Wow!
I have returned safely to Australia & am now firmly ensconced in "Cave Life" at the Bat Cave in Camberwell.
I just had a few days in Ko Phangan...it was spectacular.
Ko Samui is still beautiful, & riding around the island was great...finding beaches with no one on them...coco nut plantations...funny little temples etc. was great, but maybe a few too many "farang" (foreigners) & a few too many tourist bars.
Ko Phangan was a lot more my speed (ie. SLOW). My Austrian friend Christian and I took a boat to the North East of the island to a beach called "Thong Nai Pan Yai"...it was perfect! Small cove with warm water...soft sand...and breakfast was spent alone with the waves...harder to find these days in Ko Samui. The frizbee was fantastic, the views were inspiring, and the food & drink was...well...it's Thailand...so the food & drink are always ace!
The boat trip to Thong Nai Pan Yai was as good as the time we spent at the beach itself. Our trustworthy captain "Toom" was happy to drop us off at any little beach or cove we saw on the way so we could have a beer or a swim or take a few photos. Arriving at the beach and jumping off the boat into knee deep water & carrying our packs high & dry made it seem like a real adventure. (but I get excited easily!)
Australian Customs retained my bottle of Cobra Whiskey that I had been carrying since my first day in Laos :(
But I was able to get my Scorpion Whickey safely through :)
(If anyone is suffering from Lumbago, Rhuematism, or "Sweaty Of Limb"...let me know...this can cure all illnesses and will also "make man strong")
So for the next few days, I will be re-acclimatising myself to life in the "First World"...doing laundry...and uploading a few more photos.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Is it me or is time going really, really fast?
I have only 4 days left!
I have been delayed in my island hopping...but plan on taking the boat to KoPhangan tomorrow. The expats that I have been hanging out with in Ko Samui reckon that KoPhangan is still alot like Ko Samui was 15 years ago. I think that Hat Rin is the exception...the success of the FullMoon Parties once a month has led to half moon parties, blackmoon parties, noonmoon parties etc. There appears to be some type of moon party or recovery party every day of
the year.
So I think that for me...maybe one night at Hat Rin...then a couple of days on one of the beaches in the north accessable by boat only.
OMG I had a look at my recent Blog update...holy shit I have become quite the philosopher in my old age...or maybe it is all of the free time on my hands!
I have uploaded a few photos. Check them out!
I have been delayed in my island hopping...but plan on taking the boat to KoPhangan tomorrow. The expats that I have been hanging out with in Ko Samui reckon that KoPhangan is still alot like Ko Samui was 15 years ago. I think that Hat Rin is the exception...the success of the FullMoon Parties once a month has led to half moon parties, blackmoon parties, noonmoon parties etc. There appears to be some type of moon party or recovery party every day of
the year.
So I think that for me...maybe one night at Hat Rin...then a couple of days on one of the beaches in the north accessable by boat only.
OMG I had a look at my recent Blog update...holy shit I have become quite the philosopher in my old age...or maybe it is all of the free time on my hands!
I have uploaded a few photos. Check them out!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
More things I have learned, forgotten, or been told...
Turn your bar fridge to maximum immediately after arriving - beer needs to be COLD
Wearing flip-flops in the shower can be a good safety measure...but not if you use the provided ones that have been used by every hippy since 1969
Vietnam has some of the worst dental work on the planet, but every guest house gives away free toothbrushes...why is it so?
