Monday 20th March SAIGON HCMC VIETNAMVisit some of vthe main tourist spots around Saigon HCMC including the War Museum and the re unification palace used by the former South Vietnamese government prior to the War with Northy Vietnam.We are getting museum and temple fatigue, so decide to take time out from our adventure for a holiday. Somebody told us about a beautiful Island off the South West coast mainland called Phu Quoc. We book flights with Vietnam Airlines and board a small 70 seater plane for the 1 hour flight over the Mekong Delta. Phu Quoc only has a handful of tarmaced roads the rest is dirt track. We manage to find a small resort on the 17kms long west coast beach, which is a beautiful palm tree lined unspoilt white sand stretch of coast. The resort is called Beach Club and has about 12 rooms in bungalow style accomodation right on the beach front. Our rooms are nearest to the beach and the smell and the sound of the sea is arelaxing change from the hustle and traffic fumes of Saigon HCMC. Originally we only intended to stay for 3 days, but the daily swim in the warm crystal clear sea and accompanying landscape outside our front door is so appealing that we decide to stay for a week as island beachcombers and absorb this beautiful unspoilt place.The resort owner tells us that International Hotelliers are planning to develop the coast and a new airport to accept bigger jets is on the drawing board, so things will change soon, meanwhile if you plan to visit Vietnam try to build this place into your agenda.We hire motorbikes ( Mike hasn't been on a motorbike since he was 18 so needed a few hours by himself to practice ) and visit the Island to find unspoilt deserted beaches and small fishing villages the main industry for the locals. We find tiny bays and beaches down dirt tracks not on the map.Tuesday 28th MarchTotally relaxed and refreshed head back to Saigon HCMC via Rach Gia and the Mekong Delta by local bus.Our plan is to head North to Hanoi and across to Hong Kong. We buy a 30 day open tour bus ticket for 18 US dollars that will take us up to Hanoi and allows us to hop off and on the bus at various locations along the main highway that follows the coast along the spine of Viertnam and the South China sea. We stop at Dalat a cooler climate town high up on the Lan Dong Plateau, then the coastal town of Nha Trang another opportunity to Swim in the Sea. We decide to stay a few days at this delightful town a sort of Vietnamese 'Brighton'. There are Islands off shore where you can swim and Snorkel, so we book a boat trip for the next day..Monday 3rd April8am Board boat with a group of Irish / british travellers. Brits bring a cool box full of beer, by lunchtime the singing and dancing is in full swing much to the amazement of the Vietnamese on board, who are gob smacked at the amount of alcohol consumed and sight of bikini clad white skin on show. Most Vietnamese want white skin and cover up face, arms, hands, to protect from the suns rays, the opposite to most westerners who want bronze brown skin like the Vietnamese. So you have the bizarre sceneario on the beach whereby locals are fully dressed and westerners have virtually nothing and can be spotted from a mile across the beach.Wednesday 4th April.Hoi An - A beautiful coastal town with a huge market and french achitecture, with part of the town being pedestrian only. A Unesco world heritage town, hardly touched by the American Vietnamese war, so it still looks much the same as when it was first developed by the french over 150 years ago.Friday 7th April.Hue - a university town and another Unesco site. We take a day tour to the DMZ ( demilitarized zone ) between North and South Vietnam where most of the action took place during the American / Vietnam War. Part of the tour includes a visit to the tunnels built by the Viet Cong ( North Vietnamese ) to hide from the Americans. We go underground into narrow long clay mud tunnels to feel what it must have been like - the tunnels run for miles with intricate ventilation shafts cleverly consealed. Hard to believe that people lived undergroubnd like this for the duration of the War apparently 17 babies were born underground while the action was taking place above. American bombing and military action was evident everywhere with deserted helicopters and tanks scattered around the various stopping places on route. The Vietnamese are still discovering land mines and unexploded bombs at some of the sights - thirty years after the action.Sunday 9th AprilA change of mind for the last leg of our Vietnam jouney North - we take the Train rather than Bus.
