Christmas in Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road

Christmas was a different one this year but brilliant all the same. We went down to St Kilda Beach for a picnic by the sea. We had beautiful sunshine but a cool breeze so no swimming. Our picnic was washed down with a bottle of fizz and then all but Mark napped in the sun. In the evening we made a turkey dinner and polished off plenty of wine, beer and whiskey. A great day had by all.

On Boxing Day we were treated by Marks work bosses (Neil & Libby) to a day at the MCG to watch the Boxing Day test match against Pakistan. As the morning wore on the sun crept into the stands and we roasted with beers in hand watching the cricket. We were also kept highly entertained by the many drunken Aussi fans in the seats below us - the famous Bay 13!! 96 people were arrested for anti social behaviour and we're sure many more had close calls with security. It was all highly entertaining!

On the 27th December we started our route along the Great Ocean Road. It took all day to get to our overnight stop over point at Warnambool with plenty of stops to admire the stunning coastline along the way. We arrived at 'Quamby Homestead' (our accommodation) at 8pm only to discover that Trailfinders had messed up Nick's booking and only booked one room. Fortunately the owner (Julie) phoned round the area to try to find extra accomodation. This time of year most places are fully booked but she had some friends in a nearby village who were happy to have us. It wasn't a B&B but Joan and Keith happily welcomed us into their house. We had a cup of tea with them before bed and chatted about our travels. They were fantastic hosts and incredibly generous to take two random strangers into their home at such late notice.

On the following day we had planned to travel to Adelaide - a 7 hour drive. The previous days journey and busy timetable since arriving had taken its toll on Nick and Sally and the thought of spending another full day in the car was not appealing. We decided to look at other options so we could spend more time sightseeing at a more leisurely pace. Julie from 'Quamby Homestead' fortunately had availability so we booked in for another night. During the day we managed to get a couple of rooms in a motel on our route back to Melbourne in a place called 'Camperdown'. With a plan in place we could enjoy the sights of 'Warnambool' and 'Port Fairy' for a couple of days.

Yesterday we travelled back to Melbourne and last night went to 'Phillip Island' to watch the Penguine Parade. At sunset thousands of people gather on the beach of the island to watch the hundreds of little penguins returen from their day at sea. They appear from the surf in groups of about 10 at a time and waddle up the beach to their nests and young. It was a fantastic sight and well worth the 2 hour drive to get there. Mark had done a lot of driving and deserved a beer when we got back!

Tonight we plan to celebrate New Year with the half a million people estimated to be on the streets of Melbourne to watch the fire work display.

A Happy New Year to all at home!

Loads of Love

Rach & Mark. xxx

Merry Christmas!

Hello all,
Merry Christmas from Melbourne! We will be spending Christmas and Boxing Day here and then travelling the Great Ocean Road with Nick (Marks Dad) and Sally. Boxing Day will be a treat as we have tickets for the Boxing Day Test Match at the MCG!
It was 39 degrees yesterday when we arrived but today only a mild 22 degrees with a few showers. The forecast is much the same for tomorrow but we still plan to have a picnic on St Kilda Beach.
Hope you all have a great festive season and the snow holds out.
Miss you all loads.
Love
Rach & Mark. xxx

Coffs Harbour & Byron Bay

From our last update from 'Port Macquarie' we travelled North near to 'Coffs Harbour' where we stayed in a fantastic campsite on 'Darlington Beach'. The unpowered tent sites were great as there was an open woodland area and you could pick your spot and set up camp. We did exactly that and once the tent was up we went to explore the site and surrounding area. The beach was stunning but incredibly windy so we settled for a chilled out afternoon by the swimming pool instead.

That evening after dinner we walked back to our tent in the pitch black struggling to see more than a few yards infront of us. This was made even harder by the fact that there were kangaroos everywhere and we nearly walked straight into a few of them; only realising they were there when they bounced out of the way.

The following day we made our way up to a campsite in 'Lennox Head' just South of 'Byron Bay'. We stayed there for 3 nights and although the weather wasn't very kind to us with some heavy rain we had a great time. The campsite was packed with families planning to stay over the Christmas holidays. Our little tent seemed a bit inadequate amongst all the giant caravans with all the mod cons! On our first day we explored Byron and visited the lighthouse which is the most Easterly point of Australia. It was quite a walk up to it but gave amazing views of Byron Bay and the other beaches. In the afternoon despite the cloud we found a great beach called 'Broken Head' to spend the rest of the day relaxing with our books and newspapers. Unfortunately by Saturday night the rain had arrived and it continued to pour all day Sunday. We didn't let it dampen our spirits and spent the day shopping and went to the cinema in a nearby town called 'Ballina'.

During our time in 'Lennox Head' we met some lovely people and had some amusing beer fueled evenings, including one involving Marks hair clippers and some poor victims of drunken decision making. By the morning with three Australian heads shaved Mark was known as 'The Bloody POM' responsible for some rather amusing new hair styles.

We are now in Brisbane for 2 nights before flying to Melbourne to meet Nick (Marks Dad) and Sally for Christmas which we're very excited about.

Love to all at home and Merry Christmas!

Mark & Rach. xxx

Beach bumming in Port Macquarie

Today we woke up early as the sun heated the tent. We had breakfast and were down at the beach by 9am. The surfers were out in force which gave us great entertainment. While watching them Rach noticed a group of fins in the water and it was a pod of dolphins. They were about 50 metres off the shore and hung around all day swimming up and down the coast. Near to the beach there was a viewing point called Nobby's Hill. From up there we could see that there were actually 3 pods of dolphins and some were frollocking in the waves. The picture was the best of a bad bunch but sort of shows them.

In the afternoon we retired back to the campsite and spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing in the sun by the pool.

Tonight we plan to BBQ again and then tomorrow are heading up to Coffs Harbour.

Thank you for all the messages and hope you are all organised and ready for Christmas. We heard a Christmas song on the radio today and it sounded so out of place. Just can't get in the spirit when it's 35 degrees! Sorry but can't help rubbing it in.

