Greg and Tash World Tour

Malapascua Island - last stop in paradise

2009-11-09T14:18:00.009+11:00

We flew into Cebu city from Palawan easily enough. But when we found our hotel I realized that I had made a mistake. I booked Allson's hotel over the internet on reasonable reviews, but was greeted by an inept and sleepy clerk who actually asked me how much the room was. And it didn't improve from there. We were happy to get out.

Malapascua Island is off the northern tip of Cebu Island. To get there you have to take a bus to a town called Maya and then get a boat. The 5 hour bus ride was an experience. Our driver was a certifiable nut case who was hell bent on starting and stopping the bus as quickly as possible. It did not take long before you could smell the unhappy brakes. When we arrived in Maya, there was no one around. The price board said 50 pesos a ticket ($1.25, not bad), or special trip 1200 pesos. Just then a Swedish couple turned up, and the boat drivers started to sell. Oh you need special trip, there are no more passengers. We need 26 passengers before we go. We aren't allowed to drop people off on Bounty Beach (the main beach with all the resorts). Red flags for scam were going up all over the place. We eventually agreed on 800 for the boat. Out of nowhere a few Philippinos turned up and jumped on, one with a motorbike. Our polite enquiries as to their fares were greeted with "they own the boat"(hmmmmmmm). We don't mind paying a little extra for a trip, this is a poor country after all, but come on guys!

Having arrived and found nice accommodation, it was time to relax on the beach. And what a beach it is. The sand is a brilliant white colour, and the water is mind bogglingly clean, clear and blue!

The main reason Malapascua comes onto the radar is the quality of the diving here, especially the chance to see a deep water shark with an enormous tail called the Thresher shark. We were unprepared for the hard core dive groups that seemed everywhere. All doing at least 3 dives a day, some 4. Eye opening. Us amateurs had to do an advanced deep water dive (30m down) just to go out shark spotting, but came away without seeing one. They are very shy and there were at least 40 divers there. Any wonder most people didn't see one.

We also did some great diving at Gato island. We saw our own sharks, 2m White Tipped Reef Sharks. Magnificent! We also saw a cuttlefish (very cool), funky shrimps, deadly Scorpion fish, poisonous Lion fish and all sorts of soft and hard coral. Tash also saw a very highly venomous sea snake swim past her face (which I bloody missed, dammit).

All too soon reality hits and its time to head home. After a year on the road, with so many varied experiences, its with mixed feelings that we make our way back to Australia. Its going to be nice to see family and friends again, and enjoy a few home comforts. But eventually we have to head back into home life again........... before the next adventure begins!

Palawan Island - P is for Paradise

2009-10-22T21:41:00.027+11:00

Palawan Island is only an hours flight from Manila. The first stop is Puerto Princesa, the island's capital city. Puerto is a clean (very unusual for Philippines) little town, it doesn't have alot going for it, but it does serve a very good base for the area. We stayed at Manny's Guesthouse a lovely old converted dutch house. Manny was a good host, producing coffee in the mornings and discounted tours. Our only problem was that at 3am it sounded like it was in the middle of a rooster farm with canine fencing.

We decided to check out the Underground River in Sabang which is in the running to be one of the Natural Wonders of the world. Eons of water erosion has produced a 8km long cave complex. You can catch a small paddle boat 1.5km into the cave. The cave was very cool, but with only 1 light per boat (operated by clueless lady up front) the tour was only ok. Formations that look like corn (?!), mushrooms (ok) and the Virgin Mary (it is a catholic country after all) were pointed out to us.

The next day we headed to Honda Bay for our first dose of island hopping. And a nice dose it turned out to be. The water around Palawan is like that of the travel photos, a clear azure blue. We saw some cool fish while did snorkeling on a submerged reef, had a lovely lunch on snake island where the mangroves burst with life, and finished the day with a sunbake on a "private" island.

The following day we headed by bus to El Nido on the north tip of the island. With the poor state of the roads, we had an 8 hour (actually considered a good time!) slow and bumpy ride. The bus stopped every few moments to let locals crawl over chickens and boxes to any available seats. When the seats were full, people just climbed onto the roof. But the journey was well worth the effort. We found a reasonable beach surrounded by majestic limestone cliffs. Ha Long Bay eat your heart out. The first day it rained so we just sat on our veranda reading.

We booked an island hopping tour (the one thing here), hopeful of the brilliant sunny day that greeted us as we awoke. For the rest of our time in Palawan, the weather gods turned it on! We saw a couple of hidden lagoons, Umbrella island, the boatmen BBQ'd fresh fish on a secluded beach for lunch, and we snorkeled our little hearts out. A great day.

We followed it up with another tour to hidden beaches and great little lagoons. Lunch was fresh fish again, although this time it had been chopped up with a cleaver. Quartered fish anyone? Unfortunately the coral wasn't in the best condition, making snorkeling a little less rewarding than other spots. Dynamite fishing and Crown of Thorns star fish taking their toll.

We hired a scooter and headed out to a long quiet beach. The road was such a rocky monstrosity that a new term was coined for our frequent stops: stretching the bum. We found it after about an hour in the saddle. The local village kids took a great interest in us, asking our names and getting their photo taken. I had to shoo them away to get some peace (and a swim). We sun baked blissfully unaware that the local sand flies were making merry with our exposed legs. For 3 days Tash made a great effort at removing her entire skin from the itching, while getting annoyed at Greg's lack of bites!

With the recent bus ride still fresh in our memories, we hung around for another day to share a banca (local boat) ride to our next stop, Port Barton. Ear plugs proving essential on our 5 hour ride on one of these growling boats. Port Barton is a fantastic place to relax. We had an A-frame detached beach front room, metres from the water for the equivalent of $15AUD. Its a place to read relax and watch sunsets. It is also home to a wonderful little place called Jambalaya.

Jambalaya only has 3 small tables for 2. Its been inspired by Zydaco music, from the deep south of the USA. Old album covers are everywhere, Zydaco music coming from the speakers. Little hand written signs with homely suggestions and requests hang on the walls. Loads of books wash around the shelves, the beach is an arms length away! All of which would count for less were it not for the food and service. We had to the entire planet's most polite waitress (you're welcome, thank you, you're welcome, is everything ok?, you're welcome, thank you etc.). We feasted on the best bowl of special cornflakes in the world. It contained: Cornflakes, bran flakes,

choc cereal, white and black sesame seeds, coconut (caramel and normal), cashews, dried apricots, banana and loads of fresh milk. Quite a Bowl!

We decided to go back for dinner and get garlic (GARLIC!!!) bread, succulent cajun tuna and jambalaya rice. Followed by an awesome choc banana crepe, a top ten meal. All to soon we had to say goodbye to this paradise and head to Puerto once more. We took a jeepney (think half old army jeep, half bus, painted as bright as possible), squeezed in with the locals who looked bemused. The following day we said a sad goodbye to a fantastic place, but its time to move on once more..........

Manila - A CIty of Contrast

2009-10-22T21:40:00.006+11:00

Manila is a big, dirty, gritty city. Its quite in your face. We landed at Clarke, unaware its a 2 hour bus ride north of the city (worse than landing in Avalon instead of Tulla). We got to our hostel (called a pension house here) in Malate & were immediately struck by the number of armed guards. Every one of them with shotgun or pistol close at hand. The other thing to notice straight away was the poverty. Across the road from our accommodation was a family living on the street. Unfortunately not an unusual occurrence.

We had to stay in Manila a day longer than planned because of a Typhoon (called Ramir). It was to be the third one in about a month, and predicted to make land in northern Luzon just when we were meant to be in the area. Even though the travel agents in Manila were pretty apathetic about the whole thing, we decided it would be pretty stupid to get caught out, so we brought forward our flight to Palawan. The rice terraces of northern Luzon would have to wait.

To kill our time we went to the Chinese cemetery on the local elevated train. The security checked my waist and our bag for weapons (for a train!). The cemetery is massive and has grand monuments with second stories, toilets and kitchens for the dead to use in the afterlife (or for the living to use during celebrations). Morbidly interesting.

While known in the past as the Pearl of the Orient, we didn't stick around long enough to try and experience the other side of this intense city. Essentially we were impatient to head off to the island paradise that is Palawan......

KL - That's Kuala Lumpur

2009-10-11T20:14:00.013+11:00

Once we had gathered our bearings we realised our bus from Melacca had dropped us 8 mins walk from our hostel - sweet intro. Ashamed to admit, but the first activity we did in KL was go shopping mall....Careful to avoid the international brands (Top Shop, French Connection, Next etc) which seemed a similar price, we managed to get some killer bargains and some beautiful Malaysian clothes. The next day we headed out earlyish to the Petronas Towers to get tickets to the viewing platform. But we arrived too late and tickets were sold out... fortunately there was another shopping mall at the base of the towers!

We did do some sightseeing. We caught the Hop-on, Hop-Off Bus which does a handy circuit of the city. We checked out the beautiful and light National Mosque. Before we were allowed in we both had to put on purple - jedi like gowns to cover our heads and legs.

We visited the Islamic Museum where they have very cool mini replicas of mosques from all over the world. We walked through Chinatown and got accosted with loads of fake designer handbags, DVD's, purses and watches. Little India was cool, Tash got another henna tattoo for $4.

Now for a change of scenery.........

Melacca - Or is it malaka

2009-10-11T20:13:00.015+11:00

We arrived in Melacca/Malaka/Melaka with Tash feeling a bit poorly (well ok, she had food poisoning, the both ends kind, and from bloody Spag Bol!), it seemed that the Cameron Highlands decided to leave a lasting impression. But she fought through.

Riverview Guesthouse gave us (me) a brilliant welcome and Tash escaped to the bed. The guesthouse itself is a converted warehouse. Beautiful dark wooden floors, high ceilings and a great feeling. With Tash still out of action I found a great Indian Tandoori place for dinner that was so good I brought some takeaway (forrrr Tash, yeah, well that's my excuse anyway). But on the way home the heavens opened and I was stuck. Well, until the owners came and found me in their car.

