Day 29 - Vang Vieng, Laos

Oh my goodness. We have had the most awsome day ever!

Yesterday we arrived quite last so we had a walk around town and went for dinner and drinks. The restaurant was great as it had pool tables, movies, beer pong, GIANT JENGA, and dice to determine whether your bucket was free or not :-) . It was a great night but I won't say anymore as today completely trumped it.

In the morning we hired motorbikes and drove to a couple of caves. There was no one else around for most of the trip so it was a lovely and peaceful and a few of us found a little alcove to go swimming in. It was freeeeeezing, but very refreshing also. We also went to the blue lagoon and had another very cold swim. For lunch we went to Gary's Irish Bar for some good old english food. Gary recommended his home made pies with REAL mash potatoes and I am grateful he did because it was amazing - or as a girl on this trip says, "it was like an angel peeing on my tongue". Gary also gave us some friendly advice about tubing since we were going after lunch, and as tubing virgins he gave us free wiskey shots and free buckets of vodka red bull :-) We all love Gary :-)

As I just mentioned we went tubing in the afternoon, and it was fantastic!

For those that don't know what it is... You sit in a big rubber ring floating down the river with bars lining the banks, and each bar will throw you a rope so you can get out. The whole route is 3km and has 15 bars, with the odd swing or slide thrown in for good measure. There's also often free shots going around, spray paint with "I love Laos" stenciles, and very loud music. Needless to say there are a lot of very drunk, very happy people around. There are also some very stupid people that get so wasted they fall down the steps into the river taking one of our group with them and blacking out. No one was seriously hurt; though we were all seriously worried for this girls safety. Especially when we all assumed after her fall they would keep her out of the water and 5 minutes later we met her again on her tube continuing down the river :-\ Luckily everyone in our group was sensible enough to enjoy the afternoon without the help of copious amounts of booze.

Then at the final bar the experience got even more exciting when it started to rain... or rather, the heavens opened on us so that our drinks were filling up faster than we were drinking them. Since the bar had zero cover the best option was to jump back on our tubes and head home. It turns out home was still more than 2km down the river. So there's Linda and I, obviously way behind the others because we wanted to dance until the very last possible second, trying to hold onto each other so we didn't get lost, trying to watch out for rocks - because in a part of the world where flooding has been a problem recently the water level in this river was very low - and then trying to swim to finish the route faster. If I could, I would do the whole thing again. Even with it being biterly cold at the end, the rain stinging my eyes, and rocks hitting my back on several occasions, it is still one of the best things I have ever done, and I would seriously recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Day 28 - Vientiane, Laos

Hello and goodbye Vientiane.

After our long journey yesterday we arrived at our hotel around half 3 in the afternoon. There wasn't enough time to do much sightseeing so instead we hired bikes and had a leisurely ride a round town. Manouvering through the traffic was once again a little bit of a challenge, but I quickly noticed, to my delight, that here they do have traffic signals, and they pay attention to them :-) . After exploring we stopped on the side of the river and looked over into Thailand, and then got a couple of beers to sit and watch the sunset with. (I am going to attempt to attach a photo but it's anyone's guess if it works or not).

For dinner mum took us to a romantic restaurant with a live band :-) and all the girls in our group had a good little sing along when they cracked out the classics like Celine Dion, Dido, and Phil Collins. Drinks after were had in a bar overlooking the river, and we decided it was probably time to go when they had not only stopped serving drinks and turned the music off, but they turned the lights off too.

This morning was a fairly early start to take our bikes and do some proper sightseeing. We went to a buddist temple 'Phra That Luang' (Great sacred Stupa), Patuxai (Victory Gate), and Sisavangvong Statue. The heat beat us in the end though and we had to retreat to the hotel. After cooling down and eating waaaay too much food at the nearby bakery we got straight back on a coach and are on our way to Vang Vieng.

Day 26/27 - Vietnam to Laos

Good morning people! Today I am very awake and feeling very refreshed. Linda and I got a fabulous 13 hours sleep last night and oh boy did we need it.

After an awesome night in Hanoi, drinking pig bucket cocktails and dancing on bars, I only made it to bed at half 4 and was then woken up at half 5 as we had a long travel day ahead of us to reach the border. The journey was about 11 hours in total and so uncomfortable it hindered any attempts at sleep. Due to the border closing around 4 our driver was seriously putting his foot down, regardless of the small lanes, sharp corners, and huge holes. It was so bumpy on several occasions we literally came off our seats, and I wish I was exaggerating. When we stopped for lunch it was at a small restaurant serving local food. One thing I have noticed a lot in Vietnam is that the small local places along the roads, that is shops as well as restaurants, are simply the front rooms of peoples houses. Here it was evident when, to get to the toilet, we found ourselves walking through their living room into the bathroom they were drying their washing in. Another little surprise for us was how fresh the food was. After ordering chicken with my rice the gentleman proceeded to kill the chicken that we had seen outside, pluck it, clean it, and hand it to his wife to cook. It tasted great, and I am just glad I hadn't seen the mess the guy made preparing it before I ate it.

