Good Morning Vietnam!!

"Ha Long Bay"

As soon as I knew it my three days of realaxing were over and once again I was getting ready to step into a bus for what might have been my longest bus journey yet. When first booking my bus from Vientiane to Ha Noi I was told by the travel agent that it would take 22 hours. Now, dont get me wrong, 22 hours does sound like a long time but when you are comparing the price tags of either flying ($175) or suffering ($18) it becomes quite clear why I chose the later.

The start of this entry is kinda going to be a step by step of my whoel journey so it will show you why over and over again patients is a virtue and why be in a hurry in Asia is incredible frustrerating.

I was first picked up at my guest house by a mini bus at 6pm, just to mention it was suppose to be 5, then I was taken to the main bus station just outside the city where all of the main busses are sitting and had begun unloading. I was about to pick up some water and snacks for the road when one of the crew members, basically, started yelling at me and ushered me into my seat. So now here I was, at 6:20, sitting in the same seat that was going to become my dear friend over the next day or so. After sitting for a few minutes, and no movement by the bus, I decided to get up and walk out side to stretch but was quickly discovered and once again ushered back on the bus to hurry up and wait. After what felt like a life time, almost two hours to be exact, the bus finally started at 8:30 and we were on our way to Ha Noi at last.

Fortunately I was one of the lucky ones that got to the bus station at least early enough to manage to get a seat. The ones the arrived later, may have not have had to wait the extra two hours on the bus at the bus station, but then did not manage to secure a true seat and for the next 30 hours these poor unfortunete people were stuck on a plastic stool that were placed all down the isles insuring not one spare inch of money making room was waisted. Honestly if this would have been me I don't know if I would have, or could have for that matter, been able to convince myself that staying on that stool was worth not spending the extra 18 dollars and getting to the station a little earlier the next day.

After we set out we drove for about seven hours when our bus came to a stop outside a tiny house in the middle of Norther Laos. Assuming this was a quick toilet and drink break I got of the bus to realize that all of the locals were going into the house. I finally managed to find one of the bus crew that could speak English and he explained to me that were very near the border but we were just having a quick stop because we had to wait for the border between Laos and Vietnam to open. After I persistently asked how long it would be, it turned out that our short stop was 5 hours long! Everybody, well at least all the Westerners, all came to the conclusion that we should have just left Vientiane later but of course some times common sense is lost in translation.

I spent the five hours of our "quick stop" reading, eating and chatting with other confused backpackers and with my canvas hammock, that doubles as a blanket/pillow for bus journeys, I even managed to lay outside the bus and catch a little bit of shut eye before we were on the bus again and finally headed to the Vietnam border.

Once again my border crossing went rather smoothly, that's twice in a row, and after two hours at customs and immigration we were all loaded back on the bus and on our way to Hanoi.

A little lesson I learned about Vietnam traffic is there is no right of way. Its the person with the bigger vehicle and the loudest horn that makes the rules no matter what the circumstance is. When we were about 3 hours outside of Hanoi our bus pulled out to pass someone when there was clearly not enough time to do so (Its a pretty normal thing). The only difference was, normally they managed to squeeze in just in the nick of time or lock on the brakes and squeeze back to there original position, but this time we were faced with a head on collision with a semi, or, to basically run the truck beside us off the road. Fortunately, we didnt completely have to push the other off the road, but we did have to hit them to get enough space to go three wide, on a small highway, and continue on our way. The crazy thing about this is after it happened we didnt even stop. So with one smashed out door and minus a few windows, we carried on like nothing ever happened.

We finally arrived in Hanoi at 7:00pm so, in total, this journey took 26 hours which, I dont think I have to tell any of you, is a long long time on a cramped bus. Obviously flying is the better route and at $175, after stepping off the bus, seems like a bargain but then what would I write about.

Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam, although commonly mistaken for Saigon (HoChinMin City), and is the busiest city I have ever experienced. The traffic is the one thing that is truly amazing. People who think Bangkok is busy only need to travel to Vietnam to realize how organized and structured it really is. If you do manage to cross the street without getting hit, the amount of horns going off is enough to do anyone's head in. My first experience with crossing the road was a little tricky. I stood on the side of road for around a half an hour waiting for an opening big enough to able me to get across the road safely. After realizing that this wasn't going to happen and also realizing that a red light is a decoration, I decided to ask a local woman about the proper technique to this task. Of course she had a little laugh at my expense but then taught me the golden rule, close your eyes and walk. This seems strange and I admit is very scary the first couple of times but it does work. The object is to walk at a slow but steady pace, dont stop, and dont try to dodge a motorbike or they are guaranteed to hit you. But if you walk slowly, amazingly enough, everything goes around you and you reach your destination unharmed.

I spent the next two days wandering around the capital city and getting a feel for what Vietnam was going to be like compared to the other countries I have visited. After getting over the shock from going from Laos to Vietnam, which is the equivalent of going from the Moon to Vegas, I really started to enjoy the city and really was able to see the beauty hidden in the absolute chaos. Hanoi is definitely one of those city people love or hate. I am not really a city person but ,as with Bangkok, I loved it. It seems normal cities bore me, but once the get to a certain craziness level, I love them.

After I was through with Hanoi I booked a two day cruise to Ha Long Bay. Halong Bay has been named a World Heritage site for it spectacular scenery and also the amazing amount of stories and caves that go along with this bay that is around 1500 square kilometers and holds almost 2000 limestone islands.

Local legend says that long ago when the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, the gods sent a family of dragons to help to defend the land. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders. The people kept their land safe and formed what later became the country of Vietnam. After that, dragons were interested in peaceful sightseeing of the Earth and decided to live here there.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of my whole trip. The bay was amazing, which I expected, but I am talking about everything else. When you book tours in Asia you soon realize that you really have no idea what to expect. Even when they show you pictures and tell you exactly whats to happen, it rarely ends up going that way. This trip was the only trip I have done that it was the opposite. The boat was amazing, even nicer than their pictures, the meals were gourmet Vietnamese 4 course meals, and the staff spoke good English and were very entertaining. Overall it definitely ranks up there on the activity, with the most bang for your buck, I have done on this trip.

Before I knew it, it was time to once again head back to Hanoi, which I then had 2 hours to rest and get something to eat, before jumping on, yet again, another night bus to Hue. Ha Long Bay was my couple days of relaxing before I really had to start to make it a point to get moving.

I have traveled in Asia for almost 5 months in total now and the one thing I have learned is that schedules mean nothing and you cannot book things based on what time they say your going to be back. My Ha Long Bay tour was scheduled to be back in Hanoi at 4:00 pm so against my better judgment, mainly because if I would have left the next day it would have been a waste of a night, I booked a overnight bus the same day to Hue departing at 6:00. The beginning of the day went to schedule but just as I expected, when the boat arrived at the mainland, we were informed our bus had broken down and there would be a small delay. No problem really because I still had a couple hours to play with. It became a problem when the bus showed up 3 hours late and it seemed inevitable that I was going to miss my bus and loose my ticket. Luckily on the way home a girl from the company rung the bus and got them to wait for me. The second we arrived back in Hanoi there was a moto waiting to wisk me away, through the crazy traffic, and I got to my bus with time to spare. Sometimes I am still amazed how helpful people are when your least expecting it.

Hue is a town that isnt exactly a main stop and everyone there is pretty much only staying a night to break up the long journey from Hanoi to Hoi An. None the less I have an enjoyable day. I basically just got something to eat, napped (since you dont sleep much on the night bus), and explored some of the historic sights of the city. Tomorro is another bus journey but at least its only about 6 hours to Hoi An. Listen to me, its like, "Oh it only 6 hours, piece of cake."

"Vietnam Border Entering From Laos"

"Ordinary Daytime Traffic In Hanoi"

"The Oilers Shirt Makes This Picture"

"My Home In Ha Long Bay"

"Ha Long Bay"

"The Bridge and Protective Wall Of Hue"

"Historic Hue"

Bordercrossings, Tubes, Joma, And Visas

"The S S Mekong"

Seeing as, as of late, I have become overly busy or lazy, one of the two, for this entry I am going to split it up into two parts to make it easier on me because I have basically missed an entire country and almost the last two weeks.

Part I

Once returning to Pai I decided that it had definitely become time when I should start looking at a calender and moving along if I planned to see Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia with enough time to get back to Bangkok to catch my flight on the 16th of December.