I travelled through 3 countries in search of a one dollar haircut...only to pay 3 dollars in Bangkok
Your worst day on vacation can be better than your best day at work
The locals have scary powers of moving large loads on small motorcycles, one Canadian, plus a 25kg backpack, plus a day bag is dangerous (and funny looking)
Lie , Cheat, & Steal
If you must lie, lie to help a friend
If you must cheat, cheat death
If you must steal, steal a heart
The death toll in Ko Samui is evenly devided between motorcycle accidents and falling coconuts
Buying a local a beer is a far better way to learn about culture than reading a book
70 cent whiskey is proof that communism works
All sunglasses should come in one size only...extra extra large
Eat western breakfasts, no one should start the day with rice or porridge with fish in it...that's crazy talk
Everybody loves playing "connect four"
Use antibacterial handwash, flush the toilet with your foot
Take lots of ziplock bags, refuse the disposable plastic bags that every shop tries to give you
No internet cafe's have photo imaging software...this is a pain when all of your photos are over 3.5 MBytes
Chang beer is better than Singa, Beer Lao is even better
You meet the nicest people in the world when travelling by train
A 3 dollar digital watch tells the time everybit as well as a 500 dollar analog...but isn't as waterproof
Dancing is excercise
Jet skis and loud boats should be illegal
Men with fat, hairy bodies like to take their shirts off when it is hot...so do I
Everyone loves Uno
Stay at a quiet beach, play at a noisy beach
A 1 hour foot massage with a friend and a cold beer beside you is very hedonistic...but highly recommended
Buy stuff from locals, not the Quicki mart...some of these guys are doing it pretty rough
Leave nothing behind but footprints
Carry emergency toilet paper
South East Asia has great food, but usually lousy coffee...look for a French flag in the window...the French make great coffee
Get to Angkor quick...it will be an amusement park in 5 years
Frisbee is the world's greatest sport...nobody loses...everybody smiles
If you have a sensitive stomach...stick to banana pancakes...they could save your life
People from Oregon kick ass!
Bring speakers for your Ipod...music should be shared...save your headphones for buses and planes
Take at least one risk when you are on vacation (Try saying "yes" instead of "no"...in 50 years time you will glad that you did)
Take more than one risk
Condensation from a bottle of beer dripping on your belly is very refreshing
Booking early morning flights is dangerous...never sleep the night before you leave
I have a pure heart...this gives me the strength of 10 men
Luxurious accomodation is an incentive to stay indoors...rent the cheaper hut and only use it for sleeping
Take off your sunglasses when crossing busy streets in Vietnam...eye contact can save your life
Grinning luck an idiot and bobbing your head up and down gets one out of sticky situations better than sticking your chest out
The terms "local colour" & "rustic" have many mneanings and can be used in mixed company without offending the locals
Buy "English Primer" books and give them the the local kids...it will help them alot more than your spare change
Spend time with people who have good hearts...if you can...surround yourself with them
Orange is a good colour
Bangkok is not Thailand...it is Bangkok
Did I mention to take a risk
Cut your hair short...who needs hair product on vacation
Trust your judgement...you can often tell a person's spirit withinh 10 seconds
Always ask for a discount...my favorite is to ask for "poor Canadian traveller's discount"...sometimes it works
Wearing flip-flops in the shower can be a good safety measure...but not if you use the provided ones that have been used by every hippy since 1969
Vietnam has some of the worst dental work on the planet, but every guest house gives away free toothbrushes...why is it so?
I travelled through 3 countries in search of a one dollar haircut...only to pay 3 dollars in Bangkok
Your worst day on vacation can be better than your best day at work
The locals have scary powers of moving large loads on small motorcycles, one Canadian, plus a 25kg backpack, plus a day bag is dangerous (and funny looking)
Lie , Cheat, & Steal
If you must lie, lie to help a friend
If you must cheat, cheat death
If you must steal, steal a heart
The death toll in Ko Samui is evenly devided between motorcycle accidents and falling coconuts
Buying a local a beer is a far better way to learn about culture than reading a book
70 cent whiskey is proof that communism works
All sunglasses should come in one size only...extra extra large
Eat western breakfasts, no one should start the day with rice or porridge with fish in it...that's crazy talk
Everybody loves playing "connect four"
Use antibacterial handwash, flush the toilet with your foot
Take lots of ziplock bags, refuse the disposable plastic bags that every shop tries to give you
No internet cafe's have photo imaging software...this is a pain when all of your photos are over 3.5 MBytes
Chang beer is better than Singa, Beer Lao is even better
You meet the nicest people in the world when travelling by train
A 3 dollar digital watch tells the time everybit as well as a 500 dollar analog...but isn't as waterproof
Dancing is excercise
Jet skis and loud boats should be illegal
Men with fat, hairy bodies like to take their shirts off when it is hot...so do I
Everyone loves Uno
Stay at a quiet beach, play at a noisy beach
A 1 hour foot massage with a friend and a cold beer beside you is very hedonistic...but highly recommended
Buy stuff from locals, not the Quicki mart...some of these guys are doing it pretty rough
Leave nothing behind but footprints
Carry emergency toilet paper
South East Asia has great food, but usually lousy coffee...look for a French flag in the window...the French make great coffee
Get to Angkor quick...it will be an amusement park in 5 years
Frisbee is the world's greatest sport...nobody loses...everybody smiles
If you have a sensitive stomach...stick to banana pancakes...they could save your life
People from Oregon kick ass!
