tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55054242024-02-19T10:55:00.374+00:00Haggis & Maple SyrupMatt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-48987806892426986372013-01-19T19:35:00.001+00:002013-01-19T19:37:41.070+00:00There And Back AgainSignificantly colder, though at least not raining, we are now back in Glasgow. While expected, the six weeks just flew by and hard to believe that it's back to work and normalcy already!
Travel is a bit of a drug really. I thought this trip might satisfy the cravings but of anything it has made me want to travel even more. It's a big world out there, ad many adventures left to be had!
But untilMatt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-40464056888985026192013-01-15T22:45:00.001+00:002013-01-15T22:45:16.732+00:00One Night in BangkokWriting this while trying to kill time in Dubai before the flight back to Scotland. Still quite can't believe this trip is just about done!
After a predictably shambolic journey from Siem Reap to Thailand, we had exactly 24 hours to experience Bangkok. What a shock to the system after the old world charm and relative quaintness of Cambodia. I hadn't fully appreciated how big this city is. By noMatt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-37598381975682396922013-01-13T23:25:00.001+00:002013-01-13T23:25:54.624+00:00Temples of Angkor Day 2Up really early today (4:30) in order to get down to Angkor Wat for sunrise. This complex is rightfully revered by the Cambodians (it appears on their flag) and watching its iconic silhouette appear out of the pitch black as the sun comes up was pretty spectacular. And after the sun rose, many sleepy tourists disappear giving you (relatively) a quiet few hours to explore before the masses and Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-44741513666519065372013-01-13T10:23:00.001+00:002013-01-13T10:36:35.131+00:00Gastronomic InterludeI've not intended to sample every animal in SE Asia during my time here. But (and with apologies to my vegetarian friends) I seem to have given it a good go nonetheless. In addition to goat, water buffalo and Vietnamese venison, the list photographed below was tackled last night at a great Khmer BBQ resto.
They didn't have snake on the menu though I was game. For the record, I've not Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-48836254115090921162013-01-13T07:49:00.001+00:002013-01-13T07:55:25.958+00:00Temples of Angkor Day 1Proving that fatigue is all in the mind, a mere 4 hours after hitting bed we were back up and on a tuk tuk ready to see some of the famous temples of Angkor. These are a series of Hindu and Buddhist temples originating from as far back as the 8th century and built by the ancient Khmers.
The first day we decided to hit the more remote and less touristy temples and save Angkor Wat for day two.
Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-45298365815893384372013-01-12T11:01:00.001+00:002013-01-12T11:01:56.382+00:00Beaches and stuffAs a bit of a counterpoint to the capital, we arranged for a few days on the excellently named Lazy Beach which is found on the island of Koh Rong Samleom and only accessible by a 2 hour boat trip. Clouds threatened rain on the way, but nothing came of it and we were treated to dramatic skies instead.
At the risk of cliche, I'm going to use the term a little piece of paradise to describe this Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-52896221559747324372013-01-09T04:04:00.001+00:002013-01-09T04:04:35.117+00:00Phnom PenhI'm writing this from the coastal town of Sihanoukville where we stayed over one night so we can catch a boat this morning out to an island 20 miles off the Cambodian coast for a few days of laziness. This town however is the classic cliched SE Asian tourist mecca - backpacker bars along the beach and rampant sexual exploitation by sleazy old white guys. While I'm sure the locals like the money, Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-10851947260967171342013-01-06T01:47:00.001+00:002013-01-06T03:57:34.506+00:00Long DayWhen travelling, sometimes you have to accept the day will consist of just that - travel. Yesterday was an epic one - early rise, boat, then bus to the border. As it turned out, no bribery was required but an almighty long wait in no-mans land between borders until our passports were processed and the bus company figured out what was meant to happen. Then we boarded the SE Asian cliche bus, Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-49614722940297308482013-01-05T17:34:00.001+00:002013-01-05T17:34:40.732+00:00Into CambodiaI'm writing this near the Laos-Cambodia border with some extra US dollars in case bribery is required as apparently corruption is notorious at this crossing. Fingers crossed!
We're now leaving Laos after two days on Don Khon, one of the 4000 islands that make up the archipelago of Si Phan Don. Again, the journey here was an adventure in itself: a tuk-tuk to the Mekong, then a shaky canoe across Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-12852196350139348622013-01-04T01:59:00.001+00:002013-01-04T02:22:56.730+00:00Heading SouthI'm writing this from a hammock which is the way forward for any kind of stationary activity I reckon.
Perhaps confirming that we've been doing a bit of "flashpacking", we decided to grab a second internal flight from Vientiane to Pakse in an effort to maximise the time we have left as the road infrastructure in Laos is still pretty primitive and we'd have lost at least a day to dodgy bus Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-81727015484129938872013-01-02T13:11:00.001+00:002013-01-02T13:46:32.827+00:00VientianeIn an effort to reduce travel time and maximise the days we have left, we booked a flight from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. Easily the shortest flight of my life, a mere 35 minutes but it saved us at least a full day of bus travel.
