. You can see things going awry here but fortunately the staff were being quite safety conscious. After laughing at some painful looking belly flops and two buckets later we headed off.

Reached the last bar and had one more bucket and asked how far it was back to the town on the river. We must have got our calculations wrong because we drifted off and soon it started to get dark. It was so peaceful but after a while it was really dark. Fortunately we had done our homework and knew exactly where to get out. Our bungalow had some distinct lights next to it and as the river went right passed it we would just get out there. At one stage the water started to get loud and we soon found out why. We went over some small rapids and got tossed about a bit, nothing too dangerous, just a bit bumpy really.

An hour later we reached our bungalow and a little kid pulled us in. The river was only knee deep in this section but the current was strong. Trying to wrestle a huge rubber ring to the riverbank and stand up was quite a challenge.

We returned our tubes to the hire place two hours and five minutes late so didn't get our full deposit back. Worth it though as the journey down the river was epic.

You can see how it could be deadly but only if you are blind drunk or wasted on something else or both. The same could be said for doing anything in a drunken state but the beer and buckets does flow more erratically here. Any way, we were safe and had a great time. Well recommended, just don't over do it!

The other days in Vang Vieng consisted of chilling out, drinking cheap bottles of Lao Lao and eating tuna sandwiches in front of Family Guy episodes. Not very cultural but we were templed out after Angkor so didn't really care. There are also a couple of open air clubs on the party island. We used these for their free bucket promotions and hammock lazing. Didn't actually spend a single kip in either of them.

Vang Vieng is a really fun place. I imagine in the high season the chavs per square metre might be a bit unbearable but it was ok at this time of year. The surrounding area is incredibly scenic and the tubing is entertaining. There is also caving, rock climbing and mountain biking if you can tear yourself away from the tv. I think you have to make your mind up for yourself really but I for one am very glad to have visited. Great fun.

Next up, Up North, Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw

The Disappointment of Savannakhet and Vientiane

Arrived in Savannakhet late and got a tuk tuk to a guesthouse. Didn't like it so walked on to another. Didn't like that one either but took it as there wasn't much else about.

Went for dinner at a weird little diner place. My chicken burger was very odd but tasty. Went to sleep and woke up early to hire bicycles from the guesthouse for the day.

Rode to a nice cafe for a posh tuna sandwich and coffee they headed for the Dinosaur museum. Digs in Savannakhet unearthed many big dinosaurs apparently and we may have found out more had the place been open. We asked some tuk tuk drivers what time it was likely to open and they told us that the staff were more than likely having their lunch and would open in three hours time. So lunch at 11am until 2pm? Seems a bit long.

Decided to sack off the museum and rode out of town along the river. On the other side of the river was Thailand which was kind of cool.

We found a guesthouse out of town and inquired with the owner about how much a night was. 130000 kip was much more than we had been paying but it was gorgeous. It was a whole house with three bedrooms, kitchen, massive balcony on the river and two cute pet dogs who we called Goldie and Guinness so, with the chance to do some home cooking for the first time in ages, we splashed out.
Returned the bikes at about 1pm and sneaked out of our first guesthouse in case the guy wanted us to pay for another day. Hopped in a tuk tuk and drove to our new place of residence.

Later that evening the owner came in and told us not to lock the front door at night. We asked why and he told us that someone might visit in the night but don't worry, they won't stay long. Rather confused we asked who would be coming and he said maybe a man with a girl. Sussed out what this meant and were really pissed off. The place was basically being used as a 'rest stop' for truckers and their 'girlfriends'. Had we known this we wouldn't have bothered.

We didn't get any visitors in the night so we decided to stay one more night and no visitors came on the second night either. It did feel a bit weird though as we half expected to be woken up by creaking beds and banging headboards.

The next day we departed Savannakhet and made the five hour bus journey to the capital, Vientiane.

Savannakhet was pretty average really. A big sprawling city with not much to do. The knocking shop guesthouse was mildly amusing but we'd rather have stayed in a conventional place.

We arrived in Vientiane expecting the buzz of a capital city and instead got a drab hum of a provincial town. Found a guesthouse and haggled a bit for a better price. Made sure it had a tv so I could stay up ridiculously late to watch England lose on penalties to Italy.

The next day we wandered around town but found pretty much nothing to do. Went to a horrible mall to buy a memory card for my camera and that's about as exciting as it got. I'm sure there is more to do in Vientiane, just couldn't really find it. There are lots of these huge buildings at the intersections of the main roads that look like they have been made of lego or fell out of an Ikea catalogue. Strange really.

The river front was ugly and boring, the city was big and empty, there just wasn't any point in being there really except... a great Indian restaurant that did very good food. We ate there for breakfast and dinner.

Had some beers in a cute little garden bar and saw a big frog that was catching bugs with its hands. Weird.

Went back to hotel and had to laugh as a seedy looking guy walked in with a young girl. Another knocking shop it seems! Really not what I had expected from a country with such conservative culture. Followed the odd couple upstairs before locking ourselves in our room hoping to avoid any unsavoury sounds from the other rooms. Wifi didn't work either. Crap 'guesthouse' in a disappointing city.

The description on Vientiane in the Lonely Planet ends with the sentence "Capital cities aren't supposed to be this friendly". I'd like to change this to "capital cities aren't supposed to be this average".

We used both Savannakhet and Vientiane as breakpoints in our long journey north. Things in Laos move very very slowly, especially transport so staying in the two places was pretty much necessary. Wouldn't recommend either place really. Kind of uninteresting. I'm sure others would argue that this review is harsh, and certainly this blog entry has been edited several times due to some comments. The truth is that I simply didn't like Vientiane and Savannakhet was limited in what it had to offer. We are all entitled to our opinions so if you are reading this and feel like leaving a damning comment, just think about a place you have been that you didn't like, or had bad experiences in, and then understand that others may hold that very same place close to their hearts. As I say, we are all entitled to our opinion.

Next up Vang Vieng, tubing, tuna sandwiches and Family Guy.

Laos, Don Det and the big waterfalls

Arrived at the border in a deluge of rain and experienced the dodgy dealings of the border officials. Think we got scammed a bit as after 'stamp fees' our Laos visa cost $44 each. They make it up as they go along really but hey ho, what can you do? At least we aren't Canadian as they have to pay more for some reason. Anyone know why? Any way, we were in!

Got a minibus to a pier and then a longboat to the island of Don Det, one of 4000 islands in this stretch of the huge Mekong river.