Love

Rach & Mark. xxx

Port Stephens, Manning Point and Port Macquarie

After spending the first few days near Sydney we headed up the East coast in our little car packed full with gear. Our first port of call was in a place called Karauh which is just north of Port Stephens. We pitched the tent in quick fashion and headed out to explore the area. We've discovered that there are too many beautiful beaches to visit but we chilled at several around the area, namely Shoal Bay and Fingal Bay. That evening we had the whole camp kitchen to ourselves so just chilled and ate, oh, and a drink!
The next day we headed off to the Hunter Valley for a bit of wine tasting. Mark was driving - yes, Mark was driving so Rach had to do all the drinking, something she found difficult - not! We visited five vineyards and picked up a couple of bottles for consumption and a couple for Christmas. On the way back we stopped off at a drive through pie shop to make our dinner that evening easier - again we had the kitchen to ourselves.
We left Karauh very relaxed and looking forward to our next stop - Manning Point. Again we took the scenic route rather than staying on the Pacific Highway. We stopped for lunch at a place called Seal Point and despite the weather being cloudy the scenery was still stunning. Arriving at the campsite at mid afternoon we pitched (getting quicker) and walked to the beach with a beer and a packet of Salt and Vingear crisps! Manning Point is a very small place with not much regarding shops. The general store had to be everything - petrol, takeaway, grocery and coffee shop but it closed at 6pm! That night we meet a great elderly couple and chatted about everything until it was time for bed.
Today we cleared up the pitch and travelled to Port Macquarie. It' s a lot busier than the other sites we've been to so far with more backpackers! We got ourselves settled and then went to a Koala Park near to the town. They had other animals there and Rach took plenty of pictures of cuddly bears! Tonight we're going to explore the town more before having a BBQ.
Hope all is well at home and thanks for all the messages.
Love
Mark & Rach. xxx

The Northshore Beaches of Sydney

As expected we woke early this morning with it being our first outdoors for a while. Mark disappeared down to the beach around 05:30 and took pictures of the sunrise and the surfers who were already out looking for that wave (mad 1 percenters).

After a healthy breakfast of Crunchy Nut cornflakes we set off to explore. We had a full packed day visiting 7 beaches just north of Sydney. We did some sunbathing at some, took photos at some and had a great packed lunch with the seagulls. It has been a fantastic day for weather with bright sunshine and a cooling breeze. It's a great start to our camping experience and we are really looking forward to making our way up towards Brisbane before Christmas.

Thanks to cousin Jen and Joe for the recommendation of seeing this brillant area of the country.

Tonight we are going to make fajitas and chill out maybe with a drink or two in the eating area of the campsite.

Tomorrow we head for Port Stephen (about 150km) up the coast.

Love to all at home.

Mark & Rach. xxx

Sydney

Early Tuesday morning we arrived in Sydney after a good flight from Singapore. We collected our hire car and set off towards Hornsby (North Sydney) where we were staying with Rach's friend Kate who used to work at Haydon. After a few hiccups with the directions and a bit of a detour through central Sydney and over the Harbour Bridge we found our way and arrived at Kate's flat. It was great for Rach to catch up with her, however, Mark was soon bored on the teacher talk!
After a cup of tea we decided to get the essential shopping trip done to buy our camping gear. Mark had seen a place online and Kate knew where it was so we set off. We bought a little but adequate tent and an inflatable matress, then went to Kmart and got plastic cutlery and crockery. Once the shopping was done we were both exhausted as neither of us had slept at all on the flight. A nap was in order, so whilst Kate took our washing over to her sister's house we got a couple of hours kip. We woke about 6pm feeling refreshed and ready for a beer.
That evening we walked to a great cafe nearby for dinner and then went to a pub before going back to the flat for a good nights sleep ready for our full day sightseeing on Wednesday.
After breakfast we got the train into Sydney, getting off just before the Harbour Bridge. Kate was our tour guide and had a route planned. We walked across the bridge, getting fantastic views of the harbour and Opera House and then walked down to the rocks and along to the Opera House where we sat outside for a coffee. After lots of photo taking we wandered through the Botanical gardens before getting some lunch. After lunch we walked through town to Darling Harbour and went for a drink at Bungalow 8 bar looking out at all the big yachts. When we were in Sydney 3 years ago it was raining and cold so it was great to see the sights in the sunshine. By 4.30 we were all pretty tired and had covered lots of ground so we got the train back to Hornsby. That evening we had been invited for a BBQ at Kate's sister's house with her husband and two children. We had a fantastic evening and were very spoilt with a sensational Aussie BBQ - the first of many we hope!
This morning after breakfast we left Kate's flat behind and started the camping expedition of our trip. All equipped with our new gear we arrived at 'Sydney lakeside holiday park' and pitched our tent for the first time. The campsite is really well equipped with a camp kitchen, BBQ areas and best of all it's situated 5 minutes walk from a stunning beach. We did some food shopping, made lunch and then walked down to the beach. Sitting on the golden sand we watched the surfers catching waves. As per usual when we first arrive somewhere the weather wasn't quite as we expected. Fortunately it has dried up now but we've had a few rain showers. Fingers crossed for sunshine tomorrow!
Hope all is well at home and everyone is getting set for Christmas.
Lots of Love
Rach & Mark. xxx

Singapore

Our journey from KL to Singapore took just over 5 hours. We had booked seats on a coach recommended by the Balfour mob and unknown to us it turned out to be a luxury coach service! So we reclined in our seats and watched 'Pretty Woman' on our individual screens! We were also given dinner which wasn't bad either.
Arriving on the the outskirts of the city we jumped into a cab and headed towards Clarke Quay where Sharon (KPMG friend)had kindly offered her place while she was away - its great knowing people around the world (thanks Sharon). The apartment was ideal - great location and very comfortable. Our first evening was spent walking along the Quay to grab a quick bite to eat before calling it a night so we could make the most of the following day. We woke and made use of the complimentary breakfast before heading to Sentosa Island. Unfortunately the weather wasn't kind so we spent the day dodging the rain and visiting the various sights on the Island like the Lion monument and the aquarium. That evening we walked along Boat Quay stopped for a drink and admired the skyline (in the rain) and then went to Tent for dinner, a Mongolian BBQ restaurant we had been to before back in 2006.
On our second day Rach wasn't feeling too good so we had a gentle start and got the chores done - more washing. In the afternoon with Rach feeling better we went to the Singapore Zoo and then to the Night Safari which was next door. Both venues were fantastic and a recommendation for anyone. Unlike most zoos the one in Singapore used moats to keep the animals in which allowed you to get closer and take better pictures. The Night Safari was the real highlight though. Being able to walk around and see how various creatures behaved after dark was incredible and you gained a different perspective on their lives.
Our final day in Singapore was spent wandering through Chinatown and Little India before finishing off the packing a grabbing a taxi to the airport. As we sat in the airport having a drink we reflected over our 3 months spent in Asia and how different our experiences have been in the 6 countries visited. It has been an amazing adventure so far and we are really excited about getting to Australia.
Hope all is good at home and you've done your Christmas shopping.
Love
Mark & Rach. xxx

Penang and KL

Checking out of our hotel we received the cashback as promised due to Mark not being happy with the room and the original price associated. The ferry trip back to Penang flew by due to both of us chatting to an Australian family about almost everything.

