Pre Dawn at Ankor. I buy a three day pass for $US40. It has my photograph embedded in it which means it will be a nice souvenier to take home as it cant be on-sold to someone else. An annoyance is the days are consecutive. I would have thought a three days pass where the days can be taken over five days or a week would be better for general business in Siem Reap. But a 3 consecutive day pass it is, and I hope I am not templed out by the end of Day 2. Inside the grounds I am [View Full Entry]

---

---

With nose pressed up against the bus window, the Laotion countryside glides past. The decision to take the bus rather the fly from Luang Prabang to Vientiane is correct. A ribbon of bitumen winds its way through the forested karst to Vangvieng. Karst is a topography where carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite or marble) have been dissolve by carbonated water resulting in a landscape consisted of steep gorges, sinkholes, disappearing and reappearing rivers and springs. Though is can be seen from the road that much of it has been cleared. Roadside villages consisting of a few thatched houses mounted on stilts are [View Full Entry]

---

---

Luang Prabang is small, small enough to see by meandering around on foot. Strolling along the Mekong towards Wat Xieng Thong, I am diverted by a riverside cafe selling banana fruit shakes. Been having a lot of these lately:) Located in the north of the historical area, where the River Khan enters the Mekong,is Wat Xieng Thong, built by King Settathirat in 1560. It can be entered from the banks of the Mekong. Directly in front is the Sim(main temple). Lower than its Thai counterpart it has a low sweeping three tiered roof. At its back is a glass mosaic encrusted [View Full Entry]

---

---

Leaving Chiang Klong in Thailand we cross the Mekong River into Laos landing at Ben Huay Sai. Here, any delusion of group travel held since leaving Changmai disintegrates. Its every person for themselves trying to get papers processed and passed through immigration. Through immigration I am whisked off to a cafe and told to stay. Half an hour later I am moved across the street to another cafe, and once again am told to wait. Maybe they were hoping I would buy something, maybe it was disorganisation. Finally I am shunted onto the slow boat to Luang Prabang. The boat, about [View Full Entry]

---

---

Arrived in Changmai on the last day of the Loy Krathong festival, which was a bitter sweet surprise. Sweet because of the parades and the girls dressed prettily in traditional customs, but bitter because of the fate of the Kom Tams. In Sukothai they appeared to rise, rise and rise all the way to the heavens. But here from the balcony of my hotel, I could see them, fuel spent, falling, drifting and finally hitting the ground to become ...GARBAGE:( Next day was a Buddist holiday which meant all the Wats were closed, really and truly, not some tuk-tuk drivers scam. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Arriving in Sukothai in time for the last two days, Saturday and Sunday, of the Loy Krathrong festival I consider myself most fortunate to acquire accommodation a kilometer from the historical park. Having never attending this festival before it seemed appropriate to see it here, where it first occurred over 600 years ago. Legend says that the first floating krathrong was placed by Noppomo, consort to King Loethai.The festival is now celebrated all over Thailand on the first full full moon of the 12th month of the traditional thai lunar calender. This means it falls in November, this year around the [View Full Entry]

---

---

Ayutthaya started in 1350, by 1372 it had displace Sukothai and the most powerful thail city. By 1440 it had become the most powerful city in south east asia after displace Ankor. capital of thailand for over 400 years until 1767 is located about 80kms north of Bangkok. It can be reached by road, boat or train. I chose the train. An air conditioned second class seat for 315baht taking 1.5 hours. As my guide book stated 2.5 hours I almost over shot my destination. While in transit a small bento style meal was served consisting of curried chicken, vegetables and [View Full Entry]

---

---

Bangkok's official name is "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit", though most thais are happy to stop at Krung Thep ie "City of Angels". The name Bangkok was the name of a pre-existing village. Meaning "Village of Wild Plums" it was not considered a suitable name for a new capital city. If you only visit one wat in Bangkok, it should be Wat Phra Kaew in the grounds of the Royal Palace. Home of the Emerald Budda, the most venerated image in Thailand, it is the [View Full Entry]

---

---

Having a window seat on the right hand side I could see the beaches on the western side of Phuket as the plane came in to land. On the ground finally at 3:30pm I was glad to be off the plane that I boarded at 8:00am in Perth. But before I could go to paradise they was the slow formally off immigration to endure. Journeying to Patong from the airport in a minibus took longer than I expected. This is because I mistakingly thought the airport was near Phuket Town rather the in the north of the island. The plane flies [View Full Entry]

---

---

I arrived to a grey drizzling London. Intially I had no idea of where I should head to but took a top deck bus and ended up in Victoria Station. Why I went there I dont really know, maybe I was guided by a hidden hand. But it seemed the right place to be, heaps of information about accomodation, tours, resturants and general London sites. Of course like most aussies I end up in a hostel in Earls Court. In an attempt to delay sleep until the London night I took a walk and ended up at Buckingham Palace. But as [View Full Entry]

---

---