Got a million kip (about £80) out of the atm which according to the tossers at the border only gave out dollars which are not accepted in Laos. This was another poor attempt at a scam, they wanted us to change dollars into kip with them at a miserable exchange rate. Glad we told then to sod off.

Found a crap shack for about £2.50 a night which had a hammock and a nice view of the river. It was on a farm so we got many pets including a dog called Rocky due to the fact he was barking mad and ate rocks, two cats who loved crisps who we named Cheese and Onion and a big fat pig called Biscuit. There was also buffalo Bill who scared the hell out of me when I got up in the middle of the night to go and watch the England vs Ukraine match in one of the bars. He was just stood in the middle of the path and wouldn't shift. Stupid thing.

We went for a curry and were presented with some of the reddest food we have ever seen. Pretty crap food really.

Went for a couple of drinks and met two guys who we had crossed the border with. Bought a bottle of Lao Lao and chilled on our balcony.

The next few days were similar really, a lot of relaxing and a few cold beers in the hammock. We walked to the neighbouring island on one of the days to see the waterfall which is apparently the biggest (by volume) on the entire Mekong. It was very impressive and really loud. Some bamboo bridges had been constructed and then destroyed by the power of the water. The falls went on as far as we good see and we learnt later that they span about five kilometres in total.

Had some lunch and witnessed a land sale deal. The American guy buying an acre of land paid the Laotian guys in cash. I've never seen so much cash. He had a big rucksack brim full of 50000 kip notes.

The walk back through the farmland was very pretty and we saw lots of wildlife like lizards and butterflies.

We spent the rest of the time on Don Det doing very little. Enjoying the scenery and lying in the hammock was pretty much all we did each day.

Don Det has a really nice vibe about it. The locals are friendly, the bars are all hippie bars and the accommodation is cheap.

Next up, The Whore Houses of Savannakhet and Vientiane

Kratie and the Irrawaddy Dolphins

After an arduous journey we arrived in the Northern Cambodian town of Kratie and found a nice room to stay in. It had a TV so I was able to watch the England vs Sweden match which started at 1.45am! Had a bath for the first time in months then went exploring.

Grabbed some dinner in what appeared to be the only restaurant in town. Really nice steak and chips. We then enquired about a trip to see the Irrawaddy dolphins and also about the border crossing into Laos.

The next day we went to see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins that live in the Mekong river so got a tuk tuk and off we went. Got a boatman to take us out into the river and straight away we saw two dolphins. We stayed out on the boat for about an hour and saw loads more dolphins. They came pretty close to our boat and were really playful especially when it started to rain.

After the dolphin watching we headed into town to see what was there. Not much to be honest. We had some lunch at a corner cafe and some old beggar dude across the road kept insisting that I look up at something. Couldn't work out what he was on about. Guess he was just mad.

We ate in the same place as the previous night and met the owner called Joe. Booked a bus to take us across the border into Laos and onwards to Don Det.

Woke up early, had breakfast in the same place that we had eaten twice already and again the food was good. Then we boarded the bus and off we went.

Kratie is really all about the dolphins. There isn't much more to it. It was cool to see the dolphins and nice to just chill out for a couple of days before moving on to a new country.

Next up, Laos, Don Det and the big waterfalls

Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor

Got off the bus in town and immediately had a young boy carrying a baby latch on to us asking for food. He can't have been more than five. It's hard to know what to do as money given often ends up in the wrong hands. We spoke to him a bit and Claire gave him the grasshopper model from Battambang which cheered him up.

Found a guesthouse next to a wat (church) then went to find a driver for the temple expeditions. Found one guy but he never showed up at the arranged time so got another guy called 'Shazbot' I think. He was friendly enough although didn't say much more than 'Yes'.

Went to get three day pass for the temples at 6pm which allows you to go in that evening for the sunset. Climbed up a big hill and scaled our first temple, Phnom Bakheng. Watched an impressive sunset then returned to the town for dinner during which Claire got ill and had to go back to the guesthouse. This left me with two meals, a glass of beer and two cocktaiks which I duly polished off before heading home to check on Claire. She was not in a good way. Soon after nor was I and we puked in stereo all night long.

Feeling rotten after a night to forget I went to the chemist for some rehydration stuff. Also got ripped of in a minimart but was too weak to argue.

We had arranged to get picked up by our driver at 12pm to go and see the Roluos temples (oldest big ones) but Claire had not recovered enough. I went along but the heat was intense so didn't enjoy it that much. One of the three I saw was cool though. Bakong was its name. Huge thing with elephant statues and stuff.

Went for dinner at a posh place so as not to punish our delicate guts anymore. Very nice. Switched rooms at the guesthouse to a cooler option and slept very well.

The next day we did the grand circuit missing out the 'big three'. We wanted to save these for the last day. We saw about nine temples of ranging aweness. Preah Khan was the best with its maze like structure and trees growing around it, on it and through its walls. Some chancer gave us a 'tour' and then requested five dollars. Not a chance mate, have 50 cent and be grateful. Seriously, he was an unwanted and crap tour guide.

We had a picnic on the banks of an ancient resevoir, saw a few more temples and a fortified city named Angkor Thom. A school kid showed us around a temple in Angkor Thom so we gave him some dosh for his school. After this we called it a day. Had some drinks at a cool bar called Angkor What? then hit the sack in preparation for the final day on which we would visit the big three.

We got picked up at the ungodly hour of 4.30am in order to make it to the big one, Angkor Wat, for sunrise. This was pretty impressive and after the sun was up we went in. The place is enormous. The moat around it is some 200 metres wide and the temple itself has four exterior walls 800 metres in length. The main tower is 55 metres high and quite a climb up some ludicrously steep stairs. It's just a very impressive building really. The scale of it is crazy.

Next up was the Bayon. I preferred this to Angkor Wat as it was like walking through a level of Doom minus the baddies of course. There are about 200 huge carvings of some king's head all over its walls which glare down on you menacingly wherever you are stood. It was awesome.

The final temple was Ta Prohm, known as the Tomb Raider temple. Despite the crowds, this was the most picturesque. Huge trees spewing out from doorways, walls and arches made it feel unreal, like the jungle was eating it. No Lara Croft anywhere though.

All in all we saw about 20 temples, too many to name and maybe just a tad samey apart from the ones I have named. Good fun though.

Stayed an extra night in Siem Reap and went to the market to get Claire some very well priced clothes. Left the next morning.

Siem Reap is a bustling little town really geared up for tourists. It has a Pub Street which says it all. You could easily spend a week here without even going near a temple.