Arriving in Penang we were met by Stuart shouting amongst the 'other' taxi drivers for our business. Clara was waiting in the car and after packing our bags into the boot we headed for a quick drink before going to a gallery opening of one of their friends. We looked quite scruffy compared to all the other guests but they didn't mind! We stayed for a while and then went for some food in 'Batu Ferringo' along the coast from Georgetown. We met up with more friends of Stu and Clara's and spent the rest of the evening catching up. It was fantastic to see them and as ever with Stu on the way home we popped into the local for one (several) for the road. The bar was called 'Daya' and Stu told us a story of how this bar used to be just a fridge and some lights when he first stumbled upon it. Since then and obvious support (buying drink) from Stu it now had tables and chairs out the front. In typical Stu style he told that story several times before realising he'd already told us!

The following day we woke up at their Penang pad and chilled for the rest of day in the town and by the pool in their complex. Well, it wasn't very chilled by the pool as Stu was asked to leave due to his shorts being to long and not the correct attire despite them being swimming trunks! He told the security officer in no uncertain terms 'if you want my shorts then you'll have to get in the pool and physically remove them!' - Very entertaining!

We travelled back to KL on the Sunday, kindly driven back by Dave and Sukhvin, the friends we met a couple of nights before - thanks guys. Straight away we started the chore of the washing our clothes. That evening Stu had hockey training so after dropping him off we went grocery shopping with Clara and Alex. After picking Stu up from hockey we went to the local food hall for dinner.

Yesterday we went into KL centre and spent the day walking around the various districts (Golden triangle, Chinatown & Little India) and using the MRT/LRT. After spending the last week or so chilling on beaches it was great to explore again and feel like travellers rather than holiday makers. We met up wth Stu, Clara and Alex for an evening meal at a local German restaurant and Mark had proper sausages! Thanks to having internet on tap we also booked some tent pitches for Austalia and booked our bus ride to Singapore this Friday. Its been great to stay with the Balfour clan in KL and much appreciated. Alex has kept us entertained throughout our stay with her cheeky smile and chatter!

Hope all is well at home and you are all getting into the Christmas spirit!

Love

Mark & Rach. xxx

Langkawi - with plenty of sunshine!

Well after our moaning about the rain we've had beautiful sunshine for the past few days! Due to the fantastic weather we don't have a lot to report as we have pretty much bummed around on the beach, sunbathing, swimming and playing frisbee. In the evenings we've been spoilt with some excellent food and stunning sunsets!

We did try to explore more of Langkawi but needed a motorbike license which obviously neither of us have. So reluctantly we went back to the beach for more sun worshipping!

Tommorrow we get the ferry back to Penang where this time we are definately meeting up with Stu Balfour and spending the next week with him, Clara and Alex (wife and baby daughter) in Penang and then KL.

Hope all is well at home.

Love from

Rach & Mark - bronzed and happy!!!

xxx

Langkawi - If this is the dry season.....whats the monsoon like!

We took the ferry to Langkawi and Malaysian timings are just like Thai timings! We were told it would take 2.5 hours - 3.5 hours later we arrived and yep it was raining.

We checked into our hotel but had to wait a couple of hours for the key so we explored the surroundings. We're staying on Cenang Beach which is on the West side of Langkawi. The accommodation is slightly disappointing for what we've paid but Mark managed to get some money back today after explaining to the Manager he wasn't happy! Despite that, the place on the whole is ideal; a long golden beach, a good selection of bars and restaurants to choose from and when the sun is shining we're happy beans. We spent the remaining part of yesterday getting our bearings, doing some washing and managed to speak to most of the family members which was great. Calls from Malaysia are very cheap despite it being on the mobile - good news! That evening we had an early dinner and a drink and were ready for the sun tomorrow.

This morning it was overcast but like tough Brits we hit the beach anyway determined to enjoy the weather. Our determination paid off as within a couple of hours the sun came out and we felt the warm rays on our backs. Sadly that didn't last long and while Mark was walking down the beach the heavens opened. In response we headed back to the hotel, got changed and went for lunch. With it still raining we decided to visit the local aquarium which was quite good really. It did, however, sell very unusual gifts in the shop - fags, alcohol and a a lot of fish based snacks!

When we left the sun was out so we headed for the beach again to soak up the last of the days warmth and watched the sunset with a drink. Tonight we're going Thai and may play a couple of hands of cards before bed. Tomorrow subject to the weather we may hire a motorbike and explore the island further but if the sun is out the topping up of tans will be the order of the day.

Love to all at home. Thanks for all the messages - keep them coming.

Mark & Rach. xx

We're back on the Indian Curries - blame the Irish!

Sadly we had to leave Ko Phangan and in fact Thailand early due to our visa expiring which made us quite sad really as we'd enjoyed the tranquilty of Ko Phangan and the fact we didn't do anything but chill out and read. The journey to Penang took over 15 hours (boat, coach and 2 mini-buses) but we arrived safely last night at around 9pm. Fortunately we'd shared some of the journey with fellow travellers (1 guy from Bath and a couple from Ireland). Apart from the occasional concern due to the drivers forgetting they were in minibuses and thinking they were in a Ferrari the journey was uneventful and again it was raining!
Not having anywhere to stay (due to a miscommunication with Mr Balfour) we walked around the city for an hour trying to find somewhere. After trying five places we went back to where we were dropped off right outside a guesthouse - convenient hey (driver commission)! So bored with hunting we decided to drop our bags at the Banana Guesthouse (not the best but it did the job), grab a quick beer, talk about the trip down with the other travellers and then go for a bite to eat. The Irish couple mentioned they fancied an Indian curry and because we haven't had one since leaving India we also thought why not. Taking the recommendation from the guesthouse we ambled down the road and tucked into a mixture of dishes (no beer though).
Being tired from the long journey we returned with our bellies full and hit the sack.
Apart from being woken up at 04:20 due to someone calling the UK outside our door we slept well. To be honest it was a blessing in disguise really as Mark had fallen asleep with his contact lenses still in - idiot!
Waking up later at a more reasonable hour our main objectives for the day were to find another place to stay as the Banana Guesthouse could only put us up for one night, get a Malaysian SIM card for the phone, see if we could book an extra days stay in Langkawi and then book a boat for the following day to Langkawi! By lunchtime we'd completed all our tasks and deserved a spot of food - an Indian again!
Luckily a number of the tasks meant we had to walk around a fair bit of Penang. Most of it was around the Chinatown and Little India districts (near the port). You can tell that Penang used to be a very important place for the East India Company when the British Empire was alive and well with some very impressive colonial buildings (now looking worse for wear). Tonight we plan to frequent a drinking establishment (might not need food after our big lunch) and people watch.
Tomorrow morning we leave for Langkawi and hopefully we'll be lucky with the weather. Another couple of days chilling by the beach!
Love to all and remember - someones got to do it and fortuntately it's us!
Mark & Rach. xxx

