Koh Tao and Koh Phangan - Diving is FUN!!

After taking the day train down to Chumpon, followed by a smooth ferry ride very bloody early the next morning with a couple of still pissed but highly entertaining Finnish lads, we arrived on Koh Tao (southern Thailand). This island is the most north of three that includes Koh Phangan and the more famous Koh Samui.

Our destination was the setting for Greg's attempt at becoming a diver: Coral Grand Divers Resort. As part of the deal (about AUD$330), accommodation came with the PADI open water course. It was a basic but comfortable room at this rather plush resort located right on the beach.

While Greg hit the classroom, Tash got down to some serious sunset photography. A past-time based on the irresistible beauty of a tropical beach in fading crimson hues.

The class had a multicultural feel with me, a Brit, a Swede and a Dutchman. I won't bore you with the details, suffice to say we all got on well and all passed well. As part of the course we were taken on 4 dives around the island. The most beautiful of which was to Chumpuon pinnacle, with clouds of fish and beds of corals. This was a dive down to 18m, the maximum depth for this qualification. I found deeper dives much more fun.

The day after, filled with the energy of completing a course successfully, and armed with new masks, Tash and I were "diving buddies" for a mornings fun diving. We went to a site called Southwest, which was again great, with schooling Barracuda, Groupers, Angel fish, Anemone fish, Xmas tree worms and some striking rock formations. Our new masks worked beautifully, completely free of fog, allowing great viewing (you're there to see things after all). Frustratingly, the other pairing were excited and breathed deeply, shortening the dive considerably. The second dive was also amazing, with our guide showing us little see-through Glass shrimp, and Pipe fish (cousins of the seahorse), Moray eels and Blue Spotted Rays. The rock formations were also really cool and the dive was long.

Happy, we grabbed the ferry across to the next island, Koh Phangan, without a clue as to where we'd be staying. Ten minutes after landing, we were on the back of a ute heading to a beach resort. After we arrived, we decided the shack with ill fitting panels and a great view of the local road didn't befit 'resort'. We did however later find a bungalow on the headland with fantastic sea views, and for the same price!

The main reason to come was a dive site called Sail Rock, a rock pinnacle 15k off the islands shore. One of the best dive sites in the gulf of Thailand because of the diverse fish and coral life, as well as the varied rock formations (including a cool chimney 18m down to swim up and a rock wall to explore). There was some great schools of fish, and some big schools of divers. Our boat was the first to arrive, but when we came up there were 7 other boats on location! Despite the other divers, Sail Rock was no disappointment.

Bangkok - I can't believe we got scammed!!

But scammed we did. More on that later.....

Our arrival in Bangkok seemed like a step up in size. Everything about this city is so much bigger than anything we had seen so far in SE Asia. So much taller, so much brighter, so many tourists. We stayed a few blocks from the hedonistic pleasure zone that is Khao Son Road. A walk down that colourful street during the crazy time (evening) reminds you what you did when you were young.

After taking a ferry down to the post office (a very nice ride), we headed back up into town to see a few sights. But first we headed to the train station to book a ticket down south. We got stopped by a woman offering "free" advice. So we asked her a few questions and before long we were in a Travel office chatting to a young guy about diving courses on Koh Tao island (our next stop). The price was great, so before we knew it we had booked a PADI open water dive course for Greg in one of the most popular dive locations in the world. We then headed over to Chinatown to wander the spice and food markets stopping briefly for some beautiful Peking duck and succulent roast pork.

Now for our little scam. The next morning we decided to head down to the Golden Palace. As we were walking an older respectable looking gentleman came up to us and said he was a Buddhist teacher at the university, and that unfortunately the Palace was being visited by the royal family that morning and we should go to another couple of places first (note: at this point we should have clicked - a famous scam is that a popular tourist site is closed). He showed us on the map and then magically hailed a TukTuk driver for us. We headed out on our impromptu tour after thanking him for his help. Our driver told us he was an art student, and after going to the first reclining Buddha, he asked to stop at some (crap) jewellery place so he could get a fuel stamp, all apologetic at his lack of funds (I'm a student). After a look at the marble temple, which had a very cool selection of Buddha statues from various traditions around the world, he wanted to stop at a craft place. We reluctantly agreed on the condition that this was the last unplanned stop. But then he took us to a bloody tailoring place where a greasy Indian salesman followed us like a bad smell. We were not happy. When we got to the golden mount, we expected no more interruptions.

But when we came back ready for our next destination, are driver had buggered off leaving us in the middle of bloody nowhere. As far as scams go we got off very very lightly. We did not pay him for the trip and we did not get locked in a gem store (as the story goes). But we did miss out on seeing the famous Golden Palace and we were left feeling confused and distrustful. It's a classic Bangkok scam - we should of known better....

Eventually we found ourselves looking at the magnificent golden reclining Buddha. Laughing at how we got done.