Wednesday 14th March CAMBODIA - Phnom PenhHaving travelled for nearly 9 months we are used to arriving at new destinations and looking for accomodation. We have a set routine and critiera. We select a suitable coffee shop one of us sits with our luggage and we take turns to visit 3 pre selected Hotels from either the Lonely Planet Guide book, or recommendations from fellow travellers we have met on route. Our criteria is based on price, location, noise levels, size of room, facilities, breakfast and/or Internet included, plus a few more comfort zone extras. If a Hotel comes near to the test we jump in a taxi and go for it. Phnom Penh is situated on the junction of 3 rivers, the Tonle Bassac, Tonle Sap, and the mighty Mekong. Our Hotel overlooks the Tonle Sap near the centre of Town. We decide to visit the darker, sadder side of Cambodia's recent past with a visit to the Tuol Sleng museum, which in 1975 was a school until taken over by the Pol Pot regime and turned into a detention and torture centre. More than 17,000 Cambodians and a few foreigners who were considered a threat to the Khmer Rouge regime were taken here between 1975 and 1977 and interrogated, nearly all were then taken from the prison to the Choeung killing fields to be exterminated. Like the Nazis the Pol Pot regime kept meticulous records of all prisioners ( History repeating itself ) There are numerous rooms in the prison displaying black and white potographs of Men, Women and children, all of whom were later exterminated at the killing fields about 5 kms outside Phnom Pehn. Later we visit the memorial stupa at the killing fields which used to be orchards prior to 1975. Now it is a field of craters where the bodies have been uneathed from the mass graves. A huge glass tower displays the skulls of nearly 9000 people, many of whom were bludgeoned or hacked to death to avoid wasting precious bullets. Babies were thrown against tree trunks, others were buried alive. All around this very sad place there is still evidence on display like fragments of human bones and bits of clothing scattered on the ground around the disinterred pits.All in all a very distressing place and an example of mans inhumanity to man.We atke a tuk tuk around town to see the main sights and reflect on how Cambodia will need a few generations to recover from the suffering caused by the Khemer Rouge and Pol Pot regime era.Next day we lunch at a restaurant called Friends run by an organisation that helps fund social programmes where some of the proceeds go towards helping Cambodia recover by aiding former orphaned street children with employment in the catering and hospitality industry. Many of the apprentices here, later find work in Hotels and businesses throughout Cambodia.Thursday 16th March Bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Cambodias spiritual and cultural centre and the temples of Angkor.Friday 17th MarchUp at 6am onto bicycles and try to arrive at the main Angkor Wat before sunrise, the 8 km journey takes longer than expected and the Sun has risen over the main building before our arrival. However we are lucky to see the best of this mother of all temples and the worlds largest religous building before the tourist buses arrive, and the place gets crowded.Originally the whole Angkor area was a Kingdom with hundreds of temples and at its peak a population of over a million, when London had a mere 50.000.The Ankgor period lasted nearly 600 years from AD 802 to 1432 when the temples were built and the Khmer empire was one of the greatest powers in Asia. Our days cycling circuit covers 17km and takes in the main temples including Ta Prohm an atmospheric ruin which has been swallowed up by the jungle and huge tree roots like hands cover the remaining stonework. Everything looks very much as it was when first discovered by explorers. ( It is also the sight used for the film Tomb raiders. ) Next stop Angkor Thom and the Bayon temple. The whole Angkor visit is both breathtaking and somehow difficult to absorb in such a short timespan. Ideally a week would be more suitable to discover the secrets of one of the worlds outstanding temple kingdoms this would allow sufficient time toexperience the magnificence of the sites.Rumour has it that for preservation reasons within the next 10 years some of the ruins will be fenced off and tourist pathways built. We are so lucky to have had the freedom to explore up close as we have on this occasion.Saturday 18th March We fly from Siem Reap to Vietnam Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City ( HCMC )
