OK so my blog is shamefully out of date and I thought I better do something about it. In my defence internet in Ａｓｉａ is flipping slow!! Anyway enough of the excuses, where was I....
Oh yes floating down the river in Laos, possibly one of the best journeys I`ve ever taken. It`s not comfortable but if you can find a comfy spot (mine was on the floor resting against the baggage with a group of Aussie and British travellers) and you`ve got a good book and company then the time just flies by.
The first day was 9 hours on the boat passing small villages and families doing their washing along the way. The scenery was amazing and we`d go from large stretches of river surrounded by forest to narrow gorges with large rocks rising up out of the water. We were sailing at the end of the dry season and the river was low but in the rainy season these boulders would be covered by water. As the driver dodged around them I thought he must know the river really well...well I hoped he did.
We stopped for the night in Pak Beng, a village by the side of the Mekong. It seems to be mainly a collection of guest houses to serve the boat route but it served it`s purpose.
The next day was less comfortable. Even in Laos it seems there`s economies of scale and they`d sent our two boats from the previous day away and instead we were herded onto one boat that was only slightly larger. It was cramped and more cramped, no comfy spot on the floor this time. But there was still a bar on board and more people to chat to. The scenery was even more beautiful and when I managed to find a spec outside at the front of the boat I was happy. Steaming along in sunny weather with good music and beerlaos - brilliant! We stopped alot along the way this time to let people on and off at riverside villages which was both interesting and a bit hairy at times pulling in and off the riverbank.
After only six hours we were all surprised when we pulled into Luang Prabang. My first thought was that there was a pretty temple by the river side - I don`t really think something should be mapped as a Jetty when it`s a plank of wood onto the river bank, but hey that was just my thought as I walked the plank for the last time.
Finally in Luang Prabang we met with the usual cluster of insistent guest house reps and of course ended up staying somewhere totally different in price and facilities than we`d been told, but it was cheap, clean and us girls even had a TV with cable in our room!
Friday, 24 April 2009
Thursday, 5 March 2009
So finally in Laos and on the water. This was to be quite an epic journey down the Mekong. I'd already got about a third of the way from Chiang Mai and the next two days would take me to Luang Prabang in Laos. On first sight the river boat was more comfortable that I'd expected with a roof and bench seats, a loo and a small drinks bar on board. I don't think I'd expected much more than a large raft. After a few hours though the benches are hard and uncomfortable. The first day I was quite lucky though and I'd met three British girls, Abby, Hannah and Alice and we all camped out on the floor by the luggage at the front of the boat with the cushions we'd bought at the border which was much more comfortable. Floating down the Mekong, chatting with friends, drinking beer, reading and watching the world go by - what a great way to travel. The scenery is varied and in places spectacular. It differs from lush riverbanks with small villages to mountainous craggy hills where the river narrows and the captain has to navigate the rocky out crops. We stopped along the way to let villagers on and off the boat - well it is a slow boat - the stopping service of the Mekong.
After six hours we arrived in Pak Beng. After the talk from the man in Huay axi I had expected something from Pirates of the Carribean with a murderous throng of villagers ready to cut out throats and run off with our money, however Pak Beng was a modest little village on the river. Whilst the people at the pier selling their guest houses and trying to carry your luggage were a little pushy, it was nowhere near as scary as we'd been told. By that time we had joined a group of Aussies, Swedes and Brits so we all negotiated a room rate at one guest house for all thirteen of us. The Guest house was very basic but just about clean and it had a restaurant where we all ate that night.
The next day the journey wasn't quite so comfortable as the two boat loads of people that had left Huay axi were put onto one slightly larger boat. I thought it would be a long day but once we got started I managed to get comfy and the scenery was even more spectacular. There was an outside bit to this boat so I got comfy at the front and was surprised when we pulled into Luang Prabang.
I've been in Luang Prabang for nearly a week now and the city has really grown on me. I stayed with Alice, Hannah and Abby until Wednesday and then moved to a small guest house near the river where I'm staying until Monday.
The first few days were spent wandering the city, visting the palace museum, trying to book a trip to the Plain of Jars and sampling Laos food. I discovered a cute little bookshop that serves great food and shows British films for free in the upstairs tea room. On Sunday we watched Slumdog Millionaire. It was my brithday on Monday so we had a lazy day and then the whole group went for dinner and drinks. As there's a midnight curfew in Laos the only place open after 12 is the bowling alley so bizarrely spent the last hours of my birthday drinking Beer Laos and bowling very badly (one probably had something to do with the other) to Laos Pop Music.