Thoroughly exhausted from not being able to trust anybody, we headed south where the sun is shining and the beach is the place to be.

Phnom Penh

Getting to Phnom Penh turned out to be one of the easiest stops we've ever done. On the way in, we were thinking about how we were going to get from the bus station to our intended guesthouse. Were we going to get a Tuktuk? A taxi? As as we got into the centre of town it began to pour with rain. Taxi firmed as favourite. Little did we know that the bus was to bypass the bus station and head to its company office, which turned out to be a block from the hotel. Easy!

The central Emerald Pagoda and Palace sprawl over large grounds in the centre of town. The buildings are just beautiful, and the grounds are well maintained. The Palace has a stately central building which is used for official purposes. Its very ornate in the Asian style. The Emerald Pagoda houses a 90kg pure gold Buddha encrusted with large numbers of big diamonds.

Phnom Penh does give you pause for thought. It makes you wonder at the power of information and the cruelty of man. Everybody knows about the killing fields, the Khmer rouge and the disaster that befell this poor country. To see it up close, the holes of excavated graves, the skulls in the museums and memorials, the graphic representations of what occurred and its victims, it just hits you. And all for some half baked idea of communism. Hard to fathom. But after seeing the horrors, its good to get some great food, a drink and check out the brighter side. You have to remember its the history of the country, not its future.



The city has little districts that specialise in things like art shops, restaurants. Its a big sprawling city that has these little gems of streets and areas that are great fun the wander around in. Tash even bought some silk cushion covers! But its on to Bangkok.....

Battambang - Bamboo train and more Wats

After hearing numerous stories about the boat from Siem Reap ("9 hours of hell!" was one description I read!), we decided to catch the much quicker (3.5 hours) bus to Battambang. Friends had recommended the Royal Hotel, so when our bus pulled up and a young guy gave me a big smile and pressed the hotel's brochure up against the window I gave him the thumbs up. It turned out to be a good choice - nothing Royal or glamorous, but it was clean and comfortable. The next day we organised a moto ride to explore the area. The day started with a trip through rice paddies and little villages.

We got to experience "Cambodian snow" (dust). We climbed over a thousand (HOT!) steps to Phnom Sampeau for a great view of the countryside and towards Thailand. We visited caves which were used as slaughter chambers by the Khmer Rouge, still containing skeletal remains. We then climbed more steps (360) to visit the pour cousin of Angkor Wat, Wat Banan (sorry but when you've seen the best...). During lunch we were introduced to Cambodia's national sport, hammock swinging!

We then headed out to Battambang's famous bamboo trains, the Norries. Essentially its a little removable bamboo platform on two axels powered by a portable motor. It runs on a one-way track and if some comes the other way, the smaller load has to dismantle their train and let the other pass. It was great fun and got going at an amazing speed. Bouncing off the uneven tracks. The (foolhardy!) driver even let Greg have a go at running the thing.

Angkor Wat - The Wonders Of The Ancient World

Its very difficult to describe Angkor Wat. Everyone has seen pictures of the soaring towers. Seen that scene in Tomb Raider. Well forget that, its way better.

We got to Siem Reap by bus from 4000 Islands in southern Loas without too much difficulty. (You pay $2 for stamp today, overtime price. You pay one dollar, desk fund. I kid you not!) We stopped for one night along the way in Kampong Cham, nothing to report.

We were ambushed on arrival by a Tuktuk driver who took us to a guesthouse, which turned out to be OK. We were on the top floor so it was quiet, decent price, there was a TV, and you could throw intruders over the balcony into the pool full of 2+ metre Salt Water Crocodiles below. All the mod cons.

Our driver (he was our driver at this point) took us out to the star attraction. Angkor Wat is an amazing structure. Its scale is vast - its the biggest religous structure in the world. The moat around the outside is 70m across. You have to walk 200m from the outer wall to get to the central structure. The intricacies of the carvings are just mind blowing. The Bas Relief that rings the outer wall is just fantastic. Its about 500m long and the carvings are so beautifully realised. The inner section where the famous towers reside is beyond my limited vocabulary for accolades. We spent an hour and a half there as the light faded and it wasn't nearly enough time.

The next morning we hit the place hard. After getting there early, we went to the second most famous structure, Bayon. This is a tower complex that consists of 50 towers, most with 4 faces looking malevolently down upon you. Its just as intricate and awe inspiring as Angkor Wat is. It sits in the centre of the ancient walled Capitol of Angkor Thom. This area contains some amazing ruins, including Baphuon (which is a sand pile supporting sandstone walls, taken apart before the Khmer Rouge, who lost the plans, only now are they completing the jigsaw puzzle). Also the Elephant Terrace, which is a 300m long structure of Elephant motifs that Khmer grand parades were held in front of. The Terrace of the Leper King, which is thought to be the burial place of kings. Phimeanakas, which is a pyramid with very step steps and a great view. And Preah Palilay, another great pyramid where the steps are very slippery and Greg came a cropper, crashing his foot and head and banging the camera (which was in my hand, no Tash I didn't break the camera!)(tash- how did it get that big dent then??).