Since I was exhausted by the trek I checked into a guesthouse to have a relaxing night and a quick look at the reggae festival the was being held before having to start my traitorous journey which over three days brought me from Pai, Thailand to Luang Prabang, Laos.

I managed to make an appearance, only for about 10 minutes, to the reggae festival but decided that it may be my last good nights sleep for a few days so I turned in early and was quickly sound asleep.

The morning, that was to start my journey, couldn't have started off on a worse note, not that to most it would seem bad, but this was the first time in literally months that I was woken up by awful "beep beep beep" of the alarm clock that I can assure you, I haven't missed at all.

With the initial wakeup behind me, things smoothed out nicely and after a coffee and a little bit of sunshine, I was thrown into a mini bus and headed to Chiang Mia, for the first 4 hour leg of the journey.

We arrived in Chiang Mai with enough time to grab some street food and a coffee shake, mmmmmm coffee shake, then I was ushered away to a different, slightly bigger bus, for the last 7 hours of the first days journey which ended in the Thai border town of Chiang Kong.

When I first decided that I was beginning to slowly run short on time ,the one way you can save a few days is by booking a whole multi day trip ticket to where ever instead of doing every leg of it solo and dealing with whatever you run in to on the way, which usually means spending an extra night hear and there but when you have the time I find its much more rewarding and much cheaper. But because I definitely don't have the time I took the first choice where they basically assign you parents for three days that lead you around, have your accommodations booked, and meals ready when you are hungry. The down side to this is that you don't have say in where you stay, what you eat, things of this sort and, as I expected, when we arrived in Chiang Kong, it is a very good thing I am not at all a picky backpacker.

The next morning was better for me even if the rooms werent spotless...... I didn't need the alarm clock and the breakfast was decent. Once again I packed, got loaded in the van, and we were on our way to Thai / Laos immigration.

In Northern Thailand the border is the Mekong River which actually remains the border for most of the country. So once you get stamped out of Thailand you travel by long boat across the river to enter Laos. There you have to apply for a visitors visa then get stamped in and, walla, you are now legally into the country of Laos. The border crossing went smooth, surprisingly, and besides the very long ques, our group managed to be in and out in about 2 hours, which in Asian terms is lightning fast.

This is the part of the journey that gets interesting. There are two ways to get from the border town of Houei Xay, Laos to Luang Prabang and they are a speed boat or a slow boat. I opted for the slow boat just because I have heard that no matter how much you don't enjoy it, its one of those things you just have to do.

The second day of the journey consisted of 7 hours floating on a fairly large boat with around 75 people. I spent the day laying in the sun, reading, and meeting some fello travelers so when we arrived in Pak Bang for the night, I was somewhat confused about why people have so many bad things to say about the experience. The next day I quickly understood.

When I first started down the next morning I actually thought I missed the boat because our original boat was nowhere to be seen. After I talked to a couple Laos guys it became clear that our boat had left back to the border and our new boat that was the replacement was sitting in front of me and, at a glance, it sure didn't look to be quite as big.

When I border the boat my suspicions turned out to be quite accurate and not only was it noticeably smaller but there were also noticeably more people! None the less we all managed to pile on and we finally set off on the final day of our journey to Luang Prabang.

The final day was definitely the most uncomfortable but it was also a very enjoyable and rewarding day for me. From my 2 ft square piece of floor I managed to claim I had a great view of the river and landscape, and I was also seated next to a local family that was eager for me to join them for all there snack and meals through out the day. I ate a lot of things through that 11 hour bus ride but unfortunately I am unable to tell you what they were but some were good, some were bad, and some were downright scary. When I wasn't eating or playing with there little kids, I read and also managed to get a little siesta in before landing in Luang Prabang at sunset that evening.

I wondered around for a couple hours, not that that was a bad thing after sitting that long, before finding a place to call home for a couple nights. Then, for supper, I gorged on a 5000 kip (50 cent) vegetarian street buffet, picked up some "A" brand cigarettes (20 cents), before returning to my 3 dollar a night home. Boy I love this country!

"Not too Much Room To Spare"

"My Family For The Day"

Part II

"Kouang Si Waterfall"

Luang Prabang doesn't exactly have a list of too many possible activities that one couldn't hope to do in a couple days, basically all it has is shopping, bowling, and waterfalls. Like most towns in Southeast Asia the night market is also definitely up on the list, no matter how many you have already been to, of popular ways to occupy yourself in the evening.