Melaka old town is world heritage listed and with good reason. With Tash up and about, the next days were filled with walks amongst the old buildings. Harmony Street has Chinese, Muslin and Christian temples/mosques/churches on it. The Dutch were the main settling colonial power here and for some reason they painted the town a pinkish orange. Quite a striking colour. There is a thriving artist community and plenty of antiques. Junkers Street has a great little restaurant that did a luscious laksa and a local sweet called Cendol. Its loads of finely shaved ice with Cendol (which is a green jelly thing), red beans, coconut and palm sugar syrup. Its absolutely delicious, if a little difficult for fragile stomachs. We went on a river cruise that showed plenty of water monitors (large lizards) living in the estuary and finally the skeleton of St Peters church where there's a great view of the straits.

Another great meal we had was at a local institution called Capitol Satay. Here the satay sauce is brought out to the table and kept bubbling hot by a gas stove. You choose your sticks of meats/vegetables and cook them in the sauce. Its famous and there was a wait on the street to get in. We had 23 sticks, 108 for the single record holder- kinda pathetic). Our last breakfast we had The Tarik, a Malaysian version of tea that is sweet and poured between cups to get a creamy texture, and vegetable marsala flat bread (buggered if I can remember it's name).

On to Kuala Lumpur.................

Cameron Highlands - Tea with cool comfort

2009-10-11T20:12:00.013+11:00

The Cameron Highlands is a vast area of rolling green hills, tea plantations and forest. Keen to escape the heat and get a good cup of tea, we headed for these lush surroundings. We stayed at Father's Guesthouse - lovely, clean and friendly. Just what we needed after our accommodation horrors in the jungle.

As usual, we decided a scooter would be a great way to explore the area (they are useful little things). We set off, stopped at a butterfly farm, honey bee farm and of course a tea plantation. As we sat on the veranda overlooking the rows and rows of tea hedges, the clouds rolled down the valley. 2 hours later, the rain finally cleared and we headed out to the scooter to finish our exploration. The scooter however, had other plans. Half way out of the car park the chain broke. After another 2 hours and every spare male and his tool kit, we were on our way. By this stage it was getting dark and cold so we stopped for some tasty night market food. Wild mushroom tempura, Yum!

The next day dawned bright and clear and we (read: Tash) decided it was time for some more walking. (Greg may have been suffering from a bit of travel night runs) We headed out on trail 9A - a lovely walk though the sub-tropical rainforest. Strangely, at one point we found 5 dogs barking madly at a small pack of monkeys in the trees. At the end of the trail we headed up to the BOH (Best of Highlands) tea estate. The Lonely Planet mentions the walk is only 45 minutes. It does not mention however that the walk is completely up hill. An hour later we finally reached the top, hopeful that the place served food as well as tea. Thankfully we were rewarded with tuna and cucumber sandwiches, followed by tea and scones with strawberry jam.

Eventually we persuaded ourselves to set off on the 6km walk back to the main road. When we got there (downhill is so much easier!) the signs told us we still had 9kms to go. But before this information had time to settle in our minds, a beaten up old land rover (and there are hundreds of the things around here) pulled over with the offer of a lift, which we gleefully accepted. Being used to Thai hospitality we were amazed that our saviour asked for nothing more than conversation.

Next stop Melacca.........

Taman Negara - time for some jungle action

2009-10-11T20:11:00.033+11:00

It was time to head to the jungle. We decided to catch the famous jungle train so we headed to nearby Kota Bharu, which also happens to be famous for its night food market. We wondered around the market trying to decide and settled on some Nasi Ayam Percik - bbq chicken marinated in a spicy coconut gravy, stuffed Roti Canai and a feast of local sweets. The meal was lip smack'n, finger lick'n good! The next morning we had to get up at 2:45am to catch the 4:18am jungle train (did not need to get up so bloody early, we followed bad advice). Luckily we slept (well Tash did) for the first few hours and awoke to see the train gliding through thick mountain jungle. It was a slow but beautiful journey. 8 hours later we arrived in time to catch the 3 hour slow boat up the river to Kuala Tahan which sits on the edge of Taman Negara jungle.

After checking out a few options we concluded that accommodation at Kuala Tahan is overpriced and very grotty. We reluctantly settled on Tersek View Motel (we heard rumours it was the only place in the area that was bed bug free).

The next day we headed out for some jungle trekking with some lovely fellow Aussie travellers we had met along the way. First we headed to the Canopy Walkway which is suspended 20-30m above ground between huge trees. Not long after we started I decided not to torture myself again (I've already done two of these bloody things on this trip).

We then followed a series of trails through the jungle. While Taman Negara is a beautiful national park, sightings of exotic wildlife (ie. elephants, tigers, leopards) that inhabit the park are very rare. But one thing we did spot were hundreds of leeches.... They were everywhere and anywhere. If you paused for a second, a little brown leech would poke its head up from the ground and come creeping towards you. This is where Greg the Big Brave Man, became a Scared Little Mouse. As we wondered the jungle Greg spent every second checking, and rechecking his legs for a little creature that is about 2cm long. Inevitably we all got leeched and Greg accepted his fate stoically. Hot and sweaty from jungle trekking we ended the day with a leech free swim in the river.

Our next mission was to try and find the nearby bat cave Gua Telinga. After dodging leeches and jumping over tree roots we finally arrived at what we thought was the entrance to the bat cave. Using the ropes we crawled into the darkness as far as we could. But couldn't seem to find a way through. Confused we crawled out and headed out and back along the path where we soon found a big sign to the cave. Feeling braver we crawled into the cave and followed ropes through different caverns. The number of bats (and the horrid smell of bats) growing. We then emerged into a cavern that was full of hundreds of little bats. We sat in silence as they whooshed around our heads. Greg went exploring to see if there was a way through and concluded must be one-way. We started to head out and luckily bumped into a tour guide who explained we could keep going through. He showed us the way out - a small crack, half filled with water! Soon we found ourselves at the exact point we had tried unsuccessfully to enter earlier. We surfaced from the cave wet and covered in mud - but happy we had made it all the way through.

That night we went on a guided night walk. With a group of 17 it was amazing we saw anything. But we did see snakes, scorpions, stick insects and some cool glowing mushrooms.Its so hot and humid here that its time to cool off.......

Perhentian Islands - a tropical interlude

2009-10-11T20:10:00.012+11:00

WHAT a bus trip! We set off at 5:00am packed to the gills with people and bags. Apparently late, we hammered along. We happened to be in the back, bouncing around and getting thrown from our seats as we cannoned into one of the frequent potholes (yet rest stops lasted for ages?!). We arrived with sore butts and out of breath. Next step was a speed boat ride - we decided to head to Pecil Perhentian which is the smaller, cheaper island.

Though shared traumatic experience, we met Veronica, an Argentinian on her way home for the first time in 3 years after studying Chinese in China, and Jarna, an Aussie taking advantage of 3 weeks between Singapore work commitments. We became nigh on inseparable for the next 3 days. As the beach got closer, the boat slowed to a stop and we were informed that 2 ringgit each would get us to the shore (After asking about this, I was given the excuse that the brand new concrete pier with a boat drawn up to it was 'broken', hehe no shame)

After finding accommodation we hit the beach. And that's pretty much what you do in the Perhentians. The water is beautiful and clear, snorkeling is great, the sand is white and you don't get bothered. We did a couple of dives (saw sharks and turtles!). We played Sahibba (Malaysian scrabble, strangely has very few consonants, tough game!) during the nightly monsoonal rain.

After the relaxing interlude, it was time to bid Veronica a very fond farewell and move onto the next stop, jungle!

Georgetown, Penang - Intro to Malaysia

2009-10-11T20:10:00.010+11:00

The first thing we noticed about Georgetown was the cool fusion of Malaysian, Chinese and Indian cultures. We tasted the most succulent tandoori chicken, glistening BBQ pork belly and sizzling satay skewers hot off the coals. We wondered the streets and saw a mix of colonial buildings, historic mansions, Chinese temples, and bollywood video stores. Little India, Chinatown and the colonial district all within close walking distance. We happened upon an Indian celebration with a music and dancing taking over the streets. Next moment we were watching a traditional Chinese opera set up on the sidewalk.

We left Penang with strong memories of some of the most tastiest, exciting and interesting food we have experienced. (Note: Greg did experience the worst Indian in the history of the world - he was reminded of this fact every time we went to the loo for the next 3 days, which was frequently)

The West Coast - Koh Lanta and Koh Phi Phi

2009-10-11T20:09:00.015+11:00

The day we woke to leave Koh Phangan was cloudy and windy. Our big car ferry barely moved but I think a few sick bags were required on the smaller boats.

We travelled to Krabi before heading out to the islands. Unfortunately my continuing deafness and now ear inflammation meant I had to do something. We spent 300Baht and 3 hours at the local hospital to be told that I had wax and to see an Ear, Nose and Throat guy. So we turned up to said guy, who just happens to have a clinic on the main street, and 15min later I had clean ears, drops, pills and a 4 day no swimming order. I was thrilled to be under a no swim order amongst tropical islands!

As it turned out the no swim for 5 days was Ok, because it was still monsoon. The cloud and wind whipped up the Andaman sea, making the beaches less than desirable. We decided that the larger, yet lesser known Koh Lanta would be quieter, cheaper and therefore better than the famous Koh Phi Phi. With the beaches off the To Do list, we got a scooter & explored, finding windy roads and beautiful vistas. But there was just nobody around. Tumbleweed rolled along the main road. Things were closed, so we decided the get the boat over to Phi Phi.

Phi Phi Island is a tremendously beautiful place, and everyone knows it. Its so overdeveloped that the only accommodation in our budget was complete crap! (And it was suggested to us as one of the better budge options). After reheated Pancakes (read: microwaved carpet, almost inedible) we were ready to leave again. But we stuck it out and headed on an afternoon and evening boat trip to the smaller Koh Phi Phi Ley which is a national park.

Our first stop encompassed all that is wrong with Phi Phi. A beach called Monkey Beach, complete with litter and tens of people goading, trying to feed and kicking sand at monkeys when they came close. We felt really uncomfortable (no-one else seemed to) and were glad to leave. We passed a large cave where swallows nests are collected for the Chinese delicacy Bird's Nest. Its actually fibrous swallow spit. Yummy!

While I watched jealously, Tash went snorkeling and saw some beautiful tropical fish (putting returning to dive ideas in our head). She had a close call with some dozy bottom feeder of a boat driver wielding a long tail boat propeller.

We saw the set of the film "The Beach" after some swimming (me very carefully) using some ropes, wildly crashing waves and maneuvering ourselves into a hole in the rock (that was fun!).

