Well actually, it is the end. I'm about to go and lock my suitcases and leave the hotel for the train station. There I can check in my bags and hop on a train to the airport and don't have to check in again, just go through security! Lets hope my suitcase makes it to the other end!!
There seems to be over a weeks worth of happenings missing on here, mainly because I haven't had the time nor energy to update it fully but I intend to do so when I get home. No doubt I'll be spending hours and hours sorting through my photos and souveneirs and writing my journal out properly. Loads of intentions but he lets see if it really happens!
My overall feelings about the trip......I've had a ball, met some great people who I hope to stay in contact with and have had so many experieinces that I can't think of them all at the moment. Hong Kong was cool, but Vietnam will always be close to my heart, and the people I was with just made it more special.
I'll be on a plane out of Aisa in four hours and my heart feels sad to be leaving. I'm missing the Oldies like mad but I think i'll be back one day soon, perhaps not in the rainy season though!!
Will see you all very soon!!
Sunday, 25 November 2007
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Nha Trang
When we left Hoi An it was quite a sad occasion as we hadn't really seen it at its best. This coupled with the train being late because of the weather just made things a little irksome and the fact that what should have been a day light train ride was infact now in pitch black and the only thing we could do was sleep which we did. However, thank heavens we were practically ready to get off cos we had less than two minutes to get going and i've never been so paniced in all my life!!!!
As we got off the train and walked to the bus we saw rats running around which didn't bode well but as we got to the hotel we realised that they had a swimming pool and that nasty bit was forgotten!!!
The room was nice and it was so lovely to crash out. Having said that, it had the most awful nightmare about Granddad and i've never been so scareed about a dream in all my life. I was quite glad to get up and as we sat by the pool eating breakfast all seemed well again! We were going to an island where we were to swim from the boat etc. We got onto a nice boat and sailed out into the South China sea with blue sky and a calm breeze. The guides were good, telling us about the history of the place and Sonny was quite happy to let them take over!!! We sailed through fishing villages which were out to sea, not connected to land and anchored a way from land. I had forgotten about the blasted Basket Boat and was very very reluctant to get into it. Corrina got in first and as i got in it rocked and rocked away and nearly tipped, particularly as it was about 3 foot below the edge of the boat. As we rocked away we finally got to shore and got our feet wet in the waves. The sun was baking by this time and we walked through the island, seeing how people live and the kids were facinated by us westerners.
gotta go, more later!
As we got off the train and walked to the bus we saw rats running around which didn't bode well but as we got to the hotel we realised that they had a swimming pool and that nasty bit was forgotten!!!
The room was nice and it was so lovely to crash out. Having said that, it had the most awful nightmare about Granddad and i've never been so scareed about a dream in all my life. I was quite glad to get up and as we sat by the pool eating breakfast all seemed well again! We were going to an island where we were to swim from the boat etc. We got onto a nice boat and sailed out into the South China sea with blue sky and a calm breeze. The guides were good, telling us about the history of the place and Sonny was quite happy to let them take over!!! We sailed through fishing villages which were out to sea, not connected to land and anchored a way from land. I had forgotten about the blasted Basket Boat and was very very reluctant to get into it. Corrina got in first and as i got in it rocked and rocked away and nearly tipped, particularly as it was about 3 foot below the edge of the boat. As we rocked away we finally got to shore and got our feet wet in the waves. The sun was baking by this time and we walked through the island, seeing how people live and the kids were facinated by us westerners.
gotta go, more later!
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Hmmm
Ok, ok
I'm not very good at this lark. I've been trying to access a free computer long enough to write something for several days to no avail....so really this post is to let you know that i've left the sunny (ha ha) shores of Vietnam for the time being and am now safely in Hong Kong which is a totally different matter!!!!
I will atttempt to write something more in detail in the next day or so but at least i've got my journal up to date so i cnan us that as a mind jogger!
Hope you are all well!!
I'm not very good at this lark. I've been trying to access a free computer long enough to write something for several days to no avail....so really this post is to let you know that i've left the sunny (ha ha) shores of Vietnam for the time being and am now safely in Hong Kong which is a totally different matter!!!!
I will atttempt to write something more in detail in the next day or so but at least i've got my journal up to date so i cnan us that as a mind jogger!
