And so we made our way to the prize at the end of our journey, the great Angkor temples in Siem Reap. We got there for sun rise, and as the Angkor Wat loomed out of the blushing skies in front of us, we knew we were in for a mystical journey that no other temple in Asia could match. After admiring the Angkor Wat from outside as it raised its sleepy head from darkness and looked at itself once more in the still lily covered moat, we entered inside to relish in the 12th century capital of the country and [View Full Entry]

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Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City as its official name, is a city with a lot of bloody history which we took in when we visited the various war-time sites around the area. First we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels, 45 miles south east of Saigon, which is a huge 75 mile network of underground tunnels that the communist villagers and Viet Cong used during the war with America and the South of Vietnam. As we entered the shady woods we first notice the ear piercing drills of the AK47s rattling off in the distance as visitors try their hand [View Full Entry]

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Finally pulling ourselves away from the fruit shakes, beating drums and the even friendlier most amazing Vietnamese people yet in Hoi An, we continued South to Nha Trang. This is a coastal town with a winding 6km beautiful beach dotted with coconut trees, amazing food, warm turquoise trees, tiny islands and a laid back traveller/tourist scene. We went to an amazing bar where their aim was to get rid of child trafficking and prostitution called Crazy Kim's, if you ever visit Nha Trangs go here - but be warned the staff are actually crazy. Our travels for the next few days [View Full Entry]

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And at last we enter the country we have most been looking forward to, the resilient and beautiful Vietnam. After a LOT of faffing at immigration control at the border from Laos, we finally made it in. The first thing I notice about Vietnam compared to Laos is the amount of people - everywhere I look, working away in the rice paddies or scooting past on the country's vehicle of choice, motorbikes, the population appears much larger. And everyone is doing something. Busy busy busy. Once off the bus instead of tuk tuk drivers, we are swarmed with motorbike drivers who [View Full Entry]

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After long, hot and tiring but a very very fun day of bike riding in the countryside and local markets of Luang Prubang, talking with local teenagers to improve their English at the Big Brother Mouse book publishing place and waking up at 5am to give alms to the young monks, (basically we kneel before the precession and place breakfasts of balls of sticky rice and bananas in their baskets as they march past), we headed south to Vang Vieng. We knew from hearing other people's tales that this was the tourism capital of Laos so were a bit apprehensive about [View Full Entry]

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With the arrival of Fle fresh from building horse jumps in Hong Kong for the Olympics, we all had a couple of hectic and then pampering days in Bangkok before lovely Laura flew home. (Thank you for the best three weeks!) We all had amazing seaweed and cucumber facials.. yep including mister Fle... and Thai massages in which my body was violently twisted into shapes I did not know I could pull. I did feel like I was floating afterwards though so it must have been good for me! Laura kindly shipped a load of new dresses and gifts back with [View Full Entry]

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After a quick nap to make up for the sticky overnight train ride we get straight on a private boat ride, steered by a cute Thai emo: And we floated down Chiang Mai's tranquil Mai Ping river. This way we get a good idea of the different buildings, fishermen and trees that make up the city... Here is Laura on the boat doing her tourist face. We stoped off at a herb farm where we get fre [View Full Entry]

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Still smothered in sunshine and the most beautiful sandy beaches we headed to Koh Phangan, where we happened to stumble upon the most gorgeous beach hut resort called Sea Sun Set north of the port. Although this was not where everyone else was headed we had our own secluded beach and the most wonderful family who looked after us and fed us with the most amazing food ever! This is what we see, every day. [img=http://photos-e.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v297/23 [View Full Entry]

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BE WARNED: This may make you jealous, I am pretty much on a three week five star holiday now! Arriving in Bangkok for my first stop in Thailand was a good start for my tour of south east asia, as it is very tourist orientated with seemingly more white people than Thai! But this was a nice safety net coming from India, as I wasn't afraid to eat out and have my first actual Thai green curry alone. Bangkok was much cleaner, quieter and modern than i had been told by people, but then maybe this i [View Full Entry]

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First I should probably apologise for not saying I was ok in the last blog, after the bombs went off around Bangalore. I am ok! They were only small. And they happen all over the world. Some volunteer's parents bought air tickets for them to go home early, but mine wisely were not too worried. Terrorists want you to live in fear, and you shouldn't change your plans or be frightened because then they have won. And it was pretty unlikely that more would go off near by once they had stopped. Sadly one person died though, and the bombs have [View Full Entry]

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