Well my flight connection was in Helsinki and they looked at bit oddly at me as I boarded the London plane in sandals and a tee shirt when it was snowing outside and minus 1 deg C, but got back to London at 9.30 and Christine was waiting for me XX.
I forgot to say, the blog title, Freewheelin', was the first album I ever bought, a long time ago just as my first life was beginning so I took it with me on my mp3 and listened to it again as my new life (after work) begins. Not sure what I am doing next but will let you know. I want Christine to come next time so think New Zealand in a campervan is the best bet...watch this space.
Thursday 13 March 2008
Wednesday 12 March 2008
Last Day
Well, trains and boats and planes again. Sky train to the end of the line, then spent some time on the tourist boats going up and down the Chao Phrya river. Another train back to the air conditioned spleandour of Siam Paragon shopping centre. Now about to catch another train to the airport and a plane home.
This was the river first thing this morning.
I have had a wonderful time, I have visited some of the region's natural and man made wonders, I could have traveled by the UNESCO world heritage list (and felt I was at times). There are of course many problems here too but I don't want to dwell on those. We can all do something to help by supporting these countries as they emerge from difficult times, but I want to remember the natural beauty, the smell of incense, the street food, even the Honda and Yamaha motorbike! Fresh fruit, rice, Vietnamese Pho (beef soup with noodles), fish sauce, chilli in Thailand, beer Lao, Tiger beer and Singha beer. The beautiful, graceful women, the resourcefulness of people who make things with their own hands, the happiness of the children, particularly the Vietnamese who all say "hello" in my language, and the warmth of their welcome.
And at the heart of it all the Mekong River. This majestic river sustains life throughout it's journey from Tibet to the South China sea. I will never forget my time here.
Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey, I hope to see you all soon.
This was the river first thing this morning.
I have had a wonderful time, I have visited some of the region's natural and man made wonders, I could have traveled by the UNESCO world heritage list (and felt I was at times). There are of course many problems here too but I don't want to dwell on those. We can all do something to help by supporting these countries as they emerge from difficult times, but I want to remember the natural beauty, the smell of incense, the street food, even the Honda and Yamaha motorbike! Fresh fruit, rice, Vietnamese Pho (beef soup with noodles), fish sauce, chilli in Thailand, beer Lao, Tiger beer and Singha beer. The beautiful, graceful women, the resourcefulness of people who make things with their own hands, the happiness of the children, particularly the Vietnamese who all say "hello" in my language, and the warmth of their welcome.
And at the heart of it all the Mekong River. This majestic river sustains life throughout it's journey from Tibet to the South China sea. I will never forget my time here.
Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey, I hope to see you all soon.
Tuesday 11 March 2008
Going home
Caught an Air Asia flight to Bangkok and have had brunch with a friend based here and a fantastic dinner with someone I know through Rexam. Had lobster, crab and grilled fish, definately a notch above my usual fare. I was thinking I have probably eaten 90% of my meals out of doors but don't expect that to continue once I get home.
I will try and sum up my experience tomorrow while I am waiting for my flight. One thing that strikes me though, is how advanced Bangkok seems after some of the places I have been. It is like the story about the Frenchman who sets off on a train to Moscow and a Russian on another train to Paris, they get to Warsaw and both think they have arrived.
Saigon was only a generation ago a city that went by bicycle. Now, it is reputed to have 6 million motorbikes (that's right, 6 million). On the 1/2 hour taxi ride into town from the airport here in Bangkok I saw 3! That is progress, Thailand is so much more advanced, the car rules, the streets are all but impassable and the rest of SE Asia will no doubt follow suit.
Could not get my camera fixed here where I bought it so, without a viewfinder it is a bit point and hope but thought these images would be of interest.
This is how you move building materials in Phnom Penh. (On one small motorbike a saw the rider with a full size double bed, mattress, divan, headboard, the lot).
This was the free dessert offered after my last meal in Cambodia...diet has definitely improved while I have been away. Those small brown fruits are delicious, I have no idea what they are called.
And this is a road junction in Bangkok with the sky train flying overhead, could be
any major city anywhere in the world, apart from the Buddah and elephants I suppose.