On Tuesday we nursed our hangovers and then went to Kuang Si Waterfall. About a 40 minute ride in a truck through the countryside, the waterfall is really beautiful with the falls and then numerous pools and streams below. I was persuaded to take a dip in the swimming area which was lovely but absolutely freezing. After the fall we visited a bear rescue centre. It was only small but had about six or seven brown bears lazing away. They looked very content.
On Tuesday night we discovered the street food at the night market and stuffed ourselves full of veggie buffet for GBP 1. 50 each.
I said goodby to the girls on Wednesday as they were going to Vang Vieng. I might meet up with them again in Vientiane. I walked out to Wat Xieng Thong which is one of the oldest Wats in Laos and very beautiful. Luckily I was sitting in the temple when a couple came in with a guide so I eavesdropped and learnt all about the temple. I learnt that one of the roof beams is actually a sort of aqueduct where the monks pour fresh water from the mountains. It goes into a glass case containing a buddha figure to give the buddha a shower.
After picking up a booklet about volunteer projects in Laos I visited the Big Brother Mouse Project yesterday morning and helped with an English conversation class. Big Brother Mouse is a literacy project to help Laos students learn English. They publish books, hold book parties in remote villages and hold English classes. I helped two Laos high school students and a trainee teacher with their English conversation and grammar. It was really interesting as I learnt a bit about Laos and their familes and way of life as well.
I'm really enjoying my time here and I'd really like to come back and spend longer. It's a peaceful and serene city, the people are friendly and courteous and I feel very safe here. Orangerobed monks walk around the streets carrying umbrellas and the views across the rivers are fantastic.
Anyway that's about brought me up to date. This afternoon I'm going to the Laos red cross to book a massge and sauna and tomorrow I'm going to get up early to see the monks receiving alms and spend the day learning Laos cookery. I'm looking forward to seeing Irene my Dutch friend again who arrives tomorrow afternoon. Next week I'm off to the east of the country to Phonsavan and the mysterious Plain of Jars before heading to Vientaine and back to Thailand. More blog and pictures to follow soon.
After six hours we arrived in Pak Beng. After the talk from the man in Huay axi I had expected something from Pirates of the Carribean with a murderous throng of villagers ready to cut out throats and run off with our money, however Pak Beng was a modest little village on the river. Whilst the people at the pier selling their guest houses and trying to carry your luggage were a little pushy, it was nowhere near as scary as we'd been told. By that time we had joined a group of Aussies, Swedes and Brits so we all negotiated a room rate at one guest house for all thirteen of us. The Guest house was very basic but just about clean and it had a restaurant where we all ate that night.
The next day the journey wasn't quite so comfortable as the two boat loads of people that had left Huay axi were put onto one slightly larger boat. I thought it would be a long day but once we got started I managed to get comfy and the scenery was even more spectacular. There was an outside bit to this boat so I got comfy at the front and was surprised when we pulled into Luang Prabang.
I've been in Luang Prabang for nearly a week now and the city has really grown on me. I stayed with Alice, Hannah and Abby until Wednesday and then moved to a small guest house near the river where I'm staying until Monday.
The first few days were spent wandering the city, visting the palace museum, trying to book a trip to the Plain of Jars and sampling Laos food. I discovered a cute little bookshop that serves great food and shows British films for free in the upstairs tea room. On Sunday we watched Slumdog Millionaire. It was my brithday on Monday so we had a lazy day and then the whole group went for dinner and drinks. As there's a midnight curfew in Laos the only place open after 12 is the bowling alley so bizarrely spent the last hours of my birthday drinking Beer Laos and bowling very badly (one probably had something to do with the other) to Laos Pop Music.
On Tuesday we nursed our hangovers and then went to Kuang Si Waterfall. About a 40 minute ride in a truck through the countryside, the waterfall is really beautiful with the falls and then numerous pools and streams below. I was persuaded to take a dip in the swimming area which was lovely but absolutely freezing. After the fall we visited a bear rescue centre. It was only small but had about six or seven brown bears lazing away. They looked very content.
On Tuesday night we discovered the street food at the night market and stuffed ourselves full of veggie buffet for GBP 1. 50 each.
I said goodby to the girls on Wednesday as they were going to Vang Vieng. I might meet up with them again in Vientiane. I walked out to Wat Xieng Thong which is one of the oldest Wats in Laos and very beautiful. Luckily I was sitting in the temple when a couple came in with a guide so I eavesdropped and learnt all about the temple. I learnt that one of the roof beams is actually a sort of aqueduct where the monks pour fresh water from the mountains. It goes into a glass case containing a buddha figure to give the buddha a shower.