Hope you are all well!!
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Urghhhh frustration all alround
Well I dunno...I leave England behind and I end up getting wetter than ever before times ten! Its so bloody frustrating. We leave Hoi An tomorrow and I think I've only seen about a third of the town. Everywhere is flooded, people are being rescued by boats which are being rowed down streets that on our first day we walked down. Shops are flooded, houses are up to waist height of water and things are worse than they have been since 1999. We had to pick this trip. However, the Intrepid tour that is ahead of us by a couple of days have had to move hotels, be rescued once and been delayed from Denang to Na Trang by two days......lets hope our good fortune continues.
Several of our group have had things made by the local tailors but only about 70% of the things they bought have been made in time so they are going to have to ship them and in many ways I'm glad i didn't have anything made. They only sad thing is that in times like this when people are struggling, it would have been good to be able to support them.
So ....we have been in the hotel most of the day...i had a nap and we are just about to go and get very, very wet again which is annoying but i'm starting to feel like a caged animal so i'm gonna put some flippers on and get going!
Na Trang should hopefully be a little dryer fingers crossed so i'm gonna het the shops!!!
Watch out purse!!!
Several of our group have had things made by the local tailors but only about 70% of the things they bought have been made in time so they are going to have to ship them and in many ways I'm glad i didn't have anything made. They only sad thing is that in times like this when people are struggling, it would have been good to be able to support them.
So ....we have been in the hotel most of the day...i had a nap and we are just about to go and get very, very wet again which is annoying but i'm starting to feel like a caged animal so i'm gonna put some flippers on and get going!
Na Trang should hopefully be a little dryer fingers crossed so i'm gonna het the shops!!!
Watch out purse!!!
Monday, 12 November 2007
A distant memory!
Hello to you all....
Halong Bay seems like such a distant memory....it was certainly an experiance. Hue was lovely although a tad wet but nowhere as bad as we are dealing with right now. In Hue we visited the Citadel which was really cool but it was a shame it was so dull because the colours would have been so much nicer. In the evening we went for dinner at a resturant where we had to dress as Manderins and Emperor, Queen. Somehow I drew the short toothpick and was duely elected Queen. Rob was emporer. I have never been so mortally embarrased in mylife but it was all fun and certainly a memory to have. Lots of photo's were taken and they will be burned as soon as I can! We all then jumped into a taxi and headed for a bar which I had read about where there is a pool table and where you can graffiti the walls (we didn't) but we did make use of the pool table and I made yet another complete fool of myself potting about 8 balls in two games, pretty good considering I've not played for about 5 years!!!
The day after we were going to go on a motorbike ride and to the Perfume river but it was raining when we got up and we thought it'd be called off. Urmmm....no it wasn't and even though as a group we saidwe'd rather wait for the afternoon we ended up being persuaded by Sonny becasue as we came out of breakfast there were the bikes and their drivers. It has to be on of the most enjoyable days of my life. My driver was really cool and i started clinging on for dear life at the back of the bike and it really scared me to death cos I couldn't get my balance. Then I switched and held gently onto his poncho and we both instantly relaxed and I began to enjoy hairing around corners, going through very narrow streets and through country roads. Our first stop was a villiage which had a market and animals running around everywhere. Lots and lots of photo opportunities and some members of our group had their fortune told by the local woman. Back on our bikes and we were heading towards a place where they make conical hats. As we were going along i decided i felt confident that i could get my camcorder out of my bag and film which i did and my driver took to pointing out things and slowing down when he thought i'd like to film. I never thought i'd feel so comfortable on a bike....sorry Big Blue. The conical making place was actually a woman in her back room making them and it was interestng to see particulalry as she had thalidamide. back on our bikes again and we stoped at a toomb and a place where they make insence sticks before heading to a nunnery to have lunch which was lovely although a lot of food left over as you are meant to eat every little scrap of food. On our bikes again and we headed for the Perfume river which was very very dull and muddy too...Diane lost her 'thongs' - flip flops which we had to retrive. When we got off the boat we embarked on our last ride on the bike and drove pretty fast through the streets of Hue and my driver was pleased when I paid him his tip as i felt that he had done a hell of a lot for me! That evening we ate at this local place where the owner was mute and has invented a cool way of opening bottles of beer.
