TravelStream™ news feed for member mags_jon on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/mags_jon en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:27:42 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1208546220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1208546220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1208546220/tpod.html Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:27:42 -0400 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Vietenne, Lao Peoples Dem Rep

Vietenne is as you'd imagine the capital of Laos to be - completely laid back and with more of a town than city feel.  It's well and truly on the tourist trail and there are falang (foreigners) everywhere.  It's also pretty pricey by SE Asia standards - the Laos people like to make their money as easily as possible!For a capital city there's also relatively little to do and see and lots of places seem to be closed while we're there.  We take a stroll around and have a look at the numerous wats (temples), visit the market and check out their rather misguided attempt at replicating the Arc de Triomphe.  Even the plaque on the arch admits it's not the most impressive building and since it was never finished you can still see the concrete reinforcement bars sticking out of it.The one thing Vietenne does have is a decent set of bars and restaurants so at least in the evenings the place is pretty lively.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205672400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205672400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205672400/tpod.html Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:17:11 -0400 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Ba Na Hin, Lao Peoples Dem Rep

We're by now travelling with an English guy called Ian.  His guide book includes information about a 7.5km long cave beneath a mountain that you can boat through and together we decide to check it out.  Like all good things it's a right royal pain in the backside to get to.  First off is a 5hr bus journey.  Buses in Laos operate on an it's never full principle so by the time we get off it's very6 cosy and the aisle is jammed with people sitting on plastic seats and standing.  We'd assumed the bus would take us all the way to Ba Na Hin since that was the destination we specified at the ticket desk but not so.  We're dropped off at a junction about an hour away and left to figure out the rest for ourselves.We meet three girls in the same situation and mull over the problem together whilst enjoying a Beer Lao.  The girls are soon running around trying to hail any passing vehicles with brazen displays of flesh and it works a treat.  They manage to hail down an empty cargo truck and we all toss our bags into the back and hop onto the bed in the cab.  The drivers are Vietnamese and seem as thrilled to have something to break the monotony of the journey as we are to get the lift.  They're particularly delighted when we give them our remaining Vietnamese money as a thank you.Ba Na Hin itself is a dusty, one street village which is in a gorgeous setting surrounded by limestone peaks.  We don't linger there long though and the next day we head for the caves themselves.  The village by the caves looks like it hasn't changed in about 300 years.  All the houses are wooden and built on stilts and the main mode of transport are wooden trailers pulled by a tractor engine.  We decide to stay there for the night and the group are dispatched to 3 different homestay houses.  Our home for the night seems to be the local entertainment centre and there's a constant stream of kids in and out to watch the TV.  The lady of the house indicates that she has 5 children but we never quite mange to figure out which ones are hers!The same evening we do the boat trip through the cave and back.  It's absolutely enormous and there seem to be huge caverns branching off to the side of the main route as well so you can only imagine how massive the whole network under the mountain is.  Seeing the light emerging at the other side it feels as though you're entering a secret land cut off from the rest of the world.The next morning we realise just how cut off even the village is when we try to get out of there!  The villagers seem to want us to stay another night and failed to mention that the only public transport is at 6 or 7am.  Our options are either stay or endure a painful 3hr ride squashed into a tiny trailer for a grossly inflated price.  However, after about 2 hours hanging around we manage to find a pick-up willing to take us to the village for a fair price.  From there we head on North to the capital, Vietenne.  It's a long day and the 4 hour journey sitting on a plastic stool in the bus aisle doesn't help the journey go any faster!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205338440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205338440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205338440/tpod.html Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:59:47 -0400 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Savanahket, Lao Peoples Dem Rep

Ah lovely Laos.  As soon as you cross the border you notice the change.  The roads are suddenly almost devoid of trafic, the buildings return to the wooden shacks of Cambodia and the pace of life seems to shift down about 20 gears.  We stop for two nights in the border town of Savanakhet while we figure out our next move.  It's a riverside town, somewhat similar to Kampot in Cambodia, with the same dusty streets and French colonial buildings.There's not a whole pile to do here besides laze the day away drinking the fabled Beer Lao and scoffing cakes from the excellent local bakery.  We do manage a visit to the towns biggest tourist attraction - the dinosour museum.  It consists of one room with a couple of dinousour bones and a dinosour outline in neon lights on the wall.  Rather underwhelming but good for a giggle.  Since none of the information is in English it's not a particullarly enlightening experience!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205337960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205337960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205337960/tpod.html Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:13:51 -0400 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Hue, Vietnam

