TravelStream™ news feed for member igandmary on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/igandmary en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 26 Jan 2005 06:04:37 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1102258920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1102258920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1102258920/tpod.html Wed, 26 Jan 2005 06:04:37 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Bangkok, Thailand

We decided to fly to Phuket from KL as it was much quicker than by bus (1 hour rather than two days), so much for the overland adventure! We took Lonely Planet's advice and stayed in Phuket Town instead of the beach resorts. Phuket Town is less touristy and is quieter at night than the resorts. We picked out what sounded like a nice place, which it was until the bed bugs struck at night. Ig got bitten to death and had bites all over his body. It took us a couple of nights to diagnose the culprits and when we did we bought several cans of insecticide and set up the mosquito net to deter the little buggers. It deterred most of them but not the smaller ones.

Our days in Phuket took the same format: Breakfast at the hotel, bus to one of the beaches (Karon, Kata or Patong), bus back to Phuket Town, shower, then food and drinks either in the town or in Patong. We spent a day at Patong beach which was very busy, and two days on Karon which was less busy with not as many sellers of massage, fruit, ice cream etc. For a livelier night we headed for Patong which is neon city at night, lots of bars, restaurants and plenty of tourist shops selling 'designer' goods - all original of course! We took advantage of this and bought t-shirts, a bag and a pashmina.

Whilst in Phuket we decided to take a one day boat trip to the Phi Phi Island group which was used as the location for the film 'The Beach' with Leonardo DiCaprio. The Phi Phi Island group consists of two islands: Phi Phi Leh (uninhabited) and Phi Phi Don. We sailed to Phi Phi Leh and Maya Beach (the beach in 'The Beach') and Ig snorkeled and fed the fishes. Mary tried snorkeling but yet again scared herself to death so just relaxed on the boat. Maya beach was heaving and not at all like the deserted beach in the film, but it was still good to see. We then sailed around the island to Phi Phi Don where lunch and some time was had on the beach. Phi Phi is definitely worth a visit and if we had more time we would have stayed on the island for a few days as the beaches and scenery are excellent. We were shocked to find out it had been decimated by the tsunami just three weeks after we left - a lucky escape for us!

We then had the dilemma of getting from Phuket to Bangkok. We looked into taking the bus, but again discovered it takes a long time so off we went to the Thai airways office and booked a flight to Bangkok.

As it was Mary's birthday (and Ig had been bitten to death) Ig booked a nice hotel with clean bed, bathroom, mini-bar and satellite TV (which just happened to have Premiership football on constantly!) Our hotel was just off the Sukhumvit Road and we quickly realised that Bangkok is not the easiest place to get around and is always very busy. Travelling along the Sukhumvit is easy as there is a Skytrain that runs above the road, but it is more difficult to get to the Mae Nam Chao Phraya River and the Grand Palace areas.

On our first afternoon in the city we took the Skytrain to Lumphini Park to see a number of Thais working out doing outdoor aerobics, this was fun to watch. It was then to Patpong which has a large bazaar selling the usual tourist tat, and also the infamous go-go bars. It was all a bit seedy, but Mary was more concerned about the cat sized rat she saw scurry under a stall than looking around. We didn't stay too long in this area before heading back to the hotel.

Next day, we decided one of the first things we needed to do was book our train ticket to Chiang Mai (in northern Thailand) and also sort out our crossing into Cambodia. We headed for the train station and were intercepted by a helpful lady giving train advice. She told us our train options to Chiang Mai and we decided to go with her to book. As we crossed to the train station we quickly realised she worked for a private company situated in an office alongside the station rather than the railway company. We went into the office although we were a little wary after reading of the various scams in Lonely Planet. One such scam is paying for the ticket and not receiving it, so we waited for the ticket before we paid. As the ticket was sold to us at exactly the same price as it costs at the train station we became less cautious and enquired about a bus ticket and visa for our crossing into Cambodia. The lady told us the details and the price and it seemed reasonable so we went ahead and booked that too, only later did we find that we'd paid about four times too much! With our travel plans sorted we could concentrate on seeing the sights of Bangkok.

Bangkok has many temples so we decided just to visit what we thought would be the highlights Amongst the sights that we saw were:
- Wat Phra Kaew, a complex of stupas and temples in which the revered emerald Buddha is housed;
- The Grand Palace, (in the same grounds as Wat Phra Kaew) the impressive former royal residence;
- Wat Pho, which has an impressive 46m long by 15m high reclining Buddha;
- Wat Tramit, home to a solid gold Buddha;
- Wat Saket, the ancient temple which has good views of Bangkok;
- Wat Ratchatchiwat, aka the golden mound temple.

Before heading up to Chiang Mai, we took a day trip from Bangkok to see the floating market at Damnoen Saduak and the bridge on the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi. The floating market, although it is no longer authentic as most of the traders now deal in tourist paraphanelia rather than fresh produce, was still interesting to see and we managed to get there slightly ahead of the rest of the tour groups.

After the market it was on to Kanchanaburi via the inevitable craft village. Thankfully there was no pressure selling and we got chance to admire superb craftsmanship of the wood carvers. In Kanchanaburi we had lunch and visited a number of sites relating to the infamous 'Death Railway'. The visit culminated with a walk across the bridge on the River Kwai - made famous by the classic war film of the same name. The death railway, as it was nicknamed, was conceived by the occupying Japanese and built by Prisoners of War in just 16 months (it had been estimated by engineers that it would take five years). The completed railway linked Bangkok and Rangoon in Burma and the back-breaking work, torture and terrible conditions claimed approximately 100,000 lives. As well as the bridge itself, we visited the JEATH War Museum with exhibits depicting the suffering of the POWs at the hands of the Japanese, and the allied war cemetery where many of the unfortunate victims were laid to rest.

From Bangkok we took a 10 hour train journey up to Chiang Mai, arriving at 6pm. The train was relatively clean and comfortable, although a numb bum is inevitable after sitting in one place for so long. We knew there was some food provided but were surprised to be fed three times in the first five hours of the journey. The food was OK but no better.

On arriving in Chiang Mai we were met by Ig's cousin Ashley and his wife Tilly who currently live and work in Thailand. They welcomed us with a jasmine garland and after dropping our bags at our hotel (Montri hotel - recommended) took us out for some food. Tilly is from Chaing Mai and we were informed that you can't say you have been to the city until you've visited Doi Suthep (the temple on the hillside above the city) and tasted Khao Soy - northern Thailand's signature dish. It was too dark to see the temple so we headed straight to the restaurant called 'Just Khao Soy' for a meal.

Khao Soy consists of a soft noodle soup with meat or vegetables, topped with crispy noodles. As an accompaniment, you get small dishes of banana, chilli, coconut milk, and lime which you can add to the soup to make it hotter, milder, sweeter or more sour according to your taste. Despite Tilly asking for a mild version for us uninitiated foreigners, the dish was very spicy and left our eyes watering. We both really liked Khao Soy and would certainly have in again.

We spent the next couple of days sightseeing around the city and saw some of the best of the many temples for which Chiang Mai is famous. The best ones were Doi Suthep with it's fantastic views over the city and Wat Phra Singh. We also visited the hill tribe museum to learn about the various ethnic groups who live in the northern hills of Thailand.

