Why did the chicken cross the road?

On a given bus journey in Laos, you will encounter more chickens/pigs/goats/dogs/cows/ buffalo crossing the road than you will see other vehicles. I found that rather amusing. Travelling in Laos is wonderfully easy and generally hassle-free. That is not to say the public transport always runs smoothly but that is hardly surprising. Our final ride to the border was the most memorable as we were crammed into a truck with about 20 other people, various live chickens, dead fish and a few hundred coconuts. I would not have been surprised if the roof had caved in (there was a motorbike, many rucksacks and a few more people up there) so I was certainly not surprised when one of the tyres blew. We made it to the border eventually where we were sorry to leave Laos but happy at the prospect of visiting a Seven Eleven store.

We began our journey through Laos by crossing the Mekong from northern Thailand to the small town of Huay Xai. It was immediately evident that Laos is a country in which you can relax. From there we boarded a slow boat for a two day trip down the Mekong to Luang Prabang. We passed through some beautiful scenery and glimpsed numerous small villages in the hills. Our arrival into Luang Prabang coinsided with a rather lovely sunset.

Soon after arriving, we bumped into our Hungarian friend Gary whom we had met at the Cambodian border. From then on we had a very sociable time as we also met up with Rosie and Neil (who we spent time with in Cambodia) and a whole bunch of other people. Our sightseeing activities around Luang Prabang included a day exploring on bicycles and a visit to Tat Kuang Si, a stunning multitiered waterfall. It was possible to walk up the side of the falls and stand in the water at the top. Below the waterfall were a number of natural pools in which we could swim.

After Luang Prabang, we headed south through the hills to the activity centre that is Vang Vieng. Laos is an incredibally beautiful country and Vang Vieng has a good share of the scenic spots. We spent a day on motorbikes exploring the tracks through rice fields, villages and limestone peaks. One of the major activities in Vang Vieng is tubing- floating down the Nam Song river in a huge inner tube. Along the way are various bars, volleyball courts, ziplines and swings over the river. Naturally we gave it a go! We also exerted ourselves by doing a day of rock climbing. It was the first time I've properly climbed outside and I loved it.

Next stop was Vientiane, a city which feels more like a town than the country's capital. It was pleasant enough although I shared my skanky dormitory bed with a large family of bed bugs who feasted on my blood as I slept. Not so nice. Here, we bid farewell to Rosie and Neil and headed south. Right down near the border with Cambodia, the Mekong stretches 14km across and houses a network of small islands. The area is therefore known as Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands). We opted for Don Det, a very laid-back island where we spent three days reading in hammocks, exploring on bicycles and making friends with Buffalo- a lovely way to end our time in Laos.

We are now back in the crazy city of Bangkok where we shall do a bit of shopping before flying to Hong Kong on Monday.

My family and other animals

On our return to Bangkok, Matt and I spent a couple of days eating street food and soaking up the carnival atmosphere of the Khao San Road before being joined on the 18th by our parents ans sister Liz. We had saved some of the main sights to explore together so the first day consisted of a scenic boat ride and a visit to the Grand Palace and surroundning Wats (temples). The main thing to say about these buildings is that they are insanely shiny! So much gold and sparkle- very impressive.

Once the others had recovered (well partially) from their jet lag, we begun our journey north. First stop was Phitsanulok, an unremarkable town which we used as a base for visiting the historic city of Sukhothai. We spent a lovely day riding around on bicycles past ancient temples and taking in views of the surrounding countryside.

From Phitsanulok, we bussed up to Chiang Mai, gateway to the northern hills. The city itself was much bigger than I'd expected and not as atmospheric. We did, however, find an amazing vegetarian restaurant where we happily washed down delicious veggie food (not massivley abundant in lots of Thailand) and BROWN rice with our Chang beers. Very nice. We also visited a nearby handicraft village that specialised in ornamental umbrellas made from paper or silk. They were so beautiful- I wanted to buy one for all my friends but had to settle for just one.