Ko Phangan - Haad Salad

The last couple of days we have been relaxing in Ko Phangan on a beautiful beach called Haad Salad. We are staying in a little bungalow just off the beach and have a stretch of sand almost to ourselves of about 150 meters. We are, however, sharing the beach with a number of rather loving dogs who are quite content to share our towels whilst we're reading. We got up to go for a wander along the beach today and came back to find a dog stretched out across the towels fast asleep. This is real paradise for Rach (dog lady) who just encourages them more! She's even started to name them!

Where we're staying is the perfect size and has not yet been made too commercialised. The beach front has a couple of bars and restaurants, just enough to stop you needing to go elsewhere but not too many and certainly no places advertising 'Fish & Chips' or 'English Breakfast' like we saw a lot of in Ko Samui.

Unfortunately our little bit of paradise hasn't been quite perfect the last 2 days as we've had a lot of heavy rain showers. Not so bad though as it gives us an excuse to go to bar (no alcohol though)and wait for it to stop.

On Friday we are getting a boat and minibus down to Penang where we are meeting up with Stu (a hockey friend) for what will probably be a messy weekend on the beers before going to Langkawi for a few days to recover. From there we head down to Kuala Lumpur where we meet up with Stu again.

Hope all is good and love to all.

Rach & Mark. xxx

Our last night in Bangkok, the early flight and the sick bag!

Our last day in Bangkok involved us extending our visa so we could stay in Thailand longer only to find out we could only have another 7 days due to coming in overland - gutted but there you go. The plan for the evening was to meet up with Jo, go to a skyrise bar for one drink then head home for dinner which Rach cooked and then a relatively early night seeing we had an early flight the next day. Well - all three stages happened, however, we stayed longer at the Vertigo bar drinking and admiring the striking views of Bangkok and secondly Jo wanted to show us a bit more of Bangkok after dinner. So after a bite to eat we went to the Pang Ping area of Bangkok with Jo and her friend Jenny. Several Sambucas were consumed and while Mark watched tennis on the TV the girls danced away until the early morning! We got home around 2am and needed to be up in 3 hours! Rach took herself off to bed (fully clothed) while Mark finished the Baileys she had asked for and chatted to Jo.

The next morning (3 hours later) we were up and finished the packing. Fortunatley the taxi ride to the airport didn't take long and we'd already checked in on-line the day before. With no time to spare we walked straight to the gate and boarded the aircraft. As we took off Rach reached inside the pocket in front of her to get the sick bag! She spent the majority of the 45 minute flight in the toilet not feeling her best! We arrived in Ko Sumui and got a taxi to our hotel. We are staying in a resort just away from the one of the main beaches that has a beautiful pool. Unfortunately when we arrived we went straight to bed and didn't surface until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The much needed sleep was just what Rach needed and despite still feeling a bit ropey she was feeling up for a walk and explore. We went down to the beach and sat of the white sand watching the sun set. After dinner despite the daytime sleep we hit the sack early determined to make more of the next day.

Left over pizza from last night was the mornings breakfast! We then headed down to the front to hire a moped to explore the island. Ko Samui is relatively small so we made our way round stopping off at various beaches until it was time for lunch. Some of the beaches away from the main tourist areas are beautiful - the tourist areas reminded us of Benidorm! After returning to the hotel we spent the rest of the day chilling by the pool - very relaxing! Tonight we again went out on the moped and headed for the centre of Bo Phut, finding a quiet restaurant on the beach we sat and gazed out across the sea looking at the sparkling lights of Ko Phangan - our next destination. We head there tomorrow lunchtime on the boat.

Love to all at home.

Rach & Mark. xxx

Bangkok, Kanchanburi and the Monkey attack

We left Chiang Mai successfully on the night train and arrived in Bangkok late (2.5hrs) and made our way to Jo and Lukes place in Bangkok. Upon arrival Mark left the Lonely Planet book on the roof off the taxi but didn't realise until later! We are very lucky to have a place like this to stay (thank you Jo & Luke) and straight away used the washing machine to wash all our kit - quality! That evening we ordered take away Mexican and chilled out catching up on what we'd been up to since we last saw them. Luke is away again with work so it was just Jo.
The following day we had to be up early (05:30) to catch the bus to Kanchanburi. The first stop after our two hour journey was the Allied War Cementary - a immaculate place and a very special place to visit on Rememberance Day. The next stop was the actual bridge (see the film if you don't know), however, Mark was really disappointed due to sheer number of tourists and the loud music being played. Not what we expected and wished it was a place for reflection like the cementery. We were then taken to the Death Railway and spent an hour travelling on the railway, the demands put upon the POWs and locals to build this rail in such a short period of time are hard to fathom.
After lunch we spent time at Hell Fire Pass, the longest and deepest gorge the POWs had to cut for the railway. This is what we expected the bridge site to be - tranquil, solemn and a place for reflection. We then returned back to the river and found our accommodation for the night - a small raft room floating on the river! Very basic but adequate. The showers and toilets were communal and outside. In need of a shower Rach went to investigate - there were 3 shower options; option 1 - the shower knob was broken so you couldn't turn the water on but it had a lockable door, option 2 - the door had come off the hinges so wouldn't shut and option 3 - there was no shower head, just a hose! Rach went for option 1 but had to use the toilet hose! Mark went for option 2 and propped the broken door up. He also shared his shower with a frog! Feeling a bit cleaner we went for dinner, shared with a Polish couple and two Dutch girls. Unfortunately our Dutch and Polish is non existent and although their English was pretty good conversation was hard! After dinner we walked into town for a drink before bed. We slept suprisingly well considering the heat!
Our second day involved a 2km walk along side the Erawan waterfalls, an impressive 7 tiered waterfall with areas for swimming. We walked up the 7 tiers, all very unique and took some beautiful photos along the way. Very sweaty and in need of a swim so we descended back down to tier one, got changed ready for a dip. The pools were filled with fish like in Laos but this time much bigger, some a foot or more long which put Rach off a little. In fact she didn't go in but just paddled. Mark swam around and felt the little critters nibbling on his toes, fingers and even shoulder even when swimming! Rach was taking pictures from the bank and without warning was suddenly attacked by a monkey! We were told that they could be quite aggressive and to avoid them. This one must have spotted the food we had in the bag and in trying to grab it scratched Rach on the shoulder. She flung the bag of food at it to scare it and fortunately a local man threw a stone at it sending it up a tree. Rach quickly grabbed the rest of our stuff and moved away. The scratch was only minor and didn't hurt but had certainly taken her by suprise. Mark came out of the water oblivious to the monkey attack and we moved well away from the waterfall and monkeys! We saw other people throwing food at them and encouraging them so it's no suprise they are fearless. Rach hasn't had much luck aroundwaterfalls so far, what with nearing drowning in Vietnam, getting biten by a fish in Laos and now a monkey attack in Thailand!
After lunch at the waterfalls we then headed back to Bangkok and to Jo and Lukes pad. We did some more washing and had a Thai takeaway after Jo returned from netball. Today we plan to stay local and get ready for our departure tomorrow morning to Ko Samui.
Love to everyone at home.
Mark & Rach. xxx