I will try and sum up my experience tomorrow while I am waiting for my flight. One thing that strikes me though, is how advanced Bangkok seems after some of the places I have been. It is like the story about the Frenchman who sets off on a train to Moscow and a Russian on another train to Paris, they get to Warsaw and both think they have arrived.
Saigon was only a generation ago a city that went by bicycle. Now, it is reputed to have 6 million motorbikes (that's right, 6 million). On the 1/2 hour taxi ride into town from the airport here in Bangkok I saw 3! That is progress, Thailand is so much more advanced, the car rules, the streets are all but impassable and the rest of SE Asia will no doubt follow suit.
Could not get my camera fixed here where I bought it so, without a viewfinder it is a bit point and hope but thought these images would be of interest.
This is how you move building materials in Phnom Penh. (On one small motorbike a saw the rider with a full size double bed, mattress, divan, headboard, the lot).
This was the free dessert offered after my last meal in Cambodia...diet has definitely improved while I have been away. Those small brown fruits are delicious, I have no idea what they are called.
And this is a road junction in Bangkok with the sky train flying overhead, could be
any major city anywhere in the world, apart from the Buddah and elephants I suppose.
Sunday 9 March 2008
The Royal Palace
Later in the day I went to some of the more uplifting sites. A shrine where an eyebrow of the Buddha is kept, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda.
No pictures inside but this is the Palace...
The Silver Pagoda has a floor laid with 5,000 silver tiles weighing 1kg each.
And this is me in the grounds but I apologise, the American guy who took this said he had cut off my knees...it was a disappointment to me as well.
While I was having lunch an example of the local fauna just walked past, it is a bit different here!
35 deg C here at the moment so I have retired to aircon until the evening. By the way, thanks for the comments I have received, it is nice to know people are finding this interesting.
No pictures inside but this is the Palace...
The Silver Pagoda has a floor laid with 5,000 silver tiles weighing 1kg each.
And this is me in the grounds but I apologise, the American guy who took this said he had cut off my knees...it was a disappointment to me as well.
While I was having lunch an example of the local fauna just walked past, it is a bit different here!
35 deg C here at the moment so I have retired to aircon until the evening. By the way, thanks for the comments I have received, it is nice to know people are finding this interesting.
Saturday 8 March 2008
Man's inhumanity to man....
....makes countless thousands mourn. It is a long time since Robbie Burns wrote those words but unfortunately nothing changes. This morning I went to Prison S 21 (Tuol Seng) where political prisoners were tortured and murdered by the Pol Pot regime. 14,000 went in and 12 came out alive. The crimes were documented and photographed and the victim pictures on display are a chilling reminder of what happened here while the world stood by and watched.
These are some of the "political" children who went through Tuol Seng....
And, some miles outside Phnom Penh, the Choeng Ek memorial at the Killing Fields, is where they came. 17,000 people were murdered here, often bludgeoned to death to save ammunition, and were buried in 129 mass graves. The excavation of the site and the erection of this memorial containing the skulls of 6,000 victims is a permanent reminder of what we allowed to happen.
And now, with the only sound the birdsong around the graves, this is the scene.
I was struck by one visitor's comment written on the wall at the prison, S 21, "we do not learn anything from history, I can say this, Jan, a German". Amen to that.
These are some of the "political" children who went through Tuol Seng....
And, some miles outside Phnom Penh, the Choeng Ek memorial at the Killing Fields, is where they came. 17,000 people were murdered here, often bludgeoned to death to save ammunition, and were buried in 129 mass graves. The excavation of the site and the erection of this memorial containing the skulls of 6,000 victims is a permanent reminder of what we allowed to happen.
And now, with the only sound the birdsong around the graves, this is the scene.
I was struck by one visitor's comment written on the wall at the prison, S 21, "we do not learn anything from history, I can say this, Jan, a German". Amen to that.
This is Saturday, it must be Cambodia
Well, a lot has happened since I last wrote. First, picture problems continue, Panasonic had run out of stock of LCD screens so the camera is point and hope at the moment, then the cafe here has no card reader. I will add pics later.