Our final day in Chiang Mai was spent with Ashley and Tilly and they took us to see their family business in Ban Tawia where they manufacture and sell furniture and story boxes amongst other things Click here for their website. After this we took a drive into the hills and visited an elephant sanctuary where we fed the elephants and were entertained by a number of amazing feats including dancing, playing football and painting with their trunks. After a nice meal, Ashley and Tilly dropped us at the train station for an overnight sleeper train back to Bangkok.

We spent the following day in Bangkok taking in the sights which we hadn't managed to fit in, doing a bit of shopping and preparing for the next leg of our adventure - into Cambodia.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1103475600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1103475600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1103475600/tpod.html Wed, 26 Jan 2005 05:52:40 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

We travelled to Siem Reap in Cambodia overland from Bangkok in what turned out to be one of the most arduous and frustrating journeys in our whole trip. The travel company we booked the ticket with told us that the journey would consist of a three hour VIP bus journey to the border, two hours to get through the border, then five hours on another bus to Siem Reap. As we had set off at 8am we reckoned we would be there by 6pm - we actually arrived at 10.30pm! Things went well on the Thai side, but some organised chaos at the border and lots of waiting around in the baking sun set us back on our schedule. We were then 'handed over' to the Cambodian tour company and packed into one of the smallest and most uncomfortable buses known to man. Five minutes down the road, everyone had to get off the bus for a punctured tyre to be repaired, and this set the trend for the journey to Siem Reap which lasted for 8.5 hours along mostly dirt road, riddled with pot holes. Several stops at restaurants and a couple of stops to check over the bus were all part of the scam which aimed to deliver us to a guest house connected with the bus company as late as possible. The idea being that if you get there late you will be more likely to stay there than going elsewhere. It certainly worked on us - we just couldn't be bothered trying to get to the guest house of our choice and after checking out the room we decided it was ok and crashed out.

The town of Siem Reap is the ideal base for exploring the magnificent temples of Angkor, built by Khmer devaraja (God Kings) between the 9th and 13th centuries. We opted for a 3 day pass and linked up with a remorque moto (motorbike with trailer) driver from our guest house to take us round. We started off on the first day with Angkor Wat - the most famous temple which turned out to be our favourite. Amongst the others we liked were The Bayon with its stone faces, and Ta Promh which has been spectacularly overgrown with tree roots and was the setting for scenes from Tomb Raider. We clambered up and down the various temples and took a sunset balloon ride to complete the experience. On our 3rd day we made a final visit to Angkor Wat so that we could end as well as start with our favourite temple.

Our initial impressions of Cambodia were that it was a very poor and underdeveloped country. However, parts of Siem Reap were surprisingly well developed with nice bars and restaurants and huge luxury hotels to draw in the tourist dollar. Genuine poverty and hardship was never far away though, as shown by the numerous beggars, ramshackle houses and landmine victims hobbling around on crutches (or worse).

In order to learn more about the warfare and landmines which have crippled Cambodia over the last few decades, we paid a visit to the war and landmine museums in Siem Reap. The war museum contained relics from the recent armed conflicts and we were shown round by a former soldier who had fought with the Khmer Rouge and then with the Vietnamese army. As well as explaining to us the various weapons our guide told us stories of his own brushes with death. His list of war wounds was quite amazing and was totally believable considering each was backed up with a visible scar or lump under the skin where shrapnel was embedded. For the record, his list of misfortunes was as follows:

- Shot in thigh (broken femur pinned)
- Shot in chest
- Six months in prison for accidentally shooting his friends foot with an Ouzi
- Fifteen nails in his body from a nail bomb (2 removed)
- Ballbearing shrapnel from a booby trap bomb
- Leg blown off by a landmine
- Mother killed by Khmer Rouge
- Injured by hand grenade which killed children trying to use it for fishing
- Hit in temple by a 'Bouncing Betty' mine and partially blinded as a result
- Wife killed by a landmine

The guy was obviously welling up with tears as he told us some of his stories, although like most Cambodians, he was remarkably cheerful despite his experiences. He dryly joked 'If I go to the airport, I think I have big problems!' - referring to the many bits of metal stuck in his body.

The landmine museum, as the name suggests, concentrates solely on landmines and is run by Aki Ra, another former soldier who now concentrates on clearing mines and helping the victims in conjunction with international landmine charities. After reading the stories of some of the victims we were happy to make a donation.

We decided it would be nice to spend Christmas on the beach and as it was drawing near we headed for Sihanoukville - Cambodia's fledgling seaside resort. The first leg of the journey was to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh was by a 4.5 hour speedboat journey along the Tonle Sap lake. We sat on the roof to avoid the cramped conditions inside and were rewarded with views of floating lakeside communities and small fishing boats going about their business - some containing whole families with small children who waved enthusiastically. The downside of sitting on the roof was the drenching we got when the boat hit a wave, and the deafness in one ear from the sound of the engines. The second leg of the journey was by bus from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. This journey took 3.5 hours and compared to our previous bus experience, was luxurious and efficient in a full size coach on sealed road. However, as with all bus journeys in SE Asia, the standard of driving leaves a bit to be desired and there were several heart in mouth moments as we overtook other vehicles into the path of oncoming traffic. A heavy dose of horn blowing and split second timing always seems to get the driver through in these situations and we were unfazed by it after a few near misses.

We arrived in Sihanoukville and checked in to Ochheuteal Beachside Bungalows which we had booked by phone the previous night. Ig had already given up trying to spell 'Higginbottom' over the phone and instead gave his name simply as 'John'. Inevitably, Ig was referred to as 'Mr John' for the duration of our stay. The beach bungalows were exactly what we were looking for - a touch of luxury (again) for Christmas with a nice bar/restaurant, satellite TV and a fridge. Christmas eve night was spent at Eden - the liveliest of a number of beach bars which were literally right on the beach. We donned our Santa hats (bought in Singapore) and celebrated with a few glasses of Angkor draught while listening to the tunes and watching the fireworks and fire jugglers. Christmas day was also spent on the beach followed by a five course Christmas dinner at Mick & Craig's Sanctuary - a guest house/restaurant run by an English guy. We were full to bursting and full of Christmas cheer when we went to make our phone calls to our families at home.

It was on the beach on Boxing day that we first learned of the unfolding tsunami tragedy via concerned text messages from our parents. It was only when we went back to our room and tuned in to BBC World that we learned of the full scale of the disaster and realised how lucky we were considering that we'd been in Phuket and on Phi Phi island (in Thailand) just three weeks earlier.

From Sihanoukville it was back to Phnom Penh where we spent a couple of days before crossing into Vietnam. Despite a handful of 'normal' tourist attractions, any visit to Phnom Penh is inevitably dominated by harrowing visits to the Khmer Rouge's Tuol Sleng prison and the killing fields of Choeung Ek. If you already know the recent history of Cambodia and the barbaric Khmer Rouge regime you can skip the next bit, but if you don't, then the following few paragraphs give a potted history. We borrowed this bit from an email written by a friend of a friend (thanks Laura and Paul) as it seems to sum things up pretty well:

On taking control in 1975, the Khmer Rouge implemented one of the
most radical and brutal restructurings of society ever attempted; its goal
was to transform Cambodia into a Maoist, peasant dominated agrarian
cooperative. Within 2 weeks of coming to power the entire population of the
capital and provincial towns, including everybody in the hospitals, was
forced to march out to the countryside and placed in mobile work teams to do
slave labour - preparing the fields, digging irrigation canals - 12 to 15
hours a day. Disobedience of any sort brought immediate execution.
Currency was abolished and postal services were halted.