With dinner provided, all we needed to do that night was to satisfy Tash's craving for sticky rice with Mango.

I'm going to say something that will shock, confound and leave those reading this aghast. We have been very disappointed with the Thai food. I know, I know, I can barely believe it myself. Tash had a dish on Koh Lanta with half cooked prawns, most of my curries were little better than coconut soups. Of course a there are a few exceptions around. What has become of Thai cuisine? TOURISM. To get the good food, get off the beaten track. We're getting off to Malaysia!

Koh Tao and Koh Phangan - Diving is FUN!!

2009-09-26T00:09:00.026+10:00

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!!

2009-09-26T00:06:00.011+10:00

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

2009-09-17T20:53:00.010+10:00

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

2009-09-10T17:25:00.022+10:00

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

2009-09-10T17:24:00.020+10:00

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

2009-09-09T00:27:00.019+10:00

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!!!!!!!!!

2009-09-03T00:57:00.029+10:00

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

2009-09-02T23:58:00.015+10:00

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

2009-09-02T23:40:00.010+10:00

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

2009-09-01T23:57:00.017+10:00

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.

Lao and the temples of Luang Prabang

2009-08-21T20:21:00.011+10:00

After a quick flight (yes we cheated) we were able to leave behind the hassle and noise of Hanoi for the quiet temple lined streets of Luang Prabang. On our first day we simply wandered in and out of temples (aka wats), walked the heated banks of the mekong and weaved our way through local market stalls.

To next day we decided to escape the heat by heading out to Tat Kuang Si waterfall 30 km south of town. We followed a forest trail to a series of tiered waterfalls each ending in a turquoise pool of water. We picked our preferred swimming spot and jumped in. After a lunch of whole BBQ fish and a compulsory bottle of Beer Lao we headed back to LP to watch the sun set over the mekong.

Sapa trekking with friends

2009-08-15T20:12:00.018+10:00

Most of the people heading up to Sapa on the night train book their ticket with one of the many agencies in Hanoi. We circumvented this system and headed to the station. We thought a great saving had been made. And it had, but also to the cleaning of our cabin and the blankets provided. It was COLD in there. Might need to upgrade on the way back. But perhaps we're too old or too soft....

Getting a minibus from Lao Cai, where the train terminates, to Sapa was an interesting experience. All along the train bleary and tired westerners (it was 5am after all) were talking to touts about minibuses. Invariably agreeing and being taken to a bus, to be the only people on it! The driver wandering back to get some brekkie before the next train came. With a long wait in store, a few of us got together to fill one bus and get going.

The first thing you notice about Sapa is the cascading rice terraces. Then the weather. Climbing to this altitude allows you to leave the Hanoi sauna behind. The other thing you notice is the attention from the local H'mong people trying to sell you things. Questions in sequence were always '1. What's your name? 2. Where you from? 3. How old are you? 4. You buy from me?' We would give a great big smile and answer 'We no buy today, sorry'.

A homestay sounded like a good idea, so we headed out on a 2 day walk through a few of the local villages. Our guide was a 23yr old local H'mong girl Ze. Amazingly she has three children, the oldest is 5! We also had a big possie of other women keen to ingratiate themselves to us along the way, making little love hearts and animals out of foliage. The way was wet and slippery and a couple of near misses ensued (Tash did some great Kosak work!). The views were priceless and the food was really good, with Ze our own personal chef. We passed through a few villages before staying in Ta Van. Our homestay had a really good view and beer that was ice cold. The next day was also wet and we wandered through a bamboo forest and more rice terraces, before noodles for lunch and a bus back to town. It was a great walk and well worth the effort.

Morag, I'm sorry but you aren't allowed to read any more of this entry.

On our last day we decided to head out to the Silver Falls by motorbike. But this time Greg was riding and Tash was trying to keep her nervousness from showing. But it was all ok and we had a great day out. The falls themselves were ok, but a lot of blue tarps and eyesore rain shelters didn't help. We considered heading along the Tan Tom pass, but the fog closed in. Instead we headed out towards Ta Van. The sun came out and we had a great day. Tash even got to relax (so she tells me anyway).

Tonight the train back to Hanoi and then its the PDR of Lao!

Hanoi - Cruising Ha Long Bay

2009-08-13T17:23:00.022+10:00

We were going to be so intrepid and clever. Tash got a location for our hotel from the net, and we took the incredibly cheap public bus from the airport into town. Once at the bus station we walked to where we thought the hotel was, and proceeded to wander around embassies and guard posts. We eventually admitted defeat and got a Taxi to avoid the tropical downpour, still expecting a very short trip. The driver then drove us from near Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum into the old town, quite a long way. Whoever posted that map got it very, very wrong. To add insult to injury, we got a dodgey taxi with a rocketing meter!

Hanoi old town is a grid of small streets. It feels quite enclosed and was oppressively hot. Its definitely the hottest place so far. We took in the green and tranquil Literature Temple and the lake in the centre of town.

The main order of business was to find a tour operator for Halong Bay that we could trust. We decided on Vega Travel, it had good reviews and the price was a reasonable. So after breakfast we readied ourselves. 7:45 became 8:15, became 8:35. The hotel manager made a call and it seems they had forgotten us! Luckily we had a day up our sleeves. So we saw Ho Chi Minh in his Mausoluem (he gets 3 months embalming work done in Moscow every year!).

Halong Bay is an utterly gorgeous part of the world. There is a very good reason its FULL of wooden tour boats! They are everywhere. Why would you not want to visit? Our first stop was a massive cave caused by water erosion, giving the roof a beautiful wavy look. It was well lit and everything was given a name (an active imagination comes in handy). That night, before we ate very well and slept on the boat, a rain storm swept in and everyone on board took advantage by jumping and diving off the boat.

The next day we did a trek across Cat Ba Island, through the dense rainforest that covers it. Everyone agreed it was a difficult walk, but really rewarding. Tash and I both enjoyed getting wet and muddy. More swimming and kayaking finished the day. We had seafood for dinner (impossible not to!?). The final day had us cruising slowly to the bus back to Hanoi. Tonight the train will take us to Sapa.

Hue - The Land of Tombs and Pagodas

2009-08-04T21:37:00.017+10:00

We cruised into Hue on one of the popular 'Open Tour' buses. We'd managed to avoid them thus far. It wasn't the best trip you could hope for. The bus did have air conditioning, but most people thought that opening a window was a great idea! Hmmmm.......... We were relieved to get off, but some people were heading on up to Hanoi - at least another 12 hours away! We prayed for their tortured souls.......

We wanted lodging pretty quick because some serious showering was required. Said yes to the first option. Then had to ask for the sheets to be changed for clean ones. Then the smell began to rear its ugly head. The spider webs began to vie for our attention. To shower was great, but we easily found another place, Sports 1 Hotel (literally 25m away), a huge improvement.

Hue was the centre for the Nguyen Dynasty that lasted from the early 1800's through to the French colonisation (1930's). So as a result there are some spectacular sites (tombs, pagodas and palaces) dotted around. We took a river cruise down the formerly accurate but now slipping named Perfume River. It was so ridiculously hot and HUMID! An oppressive day. We took in the Thien Mu Pagoda (where the first monk to burn himself alive in protest was from), former Emperor Minh Mang tomb (which was very pretty), Emperor Tu Duc's tomb (which was also really good), a small temple and finally an incense maker.

The next day we headed to the old city to see the Citadel. But I subconciously decided that taking photos was not really worth it and left both memory cards in the hotel room. For some reason my decision seemed to cause a level of consternation (whaaaat?!). Luckily a nice man just outside the gates decided to sell us a new one (at a pretty good price). No photos of the old Citadel would have been a crime. This was a beautiful oasis in the buzzing Hue streets. There was barely any scooter noise (a rare blessing). A couple of elephants were hanging around (unfortunately chained to trees). It was a beautiful and tranquil place. It was like wandering around an abandoned city left to crumble.

We were chatting to a guy from Perth who had just taken the sleeper bus from Hanoi to Hue. He was a big lad, and his description of the journey had us looking for the nearest Vietnam Airlines office. We managed to find it and get a very good price for a flight to Hanoi ($50 each!) And soon we land there.......

Hoi An - The tailoring capital of the Universe

2009-08-04T15:18:00.018+10:00

Hoi An old town is world heritage listed and for good reason. Its a beautiful little place that has a different pace to what we have experienced so far. Its really relaxing and pretty. Our hotel was great and close, and there are plenty of places to see. The weather was hot, with the odd late afternoon storm for relief.

We headed out to My Son (pronounced Mee Sun) ruins, about 60km out of town. This is all that remains of a 1300 year old Hindu inspired civilisation. It's a beautiful place. It was continuously inhabited for 1000 years! Unfortunately the Americans bombed it during the war because the Viet Cong used it as a staging point. We wandered the ruins, showering ourselves in our own sweat. I have never been more thankful for an air-conditioned bus in my life.

One of the best lines written in the Lonely Planet is the warning "getting clothes tailored in Hoi An is very addictive" And it soooooo is. We decided getting a few things done was a great idea. And it is - its cheaper than getting it made back home and the clothes fit better. You get one thing made, and its soooooo easy you decide to get something else made. The rot sets in. Your mind starts to see everything you desire or have wanted for ages. Your brain tells you: 'you are in fact saving money! I could never get it back home for the same price!' You ask yourself 'Is there a shop that does leather jackets?' Turns out there is. And so guess what I had made. Tash has wanted to replace a set of sandals she loved to death. Guess what she had made. I wondered if I could get a winter jacket made. Tash has always been a sucker for jackets. Suit? No problem. Skirt? How about 2!

We ended up sending a big box back (the most efficient post service I have ever encountered - they came to the hotel and in 5 minutes a well enclosed box was on its way). We'll probably get home before it does.We must leave for Hue before something else gets our attention.

The beaches of Nha Trang & Quy Nhon

2009-08-04T15:17:00.015+10:00

Nha Trang is a very pretty part of Vietnam. It has a long beach and is a favourite on the backpacker trail. We spent a couple of days pretty much lazing around. Its the Vietnamese holiday season so there are plenty of people. Lots of paragliding and jetskies about.