Spent thursday pm on the Saigon river, took a boat for myself for $10 and toured the river and the streams around the city. Just amazing how friendly the children are. I did not go past a single house on the river where children were playing who did not smile, wave and shout "hello".
Thursday evening spent in the park watching the local game, Da Cau, like badminton, a weighted feathered shuttlecock, which is kicked between the palyers keeping it airborne. Rallys are up to 12-15 shots for the best players who allow the shuttle to pass behind their backs before kicking it back with the sole of the foot, the heel or instep. Quite amazing, I will add a video and have bought one of the shuttles for practise at home.
Some young Vietnamese people came up and started to talk, just to practise their English but by the end of the evening they had taken me to their local bar, bought me all sorts of local treats to eat, and Trung, in the centre of the picture below, had become my son-in-law! (He had seen pictures of my girls and is in love with one of them. He has no idea how expensive Jo is to run)!
2 day tour of the Mekong delta was something special also. Just come up to Phnom Penh on a slow boat, 6 hours, but the scenery always changing and the river is just awesome. Between 2 and 3 km wide at the points we were travelling it is hard to make out details on either bank when travelling in mid stream. I wondered if this was the same water I was travelling on 2 weeks before in Laos? Perhaps someone could work that out.
This was a floating village on the river, 4 generations can live in these houses where they farm fish.
Home to a poor Vietnamese family whose lives are bound to the river.
I was not prepared for Phnom Penh. I thought it was a quiet backwater but it has more neon than Vegas. Will explore tomorrow as I think I have screwed up my timings and will not have time to get to the world's 8th wonder at Angkor, and will instead spend a day here before going to Bangkok for the flight home. Every step now brings me closer to home and while part of me is loving every experience here a large part of me now wants to be at home with my family, the English weather, (I wish it would rain) and wholemeal bread, toasted with marmalade!
This is the riverfront in Phnom Penh where the Tonle Sap joins the Mekong. The Tonle Sap river creates a lake in land, the largest freshwater lake in Asia, which fills from the flooding Mekong in the wet season to a size of 16,000 sq km, 9m deep and then drains during the dry season shrinking to 1 m deep and only 2,700 sq km. A natural wonder of the world and I can see it as I write this from the i cafe.
Spent thursday pm on the Saigon river, took a boat for myself for $10 and toured the river and the streams around the city. Just amazing how friendly the children are. I did not go past a single house on the river where children were playing who did not smile, wave and shout "hello".
Thursday evening spent in the park watching the local game, Da Cau, like badminton, a weighted feathered shuttlecock, which is kicked between the palyers keeping it airborne. Rallys are up to 12-15 shots for the best players who allow the shuttle to pass behind their backs before kicking it back with the sole of the foot, the heel or instep. Quite amazing, I will add a video and have bought one of the shuttles for practise at home.
Some young Vietnamese people came up and started to talk, just to practise their English but by the end of the evening they had taken me to their local bar, bought me all sorts of local treats to eat, and Trung, in the centre of the picture below, had become my son-in-law! (He had seen pictures of my girls and is in love with one of them. He has no idea how expensive Jo is to run)!
2 day tour of the Mekong delta was something special also. Just come up to Phnom Penh on a slow boat, 6 hours, but the scenery always changing and the river is just awesome. Between 2 and 3 km wide at the points we were travelling it is hard to make out details on either bank when travelling in mid stream. I wondered if this was the same water I was travelling on 2 weeks before in Laos? Perhaps someone could work that out.
This was a floating village on the river, 4 generations can live in these houses where they farm fish.
Home to a poor Vietnamese family whose lives are bound to the river.
I was not prepared for Phnom Penh. I thought it was a quiet backwater but it has more neon than Vegas. Will explore tomorrow as I think I have screwed up my timings and will not have time to get to the world's 8th wonder at Angkor, and will instead spend a day here before going to Bangkok for the flight home. Every step now brings me closer to home and while part of me is loving every experience here a large part of me now wants to be at home with my family, the English weather, (I wish it would rain) and wholemeal bread, toasted with marmalade!
