Tuesday 25 December 2007

Tahkaek, Laos



After a long flight to Ventiane(capital of Laos) via Louang Prabang, we headed for a bit of luxury in the form of a Novotel on the edge of the city. Showers, TV and smoked salmon, (courtesy of room service) and we nearly got lulled into a false sense of security...shall we stay just one more night????....nooooh! push on to Thakaek a sleepy little village on the main route 13 to the south of the country. So off we go to the main bus station(nearly got dropped at the airport...tricky thing this language lark!!!) to catch the air-con v.i.p. bus to Thakaek, having 'sort of' reserved our room at the Thakaek travel lodge(no relation to UK travel lodge chain).
1.00am in the morning is never a good time to arrive anywhere, especially in a foreign country whose language you don't speak and whose inhabitants don't recognise the english alphabet!
However, with a little help from our tuk-tuk driver(hired when we arrived at the bus station in Thakaek) we managed to rouse the clerk on duty and were shown to our room a spacious affair with air-con, shower(which sometimes works) and double bed. The Gheckos were put to flight and there followed a very comfortable night's(or what was left of it) sleep.
The following day was spent cycling around the village (10 mins) and navigating the little lanes in the area.
The scenery is stunning (limestone karst) and we hired a guide to take us the next day on a cave local cave tour, visiting 6 caves in all, one of them with an extensive network of underground water caverns which were partially explored by basic wooden canoe.
We both agreed that Christmas Day had been quite a surreal affair having chatted to our guide and his two students in english for most of the day(not sure how much they understood, but their english was much better than our Lao!!). Christmas dinner being a selection of dried, smoked fish, meats and strange looking vegetables complete with 'sticky rice'.
We had been looking forward to the next day for several weeks as we had planned to meet Andy and Jo at the Travel Lodge and they arrived at around 9.00am having taken the ferry from Thailand. How lovely it is to see them!! We chatted for some time before strolling down to the local bank to withdraw some more Kip(1,000,000) each should keep us going for several days(inflation being rampant here) 10,000 kip = 50p!!!
The kids retired to sleep for a couple of hours having been up most of the night travelling

Tuesday 18 December 2007

Chiang Mai Thai.

Arrived here exhausted after an 11hr bus ride from Ayutthaya! After sitting upright for this length of time our feet had swollen (first time for me...first time since pregnancy for Pam!)but we immediately started to feel some affinity with the place as our accommodation is run by a Thai/Irish couple who have sympathy with what travellers need...(cup of tea and good Thai/European cuisine!!). Our first day was spent on the mountain to the west of Chiang Mai visiting a Temple on top of the hill and then taking a songthaew to Chiang Mai Zoo.


We booked ourselves on a 3-day trek into the hills of Doi Inthanon with a company who are renowned for supporting projects linked with these tribes and who have an excellent track-record in this field. The trek consisted of a morning visit to an elephant sanctuary, followed by a walk through the jungle to stay with trhe local Karen tribe. Day two consisted of a 10 k trek through the jungle hills, followed by yet another camp by the river, and day 3 started with a bamboo raft ride(scary this!! but pleasant enough as it turned out), and finished with a visit to the National Park and an impressive waterfall.
There were 11 clients in all and 4 guides, of which the lead guide Daet was extremely competent, knowledgeable and had an excellent sense of humour.


We both thoroughly enjoyed our experiences and meeting other people of 'like mind from Canada, Germany, US and Austria.




The next day saw us booked onto a Thai Cookery course. We had promised ourselves that we would take up the culinary challenge when in Thailand and so along with our new friends, Walther and Yasmin, 'Ziggy' and Melanie, we were to become Mr Visoot's new students. His knowledge of ingredients was fantastic and his presentation extremely amusing as he ranged the musical scales of voice intonation with gems of wisdom about Thai food!! He kept us amused and interested all day as we cooked(and ate!!) five dishes each. Our menu consisted of red, green and yellow curries, steamed Tilapia, Sweet & sour chicken, spring rolls and sticky rice & coconut with banana and a host of other dishes. We also tried our hand at food decoration!!! I just wish someone had told us not to have breakfast!! The day also included a visit to the local market to buy the food we were to cook.
The next few days are definitely 'rest' days as we prepare for a flight to Ventiane in Laos via Luang Prabang on Saturday(22nd)...courtesy Lao airlines.......watch this page!!!!!!

Tuesday 11 December 2007

Ayuthaya Thai.



Next day, caught the train from Bangkok to Ayuthaya, a distance of 60km but took us 1.5 hrs due to the narrow gauge railway. A similar experience to our Indian travel..very basic(wooden seats), but nevertheless efficient and 'on time'.
Arrived at Hostel after .75hrs walk from station, a little frazzled and very hot. However, the Hostel(once again), is very friendly and we feel more relaxed as the evening passes by. A lovely Thai meal in a restaurant by the river helps us unwind.
On to visit several temples the following day until around 2pm(siesta time for us). At 4pm we take a river-boat trip(2 hours) which circumnavigates the city(more temples en-route)...beginning to feel 'templed-out'!
Another lovely evening meal in a different restaurant by the river and we 'call it a day.'
Catch-up day today(12th Dec) but also visit to Museum and later(8.30pm) we take the night bus to Chiang Mai(10 hrs!!!!).