The temples are fantastic although without a keen interest in archaeolgy I think it may seem a bit repetative. Nevertheless, three days (plus a bonus sunset) seemed about right for us. It was the sheer scale, incredible detail and age of the temples that impressed the most really.

Next up, Kratie and the Irrawaddy Dolphins.

Battambang, Bamboo Trains and Killing Caves

After a pleasant bus ride we arrived at Battambang bus station and jumped in a tuk tuk with Tong, who to our surprise appointed himself as our driver for however long we stayed in town. To be fair he was a nice chap if not a little insistant.

Checked into the Royal Hotel before heading out for dinner. In contrast to the capital this place was dead. The locals who were about though were friendly and welcoming, especially the kids who all waved and said hello as we walked around. Dinner was very nice and afterwards we chilled out at the hotel.

Tong had booked a trip for us but we had not agreed a time so out for breakfast we went. As we were eating Tong pulled up asking why we weren't at the hotel. We were confused so told him to take other people as we were unsure what we wanted to do. Went back to the hotel via some old railway sheds and Tong had gone. His friend, October, was there so we booked a trip with him instead.

So, off we went to the not long left to live Bamboo Railway. This was very cool indeed. The 'train' is basically two axels, four wheels, a bamboo crate and an engine. When assembled you have a very basic train that can be dismantled and lifted off the track in seconds. Understand that this contraption runs on the main line, a single track running from Phnom Penh to Battambang. Should a proper train appear in the distance then you had to hop off, dismantle the bamboo express and stand in the bushes whilst the real train passed. Fortunately for us no real trains showed up. Many of the bamboo trains did though and it was pretty impressive how the drivers quickly got one train off to allow the other to pass.

We rattled down the wonky, back breaking rails at quite some speed, brushing the bushes along the way and inviting ants onboard and duly bite any passengers i.e laire and me. The little bastards really liked us! About half an hour later we arrived at the only stop, a little shop ran by a lovely family who made us some jewellery and a rather realistic grasshopper out of nothing but grass leaves. The kids then took us on an unexpected and pretty interesting tour of a brick factory. After tipping the little kids we waved goodbye to the family whose tiny shop will sadly cease to exist once the bamboo railway is killed off by the new railway being built. We hopped back on our bamboo train for the return journey. Great fun.

Rejoined our driver and headed for a hill which had some temples on it and some caves including the Killing Cave. Akin to the killing fields, this was a place where the psychotic leaders of the Khmer Rouge would order the mass execution of innocent Khmers. Once dead, the bodies would be thrown into the cave. Awful stuff. We were shown around the caves by a cute little lad called Vic. We'd have got lost without him.

Despite the nearby presence of such an awful place, the temple on top of the hill was very nice and tranquil. We watched the sunset over the hills and also saw thousands upon thousands of bats exit a different cave for their nightly scoff. Pretty impressive.

Met Jim who we had met on Ko Lipe just after the Tsunami warning in April and arranged to go for dinner at a Cambodian barbeque with him and his new found comrades, Clare and Ashleigh.

Barbeque was great fun if not a little bit perculiar. We ate and ate for hours, all sorts of stuff and most of it tasty. Tricked Jim, who had eaten many pineapples recently, into thinking there was a food scare and that pineapples should be avoided on health grounds. Sorry Jim! After dinner we had some beers outside our hotel and watched the locals eat bags of crickets. A bit gross.

Said our goodbyes and left the next day via bus to Siem Reap.

What Battambang lacks in life it more than makes up for in character. The people are great, the activities unique and the surrounding countryside beautiful. Definitely worth paying a visit if only for the whimsical Bamboo train ride.

Next up, The Temples of Angkor and Siem Reap.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

After passing loads of cows being washed in the river by little kids waving and smiling we soon reached the capital, Phnom Penh. Many impressive looking temples and palaces sprung up on the horizon and before we knew it, the boat moored and we hopped off.

Ran passed the tuk tuk drivers and into a mexican restaurant for lunch. Delicious.

Eventually succumbed to one eager beaver of a tuk tuk driver and got driven to a guesthouse area near the river. Did the usual 'look at four, take the first one you look at' procedure and got showered.

Walked along the river and found some cool bars. Lots of Khmer folk had ink on their index finger and later we found out that it was to do with the elections that had just been held. Also found out that some political unrest was expected. Great. Note: There was a protest outside the palace the day after but nothing worrying.

Had some dinner then, slightly drunk, walked back to our neck of the woods to play some pool before bedtime.

The next day we had a curry for breakfast and then did a walking tour of the city taking in a variety of sights including the central market, US embassy, a Wat up a big hill and some monkeys jumping around the traffic lights.

Day two was a depressing one. Headed to the Killing Fields and spent time paying respects and trying to comprehend the horror that occurred there. The killing tree was particularly harrowing. Babies were swung by their legs, their heads then smashed against the trunk of the tree right infront of their parents who were having their throats cut and/or being clubbed before both being thrown in a pit to rot. Truly horrific was the suffering that went on here not so long ago.

After this we went to S-21, the school which was converted to an interrogation and torture prison. This was in some ways more tear-jerking than the killing fields where most of the innocent prisoners would end up. Rooms had been left pretty much as they had been found, photos of the dead victims were hung on the walls. One of the three story blocks of the school was encased in barbed wire to prevent suicides. The classrooms converted into tiny hell like cells. On exiting the site we met a survivor of the prison. Words failed me really, all I could offer was a heartfelt nod of respect.

After all the sad stuff we decided to go bowling and, after the failure to roll in Saigon, was determined to hit some pins. After much searching around we found the place.

The Phnom Penh Superbowl was perhaps the strangest bowling joint I've ever been to. The place was in an old office block, next door to the dodgems room. The building looked like it was in mid-demolition. The scoring system worked though and a decent few games later we left. Couldn't manage a turkey but got a double so not too bad.

Walked to the Russian market which disappointed so hopped into a tuk tuk home. Driver didn't have a clue where he was going but we found home in the end.

On the final day we started as usual with a curry. This was particularly good as we ordered cheese pakoras which were made from pure cheddar cheese. Mmmmm.

Visited the Royal Palace which although looked impressive, was a tad dull. The silver pagoda was pretty but again, not that exciting. Mooched about and went for dinner at Friends, a good cause tapas restaurant to help street kids get off the streets and into the workforce. Bit pricy but it was for a good cause so didn't mind paying extra. The food was average if I'm honest.