In 1975, Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot's security
forces and turned into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S21). It soon
became the largest centre of detention and torture in the country. More
than 17,000 held at S21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeung Ek
to be executed. Detainees who died during torture were buried in mass
graves in prison grounds. S21 is now a museum as a memorial to the horrific
events. The walls of the museum are covered with photos of the victims
which the Khmer Rouge (like the Nazis) were meticulous in keeping.

At the killing fields the remains of 8985 people, many of
whom were bound and blindfolded, were exhumed in 1980 from mass graves in this
former orchard. Fragments of human bones and cloth are scattered all over
the grounds. Over 8000 skulls arranged by sex and age are held in a
memorial building. There are dozens more such killing fields all over
Cambodia. From 1975-1979 alone, the Khmer Rouge killed about 3 million
people.

After the fall of the Khmer Rouge to communist Vietnam backed factions in
1979, the Khmer Rouge and allied factions (seen as a counterpoint to
Vietnamese power) were kept in operation, at least in part, by funding from
the US government and received training in mine laying from the British SAS.
The US even helped the Khmer Rouge maintain its seat at the UN. In the
early - mid 1990's the KR were still responsible for thousands of deaths a
year. It was only in 1997 that the KR started to fall apart. None of its
leaders have been brought to justice. It is shocking to realise that many
are still living safely in Cambodia.

Well, as you can imagine, our visit to S21 and the killing fields were both shocking and moving, and probably overshadowed the temples of Angkor as our overriding memory of Cambodia.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1102094280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1102094280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1102094280/tpod.html Wed, 26 Jan 2005 05:41:43 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We booked ourselves onto the midday bus from the Lavendar bus terminal in Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (known as KL in South East Asia) where we intended to get a quick taste of the Malaysian capital before heading north overland to Thailand. The bus journey was great and included air con, reclining seats, loads of leg room and a boxed lunch. After getting through the border crossing relatively easy (it would have helped if they had given us an immigration card to fill in before we got there) we continued on via the smooth and quite road network to KL, arriving by 6pm.

We picked out a place to stay opposite the bus station called Pudu Hostel and on arrival we went to check it out. The room was ok but the shared bathroom and showers were a bit scummy. This was made up for by the rest of the facilities - large cafe area serving nice cheap food and cold Tiger beer, huge TV with nightly movies and premier league football, and a huge 24 hour internet place in the same building with all the whistles and bells (Windows Xp, USB, web cams, scanners, CD-Drives etc).

Using Pudu as our base we spent a couple of days exploring KL: Visiting the Petronas towers, Merdeka Square, the railway station (nice architecture), Chinatown, Little India, the mosques of Masjid Jamek and Masjid Negara, and the slick suburb of Bangsar.

At Masjid Jamek mosque we had to cover up in robes and headgear which made us look like a bag lady and a quick-fit-fitter respectively (see photos). Thankfully we were spared further embarrassment at Masjid Negara mosque as we got there outside visiting hours.

We nearly missed the chance to go up to the skybridge which links the Petronas Towers as we were unaware that although its free, you must get a ticket, and when we arrived late in the afternoon there were signs saying 'no more tickets for today'. However, after acting dumb, we were told that as there were only two of us they'd squeeze us in - a spectacular building and the views were pretty good.

Chinatown was a great place to shop for cheap t-shirts, watches, bags, footwear etc. It was sweaty, hot and claustrophobic shuffling through the busy market stalls but worth the effort for the bargains to be had. Ig found himself a new t-shirt whilst Mary picked up a nice bag after haggling (you've gotta haggle!)

We tried to make an effort to sample the local cuisine whilst in Malaysia but were scuppered by menus which weren't in English, meaning we had no idea what we'd be eating. However, we resisted the temptation to go for the easy option (McD's KFC etc) and ate one night at an Indian hawker centre where the total bill including soft drinks, curry, rice and naan was RM17 (~ GBP 2.5). A slightly nicer curry, with beer and air conditioned restaurant surroundings was enjoyed at the Garden City Hotel in Little India where the works with multiple beers was RM70 (~ GBP 10), extravagant by Malaysian standards but cheap, even by the standards of Bombay Tandoori back home.

Things got even more extravagant on a night out in Bangsar, a westernised suburb of KL with lots of trendy bars and restaurants. After a couple of beers in Finnegan's Irish pub (ah - a real pub!) we found a nice Mexican restaurant/bar/nightclub called Absolute Chemistry where we enjoyed a nice meal and a few beers. We were then told it was ladies night so Mary could drink for free - or as we interpreted it, Mary could order whatever drinks Ig fancied! After a few drinks Ig made friends with the waiter who insisted on calling him Mr John for the rest of the night and Mary found this most amusing.

We decided that the next stop would be Phuket in Thailand, but after looking into the bus and train options we decided it would be far easier and not much more expensive to fly - so much for the overland adventure!

We enjoyed our time in KL and Malaysia, although we wish we'd had more time to visit the jungle area of Taman Negra and Penang Island off the west coast.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1101575700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1101575700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1101575700/tpod.html Wed, 26 Jan 2005 05:36:39 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Singapore, Singapore

After a week in the sun in Bali we were looking forward to Singapore but didn't know what to expect. Fortunately Sue (Mary's friend from University) lives and works in Singapore and offered us a bed at her place. Sue became our personal guide and showed us the sights of Singapore.

Naturally, a Singapore Sling at Raffles was first on the agenda. Although they are expensive they are definitely worth every penny, if only for the experience and the free peanuts. We also went to Chinatown, which was great, looking round the shops and market stalls and having our first experience with chopsticks. Then to Little India which was like being instantly transported to the sub-continent - very busy and colourful and we were the only westerners in sight.

In the evening we went on a Night Safari, which was good but wasn't as good as we'd expected after hearing from a few other people who've been and told us about it. After visiting a number of zoos already on our trip the novelty had begun to wear off. We also took a cable car to Mount Faber to admire the views of Singapore, and then across to Sentosa Island. The cable car is not for anyone afraid of heights as it is a long way down. As we were short of time we took the monorail around Sentosa, just to give us a quick view of what the island has to offer. It looked like a fun place to spend a day on the beach or at the various attractions.

Whilst in Singapore we had a range of food, some western, some not. It is quite easy to go for the 'safe' option of western food but you pay a higher price and you don't get the feel of local life. Therefore, we ate noodles, spring rolls and prata (like naan bread, but made from eggs and served with vegetable curry, it is really nice.) One evening Sue took us to a hawker centre to try the local food and also to show us how the locals go about buying and eating their meals. Hopefully the experience should stand us in good stead for the rest of South East Asia. Amongst the more upmarket places we ate whilst in Singapore were CHIJMES and Boat Quay. We had a nice meal at CHIJMES which is a former church converted into a complex of restaurants and bars. Boat Quay is very touristy but the curry house we ate at by the waters edge served great food.

The Hippo bus tour is a great way to see the major sights in Singapore, and we went on both the Heritage (old buildings) and the city (botanic gardens and Orchard Road) loops. We stayed on the bus but you can hop on and off. Orchard Road is famed for its shopping malls which are numerous and huge - you would have to be there for years before you could remember which shops are in each mall. The Christmas lights along Orchard Road were fantastic.

