This is my first entry, so Im gonna just write up my diary entries from now on, some of them are a bit rambling, so bear with me please. I will also try to backtrack all the previous entries when I get the time. Anyway, entry number 1: Day 19-Nong Khai to Vang Vieng Got an early-ish start today and headed to the Thai-Lao friendship bridge after my bacon and omelette farang( tourist ) special breakfast with the french couple. Leaving Thailand was an absolute doddle, passing customs, and taking a 20bht bus across the bridge. Immigration to Laos presented more [View Full Entry]

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Arrived into town at about 9.30am on the train, didn't get much sleep last night, mainly because egyptian train drivers don't know how to brake properly.Got a pick-up from the station to a hotel just around the corner, now I have a day to waste in Aswan. The tour organiser told me to go sleep, so I went done the road to a large 'hassle-free' market, saw far too may pasty white faces for my liking, so didn't stay long.I am beginning to think that due to the wealth of amazing historical monuments in Egypt the egyptians are undermining their other [View Full Entry]

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Had a lie-in today, felt I deserved it. After finally waking myself up, I went back towards Islamic Cairo and ventured further in to see more of the mosques and to graze at the street vendor stalls. wandered about for about 3hrs beforeheading back to the hostel. When I returned, some of the other backpackers were up and planning to go out to coptic Cairo for a bit (I went along 'cos hopefully the buildings would be open this time.) Was v. interesting to actually get inside the myriad churches and garden spaces, either christian, Jewish or Greek Orthodox. Many photos [View Full Entry]

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Another early start at 9am to Giza Plains, taxi drive was uneventful except for three near fatal collisions, thankfully none of them my driver's fault. Arriving at Giza, immediately accosted upon entering the site by would-be guides and those offering extortionistic camel rides. Have to tell literally dozens of hasslers about my undying hatred of the humped creatures, p.s. I hate camels. It seems everyone here is trying to sell you something, and if they can't they're trying to find something to sell. After seeing the admittedly very impressive pyramids and Sphinx, I continued onto Sakkara to [View Full Entry]

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Up early (8am) to sort out booking for some tours and secure the room for another couple of nights, gonna stay in the city for a little while, then go to Aswan and Luxor in the south. Got bored hanging about in the hostel so walked over the river Nile and Egyptian Museum, taking my life into my own hands every time I cross the road. The museum is massive and badly organised, kinda like a warehouse, but well worth it. The heat got up to 38 degrees c at noon, so back to the hostel for siesta. starting to understand [View Full Entry]

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Fully packed and with a little trepidation, headed to the airport, my mother was quite restrained until her teary meltdown. The plane was lightly filled, the most interesting passenger was the hysterical illegal immigrant at the back being deported in handcuffs. Saw half of Terminator Salvation, before the entertainment system broke down and I was reduced to reading the in-flight magazine over and over. Felt like a bit of a mug for being conned by the old overpriced taxi from the airport wheeze, but it was late (2am) and I was tired. Hostel seems comfy, air-conned and pleasant. [View Full Entry]

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