Travel Tales of 2

Woke up late the morning after our “bus” journey from Ko Chang and walked around Siam Riep for a few hours. The people are really friendly even though this is by far the poorest country we’ve been to. There is no health care at all (the guide books all tell you if you get sick in Cambodia get a flight to the nearest country to see a doctor). We went to a hill temple to see the sunset that evening which was really nice (not romantic for those of you who are thinking of it - Edel, Ciara….. there were at least a hundred people there all of them trying to get a better view and take pictures it was crazy).                       

The next day we went to see some of the bigger Ankor temples. First stop was to Ankor wat itself. The first glimpse of it you get as you come around the corner is class. It looks like its sitting in the middle of a lake (a giant moat surrounding it), it’s massive. Its all made of stone the bridge across the moat was being renovated when we were there, so were most of the other temples each are sponsored by a different country. After the bridge theres an outer wall and then you have to walk along a stone bridge to reach the main temple. Theres three flights of steps all the stone steps up to the different levels are really steep and are worn away in parts, they even have warning signs saying beware climb at own risk can be fatal, so we climbed them anyway. Theres detailed carvings on all the stone work but its limestone so most of its been eroded away. After Ankor Wat we headed for Ankor Thom we had to pass over a bridge and through an archway with a stone head on top (its really famous). Ankor Thom has a main temple and then smaller ones which housed all the staff and temples of worship. The main temple has loads of pillars made of stone (well its all made of stone) but the top stone of the pillars has four heads all looking in different directions their features are really clear its a bit freaky like you’re being constantly watched. The next temple was Ta Phrom which was used when filming Tomb raider. It’s in bad shape with lots of areas falling down but its surrounded by jungle and the theres trees growing out of the walls, definately worth the visit. We visited another temple afterwards were the carvings on the walls were really clear but by this stage we’d had enough so we headed back to the hostel.

We headed to Phnom Phen the next day (you have to go there to get buses to different regions of Cambodia). We only stayed for a day and then we got a bus to Kratie to see the Irrawaddy dolphins (they’re freshwater dolphins) in the Mekong river. We hopped on a boat and we actually saw a pod of about ten they were only 15 to 20 feet away. It was relaxing floating on the river watching them surface every so often (the water was too muddy to see them underwater). We only stayed a day and a half in Kratie there wasn’t much else to do, although we did rent a moto and drove out into the countryside which was nice. Got to see the local villages were all the houses are built on stilts so they don’t get flooded during the rainy season. All the kids would run out an wave and shout hello, although i wasn’t dressed for the occasion i had long shorts on but they didn’t cover my knees - the Cambodians don’t approve of short trousers and prefer if your shoulders are covered as well, so i got a few stares and disapproving looks.

We are back in Phnom Phen now and hope to stay here a week and catch all the sights and the water festival on the 4th of November- theres loads of boat races at the city is meant to tripple in population so it should be interesting. well bye for now