Singapore is great, it is clean, has friendly people and has lots to see and do. It is definitely worth a visit. We said goodbye to Sue, her flat, comfy bed, clean fluffy towels, washer and civilisation and headed to Kuala Lumpur to see what that had in store.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1101057060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1101057060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1101057060/tpod.html Wed, 26 Jan 2005 05:25:30 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Kuta, Indonesia

Bali, for those of you who don't know, is part of Indonesia. We had a few niggling security concerns about going here following the terrorist bombings in Kuta (where we were staying) in 2002, and more recently in the Indonesian capital Jakarta. Reading the various government websites only added to our concerns but we decided there was more chance of being killed crossing the road than getting killed by a bomb. Life's too short to worry yourself unduly about such things.

Our flight from Perth via Singapore left at 1.55am and we landed at around midday local time after getting a bit of sleep on the plane. It was a bit of a culture shock after so long in westernised countries. This was to be our week spent adjusting to South-east Asia and we decided to make it relaxing rather than getting (relatively!) stressed trying to do too much.

We picked out what looked like a nice place in Kuta from Lonely Planet called 'AP Inn', and took a taxi from the airport. It was a decent room with an en-suite bathroom and ceiling fan and the hotel had an inviting pool. We soon settled into a routine of getting up, having breakfast, going to the beach, calling back for a shower and a siesta, then going out for a meal and a few beers. The local beer is called Bintang, it was very nice and we both developed a bit of a taste for it.

A lot of people dismiss Kuta as being touristy, overdeveloped and not representative of the rest of Bali. This may be true but it was a great place to relax for a few days. However, in order to make an effort to experience Balinese culture we chartered a minibus and driver and took a day tour to see some the sights inland. We saw a Barong dance performance, a wood carving shop (where we were talked into buying something), a couple of Hindu temples and Mount Batur - a volcanic cone and crater lake. It was a good day and a nice change from the beach, but the monsoon clouds gathered shortly after lunchtime and gave us a drenching whilst at the Gunung Kawi Temple. The persistent sarong/postcard/umberella/souvenir sellers were also a bit of a pain. We kept our cool and politely said no.

Our days sunbathing on the beach also involved plenty of hassle from hawkers trying to sell pineapples, drinks, henna tattoos, massages, rings etc, etc but we quickly found we could minimise this by moving further down the beach away from the crowds. It was noticeably hotter than Australia and when the heat on the beach became unbearable we'd have a dip in the cool clear sea. Boogie boards were hired to take advantage of the relatively big surf and great fun was had riding the waves.

The nightlife in Kuta was pretty good too with bar happy hours from 6 till 9, cheap meals and relatively cheap cocktails. Drinks were a bit more expensive in the lively clubs - our favourite was the Bounty club which was decked out like a pirate ship.

Overall, we had a great time in Bali, topped up our tans, had plenty of beer and nice meals, and began to adjust to the hustle and bustle of life in South-east Asia. Next it was onto Singapore - where East meets West.

Observations

- There are loads of motorbikes, sometimes carrying whole families
- Road rules are only vaguely obeyed
- You get lots of hassle from people trying to sell you anything and everything - t-shirts, pineapples, drinks, massages, taxi rides etc.
- Its good for cheap clothes but its hard to look for things you like when you are getting hassled by the shop owner
- Its cheap to live - Hotel room ~ GBP 7.0, Beer GBP 0.70, Main meal GBP 1.0-2.0.

Often Heard Phrases

- Hello, Hello - Where you from?
- Transport, transport?

Our Highlights

- Kuta Beach, bars and restaurants
- Boogie boarding in the surf
- Visiting the various temples
- Barong Dancing
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1104426000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1104426000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1104426000/tpod.html Wed, 26 Jan 2005 03:16:39 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Our journey into 'nam' began with a bus journey from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh city (HCMC or Saigon as its also known). The eight hour journey was nowhere near as bad as the border crossing from Thailand into Cambodia, although we were left waiting at the border for two hours for three 'missing' passengers. These three turned out to be a middle-aged American guy, his son and his sons girlfriend. This guy had a typically American perspective on things and after deciding the bus journey was too 'harrowing', had taken a taxi from the border to HCMC. We kept bumping into the same American guy throughout our time in Vietnam but kept the conversation to a minimum as he wasn't our favourite person.

On entering Vietnam there were some striking differences to Cambodia. It was immediately obvious that is much better developed and more prosperous than its neighbour as shown by the smooth sealed roads and the standard of buildings. The other thing that strikes you about Vietnam is the sheer number of motorbikes on the road. Motorbikes are a common mode of transport throughout SE Asia but Vietnam really is the motorbike capital, and the throng of bikes got heavier as we approached HCMC. These bikes carry anything and everything - from entire families with kids hanging onto their parents or the handlebars, to mountains of fruit or dead chickens. Given that what few road rules there are appear to be ignored (this includes traffic lights, helmet wearing and even which side of the road to drive on) it's surprising there aren't more accidents.

Anyway, on arriving in HCMC we quickly settled into the backpacker area Pham Ngu Lao where we planned to celebrate New Year as well as seeing the sights of the city and surrounding area. The Pham Ngu Lao area is like a smaller version of Bangkok's Khao San Road and contains a mixture of bars, restaurants, travel agencies, internet cafes and shops selling everything from pirate CD/DVDs to paintings. This was the ideal environment for us to celebrate New Year.

New Year's eve day was spent with a wander around the city. The Reunification Palace was closed but we did manage to see the Notre Dame cathedral, the impressive interior of the main post office building, and the war history museum. The latter was the highlight giving details of the Vietnam war, with photographs and journalistic accounts of the conflict including military hardware, details of atrocities carried out by the Americans, and the long term effects of the use of defoliants such as Agent Orange. Although the museum undoubtedly looks at things from an Vietnamese perspective, the facts cannot be denied and it quickly balances out any perceptions of the war gained from watching Hollywood war films.

In the evening we had a nice meal and joined the street party to celebrate the New Year. There were dancers, bands, music and (a slightly premature) midnight countdown, giving it a feel similar to Edinburghs Hogmanay celebrations - but with an obvious oriental twist of course. After recovering from our hangovers we planned out the rest of our travels through Vietnam and booked day trips from HCMC to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta.

The Cu Chi tunnels were famously used by the Viet Cong (VC) army during the war to hide and launch attacks against the Americans in the 'occupied' south. The day trip we booked onto first visited a Caodai temple where we admired the weird and wonderful architecture and saw midday mass. The Caodai religion is best described as a mixture of many other religions, and whilst it was interesting to see, we weren't convinced it was worth the extra hours spent on the bus to reach the temple. The Cu Chi tunnels were far more interesting and we saw details of the guerilla fighting techniques used by the VC and got chance to crawl through a reconstructed part of the tunnels. The original tunnels existed on 3 levels and were 60 x 80cm in section. This tunnel size minimised the risk of bomb damage and made it harder for the larger bodied American GIs to enter the tunnels. The reconstructed part of the tunnels are double the original size but even this was too claustrophobic for us and we bailed out at the first exit after 30m of the 90m section. The tunnels were fascinating to see although it would perhaps have been better to take a half day trip there rather than combining it with a visit to the Caodai temple.

Our day trip to the Mekong Delta was very enjoyable and involved a bus trip followed by travel on several different sized boats along different parts of the Delta, from the wide main channel to sub channels only a few metres wide. We got to see quite a lot of delta life including a typical fruit and veg market, a coconut candy factory, and a couple of island villages. Ig got to hold a python (keep the jokes to yourself please!) and we tasted rice wine and honey straight from the comb. The highlight however, was being paddled along a narrow canal in a small canoe by two old Vietnamese women - we donned the typical Vietnamese conical hats to give the trip a more authentic feel.