This is the riverfront in Phnom Penh where the Tonle Sap joins the Mekong. The Tonle Sap river creates a lake in land, the largest freshwater lake in Asia, which fills from the flooding Mekong in the wet season to a size of 16,000 sq km, 9m deep and then drains during the dry season shrinking to 1 m deep and only 2,700 sq km. A natural wonder of the world and I can see it as I write this from the i cafe.
Wednesday 5 March 2008
Transport in HCMC
I went to the Reunification Palace today,(used to be the Presidential Palace until 30th April 1975 when the tanks of the North crashed through the gates and forced the surrender and end of the war. Not very impressive from the outside, the building was remodelled in 1965 and looks it, but inside, left exactly as it was, the ornaments, carpets decorations and works of art are beautiful. A really interesting collection of photographs and stories from the time too. 
Looking at tank 390, first through the gates in 1975 and which must be the ultimate mode of transport here, I took some pictures on my phone (camera ready later) to show some of the other diverse forms of transport in HCMC. Tank 390 
The bus, although this one aint gouing anywhere soon. 
The cyclo, this one is chrome, very swish. 
Or more relaxing, the restaurant boats on the Saigon river. 
But ultimately it comes down to the motorbike and this little video was shot at the junction near my hotel and is typical of how it works here.
Can't see the video on my preview, hope it's there.
Booked a 2 day tour to the Mekong delta leaving tomorrow and finishing with a boat ride to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, so may be out of contact for a while.
Looking at tank 390, first through the gates in 1975 and which must be the ultimate mode of transport here, I took some pictures on my phone (camera ready later) to show some of the other diverse forms of transport in HCMC. Tank 390 
The bus, although this one aint gouing anywhere soon. 
The cyclo, this one is chrome, very swish. 
Or more relaxing, the restaurant boats on the Saigon river. 
But ultimately it comes down to the motorbike and this little video was shot at the junction near my hotel and is typical of how it works here.Can't see the video on my preview, hope it's there.
Booked a 2 day tour to the Mekong delta leaving tomorrow and finishing with a boat ride to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, so may be out of contact for a while.
Serious bit
Spent the morning at the War Remnants Museum, or, as it is known locally, the American war crimes museum. This is a must on most peoples itinery here and I can understand why. The sanitised version of events we got at the time did not reveal the true horror of what took place. I did not realise that 3 million Vietnamese died in the war, 2 million injured and the effects of the chemical spraying will affect generations to come. Nor did I realise that America never declared war on North Vietnam but unleashed all the technology at their disposal, largely from aerial bombing, including dropping 40 million litres of agent orange. The photographs were completely "no holds barred" and the collection of war planes other armements and methods of torture chilling.
I dropped my new camera on the way in (had the case on upside down on my belt, doh), amazingly the first cyclo driver on exit took me to a shop who are repairing it by tomorrow for a cool million: 35 quid. This minor tragedy though was put in perspective by the museum.
I promise to cheer up next time. Just had a delicious strawberry shake...strawberrys grow all year round here! Off now to find some aircon...it is hot!
I dropped my new camera on the way in (had the case on upside down on my belt, doh), amazingly the first cyclo driver on exit took me to a shop who are repairing it by tomorrow for a cool million: 35 quid. This minor tragedy though was put in perspective by the museum.
I promise to cheer up next time. Just had a delicious strawberry shake...strawberrys grow all year round here! Off now to find some aircon...it is hot!
Tuesday 4 March 2008
Rules of the Road
My hotel booked the bus for me and it was another experience. Not a tourist bus, I was the only westerner on the coach or at any of the pit stops and nobody spoke English. Didn't realise that seating was allocated and sat in the wrong seat, separating a girl from her boyfriend but when I realised and offered to move they wouldn't hear of it and we sat like that for 7 hours! The people are so generous and polite.
Sat right at the front of the bus so was able to observe the rules of the road as follows:
1. Size matters, give way to bigger vehicles (pedestrians have no right of way)
2. Sound the horn at least every 15 seconds
there are no more rules, everything else is general guidance.
