17 October Sydney to Brisbane

Arrived in Sydney late as our flight was held up. We sat in the plane at the loading chute from 8.30 until 10.10 while the pilot and crew corrected the cabin lighting which would not switch on. We declared our Lotus Tea and the fact that we had been in the flood waters in the countries we had visited but this didn't hold us up much as only my shoes were disinfected. Using the e-passport fast track certainly saves a lot of time. The customs official gave us a nice "welcome back" once the business was completed.

I had to transfer to the Domestic Terminal and Meryl had to catch a Murray's Coach to Canberra so we had a coffee in McDonalds before going our separate ways.

My flight to Brisbane was delayed by more than half an hour and when I arrived Steve was waiting at the bag collection carousel. I couldn't believe it when I saw a huge plastic bag coming around the carousel with what looked like my plate in full view. Yes, it was my bag - yet another victim of the Sydney baggage handlers.

I had another surprise when I got home. Gonzo had been completely shaven so the vets could find the tick that caused him to be critically ill. He recognised me so I didn't tell him he looked like a different dog. And it was cold when I got home - 16 degrees which is very cold after being in tropical heat for a month.

Thanks Meryl for a beaut holiday. Now to catch up on sleep.

16 October Ha Noi to Sydney

Some buildings in Ba Dinh, Ha Noi
Today was our last day in Vietnam. Our flight left at 4.30 so we had to leave for the airport at 2. We had seen a sign on a business near the lake and paid $10 for the fare which is much cheaper than the prices set at the airport. Our only concern was that the taxi might not turn up even though we had a receipt. All's well that ends well and we arrived in good time to go through all the procedures for an internal flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon).


Before leaving we decided to go for one last walk around the streets close to the hotel and we also planned to go back to the Cha Ca restaurant and treat ourselves to fried fish for the final lunch. On the way we passed the morning food sellers: one woman picking snails out of shells, another cutting heads of the tiniest shrimps with huge scissors, toads tied by string, baguettes in the open air and the rubbish collectors receiving payment for scrap.


We found ourselves in a tree-lined street with obvious French influence and amongst the middle class who were enjoying sitting in a string of cafes. It was definitely the place to be seen so we sat down and ordered a mango (Meryl) and custard apple (Fay) shake to watch the goings on. Out came the phones and electronic games devices for children as well as at least one i-Pad.



The passing traffic was equally as interesting. Flower sellers, and hawkers of personal items ans well as farmers bringing produce into town.

On our way back to the hotel we passed through a street of meat sellers. It was pleasing to see some refrigeration in this street so I assume the meat was not left sitting in the open air too long.


Getting close to our hotel, Meryl saw a business that offered to do nails so she went in and asked. We both ended up inside with Meryl getting hands and feet done and me just getting feet. It could hardly be called relaxing as the beauty technicians listened to what sounded like a Vietnamese version of the Goon
Show on top volume for the whole time we were there. They laughed out loud often so it must have been funny. It was a very thorough job especially on the feet and I began to be concerned that we might have to walk out half finished. Goodbye to the idea of Cha Ca. We got to the airport hungry hoping that food would be served on the plane which it was. Low blood sugar had me yawning my head off and once on the plane I kept nodding off which is mighty unusual for me and was a cause of amusement to all around.

15 October in Ha Noi

I really enjoy Ha Noi. Today we decided to spend sometime in the Illy Cafe at the huge roundabout near the lake so we could drink a real coffee and so that I could do some blogging and we could upload each others photos. When we tired of that we went shopping for silk in a street recommended by Cham.

Had another dispute with a taxi driver. Our taxi to the lake cost 32000 dong (about $2.60) and he seemed to go the long way. On our way back we suddenly saw the metre was soaring past 32000 and he was taking interesting shortcuts. Finally it stopped at 98000 dong. He wouldn't have it that his metre was wrong so Meryl got the receptionist from the hotel to come and speak to him on our behalf. He insisted finally that his company sets the metre so I think that was some sort of concession to our argument. In the end we paid 90000 dong (about $4.50) - it's the principle not the price! Following this incident we asked the hotel receptionist to give us a list of the trustworthy taxis they use so here it is just in case, dear reader, you are fancying a trip to Ha Noi: Mai Linh taxi, CP taxi, ABC taxi and Ha Noi taxi.

We bought some material and some kimono dressing gowns by the way. Photos will be added once I have managed to get a copy of Meryl's final Ha Noi photos.

14 October Halong Bay to Ha Noi

Our vessel

The motor on the boat was running all night and the smell of diesel was strong but we got used to it and had a good sleep. I did give some thought to the boat that sank in Halong Bay in the last year (I think) as these boats are made of wooden planks and apparently in that case water just seeped through he cracks in the night and the only survivors were those who had slept on deck.