We arrived late afternoon and found out there was to be a New Year party in the main square in town. It was absolutely packed, with live music and Beer Lao flowing Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-62535394893643531282013-01-01T04:52:00.001+00:002013-01-01T04:56:49.552+00:00Happy New YearMatt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-62449737831460961552012-12-31T03:01:00.001+00:002012-12-31T03:01:24.425+00:00Luang PrabangThe brilliantly named Luang Prabang is our introduction to the small nation of Laos. It is noticeably different than Vietnam - much calmer and quieter, and many more tourists. And because of this, noticeably more expensive. From what I've heard from a few people, the number of tourists have skyrocketed in the last few years, bringing higher prices to the point where locals can't afford to live orMatt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-54397320835091501302012-12-29T09:00:00.001+00:002012-12-29T09:00:41.211+00:00Good Morning (and goodbye) VietnamAnd so ends the Vietnam portion of the journey. In the early planning stages we had thought two weeks would cover it, but we quickly fell in love with it and found reasons to stay on (knowing it would impact plans nearer the end). You quickly find its charm has hooked you, while mostly getting used to the more frustrating aspects (honk honk). Shall miss the mad street crossing, plastic stools, Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-11367405556857335772012-12-29T02:16:00.001+00:002012-12-29T02:31:45.287+00:00HanoiThe capital of Vietnam - much more laid back in some regards compared to the madness of Saigon, but full of equally wonderful experiences. A few highlights:
-arriving at 5am on the night train, and walking to the lake in the heart of the city to come across hundreds of locals doing Tai Chi, and what could only be described as energetic Vietnamese Zumba to pop music. Watched the sun come up. I'll Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-81864704520753639592012-12-27T10:51:00.001+00:002012-12-27T10:51:56.436+00:00Ha Long BayJust back from an overnight cruise in the otherworldly Ha Long Bay. Another UNESCO World Heritage site (of which Vietnam has many), this was yet another highlight of this trip. It's hard to describe, but the as the boat passes by a series of rock columns topped with jungle (complete with wee monkeys) you really get a feeling like you've sailed into a land time forgot. After the sun goes down, theMatt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-43162854014183241202012-12-24T10:29:00.001+00:002012-12-24T10:29:15.587+00:00'Tis The SeasonI think the sign below says it all! Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-61053950953371670632012-12-24T00:29:00.001+00:002012-12-24T00:29:17.698+00:00Heading NorthI'm writing this from a top bunk on an overnight sleeper train to Hanoi, and despite the warnings from a few other travellers we've met, I do fit on the bunk and can sit-up to read so all good.
Just leaving Hue which was ok - possibly a bit underwhelming after Hoian. It rained, proper monsoon style, all afternoon so it's hard to appreciate the grandeur of the Imperial Palace whilst soaked to Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-24924332509769296762012-12-22T13:09:00.001+00:002012-12-23T01:16:49.985+00:00Culinary DelightsThe food we have eaten since we arrived in Vietnam has been wonderful. Hoi An, described as a culinary tour de force, seemed like the best place to take a cookery class complete with a visit to the local market to learn more about the ingredients.
We dawned the conical hats so we would fit in with the locals and set off to the bustling market with our guide. We started with a fruit stall and Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-4590856167505683202012-12-22T08:09:00.001+00:002012-12-22T13:01:23.735+00:00Hoi AnThe last few days have been a welcome change of pace after the intensity of the motorcycle. Hoi An is an incredibly beautiful old town that has hardly changed in centuries (other than the influx of tourists of course). Because of its roots as a trading port, it is a wonderful mix of Chinese, Japanese, European and Vietnamese influences. Many of the streets are limited to bicycles and pedestrians Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-78890073913823995582012-12-21T11:35:00.001+00:002012-12-22T08:10:12.879+00:00Back On Two FeetArrived safely in Hoian after 6 amazing days riding around the Central Highlands on the back of a motorcycle. This is one of those posts I wished I was able to include maps and labeled pictures and such but unfortunately have to do the best I can from the phone!
In a nutshell - amazing. Mentioned earlier how we took a day trip around Dalat with a couple of Easy Riders who are local Vietnamese Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-71241042381538886342012-12-18T14:11:00.001+00:002012-12-19T01:03:48.384+00:00LuckyWe went to visit one of the minority people villages today, and it felt like we were walking into an exhibit you'd see at a museum showing how the Inuit used to live. But this was very much an active village with people living inside wooden huts. Got to talking (via our guide) to one of the ladies who lives there. She asked us where we were from and why we came to Vietnam. She then said she Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-5473399016067883912012-12-16T11:32:00.001+00:002012-12-16T11:33:24.494+00:00Beep beepThe only rules of the road I've been able to pick up so far are:
1) Try to not hit other vehicles.
2) If the other vehicle is bigger, you move over.
3) Honk your horn. Often.
Any other rule can only be seen as mere suggestion. But somehow it works.
But after a while, one must pull over and take it easy for a bit :)
Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-70774587542343921172012-12-15T15:49:00.001+00:002012-12-15T15:51:27.247+00:00Easy RidersWe'd been told that a motorcycle tour around Dalat into the countryside was a must, but the day was a genuine thrill from the beginning. Even being on a bike weaving through Vietnamese traffic was an experience, but our guides took us not only to the famous pagoda and waterfall, but also to a several places off the beaten track. For example the local silk factory where we were shown how they Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5505424.post-1244223758969809892012-12-13T11:15:00.001+00:002012-12-13T11:25:02.203+00:00RandomAs amazing as some of the mini tours have been, sometimes the best ways to experience a country is through the normally routine things in life.
For example - getting a haircut at a small roadside barbers. Shoes off, then sit legs extended on a couch rather than a chair, listening to the banter between barbers (not that I could understand) along with Vietnamese pop music. Or the bus to Dalat Matt Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03944569730301289943noreply@blogger.com1