The difference between Laos and Thailand is quite subtle at first but after spending a few days you soon learn and begin to truly appreciate Laos. One of the biggest differences is Thailand, because of all the tourists there mind you, has become party central. There is not an hour of the day or night that you cannot find a party or, at the very least, a drink. Laos is very very different. The biggest party you will find here is a small pub with a few people sitting around listening to live blues, but don't get too comfy. Come last call at eleven, you have to make your way home by midnight when the curfew kicks in, and being caught out after hours quickly turns into a hefty fine.

Another very welcome difference is people understand, no that's not even it, they respect the word No. In Thailand, whether it is Tuk Tuk drivers, tailors, or just people selling food; a simple no does not suffice. To get the point across they have to ask you enough for you too loose your patients and sometimes, I'm sure, come across as rude and impolite. Most people that are on holidays are neither, but patients is something that unfortunately runs out. Laos is the opposite of this. Of course all of these people still do ask you, but with a simple smile and "No Thank you," you are on your way.

During my two days in Luang Prabang I really only did manage to go out to the Kouang Si waterfall apart from the normal things like eating, wandering through markets, and sleeping. The evenings were a little more interesting. Apart from going bowling with 100 other tourists, (apparently its the thing to do and its also open the latest out of anything in town) I also got my first lesson and soon became quite addicted to Poi.

Poi is basically fire juggling but not in the tradition sense. You have two wicks that are soaked in Kerosene (in our case jet fuel, but Ill get to that), that are attached to small chains that you hold in each hand. Using your arms, body position, and a few different motions it become quite an impressive sight. With the help and knowledge of an Australian bloke I met earlier, I learnt some of the basic moves, unlit of course, and then practiced with them burning once I was a little more comfortable. We spun for all of the first night but after looking at the fuel supply we had left, we decided that we would have to find some fuel in order to be able to play with it again the next night. This brings us to my second day in Luang Prabang.

After a quick trip to the waterfall we made it our mission to find some Kerosene, easy enough of a task one might think. Its turns out that trying to find something in a small town in Laos with no English speaking people, not to mention that we found out that the word Kerosene doesn't exist in there language or there understanding of English, is quite a task. After walking around for a couple hours going to every shop we could find, showing them the poi and getting them to smell the fuel, we were no further than when we started. We were just about to give up when we came across a fancy, in Laos terms anyway, French restaurant that had little teky torches burning outside. This is when our great idea kicked in; torches need kerosene don't they? We walked inside and started to talk to the manager who was very skeptical about why exactly we wanted kerosene. Again we showed her the poi and made some motions to explain what it was when she finally gave in and decided that we weren't trying to burn down the town, and helped us out. When she asked us how much she wanted, we asked for two liters but she declined. It turns out that she wasn't using kerosene at all. It was jet fuel, just to note it was illegal jet fuel, that the Laos police brought her, and giving us that much could get her in a lot of trouble if we were reeking havok with it and it came back to her. We settled on 500ml and we were on our way to an exciting evening of spinning fire to amuse our night away.

This seems funny to me cause how many people can say they got jet fuel, from a French restaurant in Laos!

With Luang Prabang behind me my next destination was Vang Vieng. If any of you can remember any of my travels from the start of my trip this is where the legendary tubing down the river and rope swings are, which is something that no traveler in Laos misses.

Laos, as I mentioned, is a very quite country with basically no night life. Vang Vieng is definitely the exception to this rule. The bars here still do have a curfew but this only means that in this small town everyone starts a little earlier. Now that I think of it there is also one other very big difference between Laos and Thailand.

Drugs in Thailand are very strictly enforced and most people are smart enough not to even try to use them but Laos on the other hand goes like this. In Laos drugs are still illegal, don't get me wrong, but it is also a much more corrupt police force (at least in this) than Thailand. All of the restaurants and bars pay the cops off so as long as you're on there property anything goes. That means that along with the general food and drinks that you are accustomed to finding on a menu, you also have a "special" menu that has everything from shroom shakes, to opium tea, to happy pizza(use your imagination), to your preference to the size of joint you want whether it be small, big, or a bag. To anyone reading this that is now worried about me, don't be. You have to understand in my travels I have come across drugs once or twice. . . . and they just aren't my cup o' tea.......get it.