The hotel we stayed in was the most basic so far, and by that I mean there was no wifi, but it was not a tourist area so we were lucky to find any hotel. The best thing about this place was the view. We opened our balcony doors onto a cute little village, with the sun setting just behind the mountain. Lovely :-) . They also had bright pink toilet paper, but then only I would get excited about that.

We are now back on our coach heading to Vientiane...

Oh my goodness... just stopped for a five minute break and one of the girls spotted the cutest baby monkey just sitting in the nearby tree :-) He got quite shy when there were too many people around but when I went to the other side of the tree on my own he was more than happy to come so close I could have touched him.

...anyway, 4 more hours or so on this coach and I am now very glad I stole extra food from breakfast to put in my bag :-) . Also the ride isn't much better than yesterdays. Before leaving mum warned us that instead of "di di di di di di ding!" it would be "weeeeeeeeee ding, so maybe you need anti-sick" which translated means instead of a standard trip there are a lot of bends so you may need tablets to help with travel sickness. Luckily no one is feeling sick but she was right about the bends. We're all being thrown around a bit so I think everyone will be happy when it's over.

Day 24/25 - Hanoi, Vietnam

Once again we came to a sad part of our trip as Hanoi is where we were to say goodbye to more members of our group. However, we did gain another and I am sure we will all keep in contact after this trip.

The drive from Halong Bay to Hanoi was a short one and we arrived in time to get lunch from a street cafe. Mum also took the group for a walk through the old quater to the centre of the city. The streets in the old quater were just lined with shops selling everything from tourist souvenirs, and communist propaganda posters, to food, clothes, and bike accessories (helmets and parts). In the centre we climbed to the roof of one of the buildings for drinks and got a spectacular view of the city.

The following day we took another walk and visited the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, museum, One Pillar Pagoda, old prison, and a water puppet show. A few of us also went out for a very different lunch... I am sorry if this upsets anyone but Linda and I ate dog.

The place we went to was nothing like a standard restaurant or cafe. It seemed more like an abandoned shack with some rugs and tables thrown around. We had to remove our shoes and we ate sitting on the floor. We were given a sheet of newspaper as a table cloth and no menu. You simply ate what they put in front of you, which consisted of many different parts of the dog, cooked in various ways, with cucumber, popadoms, and sticks of lemon grass. It all tasted fine but I don't think I would repeat it.

The evening was the last supper for some so we went out for a great dinner and then on for drinks after. We made the most of the night :-)

Day 21/22/23 - Hue and Halong bay, Vietnam

A relatively short journey took us from Hoi An to Hue. Here there was an option to take a motorbike tour of the area however my money was running low so I opted out and went for a walk instead. Checking the map supplied by the hotel and noting where all the big tourist places were I headed out, in the opposite direction. I very quickly found myself getting strange looks from people as they watched this crazy tourist, who must be lost, trying not to get run over. There were no side walks, anywhere. Just very busy roads full of motorbikes lined with shops. Sometimes there was room to walk between the shop front and the parked bikes and then sometimes there wasn't :-\ Still, I survived and it was worth it to watch the people going about their everyday lives. I eventually found a supermarket to stock up on snacks but even that was a mission since no one spoke english so I just had to hold out my money and trust he'd take the right amount, which I think he did. After walking back I ventured into the normal tourist areas, took a stroll along the river as the sunset, and got lost in the market place. It was pitch black and the covers prevented any streets lights from getting in, however the smell of the fish I had walked past to get in was enough to tell me when I was getting closer to the exit.

In the evening it was much the same as always; shower and then meet the group for dinner. However tonight was Halloween so a bit of party party was going to be involved. Obviously no one had brought anything for costumes when packing their travel essentials, but then when you're me travel essentials includes make up and red nail varnish. The perfect combination to pretend slit your throat and die :-) . I did look a little strange being the only one dressed up but then I entertained a lot of people so it was worth it :-) . It was also worth it to take mum out and get her a little... OK A LOT... drunk.

Since we didn't wake up until 12 we went straight out to get lunch. Another local place where no one could really speak english seemed perfect until we realised every dish was made of shrimp and there is only so much shrimo, fish sauce, and fish skin you can eat at once. That said, the food was great, and it helped to prepare us for the 14 hour train ride ahead.

NB: overnight train survival kit = books, playing cards, snacks, water and something to put between you and the slightly stained bed sheets.

