http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/UNDERWAY/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from UNDERWAY en-us Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:00:59 +0000 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:00:59 +0000 Dear Readers We have decided to pull the plug on this adventure. We have never been on a trip of this duration and find it has been hard being away from our home and our friends local news cooler weather and furthermore living out of a suitcase from day to day has been trying as well. We are ending this adventure knowing we can take off at the spur of the moment for anywhere in the world and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-284939.html Dear Readers we have been to Thailand many times over the last twenty years primarily in the southern part including Bangkok and the islands. We Have seen many beautiful things in the south but in all honesty nothing beats northern Thailand. The green mountainous geography here is truely amazing. The food basket of Thailand is located here with fresh fruit and vegetables available year round. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-280573.html Dear Readers We flew out of Luang Prabang on Lao Airlines for Chiang Mai Thailand at which point we hired a car and driver for transportation to Chiang Rai. The driver Pasa Ratananont had spent several years in California so spoke good English and turned out to be an excellent tour guide. If anyone is interested in a private sightseeing tour call him at 0818840771 or email at pasaratahot http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Mae-Sai/blog-279515.html Dear Readers here are some photos that we have not been able to download until now. These photos start out in Hanoi to Vientiane and then into Luang Prabang where we are presently. There are many reasons why pictures have not been downloaded some of which are old computers computer availability power outages planned and unplanned and just plain slow download times right Paul. Today M http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Luang-Prabang/blog-277177.html Dear Readers here we are at another computer without a USB port to download pictures so words is all you get for now. We left Halong Bay Vietnam for Hanoi four days ago and spent a great evening in Hanoi. Prior to coming on our trip Jim had been reading travel blogs on the internet and was specifically taken to a woman and her boyfriend who were from England and traveling in Central America. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/West/Vientiane/blog-276417.html Dear Readers today we went on a tour boat to see HaLong Bay. The boat is a typical junk style but with all the standing rigging just there for show. We had the boat to ourselves which was nice. HaLong bay is a very large area and fairly shallow. There are many caves on the islands of which there are over 2000. Any where from the size of a car to many many acres. Our boat stopped a two location http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Hanoi/blog-274447.html Dear Readers We finally have access to a PC with a USB port so we can download pictures of Nha Trang. We are now in Ha Long Bay at the Halong Plaza Hotel. Hope you enjoy our pictures. We will write more later about Ha Long Bay as this is our first day here. Am looking forward to hooking up with Claire Hall Soul Cultivator who is an excellent travel blog writer from England. Jim has been follo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/South-Central-Coast/Nha-Trang/blog-274015.html Dear Readers We are in Nha Trang which has proven to be one of Viet Nam's best kept secrets. Our nephew Danny and sister Denee had mentioned this was a good place to come and they were right on target. Yesterday we went to an island via cable car over the water. It is reported to be the longest cable car over salt water. We went to a park called Vinpearl Land. Danny was right when he said it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/South-Central-Coast/Nha-Trang/blog-272736.html Dear Readers Today and yesterday was a National Holiday in Viet Nam Liberation and reunification of South and North Viet Nam. The holiday has been in existance since 1975 when the US pulled out of Saigon and the North took over the South. The flags flying are either the hammer and sickle on red or yellow star on red.Went shopping today for items that might be harder to find as we get to the i http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/Cu-Chi/blog-271839.html Dear readers here we are in Saigon. Last time Jim was here was 43 years ago. Never actually made it into Saigon City. Nearest he got was a mail run into Danang or a baseball game at Camron bay during a ships party. One of his great childhood friends Stan Grunstad was killed near here during the Viet Nam war. As we flew in over the city of Saigon many thoughts went through his head about so ma http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Can-Gio/blog-270855.html Dear Readers what an interesting past 24 hours weather wise. We have had extreme thunder and lightening storms along with torrental downpours high winds and high surf conditions. Will add pictures to show the weather.Am worrying about friends at home that we have not heard from you know who you are and we know where you are at. Our time on Samui is winding down and hopefully the weather tom http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-269503.html Dear Readers We ate dinner at the hotel last night and watched a very red moon rise over the ocean. The picture will not do it justice. Digital cameras do have some limits. Festival ballons are common here in the evenings. They are made of very thin paper and are approximately the size of a large garbage sack. They are heated and lighted by a wax ring that is wired to the structure so it works http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-268798.html Dear Friends and Family Yesterday we headed for Naton using the local songtau truck Taxi. Regular taxis are 400 baht where the songtau is 60 baht per person. Naton is a lot like we remembered from 16 years ago other than a new pier some more shops. Of course Ann headed for the nearest batik shops and purchased same. A couple of pieces were actually art work by the shop owner who also has a we http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-268002.html We have been on Koh Samui two full days now and are getting into the laid back life style. We have spent most of our time just setting in the sun and eating. Jim has found curry to be hot and spicy and one of his favorites. The fruit drinks here are wonderful and we have them at most meals. They consist of pineapple juice coconut banana mango andor cranberry juice. Some have yogurt while oth http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-267321.html Dear readers when we first got here we met a monk by the taxi que at the front door of the hotel. He was wearing an orange sarong type gown which is common for monks in this area. Since he was queing for a taxi as were we we asked him if we could drop him along the way. He bowed and shook Jim's hand and said you have a face like an archbishop. So being who he is he decided to run with it an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-266561.html Hello everyone Sunday was a big day for Songkran. We hired a taxi in the morning to take us to the Kaosan area. We decided not to get out but had the driver take us around the various streets to see the activities. There were a lot of police and a few paddy wagons. We saw a small parade with one float a band and several vintage cars. After this the taxi driver took us around to other parts of http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-266217.html Hi everyone today on a whim we took a taxi out to Khohsan road for laughs and giggles. While there a procession of floats bands and a car show went by. Took many photos from inside the taxi due to a fear of being drowned by the large amounts of water being tossed around by buckets and squirt guns. Some pick up trucks even had large tanks with engine driven pumps and hoses for wetting down the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-265881.html Today is the beginning of the Thai new year Songkran otherwise known as a countrywide water fight. This is a 3 day event and is a government holiday. I'm sure by the end of the holiday we will have been drenched many times. Yesterday Friday we did several modes of local transportation. We wanted to go out to a large shopping center called the Paragon Center which required using the Sky Train. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-265520.html Dear Readers Yesterday was interesting in that we found a new market . We got some new reader glasses which were inexpensive. This was a market for locals and much different than the markets that you find for tourists. We ate gelato from a little stall that was delicious and cooling. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a massage shop so Jim could get a foot massage and I got new polish on http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-265209.html Today we finally made some plans for the next few weeks. We went to a Travel Information of Thailand agency to get started on our Visas for Viet Nam Laos Cambodia and Burma. While waiting for those we will be flying to Koh Samui on the 15th of April and will stay until the 25th. This should give us plenty of time to climatize. When we get back to Bangkok we will pick up our visas and head for http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Samui/blog-264591.html