Blogs from Asia - page 12994

after a 10 hour flight (which fortunately i was able to sleep through since i had a whole row to myself), and a bus ride from the aiport to the hotel, I'm' finally here! No need to go to internet cafes like in europe since this hotel has internet access. It's pretty cold, a little colder than in paris, i think. Since I didn't really get to the hotel until 8 pm or something, I didn't get to really explore the area too much but we're going to have an early day tomorrow. Shelby is helpful since she pretty much understands and speaks and reads Japanese, so she's been getting us around and ordered me a sandwich today. It's 16 hours ahead of LA time, so my timing is all messed up. It's 10:55 pm here ... read more

ok so , feelin a little sore and drousey so bear with the spelling and the disorientated ravings! will explain further on, its all good! so last entry was a little boring, iv done loads since. we had a day bikeing it around Vientiane! imagine me, renting a bike! it was pretty funny at first, i was as awkward as a seal trying to cycle with flippers, big wide corners and the odd stumble, but, as we got lost, i improved, became more fluid or whatever and we reached our destination- the market oh what a trial, you just want to buy absolutly everyting, well, the white goods didnt take my fancy-i'd never fit a wah\shing machine im my rucksack- although it is a 100L. we walked for hours, stalls and stalls or wonderful scarves, bags ... read more

Delhi wasn't what we'd expected at all. We'd been told by copious amounts of travellers to avoid Delhi like the plaque, almost wihout exception people would launch into a virulent tirade describing all of the city's ills, reeling off an impressive list of reasons to steer clear of India's capital. Reading William Darymple's 'City of Djinns' had piqued an interest in seeing the city, and we had Chinese visas to acquire, so we decided to disregard the fraught advice and see Delhi for ourselves. We were pleasantly surprised. Well, except for our accomodation, which proved to be the almost the worst place (bar Trivandrum) that we've stayed. As a general rule we don't stay in guidebook recommended places, but rather use the guidebook to find an area, and stay in a nicer, cheaper non-listed place (which ... read more

Had a day of sightseeing- the S21 Genocide Museum and then the Killing Fields. Was quite sad and made you think a bit, just crazy how recently everything has happened in Cambodia - there are still mass graves yet to be excavated. Spent the afternoon helping out with the street kids- was really great- about 50 or so kids came and we played games, sang songs, taught them words with pics and played hangman! They loved it! They did seem to befriend us over next few days which was nice- but made u realise that its the same kids that wander the street trying to sell books, scarfs, anything they can! Wandered over to the riverside for the evening, tried the famoud local Amok Curry- very yummy, quite like a thai green or red one ... read more

Slung into Singapore our now worldly and bearded boys are on the return journey, the Odyssey has commenced and with it a new chapter of tribulations, considerations and felicitations unfolds. Our stay with the Lion People can only be described as fabulous. This was thanks to our Singapore connection; Sarah. Having been whisked off from the airport we soon found ourselves on the 17th floor of Regency Park. Condominium luxury lifestyle ensued over Gin and Tonics, marble floors and practically panoramic views of the city. We spent our time getting ourselves together, making and executing decisions, preparing and gathering our thoughts. All the while breathing in Singapore’s atmosphere. Hawker centers, Little India, Chinatown, Clarke Quay, Orchard Road and Raffles may sound familiar? Throwing peanut shells at one another in the Long Bar at Raffle’s Hotel, ... read more