The 14 hours passed quite quickly and was much nicer than the subsequent 5 hour coach ride to get to Halong Bay. Here we were alowed a few hours nap before a boat ride around the bay and to the caves. Here our tour guide insisted on pointing out the rock formations that resembled something else, like a dragon, and a turtle. However it was a bit of a stretch when he told us the story of the woman shaped rock coming down from heaven to bath in the pool until the man shaped shadow, who had been looking up at her, stole her wings and clothes and she could no longer return, not even on the horse shaped rock. The guide wasn't quite sure what to say when someone pointed out the man wouldn't exist without the artificial light conveniently directed at the rocks. In the evening we were supposed to be going to a karaoke bar, however, where we were expecting a pub/bar with a stage and people singing, we got private rooms that you pay for by the hour and the Vietnamese equivalent of a sing star machine. We didn't stay. Instead we had a relaxed night wandering through the market and drinking on the side of the road.

Day 18/19/20 - Hoi An, Vietnam

We have now had another go on an overnight train. This one was no where near as nice as the first one. In fact, it smelled bad, the walls at then end of the beds were just glass so anyone walking by could look in on you, and, it was freezing cold. Though the temperature may have been more bearable had I not given a shivering Linda my cover thinking I could deal with the cold, and then discovering I couldn't deal when she was already asleep. I was very elated when we finally arrived and moved into a much warmer coach heading for Hoi An.

The first job here was to go to the tailors and just look at the dresses and suits that they could make. This quickly turned into Linda ordering a stunning cocktail dress, and myself and my 'wine buddy' buying ball gowns and making a pact that we will find somewhere to wear them. In the afternoon a friend and I then hired bikes and went for a cycle around the villages and to the beach. The number of cars and bikes on the roads was unbelievable and there is very little attention paid to traffic signals etc. I am now very proud of our cycling skills. I am even more proud of our motorcycle riding skills as this was the next days activities. It was slightly unnerving that you don't need a license in any form to hire a motor bike, but luckily the guy I was with had plenty of practice. He even let me try it out on my own for a bit, and for my first time I think I did very well; I made it to about 5mph, and, I turned a corner :-) The other two who came with us on this adventure were not so luckily as they almost crashed several times, but I say 'almost' so it's all good :-) We discovered on our drive the town is not very big at all but that also meant we got to see everything from the tourist centre, the coast, main roads in the middle of nowhere, a small pottery village, a fishing village, and we stopped and chatted to a local outside her house for a bit. She was very helpful and very proficient at english. We then returned in time for me to spend hours with the girls getting fitted for our dresses and then going for a Vietnamese cooking class. It wasn't one of the classes in the big restaurants tourists nirmally go. It was instead a small empty restaurant, slightly out of the centre of tourist ville, with no room in the kitchen so we were set up in the middle of the dinning room, but we got to cook a good selection of traditional foods and eat it all at the end. The guys with us quickly realised they were paying to cook their own food and once again questioned their original motivations. I however got to take pictures of them in aprons so i'm glad they came :-)

Day 15 to 18 - Vietnam border to Nha Trang

Once again the post begins with a very long coach ride. However this time there is an additional short ferry ride, before another long coach ride across the Vietnam border. The first destination was not far from the border, Ho Chi Min City, and here we gained and lost some friends. Mum took us for a walk around town and left us at a bar so we could have some fair well drinks. It was a very pretty bar inside but it was hidden down a very skanky looking back alley. Back at the hotel we said goodbye to the first departure :-( and then got ready to meet our new fellow travellers. Naturally, after dinner, drinks were involved, including buckets and flaming sambuca's, not necessarily the best idea :-\ but then when do we ever do anything sensible?

The following day we were loosing the rest of the roam cambodia group so we just had a relaxing day together. Ate local food, had local ice cream, wandered around the market, and finally chilled out in the hotel pool. In the evening we set off for our first experience of an overnight train. It was going to be a long journey so we were advised to take food with us. The obvious options being crisps and biscuits; basically snack food. Unless you are me. Then you take a large carton of orange juice, a large box of cereal, some small cartons of milk, a couple of disposable cups, and you use the straw from the milk cartons as a spoon. It was a genius plan if I do say so myself.

Our arrival in Nha Trang was an early one so naps were in order before everyone headed off to a secluded beach where we were given a steady supply of barbequed seafood and cold drinks - and I can't forget to mention it was all you can eat/drink :-) I think you can guess what came next. The night life here was great too. The bars were quite westernised to appeal to the average tourist which is good, and bad, depending on your perspective, but then when you've had enough to drink it doesn't really matter where you are. Oh... unless the club you're in has an outside terrace overlooking the beach with a couple of mini fires to add to the atmosphere... then you take notice of where you are :-) The next day was free for us to do what we like so a slow stroll around the area was in order and a good chance to chat to some locals. Then linda and I vered away from standard travelling experiences and went to KFC for hangover food - it may have been wrong but it was necessary. It was just what we needed before heading to the mud baths for the afternoon. Six of us girls were put in a warm mub bath together up the side of the mountain. It was fantastically relaxing and the view was spectacular. The three guys that came with us did not have such an awesome time since they were taken to a separate bath further down where the view was a little disrupted and all of them quickly realised they were paying money to sit in mud, half naked, with just each other. I shall refrain from naming and shaming them.