We then headed along windy roads into the hills to the town of Pai. Now Pai really is charming and laid-back and generally a great place to spend time. We did as many people do and headed off on a 2-day 'trek' which involved a day of walking and a day of white-water rafting. We spent the night in a forest camp where our guide Jacka entertained us with his party tricks and music. The scenery was absolutley stunning and the rafting was good fun. Some bonus extras included a spot of cliff-jumping and a 'visit to a cave' which turned out to be more like potholing- all good! Our rafting trip ended very close to Mae Hong Son so we wound our way back to Pai through some incredible scenery. On our third day in Pai, we hired motorbikes to explore the local area. I didn't take to well to driving so promptly handed my bike back to the rental place and opted for the passenger seat. I love being on the back of a bike- such a sense of freedom. Also, it is possible to see small villages and out of the way places that you would not otherwise see. On our excursion we passed a few elephant camps where we got trunk hugs in return for bananas. Liz and I had a minor scrape due to some tricksy gravel taking out the front wheel but no real harm was done.

Sadly, we had to leave Pai to return to Chiang Mai. We spent one final night there before Mum, Dad and Liz took their bus to the southern beaches. Then there were two again. Since then Matt and I headed a bit further north to some small villages. We ditched our walking plans due to the relentless rain so could not make the most of being in the middle of nowhere. Today we headed for Chiang Rai, our final stop before moving on to Laos tomorrow.

This is Cambodia!

In our first few hours in Cambodia, we got ourselves into a bit of a stand-off with the local 'mafia'. It turned out to be a very entertaining and surprisingly enjoyable day. Basically, two guys who said they worked for 'The Company' latched onto us at the border and tried to sell us their extortionate bus tickets to Siem Reap. We had other ideas and headed off in search of a better deal. Little did we know, although it soon became apparent, that our guys were "the law in this town'' and no taxi/bus/truck drivers could take us without their permission. Together with two Hungarian and two other British tourists, we sat at the roadside and drank cold beer with the hope that these guys would get bored. Meanwhile, a small crowd was gathering round us and the big man of the town started making little threats, telling us that "this is not like your country, the police won't listen to you, they listen to me, this is Cambodia!'' Three hours after crossing the border, we finally got permission to leave in a taxi which cost us about a third of the bus ticket price. Mind you, there were six of us, six large rucksacks, six little rucksacks and a driver all crammed into the car! The road to Siem Reap is a famously potholed one so we bumped along for three hours but still arrived with smiles on our faces from the comedy of the afternoon.

Very close to Siem Reap are the temples of Angkor, including the famous Angkor Wat (largest religious building in the world). The temples, constructed between the 9th and 13th centuries, are a testament to the grandeur of the Angkorian Empire. We spent a lovely day exploring the area on bicycles and enjoying the beautiful countryside at the same time. Many of the temples are in incredibly good condition, with beautiful carved patterns and bas reliefs adorning the stone. My favourite temple has succumbed a little more to the power of nature and is gradually being pulled apart by the roots from some enormous trees. We also visited the Cambodia Landmine Museum which gives a background into the history of landmines and the terrible suffering which they cause. Cambodia remains one of the world's most heavily mined countries with an estimated three million still remaining. Amazingly, many countries refuse to halt the production and use of anti-personnel mines.




After Siem Reap, we took a seven hour boat ride to Battambang along what was supposedly a river but looked much more like a lake in places. It is the wet season and, believe me, there is a lot of water around. We passed through many small villages, made up of houses on stilts or boat houses which can remain despite the dramatically changing water levels. In every village, we were greeted with children's shouts and smiles which got even larger when we returned their waves. Battambang itself, with its many shuttered windows, has a very French feel. However, it is evident that there has been little in the way of building maintenance since the French left in 1953 so the town had a very run-down kind of charm.

Further south, we spent some time in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh and the provincial town of Kampot. The highlight of our trip to Kampot was the bus journey there and back. The Cambodian countryside is absolutely beautiful. The rice fields here are huge, flat and dotted with palm trees. They shine an incredibly lurid green in the afternoon sun. In the background there are tree-covered hills and in the foreground there are water lilies, buffalo, fishermen and playing children. The roads in Cambodia are noteworthy as they are seriously bumpy and dusty when dry and just as bumpy but very muddy when wet. On the way to Kampot, our bus went over one bump too many and refused to continue. We settled down on the roadside to enjoy the timely sunset and await the replacement bus. The other passengers gradually gave up waiting and opted to pay for onward rides from the all-too-eager moto drivers. Therefore, only Matt and I remained to witness the arrival of the second bus. Just before reaching us, the driver carelessly swung the bus off the road in order to do a 180 degree turn. It got stuck! Matt and I sat there giggling for a few minutes before joining the pushing and pulling effort. No amount of pushing could free the bus so we now had two useless buses! As we weren't in a hurry, we found this all rather amusing. In the end, we too had to opt for a moto ride for the remaining half hour which, in the cool early evening, was very enjoyable.