Booked bus to Battambang, went to bed, woke up and had curry then waited and waited....and waited for our transfer to the bus station. Guy arrived and told us that we'd be late. Would have helped if he had been on time rather than an hour late himself. As we were running late, the driver decided to get his tyre pressure checked (?!). Thankfully our big bus had waited for us and we boarded amidst a flurry of tuts and tsks. Not our fault folks.

Bus left and it was so long Phnom Penh.

Phnom Penh is a very cool city. Much more modern than I'd expected and full of sights and activities. The people are great fun and the whole city seems very much alive with excitement and optimism. Really liked it.

Next up, Battambang, Bamboo Trains and Killing Caves

The Mekong Delta, Parts I, II and III

Part I: Vinh Long

After five buses of varying sizes and a worrying half an hour in the middle of nowhere, we were asked by the final driver which hotel we were staying at. Quickly looked in the Lonely Planet (which is mainly full of crap) for a guesthouse name and found the text "don't stay in the town". Balls.

Fortunately I had a name in my phone and soon after we were at the door. The room was nice enough, huge views of the Mekong and a balcony complete with its own bee's nest! I'm not what you'd call a fan of bees or wasps.

Vinh Long was a very local place for local people but we did find a restaurant with some English on the menu. The restaurant also had a bat flying around and a rat scuttling around. Steak was good though!

Went for a coffee in the morning at a roadside cafe. Very nice plus got a free pot of tea. Had a wander and found nothing so just returned to the hotel and listened to the god-awful kareoke from the bar opposite.

Left the next day by local bus and a ticket seller tried to fleece us. We've become used to this so told him to shut up and got a properly priced ticket to Can Tho for five times less.

Met an old Kiwi on the bus and helped a local girl with her English. Bus went over a huge bridge and dumped us off at a bus station in the middle of nowhere.

Part II: Can Tho

Hot it most certainly was so we grabbed a coffee at the bus station and tried to work out where the hell we were. Googlemaps on a Nokia 5800 aint too good but I came to the conclusion that the town was about 1.5km away. It was 6km away.

On the walk we passed a barbequed dog and many locals laughing at me due to the fact that I was so sweaty my clothes were literally dripping wet.

Claire, not too happy with my map reading, took the first guesthouse we looked at. Bit mouldy but had a fridge so happy enough.

Went for dinner at Italian place and ordered pinenut pizza. Pizza came after a long wait and had no pinenuts on it. Owner knocked 15% off after much moaning.

The next day we walked around trying to find a place for breakfast which was a real struggle. Opted for a posh place and had gorgeous fry up.

After breakfast we went exploring and found nothing of any particular interest except a huge statue of Ho Chi Minh and some pretty big rats.

Had dinner at a very white diner and got offered a massage. No thanks, just some dinner please.

Found out where a nearer bus station was and walked the 1km (this time I was spot on) and boarded what would be our final bus in Vietnam.

Part III: Chau Doc

Rather manic bus driver dropped us off at a bus station and we boarded a free minibus into town. Met a nice old local guy on the main bus who told us about the free minibus.

Found a posh hotel with all the mod cons so took it even though it was a bit pricy. It was our last place it Vietnam after all.

Went for some veggie noodle soup at roadside place which was really tasty. Bought a few Bia Saigons and headed back to our balcony to watch the busy night market in action.

The next day we walked through a grotesque market. Blood stained alleys and lots of half dead creatures a plenty. Booked boat tickets to Phnom Penh, Cambodia and sorted out some dollars for the Cambodian visa.

Had more noodles at a different stall and were accompanied by some giant rats. There was also a depressing sight of some young kids sniffing glue in the rain and begging. Later on we saw the kids again from our balcony doing the same thing around the market.

Woke up very early for breakfast (more noodles) then boarded the fast boat bound for Phnom Penh. The boat zoomed up the Mekong giving us our final views of the amazing country of Vietnam before soon arriving at the border.

The Vietnam side was pretty slow at stamping us out but got the chance to swap our remaining dong at very average exchange rates. The Cambodian side was really pleasent. A little garden area with puppies and friendly officials made the process very painless. The guy did take a rather long look at me due to my beard but let me in eventually.

And that was that, back on the boat and up the river through the lush Cambodian countryside.

To be honest, the Mekong Delta was disappointing. The scenery was nice enough but it was all just a bit samey.

Vietnam is simply awesome. So much variety, so many adventures to go on, odd, weird, spectacular, crazy, manic, fun. I'd definitely return here as even a month in the country does not seem enough. Top marks.

Saigon, Tunnels and Electric Shocks

Bus dropped us off in backpacker area so the hunt for digs began. We looked at four places eventually settling on one that offered free laundery. This would have been great if they didn't lose your clothes.

Went for a mexican and a few drinks including a cocktail at a rooftop place that took forever to reach and was not worth the climb up the stairs.

Next day we went to the Reunification Palace. This was where the tanks crashed through the gates signalling the end of the war. The tanks are still there but they've fixed the fence. Got a free guided tour which gave us a bit of a history lesson.

Went for some excellent sushi and then wandered around town aimlessly until dinner time. Curry. Vindaloo. Not hot enough.

Next day we went to the War Remnants Museum. This was quite an upsetting experience. Many photos of Agent Orange victims and information on what bastards the US administration were at the time. Quite shocking to learn about the war crimes they committed. One particular exhibit was a recent letter to Obama from a victim of Agent Orange which highlighted how the US fund the US victims of Agent Orange but completely disregard the innocent Vietnamese civilian victims. I don't do it justice really but it was gripping stuff. The whole place just made you feel pretty sad really.

To cheer up we went bowling. Or at least we tried. The place had closed down. Gutted. Saw Notre Dam Cathedral and had a miserable coffee near a big concrete flower monument.

Went to sushi place again and then went for dinner. I had spicy spaghetti. Booked day trip to Cu Chi tunnels. These are the network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the war.

The day trip was good fun. Stopped off at some factory to watch locals doing handicrafts then headed into Cu Chi.

There was a massive fat and old Aussie guy with a young slip of a Vietnamese girl which made us feel a bit sick. He didn't fit in the tunnels.

Got shown an array of deadly traps and then had a break near a shooting gallery. Didn't bother shooting a gun as guns are for wankers.

Finally got to go into the tunnels which were incredibly small and hot. After a few hundred metres of scrambling I brushed against a live wire and got a pretty nasty electric shock. If this wasn't bad enough I tripped the circuit and all the lights went out. Girlie screams ensued but we got out alive so it was ok.

Got back into Saigon and had a really nice lunch. Went to the same place for dinner and it was awful.