S&G 

Stayed on Ko Chang island for seven days (four more than we planned), the weather, beach, sea combination was just too hard to resist.
I ventured back on the bike with Garrett (i let him drive) and we went to see a waterfall down the road it wasn’t massive but there was a plunge pool at the bottom of it so we spent a few hours swimming there. We went for a drive round the island which was fun - some of the road was washed away after the rainy season, but we got some nice pictures and found a really remote resort.
Most nights we went to the treehouse guesthouse down the beach to have a few beers and the odd game of compromise rules with the aussies.
As reluctant as we were to leave we really did have to get back on the road so yesterday we got a minibus at half seven to take us back to the mainland and Poipet the border town between Thailand and Cambodia. We crossed the border relatively easily but we had to hop onto a coach bus which took us to the Thailand border (five minutes from where we got off the minibus) then when we crossed the bridge into cambodia we got a shuttle bus (two minutes) to the Cambodian border office. After that we got a local bus (another five minutes) to a parking lot where all our bags and us (nineteen in all) got into a five person pickup truck. The pickup truck took us the rest of the way to Siam Reap which we were told would only take us about four hours (yea right).
The road was straight but a dirt road for the most part with only a few highway sections, well thats what we called them these were the parts of the road that had concrete usually only lasted about 60 feet then you were back to the dirt road but it was a nice break.
The first thing that went wrong was the truck broke down, i think it just wanted a break, in the middle of nowhere rice fields on either side of the road. Luckily we’d passed through a town a few miles back. We hailed down a bike onto which got our driver who went to bring back a fixer person!! After a bit of tinkering and a push start from everyone we were on the move again (This took about an hour). Better was yet to come, the road had been flooded due to recent rainfall (up to your waist in parts) so when the truck got stuck, happened a bit, out we’d all have to get to give it a push. Luckily for the really bad spots there were tractors on the spot to give you a tow. We passed a lot of trucks that got stuck in the mud and had to be abandoned.
Met loads of people just sleeping in their trucks cause they couldn’t leave them unattended but my favourites where the air traffic controllers (well thats what i called them). They’d run in front of the truck through the water showing us the best way to get through all the time waving their hands above their heads.
Nine hours after leaving Poipet we arrived in Siam Reap wet and tired and looking like the umpa lumpas (cause of all the dust).
In saying all that we enjoyed the trip its something we’ll never forget. Just have to mention the 12 other people sitting with us in the back of the truck it wouldn’t have been the same without you!! Especially Gemma, from Meath, and Deidre, from Dublin, who got a bit of a singsong going.
Well thats all for now
S&G

We are sitting on Ko Chang Island just off the coast of Thailand at the minute. Tropical Island, palm trees and crystal clear water and apart from the rain for an hour or so every day, the weather is very hot Into the 30’s anyway. We are staying in beach hut for about a euro a night.  Its a basic hut made of palm trees, a bit of wood and a few nails, but it doesn’t let in the rain -that’s the main thing.

First thing I did when we got settled in was jump in the ocean at around 10 at night - and it was warm -couldn’t believe how warm it was. So the next day was spent relaxing on and around the beach and then in the evenings having the odd sociable bucket of local whiskey.

We are hanging around with a few Ozzie’s, a few sound enough brits and a guy from Israel. Although when we introduced to the guy from Israel he said he was Irish and his name was Sean from Cork - he even had the Irish flag hanging from the hut - he later confessed to being from Israel and he though it was easier to say he was from Ireland.

I had a bit of an accident on the motorbike the next day - I let Sinead drive the bike and she crashed it within 5 minutes. She now has a big bruise on her leg and her ego is hurt - Who was it that said women couldn’t drive (It wasn’t me - but I now have proof).  The next couple of hours were spent trying to find industrial strength glue for the wing mirror (it was snapped off). We left the bike back where we rented it from and ran.

 Today is going to be spent snorkeling and swimming and resting in the sun and we’ll try to rent a motorbike again and ill be driving                    

• Being treated like a superstar - everywhere you go you get your photo taken, either on the sly or they come right up to you and ask you to stand beside them while someone takes a picture.
• Being tall for once!
• 20cent beers
• Food - favourite dish had to be the chicken hotpot in Beijing. Although the food could be tricky, tring to explain that you didn’t want bone head or feet in your dish - especiall with our language skills.
• Making children cry just for being a white foreigner (that was just Garrett they didn’t like the look of him).
• Garrett trying to fit into places built for a chinese person - he had to wedge himself into the bed on the sleeper bus with his feet hanging out, haha. I thought they were lovely and comfortable.
• Cnatonese style cooking. Pick a fish from the basin (still alive) and watch them kill, scale and gut it in front of you.

Had to put up a post to apologise for Garretts grammer and spelling he’s still in text mode but i’m sure you got the jist of it!!! oh and as for the Hamill time bit he must of forgot to tell you  he wanted another roast dinner from that irish bar we found he’s missing his mam’s cooking!!! Thats the real reason we were running late. Had to put the record straight.

Gotta go hope everyones enjoying the site.

