Síle & Bruce’s Travel Blog

Happy Easter All!

We’ve been in HCMC for just over a week now (the reason we stayed so long was Bruce’s football game - highly entertaining!)

This place is crazy - so different to anywhere else I been. In a way its very ”westernised” but so un-western in another way. It’s far richer than Laos or Cambodia, there are Gucci shops and massive shopping malls in one area with rich women ”lunching” about town. We felt like real scruffs!

We’ve met a lot of locals so far in Vietnam, they’re really friendly and always up for a chat, even if they can’t speak English and our Vietnamese isn’t any better.

We’ve been to a few museums, one of which was the War Remnants, really interesting. Lots of photos and military stuff from the Vietnam War, as well as a nasty video about the victims of the war.

Yesterday we spent the day at a local water park (trying to escape the heat) - it was massive and full of Vietnamese kids shouting and staring at us! It’s strange and difficult to get used to, but it’s only done in a friendly way so we just smile back!

We’re getting a Sleeper Bus this evening to Nha Trang. It leaves at 8pm and takes about 10hours. We’re planning on getting a bit more beach action!

We’re still really enjoying the novelty of not working and just taking it easy with minimal stress!

I hope all is well back home, it’s lovely to hear from you all.

Lots of love
xx

We saw pigs on the beach yesterday - ha!

So the last time we wrote we were in Vientiane, having visited the Buddha Park and the Beerlao Factory. We spent a few days long than expected there just because it was so relaxed. We were staying in the most disgusting guest house. It needed a chemical clean! One guy got bitten so badly by bedbugs that it looked like he has awful sunburn! Read the rest of this entry »

From the post below you can guess why Bruce like Laos eh?!

 I’ll just fill in the gaps!

We left Thailand on the 10th by taking a bus to Chiang Rai and a second to Chiang Khong where we crossed the boarder. Its funny, you exit Thailand, get on a little bost for 5 mins then go into Laos. The visa were 35 US$ each, it was so simple: just fill in a form, pay your money, get a stamp!

 We stayed for 2 night is the villiage/town called Houy Xai where we then got on a 2 day long boat to Luang Prabang. The boat journey was ineteresting to say the least. they loaded about 10 people onto the long boat with wooden benches - COMFORTABLE! we spent about 7 hrs each day on the boat. The first day was fine, weather was nice and the loo wasn’t as bad as what we expected! The second day was freezing! I had my jumper on and a towel covering my legs. In the end I ended up trying to sleep under the bench. Bruce couldn’t manage it, but it was funny to watch him try!

The Lonley Planet guide book raves about Luang Prabang, but to be honest we were dissapointed. It was too cold, too expensive and there was nothing to do! SO we left pretty sharpish.

We’ve headed south to a small town called Vang Vieng where the weather is hot and the prices are low. The bus journey was a little hairy, Just goiung through the mountains for 7 hours… at least there was a tarmac road most of the way(!) Its crazy, Vang Vieng is in the middle on nowhere. There is just one ‘major’ road that has some bars that just play Friend, Family Guy or The Simpsons on repeat all day long (Keeks, you’d LOVE it!)

 Unfortunatly the food isn’t as good as it was in Thailand, Bruce and I have both been sick in bed for the last 2 days. But we’re all good now and went Tubing down the river this morning (you hire big rubber rings and relax on the river for a few hours), but the sun burn isn’t much fun!

We think we’ll be heading to the Capital tomorrow and then onto Cambodia to get a bit of beach action!

 Love to all and keep in touch

xxx

Hello Hello!

So we’ve been in Chiang Mai over a week now and we both love it. Its very different to Bangkok but there is enough going on to keep us happy.

 Updates on a  few things, after having my Chest X-Ray in one of the local hospitals I finally have my working Visa for Oz! So, no more worries for me, we are just waiting to hear about Bruce’s now - but fingers crossed!

We went on a one day trek on Monday. It was fantastic! it started with a drive to a local village, I didn’t enjoy this too much, it felt a little intrusive or something - all the ”westeners” with their cameras out! It did only last about 20 mins though and then it was another short drive to go on a elephant ride. It was amazing, honestly, I know this sounds stupid but I never really realised how massive they are. It lasted about 40 mins and throughout it we were feeding our elephant bananas, when we didn’t it ’snotted’ at us! At one point a guy on a motorbike pulled up and took photos of us all, at the end of the ride the photos were printed and framed and ready for us to pay for (only about 100 Baht!)

After Lunch it was time for the trek to the waterfall, the first half was beautiful, going deeper into the jungle/forest. The second half was a little hairy! At points, if we fell, it was a vertical drop to the river. The waterfall was beautiful though, and we got some nice pics which we’ll pop up soon. Then we had to do the trek back again, it wasn’t so bad this time round. The afternoon was spend on the river, white water rafting (very tame, more a meander down the river) and bamboo rafting! It was the perfect end to a great day!

 Yesterday and today we hired out a motorbike (although Bruce won’t let me have a go on it!), we spent yesterday going to see elephants and snakes which was slightly bizarre, I mean elephants playing football?! We were told they were happy but i wasn’t so sure. And the ”Snake Man” kept on getting bitten! Not so big, and not so clever!

 Today we rode to a quiet little place up a mountain and chilled for a few hours with the most beautiful of Chiang Mai below us. We picked up some food and had lunch up there, totally chilled!

 Well, we’ll be leaving Chiang Mai in a few days and heading slightly north to Pai, it sounds nice and quiet, and its somewhere new before going into Laos.

 Thanks for all your emails and comments, its lovely to have them so keep ‘em coming.

Love to all

xxx

How is everyone doing back home.

We heard the weathers good! sorry had to do it, its been a blazing 35 degrees since we first landed 7 days ago. Alot has happened since then. We stayed in Bangkok for 6 days which was a little much to be fair, but some friends were about so it was lashings of Chang all round. The buckets are lethal. Tuktuks and the nana plaza would have to be the highlights not forgetting the nutty dude that took us cruising in his long boat. It was like the man from the golden gun. Bangkok became a little too busy so we headed down to see my uncle in Pattaya, or so we thought. After 12 hours of trying to get in touch with him we got the message, we should’ve spotted it from the fake email address and dodgey telephone number! Thanks robin, Hows the leg…

Next morning we made a speedy exit back to Bangkok (Punch pattaya into google) and instead of heading to the river kwai, we decided to make the long journey North to Chiang Mai where we are currently writing this blog. We took the night train from Bangkok which took about 14 hours. It was an good experince. Its alot more chilled in Chaing Mai, the foods still kick arse good.

We are having problems obtaining our Aussy visas, Shee has to get a chest X-ray (!) and I have to fax over all details for when I was done for Drink driving, 6 years ago! Mum have you got any documents for this? Fingers crossed we get them, if not who knows.

We both hope all is well at home, keep us upto date with all of the goss. Thanks for all the emails and comments, they’re really lovely to get! We’re having an amazing time!

xx

Just a quick one to let you all know we’ve arrived safe and sound!

 Enjoying the sunshine - SO hot, but the rooftop pool is helping. Just enjoyed some Pad Thai from a street stall, only 25 Baht, I think I could get used to this!

Pics will follow soon. Lots of Love to all!

Sile xxx