Síle & Bruce’s Travel Blog

After days of negotiations and drunken ramblings with our saigon mates, juen and salvidor, I finally persuaded them to let me in the football team for easter sundays crunch match at the stadium near the airport. Playing full back for the dragons was a real challenge but after months away from the pitch in london playing for emap rocketeers, i was up for the game. With professional photographer S.Joyce on the sidelines all of the action was documented include the kit, which was abit of a snug fit. Unfortunately we lost 3-0, the first goal was a complete fluffage by there stand in goalkeeper and the 3 was a disputed penalty. Overall though it was a brillant experience playing 90 minutes with the locals, never thought for one minute it would happen so all good. Pics to follow.

Im never gonna complain about bus trips in the uk again, Lands End to John O’Groats is a walk in the park compare to the journey we injured about a week ago. VIP bus from laos to bangkok, Vip, I don’t think so, we didn’t feel very important, more like cramped. About 3 hours in my tummy decided to expand some what, which for the next 3 hours would become a major concern for myself and my underpants. Lucky as time went by the trouble subsided after another 3 hours it gave me the green light, and i was back in the room. We struggled into bangkok and got a quick connection to the cambodian border, where phase 3 of the journey would start. Local propain rally taxi (express) I have never seen a highway stroke dirt track like it, unbeliveable. The taxi drivers horn had given up the ghost 2 hours in and instead of a loud blast it had turn into a quiet whimper. By the way, sile’s remarks about me having to wear a sports bra are unfounded, my peks are in good shape due to the healthy 7 pints a day of local beer i am consuming, they’re in good shape. Siem Reip was good, im not a religous person but sites we visited were pretty awsome, it was like been in Indiana Jones and the temple of doom. We headed to the capital where I was looking forward to another couple of days on the bike, I quickly decided against that when we entered the place. It is a complete free for all on the roads, drive the wrong way up a dual carriage way or take the whole family for a bit of dinner, record so far is 6 people on one bike.

We are now at the coast and back on the bike and enjoying the beach and local curry and beer, 50p for a pint of ankor draft. (Back of the net) Hope everyones well. Take it easy

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 »

On our honda stepthrough tour of the captial Vientiene we decide to head out of the city to a budda park 30kms south east of the city. The roads are another story (could of done with a motocross bike). we had been told by an english lady that the beer lao factory was on the way to the budda park, quite an ideal situation im sure you can imagine, but also that they give you beer and a tour of the factory, and guess how much it cost. Not a penny. So we pull up at the factory, through a door, where we are greeted by a lady who ushers out into a garden where she promptly asks us to sit down. Im not going to argue with this lady as I think she might have a few treats in store, and sure enougth 2 minutes later she reappears with two bottles of beer lao, a questionaire and beer lao stickers. Brillant. We slurp down the beer and then are taken into the factory for a quick tour. Interesting fact: They actually brew and can Calesburg beer there. Anyway I asked her if i could take a few snaps for the collection but was denied, had to take it on the chin as she had layed on a good spread.

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

Its very good, 5% with a crisp clean taste and get this it cost 40p a bottle. Back of the net. Its to easy to have a drink in this country. Sile made me buy a bottle of whiskey the first night we got to vang vieng, with two cokes it cost 3.20 or something, and its good gear. Laos has been a mixed bag. When we crossed the border into huay xai it was roasting, 35 plus. we spent 2 days there and then got the 2 day slow boat down to luang prabang, stopping over night in pak beng, tiny place run of generators, at 11.30 the place just shuts down, quite strang. Anyway, we were really looking forward to luang prabang as it is bigged up in the travel book. What a let down, it was freezing which was not ideal and the prices were sky high. It was a blaytant tourist trap, bit annoying. Anyway we have ended up in a place called vang vieng which is sweet as a nut. Alot cheaper and lots of bars, restaurants also things to explore like caves and lakes and more bars etc etc…

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

We went to see Thai boxing on Friday, what a night. The great thing about Thai boxings rules are, that there are no rules. The stadium was quality, wooden framed corrugated Iron roof. Ringside seats and a stall to get a few sherbets from. As the snake charmer style music sang out the first fighters appeared. Starting out all slow and sort of movin to the music, I was beginning to think we had been done, but then all of a sudden, smack and kick. The fight explored into a kicking and punching feast. Round three and things were getting abit hairy for the fighter in red, 30 seconds to go in the round and out of no where a full force elbow crack onto the jaw and done goes the blue fighter! Hes out cold for a full 6 minutes. The commentator grabs the mic and trys to assure everyone that the fighters alright. Carried out on a stretcher and left in the docs room, (a hut with a red cross painted on it). After 6 minutes hes up and about with a ciggy on the go. Quality

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