After picking up a booklet about volunteer projects in Laos I visited the Big Brother Mouse Project yesterday morning and helped with an English conversation class. Big Brother Mouse is a literacy project to help Laos students learn English. They publish books, hold book parties in remote villages and hold English classes. I helped two Laos high school students and a trainee teacher with their English conversation and grammar. It was really interesting as I learnt a bit about Laos and their familes and way of life as well.
I'm really enjoying my time here and I'd really like to come back and spend longer. It's a peaceful and serene city, the people are friendly and courteous and I feel very safe here. Orangerobed monks walk around the streets carrying umbrellas and the views across the rivers are fantastic.
Anyway that's about brought me up to date. This afternoon I'm going to the Laos red cross to book a massge and sauna and tomorrow I'm going to get up early to see the monks receiving alms and spend the day learning Laos cookery. I'm looking forward to seeing Irene my Dutch friend again who arrives tomorrow afternoon. Next week I'm off to the east of the country to Phonsavan and the mysterious Plain of Jars before heading to Vientaine and back to Thailand. More blog and pictures to follow soon.
Well I'm three weeks into my travels but it feels like I've beeen away longer as I've packed quite alot in. I finished my few days in Chiang Mai last week with a day at the Chiang Mai Cokery school. We started with a visit to the local market where one of the chefs explained all the various ingredients we'd be using. I was a bit alarmed by 'snake head fish' but thankfully we didn't see any of the head. After the market we went by truck out to their school in the countryside, about twenty minutes from Chiang Mai. We cooked all day and I learnt Coconut Milk Soup, Spicy Chicken Noodles, Red Fish Curry, Papaya Salad and Banana Leaf Cake. I also ate what I cooked so felt a bit stuffed by the end of the day. I met a new friend at the cookery school, a girl from Amsterdam called Irene who is also travelling alone. We went out to the night market and the river bar in the evening and plan to meet up again in Luang Prabang.
The next day I began my journey to laos, after a lazy day in Chiang Mai hanging out in the garden at Parami Guest House and playing with the cats. I was evetually collected from the Guest House by a man in a truck and taken to a rather run down office where a woman in comical pyjamas told me to wait on for the overnight bus to the border. The bus driver she said would stop and yell 'Chiang Khong' and then I could get on. I wasn't convinced! An hour later, whilst the lady and her son drove their motorbikes in and out of the shop, there was still no sign of the shouting bus driver but eventually after a few frantic phone calls by pyjama lady a minibus turned up and and on I got.
After several stops and lots of crazy driving around hair pin bends we finally arrived at the border about 3am. I'd been told we'd arrive at 5am and go straight to the boat but actually we were herded off the bus into a guest house for a few hours sleep. Bleary eyed and confused I wasn't quite sure what was going on but after being cramped up in a freezing cold air-con minibus for the past six hours I wasn't complaining and crashed out.
In the morning we were woken by a singing guest house owner. He wandered around singing 'Good morning, good morning, breakfast' to his own peculiar tune.
The began the process of getting across the border. We were taken first in a truck to a booth where we could buy photos and american dollars for the visa fee, then to a 30 minute queue to clear Thai immigration, then to a longtail boat across the river - hooray I'm in Laos - then to another 45 minute queue to get a Laos visa, then another 30 minute one to get the passport stamp to enter the country, then to a cafe where a Lao man basicallty told ud we'd be robbed and murdered in our beds if we went on the bost to Pak Beng and how we should get on his bus to Luang Prabang, then the brave (or stupid) amongst us were taken by truck to the river where we waited for another half an hour for customs to check our passport again and get out boat tickets and then FINALLY we got to get on the boat, where we waited. We left the guest house at 8am and after 4 hours we finally left the border and made for Pak Beng.
The next day I began my journey to laos, after a lazy day in Chiang Mai hanging out in the garden at Parami Guest House and playing with the cats. I was evetually collected from the Guest House by a man in a truck and taken to a rather run down office where a woman in comical pyjamas told me to wait on for the overnight bus to the border. The bus driver she said would stop and yell 'Chiang Khong' and then I could get on. I wasn't convinced! An hour later, whilst the lady and her son drove their motorbikes in and out of the shop, there was still no sign of the shouting bus driver but eventually after a few frantic phone calls by pyjama lady a minibus turned up and and on I got.
After several stops and lots of crazy driving around hair pin bends we finally arrived at the border about 3am. I'd been told we'd arrive at 5am and go straight to the boat but actually we were herded off the bus into a guest house for a few hours sleep. Bleary eyed and confused I wasn't quite sure what was going on but after being cramped up in a freezing cold air-con minibus for the past six hours I wasn't complaining and crashed out.