I could only afford to give Vang Vieng one day, and after I went tubing for the day I was once again on the road. When I planed on leaving Vang Vieng, my original plan was to take a local bus. They aren't nearly as comfy as the tourist busses but the price tag is alot more appealing. When I showed up to the bus station it turns out I had missed the bus and the next few busses leaving over the next few hours were all, as I like to call them, flashpacker busses. I do not have the money for those luxuries, nor did I want to wait a couple hours, so after me persistently asking how I could get there, they pointed at a truck full of locals, a few chickens, and a dog. And with a small charge of 15000 kip (which is better than the local bus) I was headed on the 4 hour journey through the mountains to Vientiane.

Vientiane is the capital of Laos and it is also a city that I have frequently visited when I had all those issues with loosing everything at the start of my trip. This visit was not so much to see the city, but to get all my visas in order for the rest of my trip so I could jump from country to country with hopefully no complications.

The day that I arrived in Vientiane I managed to get all of my business done by visiting both the Vietnam and Cambodian embassies. Then all I had was three days to relax (three day processing on visas) before I could embark on my next journey, so I made every second count knowing that for the next few weeks, things are going to be hecktic.

I spent my time reading, having coffee in Joma (a very overpriced cafe but darn there coffee is good!), and hanging out at an ol favorite; the Full Moon Cafe where I loaded up my Ipod with 30 new albums including Frank Sinatra, Eva Cassidy, and Elvis to name a few, to prepare myself for the 25 hour bus ride to Hanoi, Vietnam that I am going have to deal with in a couple days. Im not sure if I would say I am looking forward to that adventure.

"Backflip By Bru"

"Another Shot Of The Kouang Si Waterfall"

"One Of The Many River Bars In Vang Veign"

River + Tubes + Sunshine = Good Times!

"Mmmmm Chicken On A Stick"

"Nam Phou Statue In Veintiane"

Legend has it that buried beneath this statue is a Sevenheaded Dragon. Since this has happened

this monument is said to be the protector of the city.

Trekking in Pai radise

A House In The Tiny Village Of Lahu

One of the main attractions and reasons most people visit Northern Thailand is for the trekking. So, while in Pai, I decided that it would make a good two day outing before I had to start putting some miles behind me and leave to Laos.
The Trek started off riding a song thew from Pai and up into the mountains for an hour and a half before getting off in the middle of nowhere where a math path weaved its way up the mountains, through the jungle and into mountain tribe villages.
Our first day was the more physical and difficult of the two days with roughly four hours of a steady climb passing through creeks and rivers. When it came time for lunch our guide cut down some bamboo and used it to make us chopsticks and cups and even made a pot, or sorts, which he used to boil water on the fire and make us some good ol' fashioned jungle tea.
From being in South East Asia I have now decided Bamboo is pretty much the most versatile plants in the world and I think somebody should figure out a way to make it be able to stand up to the cold of winter so I can plant a bamboo forest in my backyard. It amazing!! People use it for absolutely everything. Need a house? Bamboo. Need cups, bowls, chopsticks? Bamboo. Need to make a trap to catch animals and make a rack to smoke and cook your newly acquired feast?Bamboo. Or maybe you just want to sit around, visit with friends and have a nice cup of tea before turning in for night. Bamboo. Well now that I am pretty sure that everyone catches
my drift I will carry on with my story.
The first, and only, night we spent in a tiny village called Lahu. I couldn't exactly give you number for the population but when I asked the guide he told me that these villages are measured in families, not people, and the Lahu village consisted of roughly 45 families. I am so glad I decided to do the trek because this is one of the first times in Thailand that I was able to understand, and see, how poor it is and how hard these people work when you get outside of the tourist area which now consumes the majority of the country.
The village is basically bamboo huts on stilts, so there animals can live under them, with one place where a pipe came from the side of a hill that had a steady flow of fresh water. So as you can imagine this area has 45 families showering, doing there laundry, and also keeping a steady supply for carrying back to your house for daily use.
In the evening we sat with the "locals", stuffed ourselves with a gourmet spread of food from the land, and even got to dabble in the sticky rice moonshine.(Its about as good as it sounds)

The next day we had a fairly short descent through rice fields, some jungle, and down to a river, which is where our walked ended for the day and the real fun started. Once at the river we found a bamboo raft that was going to be our source of transportation back to the highway and our lift back to Pai.