Wednesday 1st March We arrive in Darwin, capital of northern territory, tropical heat and acccompanying humidity - the town is a lot a smaller than the other principal capitals of Australia and the least populated.Mid morning the heavemns open and we are in the thick of a tropical down pour which floods the streets, about 2 hours later the Sun has come out and the streets are almost dust dry again.The local air con Cinema is a release from the heat so we dive in and watch the latest offering Broke Back Mountain.We say good bye to Australia and its population of 22 million, which co-incidently is the same as those born in India every new year.Thursday 2nd MarchTiger airways from Darwin to Singapore, then transit to Air Asia and onward flight to Bangkok. Our second visit to the Thai capital and time to plan the next leg of our journey, our first job is to find the Cambodian and Vietnamese embassies to apply for Visas.Sunday 5th MarchVisit Kanchanaburi west of bangkok for overnight stay to see the famous bridge over the River Kwai, we walk over the bridge and also visit the allied War Cemeteries and Museum. Time for the late night market for some serious shopping as some of our clothes are beginning to suffer from signs of travel fatigue. We buy T-shirts for 1 poundeach, the market also has a great food section with some bizarre edible delicacies like dried stag beetles, large white dried maggots and live frogs.Monday 6th March Not deterred by some of the food offerings at the market we attend a days cookery course at Apples guest house, where we try our hand at Tom Yam ( Thai soup ) Phat Thai ( Rice Noodle ) and Thai Green Curry. First stop is the local market for a guided tour with our cookery instructor o the best way to select ingredients. By the end of the course, having consumed most of the dishes we have prepared, we sit like satisfied bloated Bhuddha's content with our performance.Tuesday 6th MarchTrain back to Bangkok and a visit to Ayuthaya former capital of Siam and some of Thailands most impressive ancient ruins. In the late afternoon we go to the 59th floor of the Banyan tree Hotel for a cocktail at sunset and absorb the fantastic views from the Vertigo Bar, the highest point in the centre of town.Thursday 9th MarchYoga lessons for Martine - Mike picks up Visas from embassies. Take overnight train to Chiang Mai, Thailands Northern Capital with over 300 temples, its difficult not to get templed out - so we select a few favourites and track them down. We visit the Wat Suan dok a university for Monks and join in a face to face '' Monk Chat '' where foreigners meet and talk with resident Monks for about an hour. Its an opportunity for them to practice their English and our chance to learn about Bhuddhism and Thai life. ( Fantastic experience had by all )Saturday 11th MarchOpen back jeep into the jungle mountains north of Chiang Mai to visit the Karen hill tribe and the Long neck padung villages. The women wear a continuous metal coil, which can weigh up to 22 kg, around their neck and legs. The neck coils depress their collarbone and rib cage, which makes their neck look unnaturally long, some also practice of putting loop rings into their ears so a huge hole appears in the lobe. We also ride elephants through the jungle and during the afternoon go Bamboo white water rafting down a fast flowing river valley.Monday 13th March Indulge in a Thai foot massage before taking the overnight train back to Bangkok and an Air asia flight to Cambodias capital Phnom Pehn.
Tuesday 21st FebWe stay at the Mon repos beach for a few days, during one of our morning swims, Martine is alarmed to feel something brush alongside her under the water - no it wasn't mike !!! Martine said it wasn't a stinger jelly fish as it was a lot larger more like a fish, we just start to leave the water for the shore when we see a dolphin leap out of the water in front of us, we stay still as it continues to play in the water around us for the next 20 mins, then disappear out to sea.Thursday 23rd FebWe visit Bundaberg and the rum making factory and then take a day trip to Fraser Island, one of the worlds biggest sand islands, unfortunately it is too dangerous to swim in the sea, howerver there is a natural lake in the centre where we can swim in the clear water, the sand is white and so fine thet the guide says it si the best for exfoliating the skin if you rub it on your body so along with the rest of the group we jump in the water and rub away !! The silicone sand is also used for cleaning jewelery, it polishes up gold and silver perfectly.Friday 24th FebNoosaville a trendy resort with some of the most expensive property in Australia as the beaches and estuary are perfect for swimming, surfing and sailing - australians national life styles. on the opposite side of the estuary the beaches are part of a national park and they extend for nearly 25 miles up to Fraser island. There are no roads so the only form of transport are 4 wheel drive wagons, the beach is a recognised national roadway and all traffic laws apply. Its relatively deserted as few vehicles take this route, rather than the national highway - we managed to go for a mornings camel riding along the beach.Sunday 26th FebWe have driven down to Brisbane to return the Winnebago and taken the opportunity to see the modern capital of Queensland. we also take a trip south of Brisbane to Byron bay a sort of ex hippy place with the accompanying arts and crafts, we are lucky to be given some information about Tiger airways a low cost airline ( Half owned by Ryan air ) which has a route from Darwin to Singapore this is our exit route from Australia and back to South east Asia.
