http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/laurentbon/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from laurentbon en-us Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:53:37 +0000 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:53:37 +0000 We can confirm that Malaysians don't begin their day as late as the average Thai and they make far more noise in this train at least A gaggle of bubbly veiled women shout and laugh from 5.30am until we reluctantly rise. There's a lovely guy looking after everything including bringing us a flask of boiling water to make drinks Border formalities at 10am are easy although they take our temperat http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Penang/George-Town/blog-447476.html We arrive in Borneo at 8pm very exciting and hook up with oddbod Jerry a fruit obsessed American from deepest biblebelt land to share a cab into the centre of Kuching. Takes a while to find a cheapish place here and we settle for hip and friendly Singasana Lodge before heading out for our first Nasi Lamak fried banana and sweet potato fritters at one of the waterfront stalls we return t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Sarawak/Bako-National-Park/blog-456530.html Thailand 750920509M writes Apprehensively we board the Lao Airlines propeller plane to Chiang Mai every traveller knows about the safety record of LA...and I am still a nervous flyer excited about seeing more of the huge amount there is to see in Thailand and regretful leaving Laos where we were happy. An empty friendly bus takes us into town and after an hour of L searching for somethi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-443017.html M writes After introducing Gem to our favourite street caf in HCMC we stroll around Dong KhoiNguyen Hue area posh shops some French architecture and opera house. Next morning thanks to Gem we are able to make some strong coffee in our room before venturing out ta big sis for the cups as well as all manner of other caring thoughts vitamins etc which were a good idea. We've arranged a 1 http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/blog-405418.html Time to leave Vietnam After the hectic and sometimes stressful time we had we don't think it is too soon either. We therefore board an early morning bus from Hue to cross the border at Lao Bao the easiest border crossing from Vietnam to Laos. We have heard many horror stories regarding land crossing between those two countries but this one goes without a glitch. Sure the bus is old not ACed http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/East/Vieng-Xai/blog-412546.html Despite the stern posters in the cafe we sneakily set aside a few pastries at our allyoucaneat breakfast buffet true traveller style and headed off to Phnom Penh port for the ferry to Chau Doc in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Had another interesting chat with a young Cambodian waiter whilst we waited he told us how with the financial crisis lots of garment factories are closing in Cambodia and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Mekong-River-Delta/Chau-Doc/blog-402182.html L writes We leave Bangkok behind and enjoy duty free browsing at the airport before boarding a rather turbulent but short Air Asia flight to Phnom Penh. The drive in the taxi from the airport to the town center is totally chaotic. It appears that there is no traffic law in Cambodia. Trillions of motorbikes scooters and tuktuks simply drive everywhere. Both sides of the road are fair play even o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-394283.html m writes Well if you're going to visit one tropical island paradise you may as well visit 2 nonAnyway they are very different places we were to discover. It's a gorgeous 90min ferry to Ko Phi Phi through limpid turquoise waters. Lots of touts and reps to meet us but our Viking Resort guy whisks us away from the frenzy of Tonsai to our beach next door. It's a small cove and Chantal finds it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Ko-Phi-Phi/blog-386973.html OK we were really ready for a change of scene After a morning spent getting rid of heavy books in Sydney limited success we never understand anyone's directions in this country and noone wants to exchange anyway and battling with our insurance re. theft from our hotel we hop into the shuttle bus it arrives 20 mins early then stops at every hotel despite being a booked service hungry http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-386957.html The flight from Nadi Fiji starts well stunning view of the Mamanuca islands set in limpid green and blue waters. The landing in Port Vila is similarly beautiful and with lush forest and unlike Fiji lots of roaming cows definitely freerange And Laurent is to discover later very very tasty. We're greeted at the arrivals lounge by a niVanuatu string band OK it's for the tourists but w http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Vanuatu/blog-382424.html L writes Well actually this is rather misleading since there was only one cold night probably in Melbourne so far this year what with the 45C heatwave this year and all and it was on NYE More to come on this.As you guys will know by now since one of our memory cards was stolen from our hotel room in Sydney end of Feb all photos are courtesy of Nicky thank you Nicky and the blurb is from http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-382406.html ok friends it has been too long so we're telling you about Fiji now since it isn't too outofdate. We've been in Oz previously but since aQueensland didn't blow us away except Brisbane with Cheryl and Troy and b we've been robbed and all our valuables including memory card with Queensland photos are gone we'll cover that at a later date.Early start on 5 Feb to return our hire car at Sydney http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Yasawa-Islands/blog-379274.html It is with a heavy heart that we leave New Zealand we loved the place so muchOur arrival to Sydney airport starts with a little surprise it does not appear to have an airport shuttle service No board person or information point to tell us how to go into town We just couldn't believe that there was no efficient easy way to go from the airport to the town center but no this basic service is http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-363597.html M writes Ready for more New Zealand lovein from the South Island this timeWe arrived in Picton after a windy and hot crossing from Wellington through the stunning inslets bays and basins of the Malborough Sounds and drove straight to Blenheim wine country. Although the campsite we decided to stop at for general sortingout was next to the busy overpass we had a site next to the Wairau rive http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/blog-365543.html Our first day on arrival in Auckland at 4am on 22nd November no no 21st for us odd summed up the rest of our stay in NZ. What incredibly friendly and laidback people We were staying a few nights with a friend's Murray's sister and her family south of the City in Drury. Don Lynn's husband got out of bed to collect us 2 strangers didn't moan once and then the family took us out on th http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-355949.html M writes After the most horrendous 12hr bus journey from Potosi Bolivia we were mightily looking forward to arriving in what we had been told what a relatively comfortable part of South America Argentina. But fresh off the bus first we had to deal with customs and immigration in Villazon Bol involving joining a queue of literally hundreds of traders who constantly cross the border to sel http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Jujuy/La-Quiaca/blog-354257.html M writes Reluctant to leave Bolivia we decide to see a little more of the country for a week or so and head south towards Argentina. Having experienced tranquil Lake Titcaca the jungle and the relative affluence of La Paz we weren't really prepared for the difference in standards of living and poverty we witnessed off the beaten track. First of all we headed down to Cochabamba 8 hours on a s http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-351399.html M writes Enjoyed our last moments at our La Paz 5 in the morning as our flight to Rurrenebaque in the Bolivian jungle has been changed to late PM. After chatting with an annoying europhile Argentinian in a cafe on the Prado who insisted we could not be French English and be together and that he knew better than we did where we lived in London off to the little La Paz domestic airport. The http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Beni-Department/Rurrenabaque/blog-344526.html After a fantastic if short stay in Copacabana we booked our bus ticket to La Paz and from the village centre were asked by the bus company to get onto a Collectivo bus taking us to the actual Bus. Obviously althought we booked with a known reputable company we ended up having to board the bus of a totally different company to the outrage of a family of french fellow travellers swearing that http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-341707.html M writes After a sleepless night both sick rose at 6 for the tourist bus to Puno on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca 10 hours. The description did not disappoint 5 stops en route at tradicional Aymara villages ancient ruins and museums with an irritating guide let loose with a microphone at the front of the bus Had to keep sitting down to avoid keeling over in the heat each time we http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/Copacabana/blog-343781.html