Dao Nest and the Princess

Our first night here was pure luxury! Award winning Western food and the most comfy bed so far on our trip! Knowing we would be staying here to relax for a few days we reflected on where we had been (2 months in) and how amazing it has been - lucky people! We slept comfortably.
There is something magical about waking up to the cool warmth of the morning sun and mountains all around. Chiang Dao Nest is a very tranquil and peaceful place and we actually feel like we are on holiday rather than travelling.
After a lazy breakfast we decided to hire bikes again (the non powered versions) and explored the local area. The area is covered in dense jungle with the impressive Dao mountain standing 2,265m as the backdrop. You get a real feel for a place when you are out on your own following your noses with no real route planned. On the way back we explored the caves in Chiang Dao; legend has it a hermit lived there for a thousand years and left treasures inside. Compared to the caves on Cat Ba island this was a more geniune exploration. We had to hire a guide with a lamp burner and squeeze through several small holes to go deeper into the cave. The limited light created a ghostly effect and the damp air left us dripping.
After a hearty lunch we spent the rest of the day chilling around the pool and hut. That evening we decided to wander down to Chiang Dao Nest II to taste the Thai food served there. Before we left we were told that the King of Thailands grand daughter would being visiting Nest I for dinner that evening. A special area had been arranged for her and sectioned off from the rifraf like us. Who would have thought that on our travels we would be staying in a place fit for royalty!
With our new found knowledge of Thai food we opted for "farang" (foreigner) spicy and Wow - a bit hot but none the less fantastic! Walking back with our headtorches on we decided to stay and do some royalty watching which meant having a night cap - pity!
Today is our last full day here before heading back to Chiang Mai to get the train back to Bangkok so we just relaxed by the pool and tried to top up on the tans. We have discovered that you do not get the same tan as if you were on holiday so we have areas of deep brown , light brown and obviously the pasty white bits! Rach as ever looks like she has been here 3 months longer than Mark!
We have loved being here and will be returning no doubt!
Love to all at home.
Mark & Rach. xxx

Chiang Mai & Dao

We are now in Chiang Dao after spending two nights in Chiang Mai. We took the sleeper train from Bangkok on Tuesday night and this time both of us managed to get some sleep which was good! - no grumpy people! It's a great way to travel and so different to our Vietnamese experience - no old man poking you with his cane!
We stayed in a place called Julies Guesthouse in Chiang Mai, a real backpacker place but cheap ($6) and clean. They even picked us up from the train station which avoided the usual tuk-tuk haggling. Spending the first day wandering around the town and stopping at some of the Wats we looked at other activities to do the following day. We eventually plucked for an all day Thai cookery class - something different! That evening content with our plan for the following day we went to the river for a refreshment (beer) and then mooched around the night bazaar which is endless. On the way home we broke with tradition and ate Italian food!
The next morning we were picked up from Julies for our all day cookery course. We were in a small group of 7 people and our teacher was a chap called R. Before the cooking commenced we were taken to the market to buy some of the ingredients that we would be using. We had to carry little wicker baskets which made Mark look at bit camp!
During the day we make 6 different dishes and to get the most out the day we selected different ones so Mark made dishes that involved red curry paste and Rach made dishes with the green. After cooking each dish we then sat down and ate them - some more successful than others but we're sure after a bit of practice we'll be experts. We enjoyed the day, Rach especially as when we got back to the room she said it was nice to apart from each other for the majority of the day! A nice change!
That evening we hooked up with a Canadian woman called Jen who was on the cooking course and was also staying at Julies. We didn't need any food that evening due to basically eating all day so went to the night bazaar again and stopped occasionally for a drink. Back at the guesthouse we shared stories and travel tips as Jen was travelling through Laos & Vietnam next and she'd come up from the south of Thailand so we got suggestions on the islands.
Today we left Chiang Mai for Chiang Dao, a 60km journey made easier due to the place we were staying (Chiang Dao Nest) picking us up from Julies!! Something we weren't expecting and it saved us having to travel by local bus. Arriving we sensed a more laid back atmosphere and were greeted warmly. We are looking forward to exploring around the area and chilling for the next couple of days before returning to Bangkok on Monday.
Hope all is good at home.
Love
Mark & Rach. xxx
P.S - Sorry no pictures, the camera USB is playing up. We have plenty but can't get them onto the computer at the moment!

Cabbages and Condoms!