BBQ, BBQ, BBQ's at Ian and Karens. Visited Melbourne city centre to see the sights, about midday the heavens opened and the rain came lashing down ,managed to find a small 7/11 doing a brisk trade in umbrellas. so off we trot via the free city tram to see the main sights.Next day mike goes to learn the art of squid fishing from Ian and martine joins karin in the art of Yoga, alas no squid today, guess they weren't hungry.Karins parents came round for Chuck ( chicken ) Tuesday 31st January.Guided tour of Melbourne with Ian and met up with Karin after work for picnic in the park and watch Aussie version of Shakesperes ' Much ado about nothing ' - saw possums playing in trees behind performers stage.Tuesday 2nd Feb.We visit Mornington peninsula wineries for tastings of aussie wine , which was great as Ian chauffered us around allowing us to taste at leisure and not worry about driving, not so good for Ian, although we helped out by buying him some locally brewed beer to take home. During the day we selected compositions for Ian to photograph for our lesson on cyantype photo printing the next day - ( Ian teaches Photography at Art college in Melbourne )Great 4 hour lesson we manage to print beautiful images using direct sunlight and pinhole technique. Thanks Ian for your patience.Saturday 4th Feb2nd visit to Melbourne city centre and the St Kildas annual art exhibition with postcard size exhibits of art including 2 of Ians works. Fantastic examples of Art from all over Australia for this major annual event.Late lunch at restaurant on promenade overlooking Melbourne bay watching para gliders practising for a major contest the following weekend. They manage to rise about 10 metres above water level while PR photographers take shots with the high rise office blocks of Melbourne as a back drop.Sunday 5th FebBBQ at Ian and Karins with family and friends.Monday 6th FebDay cycling along coast, then back to prepare farewell dinner ( our turn ) Mikes famous fish pie !!!!Ian and Karin and Marie Anne and Alan - great dinner loadsa good aussie wine.Tuesday 7th FebAboard Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Cairns in Northern tropical Queensland, the heat hits you full on as you land in this tropical town.we stay in a motel with swimming pool and BBQ facilities about 300 metres from centre. This gave us the opportunity to do our own thing as far as cooking and organising trips was concerned.Cairns has an outside seawater lagoon just off the promenade which is free for all to use, it is surrounded by BBQ facilities and watched over by lifeguards, so we gathered together our food and after a swim cooked on the BBQ and laisd out a table cloth grass landscaped surround to eat with the locals.Wednesday 8th FebTook mountain railway to Karunda, via the rainforest, uphill all the way, walked along the jungle trek and visited the local exhibition prepared by the national parks explaining about the rainforest, its environment and how it survives. Came back by one of the longest cable cars in the world over the top of the rainforest, numerous rainbow lorakeets everywhere along the route.Thursday 9th Feb.Took local bus to visit the coast north of Cairns, sadly this time of year you cannot swim in the sea without a stinger suit to protect you from Box jellyfish that have fatal stings, so you have these beautiful white sand beaches absolutly deserted. Not until April will there be an opportunity to swim in the Sea.Friday 10th FebOn board a boat for our first vist to the great barrier reef and a chance to snorkel on the reef albeit wearing a stinger suit for protection even though the little critters are not found so close to the reef. Amazing views underwater of the coral and wildlife.Saturday 11th FebMike visits the local market and Martine goes white water rafting in the River Tully - fun had by all.Monday 13th FebWe have always fancied the idea of hiring a Winnebago to travel around and luckily one is available at Around Australia motorhomes, so we hire a 5 berth which gave us plenty of room to swing a cat, whats more it was only a few months old so everything was vertually new. After a 3 hour instruction course on how to use the various facilities and told it cant be taken off road ( That would be fun ! ) We head off down the East coast towards Brisbane our destination.Driving along traffic free roads with the opportunity to stop wherever is great fun and allows you to stop at some of the more remote resorts off the main tourist route, we have 2 weeks in our new home on wheels to explore the coast and countryside.Thursday 16th FebWoodstock, Queensland, visit small farmstead on the edge of the outback inland from Townsville, to learn more about life running a farm in Australia. our first experience is horse riding across some of the 50 acre landscape to muster the cattle and bring them back to the paddock. Sadly, the owner has some sad business to attend to before we start. One of the horses is seriously ill and needs to be put