After the big delay at Nha Thrang our Vietnamesse visa is by now running out pretty soon so we decide on just a quick stopover in Hue before heading for the Laos border.  We spent a pleasant evening touring the Citadel there.  It was blown to pieces during the war but is now being restored (for a lot of it it's a case of rebuilding rather than restoring).  At the back of the main building there's a nice ramshackle garden with lake that most people don't seem to bother with and so is blissfully quiet.  Later we have an amusing meal sitting next to an American couple - the girl wants her dish without spice and the guy is complaing that he barbecue sauce on his burger tastes like strawberry jam!  Some people just shouldn't leave home I reckon!Anyway, after one night we make our break for the border.  At the final Vietnamese border town we're harased by a hawker trying to sell her baguettes by banging one against the bus window and then throwing it on some poor travellers lap.  I'm not sure who would want to buy a baguette that has been so abused and there are no takers on the bus.  It's a final goodbye to one of our least favorite aspects of Vietnam - over aggressive hawkers and touts.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205337480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205337480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205337480/tpod.html Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:05:31 -0400 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Nha Trang, Vietnam

Things weren't going too well by the time we got to Nha Thrang.  Even though the scenery was stunning winding down the mountains from Dalat I had a throbbing headache and was in no mood to enjoy it.  Once we arrived at the beach resort I hit the bed and barely left it for the next week.  It wasn't a pleasant time.  I tried to self-diagnose using the health seciotn of the guide book but I seemed to have every symptom in there - headache, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomitting, diarohea, cold shivers.  Eventually Doctor Jono declares it must be a bacterial infection and I take some anti-biotics, which after a day or two seem to do the trick.  So the upshot is we really didn't see much of Nha Trang since as soon as I got better we wanted to get moving.  It was a bit of a pity because the beach looked pretty nice and we would I think have enjoyed visiting the islands just offshore and maybe doing some snorkelling.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205336820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205336820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205336820/tpod.html Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:58:20 -0400 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Dalat, Vietnam

Dalat is a hill station in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, established by the homesick French when they had a colony here.  It's a place that feels more European than South-East Asian and with the light drizzle cooling things down it felt almost like home when we arrived.  Due to its moderate climate Dalat is a big hit with locals, especially honeymooners and the areas attractions reflect this.Here holidays are all about the photo ops and so Dalat is popular for its swan paddle boats, eiffel tower replica, huge floral displays, minature steam railways and numerous waterfalls (some with lifts beside them!)  Our first day here we have a laid-back stroll around the lake at the edge of the town (artifical of course!) and check out some of the sights.  After months of cultural sights, temples and pagodas Dalat is a welcome diversion.The next day we decide to explore some of the local countryside on a motorbike tour.  Our guide grew up in an ethnic minority village so we're going there to visit his family's coffee plantation, meet some minority people and have lunch at his sisters house.  The village turns out to be a strip of quite modern housing like the tens of others we passed along the road.  There's no real village to stroll around so the guide takes us to a hut where we meet one minority family.  It's a bit of a farce to be honest since they actually live in the brick house next door with the satelite dish on the roof!  They're nice people and we have a bit of a chat before they bring out their weaving to sell us.  According to the guide they're not really selling the items but if we want to take a souvenir and leave a donation, of say 6$ we can!I'm making the tour sound like a bit of a horrow but aside from the somewhat farcical visit to the minority village the remainder was really good.  The scenery was gorgeous and we visited lots of interesting places - a market farm, mushroom houses, a silk weaving factory, a small monastry where they made incence and a beautiful waterfall.  And at least they didn't try and sell us spring onions at the farm!On notice for rental of swan boats: We reserve the right to refuse admission to drunks and mentalsIn hotel rooms throughout Vietnam: Please do no cook and iron clothes in the room           
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205335800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205335800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1205335800/tpod.html Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:42:45 -0400 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Mui Ne, Vietnam

