http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Michelle-and-Terry/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Michelle and Terry en-us Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:27:33 +0000 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:27:33 +0000 Our bus trip to Siem Reap the nearest town to Angkor Wat cost 6 each for an aircon bus. We were pleased to sit with a family from Chichester who had paid 11 for same trip they were not so pleased.Half way we stopped for a 20 minutes break where some young girls had rubber spiders on their shirts. They looked really lifelike although big until we saw them move. Within 2 minutes Terry h http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Angkor/blog-465325.html We were settled in the 75 per night Almond Hotel for that money it should be good and it was. After we had unpacked a few things we showered and went out for a meal. It hit us right away this was not Vietnam as prices had nearly doubled. We had a nice meal though and decided next day to go to the exschool and Pol Potrsquos torture prison known as S21.A tuk tuk took us for 2 and waited http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-464576.html We were advised on Tripadvisor to use Sinh Cafe for our trip up the Mekong Delta. We asked what their trip was and it was explained to us 3 Day 2 Night TripDay One have a motorised boat ride to enjoy a view of Cai Be floating market walk around to see rice making rice crispies producing process by longtail boat to restaurant for Vietnamese lunch including tropical fruits and enjoy Vietname http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Mekong-River-Delta/blog-463912.html Saigon is more prosperous than Hanoi. There are more tourists and nicer buildings the Americans devastated Hanoi. We went to the shocking war museums showing the lasting devastation done by Agent Orange and such like and to recover we again walked the whole city centre.A half day trip took us to the Cu Chi tunnels where the Vietnamese tunnelled a total of 250 kilometres. At the beginning is a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-463523.html We arrived in Vietnam knowing that we had a one hour drive to Hanoi. We soon found a taxi and negotiated a 10 fare to our chosen hotel The Hanoi Guesthouse. There were roadworks and we arrived in the centre after 75 minutes. It is scruffy dirty and noisy maybe we should just go back to the airport. First stop Hotel Omega no we want Hanoi Guesthouse. ldquoSame Samerdquo as we hav http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Hanoi/blog-461837.html We had been concerned about how to get a slow boat down the river. The Thais said boats went from their side we should be there at 8.00 the next morning and pay them the 4 to go down the river including getting a Laos visa. All untrue The guidebooks are not clear and when you arrive at the river on the Thai side there are many fellow travellers hanging round confused and asking each other d http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-460781.html It is 12 years since we have been to Thailand and maybe we have a rosy coloured view of how nice it and its people are. We taxied to a stop in our beautiful and massive Airbus A380 and the man driving the catering truck raised it to our level. He saw us both through the window and gave out a beaming smile and waved. Welcome back to Thailand.Ninety minutes to clear Immigration and we were soon http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-460061.html We arrived in Dubai at 100am but our taxi driver could not find our hotel and we had to drive around a bit until we were welcomed at about 2.00am.Next morning we went for a walk round and found that although Dubai was very modern it is more like India than an Arab country indeed Arabs are hard to see amongst all the Asians that do the work. 90 of the people on the street are Asian and also 90 http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-458362.html MISTAKESWe should have gone at a different time of the year when we could have missed much of the rainy season.Ten days on New Zealand South Island was not enough.Thirty five days in Fiji was too long.HIGHLIGHTSInevitably we will be asked what was the highlight of our trip. Well they were Hong Kong Hot humid dirty loud but we loved it.Australia Best beaches and the people we http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/blog-370429.html Our first shock on arrival in Los Angeles was changing money as the exchange rate was 1.21 to the pound far less than when we were here last and far less then we had budgeted for.We only had two days in Los Angeles but luckily we spent it wisely. We arranged a full day sightseeing bus tour which took us round all the sights and we had them described by an excellent tour guide who entertained u http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/blog-369998.html Rarotonga is probably the most idyllic place we have ever been. The whole island except the north has a continuous glorious beach and beautiful lagoon.The lagoon is great for swimming although snorkelling was a disappointment. Much of the coral is dead and therefore there is not the amount nor variation of fish that can be seen on other islands. The best snorkelling we found was on the s http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Cook-Islands/Rarotonga/blog-366447.html Since our last blog regarding the Cross Island Trek two Americans have been lost whilst doing the crossing. A 30 strong mountain rescue team were called out and the Americans were found huddled together at 8.00 am the next day.Next door to us we have had a Czeckoslovak couple Jerry and Daniela. Jerry is a civil engineer and Daniela an aneesth aneasph a doctor who puts you to sleep. They hav http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Cook-Islands/Rarotonga/blog-365836.html Wednesday was very hot and we went looking for a good place to snorkel. We stopped for a while at one beach then drove around and into town for some shopping. Terry who considers himself a world expert on putting sunscreen on had forgotten his lips and the bottom of his nose. The result was that he had blisters all over and he had trouble eating and drinking.Next morning the weather was cloud http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Cook-Islands/Rarotonga/blog-362550.html Happy New Year to everyone. We are sorry if anyone sent us a text but the Cook Islands does not have ANY mobile coverage for modern mobiles.At Auckland airport we bit the bullet and paid 100 pounds for a small Nikon camera. We decided that in the whole scheme of things 100 pounds was not a large amount and we should have better photos even under water ones.We came through customs in Rarotonga http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Cook-Islands/Rarotonga/blog-360473.html We enjoyed and will never forget Fiji. The locals were so friendly and this appeared to rub of on our fellow travellers who were by far the friendliest we have met and we found many who we now call friends.On the Yasawa Islands there were beautiful beaches super snorkling and fab food. However we were there too long. All the resorts include compulsary food packages anyway there are no shops http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/blog-358418.html Coming back to the main island and Nadi was like returning home. Shops buses and restaurants. We had not seen any of these for nearly 4 weeks.Next day we had decided to catch the bus into town to try to get the camera repaired. Whilst waiting at the bus stop a girl came running up waving It wass Anja who we mentioned in our last blog. This was the 3rd time we had met each other on 3 differen http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-358104.html Arriving at Octopus is like a different world after the indifferent Otto Fanny's and the nice Manatary this was luxury. Our bure had a wardrobe chairs and a large ensuite. We have not paid the extra for a beach bure so again we were 10 metres from the beach. A choice of 10 meals at dinner lunch and evening at more at tea dinner a swimming pool film nights beautiful beach and more ma http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-356575.html We dedicate this blog entry to our good friends Mick Di who were peacefully travelling around India happened to be in Mumbai at the wrong time and received bad injuries which means as we write this Mick is still in hospital. Mick Di from our friends and travellers everywhere we hope you both recover well.The Yasawa Flyer island hopper boat is not particlarly cheap but well organised. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-356565.html So by seaplane did we set off for Yasawa Islands and the resort of Otto and Fanny's. We were joined on the plane by a charming couple Gary and Louise. Gary is a banker and they are both from London but living in Sydney where they have gone to work for 4 years.It was a nice day we were all excited as we had a 21 years old Canadian pilot who looked only 14 and that he should have been doing his http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-351985.html Bula from FijiWe had arranged a hotel Sandalwood Lodge in Nadi for the first 3 nights and it was fine.The people here are unbelievably friendly. Road workmen shout Bula to us from the other side of the road and are even more friendly when they find out we are from The Mother Country. By the time we had been here 24 hours we had been invited to 2 homes for Christmas.However our destinati http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-349211.html