Floating markets used to be a way of life along Thai canals, the only way to deliver goods was by boat and several floating ‘shops’ would be set up for selling any produce. The locals would travel by canoe to the market, make their purchase and then row back home. Now with increased roads and people moving away from the canals, floating markets are just tourist attractions. There are a couple around Thonburi which operate on Saturday and Sunday mornings, but the most famous and the one you will see in all the photographs is Damnoen Saduak. A day trip to [View Full Entry]

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Ayuthaya is the former Thai capital and was the seat of power for the Siamese kingdom for over 400 years. The city was destroyed in 1767 by the Burmese and the surviving Thai army fled to form a new capital in Thonburi and later Bangkok. The attack of the Burmese hit the city hard but many of the ruins of the temples remain today. Visiting Ayuthaya is like playing a game of Tomb Raider as you wander around the ruins that are scattered throughout the city. Many are free to get into, but some of the better kept have a small [View Full Entry]

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After four weeks working in Ho Chi Minh City I decided it was time for a holiday and a change of scenery. I had been intending on travelling to the North of Vietnam but with typhoons and flooding recently decided to head to Bangkok instead. Arriving at the airport is an efficient experience. Immigration flowed nicely, buggage reclaim was quick and when it came to getting a taxi it was one of the most organised systems I have come across. You go to a desk, explain where you want to go and they hand you a ticket. You then proceed to [View Full Entry]

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Dai Nam Park is situated about 40km away from Ho Chi Minh City. Opened in September 2008 it aims to be the leading tourist attraction by 2010. An optimistic dream, but even now even when it is still not quite complete you can see the potential. It is a huge complex with a hotel, shopping mall, open zoo, theme park, beach area and temple. Some say it looks cheap, but I found it to be a beautiful retreat and a good way to spend a day. My journey began, as so many do these days, in Ho Chi Minh City near [View Full Entry]

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I decided to go for a trip to the Mekong Delta. Having been unimpressed with Saigon Tourist previously, I decided to go with Sinh Cafe this time. The Mekong Delta is one of the biggest rice regions in Vietnam. Growing enough rice there to feed the whole country and more. It is not just about rice farms though. There is a lot of local produce, with many fruits coming from here. The river itself flows from the sea, across Vietnam and into Cambodia. Historically the area near the border was a dangerous place, with Cambodians attacking regularly. It is much more [View Full Entry]

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I have been to a few bars in Ho Chi Minh City during my visits. Usually I end up in the tourist bars simply because I need the air con and simplicity of ordering beer. I did have two very different experiences recently though. For the first, I had been invited to a fashion show. A friend of a friend was the designer, so we got complimentary tickets. I arrived straight from work with my large laptop bag, and immediately stood out. Everybody else was dressed to impress in the latest designer clothes, I just had my normal work shirt and [View Full Entry]

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After 6 weeks back in the UK, I am now in Vietnam again. Being practically local now, the transition to being back was far easier this time. No problems with jet lag or the culture shock of the noise and traffic. This time it was like arriving at a second home, comfortable and familiar. Spent most of the first week catching up with people in the office and re-establishing the routine I had set previously. After a day it was like I had never been away. As the weekend was my birthday though, I decided to get away for a few [View Full Entry]

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The Demilitarized Zone stands 4km wide and stretches the across the whole border between North and South Korea. The Joint Security Area is the only part of the DMZ that allows visitors. It is here that negotiations are carried out between the two sides and where the armistice is seen up close. Armed soldiers from both North and South Korea stand metres away from each other monitoring the ceasefire than has been in effect since 1953. The tension is so high you can see it, and it is not a good place to have diarrhoea. Unfortunately, I did. In a place [View Full Entry]

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After 6 weeks in Ho Chi Minh City it was time to bid a tearful farewell and head to Seoul (don't worry, I will be back in Vietnam very soon). The Korean Air flight across was good, I slept most of the way and got a free upgrade to business class. I was met at the airport by the hotel transfer and quickly taken to my apartment in Fraser Place, my home for the week ahead. The things I quickly noticed was how quiet Seoul was compared to Ho Chi Minh City. No motor bikes, no street vendors, no offers of [View Full Entry]

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Having heard from various people that 'you must go to Dalat', I decided to venture to Central Vietnam and visit this quiet jewel of a city. I booked the night bus for the journey, leaving at 1115pm. It can take anything from 5 to 7 hours to reach Dalat from Ho Chi Minh City depending on traffic so this seemed to be the best way to go (actually flying was probably the best way to go, it only takes 50 minutes; but since this was as much about life experience as it was about getting there the bus was the only [View Full Entry]

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