Hanoi to Lao

Hanoi
I spend my second day in Hanoi first by going to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, but it was not open on Sunday. We did however get into the Ho Chi Minh museum, but it was mainly communist propaganda. Afterward we went to the 3 story market, which was insane. You can buy anything and everything you can imagine. Outside the indoor market there were streets packed with food, cloth, and electronic vendors. On the way back to our hotel Kim, Lyn, Carrie, and I picked up our laundry, which only cost 15,000 Dong per kilo, about $.35/lb of dry laundry. This was the first time I did my laundry (no washings before 20 days, not bad huh?). We dropped our stuff off and went to KFC for some lunch. Then onwards to the water puppet show, something Hanoi, Vietnam is known for. It was interesting, but I got bored. I had no idea what the hell the story line was. On the way back to our hotel, after the show, Haereshem and I got some Bao. That night we went out to eat and I got a side of kimchi. It was the best I've ever had, very flavorful and very spicy. After dinner we said our goodbyes for those that are not going to Lao. Some of us went to a night club but it was something else. I mean, 5 security guards in uniform greeted us inside the front doors and checked our bags. When the doors of the club opened we were almost deafened. It was SO loud. We found out that drinks were around 70,000 Dong, which totally a rip off, so we left. We noticed 4 more security guards scattered outside and around the front door, scoping the area. There were also several Mercedes, and other nice cars parked along the road. Mind you, this is a country where someone is rich if they own a 1985 ford. This place was definitely mob run.

Getting into Lao
The next morning, we were on the road at 5:30, which meant we had to wake up and pack our bags much earlier than that. I got in the van, now 6 of us, the Finnish couple, the Aussie couple, my German roommate Steffen, and myself. They are all 26 to 29 years old. I went to sleep for about 1.5 hours, at which point I could no longer sleep. The hotel had packed our breakfast for us, since breakfast was included in our stay, but we left to early to eat it. They packed us 4 slices of break, jam, butter, orange soda, and 2 bananas. The others told me that the break was moldy so I only had the bananas. Before we got to the Vietnam/Lao border the roads got VERY curvy and bumpy. We were riding along the edge and scaling several mountains. There were signs ALL OVER the place warning us of loose rocks, rock slides, weak bridges, uneven pavement, etc. These roads went on for hours and hours. We must have averaged 15km/hr. We checked out of Vietnam fine and now we were in no man's land. We had to drive to the Lao border, which was only half a km or so away. We had to pay a 2 dollar bribe and my visa was $35 USD. This fee was dependent on our nationality. We all were happy to be out of the ugly, rude, dirty Vietnam and into Lao. Lao was very different than Cambodia and Vietnam. Even though Lao is more poor than Cambodia, it isn't too apparent. True they live in wooden houses I could construct within a week, but there isn't the extreme poverty we saw in Cambodia. This is because Cambodia is missing an entire generation of people from the Killings in the 1970s.

Pak Xan
We arrived in Pak Xan around 8:30 at night, after having left Hanoi at 5:30 in the morning (talking about a long day of traveling). This city is tiny, which our hotel was the only hotel in the city. There is only one street (highway 13) that we will be taking during our stay in Lao. I went for a run in the early morning around 6:30 and then we had some breakfast. The hotel had a caged bear which we fed and pet. We had another 4 hour or so bus ride to get to the capital city of Vientiane.

Vientiane
This city was very quiet. It's the sleepiest capital city in the world is seems. We walked around and visited some pagodas. Steffen and I went into a shopping mall and could not believe what we saw. There were bootleg bags, watches, and clothing all over. Food kiosks selling all types of unusual foods and beers (at least unusual to me). We walked into one warehouse-like room where they had at least 20 kiosks of high-tech phones. MUCH more high tech than back in the states. Outside the mall there was a market. We say some locals melting down scrap metal and making jewelery. We wandered into another market where all they sold was electronic stuff. From cameras, to cell phones, to video games. You name it. They had more merchandise than all the products in a given Costco, UNBELIEVABLE. They had the same quantity of clothing and bags and shoes upstairs. Likewise with gold and silver jewelery. There were more people in the mall and these markets than in the entire city. On the way out I bought myself a black t-shirt of the Lao alphabet for about $1.50. On the way back to our hotel I met a couple from the US. Steffen and I got to talking with them and we decided to get a beer riverside. Mind you, the Mekong River was pretty dried up where we went to get the drink. We talked for a couple hours and had drank a little shy of one and a half liters of beer (which is quite a lot of beer in the hot sun). They are married and have been traveling for about a year. They have been all around south east Asia and eastern Europe. We talked about the cultural differences and how we all hated the Vietnamese people.

Vang Vieng

After another 3+ hour bus ride we arrived at a nice backpacker's city called Vang Vieng. We checked into our Bungalows and all went tubing down the Nam Song river. It is crazy, like a spring break of South East Asia. There had to have been 8 bars, that all had water slides and zip lines that through your out at least 15 feet above the water. We had to sign a waver with our tour guide and with the tubing company becuase many people have died using the zip lines. The bars were filled with western backpackers and free shots for all that stopped at their bars. People would through lines at your on your inner tube and we would grab on and they would drag us to their bar. They all served Beelao, a pretty nice lager, but we got a 'special' menu at one of the bars. They had Magic Mushroom Shakes, Weed Shakes, and, Weed Brownies for 50,000 kip. They also had Opium Tea for 250,000 kip. There are about 8,500 kip to $1 USD. The tubing trip took some time and I got off a little earlier and walked with my tube for about 3 km to see the town. Much of the town is filled with only locals. I get stares from the children like Jesus or something. They also say hi, or hello, in their broken English. It's very cute. When I within half a km to our hotel I saw the touristy area. There were Internet cafes everywhere, and ATMs, and book exchanges. There were tour booths, food stalls, and more white people than I've seen in the last 3 weeks. All the bars here have reruns of Friends playing on them, I'm not sure why, but they are just known for it. Tonight is a full moon and there is a huge Full Moon party that we're going to attend. Tomorrow we head for Luang Prabang, where we will be staying 3 nights. It will be nice to be somewhere for that long. We've stayed in 14 hotels in the last 3 weeks and it's becoming a pain in the ass to unpack and repack the same stuff over and over again.