Bring speakers for your Ipod...music should be shared...save your headphones for buses and planes
Take at least one risk when you are on vacation (Try saying "yes" instead of "no"...in 50 years time you will glad that you did)
Take more than one risk
Condensation from a bottle of beer dripping on your belly is very refreshing
Booking early morning flights is dangerous...never sleep the night before you leave
I have a pure heart...this gives me the strength of 10 men
Luxurious accomodation is an incentive to stay indoors...rent the cheaper hut and only use it for sleeping
Take off your sunglasses when crossing busy streets in Vietnam...eye contact can save your life
Grinning luck an idiot and bobbing your head up and down gets one out of sticky situations better than sticking your chest out
The terms "local colour" & "rustic" have many mneanings and can be used in mixed company without offending the locals
Buy "English Primer" books and give them the the local kids...it will help them alot more than your spare change
Spend time with people who have good hearts...if you can...surround yourself with them
Orange is a good colour
Bangkok is not Thailand...it is Bangkok
Did I mention to take a risk
Cut your hair short...who needs hair product on vacation
Trust your judgement...you can often tell a person's spirit withinh 10 seconds
Always ask for a discount...my favorite is to ask for "poor Canadian traveller's discount"...sometimes it works
Change of plans
Due to visa delays I have had to call off my trip to Myanmar.
I am still funning & sunning in Ko Samui, but will take boat to Ko Phangan in 2 days.
Then maybe Ko Tao.
Then maybe back to Samui.
Then Bangkok.
Then home!
I am still funning & sunning in Ko Samui, but will take boat to Ko Phangan in 2 days.
Then maybe Ko Tao.
Then maybe back to Samui.
Then Bangkok.
Then home!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Do I look happy?
This is me in a boat some Vietnamese farmer made from a disposable fuel tank that was jettisoned from a B52 bomber in the early 70's.
I have got a few more here. A big Thanks to my good mate Tim, for e-mailing me some photos of a managable size.
No parental or management supervision is required to view this lot.
Just go to:http://www.flickr.com/photos/daireoleary
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Sore Cheeks
Hi guys,
No exciting news to share. I am incredibly relaxed. My days are spent relaxing on the beach, followed by touring the island on my little motorbike...which I also find very relaxing...then a massage on the beach...which is definately relaxing...then a few Long Island Iced Teas...which, again is pretty relaxing. (You guys get the picture...I'm very relaxed)
Yesterday I was sunbathing, and my upper body came under the shadow of a palm tree...rather than move 1 metre to be back in direct sun...I waited for the sun to move around the coconut palm...that is how lazy I have become. I am now almost as lazy as a Thai dog...which is well known to be the laziest animal on the planet.
My friend Bruce who lives in Bangkok and his girlfriend Natalia arrived in Ko Samui yesterday for some vacation...so I will be off to the East Coast where the nightlife is more active to join them for dinner and a drink or two...then probably back to BoPhut to catch up on my relaxing.
One of the locals yesterday told me that I was like a Thai...because I am always smiling. I have nothing to occupy my mind or stress me while I am here, so I spend most of the day reflecting on what a wonderful life I have had and what beautiful friends I have had to share it with me.
That is why my cheeks are sore...from smiling all the time.
No exciting news to share. I am incredibly relaxed. My days are spent relaxing on the beach, followed by touring the island on my little motorbike...which I also find very relaxing...then a massage on the beach...which is definately relaxing...then a few Long Island Iced Teas...which, again is pretty relaxing. (You guys get the picture...I'm very relaxed)
Yesterday I was sunbathing, and my upper body came under the shadow of a palm tree...rather than move 1 metre to be back in direct sun...I waited for the sun to move around the coconut palm...that is how lazy I have become. I am now almost as lazy as a Thai dog...which is well known to be the laziest animal on the planet.
