2nd Month in S.E Asia

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THAILAND

Our second month in Asia started with a return trip to our least favourite place so far: Bangkok! We survived 3 more days, successfully saw the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the Snake Farm, markets and Lumphini Park, (which is mental we arrived at 6pm where the whole park stands still for the national anthem! Then everyone runs or joins a free Tài C'hi, Yoga or Aerobics class.)

After Bangkok we headed north to Chiang Mai an Awesome place made more special by Noland and Berm who own and run Santitham Guesthouse, the best accomodation we've had would recommend it a lot! In Chiang Mai I completed my level one Thai Massage Course, and Ben learnt to Moped like a Thai man! Additionally we saw the magnificent floral floats from the flower festival, got in a spot of Thai boxing, and had an experience at a temple of chanting monks with James a friend from home, a puncture, and the Thai Police!

LAOS

Then we entered Laos PDR, what a great country! The people are so friendly, no rip off merchants, and incredibly relaxed. We visited Luang Prabang and saw the awesome waterfalls and Pak ou caves, plus met some cool people i.e. Carole and Marie, whom we shared a guide with to the plain of jars in Phonsavan. Phonsavan is mind blowing not only does it have unexplained tonne weight jars of stone in sites on top of hills, but unexploded bombs (which we witnessed), and villages who melt the metal bomb casings down to turn them into cutlery!

From there we went tubing which involved sitting in a tractor tyre inner tube floating down a slow moving river for 3 hours! Plus we experienced the Friends bars that play 24 hr Friends episodes and serve great pizza. After Vang Vieng we headed south with a minor stop over in Vientiane to Tad Lo, in the Bolaven Plateau where we experienced our first ever elephant trek past the waterfalls and through Laos villages. Lastly in Laos we stopped in Don Det one of the 4000 islands initially in Mr Mans guesthouse as recommended by Justin and Kirsty. (nice photos guys! Justin you looked buff.) Don Det is tranquil very little electricity and again great waterfalls.

CAMBODIA

After Laos came Cambodia, where again we met up with James, and another friend Benny, in Siem Reap to see the fantastic Angkor Wat, we managed to complete the petit and grand circuits as well as see sunrise over Angkor Wat. Its pretty amazing as they are 4-6000 years old but there is only sooo many temples you can see! Especially when Tiger Draft is less than a dollar!

We are now in Phnom Penh and have just been to the S-21 museum and saw horrific photos of torture, which we imagine to be the tamer side, as well as the 80cm by 2m cells that housed 20 000 people with only 7 survivors from 1975-1979.

Just have to quickly mention to people who haven't already heard about our comical day yesterday. Two crashes in 5 mins. Firstly our Tuk Tuk driver slides on some dusty road and we go flying, although damage to us is minimal compared to his bike and Tuk Tuk. Then when we climb aboard a moto (Moped taxi driver) He lasts 5meters and we're off again. This time getting cuts and bruises to the legs and arms but nothing to serious!!!!!!!

For the next month we will finish off the sites of Phnom Penh, and move to Vietnam, only 9 weeks left!

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