Yesterday we left Hue and travelled to Hoi An by road through the rain stopping at several places along the way. The further south we go the worse it gets at the moment although once we get to Na Trang it should be ok. Our hotel is ok although we've had several problems with our loo! We wnet for lunch at this cool place where i had pho and spring rolls and then we got wet walking through the streets, markets and temples.
It is very, very, very wet here....wishing it would dry up wnough so we could at least go for a walk.....at the moment everywhere is flooded....streets, shops and even parts of our hotel!!!
Please pray for good weather!!
Halong Bay seems like such a distant memory....it was certainly an experiance. Hue was lovely although a tad wet but nowhere as bad as we are dealing with right now. In Hue we visited the Citadel which was really cool but it was a shame it was so dull because the colours would have been so much nicer. In the evening we went for dinner at a resturant where we had to dress as Manderins and Emperor, Queen. Somehow I drew the short toothpick and was duely elected Queen. Rob was emporer. I have never been so mortally embarrased in mylife but it was all fun and certainly a memory to have. Lots of photo's were taken and they will be burned as soon as I can! We all then jumped into a taxi and headed for a bar which I had read about where there is a pool table and where you can graffiti the walls (we didn't) but we did make use of the pool table and I made yet another complete fool of myself potting about 8 balls in two games, pretty good considering I've not played for about 5 years!!!
The day after we were going to go on a motorbike ride and to the Perfume river but it was raining when we got up and we thought it'd be called off. Urmmm....no it wasn't and even though as a group we saidwe'd rather wait for the afternoon we ended up being persuaded by Sonny becasue as we came out of breakfast there were the bikes and their drivers. It has to be on of the most enjoyable days of my life. My driver was really cool and i started clinging on for dear life at the back of the bike and it really scared me to death cos I couldn't get my balance. Then I switched and held gently onto his poncho and we both instantly relaxed and I began to enjoy hairing around corners, going through very narrow streets and through country roads. Our first stop was a villiage which had a market and animals running around everywhere. Lots and lots of photo opportunities and some members of our group had their fortune told by the local woman. Back on our bikes and we were heading towards a place where they make conical hats. As we were going along i decided i felt confident that i could get my camcorder out of my bag and film which i did and my driver took to pointing out things and slowing down when he thought i'd like to film. I never thought i'd feel so comfortable on a bike....sorry Big Blue. The conical making place was actually a woman in her back room making them and it was interestng to see particulalry as she had thalidamide. back on our bikes again and we stoped at a toomb and a place where they make insence sticks before heading to a nunnery to have lunch which was lovely although a lot of food left over as you are meant to eat every little scrap of food. On our bikes again and we headed for the Perfume river which was very very dull and muddy too...Diane lost her 'thongs' - flip flops which we had to retrive. When we got off the boat we embarked on our last ride on the bike and drove pretty fast through the streets of Hue and my driver was pleased when I paid him his tip as i felt that he had done a hell of a lot for me! That evening we ate at this local place where the owner was mute and has invented a cool way of opening bottles of beer.
Yesterday we left Hue and travelled to Hoi An by road through the rain stopping at several places along the way. The further south we go the worse it gets at the moment although once we get to Na Trang it should be ok. Our hotel is ok although we've had several problems with our loo! We wnet for lunch at this cool place where i had pho and spring rolls and then we got wet walking through the streets, markets and temples.
It is very, very, very wet here....wishing it would dry up wnough so we could at least go for a walk.....at the moment everywhere is flooded....streets, shops and even parts of our hotel!!!
Please pray for good weather!!
Thursday, 8 November 2007
Blinding
Ohhh Blimey....why are some places in the world so beautiful?
Yesterday we got on a boat which took us to the islands of Halong Bay. It was absolutly beautiful in every single way. The sun was shining like anything, the sea was blue and we had a whale of a time! It took about two hours to sail to the islands from the harbour and then we stoped in a little cove where we were going to visit a cave but it really started to freak me out and i wanted to turn back but the bloody boat had gone to the pick up point. I dunno why i was so scared and it seemed really claustrophobic but i guessthat was understandable. I was sooo glad get out of there and when we did we found out that we were going to be able to swim from the boat...Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so happy when i jumped in from the side of the boat and swam for about half an hour as the sun went down. Then i had to have a cold shower in our 'cabin' which didn't actually work so that was a load of fun. The evening was spent eating, drinking and chatting on the deck looking up at the stars.