down. This place is in the middle of knowhere and farmers take it upon themselves do most of the unsavoury tasks rather than call out the vet and incur expensive bills.9.30am silence is shattered by a loud blast of the farmers gun and the thud of the poor creature falling to earth. Obviously, the farmers wife is very upset and we ask if they would rather cancel the days activities on the farm.They are very tenacious people and insist we continue, so we get kitted out in boots and safety hat and climb aboard our respective horses for the journey into the outback. After 20 minutes instructions on how to ride a horse, ( bearing in mind that these creatures know their way blindfold around the countryside with a tailors dummy in the saddle ) grateful for the instruction we head off. The farmers wife ahead martine following mike making up the threesome.Along the dirt tracks, across streams in search of cattle, what a fantastic way to spend the next 4 hours, meandering across countryside seeing all the wildlife Kangeroos included. This is rawhide at its best. Yee Haa ! ! Lunch is cooked on an open fire with billy cans to heat the water for the coffee. we are having a leg of lamb from this farm and one of their chickens, it all tasted delicious with as we sit under a huge 150 year old tamarind tree in the early afternoon heat, above us the farmer pointed to a large owl sitting on the branch of the tree, apparently known as a barking owl due to its cry at night that sounds like, guess what - a dog barking. Our afternoon experience was not for the screamish, our task is to help with branding a young male cow along with taking a chunk from its ear and last but not least castrating the creature. !Not a happy afternoon for this steer, first the creature is trapped in a metal grid so it can't move then a red hot branding iron is pressed into it's hide, the smell of burning flesh wasn't very pleasant. Next cutting a huge lump from its ear with a pair of clippers the size of a large pair of plyers. Finally, the part that we left up to the farmer as he took a stanley knife and cut open the scrotum and castrated the creature, apparently the animal is Ok after a few hours and back in circulation with the rest of the herd. Next up was sheep shearing, easier said than done, first you have to catch the animal, they are heavy and fast !!! you need olympic athletisium to catch the critters.Once caucht you have to hold them down in a vice like grip and then use heavy weight industrial clippers powered from an overhaed cable to cut through the 50mm layer of wool coat. It takes a professional sheep shearer about 3 minutes per sheep leaving a clean pile of wool on the groung, it took us 25 exhausting minutes leaving a mix of layers, and scraggy looking dejected animal running off to join its mate, probably saying "look at this mess" ! Monday 20th FebWe have visited Airlie beach and taken an old 1928 sailing schooner boat out to the whitsunday islands.Today, of all the places we have visited small and large on our journey down the coast, none has been as exciting and rewarding as Mon Repos, which is one of the worlds major breeding grounds for the loggerhead turtle, a beautiful beach, just north of Bunderburg. We stay on the only camp sight just off the dunes, which is run by the Australian national parks organisation and has strict controls over all activity, to help control the numbers of visitors. We are fortunate to be there during the hatching period November to February.There is no guarentee that we will see any new born, as they break through the sand and head towards the sea on their perilous journey to adulthood. At nightfall 8pm we gather to be briefed on what to do and not do and to hear about the life of the turtles and what we may expect. We follow the ranger ( who is the only person with a torch ) down a small track onto the beach.He is in radio contact with other conservationists and rangers already on the beach, who are cautiously looking for evidence of any hatchlings - an hour passes without any activity, the skies are crystal clear with a fantastic view of the milky way which is clearly visible in this part of the southern ocean, the air is also warm and the sea calm.At about 10pm we are told by the ranger that young have been spotted along the beach to our right, gingerly we tread along the shoreline and up towards the dunes WOW ! under the light of the rangers torch we watch as the tiny heads of the turtles break through the sand and immediately head towards the sound of the waves gently lapping on the shoreline about 40 metres away. We have an opportunity to see them up close as their powerful little arms wave frantically pushing the sand aside in their haste to reach the sea, we follow about 30 of them down the beach helping to guide any straglers back on course, then see them disappear into the water and towards their life in the oceans far away. We are back in bed by midnight happy to have experienced such a fantastic sight.