Left the next day after breakfast at a place called Alley Cat. There were some cute cats there. The food was terrible. Worst baked beans I've ever had. Cold, hard and pale.

Got bus tickets to Vinh Long and waved goodbye to Saigon.

Saigon is a huge place. It has a big city feel. There is plenty to do and see and it is very busy. It feels more western than Hanoi and other places in Vietnam but the buzzing of a million mopeds quickly remind you where you are.

Next up, The Mekong Delta, parts I, II and III

Dalat the Bizarre

Bus journey was spectacular albeit long. Reached the bus station and got a free mini bus into town. Found a dirt cheap hotel ran by a guy who sounded like a deaf person when he talked. The hotel was creepy and reminded me of The Shining mixed with Twin Peaks.

Wandered around the steep roads and alleys of the funny little town and had some quality grub at a little cafe. Beef with ginger was delicious. We ended up eating here every night as it was so nice and also as it sold mash potato for Claire.

Next day we visited the 'crazy house' which lived up to its name. Very odd building with crooked corridors, sky bridges, freaky hotel rooms and random objects here there and everywhere. The owner is some woman artist who likes nature and architecture. Claire unwittingly tried to get into her quarters as it looked interesting but the door was locked.

Afterwards we went to some waterfalls. This was just plain odd. There were 'zebras' (painted horses), cowboys, a huge seating terrace like a stadium overlooking a small channel of water (absolutely no idea what goes on there), big frog statues, and a filthy waterfall. It was baffling to say the least.

Headed off back to town and stopped off at the market for a bottle of red wine. Got back to the hotel only to realise we had no corkscrew. Asked the deaf sounding guy to open it but he had no corkscrew either. He took the bottle out the back and we then laughed as we watched him and his assistant on CCTV struggle to open it with nothing more than a hammer, a stick and a good aim.

Wandered about for a while, got bus tickets to Saigon and watched films at the hotel.

Dalat is a friendly and bizarre little place high up in the mountains. Its attractions are very odd and maybe it's better to use it as a base for trips to see the bigger waterfalls. All in all though we had a fun if not bemusing couple of days.

Next up, Saigon, tunnels and electric shocks.

Nha Trang, Vietnam's Beach

Arrived into Nha Trang at about 6am. The night bus was a nightmare. The driver was straight out of the school of idiot driving and we slept for about five minutes all night. Despite good reviews, Sinh Cafe Travel were crap. Uncomfortable and exhausting.

As usual, a posse of touts met us off the bus and we went with one guy pitching a nice hotel. It was called Nice Hotel and it was nice. Took a big posh room with sea views,

Went for some breakfast at a place which supported an anti-paedo charity. Good cause dining. Found a shop selling proper cheese so bought a load of snacks for a picnic. Just as we were biting into the first cracker it started to rain so we headed back to the hotel and had the picnic there instead.

Went to the beach and played on the inflatable slides and ice bergs. This was much fun, a bit like Total Wipeout. After conquering each obstacle we headed out for dinner and just did very little.

Next day we went to the market which was quite a trek to get to but worth it. No foreigners in site at all and managed to get some decent Nike sandals for about two quid down from a tenner. Haggle haggle. Stopped off at an outdoor bia hoi place and had some beers with the locals. So so cheap! (the beer that is, not the locals).

Did a bit of a pub crawl back to the hotel and watched some karate school in action then got a bit lost. Went to a little place that sold all parts of a chicken or quail. Was tempted by the feet but bottled it and settled for a pizza at a place nearer the hotel. Claire beat me at pool.

Booked a bus to Dalat, a place high in the mountains, finished off the rest of the picnic and watched some films on HBO. A bat (named Baseball) flew into our room and then vanished. We looked for it everywhere but couldn't find it so presumed it had sneaked out.

Nha Trang's beach is lovely. The big palm trees give it some natural shade which makes it a nice place to chill out and read. The market was great fun and the town has everything you need. Didn't do any sight-seeing, just relaxed and ate lots of nice food.

Next up, Dalat the bizarre

Hoi An and the Tailored Clothing

Bus reached Hoi An bus station as the sun was setting so the heat had
eased. Helpful woman told us to ignore the moto drivers and walk into town as it's really near. It was really near.

Looked at one hotel but the price was not right so ended up in a little
restaurant with a room for rent. Not great but Claire, with her new found haggling excellence, got the girl down to a cheap price.

Wandered into the old town and realised that Hoi An is a little gem of a place. All the buildings look really old, all wooden and authentic.
There is classical music playing everywhere and no traffic other than bicycles.

As this is the place for tailored clothes the second day involved
sorting Claire out with a new coat for the winter in Melbourne. I did
kind of want a ridiculous suit but the prices were too much really even after some hard haggling.

Claire managed to get a very nice tailored coat for $30 down from a
starting price of $120 and a fitted skirt for $10 down from $40. They
got made overnight and we collected them the morning after.

Hired yet more bicycles and headed to the beaches. First though we
needed to post the coat to Australia. If the coat was cheap, the postage certainly wasn't. It cost more than the actual coat to post! $45 lighter, we headed to the first beach.

Bumped into a couple we met
in Ko Tao whilst doing our diving course. The beach was nice but not
great so we headed further North to a much nicer and deserted beach.

Swam for a bit but feared jellyfish so got out and had a posh pizza at
a beachside restaurant. Best pizza so far.

Rode bikes back into town and found a little boat bar. The owner had a guitar so I strummed my way through a couple of Bia Saigons with the owner and his daughter a captive audience. The guy then had a strum as the sun set over the pretty river. Nice and chilled out atmosphere indeed.

As we were about to leave, Malek and Ulrika (who we met in Halong Bay) came onto the boat. Small world. Had a beer with them and arranged to meet up for dinner.

Had tasty dinner of local speciality, Cao Lao, and then headed to a
nearby island to a late night party bar offering free buckets on entry.

This place was fun. A little dive but free drinks were honoured and we
could queue music up on youtube. The swedish teenagers kept skipping our tracks for their eurotrash bullshit which was a
tad annoying. Malek cut his foot on some glass but partied on.

Played pool with some chavs from London. Me and a guy called John
formed the J team and we kicked ass. Got a blister on my left hand as the humidity and pool cues did not mix so well.

Walked home as the sun was rising and slept in until the afternoon. Booked sleeper bus with Sinh Cafe travel who had good reviews and
spent the rest of the time relaxing with a few glasses of ludicrously
cheap Bia Hoi.

