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Archive for December, 2006

Tonsai beach, Krabi (or Hat Ton Sai)

Thursday, December 21st, 2006

Me on Tonsai beach, Krabi – way overloaded!

I made it to Hat Ton Sai beach in the Krabi area today. I met a guy I climbed with in Vang Vieng in the departures lounge (pre-planned), then spent the night in Krabi town last night. There’s a great little food market there, and we were in a pretty plush room by backpackers standards.

Today we took the boat to Tonsai beach next to Railey in Krabi. The boatman lit up a big fat one while the waves were splashing over the side (don’t worry mum I didn’t partake!).

We got in, managed to get a room reasonably easily at Andaman Resort, then hooked up with Noi who we met while at Laos Rock Climbing in Vang Vieng, Laos. (still follow this?). We almost ended up renting a treehouse for our time here, but decided against it based on the cost and the location – right next to the bar. We were tempted though as it’s not often you can say you stayed in a treehouse 3 steps from the sea.

Anyway, myself Jonathan, Adam and Noi went off climbing and did a few routes five minutes from the beach, in a wonderful setting overlooking the lime karsts and the beach bay.

When we went climbing there were also loads of Long Tailed Macaque monkeys dancing around the area. Sometime there were a couple just hanging out on a small tree branch about 5 feet away from us, then the next thing there was one literally above my head when watching the others climbed. I could have reached out and touched it before it jumped across the climbing routes to join it’s mates. There were about twenty of them walking along the beach underneath us. The pictures of the monkeys don’t really do it justice.

For those from home, I managed to eat some Aberdeen Rowies (or butteries) the other morning!!! My mum took four over and I managed to throw them into the hotel’s toaster – complete and utter treat. Oh jeez I miss them sooooooooo much.

Going to have a day of doing absolutely nothing tomorrow, then head to Ao Nang beach to spend xmas with mum, stepdad, sister and husband (her’s not mine!).

Posted in Krabi, Thailand, Tonsai | No Comments »

Krabi Town

Thursday, December 21st, 2006

Some pics of the market and pier in Krabi Town…

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BKK airport and last day madness (Saigon moto drivers are lightweights!)

Wednesday, December 20th, 2006

There’s a hole in my pocket, dear Lyla, dear Lyla….

At least I’m sure that’s how the song goes, and that’s how it feels being in a city…regardless of what I try to do, the money seems to keep falling through and imaginery hole in my pocket!

Today wasn’t a highlight to be honest. Again, no chill out time in BKK after a not so great kip. I got up, attempted to sort my luggage out then gave up. Well I kinda had to as I realised I had lost the receipt I desperately need to complete my camera insurance claim. I grabbed a cab, realised how bad the traffic was, thrust some cash in the cabbies not too happy hands, jumped out, and flagged down a moto driver. We were there in minutes.

To say it was an exciting ride would be an understatement. No junction was too much – it just meant he had to turn the wrong way then cut across the pavement, sneaking through the smallest gaps in traffic. I got my receipt, a replacement card reader, some DVD’s to back stuff up, then back on a moto to get back near Khao San road.

It would have been all worthwhile if I wasn’t sitting in the taxi to the airport realising I couldn’t find the receipt again!!!! I think it will have to be a pleading call to them, and the insurance company. With transport, a new guidebook, a new book, and all the other crap, I’ve spent about 40 quid, and I still haven’t eaten since breakfast!

Roll on a few days in Krabi when I’ll hopefully have some accommodation secured for the festive period, as I desperately need to sit somewhere for a while to chill out! Bring on some diving, and hopefully climbing…although of course, that’ll cost me! I hear your hearts go out to me.

If anyone is reading this back in blighty – have a merry festive period!! It doesn’t feel like xmas here, which is a bit of a bugger as I have some presents to buy (some of which I think I’ve misplaced – sorry mum!)

Me sitting outside Bangkok airport on wifi! :

Posted in Bangkok, Motorbike, Thailand | 1 Comment »

Last night in BKK

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006

Well what can I say…it’s my last night in BKK. I’ve just went for dinner with the family, checked my email…and basically can’t be arsed to write anything.

Today has been pretty rushed…great plans of getting up, sitting by the pool, then hitting the dreaded shops after buying a tshirt, a new guidebook, getting my haircut.

The reality was getting up at 10am, waiting ages for breakfast while on wifi. Spending too much time on that. Rushing to throw my overweight luggage together. Checking in to another hotel, then traipsing around the Siam area looking for knock off CDs at rip off prices (compared to Vietnam) and hunting down overpriced cameras, and still being unsure of which one to buy.

I opted for an Canon IXUS 850IS, but was desperately wanting to purchase a Canon G7 but wasn’t sure if the bulk of it would frustrate me for shots in the pub. I mean even my newly tailored custom made jeans have pockets that are too small to get my notebooks in. Now I need to find an Ikelite waterproof housing that won’t fit the strobe flash I have been lugging around for months.

