Happy New Year

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So here we are, 7 weeks after we left and we're in Dee Why, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.

It's ten to eight in the evening and I'm in my swimming shorts, (because its been about 43 degrees C here today), oh and
everywhere you look there are Christmas decorations. (Doesn't seem right really).

We stayed with Vikky & Roger in their beautiful home in Nerang overlooking the Gold Coast for two weeks and then took a couple of days to drive down to Sydney to be with Di and George for the New Year celebrations.

Roger was working in Western Australia for the first week, we were in Queensland but we did plenty of different things around the area, (Vikky really looked after us), and we bought a car for our travels. It's a Mitsubishi Magna, three and a half litre V6, and its very comfortable for the long distances we'll be travelling.

The Gold Coast, which is a very large coastal resort in Queensland is great, there are places like Surfers Paradise, which is just as it sounds and many interesting places inland also. We went to Tambourine Mountain and had lunch overlooking the wineries, we've also been to Springbrook, Natural Bridge, The best outlook and Purling Brook Falls. All these places are great and we could have spent more time there but maybe we'll have to come back again.

Vikky & Rog had arranged Christmas lunch at Conrad Jupiters, the casino at Broadbeach, which was great. We were all up for a bet but there's no gambling allowed on Christmas day so we couldn't. We've been out to some lovely places for meals and have put all the weight back on, which we'd lost while we were in Asia, never mind though eh. They'd also arranged for us to see a show at Conrads on the night of the 28th. Tiis was fantastic and We can't thank them enough for the way they looked after us.

We're going back to Roger and Vikky's later in our trip so we'll be able to catch up with them again. They really have been great and so hospitable and looked after us royally. They have a border colley called Skye, who I was looking forward to playing with and taking for walks on the beach quite a bit but unfortunately, he got into a skirmish with a lawn mower in the park just before we arrived and has had one of his front legs amputated, the poor thing. He's still a bundle of energy though and I'm sure he'll adapt very well very quickly.

So we said our farewells to the Gold Coast and Vikky & Roger and set off for New South Wales. Our first stop was Byron Bay where we had a bite to eat and a little walk around. It's great there and if anyone is ever out that way, make sure you call in. The next stop was Coffs Harbour where we had decided to stop over for the night. This proved to be easier said than done, as Christmas is a very busy time in Australia because it's their summer holidays and there was literally no room at most of the inns. Anyway, we managed to find a motel room and got our heads down after a brief look at Coffs. I wasn't terribly impressed with this place but I suppose I haven't really given it much of a chance, having only stayed there overnight.

We were warned about the Pacific Highway which is the road down to Sydney from Queensland and the warnings proved to be warranted, half way through the second days drive, we were forced to make about a fifty mile detour through the mountains. We found out later that there had been quite a nasty multi car pile up but again we got here in one piece so everything worked out ok for us anyway. We made one stop on the second leg of our journey at a lovely town called Port McQuarrie, another one to visit if you're out here.

Anyway, as I said we arrived here safely and Di and George had arranged a surprise for us for New Years eve. A taxi turned up for us at six thirty and whisked us down to Darling harbour, just round the corner from the Bridge and Opera house. We then boarded a boat, (The Proclaim), which took us out into the harbour and sailed around for the night, stopping in great positions to give us the best views of all the fireworks and celebrations going on. There was a disco, a meal and all the drink was included and the night was absolutely fantastic. I still can't believe that we were actually there amongst the thousands of boats of all sizes, letting the New Year in at one of the best known celebrations in the world. The boat we were on was also a part of a flotilla of fifty or sixty, which were all "lit up" with the theme, hearts on them. These boats circled the harbour all night in a line and were a major part of the celebrations. What a fantastic night and I'm still pinching myself a bit. Thanks a million Di & George.

