Bangkok to home

Having had a very early start for our trip back to Bangkok, we arrived back in Thailand to be greated by the oven-like heat and heavy traffic we had experienced almost two weeks before. After a very slow drive back to the hotel, we left our bags in reception and headed out for lunch.

On returning to the hotel, after what was one of the best meals of the entire tour, we had some free time to explore the city a little more. We decided to use the incredibly efficient Skytrain to the large shopping centre and the centre for art. After deciding that we had seen enough temples, we headed back to the hotel to prepare for the trip to the Baiyok Tower for dinner. This huge tower, the largest in Bangkok, provided incredible views over the city. The revolving platform allowed us a great chance to be out in the open and see the city from above. However, this was billed as an excellent way to finish the tour. Unfortunately the bland and cold buffet food on offer was a poor excuse for a meal and was a real disappointment. The views were excellent though and this experience in no way overshadowed the entire trip.

So all in all what an amazing trip. We saw some beautiful natural sites and got to experience some amazing culture. To be given the chance to see each of the countries by going slightly off the beaten track was just what we wanted. I have to say that I was not sure what to expect from some of the countries, especially Vietnam, but was pleasantly surprised by all of them.

Some observations from our trip:
· to get anywhere by car in Bangkok takes an incredibly long time
· crossing the road in Vietnam requires nerves of steel
· the people in all three countries are some of the most welcoming I have ever encountered

Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

We arrived in Vietnam's capital from it's cosmopolitan southern brother to be greeted by much more visible signs of Communist rule. Granted we were here on the eve of a large holiday, the 38th anniversary of the reunification of the country, but the Vietnamese, hammer and sickle flags and Communist propoganda posters were far more evident than they had been in the South.

We met our Vietnamese guide and were taken on a walking tour of the city. This was another fascinating way to explore the place in the short amount of time available and it was interesting to see the Opera House, the guest house for foreign dignitaries and Ngoc Son Temple, which sits in the middle of a large lake in the centre of the city. As with HCM City, you take your life in your own hands crossing the road, but I am yet to be clipped yet, so must have managed to crack the technique! We then went to a water puppet show. This slightly odd, but very charming show, was a highlight of everything that makes Vietnam, from the people's jobs to the multi-cultural make up. It was slightly bizarre though. I have never been a huge fan of wooden puppets, but the skill involved in making them move in time with the music was very impressive.

The next day had us bound for Ha Long Bay. However we detoured via Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum to see the nation's hero lying preserved in state. Some 30,000 Vietnamese and foreign visitors were expected during the day, so I was relieved we were there early. Having viewed the surrounding grounds and hearing how the man shunned his expensive palace for a more modest three roomed house, made you realise why he is still idolised by so many.

Our 4 hour coach journey brought us to Ha Long Bay and we boarded our rather damp, thanks to unexpected heavy rainfall, Junk boat. This floating hotel took us out into the Bay to explore some of the 3000 islands. Now I know I said in an earlier blog that Ta Prohm blew me away, but the natural, if slightly cloudy, beauty of Ha Long was just as impressive. It is no wonder it is one of the new 7 Natural Wonders of the world. The huge limestone islands tower above you and truly make you feel small. We investigated the area around our mooring for the night by kayak and then headed back to the boat for a sumptuous seafood dinner. The following day, after a decent nights sleep on the boat, had us heading back to shore and although it was raining, some of us hiked up Tri Top mountain to take stunning pictures of some the bay from the vantage spot.

We are now back in Hanoi and head to Bangkok for our last day on tour tomorrow. It has been an amazing, cultural trip and I will be sad to return to reality!

Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City

As expected the S21 museum and the visit to the Killings Fields was a pretty full on and emotional day. To visit Cambodia's own Auschwitz (a former school) was something I had prepared for, but was unable to fully comprehend until I arrived. To hear the accounts of such a bloody history, it is no wonder the country still wears the scars of Pol Pot's regime so clearly. In fact our guide for the day had lost his brother's and father in the systematic destroying of his country's people. The stories of torture eventually became too hard to hear and seeing the tiny 0.8 x 1 metre cells was equally difficult, but it was important to hear and see exactly what went on.