Bus arrived at 6pm so played cards in the restaurant we were staying
at but the girl told us we couldn't wait there. Not sure what her
problem was really as we were having a few beers so were paying customers.

Got on bus and waved goodbye to Hoi An.

Hoi An has a lot to offer. Beaches are good, old town is beautiful and
the clothes shopping is fun. It's quite touristy but you can
see why. A quaint and pretty little place.

Next up, Nha Trang, Vietnam's beach.

All aboard the Night Train (and Hue)

Waited for the train on the wrong platform with some rather barky dogs. Train pulled in to the station, the guards kindly opened the other doors and we ran across the tracks and climbed aboard. Found our room which we had to share with two miserable french girls. Decided to hit the bar and had a chat and a drink with some locals and some monks. No other westerners made it to the bar which was kind of nice.
Slept pretty well despite having an 'I've lost my wallet' panic attack at about five a.m. I'd locked it in my bag. Watched the countryside go by from our room and reached Hue bang on time and jumped off the train into the blistering heat.

The night train was a great experience, one which we'll hopefully get to do in Thailand later into our trip. Bit pricy but so much nicer than the buses.

Arrived into Hue and walked the kilometre into town. Found a nice
little guesthouse and got showered. Guesthouse had breakfast included
but it was very mediocre. Went walking and had a decent curry for lunch. We were low on dong so went to an ATM but they would only give a maximum of a million dong which is about £30. Managed to find one that gave five million eventually though. Bought some fake Ray Bans for next to nowt. On the second day we hired bicycles and rode around the citadel all day. Huge place. The inner citadel had an entrance fee but the rest was just a big walled city with normal life going on really. We rode into the ancient citadel the back way and soon got told no bikes were allowed so we had to walk them out to a parking place before entering.

The inner citadel was impressive. There is a part called the forbidden purple palace where eunuchs used to live. The whole place is being restored but this didn't interfere with the sightseeing as it was all painting by hand. Claire bought a Buddha necklace set in jade from the gift shop.

Rode bikes back over a big busy bridge which was fairly scary. Went for dinner at DMZ bar. Food was ok but service was woeful and Claire's bloody mary was bloody awful.

Booked bus to Hoi An, had a walk by the pretty river and watched the bridge light up like a big rainbow. Bought a bottle of Vodka Hanoi which according to the woman selling it gives no hangover. She was spot on. Chilled on our balcony with the booze and watched the world go by.

Woke up to rain and noticed that our street was now more a river. Bus arrived and we waded on to it and off we went.

I liked Hue. There wasn't a great deal to do but the citadel was more than enough really. Overall a decent place to spend a couple of nights.

Next up,Hoi An and the tailored clothing.

Ninh Binh, Tam Coc, Bicycles and the real Vietnam

The journey from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh was an absolute swine. It was going smoothly until we got piled on to one crap mini bus and then a second even crapper mini bus. It was very confusing and frantic - one French couple got moved to the back of the bus so that some posh Vietnamese couple could sit in the seats that had the leg room (not that they really needed it). The man in said couple had a a very long finger nail and a mole on his face with some very long hair growing from it.

After four or five hours we made it to Ninh Binh bus station and were greeted by a hotel tout but this time, as it was the hotel we were going to look at any way, we took his offer and followed him back to the hotel. The New Queen Mini Guesthouse was very nice indeed. It was also near the train station which is where we went first to book train tickets on the sleeper train to Hue (our next port of call).

The first thing that we noticed was now friendly Ninh Binh was. Many children on bikes riding round the quiet streets saying "Hello!" and waving and smiling made it feel very different from Cat Ba or Hanoi. There was also very little in the way of English text to read but we eventually found a cafe with a menu in English and stopped in for some bia hoi. The bar man asked us if we'd like to take a tour with his mate, Long. Long was a tour guide who also did some freelance work at cheap rates. We found out all the details and later on we booked the trip. On the way back to the cafe I walked into a metal bar at pace. The noise was apparently horrific and a Vietnamese guy ran over to check on me. All I remember was my teeth hurting as they had smashed together on impact. Slight concussion but I was alright.

So, the tour on bicycles began early. We hired bikes and then met Long at the Cafe before embarking on leg one of the tour - riding bicycles on the motorway. Not the best fun really but "unavoidable" according to Long. Claire was a bit wobbly having not been on a bike since her ill-fated BMX cider expedition to Coop (sure some of you will remember that night).

We soon moved in to countryside and started leg two - this was when it got good - absolutely no sound of a motor or engine, just wildlife and scenery to enjoy whilst we rode through the fields. We reached Tam Coc which is described as Halong Bay of the paddy fields, a decent enough description. We paid for two women (mother and daughter) to row us up river (with their feet!) through a few caves and past some of most stunning scenery we had even seen. It was gorgeous. Gave the women a tip and went back to the bikes for leg three.

We went to a small temple and met the keeper of the temple - a very old guy with cracking beard. Long was excellent at describing the religions in Vietnam and the history of his country. We got to climb the bell tower and whack a huge ancient bell with a big mallet.

Headed for the 1000 stair pagoda (or something) which was a long ride away followed by a short walk through a cave to which presented us with a lovely view of the valley. Then it was up the 1000 stairs to the pagoda. Knackering to say the least but the view was rather special. We could see Tam Coc and now there were many tourists and lots of the boats (we arrived early and pretty much had the place to ourselves). Back down the stairs and off for lunch.

Lunch was a local affair which was great for me (goat) and not so great for Claire (snot soup).

Our final sight was the old capital of Vietnam which was bombed to bits by the yanks. They had rebuilt it (the temples are made of wood and can be deconstructed, hidden in a cave, and rebuilt after any trouble - clever). Saw the king's crown and throne and stuff then saw some war veterans then cycled back to Ninh Binh on the busy roads. Had a celebratory drink (26 miles covered) and tipped Long as he really was an excellent guide and a friendly chap as well (his company was called Vic Travel I think, based in Ninh Binh).

The next day we just bummed about and uploaded lots of photos, drank Bia Saigon and waited for the train at 9pm. The train was excellent - will right about it in the next post.

Ninh Binh isn't very touristy and all the better for it. It's a good base for day tripping and the bicycle tour was one of the best days I've had. The surrounding scenery and history is amazing and the fact that there are few tourists just makes it feel better. Highly recommended.

