Page 2 of JamieBrown Travel Blog Posts


South America » Chile » Santiago Region » Santiago August 14th 2013

Santiago It is wet, grey and very cold on our arrival. This city of 5 million people appears drab and lifeless as we drive through the streets on the way to our hotel, The Loreto. Our establishment is situated in Bella Vista area which is an older part of the city. Renowned for its bohemian lifestyle and arts culture. We discover the power is out and the bars and restaurants are all closed only adding more to the dreariness of the streets. We wander the streets, wrapped in our layers of clothes, umbrellas sheltering us from the rain. Eventually finding a place to drink a cerveza and eat a sandwich. The weariness of our long journey finally overwhelming us and we embrace slumber like the meeting of an old lost friend. The new day brings with ... read more
good view
skysraper
old building

South America » Chile » Santiago Region » Santiago August 8th 2013

THE JOURNEY IS THE GOAL At last our great adventure to The Andes and beyond has begun. Feverishly backpacks have been packed and repacked but all to no avail, the clothes just don’t fit in that space. Who cares! As long as the money doesn’t run out we will be fine. Beginning holiday’s feels like you have been holding your breath, racing around, trying to get everything done, and at last you can exhale. A wave of peace, tranquility and most of all excitement overwhelms you. You now live and breathe in the bubble that is travel. For the first time Kathy and I are flying Premium Economy. Which isn’t First or Business I know but is surprisingly better than the back of the plane. For starters the wings are behind us, not far I will ... read more
above the clouds
streets of Santiago
Wattle Tree

Asia » Laos » West » Vientiane February 3rd 2013

The traffic has come to a halt. Up ahead, a bus and truck have tried to pass each other where road works have closed half the road. The result of course, is inevitable. In Australia, there would be some law and order, but remember we are in Laos. First, the cars and vans move forward as far as they can, blocking the road. Then the crowd gathers around the accident, waving hands, nodding in agreement and laughing. No one is in charge and no one seems to really care. Piles of gravel block one side of the road and a few guys, with bamboo sticks, try to level the gravel somewhat as to allow the traffic through one side. There doesn’t appear to be any shovels in Laos! With only a small amount of success, the ... read more
Victory Arch
Us
Vientiane

Asia » Laos » West » Vang Vieng February 1st 2013

We have hired a van for the journey to Vieng Van. It is 6 hour trip and the troops don’t think they can handle another public bus. Also the scenery is very stunning and many photo opportunities will be required. I don’t think there is one flat, straight section of road in Laos. The driver crawls his way up the hills, than pops the gear into neutral and we charge our way down the other side. All for the sake of fuel consumption. Just like a roller coaster ride with corners. Village after village we pass through. The people are Hmong, the one’s that took the wrong side in the political upheaval. They are subsistence farmers, very poor and uneducated but the views they have from their meagre homes are million dollar. From all the stories ... read more
the river
what can I say
the infamous bar

Asia » Laos » West » Luang Prabang January 31st 2013

On the conjunction where The Mekong and the Nam Kahn rivers meet, the magical city of Luang Prabang thrives. With streets lined with Frangipani and palm trees, bakeries, restaurants, cafes and French tourists this place is more like Paris than Paris. The obvious difference being the orange clad, head shaved monks, which roam the streets. With their gentle smiles and black umbrellas, they wander around like someone with nowhere to go. I imagined Laos to be a wild adventure where no man had trod before and here I am in this sophisticated city, with all the other adventurous tourists. It certainly is hard to get away from the maddening crowd these days. A tuk tuk whisks us away from the bus station and drops us several blocks from our destination. The Lao Wood House. You know ... read more
washing and scenery
crops
laos farm

Asia » Laos » West » Luang Prabang January 29th 2013

The boat trip to Luang Prabang is 6 hours and going on our last experience, we go for the public bus, 40000 kip each ($5). The locals are waiting with all sorts of packages from grain to vegetables. Nothing alive thank god! Our bags piled on top, the bus at full capacity; with Lao music blaring, we climb into the back seats and bump, rattle and roll our way up and down the countryside to Luang Prabang. Great for one’s soul but not so good for one’s posterie.... read more
bus stop
monk on a bridge
monks on a bridge

Asia » Laos » West » Nong Khiaw January 29th 2013

A 1.5 hour boat ride will take us to Nong khai. 25000 kip per person. It is cheaper because there are a lot of people per boat. The boat we are in has 6 luxurious seats up the front and wooden planks up the back. We are first on and Kathy claims a good seat but being the gentleman we are me and the boys venture up the back with the locals. It is just like an air flight, first class up the front and the cattle squeezed up the back. A very long hour on the river ensues; at times like this I wish my bum stored more fat. It is terrible when one starts to become blasé with his surroundings but on this trip I am more worried about the cramp in my leg ... read more
main street
another hill
coming into town

Asia » Laos » West » Nong Khiaw January 28th 2013

A 1.5 hour boat ride will take us to Non Cai. 25000 kip per person. It is cheaper because there is a lot of people per boat. The boat we are in has 6 luxurious seats up the front and wooden planks up the back. We are first on and Kathy claims a good seat but being the gentleman we are me and the boys venture up the back with the locals. It is just like an air flight, first class up the front and the cattle squeezed up the back. A very long hour on the river ensues; at times like this I wish my bum stored more fat. It is terrible when one starts to become blasé with his surroundings but on this trip I am more worried about the cramp in my leg ... read more
buying beer lao
ducks
beach resort

Asia » Laos » North January 28th 2013

Have you ever woke up and wondered “where the hell am I?” This must be what hostels are like. 6 people side by side. Very cosy. On the street down stairs breakfast is served, buffet style. A panoply of egg dishes, bread, watermelon, bananas, papaya, pineapple, fried rice, noodle and pancakes. All washed down with Lao coffee and black currant juice. Muang Noi is a small village on the Nam oui River in Northern Laos. It has no roads and electricity 3 hours per day. The river is the life blood of this place. It is the road, the food, the bath, the entertainment and the economy. The tourist have arrived, unlike Vietnam there seems to be as many tourists as locals. Some young fresh faced backpackers, lots of in love couples and I think everybody ... read more
lunch
good life
how good

Asia » Laos » North January 28th 2013

The bus leaves at 5.30am for Laos. An ungodly hour but necessary because it takes 8 hours to reach Muang Khai. Our bags are unceremoniously thrown on the roof and 20 passengers crammed inside. We are all mostly European extraction. 2 English girls, 1 Canadian girl, 2 Israel guys, a Korean mother and daughter, 2 old French guys, 1 Yankee Dutchman, 1 Korean guy, a couple from I don’t know and 4 Australians. The road is poor to say the least, maximum speed about 20km an hour. There is a lot of road works happening so soon this will be just another road. We wind up and down and round and round the rainforest clad mountains. Passing is a very close manoeuvre. After 2hours travel we reach the border, our passports stamped then restamped, people purchase ... read more
our bus at the border
the river




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