I had a great nights sleep but decided that eventhough we had been told that we wouldn't see the sunrise i would get up and i'm so glad i did cos it wasn't something i would have wanted to miss. Great memories writing my journal....
We're off on the train down to Hue in an hour or so so i'd better go!!!
C ya!!
Yesterday we got on a boat which took us to the islands of Halong Bay. It was absolutly beautiful in every single way. The sun was shining like anything, the sea was blue and we had a whale of a time! It took about two hours to sail to the islands from the harbour and then we stoped in a little cove where we were going to visit a cave but it really started to freak me out and i wanted to turn back but the bloody boat had gone to the pick up point. I dunno why i was so scared and it seemed really claustrophobic but i guessthat was understandable. I was sooo glad get out of there and when we did we found out that we were going to be able to swim from the boat...Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so happy when i jumped in from the side of the boat and swam for about half an hour as the sun went down. Then i had to have a cold shower in our 'cabin' which didn't actually work so that was a load of fun. The evening was spent eating, drinking and chatting on the deck looking up at the stars.
I had a great nights sleep but decided that eventhough we had been told that we wouldn't see the sunrise i would get up and i'm so glad i did cos it wasn't something i would have wanted to miss. Great memories writing my journal....
We're off on the train down to Hue in an hour or so so i'd better go!!!
C ya!!
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Enjoying myself! Yeah course i am after i got used to the hustle and bustle of things.
I don't think you could ever imagine how noisy it is, how dirty and really how prestinly clean london is in comparison. For example, the other night in a resturant, a cat was happily eating scraps from the floor and running around like anything. The health inspectors would go mad! Time with our friend Trinh, has been limited but what time we have had has been really cool, taken yus to places to eat etc that we might not have gone to otherwise and suggested places to go too. I think my worst day was saturday when we went into the Old Quarter after having breakie in a lovely little french cafe. There are scooters and bikes everywhere and in the old quarter they are not only riding on the road but parked on the pavement so there isn't anywhere to walk which can be really scary and also as we were walking along there was suddenly a conical hat on my head and the bastket thing on my sholder, the same with Corrina so we took photos and then demands for money were made and it got a bit nasty....i gave in but corrina managed to get away with it but it really scared me for some strange reason....didn't like it! That was our worst experience anyhow.
Last night we met the group who are all lovely and this moring we were supposed to go to the Mausalium but i didn't feel like it when i got up so corrina went without me and i have the morning to myself which is what i think i need as i am such a loner anyhow...meeting up with her in a bit.
Off to stay on a boat tomorrow night and then we can swim in the sea!!!! Yay!!! Cant wait!!
Take care, and will write again when i can!
I don't think you could ever imagine how noisy it is, how dirty and really how prestinly clean london is in comparison. For example, the other night in a resturant, a cat was happily eating scraps from the floor and running around like anything. The health inspectors would go mad! Time with our friend Trinh, has been limited but what time we have had has been really cool, taken yus to places to eat etc that we might not have gone to otherwise and suggested places to go too. I think my worst day was saturday when we went into the Old Quarter after having breakie in a lovely little french cafe. There are scooters and bikes everywhere and in the old quarter they are not only riding on the road but parked on the pavement so there isn't anywhere to walk which can be really scary and also as we were walking along there was suddenly a conical hat on my head and the bastket thing on my sholder, the same with Corrina so we took photos and then demands for money were made and it got a bit nasty....i gave in but corrina managed to get away with it but it really scared me for some strange reason....didn't like it! That was our worst experience anyhow.
Last night we met the group who are all lovely and this moring we were supposed to go to the Mausalium but i didn't feel like it when i got up so corrina went without me and i have the morning to myself which is what i think i need as i am such a loner anyhow...meeting up with her in a bit.
Off to stay on a boat tomorrow night and then we can swim in the sea!!!! Yay!!! Cant wait!!
Take care, and will write again when i can!
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