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