--- END OF POSTING ---

Hue to Halong Bay via a Sleeper Train then to Hanoi, Vietnam

From Hue to Halong Bay via Sleeper Train

So we walked around Hue during the morning and visited the Citadel. It was quite large but I wasn't too impressed with the architecture or art work. It didn't impress may of us, but the locals seemed very impressed. I guess I would likely appreciate it more if I were deeply inlove with my own king. We walked to a super market, or the closest thing to it. I convince about 8 people to buy different types of cheese and crackers, and then we all got wine on the way back to our hotel. We were going to be on a crappy train from 15:30 one day until 6:00 the next morning, so we also got some munchies. The wine and cheese party was MY idea and everybody loved it. One the way back from the market I pointed out to both Kim and Lyn how Lorne and Ruby were (and always do) hold hands. We find it beautiful that these married people, both 80 years old, can be so full of life. We even hae trouble keeping up with them sometimes. Ruby even takes salsa lessons. Our wine and cheese party on the train was a great success. We were able to squeeze 8 people onto 2 lower bunks. There was Kim, Lyn, Lorne, Ruby, AJ, Myself, Haerishem, and someone else? I also ate on the train. Got myself some rice, some green stuff and chicken organs. I think it was mostly kidney and liver but I wasn't sure? It was tasty. Yes Lorne and Ruby, joined us in our drinking adventures (even at 80 years old), they were one of us. We arrived to Hanoi from the sleeper train, we dropped ourself off at a hotel, packed a bag for Halong Bay and then took a bus trip to Halong Bay.

Halong Bay

We arrived at Halong Bay after 4 hours, which is nothing after a 15+ hour train ride. Oh and by the way, there was no toilet on the train. Just a hole and a couple of handles on the walls so you didn't fall backwards. I posted a pic of what we had to deal with. At Halong Bay we got dropped off at tghe harbor where we got on to a very nice Junk Boat. There was a crew of 4 or 5 and all in a white uniform. There was an indoors secetion in which 6 tables were set. There was white table cloths, wine glasses and silverware all set. The lunch was as follows: Huge platter of whole shrimp, stuffed crab (in a whole crab), fried squid, white rice, sauted cabbage, french fries, vegetable egg rolls, and apples...all included. After a 2 hour boat trip of viewing the wonderful harbor area we took a ~45 minute stop to walk inside some natural caves. SO BEAUTIFUL. We then took the Junk Boat back to shore and took a 3 minute bus ride to our hotel in Halong Bay. This place was NICE. We had huge rooms, with huge beds and they even had the rooms ready with warm tea and hot coffee for us. The rooms had given us shoe polish, toothbrushes, combs, toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, Q-tips, shower caps, and so much more. At night we went to a local restaraunt and I got sweet and sour chicken (it was not too good) and we had a surprise birthday cake for Stefan, the German. He had turned 41. After dinner we walked in the down along the harbor and we stopped at a 24 hour Karaoke Bar. There was nobody singing at the time, but they were playing horrible techno music...well just techno music, the horrible part was what I think of techno music. I have formulated my own theory that ALL ASIANS LOVE TECHNO MUSIC. There was no body dancing on the stage. A couple of girls were asking me to dance with them, at least that's what I now understand to be the case. Nobody in my group would go up and for some illogical reason I complied with their requests. I went up and 'danced' with them, and not in the semi-erotic American way, but the crazy Asian way...hand waving, jumping, shaking, and the whole works. I am able to talk to the girls through a local who works at the bar. He says they are from China on a tour traveling Vietnam and that they want me to teach them to dance like me. We exchange moves and then I go sit with my friends. We take turns singing (though only 5 or 6 of us actually sing). I sing "I'm Too Sexy" since it doesn't involve any music range. I had to go up on stage and sing in front of all my friends and probably 15 to 25 other people. After we all finshed singing the locals sang songs in Vietnamese, we all go bored since they were very slow songs and sounded alike. Kim, Carrie, and myself were getting cold so we walked back at this time. Kim and I then hung out in her hotel room and watched some TV and she told me about Amsterdam some more. The next morning I almost slept in and woke up with 15 minutes to get ready, pack up, eat breakfast, and get on the bus back to Hanoi.

Hanoi
After another 4 hour bus ride we got back to Hanoi. We checked in our hotel and this was also a nice hotel. Then we went exploring the city. I went with Kim, Lyn, and Carrie. We bought tickets for the Water Puppet Show tomorrow at 15:30 since all the 5 shows today were already sold out. We walked up and down the streets and through the markets. The traffic here is insane. I have been nearly been run over many times, but that's 'normal' here. You have to have confidence to get anywhere in this town. You just walk in front of 5 or 6 oncomming motorcycles and cars just seems to 'move' aroun you. They never stop for pedetrians like we would at a red light. They do move around you though. Red lights and traffic lane lines are nothing more than a suggestion to these folk. I am very excited to be leaving Vietnam in a couple days and enter Lao. These people are dirty, rude, and pathetic. They always spit, no matter where they are. They spit inside their own temples, along the market, and while they walk to you. I mean REALLY SPIT. Today Carrie and I split some fried food on the street along some smaller road. I think one was a sausage of some sort? The other two were fried meats with spinach and mushroom maybe? My best guess is that they were pork, but I have no clue. Carrie and I are also trying to find some dog to eat for dinner.

