TravelStream™ news feed for member conrad.bear on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/conrad.bear en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:00:53 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/5/1259772320/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/5/1259772320/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/5/1259772320/tpod.html Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:00:53 -0500 photos

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Hanoi, Vietnam


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Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam


]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248881837/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248881837/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248881837/tpod.html Sun, 13 Sep 2009 05:14:34 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Ninh Binh, Vietnam

I got into Ninh Binh at 4:30am. I'm not a fan of the Camel sleeper bus. It would have been better if I wasn't on the top bunk. Oh well, time for a nap before sightseeing.


So after the rain stopped it was off to Tam Coc with my hand drawn map. The directions were really good and soon I was catching the boat, through the river past the huge rock formations. It was very peaceful as there were not too many boats out. We went through three caves, well tunnels. The return trip took about two hours.


Then it was back on the bike to Hoa Lu. Hoa Lu was the capital from 968 to 1009. Most of the city has been destroyed leaving just one structure. The entrances to it were very high. The only difference between the window and the door is a one inch step at the doorways.

Then it was back the hotel. Tomorrow I leave for Hanoi.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248622606/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248622606/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248622606/tpod.html Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:57:43 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Hue, Vietnam

Today I took a motorbike out and looked around the rest of the Hue. It was a bit tomb raider-ish. There were no people around and I was just wandering around by myself.



First stop Bao Quoc Pagoda which I found with the help of some locals. I was the only one there, no one trying to sell me anything just a quite, relaxing temple with birds singing.


Then back on the bike and off to Tu Hieu Pagoda. My navigation has improved I didn't get lost once. I parked up beside the cow with the other motorbikes.

Then walked around the lake to the Pagoda. The monks chanting made a nice environment. There was a small cemetery to look around as well.

I think all the visitors do the city tour then lave and never come to these two places.

Finally back to town to see Notre Dame Cathedral. Really these cathedrals are getting worst but there was a nice outside area.

Nothing to do tomorrow I need to wait for Tuesday night go get a bus out. Should have booked it when I arrived.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248536191/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248536191/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248536191/tpod.html Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:20:24 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Hue, Vietnam

Today it was a DMZ tour (180,000) with a 6am start. This tour was a lot of driving. We drove 1.5 hours to Dong Ha which gave me a chance to sleep some more. Actually the whole bus slept most of the day. There weren't that many people so everyone spread out. First stop breakfast and to pick up a guide.


Then it was off down highway 1 to a statue of the Vietnam soldiers of the site of the Doc Mieu Base. Well where the base was it’s all gone now.

Then to the Hien Luong Bridge which is over the Ben Hai River. This was the division between north and south. People were killed if they crossed the bridge.



Then on to the Vinh Moc Tunnels. People lived in these tunnels during the war. There were schools, hospital, a whole community lived there for four years.

Then back to Dong Ha for lunch before heading off down highway 9.


First stop Dakrong Bridge and the start of the Ho Chi Minh trail which bought supplies throughout the country.

Last stop was Khe Sanh Combat Base with it’s war relics. Then back home to Hue.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248449778/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248449778/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248449778/tpod.html Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:18:25 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Hue, Vietnam

Today I took a day tour of the city. It was the easiest way to see the tombs. I would have gotten lost doing it myself and a driver would be a lot more than 120,000 dong. I went for the most expensive tour based on the lunch, in hindsight I should have gone for the 90,000 one. Oh well what's 2 USD.



First stop Tu Duc Tomb which is pretty and set on very large grounds.

Then a quick stop to see incense and conical hats being made.

I don’t know if I mentioned this but the locals really do wear the hats, well the women.




Then Minh Mang Tomb actually there tombs are starting to all look alike and it’s only the second one.



Then on to Khal Dinh Tomb, again more of the same. Now back to town for a bit of lunch.



The first stop in the afternoon was the citadel. Which is in the centre of town. It’s a lot like the one in Beijing with the forbidden city and palaces for the queen and mother.



The last stop was Thion Mu Pagoda on the banks of the Perfume river. The Thion Mu Pagoda has an iconic eight tier tower and a nice turtle carrying a slab.


Then it was home via the perfume river, a lovely way to end a busy day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248363358/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248363358/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248363358/tpod.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:51:24 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Hue, Vietnam

Off to Hue today. The train trip is meant to be great. Though it's actually Da Nang to Hue. The train track from Hoi An to Da Nang was destroyed and no one has fired it.

So motorbike to Da Nang (100,000). On the way we got a flat tyre. If you never had a flat tyre on a bike, I’ll tell you it’s strange. The bike sudden starts to shake and move side to side. And it feels like it’s going to go over I’m glad we were stopping to turn when it happened.

Well off the bike and much looking. You could see him think "oh no what do I do". Then he say “we walk?” Yep I said so he pushed the bike with my bag and off we went. We walked a little past the first roadside place selling petrol to the second which had a compressed air generator. It was only 5-10 minutes.

So then I sat down has a Pespi and waited, 10 minutes later we were off again. I was till 20 mins early for the train. So no drama.

The train trip goes along the coast. The South China sea is a great shade of blue, the sand is white and the jungle goes all the way down to the sand. Quite beautiful well worth it.

Though I should have bought the ticket from the station face value 47,000 for soft seat air con and it cost 144,000 for the Hotel. Though the station is in Da Nang and the hotel is in Hoi An.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248276935/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248276935/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248276935/tpod.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:25:59 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Hoi An, Vietnam

Today is a half day at cooking school at Red Bridge (USD 22). It starts with meeting in the old town.

Then off to the market. Our group of 15 was split into groups of 5 for our market trip, so we could get close to the food. The market trip was good and cleared up a fruit problem. The red fuzzy fruit with the white pip is a Rambutan and the one with the black pip is a Lychee. It's been a question for a while there was some debate among backpackers.

Then we hopped in a boat and off to the cooking place. A lovely resort out near the beach.

The chef was the funniest guy. And if you are doing this course don’t sit on the ends of the rows. He brings people up to help with the demonstrations.

We had some Aussie guys who were having a beer as we started so therefore were the first to demonstrate. He likes to choose guys to demo. Then rolls his eyes and says terrible!!. But the whole thing is a blast.

Then you try the recipes yourself and be comes around and says pass/fail/do it again. Then you sit down for more food and you can stay and go swimming in the pool or back on the boat.

Great day because the chef was so fun. And it was a crowd who liked to take the piss out of each other.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248192695/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248192695/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248192695/tpod.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:19:36 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Hoi An, Vietnam

Diving in the marine national park.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248020085/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248020085/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/conrad.bear/4/1248020085/tpod.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:17:44 -0400 Part 4: Vietnam

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Hoi An, Vietnam

Random walking around the old town produced these photos
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