At least 90% of traffic drives on the right
Sound the horn: x1 to ensure it is working, x4 to advise traffic in front you are approaching, continuously or in bursts of x4/5 to assert your right of way,
When entering a road junction NEVER look to see if anything is coming (you might catch the eye of oncoming traffic and be forced to give way)
At red traffic lights think about stopping before driving through
When reversing onto a main road just keep coming, you can't be expected to have eyes in the back of your head (traffic will stop)
For pedestrians crossing busy roads, walk SLOWLY into the stream of oncoming traffic. Motorcyclists don't want to damage their machines and generally avoid collisions
Speed limits are determined by the traffic in front
This was all very useful for arrival in HCMC which is absolutely manic.
Had a hotel reservation but they let my room go and offered me a higher price suite. Walked out, went in the next one, took a room and ate (you will be impressed with this Christine) in the restaurant next door. Didn't even shop around.
Very hot and humid here...just like home?
Sat right at the front of the bus so was able to observe the rules of the road as follows:
1. Size matters, give way to bigger vehicles (pedestrians have no right of way)
2. Sound the horn at least every 15 seconds
there are no more rules, everything else is general guidance.
At least 90% of traffic drives on the right
Sound the horn: x1 to ensure it is working, x4 to advise traffic in front you are approaching, continuously or in bursts of x4/5 to assert your right of way,
When entering a road junction NEVER look to see if anything is coming (you might catch the eye of oncoming traffic and be forced to give way)
At red traffic lights think about stopping before driving through
When reversing onto a main road just keep coming, you can't be expected to have eyes in the back of your head (traffic will stop)
For pedestrians crossing busy roads, walk SLOWLY into the stream of oncoming traffic. Motorcyclists don't want to damage their machines and generally avoid collisions
Speed limits are determined by the traffic in front
This was all very useful for arrival in HCMC which is absolutely manic.
Had a hotel reservation but they let my room go and offered me a higher price suite. Walked out, went in the next one, took a room and ate (you will be impressed with this Christine) in the restaurant next door. Didn't even shop around.
Very hot and humid here...just like home?
Monday 3 March 2008
Easy Riders: Part 2
Met Hung at 8.30 and we went for a tour round the local area on his brand new Honda: less than 1 month old, $2,800, a fortune here. First stop another pagoda (I think I am now all pagoda'd out) but they had a fantastic collection of gnomes outside that beats anything our neighbours have hands down!
We then took in: terrace farming, a flower farm, mushroom farm, fish farm, rice wine making (and distillation to rice vodka, wow). Then we drove for some miles with the most beautiful scent in the air, I thought it was honeysuckle but it was this plant, do you know what it is? (Katherine Dobie will know because they probably have this on her plantations in Carolina)?
The best coffee in Vietnam is first fed to a breed of weasel, the droppings are then collected and roasted to produce the premium variety....I gave it a pass.
We then went to a silk factory, waterfalls, a typical Vietnamese restaurant, went trecking through the forest, and visited the Gaudi inspired Crazy House. You can stay here for $15 a night and the rooms are all irregular, organic shapes with animal themes like this.
Got back exhausted but saw so much in one day. Now moving on, a 7 hour bus ride to HCMC where it is reported to be VERY hot.
We then took in: terrace farming, a flower farm, mushroom farm, fish farm, rice wine making (and distillation to rice vodka, wow). Then we drove for some miles with the most beautiful scent in the air, I thought it was honeysuckle but it was this plant, do you know what it is? (Katherine Dobie will know because they probably have this on her plantations in Carolina)?
The best coffee in Vietnam is first fed to a breed of weasel, the droppings are then collected and roasted to produce the premium variety....I gave it a pass.
We then went to a silk factory, waterfalls, a typical Vietnamese restaurant, went trecking through the forest, and visited the Gaudi inspired Crazy House. You can stay here for $15 a night and the rooms are all irregular, organic shapes with animal themes like this.
Got back exhausted but saw so much in one day. Now moving on, a 7 hour bus ride to HCMC where it is reported to be VERY hot.