In our wandering we spied an interesting sign that advertised a boat trip with the Funky Monkey. We'd heard of this guy from fellow travellers, and decided to give it a go. The trip started well and our man turned out to be full of laughs. The day was hot and clear and just perfect for snorkelling and swimming in the clear azure waters of Nha Trang Bay. We went to an aquarium shaped like a sailing ship. It was all very relaxing. After a pretty good lunch, the band began to play. There was a guitar, our man on vocals and the most beat up drum kit you have ever seen! Yours truly (referred to as Mr Australia) got dragged up to sing 'waltzing matilda! (my finest hour, check the bod! HOT!).

Then we all jumped off the boat and hit the sea bar - downing awful rocket fuel as we hung onto a floating raft in the water. That night we had dinner with some people we met on the boat. Its a hard life this travelling gig.

Going all the way to Hoi An in one go is a bloody long way. We decided to stop in at Quy Nhon for a night to break up the journey. Tash made a friend on the way (hehe). Unfortunately the weather was against us, with the wind and rain spoiling what would have been a beautiful spot. The seafood meal more than made up for this. Crab with a fabulous tamarind sauce. Prawns fried in salt that were so good you could eat the shell like a crunchy coating. That was a memorable meal.

On to Hoi An.....

Easy Riding Dalat

2009-08-04T15:16:00.028+10:00

We made our way into the central highlands to get a break from the humidity, which turns me into a sweat fountain. Dalat is a bit strange in Vietnamese terms. It was where the French used to run to when it got too hot for them. So there are Villa-style buildings all over the place. A communications tower built like the Eiffel Tower. Very weird. We got a room in the Europa hotel, which was clean and spacious.

Dalat is famous for being the base of 'Easy Riders' - originally a crew of men who offered motorbike tours of the area. There are loads and loads of 'Easy Riders' (aka clones) offering their services, always stopping and asking you 'Where are you going?' 'Can I talk to you later?' tout tout tout..... (Nothing that odd there, they are always saying 'have you heard of easy rider?') We asked a few questions and found out that their rates are pretty steep, but we could do a day trip.

Not sure if we got the real thing, but it was a really good day trip. Son and his far less talkative and grumbling buddy Lou were our guides. They rode very smoothly and showed us a few sites. Son was full of useful facts and was generally just good fun. They took us to a lookout, a flower farm, the great Elephant waterfall (beautiful spot), an interesting silk production place and took us to a really cheap and very very tasty lunch. We rode along a winding road through a valley that was very beautiful.

Dalat itself is set along a small valley. There is also a rather weird piece of architecture known as 'Crazy House'. Its conceived by the daughter of the second president of Vietnam (meaning her work is untouchable). And its the biggest amusement park idea gone horribly wrong. A cross between a tree, a cave, a giraffe and a melted candle. You can stay there, but you wouldn't.

Now its off to Nha Trang for some beach action.

Phu Quoc

2009-07-26T21:50:00.009+10:00

The closest port in Vietnam to Phu Quoc Island is Rach Gia. We arrived on the bus in good spirits, found our hotel, but nature let us know something was up by starting to rain. Not many backpackers about, but wouldn't you know it, no seats on the ferry! Rach Gia isn't the prettiest of places, and the hotel receptionist told us 'no hope', but I donned my coat and headed into the storm on a mission. Maps of Vietnamese towns are not always the best of quality, or indeed accuracy. I got quite wet looking for the right place, but it was worth it. I managed to get the last two tickets.

The next day dawned bright and early. The ferry ride was pleasant enough, apart from say the woman next to me who threw up the WHOLE time (2 hours). We managed to get a bus then motorbike transport. The road was appalling. Nothing but gooey mud churned by bikes and rain. Slow and steady pace was all that was possible. I heard a squeak and turned around to see Tash's bike on its side. Mud everywhere. A stream flowed over the path to the hotel. Tash's quite restrained response was 'this island had better be @#&%ing worth it'

Despite the colour of the water (coutesy of the monsoon), and the rubbish littering the beach, Phu Quoc Island was a great interlude. The 'Beach Club' (we highly recommend this little gem) was small and just brilliant. Food awesome and the beer cold. Made everything well worth it. We were sad to leave. There is much to explore, although we didn't get out that much. You must go, but wait for the dry season.........

Vietnam - Welcome to SE Asia

2009-07-17T18:05:00.022+10:00

After another truly wonderful overnight 12 hour flight (I have never seen so many movies in my life!), and a short jump we landed in Ho Cho Minh City, Vietnam. And a big shock from Europe it was too. Its hot, its humid, its cheap and its the middle of the monsoon, making it wet too.

The reunification palace in the city is quite a surreal place to wander around. Its a great piece of architecture, grand and open. There are replica tanks in the grounds (the ones that smashed through the gates). We really liked it. The War Remnants Museum was a great experience too, even if they do leave you feeling a little physically sick. The Cu Chi tunnels were squeezy and hot, and portrayed by the locals in an odd fashion. A bit like 'we were this little oppressed people, weren't we so great at using ingenuity and traps to defend ourselves'. When in reality they had Russian AK47s. Don't get me wrong, the Americans did some utterly, utterly despicable things, but the South Vietnamese Army doesn't seem to have ever existed.

We wondered the streets for ages trying to find a little place that has famous Vietnamese Pancakes. We were not disappointed. We sat down on little blue plastic chairs, knocked back our ice cold Saigon beer, rolled up our pancakes with fresh herbs and cooked our pork on coals (our hands dripping with chilli and fish sauce). All to the soundtrack of monsoonal rain hitting the tarp above our heads. This country can do good food!

Crossing roads is an experience in itself. This country is the reason Japan's major motorcycle companies are profitable. Their scooters are absolutely everywhere! And to cross a main road takes faith and luck. Just walk slowly and allow the tide to flow around you. Do not show fear, do not move suddenly - fatal mistakes.

Upon arrival in the Mekong Delta, we organised a homestay and proceeded to have a couple of days with our own boat driver. We saw a floating market, sweet making, an old house and a bonsai garden. At one stage we went on a row boat back to the homestay............ in torrential rain! The food was great and we got a good look at Delta life, with working boats all around (and rubbish, my god!)

From here we are heading out to our next stop, Phu Quoc island.

Italia! Italia! Italia! Italia! Italia! Italia! Ita........

2009-07-10T17:02:00.042+10:00

After a quick word on Gatwick Airport security "utterly ridiculous, they scanned our thongs for gods sake" we managed to arrive in Pisa and make it to Tash's Aunts place in Tuscany for a few days of R&R. Its a beautiful house with a great view over the tuscan valley. We lazed, ate very well and the weather was great.

She has a dog called Tasha, I kid you not. Tash thought this was unfortunate.... Greg on the other hand.... (thanks Aunty Mairi)

We made our way to Florence to see one of Europe's most beautiful cities. This was introduction to Italy, not a bad way to start. We found a local bar overlooking the river Arno and enjoyed a free (and massive) buffet of apertizers (the latest trend).

We went on to see the towers of San Gimignano (beautiful 2000 yr old town), the famous piazza of Sienna being prepared for the 'Palio' horse race, camped in Assisi under the watchful eye of St Francis (saw the Saint's Tomb and Basillica), and wandered the cobbled streets of Roma for hours on end. We could rabbit on for hours, but that would be very boring, so here are some photos.

I think the real message from Italy, with the food (Pizza, Pasta, Proscuitto, Pecorino chesse, Wild Boar Sauce, Lamb scallopini, Gelato), the cathedrals (Sistene, Florentine Duomo, St Peters Basilica), the art (the Ufizzi, Vatican Museum) , the vatican itself and the Roman ruins, is that Italians have a lust for life which is enviable and infectious. We walked for hours just drinking in the whole atmosphere. It was sad to say goodbye to a place that I have fallen in love with. We'll be back.....

London! Sunny?! Come on.....

2009-07-05T22:48:00.016+10:00

Yes dear friends, and we have the pictures to prove it. The English weather was glorious, with a beating sun. We decided to be real tourists and see the sights that London in the sunshine has to offer. Tate Modern, the Thames, the Parliament,Big Ben, Buck Palace (changing of the guard takes forever!). A great picnic in the park beautifully catered by Sarah. The Winston Churchill War Rooms Museum was really interesting. Churchill himself sounds like a real character, staying in his PJ's for most of the day.

But we cannot stay, Italy awaits!

What happens when a 4WD is driven by a Malian?

2009-04-09T17:08:00.003+10:00

Some very sore heads, that's what happens. We started out with a couple of 4WDs. Our Mission: Make Timbuktu before the day ends. The road to Timbuktu was long and badly in need of a grading. But I was surprised to hear that it was in pretty good nick for this time of year, and that in the wet season it is an absolute nightmare. Scary. It was OK for a while........ until someone passed us. Then all hell broke loose. Our driver was NOT to be passed, under any circumstances! He made sure he got back past, and to him there was nothing else. Tash hit the roof so hard that it brought tears to her eyes. But we got there eventually........... butt sore and dusty as hell.

When we got to Timbuktu, I was hoping for something of a mystical place. The sort of place that the name conjures up in the mind. The reality is unfortunately quite different. I think I can be safe in the assertion that.... ITS A HOLE! Its dirty and ugly and our walking tour was something of a disaster. We were followed incessantly by toutes, taken to the wrong restaurant, wrong museum, wrong t-shirt guy, wrong everything by the kickback taking guide. Couldn't wait to get out of there.

Time to move on!!

A city name for the ages

2009-03-09T22:15:00.007+11:00

After what was reportedly the fastest border crossing into Burkina Faso ever (its amazing what guys will do when its 15 minutes before break time) we headed to the capital city. What a great name! Ouagadougou (wagadoogoo). Just rolls off the tongue don`t you think? After being in the truck and bush camping for about a week, the beautiful pool and air conditioned bar were places to haunt at our rather plush camp site (attached to a hotel). After a couple of days of rest, recuperation, swimming and beer, we set off again for Mali and the next major stop - The Dogon Trek.

The Dogon people are an indigenous tribe who live at the base and on the top of an escarpment on the edge of the Sahara 200km long. They have a fascinating culture that includes amazing dances (if we tried what they can do, major doctors bills) with costumes and ornately carved wooden masks. Wooden carved doors and locks. After being sat in the truck for a while, it was good to stretch the legs again. The escarpment itself is beautifully picturesque. Unfortunately the Sahara is beginning to encroach on their land and the Hamattan, the wind that blows from the desert, produces a haze of dust. We slept out under the stars and drank river cooled beer and soft drinks. It was great to be out and walking again.

