South East Asia Nov-Feb 08

Thailand

This last month, I have been soaking up the sun and sand while sipping away at exotic fruit juices to mentally prepare myself for my up coming trip to India.

I have been traveling with a cool girl from Holland the last 10 days, that I nursed back to life after she collapsed from a tonsil infection on Koh Pan Yang .''The island famous for full moon parties''. The full moon party was fun but overrated.

I did a 15 hour Thai Massage course and a bit of Muy Thai boxing which was culturally enriching. It nice to do something for a change :)

I spent New Year's in Koh Pan Yang as well. Unfortunately, after an intense party with too many people and too much drinking - I got pick-pocketed!

They robbed all my cash and ATM card! To make things worst my Swedish mate also got robbed a few hours later the same night.



Luckily, I was staying on another island where I kept my passport and a spare credit card. We both had no way of getting back to our island since we had no money. We met a lovely English couple, who paid for our boat tickets back to Koh Tau .

Prior to that, I spent time relaxing on the islands of Koh lanta, Koh tau ( which is famous for diving), ko samet (with it's fine white sand beaches (nearer to BNK ) and the party island of Koh Phi Phi. ( filled with mostly Swedes and famous from the movie The Beach- with leonardo di Caprio)

Am in Bangkok once again. I have spent much too much time here waiting for my flight to India, waiting for Visas or Friends to arrive. BNK is big and spread out, polluted, dirty, loud, noisy, has horrible traffic and although there are some great restaurants, good shopping and plenty of things to see, it can be overwhelming. Luckily, yesterday I bumped into a good mate I traveled with in Laos.




The northern hills and jungles of Thailand were far more interesting. Less tourists, hence a more traditional feel, horrible transport- (we broke down a few times), bad infrastructure with much cheaper prices than the islands.

The north is filled with waterfalls, caves, treks, water rafting, bamboo rafting, elephant rides, natural hot springs and thermal pools, indigenous tribes, amazing scenery ....

I rented a motor bike and saw everything on my own to avoid using tours . I hate tour groups! Aside from Changmai, I spent most of my time in and around the the hippie village of Pai and drove to Mae hong son and further into the jungle (almost to Burma) to see the infamous karen villages ( Indian women who wear gold rings around their necks).



I like Thailand, but in general it's far too touristy and becoming more and more expensive, catering to package tourists and the like. Resorts are springing up everywhere. The cool atompsheric bungalows with trendy bars are being converted to large pool resorts and posh clubs much like in phuket. Which is a horrible place. I don't think I met any backpackers in Thailand in 6 weeks.








Laos was refreshing after Thailand. Things were slower, people seemed friendlier, more humble and less likely to sell you. Even the dogs looked better kept.

After a 2 day boat down the Mekong river where I met loads of cool people. I started traveling with Robert (from Berlin) for over a week which was a good change. I have been meeting people for only 1-2 days and then moving on and begining again since most are short term tourists with little time and very different plans.

We explored the colonial town of Lua Pabreng which has amazing sunsets and is also unesco world heritage site (like half of the places I visited in Vietnam) .It"s one of the most attactive towns in Asia in terms of colonial architexture and large number of Wats (temples).

Afterwards, we got stuck in Vang veng for over a week. What a great place! I could have spent more time there.



A tiny dusty village along a river with a Boheme, relaxed feel and not too much to do except rocking in a hamack, sitting around the fire to guitar songs and chatter, watching the sunsets, rock climbing or riding around and treking though the picturesque nearby jungles.

An easy place to meet other travelers. Many watch friends which in this town is shown in 90% of all restaurants? I was limited to only a few places to eat as a result, as I don't watch TV -especially american sitcoms. I don't know how this freinds trend got started here? What a horrible idea!

The other main attraction is Tubing. Rent a tube and take it down the river which allows you to flow 4-10 km down stream being picked up by each of the 10 river bars along it. You simply wave and they give you a bamboo stick and pull you up to the bar. Was loads of fun, I went a few times.





Then the capitol Vientiane was average but nice as there were so few tourists.

Culturally and linguistically Laos is more like Thailand but more conservative. Men seem to get drunk while the women work and organise the family home and mant times run busines . The people in Laos have been my favourite in all of south east asia!





Cambodia has a violent past, which can still be felt especially after visiting tuol sleng museum and the killing fields ( a memorial to 17,000 people murdered by the khmer rouge).

The capitol is a mix for extreme wealth and poverty, crumbling french colonial buildings and sexual tourism...despite there dark tragic pasts from the surface people still seem happy. I also found them freindlier and more geniune than in Vietnam.



The lost city of Angkor , with its hundreds of magnificent temples was stunning to explore but is overun with so many tourists you can barely get a picture without 10 strangers entering the picture. It kills the essence of such a historical site.

Sinoukville (the beach) was a good place to relax after the latter. It had a good feel and was a bit busier for Xmas.




I found a place that offered free accomodation which is a great conceptand attracts some intersting people. The reason they do this is you wind up eating in their restaurant which was fair enough.

Xmas was strange night but a great party after dinner. I spent it with some Swedes (i had met earlier in Vietnam )in a Finnish bar, who served us a Finnish dinner for Xmas whilst in cambodia....strange

















Vietnam

I took the 24 hour death bus from Laos to Hanoi! What a horrible trip, to begin we arrived at the border and waited in the bus for 6 hours until it opened. Then the Bus driver was transporting 30 boxes wrapped in plastic with something illegal in- side. They used our backpacks to cover them so they were hidden inside the back of the Bus. They unloaded everything just before the border?

As soon arrived at the border I felt the difference. The locals were rude, aggressive and seemed unfreindly. At immigration bribes for entry, then for an immigration forms etc.. We had to leave 4 people on are Bus behind who we later met again, they had to stay 6 hours for larger bribes for some minor passport issues.



Hanoi, the capitol, was a shock on the senses after being in Laos. A blend hectic busy streets, chaos, some sophistication, and a lot of noise. I liked only that it was a walkable city.

The men just ride around on their bikes while women work back breaking jobs. carrying heavy baskets on their heads or backs. I ranintomy fist bad taxi metre and felt like every local I spoke with was only interested in money.I was ripped off many timesand hasselled throught out vietnam with yells of "where you go" where u from" Motobike" you buy from me".



Halong bay above was very pictureque!

I went north near the Chinese border to see the hill tribes, but found it similar, tourists, and selling!

Hue and Hoi an were a bit more authentic the latter I really liked with it's colonial streets and small city centre lined with small tasty restaurants and cafes along the river.

Nha trang (also famous for diving and it's nightlife) I did't care for either. In fact the swede with us got robbed as well as other frends we met as we left the popular night spot " The Sailing club".



It was an odd experience. We were surrounded by 10 motor bike taxis in half circle and as we all pushed our way though several prostitutes lached on to us trying to grab for sensitive areas, while they were distracting us to grab our wallets. One of the swedish guys out of our group of 5 got robbed .

It seems they do this every night, as I have heard from 3 other people I knew the same story at the same place.

Mu ne was quiet, more for couples or Kike surfing. Saigon the freindliest big city of all Vietnam in my View was a good crack.

















For more pictures click on the SE Asia album ->