I left the new camera battery charging tonight, and already missed out a shot.

I went for a pee after the meal (a starter with meat and leaves, fish cooked in lime and chilli, then some of James’ Green Curry), and the urinal had a sign on it :

‘Out off work’. Amazing. Sounds like it usually gets paid for what it does.

Tomorrow I have to check out and head to the airport for 4pm, so no doubt I’ll sit by the pool (after watching the family head to Chiang Mai), check out, and rush around in the afternoon.

I need to get out of this place. Not because I’m ready for it, it’s just that there are too many temptations to spend money. I bought a second external hard drive as well – the first one is full already!

Good night.

Posted in Bangkok, Thailand | No Comments »

Getting ready for the next phase…..

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006

Grand Palace :

Tomorrow I’m flying to Krabi with Jonathan I met in Vang Vieng in Laos. A couple of days later my folks and sister join me.
Ciara left to head back to the UK yesterday as well so it’s all a bit changeable for myself, kinda just crossing my fingers that we manage to find accommodation in Krabi!! Everywhere you can book is full.

Bangkok was and will be pretty much trying to avoid consumerism! I’ve still to buy a new small camera, and have been spending way too much money in comparison to other countries in SE Asia! I went to the Grand Palace again and a massage at Wat Po massage school, but this time got massaged by a lovely young Thai with soft delicate feet, not the big bruiser bloke I got last year!

Anyway, off to change hotels to be at the same one as my folks, so will write more soon – probably from Krabi!

Not sure which one felt more active when this was taken :

Posted in Bangkok, Thailand | 2 Comments »

Back in BKK!

Sunday, December 17th, 2006

I arrived back in Bangkok yesterday for the third time this year. Isn’t it weird how before, a place used to seem cheap, and now it’s expensive?

For example, a not so legitimate CD costs almost 6 TIMES the price it does in Hanoi, as as for beer – unless you’re in Khao San road or similar it’s almost two quid a pint. Now that may seem tight moaning about, but when you come from 8 pence a glass (albeit the strength of pisswater) then that’s quite a difference.

Even a t-shirt from the trendy BKKer is ‘cheap’ at 300 Baht for a tshirt from a genuine artist, but at over 4 quid, it’s expensive compared to my 75 pence Vietnam one from Hoi An!

Anyway last night was spent dashing around BKK taking advantage of the relatively dirt cheap cabs. We headed from near Khao San to the Pat Pong night market, over to Sukhumvit for dinner and a walk along Soi Cowboy (to get pinched by one of the ever friendly girls on the way past), then back to Pat Pong for a drink at Radio City, then back to Khao San.

Today my mum and step-dad arrived fresh off the plane from Scotland, so we had a quick trip to the Jatujak Weekend Market.

All shopped out, I’m off to the pool. Cameras will have to wait until tomorrow!

Posted in Bangkok, Thailand | No Comments »

Archive links fixed

Friday, December 15th, 2006

Just incase you are bored my archive links on the right hand side of my blog are now working, and there are new archives by country (more to be added)! There is also a contact email address on the right hand side for those that don’t know me personally! Yaaaa!

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Hanoi – Bia Hoi! The Beer Scooter really does exist!

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006

Me drinking a 6 pence glass of beer :

Today was spent chilling out good and proper. Hanoi is an amazing place to wander around aimlessly as every street in the old quarter is absolutely buzzing with activity. Anything goes on from people cutting out marble headstones on the pavement, to carving drums, making belts, to just constantly eating at street stalls. Like bits of Yangon in Myanmar, each street seems to specialise in specific types of goods from leather to paper to whatever else, and the streetnames even reflect this.

You can buy pretty much anything you want – the only thing I haven’t seen in the old town is modern gadgets like cameras etc. Kick ass big televisions yes, but not many cameras…I still need my replacement, and I’ve just been given the go-ahead by my insurance to get one out here. There is the same old ceramics I bought in Hoi An, but they are even cheaper here at a mere $5 a teaset!!! There are ‘North Face’ bags by the dozen starting at $5 and of pretty decent quality (rain covers too!), and even the odd Crumpler camera bag. Knock off CD’s and DVD’s are all over the place starting at 50 cents for a CD, and under a dollar for a DVD. Sometimes I’m in heaven then I remember I am travelling for a long time so still can’t go mental. I even wanted to send wicker baskets home!

But alas, you can only do so much shopping, so we found the Bai Hoi stands at the corner of P Ta Hien and L Luong Ngoc Quyen. Like the one in Hoi An, these sell fresh beers, but there are around 5-10 places all in the same area and they sell fresh beer straight from the keg for 2000 Dong a glass (yes, thats around 23 cents, or 6 PENCE A GLASS!). It’s not the strongest, or tastiest beer I’ve had but I Had around 7 glasses for under 50 pence.