Last night we met up with Jo and Luke for dinner. Rach spoke to Jo over the phone earlier in the day but it was quite noisy where we were and she thought Jo said that the restaurant was called 'Cabbages and Condoms' which Mark found hilarious. It turned out Rach was right! We met Jo and Luke at Cabbages and Condoms which is a charitable restaurant with the proceeds going towards an AIDS Awareness charity. The food was great and the decor interesting with models, flowers, lampshades and lots more made out of condoms. At the end of our meal instead of getting the usual after dinner mint we were given a condom! We had a great night catching up with Jo and Luke and boring them with stories of our travels. We leave Bangkok tonight but when we pass back through we're going to stay with them in their swanky apartment in the business district.
Tonight we are getting the night train up to Chiang Mai where we're staying for a couple of days before having some chill out time in Chiang Dao. After that we return to Bangkok in order to do a 2 day trek around Kanchanaburi (Bridge over the River Kwai) before flying down to Ko Samui for some more relaxation but this time on the beach.
Today we've had a day of planning and feel happy that we're a bit more organised!
Hope all is good at home.
Lots of love
Rach & Mark. xxx

Back in Bangkok - for 36 hours anyway!

Hello followers!
We are now back in Bangkok after taking the night train from Vientiane which was great fun! Unfortunately our time in Laos got worse since our last post - our phones were taken from our room along with a small amount of Thai baht! So we will be getting a Thai (pay as you go job) phone today. Due to the phone incident we couldn't phone people as we said we would -sorry about that.
Tomorrow we're taking another night train up to Chiang Mai and plan to spend a week there which we're really looking forward to.
We promise a more interesting update soon.
Lots of love.
Mark & Rach. xxx

An update from Laos - Vang Vieng and Vientiane

Leaving the stunning hills of Luang Prabang behind we made our way to the 'chill out town' of Laos, Vang Vieng by bus. The journey offered spectacular views of the mountain ranges unfortunately with that came the winding roads that tested the best stomachs! At times both of us came over a bit queasy! One hour from Vang Vieng the road and our stomachs became settled again. We checked into Sisavang guesthouse (it had received good reviews) and at $8 a bargain. The room was basic but clean and by the time we'd walked around the town to find a place for a drink and a snack it became obvious this was not a place for us and we'd only be staying one night. Mark described the place like a university campus on permanent holidays! It was relatively quiet apart from the episodes of 'Friends' and 'Family Guy' being blasted out from the TVs in the bars! The shops were also weird selling T-Shirts and power tools (just in case you'd forgot to pack either!).
We did, however, find one place that wasn't showing American TV on loop and had a fantastic meal. Before heading back to the hotel we booked our ticket to depart and then had a beer watching 'Family Guy'!
This morning Rach had a traditonal english breakfast (minus the bacon) and Mark yet again had a disappointing coffee! A smaller bus picked us up to take us to the bus station and the VIP bus that would take us to Vientiane. On arrival the bus didn't look VIP but we boarded to leave. Five minutes into our journey the driver stopped, shouted to his assistant who then jumped off the bus to inspect what they were talking about. To our amazement one of the back wheels had fallen off!! We waited for 30 minutes for another bus to arrive and this time it was the VIP bus we'd all expected in the first place! Back on a bus that had a wheel in each corner we tried again! The journey this time wasn't as bad as the last one despite the driver being like another F1 driver! Reaching our destination we shared an tuk-tuk with an Australian couple into the centre. With leaving early we again didn't have anywhere booked so walked the streets to find a bed for the night. We'd spotted one in the Lonely Planet (LP) that sounded good and was 100,000 kip ($12) but when we arrived they stated $34 before offering a discounted price of $29! Slightly above our budget we moved on. Thats one thimg we have found with the LP - use it as a really rough guide as once a place is in it the prices sky rocket.
Tonight we plan to chill and think about what we want to see here before booking our passage via train to Bangkok.
We've been disappointed with Vang Vieng and Vientiane which is a real shame because we're sure that some other areas of Laos are beautiful. With limited time we certainly haven't seen the best of this country but got a glimpse at how stunning it can be in Luang Prabang. Oh well it gives us an excuse to come back sometime and see the other good bits!
Hope the UK is still warm and dry and good luck to those playing hockey today.
With it being Sunday tomorrow we will try and phone home.
Love
Mark & Rach. xxx

Worth staying an extra day! - Kwang Si Falls

Today we woke to the sound of rain outside our hotel - typical on a day we needed the washing to be dry. See even here the chores have to be done!

Fortunately by the time we finished breakfast it had stopped and it has turned out to be another beautiful day in paradise. The reason for staying was to visit the Kwang Si waterfalls and boy was it worth it. Rach haggled a tuk-tuk driver down 10,000 kip and we were off. The falls were 25km away and we tried to watch the scenery go by as the driver (you don't need a license in Laos) raced his little Rascal van like he was Jenson Button through the villages on the way.

We walked through the canopy and arrived at the base of falls. The waterfalls were pretty small here but that allowed us to swim around in the pool! The water was a bright blue colour which looked false but was very refreshing. We swam for a little while and took some pictures. Rach mainly took the pictures as when she swam around the little fish were really interested in a blister on her foot that she got from yesterdays walk! We're sure they were only cleaning it but it made it bleed and was unpleasant enough for Rach to get out.

After our swim we continued walking further up until we were greeted with a stunning 70m waterfall. The power of the falls created a light mist and the walkways were quite slippery. Mark continued alone up to the top as Rach was wearing flip flops but to be honest didn't miss much apart from feeling tired and sweaty!

Walking back towards Jenson Button and his mean machine we wandered around the craft stores and then returned to Luang Prabang for a late lunch. We spent the rest of the day chilling in the town and preparing our kit for our departure to Vang Vieng tomorrow morning. We have a 6 hour bus journey tomorrow so unlike the last couple of trips when we've bought cookies and pringles to keep us going tomorrow we're treating ourselves to proper baguette from Joma's coffe shop. It's a great little place in the town that has its own bakery - tasty!

Thanks for all the comments.

Love to all.

Mark & Rach. xxx

Treking around Luang Prabang

Sadly we couldn't do the original trip we planned today due to there not being enough numbers so we booked another day trip with a company called White Elephant (recommended by Jen and Joe). We left the hotel at 7:30 to get breakfast before we departed. Unfortunately Rach picked the wrong option of Luang Prabang museli which consisted of cornflakes, fruit, some seeds and off yoghurt! Mark had the British omelette and was very happy!

We met our guide for the day, his name was Kin and was from a local tribe up in the hills. We took a boat up the Mekong river for about 30 minutes and were then dropped off to start our trek. The route would take us through several tribe villages and temples, in all it would be around 22km - not a bad distance when it's 35 degrees.