My friend Bruce who lives in Bangkok and his girlfriend Natalia arrived in Ko Samui yesterday for some vacation...so I will be off to the East Coast where the nightlife is more active to join them for dinner and a drink or two...then probably back to BoPhut to catch up on my relaxing.
One of the locals yesterday told me that I was like a Thai...because I am always smiling. I have nothing to occupy my mind or stress me while I am here, so I spend most of the day reflecting on what a wonderful life I have had and what beautiful friends I have had to share it with me.
That is why my cheeks are sore...from smiling all the time.
Friday, February 9, 2007
Anyone for island hopping?
A change of scheduling has left me "stranded" in the tropical paradise of Ko Samui.
After over a month of traildust, it is soooo good to be back to coconut palms & sandy beaches.
I am staying in Bo Phut (aka Fisherman's Village), it is one of the quiet spots on the island, with not a lot of distractions. Things have moved a little up-market since last time I was here, ATMs & internet are available, but the town has a special charm (just one street, lots of little fishing boats, plenty of elbow room on the beach etc.
Marc, you will be horrified to know that my hut is luxurious, with all the mod-cons including a fridge, TV & A/C. It's not quite the hut-life that I remember...but I could get used to it :)
I don't know how long I will be in BoPhut for...I am thining about heading to the East coast, then maybe take a boat to Ko Phangan and seeing if the sunshine is any different there.
The Chinese have a saying that the hours one spends fishing (recreationally) are added to the duration of one's lifespan. I feel the same about here...it's like a vacation in the middle of my vacation, and it's just fabulous.
If anyone needs to find me in case of an emergency, go to Na Thon, walk East along the beach until you see a small, brown, Canadian boy with a frisbee, a towel, and a big smile...I'll be next to the 3rd palm tree on your right.
After over a month of traildust, it is soooo good to be back to coconut palms & sandy beaches.
I am staying in Bo Phut (aka Fisherman's Village), it is one of the quiet spots on the island, with not a lot of distractions. Things have moved a little up-market since last time I was here, ATMs & internet are available, but the town has a special charm (just one street, lots of little fishing boats, plenty of elbow room on the beach etc.
Marc, you will be horrified to know that my hut is luxurious, with all the mod-cons including a fridge, TV & A/C. It's not quite the hut-life that I remember...but I could get used to it :)
I don't know how long I will be in BoPhut for...I am thining about heading to the East coast, then maybe take a boat to Ko Phangan and seeing if the sunshine is any different there.
The Chinese have a saying that the hours one spends fishing (recreationally) are added to the duration of one's lifespan. I feel the same about here...it's like a vacation in the middle of my vacation, and it's just fabulous.
If anyone needs to find me in case of an emergency, go to Na Thon, walk East along the beach until you see a small, brown, Canadian boy with a frisbee, a towel, and a big smile...I'll be next to the 3rd palm tree on your right.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Aaahhh, back in Bangkok
Cambodia was just fabulous. The night life was pretty low key, but enjoyable, and Angkor has 1023 temples at last count (they still find them out in the jungle...I think 7 were discovered last year)
I am back in Bangkok...at it feels kinda like home after being in places that I had never been to before. Everything is just so much easier here...every ATM takes foreign cards...there is a 7/11 on every street corner...just about everyone speaks some English...you can get the same brand of anti-perspirant that you use at home and so on.
All that aside it is still pretty exotic in a lot of ways, everything is cheap & I love travelling by Tuk Tuk. (Transport in Cambodia was pretty funny, the locals like to attach a cart to the back of a two wheeled tractor and use it for transporting goods and people...but mainly motor cycles...little 110 cc Honda Dreams with huge trailers...it was unbelievable how much they could fit on those things. There was also quite a bit of roof surfing going on...but out of necessity, rarther than as an "extreme sport".) We took a bus through the Poi Pet pass from Siem Reap to Bangkok...the road was nuts...apparently the local airlines pay the Cambodians not to maintain the road...the pot holes were enormous...I saw a small family living in one and running a small Bed & Breakfast from the pot hole next door)
I have hit Khao San today & am about booking travel & visa to Myanmar...it should take about 3 days...I probably will be unable to access the net while I am in-country, but will do my best.