When I think back over where we've been over the last few weeks, it blows my mind really. Firstly there's Bangkok:
The place is an absolute zoo, it's scruffy, noisy, polluted and as I've said before a concrete jungle, full of
beautiful Thai girls walking about with mostly not so beautiful western blokes.
It seems as though there's someone around every corner wanting to scam you, (that's cos there usually is),
like the 35 year old boy scout, complete with neckerchief and woggle who we bumped into on the sky train,
who wanted us to contribute towards his next camp trip.
We didn't stay long in Bangkok but seemed to keep going back every couple of days, to move on to another destination.
Anyway, it was all the things I've mentioned above but I'd still recommend that anyone visits the place, its such an
experience and really quite safe if you keep your wits about you.
Next we travelled on the night train to Chiang Mai, another proposition entirely and the train was brilliant.
Chiang Mai is the second biggest city in Thailand and is about 450 miles north of the capital.
The place is also very crowded, dirty and polluted but it has a much different and more relaxed atmosphere than Bangkok.
The Wats (temples) in Chiang Mai are amazing and very serene places, then you go down to the night market and
all that changes. Chiang Mai's a great place to visit and again take the time to see this northern Thai City if you get
the chance. We booked a flight to Ko Samui from Bangkok while we were in Chiang Mai, we had to return to Bangkok to
pick up our case from the left luggage at Bangkok train station, so we booked the night train again.
Didn't quite work out though and we had to bus it but we found our way to Ko Samui,
just in time for the worst storms they'd seen in 15 years.
Ko Samui really looks as though it could be the island paradise we'd all love to get stranded on
but having looked at the lashing rain and churning seas for going on for three days,
we decided to get back to the mainland, (if we could), so we cut our stay to 5days and flew,
from the most fantastic airport I've ever seen, back to Bangkok and then went by mini bus to Kanchanaburi
which was in my opinion marvelous. (Janet's not too sure about it but that's different
people for you). We wanted a little time by the sea next so we took the train to Hua Hin, via Nakhom Pathon, a
trip of about 200 miles, (mostly first class) which cost us about six pounds for both of us.
Got to Hua Hin and went straight to the digs I'd booked the previous day by telephone.
After seeing the state of the room and the staff, we decided not to stay and had a look around the town
and found a lovely place just across the road. We we're in Hua Hin for three days and left (in more rain)
for Bangkok on the Kings birthday, (5th December). Hua Hin's great and just as most of the towns you'll visit
in Thailand has a thriving population of young , probably not so free and single girls and boys just waiting for
the chance to carry out any requests you might have.
The Thais love their king and make a lot of his birthday so everywhere was trimmed up for the event.
The one overwhelming memory I've got of Thailand is the amount of prostitution of all kinds you see going on
quite blatantly.
I'd also say that it's one of the most interesting places I've ever been and would have gone back tomorrow,
until I experienced Vietnam.
We stayed in Bangkok for a night again and flew to HCMC Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, in Vietnam on the sixth December.
We'd booked an hotel and an airport pick up over the phone whilst in Bangkok, so after our experience in Hua Hin,
I was I little apprehensive to say the least. Everything worked out great though.
A guy was waiting just outside the airport door for us with our name on his clipboard. He whisked us off
in a cab to the Bao Chau hotel in downtown HCMC. The place was fantastic, if a little noisy and the staff were
so helpful and freindly, you just relaxed straight away. Unfortunately Janet seemed to have caught a stomach
bug for the second time since leaving England and didn't get out of the room for 2 days. This cramped our style
a little but I did a bit of walking around and soon found that the locals were so friendly they would even offer
you their sister from the back of their motor bike. This happened to me twice on the first night.
(Your correspondent declined both offers and left). I wanted to go to the bar across the road from the hotel
for a drink on this first night but the traffic in HCMC, especially the motor bikes is so heavy and unpredictable
that I couldn't pluck up the courage to cross. Back to the room and a raid on the mini bar then.
The next day is when the traffic and noise really hit me. Everyone in HCMC seems to either own a motor bike or
something with a horn on it, which they beep at every opportunity. There appears to be a beep for everything, from
I didn't like what you just did to you're cute can I have you number and they use them none stop between four
oclock in the morning right through until two oclock the next morning. (They musthave to rest their beeping
fingers sometime. I found the roads are crossable after all, taking the advice of a lovely young British
couple we'd met on the train to Nakhom Pathon. The advice was just to walk slowly, (not quickly or you'll die),
across the road and the bike will find their way around you. It works, somehow I managed to get around the
place on foot and visited the war museum which is quite harrowing but very interesting. Back to the traffic
though and I'm sure that traffic lights and street signs are purely advisory in Vietnam. The motor bikes also
use the pavements if it will get them through intersections quicker. It sounds like mayhem and I suppose it
is really but it's still one of the most exciting and interesting cities you could visit.
I must go back some time, its fantastic, you have your rogues and vagabonds there too but you do get a bit
streetwise after a while in South East Asia and we managed to get by. Janet recovered enough the next day
to try a bit of food and drink so we went to the restaurant across the road for a bite. Easier said than
done, because Janet hadn't been initiated into the Saigon traffic appreciation society as I had over the last
couple of days and she kept stopping, a big mistake. She also kept looking at the drivers eyes which also
doesn't help you as they seem to think this is a direct challenge to them.
We wanted to see something different in Vietnam so we plumped for a trip to the coast.
Mui Ne was where we ended up after a five and a half hour bus ride and the place was great. We had our own
room in a complex of thatched huts, complete with mosquito net over the bed, right on the beach which was fantastic.
The locals also used to be fishing right in front of you using their coracle type boats and about half a dozen
people to pull in the nets, once they'd found the fish.
There wasn't much to do here so I decided to go for a walk along the beach to the fishing village in the distance
and as we needed some cash, I had a look around for an ATM. What a joke, after an hour and a halfs walk, I found
that the chances of anything like an ATM in the place was about as remote as finding a bar without a prostitute
in Bangkok. Anyway, I had my eyes opened again when I saw how the people lived in the village and on their boats.
Very squallid conditions seem to be the norm and I realise just how lucky we are back home.
We bussed it back to HCMC and had another night in the Bao Chau hotel. We were leaving for Oz the next day
so we didn't have much time to do anything but we got a bit of shopping in and had lunch.
Well that's how we got here so I'll leave off now and update you on Australia when I get the time. Sorry if I've
gone on a bit but I just love South East Asia, especially Vietnam and will have to go back for a much longer visit.

Anyway, I've bored you enough so I'll get off now.

All the best and a Happy New year to everyone.

Lots of Love

Steve & Janet.

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