---END OF POSTING ---

Hoi An and Hue in Vietnam

Hoi An, Vietnam
Tried on my suit and it fits amazing. It was a little costly to send it home. I choose to go with air mail even though it was twice as much as sea. I bought two North Face bags for a total of 14 dollars. One is a smaller book bag which is a great day pack, and the other is a large backpackers bag, with a bunch of removable storage bags. We walked around the town and at night went out to a nice dinner. It was very fancy. Afterwards I walked to a carnival alone becuase everyone else wanted to go to bed. The carnival was the lantern festival that concluded on Tet (the New Years). They hade live music acts and a bunch of carnival games. The prizes for the games were as follows: water, orange fanta, red bull, beer, cigarettes. Mind you there was no age limit for these games. Also there were many booths that had gambling...you would bet on a picture and win money according to a big spinning wheel. I watched for a while and then played. I won several times and lost. In total I probably lost 25,000 Dong. It was a very cool thing to be part of a genuine Vietnamese carnival. I got stares from everyboHoi An, dy and was probably one of only 5 white people out of the 2000+ locals.

I went for a run the next day and went shopping a little. I explored the city some more. Went out to eat at a nice little place where I had a 5 or 6 course meal. I had a large beer and then split a 4 person bucket with Lyn. Then I got everybody to go back to the Carnival with me. We sat and watched everybody play bingo (or something close to it). It was interesting to watch because they were singing a song and picking the numbers and reading the numbers off and dancing...all apart of the bingo game. We went to a bar afterwards which was filled with backpackers. The bar was quite overpriced (about 2-4 dollars a cocktail). After the bar Carrie, Lyn, Kim, and myself, yeah three older girls ;), all got some alcahol at a kiosk on the way home. We mostly got rum and coke for dirt cheap...but I also got a pack of cream-o's. These are fake Oreo's and cost only 15 cents, compared to the 50 cents for the 'real deal'.

We drank along the hotel's pool and listened to music from my ipod. The pool was on the roof of the hotel and the atmosphere was perfect...

The next day we woke up early to go to Marble Mountain. I hiked up to the top where there were many bagodas. Along the base of the Mt. there were shops selling all types of marble goods. Typically they would be crafting and carving, but becuase of the New Years they were not doing so. In other countries things stay closed for ~3 days, but here (in a communist country) things can stay closed from 5-15 days. But the important things remain open. I wanted to get myself and my sister SHAWNIEB a marble tea set. They ranged from $10 to $50 dollars, and in the states would run much over 200 dollars. They were intricate and beautiful. Maybe I'll buy stuff later, becuase I just spent a crapload on my suit and sending that home (about what I budgeted for 10 days of travel).

Hue, Vietnam
In Hue, Vietnam we went for a tour of the Tuc Doc's summer home and tomb, an arena where tigers used to battle elephants, and a local crafts village. In this village they were making Vietnamese hats and insence. The insence was made my rolling this scnted cotton candy-like material around a wooden stick and allowing it to dry overnight. We got back with little time to shower and get ready for dinner. We ate at a local place, which was very cheap. I ordered whole squid w/ tomatos, vegetable sour soup, and a large 1.5 L bottle of water for only 56,000 Dong, or about $3.25. Afterwards the 3 or 4 of us 'party goers' went to a bar and had some driks and shot some pool. I left early and walked alone back to my hotel. I wanted to find some bao so continued down a long road. LONGER than I would have guessed. After I spend 40 minutes walking and no luck of bao, and not quite sure where my hotel was I got a cyclo and went back. They first two cyclo drivers wanted 100,000 dong and I refused and offered 8000. They looked pissed and drove away after realizing I would NOT budge. The third cyclo driver said fine, but repeatidly asked me if I wanted to buy marijuana on the entire ride home. Of course I refused. Today we are walking to the Citidel and on the way back stopping at a super market (at least that's what they call it). Here we're going to get some snacks for the sleeper train tonight. We depart Hue at 15:30 and don't arrive until early the next morning, so it will be a long crapy train ride. Cheers!

--- END OF POSTING ---

Suit and Shoes in Hoi An, Vietnam

Suit and Shoes
I got myself a suit, shirt and sandals . I was lucky enough to actually meet the two girls that made my suit and my shoes.

--- END OF POSTING ---

Nha Trang to Hoi An, Vietnam

Nha Trang, Vietnam
We took a sleeper train from Ho Chi Min City to Nha Trang. The train was a nice one that shared a cabin with 4 beds, a TV, a writing table, comfy sheets, and AC. We were told the train arrived at 5:30 so AJ woke us up at 5, but we didn't end up getting off the train until 7. We walked around the beach at Nha Trang while we were waiting for our rooms to be ready for check-in. Carry, Kim, Haeirshem, Lyn, and myself got breakfast on the beach as well. On the beach Kim and Lyn get beach chairs while I continued to walk down the coast. I made friends with a local man names Bhac. We talked about life and he asked me for a drink. He teaches Vietnamese to English speaking students (which explained his relatively good English). He said the beer was too much on the beachfront and that we should go to a local mart farther from the shore. I comply and follow him. When we get to the store/kiosk, I buy one for myself but see that he has not selected a beer, so I buy him one. I begin to feel he has used me for the free beer. We continue to walk when we get to a fenced in white shack. Chained to the door is a dog. Bhac says this is his house and invites me inside. He says it's too hot and he wants to wash off and relax. I say I am content with staying here (which is outside of the gated area). He insists and I claim that I don't have the sun where I am from and he says "may [he will] visit [me] along the beach later" and I say OK. I walk back to Kim and Lyn (rather briskly at this point). We sun bathe and I teach Kim how to play draw poker and then Texas Hold'em.