Monday 2nd January 2006We leave Koh Lipe via boat from the Island to mainland Thailand then travel on overnight coach to Bangkok.Luckily we have enough time to see some of the famous sights of the capital before our flight departs including the main temples.Wednesday 4th January Back in the UK for Mikes dads funeral. A big thank you to Rachel, Ben and Adam, who kindly give us temporary accommodation at their home in Rickmansworth for our 2 week stop over in the UK.Monday 9th JanuaryFuneral in Margate Kent gave us an opportunity ( albeit a sad occasion ) to catch up with the ruby side of the family.Tuesday 10th January Time to investigate how we are going to exit the UK, so off we trot to the travel agents in 'Ricky' to check on econmical flights back to Thailand so we can continue our adventure. No luck everthing we were offered was far to expensive, we were just exiting Thompsons when the assistant said they had a few seats left on flights to Australia for 164 pounds plus 30 pounds fuel tax EACH one way only, our bottom jaws dropped along with our shoppingand we asked about the date for the next available flight, which was scheduled for Tuesday 16th January flying to Sydney.AUSTRALIA now took priority on our tour schedule.During the we before departure we took the opportunity to visit all our friends and relatives in the UK and wish them happy new year.We had been wearing lightweight hot weather clothing for our travels in Asia and were not prepared for a visit back to London in the January as all our winter clothing was in the lock up, so we needed to visit the shops and buy a few warmer outfits.Monday 16th January.Arrive at Gatwick airport, expecting to help push the plane up the runway ( bearing in mind the cost of the tickets )No problem! we had seats near the front of the plane and our flight, although long in duration was on time when we landed in Sydney. ( population 4 million )GOOD DAY BRUCE & SHEILA -
We take our time to get used to the language !Wednesday 18th January We indulge ourselves by staying in the Rocks district of Sydney - similar to Londons Covent Garden - walking distance to all the famous sights, so we visit the Harbour bridge, the Opera house, Bondi beach, and various other famous sights. No worries mate! and No drama mate! are common phrases amongst the locals.We love Sydney, the sights the people and the lifestyle.Our plans are to visit friends in Melbourne so we investigate hiring a car and driving down the East coast stopping off on route.Saturday 21st JanuaryLeave Sydney by car and travel along beautiful country roads for a visit to the blue mountains just west of Sydney,the name comes from the blue haze of ultrafine oily mist given off by the Eucalypts trees that abound in the mountains. We see rainbow lorakeets and a mix of wildlife never seen before.We stop on route at deserted beaches ( Broulee ) and small seaside villages, including the fishing port of Eden famous for watching migrating whales which pass close to the coast. Crossing from the state of the New South Wales into Victoria we stay in the costal town of Mallacoota and then drive via the lakes disrict ( Metung ).Until you study a map of Australia and drive between towns its difficult to judge the size of the country, We were told that the whole of Europe could easily be superimposed over Australia and there would still be land over.!!!Driving is sheer pleasure as the roads are empty and well maintained.Thursday 26th January.We arrive in Melbourne ( population 3.5 million ) its the national Australia Day ! We drive along the coast just south of central Melbourne to Mornington peninsula and search for our friends home in the town of Mornington.Ian and Karin live in a fabulous house 2 mins walk across the road from fishermans bay a sandy beach ideal for daily swims.