Having seen what we wanted to see in HCMC we decided to take a time saving flight up to Danang in order to visit the World Heritage listed sights of Hoi An and Hue. Hoi An was a great to spend a few days and we first spent some time wandering around the old town with its well preserved narrow streets, typical Chinese houses and temples. We also took a trip out to see the Cham ruins of My Son, which were ok but not that impressive if you've already visited Angkor in Cambodia. Bikes were hires and we cycled to the beach although the climate had cooled as we'd headed north and the clouds meant it was just a bit too cold to sunbathe. Instead we sat in a beach side cafe with a beer and watched the world go by.

Besides the old town, Hoi An is famous for it's tailors and is one of the cheapest places in SE Asia to have clothes made. After wandering around a few tailors we plumped for one and wandered in to look at some designs and material. All the tailors have the Next catalogue and can copy any style you choose for a fraction of the price. Ig had gone in looking for a new suit whilst Mary wanted a couple of pairs of trousers. However, the sales assistant was very good at her job and before we knew it Ig had ordered a three piece suit, three pairs of trousers and two shirts, whilst Mary had ordered two pairs of trousers and a skirt - all for less than you'd pay for one off the peg suit back home. We were comprehensively measured and told to come back in 24 hours! When we did we were relieved to find that with a few minor alterations the clothes fitted perfectly and we were more than satisfied. As a result of our spending spree we had to buy a new bag to carry the clothes back home.

From Hoi An it was up to Hue via the Marble Mountains and the spectacular scenery of the mountain pass which runs along the coast. We weren't all that impressed by Hue although it was worth seeing the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc and the Citadel. After just one day in Hue we took an overnight sleeper train to Hanoi. The conditions on the sleeper train were OK but not as nice as the Thai equivalent. Following a 12 hour journey we were delivered to Hanoi at 4 am and managed to get a bit more sleep in our hotel in the Old Quarter of the city.

The climate in Hanoi was a bit of a shock - the first proper cold weather we'd experienced since New Zealand, and the sun didn't manage to struggle through the clouds once during our few days there. We wandered around a few temples, saw Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and in the evening saw a performance of water puppetry which was quite impressive.

A day trip to Halong Bay involved a cruise round the bay where the huge limestone monoliths and eerily lit caves were the main attractions.

Towards the end of our stay in Vietnam we were losing patience with the street hawkers and manic traffic and there were several incidents of 'pedestrian rage' as we attempted to walk through the Old Quarter. Overall we liked Vietnam although ideally we would have gone at a warmer time of year and had more time to visit the beach areas of Mui Ne and Nha Trang.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1094918400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1094918400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1094918400/tpod.html Sat, 04 Dec 2004 02:12:00 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Wellington, New Zealand

After arriving at Rachael's, (Mary's Auntie) in Wellington via Auckland we were pleased to have the home comforts, proper towels, a nice comfy clean bed and room, a washer and a hot shower. We spent a few days there seeing Wellington where we visited the Te Papa museum and found out more about New Zealand.

Rachael and Richard kindly lend us their sporty WRX for us to see some of the sights of NZ. We headed for the South Island first and a ferry ride and a drive took us to Abel Tasman National Park. On arriving, we were sorted in a lovely room with our own shower and a kitchen to ourselves and ready to make tea when there was a power cut, so no tea!

In Abel Tasman we had a fantastic day kayaking and very wet day walking. We saw some good scenery and Abel Tasman is worth a visit. Then we headed down the west coast to the Glaciers of Fox and Franz Josef, staying at Franz Josef. Again, some lovely scenery on the way to Franz Josef but the weather was wet so not many stops were made. However, as pointed out by the owner of the Kayaking Company at Abel Tasman, Buller Gorge and Punakaiki are just beeeautiful!

We decided to do a glacier walk on Franz Josef so we were kitted out with crampons and boots. It was great walking on the glacier; the higher we went the bluer the ice was. We also decided a helicopter flight would be good, so no expense spared, we flew over Franz Josef to Fox glacier where we did a snow landing, brilliant. It was such a clear day, seeing Mount Cook and the glacier was fantastic and we only had to share the helicopter with the pilot.

Then to Queenstown via Lake Wanaka which is a really pretty setting, a lake with mountains around which is seen so often in NZ. Queenstown has no end of adrenalin rush activities; we declined the various bungy jumps but opted for a jet boat ride with 360 degree turns and a whitewater rafting trip. Ig was buzzing for the activities but Mary was a little reluctant. Despite this she said at the end of rafting 'it wasn't long enough'. Needless to say, she was the first one in the raft to dive onto the floor and hold in for dear life each time we went over a rapid. A day spent skiing was different to that spent in Europe, there were only four lifts but nevertheless a good day.

From Queenstown we went to Milford Sound spending a night in Te Anau, another pretty little town. The day to Milford we experienced low cloud, rain, heavy rain and snow and had to carry snow chains. We were told that Milford Sound has many days of wet weather, and we went on one of them. Due to the low cloud we could not see the top of Mitre Peak but where treated to some spectacular waterfalls, hundreds of them and a great cruise on the sound.

It was then back to Queenstown where we stayed overnight before heading north. Queenstown really is a great place to spend a few days, although it can put a hefty hole in your budget if you indulge in the nightlife and activities - naturally we did both! Our favourite bars were The World and Red Rock. We didn't make it to a club as we were too knackered after all the excitement (some would say we're getting too old!).

After Queenstown we made the drive back up to Picton in two days, stopping for a night in Christchurch. We hadn't allowed for any more than a few hours to see Christchurch as Ig has been before and wasn't impressed. After a walk around the city centre Mary was inclined to agree, although she pointed out that the river(Avon) is quite picturesque. Highlights on the way from Queenstown to Picton included Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo (both extremely blue) and Kaikoura (mainly known for whale watching but quite picturesque too).

After a pitstop at Rachael's in Wellington we began our 'tour' of the North Island with a drive up to Taupo. Around Taupo we spent a day exploring the attractions of Huka Falls, Aratiatia Falls and The Craters of the Moon thermal park. Taupo was also where we had the windscreen of the car replaced due to a rather large stone chip we'd managed to sustain on the outskirts of Christchurch.

In nearby Rororua we experienced the thermal activity and Maori culture for which the area is famous. We began with a wander around the impressive thermal park at Hells Gate, followed by a mud bath and outdoor spa which was good despite an annoying attendant who thought he was entertaining us with his crap japes. We also visited the Whakarawerewa Maori cultural centre where we saw traditional dancing (including a haka) and the geysers and boiling mud pools.

Despite a wet day in Rotorua, Ig also decided to have a go at 'Zorbing'. This involves being rolled down a hill inside a huge transparent inflatable ball. After careful consideration, he opted for the 'hot wash' (in which the centre of the zorb is also filled with warm water) rather than a 'tumble dry'. Ig was persuaded to go down the 'more hardcore' slalom course while Mary watched - she had (mysteriously?) hurt her back whilst picking up a pen the previous day! The experience was quite scary in a claustrophobic, disorientating kind of way and the fact that the attendant forgot to let Ig out of the zorb once it had come to rest added to this. Nonetheless, it was good for a laugh and is another box ticked on the list of adrenalin activities.

