What happy memories It was so lovely to recognise all the places in your Egypt photos and know what they were before I'd read the caption! My photograph of the view of Cairo was also taken from the Citadel. We were there the 10 days leading up to Xmas eve and loved every minute of it. We also got a towel creation on our beds on our Nile cruise up to Ashwan - a pair of swans, one of which had on Tom's glasses on, reading my book! We also know exactly where our taxi drivers received their training and drivers' licenses! In Cairo! Hectic! We still can't believe we survived the roads there (we most certainly were not driving and wouldn't even consider it). Shanks pony or die! Lots of love, the Paarl Robbos
Nam Hi guys
sounds amazing!!! Brings back all the memories of my Africa trip this time last year... cant believe how quickly the time flies!
anyway love hearing about your travels, travel safe
Jo x
Laos and Vietnam I'm enjoying travels with Dopey, but need to take a night off to get through it all, albeit it happily! Pumpkin Burgers droolworthy? You'll have to convince me when you visit again! I can identify with SBP, though as well as looking 80 but might have been only 50 (or should that be 60+)! Oh, and she rather enjoys her booze! Mmmm! I like the idea of ROMSCAP too. First time I've heard of it. I also sympathise with Pam's experience of getting her clothes fitted and adjusted - had suits made in Bangkok in 1993 which I've not fitted into since! And what do you mean by "far less deceptive than some of the tricks the ladies try where we come from"??? Careful - you are surrounded by strong, independent women! Lovely to read about what you're up to (besides eating and shake drinking) and it sounds such fun I'm green with envy!
Thanks a lot Hi Keith and Pam,
Just a short note to say thanks for a well written and informative blog.
Looking at going to Vietnam in April and this sort of descriptive information is invaluable...
cheers and enjoy the rest of your trip...Happy Trails
Rob
Howdy! Thanks for the news!! Glad to hear you guys are having a great time!! Hope you don't mind, but have forwarded onto my boet - Trevor. He is keen to visit Vietnam as his next holiday!
Awesome Hi Pam and Keith,
Your adventures sound amazing and I am extremely jelous. The Winter Olympics are in full swing here in Vancouver and Robson street constantly resembles Oxford Circus at Christmas time with the exception that temperatures are around 11-15 degrees, all Canadians are wearing their Hockey jerseys or anything Red or white. Spirits are high, the pavilions are packed and we are 5th in the metal standings. The biggest game is today (Sunday the 21st) Men's hockey - Canada Vs the USA. It is going to be gong show downtown if they win.
My sister and I were lucky enough to score tickets to the women's hockey - Canada Vs Sweden and we kicked some butt - 13 - 1. It was awesome. The crowds are in such good spirits, I am so happy to be a part of it.
I have had to change my trip to London, therefore it looks like you guys will have full use of my room when you come here. If I remember rightly I would have been back by the time you arrive, but I have extended the trip by a week and a 1/2. I will have a lodger in my spare room, so the offer is there for you. A nice clean room, with a very comfy double bed for the two of you. If you can remind me of your dates in Vancouver, I will confirm and once we get closer, I will let you know about keys, etc.
Take care, and stay away from the street meat. The flu part sounded horrific.
All the best
Davida
did you ever see any old dogs...... we were invited to a wedding in one of the villages. the special occassion warranted dog on the menu.... we declined
Happy days Hi you guys. Glad you weren't hassled to death in Vietnam. Jungle Beach sounds wonderful. We never got to Halong Bay so was really interested to hear about that. We'd love to go back too someday. Maybe we can go together! L x
Lucky Laos Laos sounds amazing. Makes me want to go though don't know how Rod would cope with the tubing, swinging, dunking since he can't swim! Glad you're having a great time. All fine - if chilly - here. L x
Pam and Keith, I just love your updates, thank you for sending them to me. I can picture you on your adventures, including the elephant fart..which makes me giggle thinking of it....lol For someone that is scared of snakes, what the heck are you swinging into foreign waters for, no thank you, I am sure I have a much more fear of snakes than you cause no way in hell would I swim there!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see your pictures.
Take care an see you soon, luv you
Light relief from the office Hi guys,
Thanks for your blog. It certainly brings some light relief from the office grind. It brings back memories of Bev and I traveling around the world... a distant memory of the days before Luke!
Enjoy it.
Neil, Bev and Luke
rubbish Krobfelt... you have obviously not spent enough time in the former republic of transkei to know that Umtata is quite possibly the most littered town in the world. The national flag of the transkei was a Checkers packet on a thorn tree.
When that hurricane blew through there in 2001, my dad said there was no difference before or after....
Safe travels.
We are all booked for seeing Gusso break into jail.