Whilst in Phnom Penh, we visited both the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum and the Killing Fields of Choeng Ek. Back in the early 1970s, Tuol Sleng was a regular high school but in 1975 it was transformed into Security prison 21 (S-21) by Pol Pot's security forces. Between 1975 and 1978 about 17,000 people were detained and tortured at S-21 before being transported to Choeng Ek to be murdered. Much of the prison remains as it was, with rusty beds and instruments of torture in otherwise empty classrooms. The most sickening display was of the prisoner's mugshots that had been taken on their arrival at S-21. Rows and rows of faces- sad, scared, defiant, proud. All but seven of those held at S-21 were killed, their bodies buried in mass graves at Choeng Ek. It is estimated that around two million Cambodians died between 1975 and 1979 as a result of the Khmer Rouge and their horrific policies. I felt sick and guilty in a way for visiting these morbid sites but I think it is important to acknowledge their importance and understand their significance in a country which is still recovering.

I am turning into a Thai green curry

Well, they do say 'you are what you eat' and I have consumed copious amounts of green curry since arriving in Thailand. It is fragrant, incredibly tasty, slightly creamy and with just enough of a kick to show who's boss. There are worse things I could be. To be honest, although I can say with certainty that I have never consumed one, I am also starting to resemble a beached whale.

Over the last few weeks we have sampled some of Thailand's famous beaches, both on the Andaman (west) and Gulf (east) coasts. As expected in monsoon season, the weather has been somewhat changeable and has often provided entertainment in its own right. The first few days, which we spent on Ko Lanta, were a complete washout. The storms didn't hinder our motorbike adventures, however, and we actually quite enjoyed getting pummelled by the rain.

Our next stop, further up the West coast, was Railay beach near the town of Krabi. The sandy beaches, blue seas and jagged limestone made for some dramatic scenery. It was really very beautiful. During our five day stay we explored some of the surrounding cliffs, caves and islands both on foot and in a canoe. For various reasons we didn't actually do any climbing which was a bit disappointing. Maybe next time.

Switching coasts, we headed to the islands of Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao. After beach hopping round some of the quieter spots, we arrived in Ko Pha Ngan's Hat Rin just in time for the monthly highlight. The world famous Full Moon party saw the beach transformed into one long strip of DJs and sound systems, glow sticks and fire shows. Along with some ten thousand other people, we danced by the light of the moon the moon. We danced by the light of the moon. Awesome.

Our final beach destination was the slightly quieter, but ever-so cool, Ko Tao. The tiny island is surrounded by coral which we found to be both extensive and pretty varied. We stuck to snorkel and fin rather than opting for scuba diving as we didn't want to part with too many pennies.

We are now in Bangkok on our way to Cambodia. One night here and the world will be our oyster, or so I've heard.

Blood, sweat and...a bit more sweat

After caffeine-ing it up to the max in the Cameron Highlands, Matt and I headed to Taman Negara for some jungle fun. This is Malaysia's largest and most important National Park and is home to rainforest that dates back 130 million years. Crikey beans. Needless to say, there are all sorts of exotic creatures prowling, crawling and jumping around in the forest's depths. We decided to do a bit of wildlife spotting in the hope of seeing these mighty beasts in their natural habitat. After stocking up on supplies we hit the tracks for three days of jungle walking. I can honestly say, I have never sweated so much in my life so we arrived at the animal hide (where we slept) covered in sweat, mud and patches of blood from leech bites. Nice. Seriously though, the jungle was awesome, complete with buttress roots, hanging creepers and patches of muddy water for us to negotiate. In the late afternoons and evenings we sat quietly in the hide, watching patiently for animals and listening to the incredible jungle sounds. The tigers and rhinos remained elusive, as did the elephants, but we did see a troop of monkeys moving through the area. We also found elephant dung and bear prints so I was altogether happy with our tracking skills.