One of the main objectives for the North Island was to do the Tongariro Crossing - a one day walk through the breathtaking volcanic scenery of Tongariro National Park. We'd heard this was a good thing to do but weren't quite sure what we were letting ourselves in for until we reached Extreme Backpackers in Turangi, who we'd picked out for their guided Tonagariro Crossing service. The problem is that whilst the Tonagariro crossing is a 13km walk that can be attempted by anyone of reasonable fitness during the summer months, in winter the top is covered in snow metres thick, and high winds and icy temperatures, together with the risk of avalanches make it slightly more tricky! Anyway, we decided to give it a go and got kitted out with crampons and ice axes ready for our ascent.

The first attempt was over before it had begun (despite us getting up at 6am to prepare) due to a high avalanche risk. Next day the weather was better so off we went with our guide Peter and the rest of the group of volunteers. After a steep ascent past the perfectly symmetrical volcanic cone of Mt Ngauruhoe (Used as Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings) we donned our crampons and tackled the high point of the track. This involved struggling up an ice covered ridge, virtually on hands and knees, with an ice cold gale force wind trying its best to blow us back down. It was a releif to get onto the top and out of the wind.

It was here that Peter announced that we wouldn't be walking down by the usual route but instead making a 'controlled sliding descent' (ie on our arses) using our ice axe as a brake. We were both well up for this and Ig quickly followed Peter down the ice, getting up a bit of speed and overtaking the more cautious guide. It was at this point that Ig saw a red and blue flash as Mary came flying past on her front, obviously more along the lines of 'bobsleigh kaikaze' than 'controlled descent'. With a look of fear and screams of "I can't stop!", she quickly faded into the distance with her ice axe grating along the ice. After veering off to the right onto a flatter patch of ice it became clear that she wasn't going to plummit off the edge as she'd genuinely believed and Ig was relieved to find out that we were going that way anyway so he didn't have to go and fetch her!

The rest of the descent passed off relatively uneventfully and we made it back to the hostel with aching feet and and empty stomachs late in the afternoon. Mary was still in fits of giggles about her involuntary attempt at the Luge. We both thoroughly enjoyed the experience but were a little disappointed not to see the blue and green volcanic lakes which feature in the postcard shots (they are frozen in winter).

After dropping off the car and saying goodbye to Rachael, Richard, Helen, Thomas and Andrew, we took an internal flight from Wellington to Auckland where we had a couple of days to see the sights before moving onto Australia. We took a cruise around the harbour, went up the Skytower and had a wander round Viaduct Harbour - the home of NZ's Americas Cup challanges. We also managed to get completely wasted for next to nothing on the Sunday evening after we wandered into 'The Globe' bar for a quiet drink. We weren't aware at the time that on Sundays they have 60 litres of punch which they give away - and there's no limit on the number of glasses per person. Needless to say we were worse for wear when we stumbled out hours later! Our drunken radar quickly located the nearest kebab shop. The next day we were somewhat queasy and Ig was only just holding onto his stomach contents as we visited Kelly Tarlton's underwater world for a look at the fish and the penguins.

We really enjoyed our time in NZ and although we had spent a bit more money than planned (Can you spot the pattern developing here!?) it was worth every penny. Besides the thrilling activities and stunning scenery, we were particularly impressed by the standard of the hostels in NZ - great facilities and a double room for 15-20 GBP per night.

Observations

- There are hardly any people outside Wellington an Auckland but lots of sheep!
- It's a bit backward outside the cities - like England in the 1970s
- It's beautiful, almost everywhere you look there is a mountain and a lake
- There are heaps of adrenalin activities to suck the cash from your pocket
- The hostels are generally very nice and well equipped
- They have a stupid priority left turn driving rule
- The people are very friendly but don't seem to have good manners
- They don't like Aussies

Often Heard Phrases


- Beeeautiful
- Good as Gold
- Eh? (After every sentence)
- Heaps (Meaning lots)
- Sweet as Bro!
- How's it going - Good thanks (Standard greeting and response - any other response confuses them)

Our Highlights

- Glaciers (hiking and snow landing)
- Queenstown (skiing, rafting and jet boating)
- Abel Tasman kayaking
- Tongario Crossing
- Rotarua, the Maori Cultural Centre and Geothermals

Soundtrack to our trip

- Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics (Heard quite often around and about - they are a bit musically challenged)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1094054400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1094054400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1094054400/tpod.html Sat, 04 Dec 2004 01:04:25 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Nuku Alofa, Tonga

The first day of September only actually lasted for four hours for us as we crossed the International Dateline on our way to Tonga, a 1.5 hour flight which actually landed 25.5 hours after it took off - weird!

We decided whilst we were in Tonga we would make the most of our time and visit each of the three groups of islands that make up the Kingdom. After making the mistake of not booking anywhere for our first night in Samoa we had learned our lesson and had picked out what sounded like the pick of the bunch of options in the capital Nuku'alofa. The owner said on the phone that we would be picked up from the airport and sure enough on our arrival at 5.30am a girl with a 'Moana Guesthouse' board guided us to a 'clapped out van' with a middle aged Tongan lady in the back. At first we were unsure who she was but it later became clear she was the owner of the guest house. She showed us to our room and the bathroom which was also used by other guests and the family! We decided to go to the Tongan Cultural Centre for a Tongan Evening - traditional dance, food and Kava ceremony. Ig thought it would be a good idea to join the Kava ceremony so off we both went to the stage to taste the drink and be involved in the traditions. It has to be said, Kava doesn't taste very nice, it is pungent and has a muddy taste making your lips go numb and cold after drinking. The food was then served, spit roast pig, seaweed (that pops in your mouth) and fish were amongst the delicacies, thank god there was watermelon and salad!

We then had a tour of Tongatapu Island with Toni, an ex-pat from Lancashire who runs a backpacker guesthouse in Tonga. He showed us the local fruit which is grown, beaches, blowholes and fresh water caves around the Island. Toni was a sight: grey haired ponytail, long socks with sandals, shorts, flat cap and a roll up fag. He went swimming in the fresh water cave in his underpants, and after getting out he put on his shorts and dried his underpants on the dashboard - class act!

We then flew (a new luxurious 37 passenger plane this time) to Vava'u, the most northerly of the islands where our main aim was to go whale watching. Vava'u is hillier than the other two islands and is more picturesque. We spent a couple of days relaxing and at the beach then out whale watching for the day. What a great day it was, we saw the whales blow from a distance then got close to them as they swam by the boat and breached (jumped) out of the water. This is one of the only places in the world where you can swim with the whales and Ig was all kitted out in his snorkel and ready to go in with the second group when we were told that it had become too dangerous (i.e the whales were too active). Ig was a bit disappointed but at east we saw them close up from the boat.

It was then onto Ha'apai, the middle island group, where we didn't do much as we had quite a lot of rain, but it was a quiet place anyway. We spent most of our time chilling in the Mariner's café.

It was back to Tongatapu (but not Moana's this time) before our flight to NZ. We satisfied our cravings for curry at a local restaurant with a few beers and some wine before we left - nice but not as good as the Bombay Tandoori back home.

If you decide to go to Tonga, go whale watching and for food/drink at Friends café in Nuku'alofa - it is the best café in Tonga and the staff will help you with information and bookings.