Saturday 17th December 2005We arrive in the town of Melacca on the west coast of Maylasia, and manage to get accommodation in China town in an old Perakian style shophouse with antique furniture including Opium den beds, took a bicycle rickshaw around town to see the sights, had dinner overlooking the estuary where we saw Salamanders swimming in the water below, walked back through the lively night market before bed. Next morning we shared a breakfast table with 2 Singaporian /Chinese women who invited us to their cousins restaurant for a specialist hannon chicken dish, this was straight after breakfast about 10.30am - difficult to digest.Took the coach from melacca coach station where the driver in his haste to leave, drove about 5 miles before receiving a call on his mobile from his office to say that he had left half the passengers behind, so we had to go back and pick them up. Got to Kualar Lumpar ( KL ) on time and checked in to our Hotel. Spent Monday 19th December sightseeing Kl including the Petronas twin towers - highest in the world, and the telecommunications tower, fantastic views of Kl and the surrounding countryside.Tuesday 20th December 2005Took tourist bus to Cameron Highlands, the bus developed a puncture on route and to our amazement 2 of the Maylanan passengers helped the driver change wheels in under 30 minutes, while we all watched.Had dinner in Tanah Rata the main town in the highlands, we notice the difference in temperature as we are at an altitude of 1500 metres - a lot colder than at KL. Dinner is a local dish called a steamboat, whereby you cook your own food fondue style with seafood, vegetables and chicken in a central pot of chinese noodles. Sadly we receive news that mikes dad has died and have to rethink our future travel plans.Wednesday 21st December 2005Visit a tea plantation, a strawberry farm and a butterfly park. Cameron Highlands turns out to be more commercial than expected so we decide to make tracks for a small island off the mainland called Pulau Pangkor, we were a bit concerned that we may have difficulty finding accommodation being near to Christmas, but are lucky to find a chalet style room at the Waterfront resort overlooking the beach right in the centre of Teluk Nipah, one of the best beaches on the island. Weather was warm but overcast, however this didn't stop us swimming and having some of the best seafood to date at a small shack on the beach where you selected your own fish from the display and they grilled it for you. We watched large colourful hornbill birds, that frequent the Island, descend onto the trees along the beach and take any opportunity to swoop down and gather any morsels left by the locals.Spent time discussing with the Insurance company our situation and what options we have for travelling back to the UK for Funeral.Friday 23rd December 2005We hire bicycles and cycle around the Island, struggling up the steep hills and walking down others as the brakes on bikes are a bit dodgy, the central part of the Island is all jungle and we hear and see wild monkies on route. At the market in Pangkor town we stop for a breather and have fresh whole coconut from a straw wedged into the top, we then buy some Rambutans, a world first for us these fruits are not exactly attractive to look at, but once you break open the red, leathery and hairy skin you taste the sweetest semi translucent white flesh similar but nicer than lychee. we cycle back soaked to the skin from persparation in the hot humid climate.Saturday 24th December 2005Wake up to Christmas carols being played over the Hotels speaker system, they have put up a small fake Christmas tree with lights in reception and a few decorations to make the westerners happy. We take out Kayaks to a some nearby deserted islands good exercise and fabulous views of coral and nature. Its a day for meeting, we meet a German couple also on holiday, an English couple who live and work in Thailand who are on holiday in Maylasia and a foursome from Rimini in Italy. Sunday 25th December 2005Christmas day - Our Italian friends tell us about a small Island in southern Thailand that they plan to visit, apparently its very Robinson Crusoe, unspoilt with very few tourists we decide to tag along and prepare to travel with them.Spend some time contacting all the family to wish them Happy Christmas.Monday 26th December Up very early to travel in one of Pangkor Islands pink taxis to the ferry port to catch the first ferry to the mainland and a coach to Thailand, the next 2 days are spent travelling north through Maylasia across the border into thailand and via Hat Yai and Pak Bara to catch a 3 hour ferry across the Andaman sea to one of the most beautiful islands on earth - Ko Lipe.Wednesday 28th December 2005We part company with our travelling companions the Italians as they stay at a different Hotel at a different beach on the Island. Ko Lipe has a population of about 500 Sea Gypsies ( who live from fishing and any sea related trading ) and some cultivation of vegetables and rice on the island. The island is only open to visitors 6 months of the year and is still very laid back with peaceful jungle trails and delightful secluded beaches. we stay at Sunset beach, named, not surprisingly for its fabulous sunsets where everyone gathers to photograph the view every evening.The weather is glorious, hot and clear blue skies, and the sea water is emerald and crystal clear. A footpath joins the other beaches around the Island, walking through the only village with its school and playground for the locals on route. This is heaven !!! We swim out for about 100 metres and still see the sea bed, with coral and colourful tropical fish. Accommodation on the Island is resticted to small chalet style huts, which are dispersed amongst the trees - no high rise concrete blocks, thank god, it will be a major shame if developers are let lose to spoil this paradise of tranquility.Thursday 29th December.We meet up with our Italian friends who invite us to BBQ dinner on the beach, as they are going fishing and the small beach bar has offered to cook the catch. Fabulous evening spent around the camp fire on the beach eating freshly caught fish, we walk back to our accomodation in semi darkness and only the moon for light as the batteries are flat in our torches.The Italians were so enthusiastic about the fishing / snorkeling trip, that we decide to book for some of the same during the day of New years eve.Saturday 31st DecemberWe leave early for a day at sea aboard a long tail boat accompanied by 2 local fishermen, our first experience at snorkelling, which was like turning on a colour TV and seeing a kalidescope of colourful coral and sea shells and underwater tropical fish never seen to us outside a tropical fish tank. Then we sail into open sea for a spot of fishing where Martine shows a hidden talent for catching our lunch, which the fishermen cook on a small fire they make on a nearby beach under the over hanging branches of palm trees skirting another deserted island. Sheer bliss !!!It's New Years eve and we take a few of the fish we caught during the day and repay the compliment to the Italians as they join us for BBQ on the beach. All along the beach people have lit candles and a party mood is in the air, Thai beer is flowing and everyone is waiting for the Midnight hour.