Three buses, two boats and a train ride later, we found ourselves surrounded by very different scenery. We ended our time in Malaysia with a visit to Pulau Perhentian Kecil, a small east coast island which is famed for its white sand beaches and turquoise water. After our exertion in the jungle, it was great to swim, relax and let our feet mend themselves for a few days. On the second day we went on a snorkelling trip where we saw rays, a small shark and plenty of 'everycolour' fish. Unfortunately, much of the coral in the area has been destroyed so it didn't match up to the reefs of Australia or Lombok but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

We have now crossed the border into the kingdom of Thaliand. Time to learn a new language again- I'd best get stuck in to my phrasebook!

Cup o' tea bab?

We did very little with our four days in Jakarta except avoid the heat, smells and mosquitoes by wandering around air conditioned shopping malls. To be fair, Jakarta is not the most beautiful city I've ever been to and the public transport system is rubbish. Singapore was a completely different world. The city is clean and efficient with a speedy subway system and equally amazing internet. Additionally, we had tea. Proper tea with fresh milk. I have been missing a good cup o' cha so I was a happy lass. We only stayed for two nights so had to whizz round the main attractions in one day.

After Singapore we hopped on a bus that took us to Kuala Lumpur. Coincidentally, we arrived on the eve of Malaysia's 50 years of independence, a brilliant night to be in the country's capital. Everyone was in party mode so we took to the streets and joined the fun. In both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur the people are from three dominant ethnic backgrounds- Malay, Chinese and Indian. Consequently, the food is abundant and wonderfully varied. We enjoyed curries in Singpore's Little India and stir-fried seaweed in Kuala Lumpur's China Town. We'd better watch the waistlines!

We are now in the Cameron Highlands, towards the centre of Peninsular Malaysia. Due to a higher altitude, the air is fresher and the nights chillier than anywhere we've been for while. It is the perfect place to pull on a jumper and curl up on a sofa with a nice cup of tea. We're in luck there as the surrounding hills support Malaysia's largest tea plantations. Despite getting absolutely soaked, we enjoyed a walk through one of the plantations and learned a bit about tea production. The rain held off for a walk today but we are heading into monsoon season so we're going to have to get used to the wet stuff. ''Well it is your turn!'' I hear you say, and indeed it is.

The wheels on the bus go round and round...

…and round and round and round and round! This week has seen us travel from mid-Sumatra all the way to Jakarta- one 34 hour bus journey and another of 10 hours. Man! It was worth it though as Sumatra was beautiful.

We spent a total of five days in Bukittinggi exploring the town and surrounding area. The region, known as the Minangkabau, is dominated by rice fields, plantations and water buffalo. Indeed, Minangkabau literally translates as ‘winning buffalo’. Here, the women own the land and houses and pass them down to their daughters along with their mitochondrial DNA. However, families have to buy husbands for their daughters with buffalo, the required number depending on the man’s status. After Bukittinggi, we spent a few nights on the shores of Danau Maninjau, a volcanic crater lake. It was peaceful and beautiful, a stark contrast to Indonesia’s cities.

Following the previously mentioned 34 hour bus ride, we arrived in Bandarlampung, southern Sumatra, just as it was getting dark. With no map and very little information about the town, we wandered around unsuccessfully looking for a hotel. After a while, a nice guy in a shiny car came to our aid and drove us to a hotel. He shrugged off my thanks and said ‘’hey, Indonesian people’’. Yeah, right. Unfortunately, we have encountered far more people all too eager to lie and trick their way to our money so this genuine act of kindness was welcome, but a surprise nonetheless. Due to a complete lack of tourists, and therefore budget accommodation, we were forced to stay in a slightly more expensive hotel with hot showers and air con. Gutted! To my delight, just next door to the hotel was a Pizza hut. Now, I don’t really like the fact that Pizza Hut, along with the likes of KFC and McDonald’s, has taken over the world. However, I had no desire to inflict rancid-looking street food on my poor digestive system that had already been suffering for 10 days from the ill effects of food poisoning. We ate and slept like kings.

The whole point of going to Bandarlampung was to visit the nearby national park. The Taman Nasional Way Kambas is an area of lowland rainforest on the southeast coast of Sumatra. It is home to elephants, rhinos and prowling Sumatran tigers. Sounds lovely hey?. We didn’t go there. It seems that the tour agencies that used to organize trips to the park were either hiding or have packed up shop due to the decline in tourism that is so evident in Sumatra. We found no information about the park and no buses that went there. Shame. Instead, we boarded a bus to Jakarta, our final stop in Indonesia. We have a few more days to explore the city before flying to Singapore on Tuesday.