Next up, All aboard - the night train (and Hue)

Cat Ba and Halong Bay

Decided that as the package tours to Halong Bay all returned to Hanoi that we'd make our own way there. This was pretty easy and after a big bus, small bus, hydrofoil and one more big bus we were in Cat Ba town. Cat Ba is the largest island in Halong Bay and apparently the only inhabited one. The town is kind of like an English seaside resort except for the Vietnamese food and the sunshine.

We had a mooch about, drank some Bia Hoi (cheapest beer in the world) and had some noodle soup. Then we enquired about day trips around Halong Bay. Our hotel were very keen for us to take their trip but we kept saying no and booked elsewhere. The trip was pretty standard - quite a few of us on a smallish boat which went out to sea past the floating markets and then into the beautiful Halong Bay.

The scenery was pretty fantastic although to be honest, after an hour of it, gets a bit samey. After a few hours sailing, we went to a cave which was a tourist trap (Claire got a little mirror) albeit a pretty cool tourist trap. The light made it feel a bit Indiana Jones and I got some decent photos amidst the crowds.

After the cave we stopped off at a raft village and did some kayaking through caves which was fairly good except the kayak was damn uncomfortable and my oar was knackered. Also, it's just like the scenery we'd been looking at for three hours except from a lower vantage point. The bay is pretty dirty too with many massive jellyfish floating around.

We then had a very nice lunch (fresh fish and stuff) on the boat and scoffed more than our fair share - the group of Germans at the other end of the table didn't like the look of the food whereas me and Malik (guy we met on the boat) were starving hungry so we got all their food too.

We then headed for Monkey island which, as you can imagine, had lots of monkeys on it. It was crap. The sea had rubbish floating in it, it was damn hot and the only cafe was a complete rip-off. The best bit I suppose was watching a monkey catch a can of beer and drink it.

Spoke with Malik and his wife Ulrika on the top deck about places in Laos and Cambodia (where they'd already been) and arranged to meet for dinner at the floating restaurant in Cat Ba (of Top Gear fame). Boat got back to Cat Ba and we went back to the hotel for a while to chill out. Realised I had left my flip-flops on the boat - gutted! Mind you, they did cripple me for a few days so probably for the best.

Got the free boat to the floating cafe and were told how much the fish (which were kept in baskets under the restaurant i.e. the sea) were. They were way way too much so we just sat down, had one beer and then caught the free boat back to shore. Then we had dinner at our hotel served by a very grumpy teenage girl who clearly wanted us to sod off as it was getting late. No tip.

Didn't really do much else in Cat Ba as it was not that great a place - quite touristy and not that special really. Halong Bay was very pretty but also kind of ruined by tourism. Shame really.

Next place, Ninh Binh, Tam Coc, Bicycles and the real Vietnam.

Hanoi. Vietnam

Landed with a few bounces in to Hanoi. Found the visa on arrival window and after presenting our letters of approval and US $25 and after a few confusing minutes we were in! Became a millionaire (£30 ish) and had a much needed coffee.

Got to sample the roads via a minibus to the old quarter of Hanoi. Took about an hour and we saw three minor crashes plus a cage rammed full of cats on the back of a scooter.

As our minibus reached the drop off point ten or so hungry xe om (motorbike taxis) touts ran over. We got through the crowds of them and walked the "two kilometres" to the backpacker area. It was about 400 metres away.

I was still having serious cramp issues so we took the first hotel we looked at. It had a TV and air conditioning and I was glad of these luxuries in my delicate state.

Got some kip and then ventured into the manic and dizzying city. Had to eat something as I was getting a bit weak so went into a cool little cafe called 'Gecko'. Ordered a simple pizza and spent over an hour eating it and then grimacing as my stomach muscles were called into action. Felt bad for the waiter watching me - the food was great, just my guts that weren't so great.

Next day we got a coffee and walked around a lake. Had some great breakfast and some cake at a swanky joint on the lake. The cramps were settling down but still caused me some pain until the next day really.

Got a bit lost in the old quarter and had to tell about a dozen shoe repair guys that I didn't want my shoe mending (I didn't even realise it was broken!).

Got some info on tours to Halong Bay and umm'ed and ahh'ed about whether to do a guided tour or go it alone (we picked the latter).

Ate some plain fried rice for dinner. Claire got the worst minestrone soup ever - it was anything but minestrone. Complained and got a different soup which was also pretty hopeless. Tip: avoid Moon restaurant.

Day three in Vietnam and the old guts had returned to normal so went for a nice big fry up. Scoffed the lot with not even a hint of cramp. Was very pleased. Might be going on about the cramps but they were pretty severe. At one point I half expected to give birth!

Watched Robin Hood on TV then walked around a lot dodging scooters and street vendors. Hit a rooftop bar and drank Bia Hoi for a few hours then had amazing garlic bread abnd chips from Gecko.

On the last night there was a huge thunderstorm which knocked the power out all night. We watched the storm from our tiny window on the seventh floor. It was spectacular.

Departure day went smoothly. Walked past a cathedral which looked really cool, all dirty and old. Went back to posh cafe on the lake, had breakfast then got a taxi to the southern bus station. Traffic from inside a taxi seemed less frantic.

Got tickets to Cat Ba in Halong Bay, a journey which would involve three buses and a hydrofoil.

Waited for the bus and saw a biplane (spelling?) go over us.

Hanoi is the first place on our travels which has felt completely different to other places. The pace of life was incredible and the apparant order amidst such chaos was at sometimes overwhelming and always exciting. I liked it a lot. Just wish I'd been able to enjoy the first couple of days more.

Next up, Cat Ba and Halong Bay. Stay tuned.

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A day and a night in Bangkok

So, Bangkok. What's all the fuss about?

Arrived ridiculously early, got a local bus service to Khao San Road and said bye to new Dutch friend, Sebastian. Found New Joe Guesthouse and read that 'no prostitues are allowed in the rooms'. Ok.

Felt like a pile of shit after the horror of the night journey so slept until about midday.

We had chores to do: We needed fifty US dollars for Vietnam visas, bus tickets to the airport, toothpaste and some cotton so I could mend my bag which was starting to look a bit knackered. The last repair was on the boat to Krabi and I had ran out of thread a while ago. Tackled them quickly before heading out on the famous Khao San Road.

The road is pretty mental. You can buy anything really from Oxford University degrees to deep fried cockroaches. We opted for beer and cocktails. Stayed out long enough to see it at night but as our flight was at 5.45am we couldn't really do too much.

Had a crap sleep and headed to our bus stop where we met two Canadians. Bus was due at 4am so when it reached 4.30am we sniffed that we may have been scammed. Not true - a man came running round the corner loaded with apologies and excuses. The bus had "blown up". He paid a taxi driver to take all four of us to the airport.

