Tim 88888

Malaysia Flew from Bangkok to KL which is quite a short flight but it was recommended to fly rather than crossing the Thai/Malay border overland due to unrest and threats of terrorism. In the end I met a number of people that had travelled that way without a problem. I had originally planned on staying in KL for New Year but found that the options in the city were quite limited and expensive. So meeting up with someone from a previous tour decided to go to the Island of Lankawi. Although not a touch on some of the Thai islands it was a good place to be for a few days. New Years eve was spent touring around the island on mopeds, taking a cable car to one of the highest view points on the island ... read more

Laos Leaving Vietnam was straight forward with the slightly disrevelled passport but the country which I thought would be straight forward was Laos. This was not the case. All the group passed through the border relatively quickly and I was left in a corridor while detailed conversations were going on between the tour guide and the border staff. The guide later explained to me that they weren't happy and wanted to send me back to Vietnam but after further discussion I would be allowed into the country but had to get a new passport otherwise I wouldn't be able to leave!! Laos has been described as what Thailand was like 50 years ago and the scenery easily eclipses that of Cambodia and Vietnam. Laos was also bought into the Vietnam war when the NVA moved into ... read more

The tour group met in Bangkok for a 41 day tour around Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The first day involved crossing the border from Thailand and straight away you could see a marked contrast. Cambodia reminded me very much of Africa with its wooden houses and pot holed, muddy roads. Although this isn't typical of Cambodia and it has been suggested that the airlines are opposed to their tarmacking to encourage more air travel. The first city was Siem Reap which has quickly developed into a major tourist stop servicing travellers to Angkor Wat. We had a very early start to catch Angkor Wat at sun rise, although now a veteran of temples this was one of the most impressive. The day continued with more temples and we visited Preah Khan which is the much viewed ... read more

Hong Kong Island Is as impressive as the photos, with sky high tower blocks and offices crammed onto the small island. The streets are busy particularly during the holidays when all the people all seem to rush out to the designer shops. It is an expensive place which is why travelers don’t stop there very long and a beer in some bars can cost up to 7 pounds. The accommodation is also pricey and money that would normally get you a good mid range room only gives you a box in which you can literally touch all the walls from one spot. The city also has a very good ferry service which takes you to the outlying islands which many of the wealthy people live on and commute by boat onto the island. Hong Kong was ... read more

I almost didn't go to Nepal as I had read that during Monsoon it rains twenty four days in the month of August and I wasn't keen on a drenching but someone from the Africa trip was there and said it wasn't too bad. I am glad I did!! Apart from the touristy areas in Kathmandu, Nepal is a lot more laid back and the people are abit more subtle than India. The city centre area of Thamel is made up of lots of narrow roads lined with souvenir shops, hotels, internet café’s but if you walk for 5-10 minutes all of a sudden you come across old temples and local markets. Very similar to other cities there are lots of touts and on the first day I was inundated with offers of visits to various ... read more