Indochina Discovery: Vietnam, Hoi An

29/09/2011

Slept ok on the train from Nha Trang!! No mice or roaches :)
Got into Hoi An at about 9:30am, had a quick break at the hotel then went for a walk around. Walked along the river and through markets. Its a really nice little town!

Came back to the hotel after eating alongside the river and dipped in the pool on the top floor - bobbing around with a beer in my hand :)

Then we went out for coffee and cake, it was sooooo nice! Walked around the tailor shops to get some clothes made and got lost! But just about made it back to the hotel to meet our tour leader for dinner. Went to this very local place and had fried chicken and rice, when you're done you throw your bones on the floor lol.

Had a quiet night, went to the bar across the road from the hotel, played some pool and drank some cocktails. We occupied the whole bar! :)

Next day 29th sept, my group wanted to ride around on bicycles. I'm too scared to even walk around these roads so I point blank refused! I got forced to go with them so rode on the back of Poppy's bike! Wasn't too bad but my bum hurts! That seat is HARD!

We rode so so sooo far away! Proper off the beaten track, to muddy fields and community houses! Lol we eventually got back into town, I picked up my dress I got made and we went back to the hotel at around 3:30pm.

Everyone decided to go for dinner at 7, but after eating a mighty large breakfast and a questionable lunch I wasn't up for it! Stayed in n tidied up the mess of stuff I made the past few days!

Met the rest for a drink later - went to a swish bar had a couple of beers then the rest went to bed and me and will went to a random local nightclub near our hotel! There were dancers up on the stage including a gay man haha and the waiters were mad, jumping up and down dancing!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Indochina Discovery; Vietnam, Nha Trang

27/09/2011

Got into Nha Trang on the sleeper train at about 5:30am on the 26th. We went back to bed when we got to the hotel then went to the BEACH :) was so nice but touristy so loads of ppl were coming up to us selling things.

We then went to a bar along the beach that had a pool. I had a 'beer taster tray' 100000 dong (5 US dollars) for 4 little beers, pretty good! Had a little dip then went down to kfc :) tasted a lot better than england!

Back to the hotel to get changed then to a bar called why not, decent but not great. I beat someone at pool twice though :) Had dinner at a nice restaurant across from our hotel and then went back to why not bar. Played some more pool then went to bed. I think I'm getting flu :(

Next day after not a very good sleep :( I am sick. Woke up at about 9, missed breakfast :(
Walked down to the same bar as yesterday - Louisiana, dipped in the pool and had an hour massage for the equivalent of 5 US dollars :)
Had some more beer with passionfruit in it! Was really nice!
Sat on our beach chairs in the rain like crazy people, but we had to check out of our room so there was nothing better to do!
OMG!! Realised I got swindled! Noticed my watch was 15-20mins faster than my phone time!! I thought my massage was short!! They must have put my watch forward!! What cunts!! Boi

Anyway.. Later on we went for dinner at the 'spot' bar, I didn't eat tho coz ate a huge meal at the bar.

Then we left for our sleeper train to Hoi An at 9:30. I was sooo scared coz our tour leader said there was cockroaches and mice living on it :( felt dirty but wasn't too bad! Hopefully ill be able to sleep!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Indochina Discovery; Vietnam, Saigon

25/09/2011

Left at 8am on the 24th.. Got a LONG journey ahead! Took about 8 hours from Chau Doc to Saigon in total. We stopped and ate at a really nice restaurant on the way - really nice toilets lol

Our hotel was really nice, I tried to go for a walk to the shop alone but got scared of the roads within 1 minute and turned back.. The roads are CRAZY!

Some of us went for a walk later on and stopped at a couple of markets and for some ice coffee (yum!) We went for dinner later and ate outside near a market - I had prawn and crab spring rolls :)

Then it was drinking time. Went to a couple of bars Crazy Buffalo and gogo, Both on the backpackers strip. We then went to a club called Apocolypse now. Not too impressed but it was alrite!

Next day - 25/09/2011 we went to the Cu Chi tunnels - the tunnels the Vietnamese used when it was invaded by America. It was amazing to see! Tiny little tunnels and really innovative ways to survive! Really really scary to go through though!

Had a walk around later and I cannot take much more of the roads! It puts me on edge every time! :(

Went to pizza hut for dinner, the pizza is soooo good! We got takeaway as well for the sleeper train tonight.
Getting the train to Nha Trang!

Today was the final day of the Roam Cambodia tour so we said goodbye to a couple of people :(

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Indochina Discovery; HELLO VIETNAM! Chaudoc

23/09/2011

Left Cambodia on the 23rd, it was a 6 1/2 hour journey and again, we crossed the border on foot. Had to carry our bags and this was yet again another time I was happy I had a backpack with wheels!

My first experience of Vietnam wasn't a good one! The toilets at the border uggghhhhhh! Worst so far! Squat toilet, stunk, ants, lizards INSECTS everywhere yukkkkkkkk! Neway..had 2 brave it!

We got to our hotel in the afternoon and went on a boat trip. We went to a building on the river where there were holes in the floor and fish FOUGHT for the food.. So much so they would jump out of the water! We also saw a little village, the boat was so wobbly!

Later we went for dinner, had noodles and chicken with a drink which worked out to be less than £2!! Crazily cheap! Cheaper than Cambodia so far!

Everyone's having an early night tonight, got another travelling day tomorrow, going to Saigon!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Indochina Discovery - Cambodia, Simouville

22/09/2011

Left Phnom Penh on the 21st. Had a 6 hour bus ride from 8am.. Was very uncomfortable and BUMPY!!

Got to the hotel in the afternoon, and its amazing! 2 pools, beautiful rooms, luxury bathroom! Also right next to the beach.

