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
Wednesday 27 June 2012
Friday 22 June 2012
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.
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.
Monday 18 June 2012
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
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
Friday 15 June 2012
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
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
Tuesday 12 June 2012
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.
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.
Friday 8 June 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday 6 June 2012
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
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
Sunday 3 June 2012
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.
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.
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