Advertisement
Published: December 21st 2007
Edit Blog Post
Now it's been too long again since I last wrote here. Have to much things I want to write about but it would seriosuly take forever. If you think of what happens during a year at home, you get what happens during one day when you're out travelling. Crazy.
Last time I wrote was on Hainan, China, just before my birthday. Had a really nice time the last days there. Me and Jack went out surfing two days with two American guys, an Aussie, Aron (a swedish guy I met first on the train to Irkutsk, then on Ohlkon Island, then on a train again, then in Mongolia, again in Beijing and now here.. have been saying good bye to eachother at least 5 times). The surf teacher was a guy from California who had had this 'Srufing Hainan' for only 6 months. Was so much fun to surf again! The weather wasn't the best, ckloudy and windy so it was pretty rough conditions for a beginner as I am. But I did pretty well I think. Kerry, one of the Americans, tried to jump out of a cliff to get out to a good breaking point, but jumped at
the wrong time and was smashed against the rocks by a wave, got the leash wraped around this neck and cut his foot very bad. Could have gone much worse though.
After the first day of surfing we all + some others, went out for dinner and then had some beers on the beach but went to bed farly early. My body was so bruised and sore after the day. i really looked like I had been beaten up.
Next day more surfing but after half the day I had to give in. My knees was so bruised and swollen and so were my hips. Have to work on my echnique to stand up on the board a little..
Woke up the next day and it was my birthday. Kerry had arrived that night and it was good fun to see her again. Didn't do much really during the day. Just tha beach and McDonalds. In the evening I had birthday dinner at a restaurant. Had managed to made a few new friends on my stay there was 16 of us. Fun! After dinner, beer on the beach. Was a good relaxed birthday with some great people.
Two days later we left for Vietnam, Kerry, Jack, Johan (swedish guy) and I. Took about 30 hours including taxi rides, rickshaw rides, many different busses and a ferry before we finally got to Hanoi. Stayed at a really cool hostel. We got there just in time for happy hour though and after a long journey without proper food.. At 8 (pm..) me and Jack decided to go out in the labyrinth of streets in Hanoi's old quarter, to look for food. Found food but not really our way back to the hostel..
Hanoi was crazy. Crossing a road is a danger for you life because of all the motorbikes. My technique of crossing roads, close my eyes, rund, and hope for the best, didn't work here at all. You just have to go out really slowly and hope that the motorbikes goes around you instead of on you. After a few days I must say I was really good at it!
Met some of Johan's Sweidsh friends, Lovisa and Chatrin, and some others that we hanged out with. Didn't do much the first day apart from looking around, went to a few museums and had alot
of Bir Hoi (the daily fresh made beer for 1 kr per glass). You sit on plastic baby chairs (they love them here in Asia) in the middle of the streets with the cars and motorbikes beepeing behind you (they do love beeping as well..).
After a few days in Hanoi all of us apart from Jack, went out to Halong Bay on a over nuight boat trip. Is a really nice place. Had pretty good food, did some kayaking, saw soem caves and nice scenery before getting back to busy Hanoi.
Last night was Johan's birthday and the end of my travlling with Jack (His family was comming down for christams). Jack and I wenat out for a really good meal and was then gonna meet up with the others to celebrate Johan. Found a happy hour bar and a pool table so when I got back to the hostel the others was ready for a night out and I was ready for bed.
Had to go up early the next day to catch my train to Ninh Binh, 2 hours south. My ticket was 2 USD and that included a big meal on the train.
Like Vietnam.
Ninh Binh was a weird place with no people. The town is really small and boring but has some nice nature around it. Manage to find a few other backpackers and went out to a national park. Went in to many caves and did a 3 hours trekk around the park. Really nice. Just stayed in Ninh Binh 1 night though before me and Ameli'e, a Canadian girl, went on the bus to Hue.
12 hours later we got to Hue which was a bit of dissapointment.. Supposed to be a really nice city but wasn't much to see or do. So just stayed one night before we went to Hoi An. In Hue I ran into Cathrin and she was also on the bus the next day. She, I and Amelie are now sharing a hotel room here in Hoi An for only 5 USD each per night. Is a nice hotel with swimming pool, breakfast buffet and new towels every day!! Not what you get very often as a backpacker.
The frist night here me and Cathrin went out for a nice dinner and even had a bottle of Vina Maipo. 5 dishes
and the bottle of wine for less than 10 USD each. (Are starting to get so stingy here, if food costs more than 20 000 dong I will most likly not order it. 20 000 dong is less than 1.5 USD..)
Yesterday it was raingin in the morning but rented some bikes anyway. Just as we got to the beach, 4 km away, it become clear blu sky. Of corse we had to spend a few hours on the beach but since it was raining when we left we didn't have any sun tan lotion with us.. Not a great idea. Catrin was much worse than I though but my back.. I know mum, I should have learned from that time in Spain.
Have had 2 dressed made for me as well. Is aomsthing around 500 tailors in this small town so you can have everything you want made. the two dresses was just a start..
So christmas is comming up I've heard.. Won't be a big deal for me. An Australian couple I've met a few times will be here and so will Jack and his family but apart from that it will be a lonesome
christmas. Weird. But can't feel it anyway so no worries.
Have been out for two months now. Am actaully starting to get a little bit tired of the transport part of the travelling. Have really done Moscow to here overland and I can feel it.. Have a few long distance busses to go but then I will have a long flight.. I've changed my plans quite dramatically and booked a flight to AUSTRALIA!!! Three weeks from the 20th of January. Feels absolutely right even though it means I have to skip Thailand. So you Aussies reading this, I might come to see you soon 😊
Plans for the comming future will be christmas here in Hoi An and a few days after take a 26 hours bus ride to Vientianne in Loas. Will stay in Loas til the 19th of January and then fly to Kuala Lumpur to catch my flight to Gold Coast, Austrlia. At least those are the plans for now. Plans changes alot though so we'll see what happens.
Have a very merry christmas you all! Hope you'll have a really good one!
xx
Advertisement
Tot: 0.085s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 7; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0532s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Mamma och Maria W
non-member comment
liten julhälsning
Hej Johanna! Familjerna Ringkvist och Warne firar dan före dan tillsammans i Tärby. Vi saknar dig och Brita men hoppas ni har det riktigt bra, var och en på ert håll. Vi har nu ätit skinkan och musten och gröten. Ha det gott massor av kramar från oss.