Unfortunately it was all ruined by constant heavy rain! We just sat by the pool, played card games and on a wii!

That night we went to eat a BBQ dinner and stayed out drinking and dancing at another bar. Had some fun on a pole :) I drank way too much and really paid for it the next day! I slept til 1pm! :) I literally did NOTHING the next day - went out for dinner and drinking again later though, we ate on the beach! :)

Played a couple drinking games then went home :)

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Indochina Discovery - Cambodia; Phnom Penh

20/09/2011

Spent 7 hours on the 19th travelling from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. The roads were SO bumpy and it was flooded everywhere!

We ate at a restaurant where I had the best pizza ever! Then went to a bar which had a pool! :)

Next day we went for a walk around the city - walked along the river, walked through central market, and saw the Grand Palace. The rest of my group went to the killing fields but I got a stomach ache so had to go back to my room :(

Stomach ache didn't get better so just went to the shop got some snacks and watched tv :(

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Indochina Discovery: Cambodia, Siem Reap; Angkor Wat

18/09/2011
Woke up at 4am today!!!!!
Didn't feel too bad getting up though. We went to see the sunrise over the Angkor Wat Temple - it was BEAUTIFUL! We then came back to the hotel for breakfast and headed back to the temples.
We went to 5 in total - including one called Bayon and of course Angkor Wat! They were all old ruins of temples in an old city. It was really interesting and we had a good tour guide! It was sooooo hot, I was constantly sweating! Yuk!
Later on we went to the Temple bar, ate a really nice meal (mmm ribs) and went downstairs had a few jug cocktails and shots and had a dance. We STUPIDLY went onto a Cambodian bar, got swindled paying for champagne and getting appletiser, I got groped constantly and left swiftly lol
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Indochina Discovery -Cambodia!

17/09/2011

Arrived in Cambodia today! Got about 4 different buses across the border and border control was mad. You have to go through 2 different places - to leave Thailand and then enter Cambodia. I was so tired today after going to sleep at 2am then waking up at 5:45am to go ACROSS COUNTRY! The bus rides were comfortable and a couple were local buses.

We stopped for lunch and I had a burger (!) REALLY nice burger though! Tasted nothing like beef at home!

After lunch we went to our hotel, another bus ride away.. It's called the Park Lane Hotel, a lot nicer than I expected! We then went for dinner at a local's house which was nice - loads of kids running around and we were sitting on the floor. We were meant to get a tuktuk there but it was flooded so we ended up sitting in the back of a truck! Pretty fun!

After dinner we went to 'Pub Street' and went to a bar called Angor Wat? Had a tower of beer - nice. Didn't stay late - were waking up at 4am to see the sunrise at Anchor Wat. I will not be happy in the morning!!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Arriving in Bangkok

16/09/2011
The 14th Sept was such a scary day!! My flight wasn't til 10pm so I didn't leave for the airport until 6:30pm. Spent most of the day sleeping!
When I got to the airport I was so nervous coz I had no clue what I was doing! But I made it!! On the right plane on time! (I'm normally the person running coz I'm late lol) First time flying by myself! I'm so proud! :)
The flight was good - I kinda like flying alone, no talking, just keep to yourself and do what you want! It was 11 hours and I had some wierd man next to me! Lol to get over me he kept standing on the hand rests and jumping over! I had roast beef for dinner and a (surprisingly nice) full english breakfast! Yum. Couldn't sleep but watched 3 films - just go with it, bridesmaids and fast five. Didn't need 2 go cinema this year lol.
Got to Bangkok airport on the 15th and again had no clue what I was doing! I just kept asking people. And I made it to the hotel! I'm glad I booked a transfer, it was nice having someone waiting for me!
The hotel is so nice! Its the Bangkok centre hotel. I'm in a twin room and was by myself the night of the 15th. No-one speaks english here so it took some time but I've been able to stay in this same room the next night :) I think that someone on my tour will be staying here with me tonight.
I have been sooooo lazy! I went out for like 10mins yesterday, just went to the shop to buy some snacks, and haven't left the hotel since! I've been sleeping all day today and now I'm watching a random film channel. I should probably go out in a bit as its sunny outside!
My tour starts tonight - the 16th wonder what the people will be like!? And then tomorrow I'm off to Cambodia!! :)
The people are really nice and we went out for dinner on Ko San Road and went to a Ping Pong show! Boi girls were pulling strings of razors outta them n stuff! Freaky!
Anyway tomorrow off to Cambodia!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Packing! :0

08/09/2011

OH MY GOODNESS!! Less than a week to go! This time next week I will be in Thailand.. ALONE! : o
I feel like i'm fully prepared though, just got a few last minute things to buy and I'm DONE!
I spent the best part of the day packing, and as I have a backpack, I have packed all my stuff into different bags:

My beautiful bags!

Those colourful ones are really good - I've got all of my dresses and tops in the blue one! You can squish out all of the air so it takes up less space. All of my clothes are on the left and my toiletries and stuff are on the right - it may not look like too much but I have had to really squish it all in my backpack:

so full!!

I've still got a few more things to put in it too : (
It only weighs 14kgs though, which is soo good considering the pack already weighs 3kgs as it is!
It is really heavy on my back though - I'm glad I got a pack with wheels - I'm going to pull it around where I can.
I am getting scared now!! OMG!!!!!!!!

Under 2 WEEKS to go!!

02/09/2011

It's been a crazy run up! I've had soooo much to do! Getting all my medical sorted - vaccinations, medicines.. Sorting Visas which involved going to 3 different embassys TWICE... And SHOPPING!! OMG the shopping has been crazy! I'm still buying stuff!!

I can't believe in 2 weeks time I will be in Thailand! All by myself!! Omg how scary!! But before I know it ill be back home so I'm definately gonna make the most of it!! Yay!!
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device