At night I choose to walk around and find a 'local' place to eat. Many of the others choose not to come along. I find a place that served; Ostrich Heart, Pig and Chicken Feet, Pork Kidney, Liver, Stomach, Gecko Soup, Snake Head, Snake Blood, and the list goes on and on. I order Pork Stomach and some seafood soup. The others order chicken, soup, fish, and noodles. My food comes in 5 minutes while the Lyn's chicken comes in a little shy of 90 minutes. In all fairness we can confess to its freshness...we saw the chicken (still alive) taken back to the kitchen and it takes a while to kill a bird, then drain it of its blood and remove its entrails. I ordered water and it never came so then I ordered a beer but that never came as well. It's touch when no one speaks English in the place...it was not frequently visited by tourists. We got our bill and it was a little over half a million dong. Lyn's 120,000 Dong meal had been raised to 250,000 dong since it was "the holidays". We argued since this was not on the menu, but the man persisted. Everyone in Vietnam is trying to rip you off, but I will not talk about this since it's a communist country and I am using a public computer and don't want "free room and board" for the next 10 years of my life.

Early the next morning, at 7 sharp, I took a yoga class with Kim and Lyn from one of older girls on the trip as she is a yoga instructor. It was good, but tough to wake up since we were up late drinking the night before. Near 8:45 we took a day trip on a boat. We visit 4 Vietnamese islands on the boat, which probably had between 100 and 200 people on it. It was crazy trying to get out of the dock since there must have been 50 other boats either coming or going. There was no sense of semblance. Aboard the boat we were served a nice large lunch, family style, with filo dough stuffed with rice mushrooms and other goodies, shrimp, rice, noodles, beef stew, soup, bread, and various other meat and fish dished. At one island some went snorkeling or scuba diving and at another some went to a beach or an aquarium. At one of the islands we jumped off the boat and ate fruit and took shots of liquor in the ocean. The locals played western classics using instruments made from salvaged pots (plastic and metal).

We got back with a little bit of time, but had already checked out of our rooms, so I showered in the pool house and got dressed in my PJs for the over night train. I was wearing my Foster's PJ bottoms and everyone teased me. I guess no one wears PJ bottoms outside of the US. This train was MUCH worse that first one. There were cigarette buts in the storage bin above the beds to store our stuff. No TV, cheap florescent lighting, and the AC barely worked. We arrived in Da Nang at 5:30 and took a short bus to the city of Hoi An.

Hoi An, Vietnam
We could not check in right away so we ate some breakfast and went for a 2 hour walk around the city. The city is wonderful and a sharp contrast can be made from the rest of Vietnam. The city is much cleaner and the people are too. They don't spit on the street everywhere and they smile much more. We walked to some of the famous tourist attractions and strolled in some of the local markets. AJ had remembered that I wanted to buy a suit so he took us to a place that he has had good experiences with. They will keep on altering the clothes until the client is happy. I bought a cashmere-silk suit and shirt for $138. The average wool suit without a custom designed shirt was ~$100 USD. They can make ANYTHING you want. They have countless European and American magazines that we can flip through and pick out what we want. Haeirshem bought 2 suits and a pair of pants that zip off into shorts. The pants were made from amazingly soft material that dries quickly when wet and he was able to choose embroidery, pocket size, etc. Basically anything you want they can do. They had absolutely no clothing inside the store other than 4 or 5 demos. All they had were lengths of fabric and endless possibilities. I think I am going to buy a North Face back back or a North Face luggage for about 7 or 8 dollars. They are knock offs, but the tailoring in Vietnam beats the cheap brands in American.

I believe I am taking a tour tomorrow somewhere 50km outside of the city and may take a Vietnamese cooking course tonight, but nothing is set...that's the wonders of backpacking.

--- END OF POSTING ---

Ho Chi Min City (Saigon), Vietnam

Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam
After arriving in Ho Chi Min City I walked around a bit, but it was just too hot. It was rather quiet since it everybody was celebrating Tet, also known as the Chinese New Years. People get 3 days off work and everything closes, less of course the touristy areas, bars, restaurants, etc. We met up with the new people on our group and they are quite different than all the others. There are 4 in total, 1 is a guy Canadian ER Resident, 2 are sisters from Jersey and about 65 yrs old, and the last is a woman from Boston who is teaching English in Cambodia.

At dinner I had fried tofu with lemongrass and chili (holy shit it was hot), also I had 2 beers and 2 shots of tequila (as did many others). Afterward all the younger travelers and our guide, AJ, took a walk and reserved a room for karaoke. We only sang American music tunes. Most people chose slow music but I choose Brick House by the Commodores and Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. I don't ever sing and I managed to prove that to the other, how unfortunate for them.

During our way back a couple of us stopped to get a Vietnamese Sub from a street vendor. These are known as Bánh mì and cost 10,000 Dong (which is about $0.60).

We said our goodbyes to those leaving the trip and then went to sleep. This morning we took a private tour bus to see the Cu Chi Tunnels. These were a network of elaborate tunnels the Vietcong used during the Vietnam War.

We leave for Nha Trang around 20:00 tonight and spend the night on the train. We are set to arrive in Nha Trang in the early morning. I just read that it's one of the most beautiful bays in the world. They also have a delicacy their known as bird's nest soup. This is something that I just have to try. Tomorrow should be a nice day of relaxation on the beach.

--- END OF POSTING ---

Chau Doc, Vietnam

Chau Doc, Vietnam (AKA The Mekong Delta)
After a 6 hour journey we arrived at Chau Doc, Vietnam. We needed to cross the Cambodian-Vietnamese border by foot. Typically this border crossing is for locals and when we crossed we got looks from everybody. It was approaching 100 degrees F and carrying all of our luggage was a bitch. Joey tried to take a photo while at the customs and he was 'quickly' yelled at and stopped by the officers...remember this is a very communist country. We arrived in Chau Doc around 2 and we all went on a Fish Farm and Village tour. The city of Chau Doc smelled like a cocktail of sour eggs and half rotten garbage...yum. The boats we took were crap (to put things bluntly) and off we were along the Mekong River. We first went to a fish farm where there were about 200,000 fish in a small fenced off area within the Meking. The guide fed the fish and it was insane to see the fish flap around. We were told that if you lived on the river then you pay no taxes, thus many people were living on small broken down huts on the water. During our second leg of the tour we say a family of 15 or so watching a TV inside a river hut. A small girl, maybe aged 3 or so, dropped her pants, bent over the Mekong River and took a dump. And this was only 200m from the fishery. I might think twice before I order fish again.