In the morning we were taken by small rowing boat to see a floating village where pearls is the main economy. This village looked much cleaner and prosperous than the one in Cambodia. We called in to see the primary school with its tiny class of beginners and were surprised to see it was supported by the Killara High School in Sydney. Then once back on the White Dolphin, we headed back to port with one last delicious lunch before disembarking.

Boy swinging in the hammock

The primary school beginner class

Our boat rower with fishing nets

13 October to Halong Bay

We were picked up by Cham at 8am for the 3.5 hours drive to Halong Bay. ?This area was much drier than everywhere else we had been and for the first time we saw many people in the paddy fields harvesting their family rice crops. The area appeared to be more prosperous with many new houses being built along the way.

Much of the area is financed by coal with the mines owned by families. There are consequences as coal dust pollution coats the streets and houses. A bit of regulation would help. Apparently, people dig holes down to coal seams they don't own and steal coal so there is a market for stolen coal also. Don't know how that works???

We called in at a workshop for disabled people where they were selling huge and small stone carvings, jade, jewellery, silk clothing, embroidery pictures, etc. There was a group of disabled people making the embroidered pictures and they were amazing.

Halong Bay didn't disappoint. The weather was excellent. We were on a boat with another couple, Arap and Pollie, and we had seven people serving us. I've never been better looked after in my life. The food, mostly freshly caught seafood, just kept on coming. Of course, not to mention the stunning scenery.

We were taken to a cave high up in the side of one of the limestone protrusions (can't think what else to call them). This was a huge cave with lots of shapes highlighted as is common in such caves. Later, when we were hot and sticky we called in at a cove and had a swim. The water was freezing to start with but was just what the doctor ordered once we took the plunge.

Not much to write as we just chilled out and relaxed to wind down from our Gecko tour. Opportune meeting with Pollie however, as she is a physiotherapist. She pushed my kneecap down trying to get it back to the right place and also worked on my foot that had developed a rigid collar around the ankle since the fall - OUCH !!! - but there was a definite improvement almost immediately.









Our lovely guide, Cham

11 October in Bangkok

Tom took us by foot, long boat and bus to the Royal Palace and Emerald Buddha, and then foot again to the Reclining Buddha followed by a boat ride to the Skytrain station from which Meryl and I disembarked at the Siam Paragon shopping centre for lunch and to have a look around.


Long boat on the khlong

On and off in a hurry

Taking fares
The Royal Palace complex looks very royal however the opulence is in the public buildings such as the Cabinet room and the building where foreign visitors are greeted. The residence itself is less grand.





The emerald Buddha is simply gorgeous. This whole area was very busy not only with tourists but also with local people. There was continuous chanting by school students sitting under a covered area and praying together. There was also a contingent of Buddhist monk initiates who become a monk for three months to see if it is what they would choose to do for life. Close by this pagoda is a bodhi tree which when we were there was wrapped in colourful silk.



Loot from Bayon temple in Cambodia




The Reclining Buddha's official name is Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Ratchaworamahawihan - Phew!! Try saying that with one breath. The impressive gold plated reclining Buddha is 46 metres long and 15 metres high, and is designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. The feet and the eyes are engraved with mother-of-pearl decoration, and the feet also show the 108 auspicious characteristics of the true Buddha.



Wat Pho is also famous as Thailand's center for traditional Thai massage. It was the first university in Thailand. Inscribed on stone in the walls of Wat Pho are all that was known about Thai massage dating from the reign of King Rama III. Previous texts were lost when the Burmese destroyed Ayuthaya.

12 October Bangkok to Ha Noi

Today was a grin and bear it day. More travelling. We packed first and then went for a walk determined to have a massage. We found that most of the businesses were still closed - they open in the afternoon and work into the evening. Eventually found one near the hotel and had a foot reflexology massage which turned out to be more than one hour for $15. It was very relaxing and good for our worn out feet as well as entertaining as a new air-con was being installed upstairs which involved much to-ing and fro-ing and air-cons being lowered and lifted outside the front door.

Got to the airport in a taxi ordered by the hotel although I feel the taxi mafia had a hand in it as we seemed to be asked for money by the security guard at the hotel but I let that go through to the keeper and our taxi drove off with no incident. No problems at the airport except I forgot to drink my water so failed the security check and had to wave goodbye to yet another water bottle.

Arrived at Bro and Sis hotel after a not so pleasant experience with a taxi driver. Since this was our second time in Ha Noi we thought we knew the ropes. We got a taxi with a metre and confirmed the price which he also showed us written on a notice board at the airport exit - 315000 dong. Since I had just got money from the ATM, I only had big notes so on arrival at the hotel, handed him 400000 dong. At that point he became very busy getting our bags out the back; never once looking at us. I asked him for the change a couple of times and then he got in the front with me hovering for the change but drove off. Taxis can be troublesome.