The trip to the Killings Fields was no easier. Hundreds of mass graves, bone fragments still visible, were again difficult to take in. I have never experienced anything seeing the huge stupour full of human skulls and bones, but again it was an important for the country, and indeed the world, to be reminded of what happened and ensure it never does again. This is not all doom and gloom though. Cambodia is a beautiful country, desperately trying to get over it's past. Hopefully their growth will continue as more people visit.

We move now to Vietnam. I have only ever know it as a war, but it is so much more! Ho Chi Minh is an incredibly vibrant place of 9 million people, with huge French influence still very evident. We saw the Cu Chi tunnels that the Viet Cong used to out-maneuver the American forces. I crawled through a small section of the tunnel system, it was so cramped, I cannot imagine what it must have been like with full combat kit on. However I readily accept I am a little big to compare to a Vietnamese soldier! Again visiting the site gave me chance to understand the war a little better, as did the War Museum. It was interesting to see the left over American military vehicles and the stories of those damaged by the Agent Orange bombing campaign, be they Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laos and American.

We then took a cyclo-tour of HCM City, what are amazing (and slightly terrifying) way to see the City! Diving in between some of the city's 5 million motorbikes is not for the fainthearted. We toured the major sites and got a good idea of what the city is like. Tonight we had drinks at a rooftop bar. Stunning views and great drinks. Still trying to comprehend spending 500,000 Dong on drinks and over a million on dinner - insane!

Hanoi and Ha Long Bay next. One night will be spent on a boat, so I'm not sure when the next instalment will be. As you've noticed, the technical glitches have been sorted, enjoy the photos of S21 museum, HCM City and my wife negotiating the tiny tunnels!

Chiang Mai to Phnom Penh

In hindsight I would've made these blogs shorter, however with poor quality WiFi in the last hotel, I am going to have to provide a large amount of info in one go.

The last entry had us on the eve of our Thai cooking class. What a great experience. We were taught how to cook 4 dishes in an outside kitchen, set up to provide an education and career for street kids. We had a great time making the dishes, mostly from scratch, and blending the fresh ingredients together. Next we headed to our Thai massage. I am not ashamed to say that although it was similar to a few deep tissue sports massages I've had, I dozed off and snored in appreciation of my masseuse's work!

This ended our time in Thailand and we boarded a flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia. I was unsure what to expect from South East Asia's poorest country, but was excited to see what lay in store. We arrived at our hotel and prepared for a 4:30am departure to Ankor Wat the following morning.

Our early start duly arrived and we boarded our bus to head out and watch the sun rise over one of the most majestic temples in Cambodia. A truly awesome sight followed as the day started to dawn over the 5 towers. You will have to wait for the photographic evidence I'm afraid, we have hit a technical glitch! The sun rise was one of the parts of the tour I was most looking forward to, needless to say, I was not disappointed.

The rest of the day and the following day had us exploring the many temples around the Ankor Wat site. We were exhausted and very hot, but got to view some of the most impressive man-made structures in the world. It is incredible to think they were hand built, the stone work is that impressive. I am rarely completely blown away by a place, but one temple in particular was unlike anything I have ever seen. Ta Prohm (as seen in Tomb Raider 1), was such a place. Derelict, over-grown, yet majestic in it's own way. The guidebooks are not wrong, despite the crowds, it has an eerie, otherworldly quality the other temples can't match.

This concluded our time at the temples, but before heading home, we went to see one of the poorest places in South East Asia and the work being done there by an incredible NGO called New Hope. I'm sure you've watched Live Aid, Comic Relief etc, but until you see such places with your own eyes, it is difficult to imagine just what this kind of poverty looks like.

We visited the old school site, an ex slum brothel, and heard how 400 school kids and teachers shared one toilet and no real clean running water. The work of one Cambodian turned things around and with the thanks of financial backing from Australia, an amazing new purpose school, medical centre and training kitchen. An amazing place that really restores your faith in people (www.newhopecambodia.com take a look for yourself).

I have been struck by how young the locals are, there are children trying to sell postards and other knick knacks everywhere (they only go to school, if their family can afford it, for 4 hours a day), so are needed by their families to earn money from tourists. To be told 70% of the entire population is under 20, makes you realise how damaged this country was by it's violent past.