Tuesday 13th December 2005 - ( Martines Birthday )
We fly Royal Nepal Airlines overnight on Monday 12th December leaving Kathmandu at 11.45pm, we are upgraded to first class on a 15 year old Boeing 757 and flew towards Singapore via a stop in Kuala Lumpar or KL as its known locally. We land at 6.30am local time ( Martines Birthday ) at KL for a crew change and an opportunity to stretch our legs in the transit lounge, the stop over is scheduled for 45 mins then we are due back on board for the final leg to Singapore. Time passes 1 hour then 2, we look out of the airport lounge window to see a swarm of engineers, plus the pilot discussing the port side engine which by now has its outer casing removed and its guts exposed !! This plane is going nowhere, we are tranferred to Maylasian airlines for the final leg to Singapore. Kuala Lumpar airport is a refreshing change from the airports of Delhi and Kathmandu. A modern complex with all the amenities of Heathrow. We consume a Burger King compliments of Royal Nepal Airlines for the delay. Singapore International Airport is even more high tec than KL with free internet services in the arrivals hall. The imigration officer wishes Martine a happy Birthday as he notices the date on her passport. We take the high tec MRT metro train to our Hotel destination. Singapore being just off the Equator is hot with a constant climate in the late 20's all year. It's also one of the easiest places in the world to navigate as everything is clearly marked and a superb model of how transport in a city should planned and developed. Some say its sterile, we disagree its a fabulous place and well worth visiting. Birthday greetings come in from the Hotel staff as we check in. The heat is a warm welcome from the cold snap of Nepal. We celebrate Martines Birthday by visiting Raffles Hotel for the famous Singapore slinger, then onto a seafood centre by the waterfront for chilli crab while sitting in the warm evening heat overlooking the straights of Singapore towards Indonesia. It is refreshing to have such a selection of culinary delights on offer in Singapore which has a huge mix of Indian, Chinese, Thai, and Malaysian foods to experience. We visit Orchard Road Singapore answer to OXford Street in London, we are amazed at the fabulous street decorations celebrating Christmas for the christian sector of the population. The air con department stores and shops are full of christmas shoppers and the sounds of christmas carols ringing out over the PA systems, its a sure reminder of the UK. We visit the night Safari located north of Singapore city taking a silent train through the jungle to see the wildlife, Tigers, Rhinos, Elephants , huge Bats, and an assortment of animals never seen by us outside a textbook or London Zoo, the whole experience is like visiting Jurassic Park albeit with today's creatures. Next stop China town for an open air Christmas concert in a prk alongside the famous China town district. A very enthusiastic group of christian Chinese/Singapore singing Silent night and O come all ye faithful ! very bizarre, onto a small theatre for an introduction into the art of Chinese opera with an explanation of what the performance means, we see actors and actresses in full costume with make up, which apparently takes 2 hours to apply. Finally a meal at one of the many hawker stalls in the street outside the theatre. We only intended to stay in Singapore for 2 days, but liked it so much we are stayed 4, we both agree its a fabulous city and well worth a visit in the future.
Saturday 17th December. On an express coach out of Singapore heading for Maylasia and a town called Melacca.
