Yes folks... i've been here for ages and i've told anyone what i'm upto! Sorry about that, especailly as i know how much you all miss my side-splitting anecdotes, tales of dynanism and philosopical musings on international culture, (like your own personal Michael Palin eh?) but to be honest, i can never be arsed. But no fear, i'll try to summarise the past month of my life in the remaining 15minutes of free computer i have left here at Brisbane library. Ok, so i spoke to you when i got to darwin (city of the past!), which i actually really liked! [View Full Entry]

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G'day Yes people, i am speaking to you live and direct from holiday part II - Australia. I will of course try to backtrack on the blog, but i thought as i've you know, sidled over to a whole new continent, i should write a brief note. And brief it shall be as one of the many difference between asia and australia is how BLOODY expensive this country seems now! I mean we've gone from spending 50p, maybe a pound every night on accomodation, to like 9 / 10 quid! Like real money!! Man alive... fags and booze are real prices [View Full Entry]

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Well ok, start at the start... we were menat to go straight to Hoi An, but actually got booted off the bus in Hue, which is pretty much just over the former border into the South. The more pleasant South i might add. Anyway, the bus stopped, we were told to get off, had a fag, tried to get back on like eveyone else, and were told 'er no, bus full, you'll have to wait here till the next one this afternoon'. Bastards. I guess having a break after 16 hours or something ridiculous on the bus is a good thing, [View Full Entry]

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Our next trip was an overnighter in sapa, which as it turns out is a phenominally beautiful; place up in the hills of Northern Vietnam. It started well... despite the negative reports from travellers about the night train up there, it seems they've ust had the cushiest holiday ever, as to us the beds on the rains were nothing short of luxury, and we had the best nights sleep we'd had in ages! Sweeeeeeet. Like all vietnamese it seems, the hill tribe folk have an astute business sense, and on our arrival a hoard of young girls were already waiting there, [View Full Entry]

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From Hanoi we went ona trip to Halong Bay, which loads of islands just sort of jutting out of nowhere. Very pretty. the trip was a bit of a joke though... we were meant to do a few hours kayaking,; we got 15 mins as the sun set. We were meaat to go for a swim and hang out round the beach; after much begging we got half hour from 6am, swimming round the boat. We tried to make the best of it though, thoguht we'd all haev a good night by bypassing the extortinate on boat drinks and buying some [View Full Entry]

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First impressions of 'NAM, i believe it is known amongst war heroes (hmmm), were somewhat mixed. I'd heard a few bad reviews, but tried to go with an open mind... We chose a tricky place to cross the border, entering at some tiny little town who's main purpose appeared to be ripping off any unfortunate tourists who passed through. After much confusion, we finally got someone to drive us to the next big-ish town for 10 dollars, where we might catch a bus to Hanoi.... trying to help (as it turned out but at the time, ooo we were mad!) the [View Full Entry]

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CRIKEY! have i really only writtten up to Laos? I've knocked through Vietnam and half of Cambodia since then. Ok lets summarise: Its been great, except i burnt my leg on a motorbike. Cést finnee (i don't even know if thats French - come on you English!) Alright, i'll try a touch more detail... After Vietiane we went to.... god it was so long ago... Vang Vieng! Ah how can i forget - TUBING! Yeh its brilliamt! For those who don't know, its renting a rubber tyre and floating down the river. Genius in itself, but there is the added pleasure [View Full Entry]

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Seriously, you would not imagine for a second Vientiane is a capital city. I mean compared to the rest of laos its a sprawling urban mass. compared to every other capital city i have ever seen, its a tranquil country retreat. And its probably only this "busy" because they recently got a new road to connect it to other 'cities' and everything! Apparently Japan has bought them their 2 new good roads. I have been telling everyone this so i hope its true... It was so laid back there, that actually the first thing we did upon finding a hostel was [View Full Entry]

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So yeh, Luang Prabang. Bit of background - Laos second city, UNESCO heritage sight, meant to be lovely. And it was! Off to a brilliant start... after scoring the limited comfy seats on the all day boat, we then suceeded in finding shell, got to watch Last KIng of Scotland and then, on the way home, igot the nicest chicken mayop salad and sweet chilli sauce baguette in the world, for about 50p. Beautiful. The next day we went to the wats and museums, as you do... nice as always, some brilliant murals of brightly coloured glass, of buddha's and wars [View Full Entry]

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So yeh, after our Muang Sing adventures, we attempted (note the choice of word) to get on our way to meet Shell in Luang Prabang. WE had made a plan to meet up on the saturday, judt as aback up in case normal forms of communication failed us. Which they did. unfortunately transport failed us as well, and instead of getting to the Mekong in pak beng where we would get the boat to Luang prabang, we ended up, after several increasingly painful journeys, in Muang Hong. which is pretty much nowhere. Stuck as we were we found a guesthouse with [View Full Entry]

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