Under normal circumstances, once you get to the last little village in your journey the guide picks up a couple of the locals to steer there bamboo raft full of people and bags down the river. The difference between normal and how it seems to happen with me we all know is quite far from each other. Instead of that happening, when we got to the town it was completely empty because everyone was out working in the rice fields. Our guide felt quite bad, cause that's all we were talking about for most of the start of the day, so he managed to find one of his uncles that had a bamboo raft and volunteered to be our captain for the afternoon.

After first seeing the raft it became clear why it was not part of the tourist fleet. It was completely falling apart but after about an hour of maintenance our ship was ready to set sail.

Once we managed to get the raft from the shore to the river, we loaded our luggage, all crawled on, and with the uncle and guide steering we were starting our rafting adventure.

The raft that we were using I have no doubt worked perfectly well with a couple adults and maybe some rice or something but when we piled seven adults and seven big backpacks it was a little different story......actually it was much more of a bamboo submarine than a raft!

The river was quite low at this time of the year so, in spots, with the buoyancy of our raft the way it was and the rocks sticking up, hitting them was inevitable. After the first few crashes we soon learned that this voyage was not only going to be a little rough but it just so happens that this was our guides first time as "captain".

Even for it being his first time he really did do good and there hasn't been very many times on the trip where I have laughed as hard at someone as I did with him. He was placed at the front of the raft standing so every time we hit a rock he would keep going and land in the river in front of us. He would then scramble back to the boat yelling in Thai, which we learned later was because he couldn't swim, good combination! But he truly was hilarious and after the first few "man over boards" he learned his lesson and went for the approach of yelling "KABOOM" and would lay on the front of the raft and hold himself on.

The rafting lasted a about an hour or so. Then, after a quick stop at the biggest cave in the world (its funny how hard to impress people are when there exhausted) we were on the highway headed back to Pai with memories which will not easily be forgotten.

Our Bamboo Tea Pot

Another Homestead In Lahu

The Local Water Supply

A Rest In The Rice Fields

Our Ship The Bamboo Explorer

Had To Finish Off With Another Sunset

"The Breathtaking Pai Canyon"

During my stay in Chiang Mia I decided to spend one day attending the "Siam Rice Cooking School," to figure out exactly some of my favorite Thai dishes are made. When the day began I had absolutely no idea what to expect all I knew was that I was to meet the rest of the group in the local market at 9:15am.

When I arrived at the local market I was greeted by hundreds of locals but with no westerners in sight and not sure who I was meeting I took at seat at a nearby table and dove into my book I was currently reading.

This must have made up quite a scene to onlookers. There was a big local market with everything from rice, fruit, and vegetables to quarters of hanging meat, drying mystery meat, and fish so fresh they flopped around on the grill. As hard as you may try you would not have heard a word of English, not too mention seen anyone other that Thai, and in the middle of this busy scene there's little ol me sitting cross legged on a table, perfectly comfortable reading my book.

It didn't take to long before the teacher from the school managed pick me out of the crowd and usher me back to the other 6 people who would be attending the course with who, all turned out to be Australian.

The rest of the morning was spent shopping for the ingredients we would be using and getting an explanation about almost every use, in the kitchen or not, for all the vegetables which were laid before us and on all the different types of rice, curries, ect. After our shopping was done we piled into a song thew and drove out to a nice little house in the country side where we spent the rest of the day.

Through the day we learned how to make six dishes from scratch including Papaya Salad, Green Curry Soup, and Tom Yum Soup which are among my favorites. We also got to eat anything we made, therefore after six dishes you can imagine your getting pretty full. The others in the group turn out to be all one family traveling around Thailand for a month because two of them had just got married in Phuket. After the course was over, being the true friendly Aussies they were, also invited me out to a bit of a wedding celebration, you may have called it, for the rest of the evening . . . . and some of the next morning!

The next day, after not very much sleep mind you, I caught a mini bus headed up to the sleepy little town of Pai to get out of the big city craziness that seems to consume Central Thailand.