PS: Marc, can you e-mail my Hotmail account with the best e-mail address to contact you?
Stay cool...D
I am back in Bangkok...at it feels kinda like home after being in places that I had never been to before. Everything is just so much easier here...every ATM takes foreign cards...there is a 7/11 on every street corner...just about everyone speaks some English...you can get the same brand of anti-perspirant that you use at home and so on.
All that aside it is still pretty exotic in a lot of ways, everything is cheap & I love travelling by Tuk Tuk. (Transport in Cambodia was pretty funny, the locals like to attach a cart to the back of a two wheeled tractor and use it for transporting goods and people...but mainly motor cycles...little 110 cc Honda Dreams with huge trailers...it was unbelievable how much they could fit on those things. There was also quite a bit of roof surfing going on...but out of necessity, rarther than as an "extreme sport".) We took a bus through the Poi Pet pass from Siem Reap to Bangkok...the road was nuts...apparently the local airlines pay the Cambodians not to maintain the road...the pot holes were enormous...I saw a small family living in one and running a small Bed & Breakfast from the pot hole next door)
I have hit Khao San today & am about booking travel & visa to Myanmar...it should take about 3 days...I probably will be unable to access the net while I am in-country, but will do my best.
PS: Marc, can you e-mail my Hotmail account with the best e-mail address to contact you?
Stay cool...D
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Tomb Raider
I have finally seen Angkor.
I first saw photos of Angkor in National Geographic when I was about 5 years old, and like everyone else I knew it was pretty special. So I backed up my camera memory to CD & had 2Gbytes of photos available...unfortunately I was also drinking vodka and redbulls last night...conveniently served in a large plastic bucket...thus when I got home last night I was thinking only about my pillow and not about charging my camera's battery. I did get 6 pictures before terminal battery failure occured.
Ta Prom was even better than I had imagined. (This is the temple slowly being consumed by trees in the jungle that was used famously as a location for the Tomb Raider movie)
Being able to walk & climb & touch just about everything was such a buzz. There were heaps of statues, carvings etc just lying around in piles or having fallen down just left lying where it dropped. Many of the statues have been removed or have had there heads chiseled off so as to be sold to private collectors. Thankfully I have been told that at night there is a lot of security and theft isn 't a real problem any more. This is not a country with a lot of public liability concerns, so at the moment it's pretty much "access all areas".There is some pretty major developments underway including recreating many of the buildings entirely...I can't imagine the same sense of wonder wandering around a building that has been jointly built by a French/Cambodian consortium in 2009 as there is wandering around a temple built in the 12th Century.
More temples tomorrow, getting up at 4AM to make sure that I am there for sunrise...no buckets for the D-Man tonight :) Hoping to do a balloon ride over Angkor Wat.
Only a couple of days left in Cambodia...then back to Bangkok...
I first saw photos of Angkor in National Geographic when I was about 5 years old, and like everyone else I knew it was pretty special. So I backed up my camera memory to CD & had 2Gbytes of photos available...unfortunately I was also drinking vodka and redbulls last night...conveniently served in a large plastic bucket...thus when I got home last night I was thinking only about my pillow and not about charging my camera's battery. I did get 6 pictures before terminal battery failure occured.
Ta Prom was even better than I had imagined. (This is the temple slowly being consumed by trees in the jungle that was used famously as a location for the Tomb Raider movie)
Being able to walk & climb & touch just about everything was such a buzz. There were heaps of statues, carvings etc just lying around in piles or having fallen down just left lying where it dropped. Many of the statues have been removed or have had there heads chiseled off so as to be sold to private collectors. Thankfully I have been told that at night there is a lot of security and theft isn 't a real problem any more. This is not a country with a lot of public liability concerns, so at the moment it's pretty much "access all areas".There is some pretty major developments underway including recreating many of the buildings entirely...I can't imagine the same sense of wonder wandering around a building that has been jointly built by a French/Cambodian consortium in 2009 as there is wandering around a temple built in the 12th Century.