The village we went to was up on stilts 10 to 15 feet high. The locals sold sarongs and jewelery underneath the huts. There were marking on the pillars, which I later discovered were the annual high levels for the water. I am here on the dry season and when the wet season arrives it will completely flood their village and they will have to move about by boat. We had to walk a bridge about 100 feet long and only 20 inches wide, made up of many planks of wood. It was rather quite unbelievable...not safe (plus there was only 1 rail and it was not securely fastened to anything)

There are many stray cats and dogs here as well as in Cambodia. This fact makes me all the more excited to try Dog and Cat for dinner. I hear dog is a delicacy in Vietnam, but it's much more costly than other types of meet. A dog dinner will likely cost as much as 5 dollars here.

Last night we went out to eat where I had a meal of Vegi Spring Rolls, and a Pork Noodle Dish, along with a Saigon Beer...price $4. I walked around with Joey and the Aussie couple for a bit and I got some Ice cream. Joey and I left them and went into the internet cafe. I was trying to read up on the SIM card I just bought since the manual and voice instructions were all in Vietnamese. I didn't have much luck, but I was able to talk to my folks for a little shy of 20 minutes this morning (my time).

While I was on the internet I noticed all the Vietnamese girls were playing a game that was similar to Dance Dance Revolution (DDR for all of you acronym people). They didn't type to a rhythm, but just typed as fast as they could to make the people on the screen dance. They used the arrow keys...I guess it's a very popular game. After 40 minutes we left and headed back to our hotel. The cost for 40 minutes online you ask? 4,000 Vietnamese Dong (or about $0.23).DAMN that's cheap.

On the way back to our hotel we bought some Bao on the street for 5,000 Dong (~$0.29). You can read what it is on the blue link in the previous sentence. Basically it is a giant doughy ball the size of a popcorn ball that is filled with flavored pork and it also had a hard boiled quail egg. We got some drinks back at the hotel and sad along the Mekong River while we ate the Bao. It was very tasty. Joey leaves our group tomorrow morning, and he will be greatly missed.

Today we took an 8 hour bus to Ho Chi Min City. We needed to drive our bus on a fairy boat and get off the bus while we crossed the river. During our entire trip we were receiving stares from everybody, and the children waved their hands and said "hello" in broken English. I guess they think we're celebrities. Chau Doc is a VERY small town and isn't visited by white tourists too often. Also our bus was very nice and this also stood out...motorcycles are the norm here in Indochina and if one has any type of car, albeit shit, they are considered to have money.

I am in my hotel in Ho Chi Min City (formerly Saigon), the capital of Vietnam and we're going to dinner with the 4 new group members that start with us tomorrow. We are also leaving behind: Joey, Connie, Sonja, and Edwin. Tomorrow we are planning to take a tour of the Cu chi Tunnels, which runs from 8:00 to 13:00. I have been waking up before 7:00 every day (except for one day at 8:30 when I was on the beach), and we have full days. Although we often call the nights short at around 11:00 or 12:00. This is partly due to safety and heavily due to the fact that were in 95+ degree F temperatures and sun all day long.

Tomorrow we are taking a sleeper train that takes about 12 hours that arrives at our destination around 5:30 the following morning in Nha Trang.

--- END BLOG ENTRY ---

Introduction, Itinerary, and Travel Dates.

Hello All,

I would like to take this time to introduce myself as well as the following blog. I am Scott Biales, as most of you likely already know. I will be traveling to South East Asia, India, and Ireland from January 17th to March 24th, 2009. For the first leg of my trip I will be in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam for about 5 weeks. I will be flying from Bangkok, Thailand to Delhi, India for the second leg of my trip and will be traveling Northern India for a little under 4 weeks. The third and last leg of my trip consist of 9 days in The Republic of Ireland. I will be flying from Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) into Dublin, Ireland and will be spending St. Patrick's Day in the capital city. I will Travel the country and fly out from Shannon International Airport and return home on March 24th 2009.

Although I will not be visiting the following locations, I will be stopping at their airports:

• Tokyo, Japan
• Chicago, IL
• Mumbai (foremely Bombay), India
• London, England

I encourage everybody to contact/communicate with me via this blog, as my email will likely be cluttered with 1000s (literally) of emails while I'm gone and this will make it much more convenient for me. Also, I will be keeping a personal travel journal, so I will be using that a lot. Thus, don't expect too much detail/info in this blog.

Itinerary
(NOTE: the following itineraries include both organized tours and the plans I made myself, which are subject (and very likely) to change as I see fit)

1st Leg of Trip

Day 1 Bangkok Today is arrival day so there are no activities planned. You are therefore free to relax, explore the city & adjust to the frenetic pace and humid heat of Bangkok. Please try to arrive before 6pm for an important group meeting where you can meet the tour leader and the other group members.