Now I am Pai and enjoying the laid back atmosphere, good weather, and hammocks that I was longing to revisit Southeast Asia for.

Today I may head up to read and suntan by the pool.........hmm sounds like alot of effort. Maybe Ill just laze and read in my hammock. Tough life.

"Pounding The Curry Paste"

"Bon Appetite"

"Northern Thailands Scenery"

"Sleepy Pai"

Lets Get Ready To Rumble

"Fight Night In Bangkok's Rajmangala National Stadium"

There as a few things, that everyone will agree, that you just cannot not do while spending a few days in Bangkok. Whether you like it, hate it, or have absolutely no interest in it, a professional Muay Thai boxing match definitely falls into this category.

On my last night staying in Bangkok, after being here many nights previously in the last year, I decided it was time to rise to the occasion and go and see one before I had to leave without the true Muay Thai experience.

On my way to Khoasan Road from the Bangkok airport I met a Swedish bloke named Kenny. So for the past few days we had been hanging out, and doing whatever it is you do in Bangkok together . . .mostly shopping. Seeing as he was up for watching a fight we jumped in a Tuk Tuk and were off to one of the two largest Thai Boxing Stadiums in Bangkok call the Rajmangala National Stadium.

Thai boxing stadiums are everything that you would possible picture from what you see in movies only much more intimidating than you would begin understand without ever setting foot in one. When we first pulled up to the stadium in our tuk tuk, literally, all you could see was thousands and thousands of scooters lined up infront and absolutely not a word of English. As we approached the entrance we, naturally, instantly had two Thai people approach us with tickets and all the information we needed about the evening, oh and did I mention, "A very special price just for you sir."

The two Thais explained that in a Muay Thai fight there is three different classes of seats. The third class, which is almost all Thais, is far away and hard to see the fight, the rowdier part of the crowd, and also where all the gambling goes on. He also made it clear that this was no place for western backpackers. (which it might not have been but once we were in I think it looked like good times up there)

The second class were closer to the ring and also a lot less crazy but they explained that there were no seats, only standing room, and since the fight tonight consisted of about five hours of individual bouts, this was not a wise choice either. Just for the record I have spent enough time in Thailand to kinda feel a scam coming and kinda thought this was a bit fishy but in this case Kenny wanted to sit ringside so we splurged to make the night an event that will be with me for a long long time.

After we paid for our tickets, and got whisked through the crowd to ringside, we were seated and given a schedule for the nights events to come. There were 11 fights, including one title fight, that were all three minute rounds. This in itself measured up to the guys outside word but taking a quick look around the stadium all classes had seats and the third class was a little ways away from the ring but come on, the stadium is not the size of Rexall and I guarantee they could see well good enough. . . .Stupid Tourists.

The rest of the stadium was definately something to be seen, it was completely what you expect from the movies. Everything was, I hate to say real dirty, but definitely not spic and span. The lights were dim, smelled a bit odd, smokey, and amazingly loud with Thai cheers whenever one of the opponents had a good strike. In between drunkin' cheers were screams and hands flying up everywhere you looked while the most hard to follow betting on the current fight was going on.

Our seats were one row back from the ring, close enough to almost feel some of the blows. It was definitely worth the extra money in the long run even if at the end of the fight we had no clue who won, what scored a point exactly, but the beauty was, you didn't have to to truly enjoy the night.

For the remainder of my time in Bangkok, at least during the day, I pretty much just rested and shopped, either at markets or the amazing MBK Center, and in the evening hung around Khoasan road with the other couple thousand of backpackers that also come to explore this unique and amazing city.

Now after a 16 hour bus ride that I had the absolute worst seat on the planet, water dripping on my head, and a bus that kept over heating, I have finally made it to Chiang Mia. Chaing Mia is the biggest city in Northern Thailand and the tropical beaches and islands, that most people picture when they think of Thailand, are replaced by mountains and jungles. Today I got a hour long Thai massage to try to fix the damage my bus did to my neck, way to take the cheap bus hey!!! Now I am going to have a long nap to refresh myself for the huge night bizarre markets that makes the list of the top things to see in Chiang Mia.

"Trying to Figure Out A Plan For The Day"

"The MBK Center That Would Rival West Ed Not In Size But In Stuff"

"Our Chariot To The Fight . . Notice The Flag On The Dash?"

