http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/charmedgirl/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from charmedgirl en-us Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:00:30 +0000 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:00:30 +0000 After saying a sad goodbye to Lloyd I headed back into Bangkok where I managed to get some cheap accomodation. The next day it was off to the Vietnam embassy first thing to try to sort my visa. Thankfully they were very nice and efficient and I managed to pick it up that afternoon. I risked heading straight for the airport where I managed to get on the same flight only a day lateIt was great to b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-443759.html After a muddle at the airport I finally managed to see Lloyd Not only excited to see him but to get a beautiful bracelet off him for my birthday and a couple of emergency chocolate packages courtesy of Mum and Em. We spent the next 3 days exploring Bangkok. I had been really good before he arrived and not done any sight seeing so it was new to both of us. Our hotel was not far from Koasan Roa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-443761.html I really wasn't looking forward to heading back into China after the fun I had had in Hong Kong but was excited to be seeing the eclipse and meeting up with Sarah and Tim again.I flew back to Chengdu my original plans had been to overland it via Yangshuo but that changed with me staying longer in Hong Kong. It was an easy flight and then taxi back to Sims. I headed straight for the bar and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Tao/blog-442021.html I was so excited to be leaving China and heading to Hong Kong especially for my birthday celebrations. We had to go through customs before we could get on the train meaning we technically left China 20 hours before we got to Hong Kong and there was no getting off at any of the stations en route. I got settled into my bunk only to be dragged out of it 10 minutes later by a snotty Chinese cow that w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/Hong-Kong-Island/blog-436981.html First of all for those of you that are interested in my blogs please accept my apologies for the delay in writing this been having way too much fun My first impression of Shanghai was that there were a lot of Westerners about However unlike other Chinese cities they never acknowledge each other Bizarre On arrival into the city the metro was surprisingly closed only 23.10 so had to queu http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-429645.html On the morning I left Chengdu I woke up feeling so ill Not good Sean decided just before we were leaving that he was going to head to Tibet so jealous I really want to go but cant afford it on this trip so I was off on my own again Caught a really nice bus to Chonqing and then a taxi to my hostel A few taxi drivers wouldnt take me dont think they knew where it was or probably didnt want a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Chongqing/blog-419659.html After a very boring train journey lights out had been at 21.30 we arrived in Chengdu at lunch time to torrential rain I cant say that I was that impressed with it but the temperarture was more bearable It was a lovely surprise to find a representative from the hostel there so we didnt have to make our own way We arrived to find a paradise of a hostel. It had a Japanese water garden with fish http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-417318.html We headed from Beijing on the overnight train to Xi'an. I can definitely say that Beijing train station was an experience I think the funniest thing though was the 20 Chinese guys just standing and staring at 2 Westerners playing cards The train was lovely but I didnt get much sleep due to the very loudly snoring Chinese guys The hostel very nicely picked us up from the station spoiled an http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-416429.html The journey from UB to Beijing passed relatively easy. I was sharing a cabin with my German 'friend' and 2 Argentinian boys. We had fantastic views of UB on the way out of the city highlighting just how sprawled out disorganized and slum like it is. We were quickly into the Gobi dessert with eternal views of nothing except random farmers on horseback with a flock of sheep or stranger still a coup http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-413233.html Boarding the Irkutsk to Ulaan Baatar train I was delighted to find I was sharing the compartment with 2 english students hannah and George. Since I hadn't been to bed I soon crashed out sleeping several hours into the journey but unfortunately missing what I am sure was fantastic views of Lake Baikal. Once we all woke up it made such a pleasant journey just being able to freely chat. It seemed lik http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Mongolia/Ulaanbaatar/blog-410093.html Leaving Tobolsk station I managed to give myself my first proper injury of the trip unless you count bleeding feet from a million blisters. I tripped on some dodgy paving and carrying both bags I couldnt balance properly so ended up falling flat on my face. Giving myself a nice bruised and swollen nose somehow worse than when I headbutted the steering wheel of the van I crashed Very sexy graz http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Siberia/Irkutsk/blog-407731.html It was with both excitement and trepidation that I left my hostel in Moscow to board my first Trans Siberian train. 29hours travelling pleskart 3rd class like a big dorm to my first town of Yekaterinburg I managed to get the metro ok but got a bit confused finding 4 train stations all in the same area. Luckily my Cyrillic has improved enough for me to know the second station was right knowing http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Urals/Yekaterinburg/blog-408092.html I am sat writing the first part of this update in the beautiful gardens inside the kremlin still pinching myself to say I'm really here I must admit to being a little sad to move on from St. Petes I found it a beautiful relaxing place but I was very excited to be seeing Moscow. I headed to the station very early paranoid I was going to miss the train. Travelling pleskart I was on a bunk you had t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Northwest/Moscow/blog-405158.html Well after a horrendous goodbye at the airport I was off on my adventures I was last to board the plane still not convinced I was going to leave Once the doors were shut the exhaustion of the last few days kicked in and I slept through take off. Sat next to really cool old couple who have travelled the world hope that's us babe. Couldn't believe how hot St. Pete's was on arrival. I very easily http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Northwest/Saint-Petersburg/blog-403835.html We had a reasonably easy border crossing into Uganda wish I could say the same for the 'roads'. We could easily have been driving through the middle of fields judging by the speed we could go and the pot holes some the size of a large dog. The difference between Kenya and Uganda was immediately obvious and incredible. The houses were round thatched mud huts in the middle of banana plantations p http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Western-Region/Kabale/blog-315713.html After the exhaustion of Kili it was nice to get back to 'civilisation' and head back to my lovely hostel in Nairobi. I was too tired and sore to do anything there so spent the day relaxing before heading over to the poshy la la hotel to meet the guys on the truck. I had a huge fantastic room to myself even with a bath After chilling in my room and watching King Kong on tv quite apt since I was http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Rift-Valley-Province/Eldoret/blog-314294.html Well the flight to Nairobi didn't go quite as well as to Dubai being squashed between two large smelly men in the middle of the plane. I then proceeded to watch Bucket List got very excited when they were on safari and then made an arse of myself crying when one of the characters died Onto Nairobi it was pleasantly warm but raining As promised there was a taxi waiting for me to take me to the ho http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-284943.html I was not looking forward to my Kili climb at all feeling my training for it had been woefully inadequate It then started badly with a 6 hour bus ride from Nairobi to Arusha along probably the worst roads I had ever travelled feeling thoroughly sorry for myself arrived in Arusha to find no one there to pick me up as arranged. Having no Tanzanian Shillings I was a bit upset at this and ended up c http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/Mount-Kilimanjaro/blog-284945.html Hi everyone finally I get around to starting my blog hoping beyond hope the computer doesnt crash Well my trip started with a fantastic flight to Dubai having all four seats in the middle to myself. Dubai was a lovely 35 degrees on arrival 1830. My first impression was of disorganisation at the airport unable to locate my pickup in the throng of people. Eventually sorted it was a short dri http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-284777.html