Bells ringing Very evocative blog. Cambodia sounded all so familiar even though we only went to Siem Riep and the temples. You'll find many things in Vietnam similar - traffic, driving style, roadside cafes, well-dressed people, poverty, loud jangling music, etc. But the beggars are ferocious, though they're always selling something and it's always $1. Maybe since you won't be in the posher hotels you won't be swamped the moment you step onto the street. Do go to Hoi An if you can as the tailors etc have lovely stuff. Cyclos are fun and feel safer than tuk-tuks. But public transport - trains, buses - are also v slow. Glad you're not being silly and getting sun burnt like someone I could mention.
We're both fine - visitor free zone at the moment. Haggling note: I was told the local price is about a tenth, yes a tenth, of the starting price. So if you get them down to 50% don't feel too bad. Mind you don't know if this applies to proper shops. Have you claimed on your insurance for the camera? You'll need a police report or lost property report.
Cheers me dears. Have fun. I'm v envious. I could never get Rod to eat in street markets and it's freezing here. I'm wearing 3-4 layers just to sit at my desk indoors.
Working really hard but it will slow down soon I'm sure.
L x
Happy new year 2010 Really happy to see you enjoy your well planned world tour....make the most of it.
I have just come back from my holidays in India where driving and crossing the road are most deadly activities to undertake. However as you say.......you really get moved by people and their attitude towards life. How content people are inspite of not having most of the things that we in developed world take for granted.
Look forward to see more updates and possibly some pictures....
p.s. you guys should get in touch with Meghan Gough and Mark - they are traveling around the world! They just left Indonesia and I think are heading to Laos...
check out their travel blog at www.wewander.ca
holy crap thats a long blog! lol sounds like a riot of a time! great to hear from you guys...I'm, well, studying, pooooo...but well : ) wishing you all the wonders of the world!!!!!!!!!
xox
laura
Hi Pam! It sounds like you're having an amazing time! I don't think I'd be as brave when it comes to the local food :) Quite disappointed to hear about all the litter in Cambodia - it's one of those places I'd be really keen to see, but I've always imagined it as a beautiful country. But it all sounds very exciting, and I'm wishing I had more leave so I could just go travelling for a few months :) Hope you're having a great time!
howzit ja swaer. very envious! sitting at work drafting a cntract :(. Laughed when i saw your Bangkok tuk tuk experience - we were taken on that same "tour"/scam.
enjoy Laos! it was our favourite place in SE Asia
Oh, no sign of marshmallow yet :)
Hola Bruiser, great bllog. Have read it from start to finish. You truly seem to be having a life changing experience out there. Keep the updates coming.
Thought I would fill you in on the BOtswana trip. Wow, what an experience. We camped for about 7 nights out of the 23, the rest self catering. Well the camping was wild, hyaenas sniffing around your ears and toes, hippos chowing grass next to the tent and all in all a primevil fear for your life. Very exhilarating in its own right. In hindsight, a great ratio between camping and stone safe walls.
Our game drives where equally as intense with elephant after ellie charging us on the Kwando (the Zambian and Namibian name of the Chobe/Linyathi) river in the Caprivi. At one stage we were sandwiched between 2 herds and that caused series stress for the driver here. All in all we did 8km in 3 hours and probably saw several thousand on the drive alone, out there .
The Chobe National park was wonderful for dog sittings with a pack of 13 sited on 3 consecutive days and on 2 separate kills. This one breeding herd of ellies with numerous youngsters took an exception to the dogs chilling on the road next to us and before we new it, we were hot footing it down the road driving parallel to fleeing dogs and an angry matriarch on the tail. The stories go on ..picture this .Savute 10pm at night, time to go shower whilst all other 9 campsites are asleep . Enter Stoffel the Honey Badger, 2 of them nogal, cruising the abluations. 3 homosapiens enter the ablustion swing door and 2 angry Stoffels have only 1 exist point, under the swing door. They ran straight for us and we barily got out the way, literally 1 metre step to the right, as they came cruising past hissing and screeching. Wow, the adrenalien is something I haven’t felt since jumping off the Cowie river bridge.
The holiday was awesome and we really enjoyed Botswana. 1.7M people in a country not too much smaller than ours. Space space space and wild free roaming areas for Africa’s beloved fauna. The car didn’t miss a beat apart from loosing my number plate in a river crossing other than that wasn’t even stretched despite requiring 4 wheel drive fairly regularly between the Caprivi and Maun.
Happy 2010 bruiser and may your travels continue to be exciting.
Arne
Having made the decision to move to Canada in 2010 we resigned from our jobs, packed up our home, and packed our backpacks for 6 1/2 months of travelling to Asia, Africa and Canada. It's going to be both exciting and scary but buckle up and enjoy the ride!... full info
Heather
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Cobra?
I did not think that was a cobra...