Marco en ASIA

This is my most recent Blog! Essentially, after living and working in London for the past 4 years I have decided to leave it all behind for one last great adventure!

A 9 month trip Backpacking through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, India, Nepal, Oz, Nz and Fiji!

My last blog (link below) has fantastic photos of over 40 countries, I travelled to with work . In addition, you will find some funny stories of how difficult it was to get set up in London.

www.marcoenlondra.blogspot.com

My first blog (link below), is where my extreme traveling and desire to see the world all began, in 2001. You will find many interesting posts and amazing photos of South America and Europe . www.marcoensudamerica.blogspot.com

Where I left off in my last blog

I am 28 and after living in London for 4 years, I am free again and travelling! I spent the first 2 years in the London office at a market research firm called Mintel working escaping reality somewhere in Europe every other weekend (a big thanks to Easy jet and Ryan air for making it possible).

The second half, I was still based in London but promoted to an amazing job where I stayed in luxury hotels and ate in up-scale restaurants, while directing a global quality control project for Pepsi. I was sent all over the world , spending 85% of my time in over 40 countries on business and the latter in London.

Future

After my big Asia trip, I would like to cross the amazon from Venezuela to Brasil and live in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos aires for a few years.

I would love to visit Japan and one day and will probably have to rethink my nomadic adventure-driven lifestyle, but not just yet !

"La felicidad es un trayecto, no un destino......"

''Happiness is a journey not a destination''

Nepal, China and Fiji!

Nepal



Just before going to China, I spent 10 days in Nepal recovering from a difficult few months of travel in India. Nepal was much slower and more relaxed. The people did not always try to sell you which was a nice change. They have an interesting look. A mixture of Asiatic, tibetan and Indian.

Arriving in Thamel, was a shock! Thamel, the touristy part of Kathmandu, felt like Kah San road in Bangkok. Intenet cafes, souvenir shops, climbing/travel tour agents, big signs with bright lights and expensive western restaurants.Too much too fast.

I didn't expect this type of tourism. It was far different than India. Massive amounts of tour groups (tourists) with their expensive northface clothing apparell and branded hiking boots coming for a 2-3 week trekking holidays.




I was feeling rather lazy and decided not to join my freinds (who I met in Varanasi, India) for a 3 week trek in the infamous Anurpana range. Therefore, I went to lake Pokora to relax and do much eating.

Unfortunately, my plan to cross into Tibet was cancelled when they shut the borders and forced me to take an expensive flight to Beijing due to the violent protests and as a result the harsh Chinese response.


China for one is massive! You don't realize how big it is, until you have crossed much of it overland.

It's one of the worlds oldest civilizations (the most populous) and contains many suprises and an amazing breath of diversity in it's landscape, culture and people.



It's rather amazing how much of China's history, culture, temples and buildings have been destroyed or re-built. Erased, tragically, lost in time predominately in the last century . The inventors of gunpowder, printing, paper currency, ''pasta'', the followers of Taoism, Confucianism, the practices of shaolin, Tao chi. So much history and culture!

Exceptions, to list but a few (historic towns-) Shangrila, Dali, Pingyao and Lijang below with it's cobbled streets , old rickety wooden buildings and cute canals still retain old architecture.

Unfortunately, they are completely overrun with Chinese brigades of tourist all following Shepards carrying Flags . These organized sheep, wearing colorful bright green, blue or red hats, snap shots away with their large cameras as they browse through the endless little souvenir shops. This for me has killed the authenticity of some of the last remaining attractive towns in China.



In general there are NO English speakers in China. Everything is complex ! They also do not understand conventional hand signals which got me through most of the rest of Asia?

Taxi's, ordering food in a restaurants or even something simple like finding a toilet or asking for salt and pepper.. is a mission. I never once ordered something to eat and actually got exactly what I wanted or thought I was ordering except for the last week when I travelled with a local Chinese girl who spoke English.

Toilets are lovely indeed, many times you can watch others relieving themselves. Imagine a 4 walled box of con create with 4-10 holes in the ground. Being foreign is an unique experience. To be stared at while pissing by other who are simultaneously pissing and shitting. The funny thing is in general Chinese in most cities ignore you completely, in contrast to other Asia countries were I got starred at all the time. Its hard to determine if its that they are timid and reserved or just completely dis-interested?



Pingyao was also pleasant after Beijing. Pingyao is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities with its swaying red lanterns and Grey brick walls. It was quiet and only bycycle's were permitted in the old centre fitting the more authentic picture, I had in mind before coming to China.

Aside from the charms of Beijing, IE The summer palace, the Forbidden city, the great wall, tinamen square, monasteries, gardens and a the tiny hiddenback streets (Called hutons -where for a moment you did not feel like you are in a sprawling metroplois).

Beijing is a great place to be scammed. Unfortunately, I was.

I met some friendly locals who had me join them for tea at a "tea house" were I paid 20 euros for the most expensive tea I have ever had. After, speaking to fellow tourists -half the people in my hostel had similar experiences, either in Beijing or Shanghai. Many got off far worst occasionally being scammed into the hundreds and even thousands, for expensive meals or hiring out event rooms for meal with out their prior knowledge or consent.