In the morning we were woken by a singing guest house owner. He wandered around singing 'Good morning, good morning, breakfast' to his own peculiar tune.
The began the process of getting across the border. We were taken first in a truck to a booth where we could buy photos and american dollars for the visa fee, then to a 30 minute queue to clear Thai immigration, then to a longtail boat across the river - hooray I'm in Laos - then to another 45 minute queue to get a Laos visa, then another 30 minute one to get the passport stamp to enter the country, then to a cafe where a Lao man basicallty told ud we'd be robbed and murdered in our beds if we went on the bost to Pak Beng and how we should get on his bus to Luang Prabang, then the brave (or stupid) amongst us were taken by truck to the river where we waited for another half an hour for customs to check our passport again and get out boat tickets and then FINALLY we got to get on the boat, where we waited. We left the guest house at 8am and after 4 hours we finally left the border and made for Pak Beng.
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
So here we go I've joined the world of blogging and started off on my adventures around the globe. I've been away two weeks and after a bit of a shaky start have begun to find my rhythm and really start to enjoy the travelling. So here's a quick run down off what's been happening in over the past two weeks.
Day 1 Leave UK for Bangkok - meet nice lady on the plane going to visit her son in Oz
Day 2 Arrive Bangkok - Hotel in Sukhumvit and sleep off the jetlag
Day 3 Nearly get scammed by dodgy cab driver and visited the Grand Palace. It's beautiful and the temple of the Emerald Buddha is really serene and calm with loads of gold and a tiny yoda like green figure sitting on the top of it.
Day 4 Move to the Royal Hotel for the volunteer project. No one to meet and introduce people and turns out no one they had staying that weekend was going to the project I was working on. Hotel staff wake my at 4.45am demanding my passport 500 baht and a check in form. Hmmm.
Day 5 Go to volunteer project. Feel like I'm miscast in a teen drama as everyone is 18-21. Arrive at Lemon House and no one around. Where is everyone - surely I'm not living in the stixs by a river on my own for a week? About 8pm a group of older people arrive and I start to settle in.
Day 6 First day on the project. One of the group at my house is working on the Orphange project too - hurray! Given the choice of Digging a hole, mixing cement or painting a wall - hmmm so no áctivities with the children' then, bit hard as they're in school. I choose painting and paint murals on their playground walls.
Day 7 Today I dig the hole. My friend Jayne is amazing and can dig for England. I'm not so handy but I get stuck in. I guess if they need a hole then they need one and I can leave something practical to help them.
Day 8 More digging. The hole is to be an incineratorfor rubbish. It's a half day today though and we go to a lovelt swimming pool in the afternoon. Dinner is at a local restaurant and is spicy but delicious.
Day 9 The kids are an some sort of fun day and get curious about the hole. The boys decide they can do better and kick us out to dig themselves. Other kids are lighting fires and playing in the woods - yes there doesn't seem to be any health and safety in Thailand. One grou even made a fire bomb out of something they heated up and spit - I have no idea how - these kids are resourceful. After lunch Jayne breaks out the party balloons and the kids go wild.
We go to Tesco in the evening and buy lots of stuff for the kids.
Day 10 Last day on the project. We dig for a bit and then the kids arrive and we get out the games. Loads of fun with balloons, skipping ropes, dolls but the most fun they have is with the big hole and playing with our cameras. A leaving ceermony at the end of the day and I get a certificate. Sad to leave as the past two days have been great and really rewarding.
Later that evening I go for a walk by the river and see s Salamander on the road. A bit freaked out but the later on on the way back from the bar we aee a massive snake slither across the road and into the river. I am in a taxi so don't freak out too much but secretly glad I'm leaving the next day.
Day 11 Back to Bangkok and chcek into Hotel De Moc - a pool and cable TV hurray!! I really have to become more hardened as a traveller. The girl in Reception recommends a great travel agency and I book my trip to Laos via Chiang Mai. They arrange my visa and agree to store my luggage. I hand over my passport praying they aren't going to disapper.
Day 12 Lazy day. I chill by the pool and have an amazing Thai massage for a fiver. I meet another lone traveller in the hotel so we hit the riverside for dinner and some drinks at a local Thai bar that night.
Day 13 Transfer to Chiang Mai. Get picked up for the overnight train. In a carriage with a Irish, a Japanses guy and a Swdish guy. The Irish guy hands out the beer and we stay up talking till1am.
Thai sleeper trains are great and very comfy.