Sunday 2 March 2008
Da Lat, (pictures back)
Well, a short bus ride from Nha Trang, only 200km, took just 7 hours! After we left town the road surface got really bumpy and then we started climbing into the mountains, from sea level to about 5,000 feet where I am now. The road for the last 20k was just hairpin bends but our bus kept overtaking all the way up. Being so high it is beautiful in the day and nice and fresh in the evening. Lonely Planet (thanks Yvonne, just invaluable) describes it as alpine and it is, fir trees, French architecture, chair lifts the lot.
Stopped for lunch on the way at a roadside cafe and you are right Michael, it is frangipani and this was in their garden, scent was overpowering.
Took a look at the first golf course I have even seen in Vietnam, Royal?why? Da Lat. It did look beautifully kept, fantastic views and I thought about playing but the loan clubs are crap and they wanted $130 for a round!! So settled for a genuine Easy Rider tomorrow for $25 for the day and we are going to see all sorts.
The market here is a bit special and the flowers just spectacular. I added this picture just for Helen.
Can now see the blog, have found a card reader and am adding pictures to earlier posts. Will take some time to catch up though but have a look back through for changes.
Stopped for lunch on the way at a roadside cafe and you are right Michael, it is frangipani and this was in their garden, scent was overpowering.
Took a look at the first golf course I have even seen in Vietnam, Royal?why? Da Lat. It did look beautifully kept, fantastic views and I thought about playing but the loan clubs are crap and they wanted $130 for a round!! So settled for a genuine Easy Rider tomorrow for $25 for the day and we are going to see all sorts.
The market here is a bit special and the flowers just spectacular. I added this picture just for Helen.
Can now see the blog, have found a card reader and am adding pictures to earlier posts. Will take some time to catch up though but have a look back through for changes.
Saturday 1 March 2008
Easy Riders
Get your motors running....well a 150cc Honda anyway. Met up with an Easy Rider in Nha Trang, Mr Binh, they have a portfolio of comments from satisfied customers and take tourists around for the dat/days on their bikes. In Da Lat they are on Harleys but here the humble Honda suffices.
Mr Binh speaks pretty good English and took me to Bo Ha waterfalls, a ruined Cham tower in Nha Trang and a couple of other beauty spots, 5 pounds for the day.
This is a bit like Blackpool, it has its sleezy side and it is full of Europeans but it is such a beautiful place. The bay is a big horseshoe shape with mountains rising on all sides reminding me a bit of Marbella but more beautiful, more lush and 3 dimensional.
On the walk to the waterfall we saw lizards, snakes (one big one at least 5 feet long), birds (a species of kingfisher I have never seen before) and fish.
We passed through typical famland and villages that look as though they have been the same for generations except for the addition of satellite dishes.
I am off as planned to Da Lat on the 7.30 bus, aim to spend 2 days there and then get an Easy Rider to Saigon. Well thats the plan, I am starting to think now about timing the return to Bangkok for my flight on 12th and still have a lot to fit in.
Internet is still a pain. I can not view the blog or see any comments but hope to add some photos later...I can edit and post new blogs but can't see it so hope it comes out OK.
Mr Binh speaks pretty good English and took me to Bo Ha waterfalls, a ruined Cham tower in Nha Trang and a couple of other beauty spots, 5 pounds for the day.
This is a bit like Blackpool, it has its sleezy side and it is full of Europeans but it is such a beautiful place. The bay is a big horseshoe shape with mountains rising on all sides reminding me a bit of Marbella but more beautiful, more lush and 3 dimensional.
On the walk to the waterfall we saw lizards, snakes (one big one at least 5 feet long), birds (a species of kingfisher I have never seen before) and fish.
We passed through typical famland and villages that look as though they have been the same for generations except for the addition of satellite dishes.
I am off as planned to Da Lat on the 7.30 bus, aim to spend 2 days there and then get an Easy Rider to Saigon. Well thats the plan, I am starting to think now about timing the return to Bangkok for my flight on 12th and still have a lot to fit in.
Internet is still a pain. I can not view the blog or see any comments but hope to add some photos later...I can edit and post new blogs but can't see it so hope it comes out OK.
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