Sinead

We hung around yangshou for a few days and the highlight was probally the rockclimbing. Its was deadly. There are peaks all around the town and we spent the day climbing.We were sore for 3days after that. . We dont have any pictures of that sa our camera was stolen. So thats another thing on the shopping list.We left Yangshao just as it was gettng less busy and took the sleeper bus from Shenzeu just outside the Hong Kong border.We had to walk across the border to Hong Kong. So another sleeper bus another sleepless night,we were in the bunks at the the back of the bus, they make the beds in the bus over here for chinese people - approx 5′6 long and 2′3 feet wide. Not a chance of sleeping for 12 hours and more windy bumpy roads to travel on. I dont think we relaise how many people are in China until you travel around it, the journey to Hong Kong, for about 2hours before getting to the border we passed high rise flats both sides of the road.

In Hong Kong we stayed in a very small room - I thanked the woman for letting me stay in their cubboard. We were beside an Irish bar to which gave us a lovely Sunday roast dinner and it played all the old Irish songs, the locals didn seem to mind. Its very expensive in the city so off we went to Macua for a bit of gambling, the only legal place to gamble in China - its was only an hour ferry. It is a mini Las Vegas. A strip with casino’s on both sides. The places opened all night but we lost all after around 4 hours and had to leav, it wuld have been cheaper to stay in Hong Kong. I dont think Sinead won a cent at all but to be fair most of the games were in Portugeese (Portugal had Macau and the Brits invaded Hong Kong) and Chinese so we didn have a clue how we were betting.

Our plane for Bangkok left the next day and we nearly missed that. We where running on Hamill time!! and rushed to get a taxi to the Airport. Got to Bangkok and its monsoon season. The bus from the airport took 3 hours to get the Khao San Road where we are staying as alot of the lower part of the city was under water because of the floods. Gridlock on the roads and people were walking knee high through the streets. Bangkok is a crazy wee city and lives up to its name. We had the local cusinelast night - grasshoppers,crickets,silkworms and ants. deep fried - so they were’nt to bad. also went to some shows last night!! and tonight to the Thai Boxing matches.There is a Irish guy out here and he went to the fights. A few people went to the fight and they were drinking before going and when the fights were on, he started shouting that the fights were a fix.He was asked by officials to go into the ring and fight. He was drunk so he did and he got the S%^t kicked out of him. So no drinking for us before going.

How to start mmmm!!!!

The sleeper bus, which is basically a bus with lots of bunk beds, took 9hrs. Not too uncomfortable when you were on the road its when you hit the side roads it got tricky, trying to stay in the bed while the bus is hopping around!!!! Got to meet some chinese people with pretty good English (all on their way home for the holidays). They were about to show us a chinese card game but the lights went out. Got a few hours sleep and arrived in Kunnming at 6 o’clock.

We hung round Kunnming for a few hours, went to KFC- just had to have something other than Chinese food, and then off we went to the train station. The train took 20 hours to get to Guilin (another night traveling). The Scenery was amazing though- we got to see stone forest for free as we past by it, basically the landscape has lots of large rocks scattered through it left by glaciers it really looks like a forest of stones. Then the landscape turned to large mountains where the train would have to go through tunnel after tunnel, and every so often you’d see rice field terraces and water buffalo. The next day we woke to green fields and forests scattered over small hills and mountains.

When we got to Guilin we booked a river trip to Yanshou for four o’clock that day so to kill a few hours we checked out the local park, plus temple. We got a good view of the surrouding city which is basically built between the mountains then back to the train station and off on our cruise down the Li River. First we got a bus to a local village were we got on a little local tug boat (that had a hole at the front which kept gushing out water). We chugged along the most beautiful river for about an hour passing water buffalo taking a swim, local villages, temples, mountains…. i can’t describe it well enough you’ll have to check out the photos. Anyway we arrived at a small village known as the fishing village, safely, and where transfered onto a bamboo raft (which is a about nine bamboo poles tied together with seats on top so we could sit down!!!! and an engine at the back to power it) it was  pretty cool actually sailing down the river even though we did get our feet wet but sure its all part of the experience.