We all headed back to the truck (with some of our companions struggling a touch) to camp again on the hostel roof and rest some tired legs. Soon we head off to Timbuktu.

Accra, Ghana and a Truck called Madge

2009-03-09T06:27:00.015+11:00

As we are major fans of red eye flights (no really), we arrived into Accra at 3:30am with a pickup arranged. But due to a miss-communication (I communicated-they missed) we were left stranded. It always amazes me how many helpful people there are at airports, ready to be your friend. A couple of guys were very keen for me to use their mobile phone (I want to help you!). After being advised by airport staff it was too dangerous to leave the airport in the dark we decided to go back inside and wait till light and get some much needed sleep. After some Tash heroics (I was utterly useless) we eventually got to our hostel.

Ghana is a very hot and muggy place that was quite a culture shock for me. Dusty dirt lined streets, people and cars heaving through the streets, getting hassled to buy or give. But the smiles are huge and the welcomes warm and friendly. The kids are great too. We met up with our truck group and met Madge. Madge is a Mercedes Benz truck (it gets shirty if called anything other than truck apparently) with a passenger cab on the back. Its quite comfortable, with everything unpacking out of compartments in the body.

Upon leaving Accra, our first stop was lake Botsamtwi which was caused by the striking of an asteroid. Beautiful camping spot. From there we rumbled up to Ghana's second largest city of Kumasi, where we checked out a huge busling market, and spent the night in a Presbetyrian church guesthouse under massive lightning strewn storm clouds.

We were heading for Burkina Faso, and spent the next night bush camping under the stars at a place called Fuller Falls. A nice little place. As Ghana is a God fearing nation, on the path down to the waterfall there were constant signs asking us if we were going to up (heaven) or down (hell); and were we really sure? Near the border I spotted some grey shapes moving to the side of the road: A massive herd of elephants! My first time seeing them in the wild. Next stop Burkina Faso

Essouira, coastal Maroc

2009-02-22T04:18:00.010+11:00

We spent our last few days in Morrocco in the lovely coastal town Essaioura (that's essa-weera to you and me) . Not alot to do in this little town, but's its great place for a relaxing wander - alot more chilled than Marrakech. We visted the spice markets, got a henna tattoo and ate local fish. We also figured we couldn't leave Morocco without experiencing a traditional hammam. A little man turned up at our hostel and weaved us through the back passages of Essaioura until he pointed at one door for Greg and another door for me (aka ladies and gents). I wondered into a small dark room full of local women. A semi-naked women looked at me and indicated for me to take my clothes off (i'd already received strict instructions to keep my knickers on!) and then she escorted me into another room full of mostly naked women scrubbing each other down and dousing each other with hot water - welcome to a hamman! While the experience is slighlty different for men and women, the semi-naked and scrubbing bit is there (you should see the dead skin come off YUK). All in all a great experience, we came out clean and relaxed.

Now we head to our truck trip from Accra, Ghana. Where a very different Africa awaits us.

Tiznit, Tafroute and a very interesting man

2009-02-21T04:53:00.010+11:00

We got a public bus to Tiznit from Marrakech and then took a grand taxi to Tafroute, a small town in southern Morocco. A grand taxi is an old Mercedes which goes to a certain place, and leaves when crammed full of 6 people, plus driver. Its a quick service but can take hours waiting for a full taxi. We were very proud that we worked it all out, but when we arrived there were about 100 campervans parked outside town! Our way was way more fun. Tafroute seems a popular place for grey French nomads.

Tafroute is at the head of the pretty Ameln Valley, which we wanted to walk through, so we set about finding a tour to take. It was here we met an interesting man. His name was Ahmed and he ran what looked like a very respectable guide/tour service. After some haggling and some good natured banter we decided on a tour of 2 days 1 night, staying with a family and with an english speaking guide.

The next day, ready to start the tour, we met Worrel and Gretha (not their real names - to protect their reputations, and our blatent inability with pronunciation, I hope they don't mind). As we began walking out of town, hopeful at leaving the Camper sea and satellite dish waves behind, cracks began to emerge in the tour experience. Our guide was fluent in French, which was Ok with some hand gestures and translation by our walking mates. The walking was ok but you really thought that we were walking along roads a little too much. We saw a rock formation which looks like the face of a lion, the locals say it keeps a protective eye looking out for the local women. That night we stayed in a big room, with freezing cold water to wash with, but our tagine meal cooked by the guide was brilliant and we had much fun just talking and joking.

The views in the morning were wonderful and the valley has a its reputation for good reason. Just after good lunch in town we again met our friend Ahmed (who hung around a lot and generally made a nuisance of himself) and told him we weren't happy and wanted a cheaper price. Unhappy was an understatement, he acted in a very childish way. We got a lower price, but that dummy of his was dusty from where it hit the ground.

The last part of the tour took us to a series of nice gorges, where we relaxed before heading towards a transport hub called Inezgane for dinner and sleep. We were grateful to have shared the experience with Worrel and Gretha as they made the experience a lot better.

ROAD TRIP!!!!!

2009-02-21T04:50:00.009+11:00

Mustapha from our hostel told us of a tour that would take us to the mountains and the desert. 'A most wonderful experience, the sky in the sharan night is most wonderful' We were sold, and so joined the road trip tour that was to be defined by the music we endured in the hours of bus riding. From Marrakech we went to (insert Brian Adams here) Ait Ben Haddou. This old settlement has been used as a set of famous movies, the most famous being Gladiator (insert Mariah Carey here). Recent snow on the surrounding mountains was flowing down the river bed and so the enterprising locals were (over) charging for donkey rides across the muddy waters. (insert Hotel California here).

Later that day we made it to the beautiful Dades Gorge (insert Celine Dion here), where we spent the night. In the Morning (insert Richard Marks here) we explored the Todra Gorge. From here it was onto the Sahara (insert We Are The World, yes We Are The World here) Where we were to spend a night in the Erg Chabbi. But not before a 1.5 hour camel ride across the sand. With my ridiculous head scarf in place we began a lovely to look at, but butt and thigh tearing, trip. Tash couldn't get comfortable and I had the smallest and most nervous camel that jumped around alot. But that night the locals played drums and sang, we celebrated a 30th birthday in our party, and we ate well and had a great night.

Unfortunately one of our fellow countrywomen has let us down. Youcef, our tour guide, was absolutely great. Funny, full of information and very helpful. But a story he told us made Tash and I cringe. An Australian girl on a tour before us called our tour leader UNICEF, and didn't realise it, then went on to say that she needed to go to the Hamas. What she meant was the Hammam, which is a traditional Moroccan bath house, not Palestine.

Marrakech, Morocco - The capital of lost tourists

2009-02-21T04:44:00.008+11:00

We decided to get picked up at the Airport and taken to our hostel located in the souks of Marrakech. It was one of the better decisions we've made, as it is absolutely impossible to find your way around without getting lost. There are no landmarks you can see and when asking people for help, as we did on our first day, you can end up at the tanneries near the edge of town instead of in the main square, like we did. But that's Morocco for you.

Marrakech is a wonderful place. We both really enjoyed ourselves and have extensive plans and shopping lists for our return visit. The old walled Medina joins onto the main square Djema El Fna. The main square is a really busy, loud, buzzing place that picks up during the evenings when snake charmers, story tellers, musicians, smoking food stalls, date sellers, orange juice merchants and henna artists take over. People everywhere. You can even play a game of hook the ring over the bottle of coke. Why? I cannot answer that one.Getting lost in the souqs (markets) of the Medina with their labrynthian roads and alleys is a great way to see things we wouldn't normally get to see. At point we went in complete circle and didn't realise it! There are souqs dedicated to leather, spices, cloth etc... Its really good fun to just wander through getting a feel for the place, just be ready for some attention if you even hint at looking interested at something.

London in the snow

2009-02-02T21:56:00.004+11:00

After having enough of sun and beach (that's a joke) we decided to head to freezing, snowing, arctic (did I mention cold) London. We were actually pretty lucky to see London covered in beautiful soft snow, we made the most of it and went for walks through numerous London parks.

With my sister providing us with gourmet food, we had a very relaxing time enjoying the delights of western civilisation (dvds, indian food?, Australian red wine and hot showers).

With fresh African visas, we now head to Morocco.

RIO!!!!!!!!!

2009-02-02T21:55:00.012+11:00

Rio is an amazingly picturesque city. A gorgeous city. With big stone hills falling to a city skyline and then the beautiful famous beaches and the blue water, the Statue of Christ benevolently overlooking the whole scene, a photographer could explode with possibility. But the city also has quite a dark side with muggings and Slums called Favelas. We stayed in Ipanema, about two blocks back from the beach. Although the weather had not been kind to us over the past few days, it was sunny when we got to Rio.

Moments after arriving at our hostel we were washed away by a wave of people to a soccer game in the famous Maracana Stadium (sorry that analogy isn't great, but hey we're tired!). Rio`s (and Brazil's for that matter) biggest team, Flamengo were in action for the first time this season. Only half the stadium was full, but the supporters could make some noise! The energy and passion was electric.

The next day we took the roller coaster ride (aka tram ride) up a winding road to Santa Teresa. Roaring up the hill it would occasionally screech to a halt to let more passengers hang off the sides or to avoid a head-on collision with a bus coming the other way. It is an colourful area of ageing beauty, once the preserve of the wealthy, the space is now occupied by artists and poets. Feeling arty, we then visited the colourful mosaic stairs created by Chilean artist Jorge Selaron. Inspired by the Brazilan people, he covered more than 250 stairs entirely in tiles people sent from all over the world.

To gain an appreciation of the less glamorous side of Rio, we went on a tour of the nearby slums known as 'favelas'. Located all over the city, squished in between the rich and famous and ignored by city maps lies about 750 favelas. Favelas have a reputation for being 'no go' areas of violence, danger and poverty. The tour allows a different perspective. You get to see the unique architecture which allows so many thousands of people to live in these small cramped conditions, see the significant lack of access to basic public services such as clean water and learn about efforts to improve schooling and social services for the locals.

Photos to come.....