Observations

- The people are friendly, but not as friendly as Soamoans
- Budget accommodation is very basic an not as clean as the same standard in Samoa
- Great to place to go whale watching in Vava'u
- They have more sophisticated planes than Samoa but the service can be unreliable due to legal wranglings
- The money is called pa'anga - we liked saying this!
- Traditional dancing is very impressive but the feast wasn't to our taste
- Friends café in Nuku'alofa is a great place for food, information and internet - western standards of service.
- Toni from Toni's place is a real character - he dries his undies on the dashboard
- It rained a lot in Ha'apaii but there wasn't that much to do anyway
- The local beer is called Ikale and is ok but Samoa's Vailima is nicer.

Our Highlights

- Whale watching
- Tongan Beach Resort in Vav'au
- Cultural Evening and Kava drinking

Soundtrack to our trip

- Red Red wine by UB40, this was played constantly in Mariner's Café in Ha'apai whilst we watched the rain.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1093449600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1093449600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1093449600/tpod.html Sat, 04 Dec 2004 00:41:33 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Apia, Samoa

After our hectic schedule in America, we decided that our time in the Pacific would be more relaxing and would have plenty of beach time. With the extremely blue sea and white sand, we weren't disappointed. On arriving in Samoa we decided we would see both the main islands, Savaii and Upolu. After spending just one day in Apia (the capital) we caught the ferry to Savaii and spent four days there - three days on the beach at Siufaga Beach Resort (nice place) and one day on a guided tour of Savaii Island. On the guided tour provided by Green Turtle (recommended), we saw beaches, turtles, rainforest, and solidified lava flows from the last volcanic eruptions. Although probably the highlight of the tour was the blowholes at Alofaaga - our guide threw a load of coconuts into the blowhole and these were fired high into the air as it erupted (see pictures and video clip).

We returned to Upolu by Polynesian airways (or Venga airways as we nicknamed them) and our amusement at the small and primitive airport was amplified when we saw the plane we would be flying it - It had a propeller, just 8 seats and one pilot which explained why they had weighed us as well as our baggage at check in! The 'boarding pass' given to us was a card with a number on it, and as we'd suspected, our seat numbers of 1 and 2 were right behind the pilot. This was good as it meant a better view, but Ig was concerned that there was only one middle aged pilot and if he keeled over in mid-flight it would be left to co-pilot Higginbottom to land the bird - needless to say he watched carefully what all the switches and levers did!

We made it safely back to Upolu and after kissing the tarmac we took a taxi back to Samoan Outrigger - our excellent budget hotel in Apia. Next day we hired bikes to see some of Upolu island, but it was far too hot so we didn't get very far or see too much - we only made it as far as Villa Vailima which is the former residence of Robert Louis Stephenson and is now converted to 'worth seeing' museum. After all that cycling we decided to have an early night but this plan was soon scrapped when Mary realised that our flight was at 4 am the following morning. We had it in our heads that we flew the following night and having only realised 4 hours before the flight was due to leave, we frantically packed and headed for the airport!
Samoa is a very relaxed, friendly country. The beaches and scenery were excellent, well worth a visit.

Observations

- The people are very friendly
- Paradise beaches, palm trees, blue sea, lots of sun
- Religion is very strong - everything stops on a Sunday
- Buses are very colourful and packed with people
- Men wear skirts
- Women wear flowers in their hair
- The inter - islander air tour is an experience!
- Very laid back
- Alofaaga blowholes are very impressive

Our Highlights

- The beaches - especially Siufaaga
- Alofaaga blowholes
- The nightlife in Apia
- The tour of Upolu with Green Turtle
- Vailima lager - the very nice, very cheap local beer.

Soundtrack to our trip

- Going to Ibiza by Vengaboys - This was played on the bus from the airport as we arrived and was heard several times around the bars of Apia - one of those holiday songs that gets into your head. We adapted the words for our own amusement - All together now: 'Oh, we're going to Upolu! Oh, from Savaii! Oh we're flying with Venga airways, in the Poly-nes-ian sky'
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1091578320/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1091578320/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/igandmary/rtwhoneymoon/1091578320/tpod.html Sat, 04 Dec 2004 00:20:30 -0500 Ig (John) & Mary's 'Round the World' Honeymoon 2004-05

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

San Francisco, California, United States

US Intro

After staying up most the night trying to tie up all the loose ends before we left, we boarded the 1105 BMI flight from Manchester to San Francisco via Chicago. Both sets of parents were there to see us off and there were tears from the women as we said our good-byes. The flights were good and we were well fed by BMI. On landing in Chicago it was noticeable that we'd left the cold of England behind and Ig was amused by the revolving toilet seat covers (it doesn't take much!). We crashed out after arriving at our hotel in San Francisco in a bid to cure our jet lag and to refresh ourselves for the hectic programme ahead. We had pretty much mapped out tour of Western USA before we left, starting in San Francisco before heading down the coast to LA, then inland to see Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Zion National Park, Death Valley and Yosemite and ending back in San Francisco.

San Francisco

San Francisco was 'done' in two installments, at the beginning and the end of our US tour. Prior to picking up our hire car and heading down the coast to LA, we took the BART train into downtown San Francisco and then the ferry to Alcatraz for a close up look at the 'Rock.' The audio tour was excellent and it was eerie to step into prison cells once inhabited by America's most hardened criminals. The hire car was picked up from San Francisco airport and Mary was the first to drive the sporty blue Dodge Neon. Ig navigated and concentrated on getting the iTrip working to provide the soundtrack for our road trip. (For all those technophobes out there an iTrip is a device which plugs into an iPod and transmits the music by FM radio to the car stereo. We had treated ourselves to a new iPod mini before we left home to carry our music but bought the iTrip from the Apple store in San Francisco which while we're on the subject is a great place to spend a few hours - demos, free internet etc).

On returning to San Francisco at the end of our tour, we stayed at the excellent USA hostel near Union Square and spent three days exploring the rest of the sights of San Francisco. Highlights were the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to see Warhol's soup cans and some 'Pollocks' and cycling round Golden Gate Park and across Golden Gate Bridge. Mary wasn't quite sure what she had let herself in for when setting out on the twenty mile ride up and down the streets of San Francisco, but managed to make it despite weary legs. San Francisco is a beautiful city and there's lots to do and see, although the presence of beggars on every street corner detracted from it slightly.

Los Angeles

First impressions of LA are it is big, and cool (but not in terms of temperature!).
There was no room at the inn where we had booked in Venice as the room was 'flooded'. At least this is what we were told but we did wonder if they'd rented out our room to someone else due to the X-games being held at Venice that weekend. Instead we found some accommodation in Hollywood at a Travelodge - always reliable. We had a great time in LA seeing the sights of Rodeo Drive, the Hollywood sign, the Regent Beverley Wilshire (for all the Pretty woman fans), Venice Beach and a trip to Universal Studios with Simon and Jo - Mary's Uni friend from Chester who happened to be out in America at the same time.
The trip to Universal was great day out and is thoroughly recommended. Jo and Simon also joined us for a day hanging out at Venice beach where the basketball match with DJs, MCs and half time street dancing was one of the highlights. Ig didn't quite fit into the Baywatch image as he went A over T whilst trying to roller blade along the Boardwalk. A great time was had in L.A, a big place with loads to see and do and it's fascinating to see the places you see on TV or in the movies.