Day 2-3 Siem Reap/Angkor Wat (2B)
After breakfast on day 2, we leave Bangkok on the way to the Thai Cambodian border. It's a long bus ride to Siem Reap. It will take approx 4 hours from Bangkok to the border. It is possible to get Cambodian visas at the border; ask your leader for details. Then, we will disembark with our luggage and cross the border by foot. This process can take up to an hour or more. After the border formalities are complete, we continue on to Siem Reap. This section of the drive is on mostly unsealed roads and it is very bumpy!!! Although its only 160 km in length, it can take about 5-6 hours. The scenery is spectacular though and there's an immediate contrast between Thailand and Cambodia.
Angkor, the former capital of the Khmer Kingdom, is one of the wonders of the archeological world. Rediscovered at the end of the last century by French explorers, this vast ruined city is becoming one of the most popular sites in Southeast Asia. You can buy a pass to visit some of the highlights of this ancient capital, like the magnificent temple of Angkor Wat, the enigmatic Bayon within the walled city Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Banteay Srei.

Day 4-5 Phnom Penh (2B)
On day 4, we journey by local bus taking in the spectacular scenery to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. After a brief walking tour by your leader you are free to explore Phnom Penh. Sights you might want to visit include the National Museum and adjacent complex of the Silver Pagoda and Royal Palace. After 1975, when Pol Pot and his henchmen grabbed power, Cambodia was thrown into an abyss of unspeakable violence and mass-murder. Millions of Cambodians perished during this time. Witness to this genocide are the Killing fields of Choeung Ek and the Tuol Sleng prison. A Tuk Tuk can be hired locally to take you there, or you may wish to explore town or go shopping at the famous Russian Market.

Day 6-7 Sihanoukville
A three hour drive takes us to Cambodia's southern coast and the beaches of Sihanoukville. Relax on the sand whilst having a massage and eating fresh seafood, or join a boat trip for snorkelling and lunch on an uninhabited island.

Day 8 Mekong Delta (1B)
We'll drive 4-5 hours to the Cambodia/Vietnam border. After completing the necessary formalities, we will continue on to Chau Doc (Vietnam), a 45 minute drive. You should arrive mid afternoon with time to relax and adjust to the change of pace. A trip up to Sam Mountain on motorbikes to watch the sunset, a boat trip through the fish farms, or a walk through the local market give you a taste of life in the Mekong Delta.

Day 9-10 Ho Chi Minh City
After breakfast on day 9, head to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Lose yourself in the maze of Saigon’s central market, here you’ll find everything from bolts of brocade to flanks of beef. Write a quick postcard in Saigon’s stately French colonial post office, one of many French-era buildings that add grace this modern metropolis. On day 10, we take an overnight train to Nha Trang.

Day 11-12 Nha Trang (1B)
Arrive in Nha Trang in the morning. Explore the local shops and markets, sit on the beach soaking up the sun or visit nearby historical towns. Optional activities can include a boat trip to nearby islands for snorkeling and scuba diving.
On the evening of day 12 we take an overnight train to Danang.

**Please note that the January 10th, 2009 departure will be traveling to Danang by bus instead of train on evening of day 12**


Day 13-14 Hoi An (2B)
From Danang, it is only a short drive to the picturesque port town of Hoi An, once known as Faifo, was an important trading town with strong south Chinese influence and connections.

You can take a walking tour of this living museum which includes the Museum of History and Culture, the Tan Ky house, the Japanese bridge, the Fujian Assembly Hall and lunch at a riverside restaurant to sample some of the local delicacies. Hoi An is also a shopping mecca for tourists in the region. Tailors can produce virtually anything overnight, with clothing, silk lanterns, lacquer ware and many other crafts abound.And for sun worshipers,Cua Dai Beach is 4kms from town.


Day 15-16 Hue (1B)
Just a 3 hour drive to the north of Hoi An is the city of Hue. Our drive takes us over Hai Van Pass and past Lang Co beach.

Upon arrival in Hue, once the imperial capital, tour the Citadel which also contains the Forbidden Purple City, modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing. Badly destroyed during the Tet Offensive in 1968, significant restoration work has since occurred. A true highlight of Hue is the surrounding countryside. Traveling by boat along the Perfume River visit Tien Mu Pagoda and the tombs of two of the Emperors Minh Mang and Khai Dinh.

Late afternoon of Day 16 board an overnight sleeper train to Hanoi (approx 13hrs).


Day 17 Halong Bay/Bay Chai Harbour (1L)
Arrive in the early morning to bustling Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. We will then transfer to a private bus for a 3 hour drive to Halong Bay.

Thousands of islands rise dramatically from the waters of Halong Bay and, to further their beauty, intricate caves have been hollowed out through these limestone karst formations. Aboard a sailing junk we'll enjoy a seafood lunch before visiting some of these islands and caves. Perhaps we'll have a chance to take a pre-dinner swim, before transferring to the mainland for our overnight stay.

Day 18-19 Hanoi (2B)
After breakfast, we'll transfer back to Hanoi. Upon arrival you can visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) or Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and Museum. The Mausoleum houses the remains of Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of the unified Vietnam (the mausoleum and museum is closed October-November). Or take a walk through Hanoi's Old Quarter – a maze of street, each one traditionally devoted to a different product or industry. In the evening you have an option to attend a performance at the famous Water Puppet Theatre and sample some of Hanoi's amazing eating venues. They offer all kinds of delicious Vietnamese food, one of the world’s most delightful cuisines.

Day 20 Pak Xan
Today is a long travel day (approx 12hrs). We travel through spectacular mountains before crossing into Lao.
Pak Xan is a sleepy town with a great local market. The pace of life is dramatically different from Vietnam. We’ll arrive in the evening with a chance to have some dinner and enjoy a cold Beer Laos.


Day 21 Vientiane (B)
A 5 hour drive takes us to the capital city.
There is a wealth of cultural delights to discover - on foot, by bicycle or, for the less energetic, by tuk-tuk. Visit Laos' most important national monument, Phat That Luang, or meander down the dusty riverside tracks to find villages full of friendly children, dogs and chickens. A visit to Vientiane's vibrant, colourful morning market (which incidentally is open all day!) is worth it to find plenty of local treasures. A great way to round off the day is to enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Mekong at one of the many restaurants along the riverbank.