UbaTuba and Paraty - with a touch of sun and two drops of rain

2009-02-02T21:54:00.010+11:00

Ubatuba is a little area along the brazillian coast that is famous among brazillians for having over a hundred beaches. And in the Sao Paulo bus station a quick fire decision was made - and we headed to this resort town. We of course didn`t realise that 100 beaches are going to be spread out over quite a bit of coastline. So when the bus pulled into a glorified garden shed we knew we had our work cut out. But we came out ok. The next day we hit the beach and decided to hide from the sun under one of the many beach umbrellas. Brazillian umbrellas do not block out the sun`s rays, as our bright red bodies told us 2 hours later. We knew that we were in for some pain in the days ahead.

With our skin on fire we made for Paraty. Paraty is a beautiful colonial town dating from the Portugese gold shipping times. Unfortunately there was a flood in Paraty a week before our arrival, but the old town had survived quite well, and somehow our hostel was one of the few in town to still have water.

There are many boats in the harbour which run day trips out amongst the many islands and coves (and dodge trees swept out by the flood) that cover the coastline, and we decided to head out on a day trip. An easy relaxing day ensued with swims and cruising. Only for the weather to close in on us as we returned to port. Clearly Mother Nature had not received my memo asking for sunny skies to end South America and it rained on us liberally.

Meals in Brazil are definitely for people who like to share. Almost everwhere you venture, the menu will be full of options for meals for two, and we used this wherever we could for the obvious cost advantages. Brazil does good food.

Iguazu Falls

2009-02-02T21:54:00.007+11:00

The Iguazu Falls are considered one of the natural wonders of the world. They sit on the border of three countries and they can be (should be) viewed from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides. Based on some advice, we decided to stay on the Argentinian side of the falls. And a good decision this turned out to be. The Brazil side is a city of 300,000, where as the Argentina side has 32,000. Its cheaper and has a more local feel, not a hard one that.

In the Amazonian rainforest its always wet, but at the moment the rains are heavy and some flooding has happened. And so the falls are flowing with a LOT of water. The Falls themselves stretch over quite an area, there are 275 individual falls with heights up to 80m. There is an island that can be reached by boat which gives a unique perspective on the falls, but the huge amount of water had stopped the boat service.

Words like spectacular, magnificent and amazing come to mind, and the noise is amazing. At a couple of points you can go quite close to the fall of water, consequently we got a little wet on some of the walkways from the spray. The main part of the falls is called the Devils Throat, which is by far the most spectacular part of the Falls.

Buenos Aires!!

2009-01-14T05:22:00.004+11:00

We arrived into Buenos Aires on a lovely sunny and hot morning.

We stayed in Palermo, a part of the city reserved for the beautiful people. The area is set amongst lovely green trees, boutique shops and funky restaurants. With our faded, ratty travel chic, we fit right in!

The hours of the city are really strange to us. Restaurants only really begin to pick up in trade at about 10pm. If you are there at 8, the kitchen may not even be open! The weather was great and we did a huge, huge amount of walking. We saw colourful La Boca, where 'hand of god' Maradonna hails from. We wondered around the cemetery for beautiful/famous people - including Eva Perone. We checked out the antique market in San Telmo. The city is quite Parisian in parts, apparently, or so Tash tells me.

Given Buenos Aires is the birthplace of tango and we were keen to experience it for ourselves. Most shows are geared for the tourists, and waaaay out of our budget. So we asked around for some local clubs, and were directed to a nearby club. We walked into a beautifully ornate room, with enormous romantic tango images lining the walls and a dance floor full of beautifully dressed dancers intimately dancing. Any vague notion of us giving it a crack, went straight out the window - there was no way we were getting on that floor!

El Bolson - aka mountain hippy town

2009-01-14T05:21:00.003+11:00

After a spectuclar drive through snow capped mountains, we arrived in this small, peaceful town in time for the local hippy market. Decided against the weird spider jewellery, pottery knomes/fairies, organic soy burgers and found a beef burger! (yeah more cow!).

We were both psyched for some hard core white waterrafting. Unfortunately we discovered there was little snow over winter so the river was very low. So rather than a wet ´n´wild adrenaline-ride, we had a stuck-on-another-bloody-rock ride. Still the water was crystal blue and scenery tres pretty...

Now for a 26 hour bus journey to Buenos Aires!

Bariloche

2009-01-14T05:20:00.011+11:00

Welcome to Bariloche, a beautifully pictuesque town located on Lago Nahuel Huapi, at the top of the lakes district in upper Patagonia. That will be $5 per breath thanks. Its high season in this area and all the folks getting away from places like Buenos Aires come down here to relax, and the local traders know it. Its for this reason that we decided to look for a way to beat the cost and get some badly needed nature time as well.

A short bus ride later and our 3 day trek into the lakes district mountains had begun. Our plan was to stay in mountain refuges for two nights and walk for three days. And what a plan it turned out to be!!!! We began walking along a track overlooking a beautiful lake under crystal clear skies before headed into the hills, with scenery reminiscent of a Lord of the Rings movie. After what turned out to be a rather hard climb we made the first night´s stop.

This refuge was packed as there is a huge climbable rock face towering over the site. After a rough night sleep in a tightly packed, 26 mattress loft, we headed out on day 2.

Day 2 was by far our most enjoyable day of walking of the whole trip. We went past snow fed lakes, climbed rocky hillsides across snow remnants, slid down 300 metres of loose gravel on descents, spent two hours lounging by a crystal clear stream, climbed over gravely ridge lines and finally made it to another gorgeous lake which the second night`s refuge overlooked.

The water was good enough to drink and extremely clear. We ate a great dinner chatting to a couple of girls from Melbourne, one of which was married to a Brazilian and they were bringing along a small kid! Impressive.

The third day began walking out along a valley and as with the first two days the views were impressive. Once we reached the end of the line, we understood a bus would be taking us back into Bariloche. However as we were to discover about an hour later, that bus hasn´t run for about three years and we managed to share a taxi with a couple from Israel, organised by some local Argentinian boys. Lucky as we were both tired and didn´t fancy the extra 3 hours of walking it would have taken!

Safely returned to Bariloche we headed to the greatest ice cream shop we´ve ever been to. I could have bought the place. Heaven in a cone! Now its on down the line to El Bolson........

Mendoza and one big (well not really) new year.......

2009-01-14T05:15:00.006+11:00

We landed in Mendoza, Argentina after a looooonng bus ride feeling that our excercise levels were a little lacking in the recent past. This was good because Mendoza is a town set up for large amounts of walkng, and we did plenty. Our little B&B was situated about 8 blocks from a very picturesque town square, which is about 12 blocks from the bus station. Packs on, we walked the whole way in the morning heat.

Mendoza is actually situated in the desert, but due to river diversion programs that were instituted when the town was founded in the 1800´s there is now plenty of water and so this area is the largest producer of wine in Argentina.

We decided to taste some of the local produce - just about every bottle of vino in Argentina is from this area - and so thought we would ventur outside the city to do a popular wine-bike tour. Sound simple - right?... But not to be.... the bus driver told us to get off the bus, we couldn´t see any vineyards so we started walking, walked 1 hour in heat in one direction, discovered wine town was another hours walk, caught bus to wine town, found info office, told original place where we got off bus was right spot, eventually got bus back to original wine spot, found bike hire place, told all vineyards in area closed literally 5 minutes ago..... So we went to a bottleshop and drowned our disappointment in a local red....

On New Year´s Eve, we were given the ¨hot" place to be. But as we discovered, Argentinians spend time at home with their family/friends and don´t seem to hit the streets and party. Unfortunately the advised "hot spot" was a "quiet spot". Still there was wine, champagne, beef and random fireworks to bring in the new year....

Cafayate - wine country

2008-12-31T08:10:00.007+11:00

From Salta we headed for wine country about 4 hours south. A cute little bus carried us through the many coloured hills. As usual we were accosted by people trying to sell us accomodation, well one bloke on a bike rolled past and handed us a flyer. And that kind of sums up the pace of this little wine town. It has a good mix of gringo and local. We took up our pursuers offer.

That evening we met a young American guy who had been travelling for about 10 months and knew very good Spanish. We also met a couple of Dutch girls and a Danish girl, and together we hatched a plan to head out into wine country on bikes the next day. After interminable fight with poor machinery we headed off and tasted some altogether very nice wines and rode through beautiful vineyards.
We purchased a couple for consuption that very evening. Even if my back tyre decided to deflate itself half way through. After a hot and great day, the cloud rolled in to give dinner its own natural soundtrack and occasional watery addition. We enjoyed a nice dinner safe from the rain and settled into a nice sleep.

Next day, we decided to head to a local waterfall. Not put off by stories of lost missions to find the falls we set off. For approx 3 hours we scrabbled through bush, climbed rocks and negotiated tricky/dangerous river crossings. In the end we didn´t find the bloody waterfall....

Next morning we had a 5am bus to catch for our 20 hour mission south. Unfortunately for the 3rd night in a row the local disc DJ thought the best policy was no sleep at all, this quiet little town needed Disco! We both stuffed in our ear plugs, but with near disasterous results....

My first words really sumed up how that whole morning was to pan out for us..... ¨Tash, its 4:56am!!!¨ we were a bleary blur as we panicked and ran fast for the bus. Thankfully making it and miraculously without leaving anything behind. The previous nights storm had covered the road with mud slides and rocks, which delayed us by an hour. And then we spent a few hours wandering around a town called Tucuman. But eventually the connection was made and we headed for Mendoza.

Salta - merry xmas!

2008-12-31T07:45:00.004+11:00

After weeks of sand, dust and desert, Argentina appeared like a green paradise. And the cows, tasty, tasty cows. (thanks Tash! pearler) We decided to spend Xmas in Salta, in the north. We stayed in a lovely, homely, laid back hostel. On Xmas eve our hostel hosted an all you can eat ´asado´(bbq). In true argentinian styles, we sat down to eat at 11pm. This was our first experience of argentina cow - and it was sensational!! Loaded up with beef and red wine we headed to the roof top balcony for the craziest neighbourhood homemade firework show. Who needs choregraphy when every dog and kid can set off there own at random (some would say dangerous/humourous) angles?