Las Vegas

Vegas is mad. The hotels/casinos are huge and unbelievably extravagant. We arrived early evening at the Sahara Hotel (a bargain on Expedia at approx 22GBP/night). Ig was keen to get moving and get off for 'a quick gamble.' He had a win on the video poker machine but quickly lost it, whilst Mary used a dollar and saw it quickly go so gave up. After a few days we had figured out the best way to get the 'free' drinks so did just enough gambling to keep us in beer. The majority of our time was spent walking up and down the Strip marvelling at the casinos from inside and out. Amongst the amazing sights inside the casinos were real life tigers, roller coasters, circus artists, and gondolas to name but a few. The Venetian has to be the best inside - as the name would suggest it's a very believable mock up of the Italian city complete with St Mark's square, canals, singing gondolas and blue sky that looks like you are really outside.

The heat in Vegas was unbelievable (40+ deg C and very dry) as we found as we walked from casino to casino - the air con in each was a welcome relief. The pocket thermometer that Ig bought to keep track on the temperature on our travels gave up the ghost and exploded at 50 deg C after being left in the direct sun by the hotel pool! We both really liked Vegas with the view from the top of the Stratosphere, Bellagio Fountains (fountains to music) and the Manhattan Express (roller coaster in New York New York) amongst our personal highlights. Also memorable was the karaoke night at Golden Palm where a girl sang the worst rendition of EMINEMs 'Without Me' ever heard (so bad it was funny) accompanied by dancers from the audience which added to the entertainment.

Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam

There was a tinge of sadness to be 'Leaving Las Vegas' (see what we did there?) but this was quickly forgotten as we marvelled at the breathtaking sights of Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. Hoover Dam was visited en route to Flagstaff, which would be our base for visiting the Grand Canyon. Security was tight as we approached the dam wall - one of a number of visible signs that the Americans are as concerned as ever about the threat of terrorism. We took a tour inside the dam and descended down to the generating room on the Nevada side for a look at the inner workings. An informative presentation and a walk over the dam wall added to our appreciation of the engineering feat. Ig wasn't too keen to be peering over the railings though! A reasonably priced motel with spa pool and free internet provided the base in Flagstaff - a real bargain.

Mary's first sight of the Grand Canyon was from a window of the helicopter tour we took from the airport. A luxurious way to appreciate the vastness of the place but it had to be done. This was followed by hike along part of the rim and a look from the various view points. The word 'grand' is perhaps not as appropriate a word for the canyon today as at the time it was named. The word 'awesome' is used with annoying frequency in America but its use to describe the canyon would seem appropriate and this would surely be the word of choice if it were renamed today. We were treated to a spectacular lightening show in the distance as we left the Canyon - one of the number of storms we experienced in Arizona and Utah.

Monument Valley

We had planned to visit Monument Valley by making a bit of a detour in our route from Flagstaff to Page. We were up and off early as we hoped there would also be time to make it to the 'four corners' - the only place in the USA where you can be in four states at once due to the fact that the corners of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico all meet at the same point. We stopped at the small town of Kayenta for gas and a sandwich before heading for Monument Valley in the Navajo Indian Reserve. On approach it looked exactly as it does in the films (e.g. Thelma and Louise and How the West was Won). We stopped for pictures along Highway 163 before entering the tribal park for a close up look at the 'buttes' and 'mesas' on the self guided 17 mile loop road. The road was unpaved and we made several stops to admire the views so it took us a while to make it round. The scenery was certainly impressive - some geomorphological classics! Artists View was amongst our favourite viewpoints. We decided it was too late to make it to four corners (approximately a 150 mile detour) so we headed straight for Page. In the evening we were entertained whilst doing our laundry at the local shopping Mall by a huge thunderstorm which turned the sky black and produced rain harder than we ever get in the UK.

Zion NP

The next day we went to Zion National Park en route from Page back to Vegas. On the way out of Page we stooped at Glen Canyon Dam and admired the views over Lake Powell from a viewpoint off the highway. After (another) Subway for lunch we headed into the park. The road in was not for those of a nervous disposition with alpine corners and a long narrow tunnel. After parking at the visitors centre we took the shuttle bus up the Canyon. First impressions were that it wasn't all that spectacular but a walk along the Emerald Pools Trail between Zion Lodge and the Grotto began to change that view. We also did the Riverside walk from the Temple of Sinawara to the head of the 'Narrows' which was also spectacular. The sky was looking dark and there had been warnings of flash floods so we made a hasty retreat. On the shuttle bus on the way back to the car we had to endure incredibly bad B.O. of a couple French blokes who had been out walking for the day, and to make matters worse, one of them was acting like a complete pillock. There were yet more thunderstorms as we drove south on the Interstate 15 - Vegas was calling us again!

Death Valley & Yosemite NP

After saying goodbye to Las Vegas for the second time we headed for Bishop via Death Valley. However, when we got to the intended entry point to Death Valley we were greeted by a 'road closed' sign. After trying two more entry points it became clear (we were told by a ranger) that the whole park was closed - due to flooding! What's the chances of that happening in a desert!? The silver lining was that the diversion route took us along Highway 168, with spectacular views as we dropped down the winding road into the Owens Valley. Mary was a bit disappointed not to be able to see Death Valley but pointed out that it gives us an excuse to come back to the US for a future holiday. After an overnight in Bishop we headed into Yosemite National Park, stopping at Tuolumne Meadows, and walking up to May Lake before arriving at Curry Village in Yosemite Valley. We quickly learned that we had to be 'bear aware' and lock all our food and toiletries in the locker provided. We had pre-booked a canvas cabin for our accommodation and whilst we knew what to expect, we were both less than impressed with the standard of the facilities considering the $70/night price. Regardless of this, the sights of Yosemite were very impressive and we packed as much as we could into our two days: Walking through the giant sequoias at Mariposa Grove, watching the sun set over Half Dome, admiring the views from Glacier Point and walking to the base of the Bridal Veil Falls and Mirror Lake. Ig's highlight was the view from Tunnel View whilst Mary preferred the view from Glacier Point. We left Yosemite around midday as we had to get the car back to by 5pm, and with timing of which John Baxter would be proud, we rolled into the Alamo depot in downtown San Francisco at 4.55pm.

USA round up

We had a fantastic three weeks in the US and despite a lot of driving (2800 Miles) and a hectic schedule it was long enough to see the vast majority of things we wanted to. We did spend a bit more cash than we wanted to without being overly extravagant, but then we are on our honeymoon after all! That three week trip alone would have been a great honeymoon in itself and it was fantastic to think that we still had five months travelling round the world yet to come.

Observations

- Filling up with petrol in America is a hard task for the uninitiated Brits
- San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas are all cool cities
- There are drive in ATMs - lazy buggers!
- It's not possible to drive very far without seeing a fast food outlet
- There are far too many options when ordering food or coffee - I just want a normal coffee!
- Many words are pronounced incorrectly e.g. Tomato, route, oregano
- Chips are called fries, toilets are called washrooms, courgette is called zucchini, peppers are called capsicum, gherkin is called pickle etc and they claim to speak English?
- They're a bit paranoid about security - we were surprised when asked to put our shoes through the x-ray machine at the airport.

Our Highlights

- San Francisco and Alcatraz
- Los Angeles (especially Universal Studios and Venice)
- Las Vegas
- Grand Canyon
- Monument Valley
- Yosemite

Soundtrack to our trip

- Californiaction by RHCP
- Drinking in LA by Bran Van 3000
- Kids in America by Kim Wilde
- Missing You by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans - reminds Ig of his last trip to LA
]]>