We then ate while watching the first storm of the wet season. A huge thunderstorm, which torrential rain and pretty impressive lightening. This has been followed by another tonight in Phnom Penh. We arrived here mid afternoon following a 6 hour bus journey from Siem Reap. On the way we even found time to sample fried tarantula, not as disgusting as it may seem (it actually tastes of very little). We are off to see the Genocide museum and the killing fields tomorrow (28th April), I imagine, much like New Hope, it will be an incredibly emotional day.

Thanks for sticking with this if you have. We fly to Vietnam after the killing fields visit tomorrow, so the trip enters its final stages. So far, I couldn't have wished for a better honeymoon!

Bangkok to Chiang Mai

Here it is then, the second instalment of this holiday blog. I haven't worked out how to change the main title, but the subtitle will be an accurate update of where we've been.

Nothing quite prepared me for Bangkok. The heat is incredibly oppressive and the traffic is unreal. As though of you who know me will know, the heat is not a close friend of mine, although after the winter we had back home, it is great to feel the sun on our backs.

Anyway, having navigated our way to our hotel, we spent a little bit of time in Lumpini Park, Bangkok's 'Central Park', with it's beautiful lakes and it's insane runners! 9 o'clock on a Saturday morning seems a great time foe a run, but not in 35 degree heat!! We lasted as long as we could, before running for shelter and a snooze at the hotel. This then led us nicely into meeting our tour group. 7 other people are with us, all of whom are North American. They are a great bunch and all have toured like this before, so that's a relief.

Our first day proper followed, after a good sleep, which led to us hitting the Bangkok river system for a tour of traditional river dwellings. These houses built on the river were incredible, but they were in differing states of repair dependant on the wealth of the owner. These houees are passed down through generations, so the only scope for improvement is through the job you get and the capital you allows you to do the repairs and upgrades. We then went onto visit the Grand Palace, home of the jade Buddha. Thisl incredible piece of architecture was over shadowed by two things; the stifling heat and the THOUSANDS of people. It was an incredible place though and also very humbling to see so many Buddhist's lining up to give thanks to the Jade Buddha.

We then headed back to the hotel to pack and get on our overnight train to Chiang Mai. 14 hour train jouneys aren't my friend either, Thai sleeper trains weren't made for 6'1", 17 stone Westerners, but I managed to get some sleep. Chiang Mai is a bit cooler than Bangkok, though as I write at 10:10 at night, it is still in the high 20's, although we can't feel it in our air conned room. We visited two places today, an elephant sanctuary (yes I rode one) and Doi Suthep Temple. Both were amazing for different reasons. The elephants were great and well cared for. 7 of them put ona show for us and clearly love their Mahoots. While it was hard to see them chained up in some places, it was a large enough park for them to get execised. The Temple was again a very solemn place and I have now experienced my first Buddhist blessing. It was a little damp getting splashed with the water, but a great thing to do.

We have not long returned from a traditional northern Thai cultural evening. The dancing and food were outstanding and along with the venue and costumes, added up to a great evening. I love these glimpses into traditional life and tonight was no exception! Tomorrow brings us more traditional Thai activities, including cooking school, a language lesson and Thai massage. All things I can't wait to try.

So until next time, night. I'm off to put some aftersun on...

The build up

So here goes. My first foray into blog writing and a little insight into our build up for our honeymoon to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. While we are away, I will be trying to keep everyone update about once a day or every two days.

The original plan was to go to South Africa. It is where I was born and somewhere I have never been back to. However, that trip fell through.
So we looked at alternative trips to ensure that our honeymoon was the trip of a lifetime we wanted it to be. Now Vicky, my wife, has always wanted to see Thailand. I must be honest, it has not been somewhere that has been high on my list, but I was keen to see Cambodia and Vietnam, two countries that the West knows very little about culturally. So we compromised on a tour that will show us the best of all three.

Our 15 day trip will show us the craziness of Bangkok, the temples of UNESCO heritage site of Ankor Wat in Cambodia and the beautiful bay in Ha Long in Vietnam. We cannot wait!

So there we go. 4 months of planning has led to this trip, thank you to everyone who made it possible. I hope this mini account of our adventures is an interesting read, I'll do my best!!