Our room was waiting for us and they had left us some fruit to eat. It was such a warm welcome like we were returning family.

10 October Cambodia to Bangkok

When we popped out of the hotel this morning the flood water was covering the street and rising towards the hotel door. We left at 8 with reports that the road was cut between Siem Reap and the border.

In both Vietnam and Cambodia fish is the main protein in the diet. People can be seen fishing in the smallest of pools but with the flood waters everywhere there were people chest deep in water with nets, sitting on the edge of the road with skinny bamboo rods, bashing the water with cut straw (not sure how that works) and using bamboo fences for fish traps.

Road signs are in Khmer and English.

The area we drove through was the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge and the war continued here until 1999 against Vietnamese and Government forces.

As we got to the border at around 11, we couldn't help but see huge loaded wagons being pushed and pulled by sometimes up to 12 men. These were smugglers taking goods into Bangkok. I didn't understand this at all. Anyway, seemingly they are "invisible" as they went through the border without challenge. I would have thought there would be more chance of smuggling in the other direction but perhaps that is happening also. Khuntea left us and we did the 100m walk across no-man's land into Thailand where we were met by Tom, a Thai national. All told the border crossing took about 2 hours.

Our mob walking no-man's land with the smugglers




Once through the border I expected it to be plain sailing but no, we were stopped at least three times at army checkpoints by soldiers with very visible guns. We saw no guns in Vietnam or Cambodia.

We had our lunch stop at 3.30-ish. Meryl and I bought fish cakes which were cooked in front of us and handed to us in a plastic bag with chili sauce poured over the top and a stick for eating. They were very nice if a little hot. From the border to Bangkok is about 100kms on a dry road. The reports of floods crossing the roads were fortunately false. However, flood waters covered the rice paddies all the way. Brain shift was necessary as Thais drive on the left. From the bus as well as flooded rice paddies, we could see kilometres of eucalyptus forests, sugar cane and tapioca. Soon after arrival in Thailand we passed a roadside cafe called "Cowboy of Love" - the mind boggles.

Settled in at the Ecotel hotel within view of the Sky Tower and it's sign: "JOY IS BMW"

9 October in Siem Reap

This morning we planned to walk to the French Quarter and the old city but when we got outside our hotel, a tuk tuk driver asked us if we wanted a ride to a silk factory, and other handicraft places for $4 for one hour. The price seemed good so we agreed. These tuk tuks are driven by a motorbike with the carriage as a trailer. It definitely is the way to travel with cool air blowing in the hair and a clear view all around.

The first place we went demonstrated silk weaving and then there was a shop with an expectation to buy. We didn't disappoint. Meryl bought a lovely piece of silk with a traditional woven pattern. Then on to a silver shop where stamped silver work was demonstrated, followed by a gemstone shop. He dropped us at the old market where we found a restaurant and had lunch. I had pumpkin and chicken curry and Meryl had an Amok. No meal is the same without fresh fruit shakes especially mango and pawpaw. While we were eating our lunch a couple of young boys came and talked to us, obviously hoping to sell us something. We had a long chat during which they told us that one of their friends has malaria but they don't sleep under their mosquito net as it is too hot. They only sleep under a net when they sleep in the same bed as their mother. It turned out they were 15 and had finished morning school so were out selling in the afternoon. We did buy a book each on Angkor Wat from them so they should have gone home happy.

On our way out in the morning we thought the water in the river was a bit higher than the day before. When we walked back to the hotel, the water was over the road and we had to wade for quite a distance. It turned out this was water coming down from floods in Thailand.

After lunch we were taken in a bus to the floating fishing villages on the Ton Le Lake. At this time of the year, the lake is flooded to an area of around 18000km² but in the dry season it is 6000km² . From June to October no fishing is allowed so the fish can spawn and the young can grow to a reasonable size. There are more than 200 species of fish in this lake and two million people live on the lake. We went to one of the villages passing a school, basketball court, pig farm, mechanic workshop, churches, police station, hotel and a coffee shop. We got out of the boat at a crocodile and fish farm where they had several varieties of fish in netted off areas so the lake water washed through. Here we tried barbecued snake which was very chewy and tasted like tough bacon.

We were frequently greeted by people in boats with children who would smile and wave and once they had someone's attention, suddenly produce a snake and put it around their neck - $1 for a photo trick.





On the way we drove through quite deep floodwater with the bus driver once having to stop to do some engine repairs. He took out the air filter and I didn't see him put another one in so that was a bit puzzling. Not only was the water quite deep, there were huge "elephant-holes" beneath the flood which couldn't be avoided. Because of the floods people were living on the side of the road in makeshift tents and their cattle was standing or lying beside or on the road. The cattle feed is brought by boat or by bicycle. I am amazed that the cows don't wander in front of the traffic. They only appear to be restrained by a thin rope.