These Bia Hoi places are pretty well known so people come and go all day, from locals to travellers, with quite a buzz around some evenings. They are also at a great location as well – at a 4 street intersection, where the streets are really narrow, and there’s no roundabout, where there would be elsewhere. We sat there for around 4 hours just watching the world go by drinking beer and a half bottle of rum ($1.25). A whole day could easily be spent, only leaving your seat to make space for more beer. People approach you to sell you lighters, books, snacks, baskets, shine your shoes, and you can get takeaway food from just around the corner for next to nothing. The female sellers with their baskets over their shoulders constantly use that catchy walk and wiggle movements and offer you everything from hot food to fruit on their way by. After a while you even start to channel out the constant honking of horns that is ever present all over Hanoi.

Transaction taking place in the middle of the road :

And I was witness to that mythical thing today – the beer scooter!! Yes guys, it does exist!! But this one brings fresh beer to replenish supplies on a Honda Dream scooter! And almost as good as this, when I got some crips they were even stamped with authority that they were an ideal ‘beer match’. See attached pictures.

After being so chilled, it was just along the road for real food, then I bumped into a couple of guys from the Netherlands I drank with in Battambang, Cambodia, so had a few beers with them.

Bia Hoi stalls at night :

Posted in Hanoi, Vietnam | 3 Comments »

To Hanoi

Tuesday, December 12th, 2006

Due to a very limited time in Vietnam, and a pretty blown ‘budget’ already, the flight option to Hanoi was selected, saving 16-18 hours on the bus or train.

After chilling by the pool and collecting jeans it was finally time to grab some chillout time in Hoi An. Of course, this was ultimately decided after passing by a fresh beer stop, which offered up a glass for 19 cents. The final bill for 5 glasses was a shade under $1, or around 50 pence for UK people.

Yes, you read it correctly….. 5 beers for 50 PENCE!!! That’s about a sixth of the price of ONE pint of Stella Artois in some bars in Edinburgh nowadays.

I then got it in my head I was going to swap my Raleigh International cap for a Rainbow Divers, Hoi An hat which is worn as part of a uniform by many of the cyclo drivers in town. They also wear matching Rainbow Divers shirts (great advertising!). Frustratingly, but admirably, they insisted it was not possible as it was part of their uniform and they couldn’t give them away.

Although completely gutted to be leaving Hoi An so soon (and 4.5 days there is more than many!) I’m looking forward to Hanoi, but know that three days there will, once again, be waaaay too short.

Posted in Hanoi, Hoi An, Vietnam | No Comments »

Hoi An – expensive shopping!

Monday, December 11th, 2006

It can hardly be said that Hoi An is an expensive place to shop, but you can certainly spend a shitload, but get a lot of bang for your buck….which is pretty much what I did today. I collected all the clothing, and decided to go back and buy the ceramics….all ceramic but finished off in lacquer that had a cracked look. Of course I had to think that these were my ‘fancy’ set of dishes so I ordered 7 large bowls, plates and spoons, 7 of the same but in a smaller size for rice, a large bowl, two dishes, 4 sauce dishes, chopsticks, 2 ladels, and probably another few things I can’t remember…it was really a set of 6 I wanted but to allow for breakages….

I reckon in a department store like John Lewis’s a large bowl would be around £15…but I got all the above for $68!! £36!!
I knew I’d end up spending more than that shipping them back, but I knew the postal rates and the weight so could work it out beforehand. The helpful woman boxed it all up then sped along to the post office with the box on the back of her moto. Already armed with a few kilos of some other stuff I Had to send home (some clothes, essential souvenir guidebooks etc), I just got the post office to throw this in a box with the ceramics.

The final weight?

29 kilograms!!

Cost me $98 to send it surface to the UK. It’s a bit mad as although I’m meant to be back in Scotland in June 2007 I’ve already got many thoughts of delaying this, but I’m sure I’ll be reacquainted with my bowls one day…….

If in Hoi A, dig out this shop (although you’ll find the same in plenty places) :
King X.O. Shop, 728 (new) – 10 (old) Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoi An

After this I had to go out and celebrate so it was finding a bar, a couple of bottles of wine, then went in search of a late night bar my friend had recommended to seek out a few weeks ago. It was midnight, the town was dead, but we hijacked a moto drive and went in search of the ‘Dream Bar’ around 5km out of town. Unfortunately (especially given the rain that started) it was closed when we got there. Of course, no moto driver is worth their job if they don’t supply alternatives, so it was back into town to try the Full Moon bar on the other side of the river. Although it was the middle of the night, they still insisted on tooting their horns through town, obviously getting a kick out of keeping the population awake. This also extended to the bar owner who was rudely awaken from his slumber on the pool table by my moto’s horn. Within seconds the door was open, the PC was on, and I was selecting the best of a bad bunch of an 80’s stylee soundtrack for the remainder of the evening, as the pool balls were
stacked up. Only two other people came into the bar before we left.

Posted in Hoi An, Vietnam | No Comments »

Wandering Scotsman