Nix46

Welcome to my nightmares. This particular nightmare takes place on the night train from Ha Noi to Hue. I get to the train station in Ha Noi an hour before the train is due. A train pulls in just as I arrive. But where is it going? I can't quite figure it out so I just give my ticket to the conductor and he lets me on. Must be right then. My ticket has number 22 on it (my birthday number and also today's date!) but the rooms are numbered from one to six. Eventually I work out that it's actually my bed number that's 22 and I have to look into the rooms (as the room number is not printed on the ticket) to find out exactly where bed 22 is hiding. I open the ... read more

Some tips I picked up... Firstly, watch out and be alert everywhere. Nowhere is off limits and in addition to pavements and pedestrian crossings, I found myself face to face with a scooter in an open shop entrance. If you stumble across a pedestrian or 'walking' street, be aware that it's not just for pedestrians and scooters are also allowed to race down these often narrow streets including the street that houses the night market. So if you visit the market, whilst looking at the all the pretty things on sale, also look at the pavement around you, it will most likely have a scooter trying to make its way through the hoards of people. One way streets are only one way for cars. Scooters may go whichever way they please. When you're walking on any ... read more

What a bizarre little city this is. I can't make my mind up how I feel about the place. It was the first capital city of Thailand and not too many tourist/travellers make a stop here. Although at least for the experience (if not the incredible ruins), they should. Last night, I took a walk into the old city and it became obvious just how few people actually do stop in Sukhothai. Everyone and I mean everyone was staring at me. Kind of like how I would expect people to look at aliens like the District 9 type walking down Oxford street in London (actually, would anyone even bother turning their heads?)People were laughing and pointing and one boy found me so amusing that he ran in to grab his mum so that they could both ... read more

I have arrived! And due to a sore throat that I'd caught from a dorm full of coughing Norwegians in Oz that had manifested into a throat infection that made me vomit every 30 seconds, I had spent my first two days in bed. The poor pharmacist didn't know what to do with me when I turned up telling her that I'm allergic to almost all antibiotics but she somehow managed to find one that she didn't think I was allergic to and thankfully, I wasn't! So after those two days in bed, I was feeling pretty healthy and rested and decided to go on an easy-going one day trek. Which didn't actually include too much trekking but that was fine with me, didn't want to push it after being ill. The first stop on the ... read more

Somehow, I managed to wake up an hour before everyone else so I was showered and ready to go before anyone else stirred so I went for a walk. Where did the kangaroos go? To wherever it is they go to sleep during the day I guess. I returned to find Dave making banana pancakes - seriously, amazing! So after filling up on breakfast it was almost time to leave but first it was washing up time so I took off my ring and placed it on the side and myself and little Swedish Emma washed up. Must remember to put that back on. Today we were scheduled to take a little four km hike to the beach. Unfortunately however, when we stopped and hopped out of the bus, I walked around to retrieve my sunscreen ... read more