Your a true traveller now................ Davy Lad,
I see the hawkers are finally getting to you along with their legendary capability to extract cash.
On tip for you, and worth the investment if you are staying a few days is to do what I did. After being constantly bothered on the beach to buy all sorts of crap, I decided to turn the tables, one guy tried to sell me some sun glasses (although I clearly already had some) so after he exhausted his pitch I tried to sell him mine "best western make, only 50 dollar, Bargain for you my friend". He walked away, but I followed him the length of the beach until he thought I was a crazy man.
Did this a couple of times, and word soon got round, they didn't bother me any more after that!
So as soon as they try to sell you something, immediately try and sell them something, that really drives the point home!
Enjoy Saigon, great city, Hue was good too, better if the Americans hadn't destroyed it during the war!
Merry Christmas,
Jerry
go for it my son! Davy,
great news, bit busy at the moment but really glad you did Halong bay. Did you see Cat-ba island? Its changed so much in the three times I visited. The first time a small main strip and family restaurants ( in the loosest sense!) I remember sitting at 9pm (way past their bed time) watching a massive rat run out of the kitchen area as they pulled the tables together to make a bunk bed system. The parents slept on top and the kids on the bottom. They were poor but happy people. Its probably all changed now!
You must see Ho Chin Minh in his mausoleum when you get to Saigon, a surreal experience!
Its all good son, even the bad bits! thats what backpacking is all about. I pity those that go on "manicured" and "don't meet the locals" holidays, you will enjoy this and be a much wiser and better person for it!
Remember to try Indonesia
Cheers,
Jerry
Looks Like your having fun! Hi Davy,
Just read your latest blog from Chiang Rai, Its a lovely place, used to be just a small town when I was there but I'll bet its bigger now.
Always haggle hard but keep a smile on your face and you'll usually come out with a better deal. Another trick is to start to walk away, if there's a chance they'll loose you business they often start dropping the price!
I see its turned you into a bit of a poet too!
You'll soon get aclimatised and it won't feel so hot, you'll be complaining its too cold in the mornings soon!
Why not try Laos? Not far from you now, sleepy Vientiane and Luang prabang and Phonsavan were great, just hope they have better rods by now. People were really friendly and you can spend Thai Baht there as well as the local Kip.
Just a thought laddie!
Enjoy!
Enjoy yourself! Hi Davy,
Great to read your blog and thanks for including me. So you done Krabi and onto Ko Lanta, great stuff, I spent 10 days there and thoroughly enjoyed it, the night life was great and the beach bars are fun. Never come across the bed bugs in Thailand before, bit unlucky there! I remember being on the small island of Tioman off Malaysia one year, in a hut in the jungle after being chased down a path by a huge black and white spined porcupine (about 2ft very pointy spikes!). Got to the shack after some hooch with the locals and though I was going mad when the lights went out, all I could see was little green flashing LED's everywhere. Turned out it was a thousand fire flies. Tried the bug killer spray, I nearly choked and they merrily flashed away all night.
Happy days!
Sounds like you have found most of the delights and you are getting over the culture shock. Well done for eating chilli for breakfast, I never could do that and certainly not at Thai stength!
Funny, I just came across a business card for a bar on Ko Lanta for the "Travel So Far Bar" run by an English/Thai couple, wonder if they are still there Prangtip Emsley was her name and I think he was Steve. Probably long gone by now..............
I'm sure you'll have as many fun adventures as I did, go for it!
Jerry
We were sick of the normal grind and wanted to see what our lovely planet had to offer, all our possessions are sold and we are embarking on a fantastic trip to expand our awareness of this beautiful place.
Check out the latest on https://www.facebook.com/Hi52Endorfin
Or our YouTube vids on https://www.youtube.com/user/shakeeeeed
Enjoy... full info
Jerry
non-member comment
Your a true traveller now................
Davy Lad, I see the hawkers are finally getting to you along with their legendary capability to extract cash. On tip for you, and worth the investment if you are staying a few days is to do what I did. After being constantly bothered on the beach to buy all sorts of crap, I decided to turn the tables, one guy tried to sell me some sun glasses (although I clearly already had some) so after he exhausted his pitch I tried to sell him mine "best western make, only 50 dollar, Bargain for you my friend". He walked away, but I followed him the length of the beach until he thought I was a crazy man. Did this a couple of times, and word soon got round, they didn't bother me any more after that! So as soon as they try to sell you something, immediately try and sell them something, that really drives the point home! Enjoy Saigon, great city, Hue was good too, better if the Americans hadn't destroyed it during the war! Merry Christmas, Jerry