After lunch we went to a couple of places that are separate from the main temple complex. Preah Khan was where the king who resided in the famous Bayon stayed before his crown jewel was completed. Its a sprawing ruin with grounds that are just magic the walk around. So many places to explore. Then we headed to the famous Ta Phrom. This is where Angelina Jolie fell through the earth. It gets a lot of tourists who like to be photographed at that spot. The best thing in my opinion is the massive trees that grow through and over the structure. Another self contained ruin in the vane of the two previous is Banteay Kdei. We finished our day as the sun went down (unfortunately behind the clouds) on top of Phnom Bakeng, which is situated at the top of the only hill in the immediate region.

We ended the day very tired, but very happy. From here we head down to the capitol.

4000 Islands - Time For Some R & R

Si Phon Don (four thousand islands) is an archipelago of sandbars and rocky islets set amongst the greenish-brownish, hurtling Mekong River. It's at the far end of Lao, very near the border with Cambodia. There are three main islands and we decided to head to the quieter of the three - Don Kohn. After a small riverboat jaunt we set off looking for a bungalow overlooking the river. Within 2 minutes we got our wish at Pan's Guest House. Don Kohn is the perfect place to relax.

We spent most of our time sitting on the veranda, hanging out in a hammock, beer Lao in hand, catching up on some reading and watching the monsoonal rain. While it mostly rained we did venture over to nearby Don Det island to check out the infamous backpacker scene on bikes. Its about 20 minutes to get over there. As we feared it was 'backpacker land' with little restaurants full of menus offering "happy" (aka druggy) drinks. Thankful for our retreat, we headed back to quiet of Don Kohn. The heavens had darkened though and monsoonal rain, we can now state categorically from personal experience, is very heavy and very wetting.

















Next stop, Cambodia. We look forward to negotiating the tax (read: bribe) when crossing the border....

Pakse - ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!!!

The bus from Vientiane to Pakse is an overnight one. But this bus has a twist. Its a sleeper. And I mean beds. Tash and I were squeezed together on a bed for a decent night sleep (when considering you're on a bus that is). Surprisingly comfortable. Even during a massive storm!

After no time at all, we'd organised two scooters (one auto -Tash and one semi) for us to take on the road. A quick check of the map and we were on our way to Tad Lo waterfall. Scootering is a great way to see this area of southern Lao. Covering ground and still being able to wave at the kids, smell the air and stop wherever you want.

The Bolaven Plateau, as its known, is a big coffee growing area and a huge industry has sprung up. We stopped in at an 'eco-resort' to see our first waterfall. It's a nice spot that's been restored by one dedicated man (who's now blind after having Malaria). Tad Lo, especially now in the wet, is a big (10m) rumbling waterfall. You would never entertain the idea of swimming. We came across some Lao teachers studying English, and no prizes for guessing what happened next. They latched on to us for practice, and eventually I went off with them to drink and dance. I came home a bit wobbly, with lots of new friends.

The next day we headed off the Paksong. This is the centre of the coffee industry, not that you'd know. Its a very small place, where the restaurants close at 7pm. After heading to a coffee plantation along an appalling potholed road, we returned to town and met a Dutch guy who made us some great fresh coffee (he had roasted it that morning in a wok!). He gave us lots of insights into the area. Lao people don't drink coffee, so although the trees are everywhere, a good cup is hard to find. He invited us for brekkie next morning.

The next morning we were expecting soup, but after a short phone call to the local market, steaming pastries filled with custard and bananas arrived. Some fresh coffee and we were set to head to Champasak. Luckily (Tash might dispute that word) we missed to turn by 10k's and a dirt road, so we got to ride for a bit longer than anticipated. To get to Champasak you have to cross the wide Mekong on a small boat (getting onto and off the boat on a moto was a challenge!). We settled into a guest house with a veranda overlooking the Mekong.

Wat Phu brought us here, a centuries old Khmer (Angkor) site that sits on the side of a mountain, half enculfed and hidden by jungle. We had arrived early to enjoy it for ourselves. The photos speak for themselves as to the beauty and grandeur.

Back across the Mekong, our next stop was at the end of a dirt road. The Indiana Jones like Wat Tomo, is billed as a 'World Heritage Site', but we saw none of the trappings that go along with such a title. Very cool to wander around with only the mosquitoes for company.