More temples tomorrow, getting up at 4AM to make sure that I am there for sunrise...no buckets for the D-Man tonight :) Hoping to do a balloon ride over Angkor Wat.
Only a couple of days left in Cambodia...then back to Bangkok...
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Holiday In Cambodia
OMG!
I love Cambodia!
The border criossing from Vietnam was definately an eye-opener. From the moment we got on the ferry across the Mekon River, there were beggers, beggers, beggers, some with the most horrible wounds that one can imagine. I thought for a moment that it might be too much for the D-Man to take. Luckily things quietened down one we got a little further inland...but one cannot go past the scars of war that the beautiful people of Cambodia have suffered...both by the American during the Vietnam War...when Cambodia was continuously bombed in an attempt to break the "Ho Chi Minh Trail" that provide supplies to the Viet Cong & more recently during the reign of Pol Pot.
During the time of Pol Pot (1975 - 1979) the population of Cambodia started at 7 million people...1.7 million were killed directly as a result of his army...at leat 1.3 million died as a result of starvation & disease as a secondary cause...effectively killing half of the population.
No one that comes here can not come into contact with those that have had their lives turned around by Pol Pot and his efforts to return the country to "year zero". Everyone has lost family...at least 2 people each day are still killed or injured by landmines. About a week ago 9 people were killed while removing an anti tank mine...there was a second mine below it...designed to stop any mine removal process.
I went to S21 - a former high school with beatiful gardens...full of palm trees & frangipanis that was transformedinto a torture and killing centre...at least 17 000 people were killed her for crimes such as wearing glasses, speaking a foreign language, having an education, or just for sport. The photos taken by the Vietnamese when they liberated Cambodia in 1979 show canabalism, and unspeakable violence.
I spent the afetnoon in "The Killing Fields" where people were taken to be raped & killed. The photos of the pyrimids of skulls etc. are readily known...but I was not ready for walking on dirt paths where the bones and clothing of the killed are still poking up through the ground.
I have always thought of the scenes of mass battles of being somehow in the past...history...archeology. But seeing a women's canvas belt...very much like my own...lying on the path that I trod on was not a sight I will soon forget.
The people of Cambodia have moved on, as best that they can.
Phenom Pehn was great...a smiling happy city...with an average age of about 20 years old. They rely heavily on the tourist dollar, although they receive well less than a tenth of the visitors of Thailand or neighbouring countries. The bargening at the markets...the run ins with the tuk tuk drivers etc. are all done friendly & quietly. The people of Cambodia are rising from the ashes and looking towards the future...not dwelling on the past.
Went clubbing in Phenom Penh...The Heart Of Darkness is the place to be, I danced until my feet bled...my poor choice in fofoftwaer was the culpret.
This is my first night in Sien Reap...I have glimpsed Angkor & will finally see it for myself tomorrow morning. I cannot wait, I have been wanting to come here for so long it is rewally a dream come true.
I look forward to sharing my thoughts on this magical place, and sharing my happiness of tomorrow, rather than the sadness of the past.
Peace
I love Cambodia!
The border criossing from Vietnam was definately an eye-opener. From the moment we got on the ferry across the Mekon River, there were beggers, beggers, beggers, some with the most horrible wounds that one can imagine. I thought for a moment that it might be too much for the D-Man to take. Luckily things quietened down one we got a little further inland...but one cannot go past the scars of war that the beautiful people of Cambodia have suffered...both by the American during the Vietnam War...when Cambodia was continuously bombed in an attempt to break the "Ho Chi Minh Trail" that provide supplies to the Viet Cong & more recently during the reign of Pol Pot.
During the time of Pol Pot (1975 - 1979) the population of Cambodia started at 7 million people...1.7 million were killed directly as a result of his army...at leat 1.3 million died as a result of starvation & disease as a secondary cause...effectively killing half of the population.
