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
Sunday 27 May 2012
Thursday 24 May 2012
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.
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.
Monday 21 May 2012
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
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
Friday 18 May 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday 15 May 2012
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.
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.
Sunday 13 May 2012
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)
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)
Thursday 10 May 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday 8 May 2012
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.
Note: Comments should now be easier to leave without having to log in to some account or prove you are human.
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.
Note: Comments should now be easier to leave without having to log in to some account or prove you are human.
Friday 4 May 2012
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)