Xmas day, while everyone else in the hostel seemed to amble home drunk from a night of partying. We started the day in true style - champagne, orange juice, strawberries and crossiants. Had a lovely lazy, glutinous day, including a big lunch on the main plaza and Tash decided it would be a good idea to climb the nearest hill overlooking town. Unfortunately the looming storm clouds opened 3/4 up the hill...

We did our best, honestly we did. But the pudding replacement came a distant 3rd to what our stomachs were craving (please keep some in the fridge!)

San Pedro De Atacama - aka desert hippy town

2008-12-31T07:34:00.003+11:00

After a long, boring immigration process we made it back into Chile. San Pedro is the home of dredlocks, tatts and bicycles. The latest gringo hotspot. We spent most of our time enjoying the welcome heat in hammocks, resting our weary bones.

Deciding that we might be too sedantry, we joined a tour of the Valle de la Luna. A place that reputably takes on a look of the moon, especially after rain. There is a LOT of salt around. There is a small range of hills that are essentially made of salt, with a little mud sprinkled in. It even crackles when changing temperature. Sunset over the Valley was beautiful with the changing ochre colours and shadows, taken from the top of a massive sand dune.

Next stop Argentina - goodbye desert, hello beef capital!

Uyuni and the Salt flats

2008-12-25T10:42:00.008+11:00

The Bolivian roads minister has either the best money-skimming operation or his bugdet is very small (or both), because the road from Potosi to Uyuni (who can pronounce that anyway) was long and slow and dusty and torturous. We got a flat tyre and Tash´s bladder thanked the lord. But it was from this small desert frontier town that we were to begin a highly anticipated trip.

The Uyuni salt flats are a truly beautiful part of the world. We began our three day 4x4 odyssey by heading to the train graveyard where many rusted and gutted hulks rot in the aridity. Then we headed out onto the flats. We visited the ´eyes´ that are pure oxygen bubbling through small pools in the expanse. We then headed to Fish Island in the middle of the white. The white expanse, clear blue sky and the cacti made for isla tres beautiful.

Because of the great expanse of white, its possible to take some interesting perspective photos.

Day two began early with more butt shattering 4x4´ing to lakes with flamingoes, flamingoes with lakes, and lake flamingoes. The famous tree of rock. Our accomodation took a steep decline - we ended up in a mud hut, half burried by the constant desert gale. With no heating, no water and no mattresses we were advised the temp would plummet to -15 overnight. Oh and a 3:30am start.........

The early morning stars lived up to our expectations, but the temperature (thankfully) didn´t.

We headed to geysers (hot springs) where greg was the only one brave enough to walk over the frozen lake to take a dip in the hot springs. Tash on the otherhand decided to accidently fall in... thankfully the warm desert sun eventually sorted us both out.

After a breaky of cake and caramel sauce, we then headed towards the Bolivian-Chilean border and our next stop at San Pedro de Atacama.

Potosi and silver mines

2008-12-17T05:15:00.006+11:00

Arrived in Potosi, Southern Bolivia - 4070 metres high (equal second highest city in the world).

Legend has it that Potosi was founded in 1545 when a local Inca build a fire at the foot of a mountain, the fire was so hot the earth started to melt and shiny silver oozed out of the ground. Once the Spanish heard of the enormous amount of silver, centuries of exploitation and slavery began... The silver extracted was bankrolling the Spanish empire.

Eventually in the early 19th century the output began to decline.

Today only a few miners work and make a meager living. Conditions have changed little over the centuries. They spend days underground, often working around the clock. Except on fridays when they smoke, chew coca leaves and drink themselves unconscious. Toxic fumes eventually end their career undergroud.

This morning we got fitted in some snazzy banana yellow jumpsuits, gumboots, helmets, torches and headed into the mines. We crawled through narrow shafts and climbed ladders into little pockets where we found miners chipping away. As thanks to the miners, we purchased and handed out coca leaves, cigarettes, cookies to the kids and dynamite (strangely the guys loved that part). As a final treat, are guide decided to light some dynamite. While greg hung around to the watch the fuze light up, I made a quick exit away from the explosion. The effect was amazing, while we were 30metres away, its impact rippled through our chest cavities.

Tomorrow we head to Uniyi for some salt flat action...

Sucre and wondering dinosaurs

2008-12-17T04:57:00.004+11:00

We decided to avoid the 15 hours bolivian bus ride by splurging on a flight from La Paz to Sucre. I was mainly concerned by the bolivian belief that people are able to hold their bladders for 15 hours at a time (and those that know me...)

Sucre is not a bad little town, but not alot to do. We stayed in a funky hotel which Che Guevara reportedly stayed in on his journey through South America. Had the best tropical fruit salad ever at the markets. Mind you the fruit section was right next to the blood, intestines, pig hoofs and what looked like a gutted dog....

The most interesting thing we found about Sucre was the dinosaur tracks. About 15 years ago some workers at a cement factory on the outskirts of town found some dinosaur marks. Experts were eventually brought in (10 years ago) and they realised there were over 6000 tracks from 130 different dinosaurs on this one slab of wall. They are trying desperately to preserve the tracks but erosion and lack of money means the tracks are eventually falling away. Only 2 days before we arrived a whole section of tracks fell to the ground.

La Paz and the World´s Most Dangerous Road

2008-12-17T04:45:00.005+11:00

La Paz is a great city to drive into. Across the altiplano there isn´t a lot to give away the position of the city, until you begin to drop into the steep valley that houses this place and it opens out in front of you. We stayed in a hostal that does by far the best breakkie we`ve had so far (yeah to museli and yoghurt!).

We checked out the San Franciso cathedral and the bullet holes in the Granite window which date from Bolivia´s independance in the early 1800´s. We were looking for something for something to do the next day and it was a toss up between two things. If any of you have read the book ´Marching Powder´ you will know about San Pedro Prison. If you don´t then I will give you a quick prece here. If you go to this jail you have to buy your own cell. There are people who live there with 3 story houses! There are restaurants and families and its also one of the biggest Cocaine factories around. You can tour through there for about 75 dollars but most of that goes to the guards as bribes. If you go in you get bodyguards as some of the prisoners resent where your money goes. After hearing/reading a few horror stories, debating over two mountainous ice cream sundaes, we decided to go for the other activity...

The World´s Most Dangerous Road got its name for good reason. When it was the main route there were upwards of 150 to 200 deaths per year on this road alone. Things have improved a lot since the ´New Road´ was built last year. We started out early in the morning and a bus took us to the top of the road 4700m. It heads downhill on Tarmac for quite a while (through the fog, snow and magnificent scenery) until we get to the narcotics checkpoint, which is an excuse for the government to employ more people. Then we hit an uphill bit. 8km of very hard slog that I managed to get through and most (smarter, ie tash) others took the bus. Then the real stuff.

The road itself is narrow and winding and has some very long drops straight off the edge (few hundred metres). But when you are on a full suspension mountain bike your eyes are mostly for the road ahead. It was a fantastic experience that we both really enjoyed and got into. Going through the waterfalls cascading from great heights onto the road, pitying the people who did the trip cheaper who didn´t appear to be well looked after. The photos are the ones that tell the story.......

At the end we landed 3300m below at a tropical animal shelter that was very relaxing, taking a swim as the monkeys tried to get into my pack. We all piled into the bus and headed back up the same road! What a great way to really get a look at what we´d done (and freak tash out). A great day!

Puno and Lake Titicaca.

2008-12-10T02:29:00.005+11:00

After a short bus ride across the Altiplano, we arrived in Puno. An enterprising guy travelling on the bus offered us some cheap accommodation that we took up. Puno is a nice little town with the obigatory town square, church and main drag.

We decided to head out onto the Lake the day after we arrived and stay overnight on one of the big islands. The first stop on the tour was the floating islands, where indigenous people ran around trying to get us to buy things and go on reed boat trips for cash. Very weird experience that was too touristy for my liking. We went on to Amantani Island which is the second biggest of the lake. We stayed with a family, which was pretty cool. Played soccer with the kids from the island which nearly killed me for lack of Oxygen. Our ´Mama´ was sweet and really helpful. We got dressed up to go dancing that night, and Tash was a little annoyed that she kept asking me to dance. I bought a beanie from her that she both spun the wool for and knitted. Beats any mass produced thing. We then went by Taquile Island before heading back to Puno. A nice little place where the men knit the hats.

From Puno we added another stamp on the passport as we entered Bolivia. First stop Copacabana. Not quite the Brazilian beach. Headed on the slowest boat in history to Isla del Sol. Inka cultural birthplace, birthplace of the sun. Not much left of that now but was nice to walk. Stayed the night in a little place that cost us 12 dollars for a view of snow capped mountains across the water. Heard about a nice place to stay in Copacabana and was really disappointed when we had to take the exclusive honeymoon suite as it was the only room they had left! Ate a chocolate fondue. Played cards from the hammock overlooking the lake from our perrrrsonal balconnnnny. This travelling gig is hard.

The amazon - and the delights of bugs, spiders and mozzies

2008-12-07T07:15:00.003+11:00

Inspired by Indiana Jones, Ive always dreamed of visiting the amazon. I thought i explained to greg the general idea - it would be very hot, very humid and there would be loads of friendly and unfriendly critters... Greg must have switched off during my detailed briefing, because he got a quite the shock when he left the cool safety of the airport. Within minutes we (well greg) was sweating like the proverbial, and generally cursing my....

Despite the heat, the humidity, the bugs, spiders, ants, mozzies and other weird flying objects we both loved the Amazon. We staying in little wooden huts overlooking the jungle. All rooms were enclosed with fly screens, to try and keep things out (as we discovered not very successfully). We went for a number of guided walks through the amazon. We visited a rope canopy walk which was 42 metres above ground, with a step rise to a massive banyon tree at the end. Despite assurances that the canopy walk was safe, I was freaking out big time. We also visited a conservation centre situated within the jungle which had caged monkeys, tucans, snakes, other weird animals and a very cool lady jaguar called "princess".

The next day we were fitted with gumboots. Unfortunately big footed gringo greg had to endure boots that were too small. What we thought it would be a short leisurely stroll through the jungle, turned into a 6 hour amazonian mission. Heavy rains a couple of nights before had flooded the path so we spent the entire walk wading through puddles, clinging to ant covered vines and branches, dodging killer wasps and trying not to stay still for the pouncing mozzies. But it was brillant fun.