The old fool behind the wheel of the taxi nearly fell asleep so we kept him talking (seemed that the only English he knew was "sleepy sleepy") as he weaved through the rain-soaked streets. Finally reached the airport and told the old timer to get a strong coffee.

Checked in and dodged a bag weighing. We were almost certainly over the 7kg limit.

Walked past a splendid display of items from the World's greatest football team (Leicester City FC) and had a orange juice.

Moments later I got the first wave of cramps. It felt like my stomach was being turned inside out. Great timing!

Boarded the AirAsia plane and sat back for take off. Flight to Hanoi was good, cramps were most certainly not good.

Bangkok is clearly a massive place and we only scratched its grubby surface so I'm not going to summarise on this post. We'll no doubt be back later into our trip so I'll do it then.

Next up, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Ko Phanghan

Arrived by fast boat on to the party island of Ko Phanghan and were immediately hit with a audio advert for some Muay Thai boxing event. The advert was spoken in a broad cockney accent.

We were aiming for Hat Rin on whose beach the big full moon parties take place. We weren't going to be on the island for the full moon but heard there are parties for all stages of the moon - and there were. Too many parties, far too many.

The boat actually dropped us off in Thonsala so once we realised we were in the wrong town, we got a sangtheuw (truck taxi - spelling of the word probably wrong) to Hat Rin. Dived into a bungalow on the beach (Hat Rin is a surprisingly beautiful beach will no litter at all - full of posers though) and rested before hitting the town and buying elements required to make a bucket, i.e. bottle of Hong Thong, proper Thai red bull, 7 Up, a sand castle bucket and two straws. After having a good dinner on the beach we went for a dance and a drink (no 'dancing in the moonlight' fortunately).

Watched the silly games at a bar such as balloon tied to leg bursting and fire breathing. Saw one particular charver stamping on the balloons of little kids and then getting Muay Thai'd by a ten year old further up the beach. Shame the Thai kid didn't land many of his spinning bird kicks really as this guy was a prize prick.

I'm sure the place is fun but to be honest it was chav central. All the bars played either Friends on loop or Family Guy (turns out this was actually good on our exit day recovering from a hangover). The food was decidedly western and not very good. We did find a local Thai eatery and feasted on decent red curries and pad thais with the obligatory big bottle of Chang.

Partied for three nights and tried to get train tickets from the main land to Bangkok but unfortunately the train was fully booked for the next three days. Our visa was fast running out so we reluctantly booked on a sleeper bus from Surat Thani to Bangkok. Tip for anyone else - book train tickets as soon as you know the date you are travelling. They fill up fast.

As the full moon approached, more and more people of the unsavoury variety arrived in the town. It was time to leave. We got a mini bus to Thonsala, a car ferry to the mainland and then the night bus to Bangkok.

On the boat I began to feel rather ill. This continued all the way to Bangkok. The toilet on the bus was very small even by bus toilet standards and made the act of being very, how do I put it, leaky (?) difficult to say the least. The service station toilet made the need to encourage vomitus maximus null and void. I was a pretty sick individual really. First time since we started travelling so I had a good run. I blame the western food on Ko Phanghan. The boat ride did not help.

So, in a nutshell, Ko Phanghan is good if you want to party and watch Chandler, Joey, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Monica whine on in episodes that for some reason you have already seen ten times.

The rest of the island I hear is more beautiful, especially the North but we only saw the famous Hat Rin beach. It was fun and we did our fair share of partying but all in all, not the best place in the world.

Next up, a day and a night in Bangkok before the flight to Hanoi, Vietnam.

Ko Tao and the deep blue Gulf of Thailand

Arrived into Ko Tao and got some average directions by a taxi driver. Walked for ages in the early morning heat and Claire felt a bit worse for wear so we ducked into a cheap guesthouse for a lie down.

Guesthouse was ok, nothing special. I was starving so headed off in search of breakfast and found a place that did a decent fry up and coffee.

Spent the day wandering around, found the nearest beach but it was no good for swimming as it was too shallow.

Asked at a few guesthouses for better accommodation and found a place that looked good. Haggled them down from 700 Baht to 400 Baht so was pleased by that effort. This hotel was in Mai Hat, the main town on the island.

Had some dinner and then went to bed again. In the morning I decided to get a scooter as every other Tom, Dick and Harry had one and the taxis were more than the rental. Picked up Claire and fled our now angry guesthouse owner as we had apparently overstayed. A real Jekyll and Hyde character.

Drove to our new guesthouse which was great, really posh and right on the beach. 400 Baht was a bargain. The owner even went into town to get us a hammock for our balcony. He was a bit gay.

Then we drove all the way to Tanote Bay and snorkelled for a while. The 'roads' near the bay were not good so had to walk the bike most of the way down (and back up).

When snorkeling we saw an Octopus having a scrap with some big parrot fish, lots of other tropical fish and some black tip reef sharks. Four of them in a row passed me by. They weren't big but you could tell they were sharks instantly.

Spent the next couple days eating decent Thai curries, drinking cocktails, swimming and playing mini golf - that sort of thing. Sairee to the north of Mai Hat was pretty nice, more lively. On one evening I played snooker with the owner of a snooker hall. Unfortunately I am slightly out of practice and narrowly got beaten. I did manage a break of eight though so not all bad ;-)

On the fourth day we decided to sign up for a PADI Open Water diving course - 8750 Baht each which included accommodation for four nights (albeit in a pretty crap beach shack), insurance and all the equipment hire. Basically everything was provided.

Day one was just a video in a classroom, day two was some classroom stuff, some underwater skills and a 12 metre dive, day three was our exam (48 out of 50, easy) and more underwater skills in the morning followed by another 12 metre dive in the afternoon and on day four we did two 18 metre dives. All the dives and skills were good fun and the instructors at Easy Divers were great.We had a Welsh guy called Johnny.

One evening we went to the Save Ko Tao festival which was huge. Claire's ears were hurting though so we didn't stay too long - just long enough for a hotter than hell Pad Thai.

On the last day of the course we had a videographer who filmed our dives so after the course we went and watched the DVD. It was cheesy but really funny so we bought it.

The next day we left Ko Tao for Ko Phanghan, the full moon party island.

Ko Tao was a nice island if not a bit tatty and dive shop focused. We stayed for eight nights in total - much longer than we had planned. The dive course was great - it was like discovering another world beneath the waves. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes fish and stuff.