"In This Corner, Weighing In At 117 Pounds"

"Nothing Like A Snack After A Night Out"

Deep Fried Cockroaches, Baked Maggots, and Steamed Ants

To The West, To The West

"Bunbery Lighthouse"

After the six hour flight across Australia to Perth I had finally left the East Coast behind and made it to my destination city which I was flying out of to get to Bangkok, and my final stop on my trip.
I first arrived in Perth around midnight and quickly learnt just how different the West coast is to the East. On the East coast it is completely over run by backpackers, tour agents, and services that make your life really easy. But unlike the East, when I arrived in Perth I found out that its a lot more, "figure it out your self," and there isn't even a bus or shuttle connecting the airport to city center.
Paying a taxi, which by the way are outrageously overpriced, is not something that penny pinching backpackers likes to do especially, in my case, a penny pinching backpacker at the end of a trip that's budget is blown a long long time ago. I did walk around aimlessly and look for a alternative route there but ended up having to suck it up and jump in a cab.
The cab fair wasn't even the thing that really got to me by the end of the night it was the fact that this was literally the first cab I have been in in almost a year and still I managed to get completely fleeced. One of the security guards said it should be no more than 20 dollars but by the time my cabby drove me in circles around Perth I ended up paying almost 40 and thats only because I got mad and jumped out in the middle of a residential area in the middle of the night. . .Great Idea! If it wasn't for a nightclub shooting waving lights into the sky I would have had absolutely no clue where I was going to head. Following the lights, which seemed like a logical idea seeing as big buildings and and shooting beams seems like a place that should be somewhere near city center, turned out to work for me and after a short little 45 minute walk (with all my 40 kg of gear!!) I was nestled in bed sleeping like a baby.
I am pretty sure I have said this before but no matter where you are, from Tokyo, to Bangkok, to Sydney, to Edmonton, a city is a city is a city. This proved to be true with no exception to Perth so after 2 days wondering aimlessly around town and into shops I couldn't afford, I was well ready to escape the city life for my last few days in Australia. I decided to rent a car, seeing as I had a great time in the camper van, and just drive south with no maps and see where I would end up. So with my bags in the boot (trunk) and Ipod rocking, I set out for a little road trip.
My first stop was in Margret river that is famous mainly for wine. It is one of the main areas in Australia for vineyards and retired couples with a lot of money. It is also on the map for surfing and holds Pro surfing competitions and is said to be one of the top 5 big wave places in the world. I stayed here for one night and continued south once again the next day.
After driving for almost 4 hours I realized just how big Australia was when I looked on the map how far I had gone and it was honestly not even a centimeter. This is when I decided it would be a good idea to change my heading and start slowly making my way back to Perth.
For my last two nights I landed in a little town called Bunbury and, with no ambition left to drive, made it my new home for my remaining days and just did little day trips to Gnomesville and the Gloucester Tree to amuse the daylight hours.
Gnomesville is the place to be if you happen to be a gnome of coarse. It is a city of virtually thousands of different gnomes and figurines. It apparently started when there was a car crash where two teenagers passed away and there parents put gnomes out at the scene on the accident as a memorial. One thing led to another and now there is over a thousand, some for memorials, some representing people, and others just for fun. No matter what they are there for it makes a very unique, unforgettable, and somewhat creepy (if ya ask me) tourist attraction.
The three day adventure was fun but after I had returned my car to Perth I was well ready for my trip back through Asia for the remainder of my trip.
I am now in Bangkok after a night in the Perth International Airport, 7 hours at 35000 feet, and a few minor complications.
Ya know just little tiny things like missing my flight by a month, a security nightmare, and running a marathon in the Singapore airport to board my flight as the gates were closing. Just some of the many unforgettable stories that I am "lucky" enough to have when I return home at Christmas.

"The Village Of Gnomesville"

"One Of The Many Families"

"Climbing the Gloucester Tree"

This is the highest natural fire lookout in the world. It stands about 300 ft and you climb up to the top on nothing but these metal bars that form a spiralling ladder. No Ropes, No Safety's, lots of fun!

"Lookout From The Top Of The Swaying Tree"

"Margret Rivers Absolutely Huge Surf"