The Inka Trail

2008-12-07T07:01:00.005+11:00

The Inka Trail. Well for Tash on the night before we were to head off it became the toilet trail. She was quite nastily affected by the aweful pasta dish we both endured that evening. Trooper that she is, took some pills and soldiered on.

We headed out to Ollantaytambo for brekkie, and on the way met the group that we were to walk with. The group consisted mostly of Americans (with an abundance of Chicagoans), a couple of aussies and a parents and son from Kentucky. What an accent! The start of the walk was quite easy (apart from Tash of course) and we headed into the trail. Our guide was a diminutive character called Will who was full of useful information. We passed a couple of Inka Sites on the way to our first camp site. It was nestled in a beautiful spot under some imposing hills. We were all in pretty good shape apart from a couple of girls who decided to pack their kitchen sink.

The second day Tash was going great guns and I picked up a touch of the runs. But I got it out and we crested the highest pass of the trail pretty well and up near the front. Its called Dead Womans pass and its 4200m above sea level. It gets its name from the profile it has when you look from a distance. We got clapped into the camp by the porters who carry closer to 18kgs (instead of my poultry 8), so I wasn´t sure whether to be happy or insulted. They were good guys who had everything beautifully organised. Our tents were up when we got to camp, food was great and plentiful, and basically they knew their stuff.

The third day was the best for walking. The sites we saw were the best and the vistas of the walk were at their best. Its the longest day and ends with a section called the gringo killer. Its basically going downhill on steps for 2.5 hours. Legs shake like jelly at its completion.

The last day we woke early (4am) to get a good spot in the line for the last section of the walk. Its a strange custom that the trail opens at 5:30 in the morning, but guides and groups get up really early (one group at 3am!) to jockey for position. It was raining and foggy as the day dawned and we walked the last of the trail. We´d been lucky with the weather as its the rainy season and the only rain that we saw was at night. The sun gate is the first place you can see the magical Machu Picchu, but all we could see was white. People grumbled, but get over yourselves. Seeing it through the mist was better than a clear day in my opinion. Its a wonderful place that really boggles the mind in its conception and craftsmanship. We wandered around with Will getting the lowdown, taking lots of photos and generally admiring the place. We bonded well with our group and it was sad to leave and head back to Cusco. Overall it was a great exprience that we will never forget.

Cusco

2008-11-29T07:56:00.001+11:00

Arrived into Cusco at the ungodly hour of 530, thinking we might get picked up by our chosen hostel. Sitting at the bus station for the next hour without success, we tried to get a cab. A fight nearly broke out between cabbies. Then we switched our hostel at the last minute due to a write up in the bible (lonely planet). A reasonable if not perfect choice.

Cusco is a beautiful place. Once the capital of the Inka empire, the spaniards built over the top of the place after they shot it up. We´ve been wandering around admiring architecture, huffing and puffing with the altitude, and getting asked if we wanted to get a massage. Managed to get saturated one night when the heavens opened and then didn´t stop until morning. Ducked into a roast chicken joint after the fire inside caught our eye as we ran. High fives after our awesome meal.

There are some local Inka ruins that require the most bizarre ticket to see. Its called the Boleto Touristica and gives you access to about 12 sites for a ten day period. If you only want to see less sites you get a different ticket, but if you want that one you need to be persistant because they don´t really want to sell it to you. Two ruins in particular took our eye for the sheer scale of them. The first is Saqsaywaman (or sexy woman) which has massive stone blocks fitted tightly together without mortar. Cusco was originally envisioned as a Puma and this fortress was the head, with military and govenment based here. The last Inka nearly beat the spanish by laying seige from here. Only 20% of the original structure remains, and that is massive. Qenqo, Pukapukara, Tambomachay are also in walking distance from Cusco, beautiful places that had significance. The other that we really liked is Ollantaytambo. Where the Inka´s actually won a battle (their only victory), the terraces fit into the moutain really well and are Huge. I think about 75m up in total. Blocks that weighed 50 tonne. Its the oldest continually inhabited Inka town that retains Inka town planning. The Inkas were very good at getting water to all of their structures with channels and aquaducts. They also built their walls with round balls of stone under them for support during earthquakes. Pretty cluey.

We´re close to the start of the Inka trail and Machu Picchu, the excitement is rising.....

Colca Canyon

2008-11-29T03:02:00.003+11:00

The colca canyon is the second deepest canyon in the world. So we thought it would be a good idea to walk into it and then out of it. Normally I would be very happy to do that sort of thing but on the first day, i was not a happy camper. The night before had been a long one due to some stomach lurchings. We began with a bus ride, to the Condor lookout. These giant majestic birds are known to soar very close to the cliffs, looking for food as they get looked at. But there wasn´t much food about so we only saw one. But climbing down the 1000 or so metres into the canyon wasn´t fun for me, but Tash was going great guns. I was getting altitude sickness as well. But our guide, Roy, came to my aide with a chemical smelling liquid that made me throw up, which made everything better. A few Colca remedies when we got down to the little village\hostel also did the trick. The views of this place were amazing. The different colours of the rock, the shear walls, and as we looked up at the path we had come down, you realize how steep it is. There are native people who live down there all their lives and they climb out regularly, with mules and horses. Those beasts are very sure footed but smell appallingly bad. The next day was easier and we made our way along the base of the canyon to a place called the Oasis. The pool here and the fire that kept us warm overnight was great, which however the bed was not. The walk out was hard but good and we both got to the top in good time and good spirits. The bus took us to the hottest hot spring our bodies could handle. What a brilliant way to lose all the muscle pains that we had picked and have a good chat to the group of people we were with. It was a diverse bunch with American newlyweds, an Irish couple moving to Australia, a German couple, an English Lady taking a year off work and us. Straight away its onto an overnight bus to Cuzco and all the Inka sites it holds.

Arequipa

2008-11-18T12:27:00.002+11:00

We arrived here in Arequipa (altitude 2350m) at 11pm at night after being on a bus for 8 hours. That was a hell of a road. Stretches of straight followed by stretches of tight curves. We decided to watch the movies on offer and paid the price with motion sickness. Me worse than Tash. But arrived safely in the end.

This town is very cool to walk around in. Its surrounded by hills, a couple of them upwards of 5000m. Tash wants me to call them mountains but i refused. The architecture here is great, there´s something about getting some age in a building to imbue it with spirit and majesty. Visited an old monastery here that was opened up in 1970 after nearly 400 years. The colours and art were really vibrant, yet the vibe was one of tranquility. Found a lookout for the largest of the hills (no Tash, hills) after being refused by one cab, taken to the wrong place by another and walking for 20 minutes. But worth the wait. A great view.

We´re on our way to the Colca Canyon to start a 3 day trip tomorrow morning at 4am. Then straight onto a bus to get us overnight to cuzco. Check back in soon

Pisco and Nasca Lines

2008-11-16T04:36:00.003+11:00

We travelled by bus down to Pisco. This little town was destroyed in an earthquake about 18months ago. Would you believe the earth shook for 3 minutes! Went out to the poor mans Galapagos, the Ballestos Islands to see thousands upon thousands of birds, and smell the acrid guano (bird droppings) They mine the stuff for fertilizer. Not a job i want. Penguins and sea lions also abound. Tash was the only person to get gubered, and she got it twice! If that means luck, get a lottery ticket!

Also saw the driest desert in Peru. Two millimetres of rain per year. Was dusty.

The bus ride from Pisco to Nasca was loockshery. We were starving, fading away, considering buying grapes from street sellers to get us by, when the foam container of joy from the hostie appeared. Picante chicken with rice and fries! (everything on the menu everywhere comes with fries). High fives all round. Aus buses could learn a thing or two.

In Nasca we are staying in a quaint little hostal and i can only equate to staying at nan´s house.

Saw the nasca lines by air in this little plane. It was swerving to let both sides of the plane see the desert clearly. It was a very cool thing to see. It was also very good at inducing nausea. Look at the ancient geoglyph, look at the hoizon, look at the ancient geoglyph, look at the hoizon (If you can see it!!). Just about to board a bus down to Arequipa where the next chapter begins. Adios!

Lima Peru

2008-11-12T13:13:00.002+11:00

We`ve arrived into Lima Peru. Landed this morning after a bloody early flight. Its colder here than we anticipated. Managed to survive the maniac who tried to kill us while driving us to the hostel. The hostel here is clean and quiet, something Tash is looking forward to as she is suffering quite badly from jetlag. Hasn`t slept for 2 days poor dear. Looking at her eyes, she should do better tonight. And the sleeping pill should help.

Santiago was a nice city and we both liked it there. Had fun and saw some pretty cool stuff. Lovely architecture and squares. We did however manage to have the worst seafood meal EVER. We went to this place on a recommendation. It was sea themed, complete with decour, large fake whale skeleton, the works. This place was like the kitchest place you can imagine, multiplied by ten. Tash had a broth that looked and tasted like it was the water the poor seafood was boiled to hell in. It was the chewiest, oldest, grittiest experience. This is one of those meals that will forever be a marker in the sand. ´at least this isn´t as bad as that experience in Santiago!´ But enough of the bad stuff.....

Tomorrow we head on a 3 hour bus ride to a place called Pisco. There are islands off the coast that are the ´poor mans Galapagos´, so we thought we´d give them a go. More soon....

Santiago!

2008-11-09T12:31:00.002+11:00

We've arrived safely into Santiago. For those at the airport, that plane we saw from the observation deck was our bird. The flight was long and felt longer. Neither of us got much sleep on the flight as we were in the middle, and they don't call it cattle class for nothing. Got into the hostel and immediately went to sleep for 4 hours. Feeling a lot better we ventured out for our first experience. Wandering through a new city is always a strange experience, and I am taken by the relative dirtiness of the place. Managed to successfully order our first drink, and our first meal, if quite nervously. Its great being here!

Moving Out

2008-11-05T18:01:00.000+11:00

What a strenuous couple of days to begin the tour. The first and most unpleasant job was to clean and leave the apartment. It was sad to see it leave our hands and move onto its next chapter. Its been such a great place, full of happy times and great memories.

We packed up the car and ute, enjoyed a great relaxing evening having dinner cooked for us (you rock James and Mon), our journey began. After dodging rain, bugs and the odd truck, lots and lots of hours later we arrived in Bathurst. With everything intact. Now is the calm before the storm. We've both retired for some downtime before the real action begins. 3 days to go!