I remember this! "step off the curb and commit without faltering and they will all go around me": I totally remember what a scary experience it was the first time I walked into the street and had the scooters driving by me only inches away. I did it several times but I never got used to it. I was scared every time. /Ake
Enjoying your blog I went to Vietnam from Laos and had a bit of a shock transitioning from village life to city life but I really enjoyed our time in Vietnam. Reading this post brought back good memories. I had a good laugh reading about your trip through Cambodia. I had been considering joining a group, but after reading about your group, I am not so sure. You are a better sport than me.
Thank you for reading! I sure loved Vietnam. Cambodia and the tour group was a definite challenge but I just shrug it off. Interesting how it can change the dynamic of a trip though. Saul did an amazing job however, and without him I wouldn't have learned half the things about Khmer life that I did.
Thumbs up! I have looked at several blogs on Vietnam, and many have been somewhat negative regarding Ho Chi Minh City. I appreciate your positive outlook on the city and your observations. You're right- crossing the street just gets some getting used to! But once you get the hang of it, it's not that bad. I am staying here for a few weeks, so I have read several of your blogs on Ho Chi Minh city as well as looked at most your pictures for some inspiration of what more I should visit during my visit, and I found it! I too can't get enough of the Pho! Thanks again!
Well Thank you! I did really like HCMC, it was very vibrant and interesting. I think also I would enjoy coming back and having a longer stay to see the rest of Vietnam.
Pho perfect! The veggies and spices in that pho look so fresh--no wonder you were addicted! I had a bowl of Pho in Bolivia, but it was boring and nothing like this gorgeous creation--guess I'll have to hop over to Vietnam. Amazing the traffic and crowds--and to think it's more orderly than Cambodia's--yikes! I loved this lady walking and balancing her load--she seems an islands of tranquility among the chaos.
Their Pho was really beautiful! I don't usually describe food that way but the presentation was impressive. I too loved all the little ladies tottering their wares around town on a balancing stick. Very impressive.
Pho for breakfast Nothing beats getting up in the morning to a steaming bowl of Pho! Seriously girl you need to get some will power...ok, no you don't. A rush of scooter, bikes, and people. A great place to people watch.
Noodle soup heaven! Even though Melbourne has a large Vietnamese community, I've never had a pho over here half as good as the pho from even the smallest seediest looking street stalls over there. But then again, I think everything tastes better on holiday :) Sounds like your southeast asian trip is winding up, hope you have a fabulous time on the island.
Insects - sounds yummy Thanks for sharing your story. We are alike in that we don't have any problem eating unusual food. I would also have tried the insects. /Ake
Insects are actually very tasty. But I've never been squeamish eater with strange food. I didn't try a belut in Vietnam, so that's my challenge for next time!
Wat Traimit There is a temple in Bangkok called Wat Traimit. There is a golden Buddha Statue there weighing more than 5 tons. They had the statue there for several hundred years without knowing it was made of gold because it was covered with plaster. When they in the 50-ies had to move the statue they dropped it and the plaster cracked and behind the plaster they could see the gold statue. /Ake
Rude, dominant, selfish people should be banned from group travel :) Haha I could have sworn that we've travelled with the Hag and the Ostrich before! We've had our fair share of nutters too, but they are in a minority compared to the really superb people we've met on trips. When people hear our not-so-great fellow traveller stories, some of them swear that's exactly why they would never travel with a group...and 100% of the time my reaction is, 'thank god for that, because you would drive your fellow travellers mad within seconds'. I wish more people knew that they weren't suited to travelling with others and/or travelling in Asia and/or fit for decent company ;) Your blog brought back so many lovely memories of our trip in Cambodia - including the fabulous Bamboo island. Thanks Andrea!
Cambodia was worth it! The.hazards of group travel eh? Honestly, I don't know why some people even bother leaving home. Or why they need to be rude, obnoxious, loud, self absorbed assholes when they travel. I've been really lucky with the Aussies, most are like us Canadians, adventurous, accepting, easy going, fun, and interested! Oh well, can't win the all.
Chiang Mai When you go back to Thailand - and you will go back - you might want to add Chiang Mai to the list. This was the capitol of Siam, and it is full of beautiful wats and interesting history. One of my favorite memories of travelling is the "Monk Chat" at Wat Chedi Luang.
So many people are telling me I need to come back and go to Chang Mai! I quickly realized I underestimated Thailand, and my little stopover was clearly not enough! I can't wait to go back. I loved it. Thanks for your comments!
Perfect summation Your account perfectly sums up the reason I avoid group tours like I avoid hangovers and whiny children. It's too bad that you had to put up with the whiny tourists, but I think you got a pretty good peek into Cambodian life in spite of them. I always feel sorry for the guides who have to put up with rude guests just so they can keep their jobs.
On a different note, I recommend the book "The Killing Fields" which was later made into a pretty good movie. It tells the true story Of a New York Times reporter and his attempts to rescue his Cambodian interpreter from the Khmer Rouge.
Thank you for the recommendation, I think I may have read that years ago, but a revisit would be good, especially after this trip. Yes I think I want to go back to solo travel for a while! What an amazing place Cambodia was! I'm so happy I experienced it.
This Canadian girl's passion for travel comes from my adventurous parents. My brother and I spent most of our youth traveling all over North America in the family’s camper van, airplane, and boat - going as far west as the Hawaiian islands, as far north as Tuktoyaktuk, and as far south as Mexico doing lots of adventurous stuff...canoeing, surfing, fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, exploring, jellyfish poking...it was the best childhood ever!
That same adventurous spirit fueled my travel passion for over 30 years. I’ve been all over the shop. Now that I'm newly retired, I split my lif... full info
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Awesome blog
So glad to have stumbled across your blog. This last one made me giggle.. love the 'couple watching' xx