When we got to Xingping we got a bus to Yanshou and stayed in hotel for the first night (personally i think we deserved a bit of comfort and it was only 30euro!!). The next day er we got somewhere to stay for a few nights and then we checked out Yanshou. We were innocently sitting in a bar having a drink, seriously we had no idea there was a theme night, when all the western locals who work in the rock climbing club appeared. It was the second annual Sexy slinky soiree (basically they were all dressed in their underware/ swimsuits some of the best ones were a jungle man and a G.I Joe. Of course we were disgusted and were about to leave immediately when we were offered free beer!!! The sights we were subjected to were horrific so we only stayed till 1, at which point we swam through the Chinese onlookers and headed back to our hostel (seriously there were loads taking photos they were blocking the street). The Chinese didn’t know what to do - over thirty white people all in one place wearing swimming gear. We have more pictures but didn’t want to put them on the site so Garretts taking orders for those x-rated pictures if any of you want to check them out.

It was a great night and we of course did not join in!!!!!!

Next day bright and early we headed out on bikes round the surrounding countryside with our guide Mikki (the boss - she didn’t know who Elvis was though). we passed through a few villages one was called Chicken village because it was beside Chicken mountain- the mountain looked like a chicken. then we made our way to moon village were Mikki lived. We headed into the buddha water cave which was cool. you had to crawl through really tight spots, once we were on our stomachs crawling through a gap which was no bigger than a foot and a half in height. We eventually reached the mud pool, the highlight of the day, where we took a swim in the mud. After we washed off a bit and climbed back out of the cave we headed to Mikkis for lunch which was delicous. We then cycled for another hour and ended back in Yanshou. A tiring day but definately worth it.

Heading to a light show now so better get going or we’ll be late.

S&G

Got up early on friday to get a bus to Qiaotou, 3hrs north of Lijiang, when we got there we had breakfast at Jane’s guesthouse. We started our trek at about 12 o’clock it was really sunny and warm which didn’t help, but the place was just beautiful. we passed a few people along the way met an Israeli couple and stopped with them at a local Naxi (thats what the local people in this region are called) guesthouse. Had a cup of tea and bought some water  and myself and Garrett headed on. Lots of the local people had their horses to rent to take you along the trail but as we’re bot stubborn we declined the offer. This didn’t stop one fellow following us for half an hour offering us the use of his horse evertime we stopped to take a drink of water or a take a picture. It must’ve been my red face which encouraged him he probably thought i’d never make it- talk about boosting my confidence.

He wasn’t the only one who thought my red face was funny! Met a really nice woman, who was selling cool drinks and snickers bars!, half way up the toughest part of the trek known as the 28 bends. She say me coming and went running for a seat for me in stitches laughing I was so glad of the seat i couldn’t take offence of her laughing i probably did look funny.

Headed on an four hours after starting we reached the highest point of the trek, 2600 Metres, the view was amazing. Another three hours walk took us to the halfway guesthouse where we stayed for the night. Had a well deserved shower and something to eat and swapped stories with some people we met over dinner.

Up about nine the next morning, woke to a fabulous view of the mountians through our room window, and got breakfast. Headed off bout ten and made our way to Walnut garden, passing a few waterfalls along the way. we had food at Sean’s guesthouse were we met a New Zealand couple who were heading to Zhondigan. We joined them, altering our plans slightly as we’d intended going on to Daju and to Zhondigan from there, and got a bus back to Qiaotou and a bus from there to Zhondigan (a 3hr journey).

Zhondigan was a quiet town under construction in anticipation of a tourist boom (they hope that it will be the next big destination when the road to Tibet opens). So we were pretty close to Tibet which was quite noticable by the headdress. we visited the local Tibetan monastery where theres 400 monks supposedly saw few around the monastery with their MP3 players and mobile phones??? Anyway we decided to try and book a trek or two only to discover it was all booked out. The Chinese holiday (which lasts a week) starts on the 1st of October Sunday-so for most it really started on the friday. Anyway this holiday means that most people head home or indeed go to neighbouring towns for a holiday. For backpackers its a nightmare as traveling is almost impossible and twice the price. Anyway headed back to Lijiang (6hr bus journey– starting to hate buses), which is were we currently are but not for long heading back to Kunnming tonight, by sleeper bus, and hopefully we can get a train from their to Guilin, 18hr sleeper!!!

From a fairly exhausted Sinead and Garrett.