Monday, March 28, 2005

Vietnam

I acctually wrote this entry yesterday but the internet at our hotel crashed as I tried to publish it. But anyway here is round abouts what i was up to in Vietnam.

Our quiet last night in singapore didnt really turn out to be that quiet a night after all, we went out for a meal in Little India, which is a really nice place, and decided to go to a near by backpackers hostel/bar for a drink. There a couple of drinks turned into a few more and we got chatting to the bar maid, who was really nice, and she offered to take us out to a club and so we accepted her offer. We went to a club where she knew the owner and met a couple of her friends, which was cool, though only the girls got the free drinks. So we had a really cool last night in singapore and were sad to say goodbye, especially to the nice swimming pool.

When we arrived in Vietnam we exited the airport to a huge crowd outside all staring at us, quite weird. Took a taxi to our hotel which we had prebooked where i proceeded to get my Oakley sunglasses stolen within the first minutes of arriving, not the greatest of first impressions. For our first couple of days we mainly just chilled around our hotel, eating in the restaurant and taking a few walks around the surrounding area, being harrased by men trying to give us lifts on thier motorbikes (only later in the stay did we realise that these were the best form of transport, well more fun, and without a helmet ooohh noo!!), also walking across the road was a bit of a mission because there are literaly millions of motor bikes going around, but the trick is to just walk slowly because the bikers will dodge you!
On tuesday we moved hotel to one more in the center of the city, ate in thier quite nice restaurant, and walked about the surrounding area visiting the largest covered market in the city, which was pretty cool, and the nearby park and taking in the rancid smells from manky food stalls, the smell really was sick, made me wretch a couple of times!
Wednesday we decided to go to the war remnants museum which was really interesting, though very one sided, had lots of good photos and memorabilia. That night we went to the hotels local bar and met a californian who gave us the names of a couple of good places to go, first of which became our local watering hole for the rest of the week, Allez Boo, very backpacker filled but good atmosphere, a pool table which made my day and reasonably cheap food and drink. After a couple hours there we moved to the other place reccomended, Gossip, which was quite a banging club though we were the only western people there but still quite good music so not too bad.
Thursday we went to the Reunification palace and Notre Dam cathedral which were both quite cool to look around, quite different to those back home, not as impressive but impressive for a country like vietnam. Me and Ed went to our lacal again while jackie came down with a very bad illness and stayed in our room for the night. This was the lead up to the next day as we thought better safe than sorry, if she had got maleria!
So Friday was taken up by taking Jackie to the hospital to see a doctor where she had to pay
$250 for medication and blood tests, turned out she has tonsilightis and other nice things. this was quite a chilled day in all and lucky me i began to pick up a bug aswell.
Saturday and Jackie feeling a bit better and i was ok, so we decided that after days of trying we would go to the Cu Chi tunnels. These were my favorite thing in Vietnam, it really was just quite fascinating to be walking around the tunnels, which were really tiny even after being widened for tourists. Saw loads of nasty traps which look really sick, one called the hamburger because it was like a meat grinder. Also, my favorite, we got to fire AK-47s which was really really cool, though extremely loud. Really excelent day, had another quiet night because i had started to feel ill.
Sunday we woke and packed and waited in the loby for a bit where i wrote my blog which crashed, dammit, then took a taxi to the doctors for jackie to get insurance form filled out, had some lunch then taxied to the airport. Flight to singapore was abit nasty for me, huddled in the corner feeling sick. then the connecting flight to brisbane i managed to be sick twice in plane toilets, though that made me feel a lot better, had a lemsip and something to eat. Arrived in Brisbane at bout 6 30am and taxied to here 'the Palace backpackers hostel' which is really really cool. Australia should be absoultely wicked.
Cya all soon

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Singapore

So my tour of the world is underway and to a brilliant start! Singapore is an amazing place and we have loved our stay here, these few days have gone too quickly and could do with a couple more days but Vietnam awaits.

Our plane journey was ok, i managed to get through 3 films (The Incredibles, Without a Paddle and SpongeBob Squarepants) and a couple of tv shows, only got an hours sleep but didnt feel too jet lagged. Also had some superb meals and many free drinks. When we arrived we disembarked quite quickly and were out of the plane and onto the MRT (the train) in no time at all on our way to Youssefs work (family friend) to pick up the keys to his flat. The heat was amazing when we got out into the open and we trekked for a short while to find Youssefs office, was cool to see him again and he ordered us a taxi to take us to his flat. He has a very nice appartment and the condo its in has a great swimming pool, which we have been using alot. after some time relaxing we eventually got in contact with another family friend (Topi) who took us out for a meal, the views of singapore at night were amazing and although a few awkward moments the meal was very nice. Jackie, Ed and I then proceeded to head into town where we found a nice bar called harrys and had a couple of drinks, alcohol is very expensive though only downside.
I managed to get a reasonable amount of sleep even thought the night was extremely hot, we only discovered in the morning that there was air con in our room. The three of us headed to Orchard road, the main shopping road, and did well.... shopping. I got myself a digital camera, sony cybershot for 200 pounds, a t shirt and an i-trip mini. So succesful shopping but a lot of money spent. The evening was an excelent one at that, St Patricks day just had to be celebrated, went for a meal first with Youssef at his locall eating place, then took a taxi with Youssef for a drink, but he unfortunately could only stay for one because he had to be up early to go to Tokyo, shame because hes a really cool guy! We had quite a few drinks and enjoyed a very good live band! Got back home at about 2 but i feel into a deep sleep as soon as i hit my bed.
Yesterday we decided to visit Sentosa and go to the beach which was a bit of an adventure in itself, we got the cable car from the top of mount Faber to the island which was cool, we then took the jungle trail to the beach was nice but we all crapped ourselves when we came across a spider as big as my face with a large yellow abdomen, would have been ok but my head was about 5 inches away from it without realising, quite funny and we took a couple of pics. The beach was great, boiling hot with quite nice sand and water, we stayed for a few hours messing about in the water, then trekked to get a taxi home. We went to the night safari in the evening which was cool to see but we were all pretty knakered.
Today we went to China town and had a look around and something to eat, its a really nice place. We have mostly been realxing today, been swimming and chilled out. We have used the pool alot, its so great to have a flat for ourselves.
So a great start, really cool place! Vietnam next for another great adventure!
Cya all soon!

Thursday, March 10, 2005

The First Post

Hello! Only 4 days untill i go travelling and all is going well, preparations are running smoothly (I think) and am looking forward to getting on the road and actually beginning my travels with Ed and Jackie! I shall try to enjoy these last few days in England as much as possible and see all whom there is to see before i leave!
Look out for more posts in the future, i will try to keep this updated as regularly as possible!!
Cya all soon!