Arrival in Southeast Asia

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Hi Everyone,

Im excited that I can add some photos to this blog i hope which I haven't been able to do for a while and the blog is back to the way it was (almost) before the big crash at the start of the month.

Heather has decided to leave me and go back to Ireland for a couple of weeks.Dont worry we are not getting a divorce or anything!! I think her time on the transiberian with dodgy food and awful sanitary conditions has put her off any more travelling in developing countries for a while... We have got through a very enjoyable 7 weeks together. Despite some misgivings ,i have decided to continue and finish our itinerary and meet up with her in London or maybe Ireland.

So we press on, we said our tearful goodbyes in Hong Kong sob sob.Heather is getting some r&r with my family and Im on a Intrepid tour of Vietnam Cambodia and finishing in Bangkok Thailand. So I arrive at the airport in Hanoi. The first thing i notice is that a lot of the locals can speak english, they are friendly and helpful.. the taxi ride into town was an eye opener . this place is dangerous... there are 2 million motorbikes in Hanoi and it shows, they are swarming around my taxi... supposedly in se asia you honk your horn to say you're coming... people honk their horns straight through junctions... red lights are only occasionally respected so it seems..

Hanoi is a crazy busy city... I meet with the new group and go out to dinner... i spent $5 on dinner and drinks... it is really dirt cheap and very impoverished... strangely i still feel safer here than in China.. the group is nice with mostly Londoners and a couple of Kiwis. We try to see Ho Chi Ming who is embalmed in Hanoi . the bloody place closes at 2 pm... miss it ... but we already saw Lenin so whats another dead body anyway right..?? Take a cyclo trip thats a damn experience.. not for the faint hearted, our driver a slight little old nearly has a heart attack bringing us a couple of miles... i think he likes the little people..

We took an overnight sleeper to Hue.. this train is the dirtiest train i have that i have been on...even worse than the transiberian the only saving grace is that it has air conditioning we play cards,, play i spy ... the usual stuff.. the train is due to arrive at 8 am,, there is flooding on the track... the train arrives at 3pm ... just a mere 7 hours late on a 13 hour journey... great ... Hue was the capital during French colonial times... i have really been brushing up on my history on this trip.. Vietnam has a very interesting one.... 2000 years of struggle... 1000 years of Chinese occupation and dont forget the Vietnam war ... there are beautiful paddy fields everywhere and amazing mountains ... this is a stunningly beautiful ... oh yeah a minor point spend a night on a boat in the Red River delta... this place is beautiful I will post a picture.. back to Hue... during the war every piece of major infrastructure roads bridges even palaces were bombed ,,they have a lot to catch up on....

Off the Hoian a mere 4 hours further south.... this is the tailoring capital of Vietnam.. a very nice little with some exquisite cuisine.. the food is another reason to come to Vietnam.... its quite delicious... I of course treat myself a new a suit etc... We went on a bike ride this morning, followed by a trip to the beach and then a cookery course this afternoon... who said that holidays are relaxing..

Yeah i know Ronan ... its photo time!!

Regards to all.. see you sooner than you think..

Roc

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Photos

My group
on a Vietnamese cooking course.. may try something on you unfortunates in Bermuda!!

Some local Bargaining
in Hue

Vietnam war relics
this is the real deal plus an anti personal explosive device!!

Wheres the fridge??!!
a local market in Hue. Very savoury!!

Young Buddists at work
little Monks in Hue

My Tailor!
in Hoian

Paddy field
they are everywhere..

Vendor on the Beach
she wants to keep her skin white!