Mui Ne is a funny old place.  Imagine 10km of beach lined with beach resorts and completely devoid of any kind of holiday atmosphere and you've got Mui Ne.  It might be a different story in peak season but right now the guesthouses and resorts are half empty and with people so spread out there's just no party momentum.Although it's a bit of a dead loss in the evenings during daylight hours itj's a good spot.  The waves on the beach are pretty impressive and good fun for splashing about in.  It's also one of Vietnam's top spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing.  Unfortunately according to the instructor we've arrived just after a spell of 30 days of consistent good winds so Jono will have to wait for Perth to get kiting again.There are plenty things to see around Mui Ne as well so we rent bikes to tour the area.  We don't cover too much ground but it's a nice cycle along the coastal road and up a hill overlooking the bay.  One of the natural features which makes it into Mui Ne's goodie bag of tourist attractions is the Fairy stream, which must be the most high profile muddy stream in the country.  Actually, I'm being a tad cynical here - the stream coloured red by the surrounding clay and the mix of limestone formations and red sand dunes it runs through are pretty cool.  Thankfully, we arrive before the onslaught of visitors for sunset and the unsolicited and patently unnessecary guidance of the local kids is easy to shake off. We don't make it as far as the red sand dunes that are Mui Ne's most famous natural feature but we're quite happy to take a lazy cycle through the local fishing village instead.  Mui Ne's beach attractions and sights are enough to keep us there for a few days before we head for the hills and the town of Dalat.  The fact that our hotel is a bit of a Fawlty Towers operation and on the last day we don't have any running water or functioning A/C doesn't really entice us to linger!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1201935060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1201935060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1201935060/tpod.html Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:54:48 -0500 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Siem Reap, Cambodia

It's amazing what a difference crossing a border can make in this part of the world.  Stepping accross the Thai-Cambodian border is like stepping back in time.  The most noticeable difference is the immediate disappearance of paved road with nothing more than a glorified dirt track replacing it.  The povery is also quickly evident - along the road from the border to Siem Reap there are dozens of muddy pools filled with both children and adults searching for shellfish.  Houses and shops are more reminiscent of what you'd see in India than Thailand with lots of wooden shacks and only the odd brick building. Siem Reap itself is surprisingly pleasant with a distinctly continental feel and lots of places to eat and drink al fresco.  The town though is just a pleasant aside - the real reason we're here is to see the famous Ankor temples.  When the Ankor temples were originally built Siem Reap was a city of 1 million people but now they are all that remains of that city as all the surrounding buildings of wood have long since disappeared.  The modern town is located quite a bit away from the temples as we discovered when we decided to visit them by bike.  We spent a sweaty but thoroughly enjoyable two days visiting the temples, which were nothing short of spectacular.Thankfully, there was plenty of good places to eat and drink and relax after the days exertions.  It took us a little while to find the spots that suited us though.  The first bar we picked happened to be one of Camdodia's few gay bars.  I was enjoying my drinking blissfully unaware until Jono mentioned that one of the guys was eyeing him up!  Jono claims he knew something was up when I was ordering my Cocksucking Cowboy cocktail!!  The foreigner sitting opposite us had obviously also being caught out and managed to polish off his drink at an incredible speed.  When one of the local boys started shaking his butt in front of people we too decided to beat a hasty exit!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1203250680/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1203250680/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1203250680/tpod.html Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:53:36 -0500 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The physicallity of the Vietnamese takes a bit of getting used to.  If you're in their way they'll simply push you out of it and if they want you to buy something from them they're liable to grab hold of you.  And as Jono discovered on the way to Saigon if you're a bit tardy getting on the bus you're likely to get a helping shove aboard followed by a friendly pat on the ass!Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh as it's officially called) as everything you'd expect in a modern Asian city - it's clean, hectic and ultimately just a little bit boring.  It's the kind of place that's probably very nice to live in but it's not really much of a holiday destination.  That said there are a couple of places of interest to visit.  One of these is the War Remenants museum, which has loads of artefacts and photos detailing the American war and its effects on the country.  It makes pretty grim viewing especially the photos of the massacre by American soldiers of the men, women and children at Son My and the photos showing the horrendous effects of Agent Orange, the herbicide used by the US army.After a day spent at this museum we decided to sample some of Saigons more lighthearted attractions with a trip to the waterpark.  Unfortunately, after a confused half an hour in a bus station oblivious to the existence of non-Vietnames speaking potential customers we manage to ascertain that the Saigon Waterpark is no more.  It's a devestating blow and since we don't have anything else planned for Saigon we decide to head on North the next day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1203250560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1203250560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mags_jon/asia2007/1203250560/tpod.html Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:45:27 -0500 From Russia to Australia at a leisurely pace!

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Chau Doc, Vietnam

Our first stop in Vietnam.  When my little cousin Denis heard we were coming here he wanted to know if we were going to bring a baby back.  A little alarming maybe if you didn't know that his sister, Linh, was adopted from Vietnam!To get to Vietnam we had a pleasant boat journey from Phnom Pehn - anything to get off those buses!  Chau Doc is one of the larger towns in the Mekong Delta and is absolutely buzzing with activity, especially the huge market area.  We spend just one evening here as we're anxiuos to head on to Saigon and to be honest don't make it far beyond the few streets surrounding our hotel and the nearest decent restaurant!
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