As we ventured through the jungle Kin explained some of the history relating to the surrounding area and also his story. He'd been a monk for 12 years studying in Laos, Chang Mia and Burma so he'd travelled a bit for his studies! He is now settling down in Luang Prabang and getting married this December. He was an excellent guide and he really brought where we were to life. We arrived at one village where we would have lunch. Kin explained that because we walked quickly we were ahead of schedule but that didn't matter. We sat in the village meeting hall and tucked into our rice and vegetables (Mark had meat too) while the local kids were watching our every move and smiling. When we packed up we left some empty bottles (they collect for recycling) and some bananas. No sooner had we left the meeting hall the children dashed in to take as much as they could! One little boy managed to get four bananas and ran back to his home as fast as he could to share them with his family. He was giggling and very pleased with himself!

Throughout the afternoon we continued to walk in the baking sun (mad dogs and Englishman...) stopping at various villages. On the hilltops the scenery was amazing - the jungle colours really vibrant in the sun.

Towards the end of our trip we stopped at a village where Kin's future wife lived. We were followed by children shouting 'Sa bi dee' which means hello and watched the village men dig a new well. They asked whether we were here to help but it looked too messy! Just before leaving we were invited to join some locals for a drink of moonshine (rice wine)! We accepted it with a smile but it soon disappeared when we drank the stuff and we were pleased they didn't offer anymore! Not the ideal drink to rehydrate!

Making our way back to the river we visited several temples on the bank that were being restored, one by Kin's best friend.

Overall,a great day treking and finding out more about this fantastic country and it's people. The monks and their lifestyle was really interesting. They live such simple and pure lives it does make you think about how we as Westerners live and desire things.

We were planning to leave tomorrow to Vang Viend but we've decided to stay an extra day to visit the waterfalls. Fortunately we've managed to change our bus ticket without cost.

Hope all is well.

Love

Mark & Rach. xxx

Luang Prabang, Laos

Yesterday we got a flight from Hanoi to Luang Prabang which took just one hour. The flight was find but getting a visa on arrival was a bit of a nightmare. Not being very efficient we didn't get dollars in advance and planned to get some at Hanoi airport only to find out they didn't have a Bureau de change. Unable to do anything about it we got our flight, filled out the visa forms on arrival and were first in the queue. They didn't accept card for the $70 we owed but we were told there was a cashpoint outide. Mark went to get cash and Rach waited at immigration. Unfortunately the cashpoint wasn't working but there was a Bureau de change. Mark tried to get some money from there but they wouldn't give him any without seeing his passport which was with immigration! We had to wait for everyone to go through immigration and then join the back of a very long queue for the Bureau de change with a member of the immigration staff before being issued our visa. What should have taken just 10 minutes took us over an hour. A bit annoyed at our lack of planning and organisation we finally got a tuk tuk to a guest house. It was all worth the hassel as Luang Prabang is beautiful and a huge change from the noisy cities of Vietnam. We walked around Luang Prabang and were amazed by the laid back attitude of the Laos people. You don't get hasseled at all and they say that if you want a tuk tuk you have to wake the driver up and then convince him to do some work - a world away from anywhere else we've been!
In the evening we went to the night market which was incredible. A vast array of stalls selling a range of handicrafts. It was a real challenge for Rach not to spend spend spend with so many lovely textile items! Dad P don't bring Mum here, she'd spend the pension!
We went for dinner overlooking the Mekong river and had an excellent meal. We weren't overwhelmed by the food in Vietnam and were looking forward to the Laos food. We had to wait a while but weren't dissapointed with delicious Thai influenced curries.
We have booked a trek for tomorrow to visit some waterfalls and can't wait to see some of the stunning countryside!
Hope all is well at home.
Great to chat to Dad T last night.
Lots of love
Rach & Mark. xxx

The truely stunning Halong Bay

After a late evening at the 'couch surfing' gathering we surfaced the following morning full of excitement, firstly because it wasn't raining and secondly we were going on our 3 day trip to what is considered one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. With Hanoi behind us we arrived in Halong City to catch the junk that would take us around the bay. As we set sail the sky was hazy and in the distance we could see the blurred outlines of the islands. In total there are over 1,900 islands scattered across the bay and scanning the horizon thats all you could see - breathtaking.

During lunch onboard the sky became clearer and we arrived at one of the islands to visit the surprise cave. Inside this huge cave were massive staligmites and stalactites, some shaped like animals, praying budhas or human body parts! The sheer scale of the place would be hard to describe and the pictures probably won't do it justice either. Our next adventure involved taking kayaks out and paddling around the nearby islands. We explored the coastlines of several islands before entering into a tunnel that brought you out into a large pool of water surrounded by sheer rock faces. Returning to the boat we were in need of freshening up so we dived off the boat and had a dip. That evening we spent time on the top deck drinking and chatting with fellow travellers. Several of them were from our hotel in Hanoi which made our trip even more enjoyable.

The next day we started the day with more exercise walking up a steep mountain to a viewing point followed by another dip in the sea before breakfast. The boat then took us to Cat Ba Island where again we climbed another mountain, this time a lot harder to a viewing spot. The views were incredible but the summit was so crowded it spoilt it a little. When we reached the bottom Mark had carried a bottle of red wine with him and we celebrated our achievement by having a glass with our group. That afternoon after lunch we were then taken to Monkey Island to swim and just chill out after an exhausting day climbing. That evening we met up with several of the group for dinner and a few drinks overlooking the bay.

Our final day involved taking a slow meandering cruise through the vast array of islands before catching the bus in Halong City back to Hanoi. Overall the trip was amazing, the scenery was spectacular, we met some great people and it will be hard to forget.

We will be staying in Hanoi for the next couple of days arranging flights and visas to Laos.

Hope you are well back home.