Modernization has arrived and millions flooding to the urban cities increasing the gaps of rich and poor. The levels of pollution, traffic, noise is and the sheer quantity of people is inconceivable. Perhaps only because distance and traffic were so horrendous you needed 4 to 5 days to just see a few of the major sites.




My next stop Xian was like being back in the capitol. In fact, they say 7 of 10 of the most polluited cities in the world are in China. If I did not have a mate working at the Universitie I would have skipped Xian.

Aside from the infamous terracotta warriors and one of the Shans? (a holy mountain), I spent very little time in Xian, Chengdu, Kunming, Schenzen, some of the largest cities in China.

The hostels in China were suprisingly good, fully equipped with common rooms, Internet and so on. Proper hotels were very expensive!

Not to mention everything has a entrance fee, whether you want to visit a park, garden, temple, climb a hill you have to pay. The only thing that I found just is that the locals also need to pay the same amount. Unlike in India and south east Asia were tourists pay a lot more.




Two things you notice, not only on the trains but especially on the trains are the women, men and kids of all classes spitting everywhere all the time. The other is kids do not use diapers. In fact, their clothes come made with a small whole so there private parts can hang out and essentially can use the toilet at any time when and where ever. Now if you are siting next to someone who is about to spray and is slowly pointing to and away it can be quite an awkward experience.

I met very few real long term travelers in China. Mostly, I met a couples and short term holiday tourists, aside from many many English teachers from the states or the UK .

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The trains fared much better then in Indian . Unfortunately , the comfortable classes were always booked and had I to take half a dozen 20 hour trains in a hard seat with the general population of which none speak English and. In all but one case, I was the only European.



Dali like lijang but to a lesser extent was a stunning town. But, just to get a few nice shots without the patrols of tourist groups I had get up at 6am in the morning.

Shangrila was better , as it's further away ,colder with a horrible mountain road keeping the less adeventurous away.Also since they had closed off Tibet, many stayed away thinking it was off limits to tourists.

It is still predominately Tibetan. Although not as beautiful as the latter and former it was more real. I felt like I was in Tibet. We went as far to the border as possible but were not allowed to go further than "dequin''. It was very disappointing to miss out on Tibet.

I spent a few days trekking in the tiger leaping Gorge, it is said to be the deepest gorge in the world. I spent those days reflecting joyfully that I decided not to trek in Nepal for 3 weeks. It would have been torture :)



Yangshuo my last stop was also unlike many other places. Tourism of course had hit, but the landscapes were unreal, The rice paddies and limestone capped rock formations look somewhat like ha-long bay...and are an amazing site.

Hong Kong even though a large city I liked. Its an interesting change from the mainland and I like a fusion of East and West. The people are for the most part just as traditional, although they would have you believe otherwise, I think its only on the surface. You do find a lot of English speakers which makes things much easier and more enjoyable.

They are even trying to re-wire cultural mores through immense fines to eliminate things like littering and spitting which are rampant on the mainland.



Bali. was a great transition. People were smiling again, friendly and keen to converse. The food both western and local was delicious and cheap. . Add in the surf , sun, beaches and english being spoken and it was paradise. I met a cool guy from Holland, and we decided to rent motorbikes and drive around the islands. It was nice to get off the beaten track and see real people and no other tourists.

We also took a ferry to the more remote island of lombok and to the infamous Gilli islands. A great place.

Oz my next stop was brief. In addition, almost 80% of the travelers I bumped too were kids just out of high school. many not all of these 18-20 year olds got stupidly drunk night after night. It felt like bing on a package deal on Ibiza. Mostly Brittish and German, with a few Dutch and Scandanavians. I have come to understand why I enjoy travelling to the more difficult places.... usually the people you meet are much better hence the experiences you have!



I started in tropical Cairns. More of a starting/ending point but some great reefs for snorkling. Ufortunately it was raining the entire month I was in australia except for 3-4 days .Even Queensland gets rain in the the winter.

I spent a few days on a sailboat- the Hababi snorkling though the great barrier reef which has an amazing variety of tropical fish and stunning coral. I have never seen such beautiful coral. The next fun stop was off -roading in jeeps with 10 strangers for a few days on the largest sand island - Frasier Isand. Was pleasant to camp and sleep under the stars while dingos would try steal food or the occasional woman.



Otherwise in a nutshell, I stopped into Sydney and Brizbane to catch up with some freinds, surfed and partyed a bit in Byron bay, (such a cool place) and got stuck on mission and rainbow beach hoping the rain would stop .

I ended in Fiji. A stunning place indeed. Over 300 islands to choose from. I got to six. And some are just like in the movies, your on a tiny island with nothing on but a few huts. I found the conditions were very baisic on the Yasawa islands,not to mention very limited food. I was starving half of the time as there are no shops to buy things on the islands. Also too many couples...