We decided to head to the Kingfisher eco resort for Lunch. After finding the turnoff - then getting through a couple of pretty slushy mud bits, we hit the dirt road that services Xe Pian National Park. By this point my bike had finally realised the weight being put through the front wheel (me+bag) and chucked a wobbly. A kindly man without any English stopped and told us to head back. Luckily we'd been given spares, which I had fitted after the slow and tenuous scrape back. The tube had produced a 3 inch tear! After all this we had beautiful lunch overlooking the National Park and got back safe and sound to Pakse.

Road trips are always fun and this was no exception. People of the world, grab your scooters and hit the roads!!!

Vientiane - The Quietest Capital on Earth

We arrived by VIP minibus (Vapid, Immobile, Pricey) after getting some help (in the form of Oil(?!) and water) during a short pause due to overheating (left 1hr late, stopped 45min). But Vientiane is worth the wait. Laos, being as poor as it is, has a very sleepy capital, especially when compared to Hanoi. Stuff starts early and stuff finishes early.

1st order of business was a visa for Cambodia. Fully loaded with bags, we got a tuktuk down to the embassy. A happy little guy, who took 20 minutes to find, told us the visa (20USD) could only be applied for tomorrow morning with an afternoon pickup. BUT, for an extra 5 bucks he could do it in 5 minutes. 5 minutes later we had our visas.

Accommodation in Vientiane is pricey. After viewing a few musty dumps, we decided to splurge on a 25USD option, instead of the 35 or 50 option. Food however is another matter, and our meal that night overlooking the Mekong was spectacular. Whole BBQ fish, pork ribs, some veges and sticky rice puts a big grin on our faces.

Vientiane hosts a couple of beautiful Buddhist Wats and monuments. There is also a great Buddha park out of town. The only real way to get out there is by Scooter, and with thoughts of road tripping further south, we got an auto scooter. Things could not have turned out better. We found a massive expanse of flat, empty tarmac to start Tash off. Then we hit the not so busy highway. And after seeing the great park and having lunch, she had a go all by herself. Her cheshire grin stayed for hours.

(Note to mum - I was a very very sensible rider, I went nice and slow and there was hardly any traffic, mainly chickens. Note from Greg - She's telling the absolute truth)

Vang Vieng - Pass the Bucket

Beware bus stations! Getting to Vang Vieng was easy. But if you wish to be taken from that bus station, prepare to part with some cash for a ride on an utterly crap tuktuk. I could have pushed it faster!

Vang Vieng is famous for tubing. The process of getting plastered at various bars dotted along the fast flowing river Nam Song. Your chariot being a tractor inner tube.

Tubing is great fun. The lonely planet describes it as a right of passage on the Indochina backpackers trail, giving you some idea as to the sort of activity involved. Alcohol, flying foxes, alcohol, 40 foot swings into the water, alcohol, 40 foot slippery slides, alcohol, free shots, mud volleyball, bucket cocktails, mud tug-o-war, alcohol (Tash's fear of heights precluded her from alot of activities). People lose their belongings and their etiquette in the process.





Although tubing is definitely the most visible activity, it does the stunning surrounding countryside a disservice. Vang Vieng is nestled in amongst limestone cliffs that play host to many caves and waterholes. We stayed on the little island in the river, with an uninterrupted view of the landscape.




We pedaled out to Tham Phu Kham cave, a sweat drenching 7km ride out of town. A bronze reclining Buddha resides in theis cave steeped in Lao folklore. A great, deep, blue water swimming hole outside provided the prefect means of cooling off.



But pissed backpackers can be a little trying, so we move on to the capital, Vientiane.

Phonsavan, Jars and Craters

After a long, winding and gut- churning journey from Luang Prabang we made it to Phonsavan in the east of northern Lao. As recommended by fellow travellers we booked a tour through Kong Keo Guesthouse. We had an amazing day. Firstly we headed to the Plain of Jars (Site 1) which features huge stone jars scattered in different sites throughout the area. The origins of the Jars are still unknown - sarcophagi? wine fermenters? rice storage? A little spooky, a little mystical - kinda felt like walking through an old cemetery.

Next stop was a field covered in bomb craters. A large amount of UXO (unexploded ordnance) still remain in Laos, particularly around Phonsavan. Mainly a result of the the secret war waged in Laos by the US Air force and the CIA. Dozens of people (mainly kids playing) are killed each year from UXO still embedded in rice fields and beneath schools/houses.

As a startling reminder of how Lao people must live we walked past two unexploded 'bombies' left behind by cluster bombs during the war.

We then visited a local H'mong village to see the different ways the locals have made use of bomb casings - fence posts, support beams and garden beds.

Our last stop was the Tham Piu Cave were an estimated 300 people were killed during the Indochina War. A US fighter plane skillfully fired a rocket into a massive, partially hidden cave. Depending on your source of info, it was innocent women and children or wounded soldiers who were killed. Either way it was a tragic event and the massive cave has an eerie and reverentialfeel. Fellow travellers - we highly recommend this less conventional tour.