Day 14 After not much sleep arrive in Chaing Mai and at Parami Guest House - my home away from home. Go to veggie Cafe for a let lunch and the wander the bookshops. I pass a Wat which looks really beautifu; and a girl beckons me in. She says I can look around and later tells me I can join an exercise class in the garden. I give it a go (muay Tin) with a group of older ladies. There's lots of hand twirling and sequnce stepping and from the laughter behind me I think I provided the class entertainment. They invited me back tomorrow so I might go and try and master it.
I'm off to the cookery school tomorrow to expand my repertoire and then on Thursday I go to Chiang Kong on the border and on Friday over to Loas and Luang Prabang on a slow boat down the Mekong.
Day 1 Leave UK for Bangkok - meet nice lady on the plane going to visit her son in Oz
Day 2 Arrive Bangkok - Hotel in Sukhumvit and sleep off the jetlag
Day 3 Nearly get scammed by dodgy cab driver and visited the Grand Palace. It's beautiful and the temple of the Emerald Buddha is really serene and calm with loads of gold and a tiny yoda like green figure sitting on the top of it.
Day 4 Move to the Royal Hotel for the volunteer project. No one to meet and introduce people and turns out no one they had staying that weekend was going to the project I was working on. Hotel staff wake my at 4.45am demanding my passport 500 baht and a check in form. Hmmm.
Day 5 Go to volunteer project. Feel like I'm miscast in a teen drama as everyone is 18-21. Arrive at Lemon House and no one around. Where is everyone - surely I'm not living in the stixs by a river on my own for a week? About 8pm a group of older people arrive and I start to settle in.
Day 6 First day on the project. One of the group at my house is working on the Orphange project too - hurray! Given the choice of Digging a hole, mixing cement or painting a wall - hmmm so no áctivities with the children' then, bit hard as they're in school. I choose painting and paint murals on their playground walls.
Day 7 Today I dig the hole. My friend Jayne is amazing and can dig for England. I'm not so handy but I get stuck in. I guess if they need a hole then they need one and I can leave something practical to help them.
Day 8 More digging. The hole is to be an incineratorfor rubbish. It's a half day today though and we go to a lovelt swimming pool in the afternoon. Dinner is at a local restaurant and is spicy but delicious.
Day 9 The kids are an some sort of fun day and get curious about the hole. The boys decide they can do better and kick us out to dig themselves. Other kids are lighting fires and playing in the woods - yes there doesn't seem to be any health and safety in Thailand. One grou even made a fire bomb out of something they heated up and spit - I have no idea how - these kids are resourceful. After lunch Jayne breaks out the party balloons and the kids go wild.
We go to Tesco in the evening and buy lots of stuff for the kids.
Day 10 Last day on the project. We dig for a bit and then the kids arrive and we get out the games. Loads of fun with balloons, skipping ropes, dolls but the most fun they have is with the big hole and playing with our cameras. A leaving ceermony at the end of the day and I get a certificate. Sad to leave as the past two days have been great and really rewarding.
Later that evening I go for a walk by the river and see s Salamander on the road. A bit freaked out but the later on on the way back from the bar we aee a massive snake slither across the road and into the river. I am in a taxi so don't freak out too much but secretly glad I'm leaving the next day.
Day 11 Back to Bangkok and chcek into Hotel De Moc - a pool and cable TV hurray!! I really have to become more hardened as a traveller. The girl in Reception recommends a great travel agency and I book my trip to Laos via Chiang Mai. They arrange my visa and agree to store my luggage. I hand over my passport praying they aren't going to disapper.
Day 12 Lazy day. I chill by the pool and have an amazing Thai massage for a fiver. I meet another lone traveller in the hotel so we hit the riverside for dinner and some drinks at a local Thai bar that night.
Day 13 Transfer to Chiang Mai. Get picked up for the overnight train. In a carriage with a Irish, a Japanses guy and a Swdish guy. The Irish guy hands out the beer and we stay up talking till1am.
Thai sleeper trains are great and very comfy.
Day 14 After not much sleep arrive in Chaing Mai and at Parami Guest House - my home away from home. Go to veggie Cafe for a let lunch and the wander the bookshops. I pass a Wat which looks really beautifu; and a girl beckons me in. She says I can look around and later tells me I can join an exercise class in the garden. I give it a go (muay Tin) with a group of older ladies. There's lots of hand twirling and sequnce stepping and from the laughter behind me I think I provided the class entertainment. They invited me back tomorrow so I might go and try and master it.
I'm off to the cookery school tomorrow to expand my repertoire and then on Thursday I go to Chiang Kong on the border and on Friday over to Loas and Luang Prabang on a slow boat down the Mekong.
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