No one that comes here can not come into contact with those that have had their lives turned around by Pol Pot and his efforts to return the country to "year zero". Everyone has lost family...at least 2 people each day are still killed or injured by landmines. About a week ago 9 people were killed while removing an anti tank mine...there was a second mine below it...designed to stop any mine removal process.
I went to S21 - a former high school with beatiful gardens...full of palm trees & frangipanis that was transformedinto a torture and killing centre...at least 17 000 people were killed her for crimes such as wearing glasses, speaking a foreign language, having an education, or just for sport. The photos taken by the Vietnamese when they liberated Cambodia in 1979 show canabalism, and unspeakable violence.
I spent the afetnoon in "The Killing Fields" where people were taken to be raped & killed. The photos of the pyrimids of skulls etc. are readily known...but I was not ready for walking on dirt paths where the bones and clothing of the killed are still poking up through the ground.
I have always thought of the scenes of mass battles of being somehow in the past...history...archeology. But seeing a women's canvas belt...very much like my own...lying on the path that I trod on was not a sight I will soon forget.
The people of Cambodia have moved on, as best that they can.
Phenom Pehn was great...a smiling happy city...with an average age of about 20 years old. They rely heavily on the tourist dollar, although they receive well less than a tenth of the visitors of Thailand or neighbouring countries. The bargening at the markets...the run ins with the tuk tuk drivers etc. are all done friendly & quietly. The people of Cambodia are rising from the ashes and looking towards the future...not dwelling on the past.
Went clubbing in Phenom Penh...The Heart Of Darkness is the place to be, I danced until my feet bled...my poor choice in fofoftwaer was the culpret.
This is my first night in Sien Reap...I have glimpsed Angkor & will finally see it for myself tomorrow morning. I cannot wait, I have been wanting to come here for so long it is rewally a dream come true.
I look forward to sharing my thoughts on this magical place, and sharing my happiness of tomorrow, rather than the sadness of the past.
Peace
Saiogon...still only in Saigon
Every day I stay in this hotel room I get weaker...every day Charlie squats out in the jungle he gets stronger. Charlie don't get much USO...his idea of great R & R is cold rice & a little bit of rat meat.
(Quote from "Apocolypse Now")
Just kidding...I love Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City)
Hello!
The trend is continuing...life does get better the further South one goes (maybe that is why I love Australia so much)
Saigon is ace! It is alot like Bangkok...a great blend of East & West. The ammount of traffic is unbelievable...8 million people...4 million registered motor cycles & people...people...people.
I had a chance to visit the Cu Chi tunnels & crawl around like a tunnel rat...this was expected to be a highlight of my time in Vietnam...it was a little more touristy than I would prefer...but getting down there was an amazing experience and a very sobering thought about the perils that both sides went through during the "American War"...all believing they were doing the right thing & all probably scared wittless. The tunnels had periodic lighting & had been enlarged ti suit western bodies...but the vibe was there & there were a few spots of original dimensions to crawl into...the determination of these brave local guys is just unfathomable.
I had been expecting more of Hanoi...only worse, instead the people of Saigon endeared me to their hearts and there way of life...living in a city of transition...that still shows the scars of war...but also shows the scars of Nintendo.
(Quote from "Apocolypse Now")
Just kidding...I love Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City)
Hello!
The trend is continuing...life does get better the further South one goes (maybe that is why I love Australia so much)
Saigon is ace! It is alot like Bangkok...a great blend of East & West. The ammount of traffic is unbelievable...8 million people...4 million registered motor cycles & people...people...people.
I had a chance to visit the Cu Chi tunnels & crawl around like a tunnel rat...this was expected to be a highlight of my time in Vietnam...it was a little more touristy than I would prefer...but getting down there was an amazing experience and a very sobering thought about the perils that both sides went through during the "American War"...all believing they were doing the right thing & all probably scared wittless. The tunnels had periodic lighting & had been enlarged ti suit western bodies...but the vibe was there & there were a few spots of original dimensions to crawl into...the determination of these brave local guys is just unfathomable.
I had been expecting more of Hanoi...only worse, instead the people of Saigon endeared me to their hearts and there way of life...living in a city of transition...that still shows the scars of war...but also shows the scars of Nintendo.
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