Day 22 Vang Vieng
A 3 hour drive north takes us to beautiful Vang Vieng. This quiet town is set along the Nam Song river amidst rice fields and limestone karsts. Explore some of the caves by bicycle, or float down the river in a tire tube stopping off for a cold drink and zip line ride at one of the numerous bamboo bars. In the evening, soak in the beauty of Vang Vieng as the sun sets over the river.

Day 23-25 Luang Prabang (2B)
Today we take the bus from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang (approx 7 hours)
Luang Prabang has a magical feel about it. Nestled in the hills of northern Laos on the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers, it is studded with ornate temples and French colonial architecture. A visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which has remained untouched since the royal family departed in 1975, is sure to impress.

We will also have an option to hop on a songthaew to the beautiful Kuang Si falls, where pale turquoise waters cascade over limestone formations.

For a small additional cost there is also the option, for those who feel active and want to stretch their legs, to take a 3 to 4-hour walk through the countryside to the falls (in wet season it may be too slippery).


Day 26-27 Pakbeng/Chiang Khong
We board our boat for the 2-day journey up the mighty Mekong River to Chiang Khong. The journey is relaxed, as we experience the slow pace of village life and the breathtaking scenery along the river. We dock at the small town of Pak Beng to spend the night (approx 8 hours). The standard of accommodation in this trading port is basic but comfortable.Note that Pakbeng only has electricity from 6pm to 10pm and 6am to 10am.

The following morning we re-board our boat and cruise leisurely up the river before arriving at the Laos/Thai border and crossing in to Chiang Khong in the late afternoon (approx 7 hours).

Please note that the river boat is of a basic standard. Your leader will help arrange the purchase of food and drinks for the boat journeys. It can also be quite cold from November to February so make sure you have some warm gear packed!


Day 28 Chiang Mai/Overnight Train
Leaving Chiang Khong early in the morning we drive to Chiang Mai (approx 5 hours). You'll have the afternoon to explore. In the evening, we board our fan cooled overnight train for Bangkok (approx 12 hours).

Day 29-33 Bangkok
We'll arrive early in the morning to Bangkok, Thailand's capital city. The day is free to explore the many sights of Bangkok. The Grand Palace, Wat Po, National Museum, and Jim Thompson's House are just a few suggestions. A trip along the Chao Praya river and through the canals (or Klongs) gives you a different perspective of daily life in this busy city. In the evening we'll say good bye as we enjoy a Thai meal, some of the world's best food!

Day 34 Depart Bangkok (B)

2nd Leg of Trip

Days 1-2 Delhi

Namaste! Welcome to India.

India's capital is an exciting, busy, and often chaotic city but certainly one of the most interesting. With well-preserved historical sites from many different eras, museums and galleries, shops and endless bazaars, there is more to see and do than we can possibly fit in during our short time here. For those arriving early, there is an opportunity to discover some of the many attractions on your own - the ruins of Qutb Minar and Purana Qila, the crafts museum, Indira Gandhi Museum, Birla House (the site of Gandhi's assassination) and the centre of Imperial British India at Rajpath are all highly recommended.

We start day 2 with a visit to Old Delhi. The walled city of Shahjahanabad, or Old Delhi, was the creation of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. In the morning, we visit one of its most impressive buildings and Delhi's oldest mosque, the Jama Masjid. Afterwards, we join the crowds, walking through the bazaars of the Old City, immersing ourselves in the noise and smells of the crowded narrow streets and alleys, where different areas specialise in festival paraphernalia, silk, copper, brass and spices.

Our hotel in Delhi is right in the heart of the city. Rooms have air-conditioning, private bathrooms with hot and cold running water. The hotel has a multi cuisine restaurant and internet cafe.

In the late afternoon of day 2 we leave on an overnight train for Jaisalmer (approx 19 hours). Our sleeper trains along the way are clean and air conditioned, and are a great way to travel long distances and still get maximum time in each place. Beds are padded berths, sheets, pillow and blankets are provided but some people prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. Please note you may be sharing with locals in a same gender/mixed gender situation. Most trains have a dining carriage where food/snacks/meals are available.

Days 3-5 Jaisalmer

Travelling through the night, we wake to find a desert landscape as we travel across the stark Thar Desert. The 1,000 km journey takes around 19 hours and we should arrive in Jaisalmer around midday if there are no train delays.

Looking like a scene from 'The Thousand and One Nights' as it rises magically out the desert, Jaisalmer is a centre for nomadic tribespeople who come in to town to trade in the narrow twisting alleys full of markets and ornately carved houses.

Our accommodation in Jaisalmer is a guest house located in the fort itself with a roof top restaurant. Rooms have running hot and cold water in private bathrooms.

From our base in Jaisalmer, the Thar Desert is right on our doorstep and we take the opportunity to ride camels out over the sand dunes to spend a night out under the stars. At night, the riders get the camp fire burning and cook us dinner. In the morning, awaken early for an amazing desert sunrise, before a simple breakfast. This is a taste of the life of a nomadic trader and it's definitely travelling at its very best. While camping we stay in multishare tents. A seperate toilet tent will be set up.

Days 6-7 Jodhpur

A local bus carries us across the Thar Desert to Rajasthan's second-largest city, the busy and chaotic Jodhpur (approx. 5 hours). Full of fascinating artefacts, you may choose to take some time to explore the colossal Meherangarh Fort that dominates the city skyline.

Our hotel is situated in a very central position and has a rooftop cafe with an unbelievable view of the Meherangarh Fort and the old city. Only 5 minutes' walk away is Sadar Bazaar, one of the oldest markets in India. Built around the clock tower amid spice and vegetable markets, juice sellers and sari materials, Sadar Bazaar also has numerous vendors with carts selling everything from Bollywood soundtracks to armfuls of sparkling bangles. Jodhpur is famous for its antique shops and for the best lassi in India - well, that's our opinion! And yes, Jodhpur is where those famous trousers come from!