Bangkok Thai.


Well, we always knew that Bangkok would be a culture shock, and after spending some time in Delhi a few years ago, we should have been prepared for the scams and con-men, but I think we must have left our brains in the Hostel this morning!! Taking a canal boat ride to The Grand Palace, we immediately came across a very friendly Thai gentleman who informed us that the Palace and temple was closed for prayers until 2pm, and he could arrange for a tuk-tuk to take us(half-price) to 3 other different temples, returning us back to the Palace in time for re-opening!! He also mentioned that we were so lucky, as there was a special convention on that very day, which we would get to visit, where we could also buy Thai goods. He was so convincing, that, before we knew it we had climbed into the tuk-tuk and off we went! As soon as we got moving we looked at each other and knew that we has been duped and that we were heading for a high-power sales presentation at some time during the next few hours. We re-negotiated with the driver not to visit the convention, for double the tuk-tuk fare(50p), but he wasn't happy so we got him to stop and found our own way to the Palace!! Dohh!!!!, stupid or what??
Spent the rest of the day looking around the palace and then took a taxi back to the Hostel.
Determined not to repeat our mistake of the previous day we travelled by Transit rail(overhead system) the next day tp Chatuchak market, a huge open-air affair on the outskirts of Bangkok to view everything from poodle-grooming, dry-fish stalls and furniture making to Fashion goods and handicrafts. Bangkok was preparing for Christmas...strange!!......I thought we'd left all that behind, but no, Weatern influence has turned this into a shoppers parsdise!!Pam bought some nice little casual tops for 39 baht(60p)!! Evening meal at an ultra-modern Paragon shopping centre in central Bangkok where one could buy anything, from a pair of Marks & Sparks socks to a Ferrari, rounded off the day(and what a day)!
Next day out to the Chao Phraya river(again by MRT..this time changing lines..cocky or what!?), to catch a 'river express up to Wat Po(the reclining Buddha) and then over the ferry to Wat Arun(Temple of Dawn). A visit to Lumphini Park on the way back for a little peace and respite and then back to our Hostel after evening meal.

Wednesday 5 December 2007

Phi Phi Don Thai.



Took a ferry boat out to this beautiful island to 'chill out ' for a day or two before the hectic experience that will no doubt be Bangkok. This was one of the islands worst affected by the Tsunami in Dec 2004, but it's testament to the spirit of the people and their hard work that there is very little evidence of that traumatic event today and they are indeed in a build and develop phase.


The island is beautiful and here as in Phuket we have found the Thai's to be lovely warm-hearted people, only too willing to help.


Not quite the hustle and bustle of Phuket, but still a general air of industry in a 'relaxed' sort of way.


Spent time soaking up the sun and sea and sampling the local Thai cookery.
Also had a Thai massage!!

Monday 3 December 2007

Phuket(Kata Beach) Thai.






A 7 hour flight to Singapore from Sydney, followed by a 1.5 hour flight from Singapore to Phuket, left us a little frazzled, so it was quite late when having haggled with a Taxi driver, we finally arrived at 'The Little Mermaid' accommodation in Kata Beach. I don't think either of us had realised when we booked it (courtesy Rough Guide Thailand), that it seemed mainly to be used by Scandinavian families and single males who were in Thailand looking for 'Thai Brides', but neverteless it was an extremely homely place and the staff were very kind and helpful.
Had a couple of days scouting around and beach- before visiting 'James Bond Island' in the Phang Nga National Park..a beautiful island which featured in 'The Man with the Golden Gun'(must watch it again now!). Talking of James Bond..is that Ursula Andress or what??? (I know...wrong film!!!)

We've both been impressed with the Thai's attitude to business and their ability to organise..they could certainly teach us 'Brits' a thing or two about thoroughness and customer satisfaction.

Rather blotted my 'copy-book' when I forgot to put enough cash in my wallet for the day and then came to pay for a lunch we'd just consumed!! Imagine our embarrassment!! However, it was 'no problem' to the Thais . The deputy manager of the Hotel just told me to hop on the back of his motorbike and whizzed me back to our hotel(about 4 miles) to pick up some more cash!! Imagine that happening in England!!




Sydney Aus.(return)



After our sojourn to the Blue Mountains, a return to Sydney, to finish off our time in Australia at a more luxurious hostel, seemed like a good idea...and so it proved!!
A visit to Hyde Park Barracks(yes, I know it sounds familiar to those of you in the UK ......but who said Aussies are original??) was extremely interesting, as they have a complete history of all the "criminals" deported there during the 1800's and details of their crimes along with the specifics of living conditions and punishments incurred whilst they were incarcerated. Most of them were only 'petty criminals' and some were deported because they were political or religious threats to the government of the time(nothing changes....)!
Lots of Irish Catholics were banished from the Kingdom, so I felt quite at home!!!

Pam tried out the sleeping accommodation....but I think I prefer a double bed personally!

Our last evening was spent at the Opera House with Dionne Warwick and boy did she put on a show!! I guess she must be in her 60's or even early 70's, but she had so much vitality and a real zest for life as well as a great voice still....we both thoroughly enjoyed the performance.