Love

Mark & Rach. xxx

The DMZ (zzzz) and the Hanoi arrival

We spent Monday visiting the the DMZ area of Vietnam by bus (something Mark wanted to do), however, on reflection we were disappointed by tour overall. We spent most of the day on the bus, a very slow bus. A number of the sites were interesting and our guide was very informative about what happened but we didn't see that much - apart from the countryside. We especially liked the Vinh Moc tunnels which we were allowed to go down. We did, however, meet some great Brits (a couple from Cambridge and a Mum & daughter combo). That passed the time as on the bus we discussed places we'd been to and passed on travelling tips. That evening we all agreed to meet up for a few beers and dinner - an excellent evening eating, drinking & chatting despite one couple needing to catch a 1am train and us needing to be up at 6am to catch the 7:15 train to Hanoi.
After not much sleep we rose on Tuesday morning and made our way to the train station. We decided that due to it being a day train we wouldn't get a sleeper bed so opted for a soft seat - error! The train was packed and we spent 13 hours sat amongst people eating (very weird things), sleeping and trying to talk over the very loud TV playing everything from pop videos, fashion shows and a Vietnamese version of Mr Bean! One old man who sat next to us tried to make conversation in Vietnamese but obviously we didn't understand a word. Instead he kept pointing at us and grabbing Marks arm. He had no teeth so sucked on his food, making a right noise! We got a bit of sleep and the ipods came in handy again. Arriving in Hanoi our first objective was to find a hotel (we didn't book in advance due to drinking the night before!) we got dropped off by the taxi driver whose meter was more like a fruit machine than a proper taxi meter. He tried to charge us $7 stating we'd travelled 11km in about 6 minutes (in traffic). Mark actually recorded his mileage on his speedo and we'd done 3km. After Mark explaining this to him that his scam wouldn't work on us we paid him $3, he smiled knowing what he'd tried to do and went on his way. Finally after asking several hotels for a room we a found place (Quang Hiep Hotel). We dropped our bags off, had dinner and then collapsed in our bed.
Today we got up and had breakfast at the hotel which consisted of a baguette and a weird so called omlette. Not the best but filling enough. We met a dutch couple at breakfast who had just booked their Halong Bay trip through the hotel after meeting some people who'd just done it and recommended it. We decided that it would save us hunting around for a reputable company so have also booked it for tomorrow - 2 nights and 3 days for $65 each all inclusive.
We went to explore Hanoi and within minutes of leaving the hotel the rain started again! We sheltered a while and fortunately it eased off so we continued our ramble around the chaotic city. It is much like HCMC but with more markets and tourist based shops. They also have streets full of shops selling the same items. The streets are actually named after what they sell, like sweet street and toy street. Very bizarre!
Tonight we are going to a 'Couch Surfing' party which is a group of people associated with an online travel group - not quite sure what to expect but we were invited by the dutch couple we met at breakfast. Apparently it's just a cheap drinking fest!
Next update will be after our Halong Bay trip so lots of pictures. Lets hope the weather is good!
Hope everyone is well in the UK and thanks for all your comments.
Love
Mark & Rach. xxx

P.S - Becky - put a fleece and warm socks on and turn that heating off!

Would you believe it...... no rain!

Morning all
Off to the DMZ today and currently it's not raining (6am)!
Have a great day all.
Mark & Rach. xxx

A very wet Hoi An and Hue

Translating Hoi An into english means - it doesn't half rain in Vietnam. We've just spent two days in Hoi An and it rained for 75% of the time (unfortunately). That said, the city is beautiful (flooded in parts) and despite being several pounds heavier due to our drenched clothes we loved walking the narrow streets. The colonial feel still exists but now most of the buildings are either tailors or restaurants/bars. We spent a far bit of time in the latter, drinking, playing cards and on one occasion played pool.
On the second day we rented a moped (addicted now) and ventured out towards the coast. The development is amazing and within a couple of years the coastline will be transformed into a typical commerical coastal area - great for business but it will wipe away some of the magic.
That evening we did a spot of Christmas shopping and Rach picked up some handmade/tailormade sandals for $10 - Bargain! The opportunity to buy other items of clothing strained on Rach's will power but she resisted, mostly likely due to the fact that we'd be carrying it for a while. As we sat having our last dinner in Hoi An the heavens really opened and when it was time to head back to our hotel (to pack) we had to walk through the water which was then up to our knees! We won't bore you with the heated discussion we had with a bookshop that sold us a dodgy Lonely Planet for Laos (a copy and the maps were useless) or the fact that our laundry wasn't ready when we returned to the hotel - we liked Hoi An and could have only wished the weather was kinder.
Today we rose early ( to collect the laundry and pack) and set off for Hue, leaving on the most uncomfortable bus so far. Fortunately the trip was only 3 hours. As with the last 48 hours it rained most of the way but as we approached Hue it easied a little.
This afternoon we walked around the city on both sides of the river (North - the old town & Citadel and the South - tourist area with hotels, bars etc). Still raining!
Tomorrow we plan to go up the coast on a trip into the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) to visit the Vinh Moc tunnels and Troung Son National Cemetery. Then we head for Hanoi on the night train - yippee!
Hope all is good at home and it's not getting too cold - at least you haven't got rain like here.
Lots of love
Mark & Rach. xxx
PS - Still raining!

Hoi An at 6am!

After 11 hours on the sleeper bus we arrived to a rainy Hoi An. We were actually quite impressed with the sleeper service. The bus had about 20 sleeping cocoons which allowed you to fully recline your seat - almost like Upper Class on Virgin, the only thing missing was a bar! Saying that, onboard were several well provisioned Germans and Yanks with plenty of beer and wine. Worried that we be kept awake by their noise we settled down for the long journey.

Fortunately the snoring and chatting wasn't as bad as we thought. The only thing that annoyed Rach was one guy trying out different ring tones on his mobile phone! Mark had put his Ipod on and sat peacefully tapping away listening to Mark Knopfler!

The bus stopped several times to allow people to 'ease springs' before a longer stop over around midnight where we stretched our legs and bought a coke. Hopping back on we had another 6 hours to go and weather started to get worse. Rach managed to sleep for most of the trip, however, Mark didn't! No change there but on arrival we were both happy just to get off.

Being the new 'free spirits' we didn't have anywhere booked but were offered a room for $10 so we snapped that up quickly - very satisfied.

Throwing the backpacks in the room we headed into town for breakfast and bleary eyed stumbled into a restaurant. Looking at the menu Mark noticed they did proper latte so was excited! However, when he ordered he was informed the machine was broken - he settled for a Vietnamese coffee again (strong with condensed milk in the bottom).

The rest of the day was spent walking the narrow streets of the city 'occasionally' being asked if we wanted to get any clothes made or a moped ride.

Tomorrow we plan to hire a moped and head for the beach which is 4km away (weather permitting) and then book another bus trip to take us to Hue on Sunday. Mark desperately wants to use the train so we'll probably arrange the journey from Hue to Hanoi to satisfy his romantic notion of the train (didn't know he was a secret trainspotter!)

Thanks for all the responses and love to you all as always.

Mark & Rach. xxx