http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Robbie-and-Suezy-Cointreau/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Robbie and Suezy Cointreau en-us Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:08:17 +0000 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:08:17 +0000 When it was time to leave Vietnam we were a little sad to be leaving. The people had been so kind to us and we'd been ballroom dancing with a local lady as well as to a birthday party with the family we were staying with. We were quit excited though about what would be round the next corner and Singapore was completely different to anywhere we'd been When we first arrived we felt as thoug http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Singapore/Geylang/blog-450929.html We decided to get a bus to Mui Ne from Saigon in order to see Old Greg who we'd met in Chiang Mai. The bus only took four hours to get there and as we came towards the coast and caught a glimpse of the clear blue sea we were definitely happy that we'd made the effort to go. Mui Ne itself is a beach resort and apparently the kite surfing capital of South East Asia. For that reason there seeme http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Mui-Ne/blog-448577.html Saigon City was a really hectic city and in many ways it was how we'd both imagined it would be. It seemed a contrasting mix of old and new ladies in traditional Vietnamese hats selling things on bikes and ultra modern glass buildings. We found at first the people to be less friendly than Cambodia but still in most cases extremely polite. We had to work really hard in oder to get conversati http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-446587.html We were really sad to leave the Happy Guest House. Since wed been there for so long it had become like a second home The bus to Phnom Penh was really posh and we were both pleasantly surprised that we were the only Westerners on it. The scenery that we passed on the roadside was pretty crazy. All of the landscape was really flat and water logged which is quite possibly why it is called the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-446004.html Since arriving in Cambodia we'd felt really touched and overwhelmed by everyone we'd met and as such decided that we wanted to really get involved with something while we were here. We stumbled across a flyer for Cambodia Orphan Fund in a restaurant checked them out on the Internet and decided that we should volunteer with them. On our first day we met up with the other volunteers and they http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Siem-Reap/blog-444570.html After spending the last few months in Thailand we were definitely ready for some new challenges although we were both pretty sad to be saying goodbye to Little Suze and Justin.The bus that we caught from Bangkok to the border went without any hitches and seemed to be over before we knew it. Once at the border we had to fill in three separate forms but there were a few English speaking people http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-439996.html After taking Suzie back to Bangkok to catch her flight I met up with Robbie and Justin at Ko PhaNgan. We decided to go to a Full Moon Party while we were there as it would have been rude not to It was pretty crazy the beach was full of people partying and it was a good thing to see. The tunes were a bit ropey but the atmosphere was good and all of the people that we met were pretty cool. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Pha-Ngan/blog-435374.html Since coming to Thailand we have had no shortage of stunning beaches and as the boat drew closer to Ko Phi Phi Don we were not disappointed It was simply stunning. We found some really cheap bamboo huts to stay on that were on the beach. They were in the process of being rebuilt still since the Tsunami which the owner explained had devastated the area. The following day Suzie Justin and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Phi-Phi/blog-435373.html As soon as we arrived in the airport we ran into the two Australian girls Megan and Tiffany who we'd been in the Bollywood film with in Mumbai. As far as coincidences go to be getting the same flight was pretty amazing and we were all really buzzing off it. Megan and Tif were also telling us about there experiences in Sri Lanka and the stories that they'd heard from people about the aftermat http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Wilayah-Persekutuan/Kuala-Lumpur/blog-435372.html When we went to Phuket the rain came as well. The heavy downpours actually caused flooding on the journey there. We decided to stay in Phuket town and we were really pleased to see how Thai it was as we hadn't exactly heard good things about Phuket from other travellers We decided to go to the cheapest guest house in the book for a room and we really surprised when we booked in to it that i http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Phuket/blog-435371.html The journey to Krabi was really pleasant and we were all really well looked after with lots of space for Suzie to put her leg up. Krabi town itself seemed really Thai which was good after Ko Samui and all the locals were really friendly. Suzie and Justin made good friends with a boat man called Puk who introduced them to his whole family. The food was also extremely cheap and delicious Whil http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Krabi/blog-435370.html We all decided to head over to Ko Samui as we'd all heard really good things about the island. When we arrived we found that the people were all amazingly friendly and things were a little cheaper but in general the feeling of being in absolute paradise was gone. After looking at some guide books we'd decided that Hat Chaweng was a good option but when we arrived there were more Westerners http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-435369.html As Suzie needed some rest and re cooperation we decided to go straight down south to some beach resorts in order for us to have a chill with our feet up. We were made comfortable by ldquoFrankrdquo on the train who was one of the cheeriest and campest characters that we have met in Thailand to date and that is saying a lot The train journey was over almost as quickly as it had begun and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tao/blog-435367.html After a few days rest in Kanchanaburi Suzie's foot didn't seem much better and so we immediately went to the hospital in Bangkok to put our minds at rest that it was only twisted. Unfortunately the xrays revealed that the heal was fractured in two places We were all really shocked but it wasn't the end of the world and Suzie had a pink cast fitted and was sorted out with some crutches. I http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-435365.html Meeting Suzie at the airport went without a hitch and we were all really excited to see one another and to be in Thailand together. The journey to Kanchanaburi only took three hours which was a good job as the bus stunk to high heaven As soon as we arrived we had some lunch by the River Kwai and checked into a hostel called the Jolly Frog. After this we hired some push bikes and had a look http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Chanthaburi/blog-435362.html Coming back through the Laos border back to Thailand was pain free especially compared to how it had been crossing into Laos. When we crossed the Friendship Bridge the bus simply started driving on the other side of the road. It didn't really feel too much like crossing a border We arrived in Bangkok early and had to wait around from five o'clock to book into a guest house. This wasn't an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-435358.html The next morning we were both still a little sore from the tubing but we decided to get the public bus to Vientiane. This was the best move that we could have made as the local bus was full of local characters and was a bit of a clapped out shell of a bus. The journey took twice as long as expected and it was really noisy as well as being really uncomfortable. It was still our favourite jou http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vientiane/blog-435357.html In the minibus to Vang Viang we were all pretty squashed. As fourteen of us were squeezed into the back we all got to know each other quite well quite quickly Our first impressions of Vang Viang were not that good. The backdrop of the mountains and the river were stunning but the town itself seemed completely geared towards tourism a bit cheesy and felt a bit empty We were a bit concern http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vang-Vieng/blog-427765.html Initially we saw Louang Prabang as sleepy and untouched and really pretty. The Kip was still proving a little tricky as well. The guest house where we decided to stay was a proper family run sort of a place and it was nice that the kids woke us up in the morning but it made me miss my nieces and nephews even more The night market was really cool as well but the haggling was more tricky her http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-427237.html The night bus that we took from Pai to Chiang Khong was pretty harsh on our stomachs partly down to the Sangsom we'd drunk the night before with Greg and worsened by the bus constantly flying up and down hills and lurching around corners. As soon as we did arrive we were ushered to some rooms for 3 hours sleep before being woken abruptly and quickly ushered to the immigration point. We had t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Ban-Houayxay/blog-427235.html