Well after 9 months of traveling through Asia that concludes the largest portion of my trip. I have been visiting freinds and relatives in the US and Canada the last 5 weeks and will be going to Old Europe to do the same.

In October I fly to Colombia, will cross Venezula and the amazon going down along Brazil's north eastern coastline to Rio were I would loke to live for 6-12 months before heading to Buenos Aires.

Planet India!

India is one place that is impossible to describe with just words alone.

Its an attack on all the senses! Infinite smells, sounds, sights that need to be felt and experienced. Whether it be chaos, spirituality or surreal tranquility. It has an amazing variety of contrasts and extremes. India is constantly full of surprises.



Delhi (and most large cities in India)is absolute Chaos! Massive ,un-organised, dirty, and noisy with endless traffic. I arrived in Febuary expecting warm weather. To my surprise it was 5-10'.

I went to Rajastan ( the desert)hoping to find some heat . Since I wanted a smaller place after Delhi I skiped Jaipur (the pink city and capitol of Rajastan).

I landed in Pushkar, a magical town around a beautiful lake. Streets filled with monkey, cows and noisy weddings (I arrived in the middle of wedding season). There are defintely too many foreign tourists killing the vibe of the town, but I still very much liked the feel of the place and spent hours just drinking chai (Indian tea) on the street while chating with other travelers.

Train's in India are unlike any other experience on public transport. It is something everyone should try once:)



The Blue city (Jodpur) was more local with very fewer tourists. Aside from a massive fort and many buildings painted blue, there was not much else to keep me there.

My next stop was Jaslemer. The sandcastle looking city far west in the desert almost on Pakistan's border.




Hence many soldiers, probably due to the tense relationship between the 2 countries. We arrived in the middle of the desert festival which consisted of moustache competitions, turban tying contests, camel polo and the like. Was a laugh the whole way through.

I also liked Udaipur (James bond city- scenes of octupusy were filmed there). It was charming, very picturesque and surrounded by rivers and mountains which complemented it's beauty. Udaipur is full of high roof top terraces, great to just relax and catch glimpses of the stunning sunsets and the Island palace.



My plans to go north changed due to extreme cold weather. Instead, I went south to visit a Friend in Pune and the infamous meditation resort of Osho.

A place unlike many others. In fact, just to enter you need to take an aids test and buy a maroon robe and many other things depending on which meditations and experiences you would like to have. it has become quitea business and very comercial the last few years. Only spent a few days, but it was an interesting and strange experience.



I passed though Arambol (north Goa) for few days, now a centre for many nouveux riche Russian tourists and hippies with kids who never left Goa or can't stay away.



I didn't stay long as I wanted another type of atmosphere. 5 hours south of Goa I found it. Or at least some great people.



Paradise beach in Gokarna! A place you can really stay for a few weeks and do very little especially if you meet the right people. By chance, I was there for a major festival - Shiva. Was quite a sight. They pull these large pointy tower wooden carriages, containing several priests, and thousands of spectaters throw banana's at them.

Another Gem was Hampi. Amazing scenery and sunsets aside from the usual temples/ruins which is the primary attraction for most visitors.

If you stay on the other side of the river, it is full of relaxed guest house's where you can laze around in a hammock and do nothing. The rock formations are un-real, thousands of rocks and boulders piled into mountains like they were just dropped down from the sky.




After Hampi, I briefly visited the golden Sikh temple (in Amstrar near the pakistani border in kashmer) and then India's Tibet-Dharmsala. Where the Dali lama and his entourage is exsiled. I got a real understanding of Tibet here.




The struggle and demonstrations in Tibet, start here ! The situation for me to cross into Tibet was tense due to the upcoming Olympic games, infact the borders were cealed.

Although if I would have gone to travel through Tibet , you need to go with a tour group and get a permission, making the whole a fair touristy and not very authentic at all.

After doing a bit of Yoga and swimming in the holy Ganges (in Rishekesh) my last stop in India was Varanasi.I was ready to leave India by then and only planned to stay 1-2 days. I was tired of India and ready for a more relaxed place. I ended up staying much longer than planned. Even though it was a large chaotic place Varanasi was great!



I arrived the day of Holi festival. Absolutely crazy! Every one ( all the men that is) was out dancing, drunk throwing water and paint at everyone. It was a bit aggressive, but very intense and a lot of fun.



The 20 foreigners I was with and I had an absolute blast. I ended up staying a week more because of the people but Varanasi is special and represents true India.

Varanasi is loud, crazy, spiritual, holy, is filled with the smells of burning bodies, mystical flames burning, picturesque ghats and old buildings, winding little streets with the additions of traffic, pollutions. litter and shit paved all over the streets from cows, pigs, dogs, goats and so on.



I found in general Indians very friendly and hospitable. You do get a lot of people trying to sell you, which is tiring. At times they can be aggressive and are very persistant, but you have to understand there is massive poverty and europeans are considered to be cash machines. So excluding rickshaw drivers drivers and anyone trying to sell you wether it be dealing with people at hotels ,restaurants or shops were its all about Sell, sell, sell you can find amazing people in India!

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 ->