Out in the surrounding countryside are the Bishnoi tribal villages, which are well worth seeing. You leader can organise a visit for you on request.

Days 8-10 Udaipur

A bus takes us to Udaipur, the southernmost point of our trip (approx. 7 hours). Rolling hills, white marble palaces and lakes all combine to give Udaipur a very special appeal, and it certainly lives up to its reputation as India's most romantic city. It's a centre for artists, dancers and musicians and the shopping is simply superb.

Again, our hotel sits within walking distance of many of Udaipur's main points of interest, such as the Jagdish Temple, Saheliyon-ki-Bari (the Garden of Maidens) and City Palace with its museums, crystal gallery and wealth of royal treasures.

Udaipur's famous Lake Pichola is a serene place to enjoy a boat ride and if you are gastronomically inclined, there is plenty of time to learn the art of Indian cooking at Spice Box, a deliciously fun must-do for all who come here. You could also visit a craft village and a folk museum or take in a fantastic cultural show at the Bagore-ki-Haveli - where you could even get up and join in the dancing! Journey out to the hilltop Monsoon Palace for sunset or spend lazy afternoons just taking in the views from a rooftop cafe, over a glass of hot, sweet chai.

Days 11-12 Pushkar

Today we travel by local bus to Pushkar (approx. 8 hours). Home to India's only Brahma temple as well as a holy lake, Pushkar is a major destination for pilgrims and sadhus (holy men) from all over India. The atmosphere is friendly and mellow, there is hardly any traffic and the town is small enough to walk around with ease.

While in Pushkar, be sure to spend some time exploring the main bazaar and many sidestreets - again, some great shopping can be done here with some of the cheapest clothes and jewellery to be found in northern India. Hang out in one of the gardens or rooftop restaurants or walk around the lake, with its bustling ghats and temples, to watch the devout as they worship at the holy waters. There is an optional early morning walk to the hilltop Savitri Temple for magical views over the town, and also a wonderful steaming glass of chai waiting for you if the chai man is there - certainly well worth the trek!

Days 13-14 Jaipur

Today we travel on a local bus (approx. 4 hours) to the 'Pink City' of Jaipur, where we find a friendly and busy town with palaces and bazaars full of jewellery, textiles and folk-based arts. Deep in the heart of the Old City lies India's most-photographed building after the Taj Mahal, the Hawa Mahal, also known as the 'Palace of the Winds'. Be sure to stop by and take some photos yourself!

Near Jaipur is the old capital of Amber, a majestic hilltop palace complex - which makes for a wonderful day trip. To fully get into Indian life, don't miss watching a Hindi movie - there is nowhere better than the Raj Mandir Cinema - 3 hours of song and dance for a couple of dollars can't be beaten!

Day 15 Bharatpur

We leave Jaipur by local bus (approx. 5 hours) to the city of Bharatpur, home to the famous Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, where a peaceful afternoon can be spent cycling around the Park. If birds are not your interest, you can visit surrounding villages with our host who is involved in projects to uplift rural development in the area.

Days 16-17 Agra

Leaving the early birds chirping, we head east by public bus for Agra (approx. 2 hours).

The Mughal city of Agra is home to one of the world's most instantly recognisable monuments - the Taj Mahal. Built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his wife Mumtaz, this 'teardrop on the face of eternity', as it was described by Rabindranath Tagore, lives up to all expectations. Expensive to get into (INR750- around US$17), but worth every cent. There is also time to check out the Red Fort an impressive landmark of the Mughal dynasty left imprinted on the city.

In Agra our accommodation is at a basic property run by a local family, in a great location only 800 meters from the Eastern gate of the Taj Mahal. Rooms are basic with attached private bathrooms.

We leave for Varanasi on the overnight train on the evening of day 17 (approx. 8 hours).

Days 18-20 Varanasi

The holiest place for Hindus, Varanasi is a place where weeks can just melt by as you explore the amazing sights going on all around you. Pilgrims bathing and performing rituals and ceremonies unchanged for hundreds of years, temples full of bell chimes and the smell of incense, the dhobi wallahs, the burning ghats, the stories, the legends, the people - all of India seems to be encapsulated within this amazing city.

In Varanasi our accommodation is owned by a local Indian family. It is a simple hotel, situated right on the banks of the Ganges in the popular Assi Ghat area. Rooms are neat and clean property with attached bathrooms.

We take the train to Kolkata (Calcutta) early in the evening on day 20 (approx. 17 hours).

Days 21-24 Kolkata

Once the capital of British India, Kolkata has had some bad press over the years. Flooded by refugees after the partition of India, famines in Bengal as well as the India-Bangladesh War, the city suffered as wave after wave of immigrants pushed its infrastructure to the limit and slums and street dwellers came to symbolize the city to the world. However, the Kolkata of today is renewed and emerging as a major cultural centre with art galleries, museums and a healthy film and theatre scene. With its British architecture, its trams and, of course, the river with its famous bridge, Kolkata is a vibrant and exciting city with plenty to offer. There are flower markets to browse and traditional wrestlers at their outdoor gymnasiums to watch. You can take a boat along the river, visit the idol-makers and explore the central market - the options are endless!

3rd Leg of Trip

Day 1-3 Dublin
Enjoy live music and parades on the the streets for the celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Take a walking tour of the city and enjoy a walk inside the Guinness brewery (don't worry Mom, I won't get too hammered...).

Day 4-5 Cork
Take a bus to a the Blarney Castle and Blarney Stone. Consider taking a bus ride to Killarney.
Day 6-8 Galway
Explore the Irish culture in the pubs and on the street. Listen to live music. Take a day trip to The Burren and see the Cliffs of Moher.
Day 9 Depart Ireland

--- END BLOG ENTRY ---