Ice cream

I forgot to mention this. We stumbled across an ice cream shop in Hanoi called Fanny yes you read right Fanny!!! What a crack up, I think some how it means something different in Vietnam do you think?

sushi ice cream

Anyway we thought we'd try out Fanny and yeah Fanny was good.  They have every variety you can think of. They have Fanny in Ho Chi Minh City as well we may try it out there too. Oh you gotta laugh, thought this might cheer up any of you who are going through tough times.

fog, rice paddies and bad buses!!!!!!

19/02/2011

How they do it Vietnam styles!!

Off to see a water puppet show.We were told good things about it so we thought we'd see for ourselves. The tickets were so cheap at only $3 US each. Wow we were really impressed. The Muscianship was outstanding, they performed using traditional instruments and the puppets were beautiful.
Water puppetry (roi nuoc) is an ancient art originating in the northern Vietnam 1000 years ago. Developed by rice farmers, the wooden puppets were manipulated by puppeteers using water-flooded rice paddies as their stage.

gorgeous bamboo

20/02/2011

Off again on the train to Ninh Binh just 3 hours south of Hanoi. If you take the train make sure you pack some pegs for your nose, they tend to be on the smelly side.

smelly train

Spent the next couple of days exploring the area. On the Monday we hired some trusty bikes and we set out on our way with a map in tow. Our manager had shown us the way on the map but somehow we got lost and what should have taken half and hour took about two. Where I thought we were on the map was completely different to where we actually were hence being lost,oh well we got there in the end and we saw some sight we wouldn't have seen otherwise. We found a cool place called Mua Groti what a name!!!!

Mua Groti

 We climbed a stone staircase up the side of this hill and ended up with a great view of the area despite the fog. After our climb we once again got lost but we did sort that out eventually and we ended up at a place called Tam Coc. It is known as 'Halong Bay on the rice paddies'. There are huge limestone rock formations jutting out of the rice paddies. We didn't make it to Halong Bay because they had cancelled all the overnight boat tours because of the boat accident and it was raining there when we wanted to go so we went to Halong on land instead. It was magnificent. A shame about the weather it was very overcast but even still it was great. We were taken on a boat and we were rowed  for about two hours along the Ngo Dong river. Those boat people are very talented they are able to row with their feet which looks easy but I'm sure it takes some skill.

We passed many rice farmers hard at it up to their knees in mud planting their rice. It was so serene and magic to watch. Their rice is planted so perfectly it is an art form I'm telling you, it looks beautiful.

clever

Tam Coc

This lady is 90 years old!!!!!

22/02/2011

We woke to discover that Christchurch had been hit by a massive earthquake, killing and injuring many people. We were just stunned at what we could see on the internet. We feel so helpless and worried for Felauai and our friends. I couldn't bare it just sitting around all day so I went out by myself and biked about 50kms to burn off a lot of anxiety. Not good it has put a damper on our holiday I hate being away when this is happening but there is nothing we can do about it but send our thoughts and prayers to everyone. To our dear Felauai and to all my dear dear friends we love you, we are thinking of  you, we hope you are safe and well, our hearts go out to you all and to all the people of Christchurch.
That night we took an overnight bus to Hue it left at about 9:45pm and we got to Hue about 9:30am. Aaaah what can I say it was awful, we got stuck right at the back by the toilet and boy did it get stinky. Oh the joys of travelling!!!! We didn't sleep a bit due to the noise the smell and of course worrying about Felauai and everyone back home.

Hue well what can I say it felt like a haze while we were there, we were so tired from the bus I don't have much to say about it. It was more of a transit stop.

24/02/2011

We were off again the next day to Hoi An. Which thankfully was only a 3 1/2 hour bus ride and on a much nicer bus. Thank you!!!!

26/02/2011

Well we are struggling to enjoy ourselves and take our minds off what is happening in Christchurch so I enrolled us in cooking class to try and distract our minds of it for awhile.

Our guide and cook picked us up on his motorbike and first showed us around the meat and vegetable market. What an array of produce. All freshly picked everyday it was a real sight.

We biked out to the cooking school which is set in amongst a huge vegetable and herb farm. It leaves my vege patch in the dust. Perfect perfect row upon row of yummy veges and herbs.

mmmm snails

chef Eden

We made shrimp spring rolls, Vietnamese pancake and shrimp, fish, pork hotpot which is a soup made over a small gas fire on the table. We also got to make some cute vegetable flowers so for all of you at home you will be coming round so I can test my culinary skills on you. I hope you like noodle soup because I'll be making a lot of it when we return.  

ala tomato flower

Noise and noodle soup

                                                                                                                                   13/02/2011

Today we flew to Hanoi. After settling into our room we went in search of something to eat. Our hostel manger recommended Pho 24. Pho meaning noodle soup. We are in love with noodle soup. It was great in Laos and is great in Vietnam. They sure know how to make exceptional noodle soup, I can't wait to make it when we get back home, I think a cooking class is in order to just get it right.

Hanoi is hustle hustle bustle. The old quarter of Hanoi where we are staying is full of narrow streets peppered with colourful lanterns and people selling their wares. People literally gather and cook their food on the footpaths. It's quite enchanting and mad at the same time. The streets are full of motorbikes and cars but mainly motorbikes all beeping and honking continuosly. It's mad, mad, mad but exhilarating, and quite exhausting, so finding a quiet spot is very welcoming.

The temperature has dropped quite considerably from Laos. It is only around 13 degrees so we have had to invest in some jackets it's cold!!!! Well I suppose it is Winter!!!

15/02/20ll

Off to Sapa on an overnight train. We are a bit excited we have never been on an overnight trian before.

Well our pad wasn't too bad except it was so noisy didn't sleep much, and the toilets? Well um I have seen and smelt worse. I think several people must have missed the toilet all together!!! Hey it's all part of the travelling thing isn't it.

Sapa is a mountain town close to the border of China. It was built by the French in 1922. It is nestled in the mountains and the clouds. The train took nine hours. We arrived in Lao Chai then took a mini bus for another hour to Sapa. We were told it would be cold but gees we didn't expect it to be really really really cold. We settled into our room which was freezing but the view was impressive. The clouds here are unreal. All morning they rolled up the valley really quickly and completely covered the town then they rolled back down again to reveil the sun. They reminded me of waves rolling in the ocean.

We ventured out into the streets and were immediately swormed upon by the hill tribe woman selling their wares. The new kids in town!!!! Boy are they persistant they followed us around for quite awhile. They are beautiful people very friendly and they speak really good english. They wear their traditional dress which consists of colourful headgear, embroidered garments, and amazing jewellery.

16/02/2011

Well the sun didn't last long the next two days we were blanketed in this thick foggy cloud. It made the temperature drop quite considerably. The town has an eiry feeling about it when it is covered in this thick cloud. Along with the place we are staying in it has reminded me of Stephen King's Misery. Kathy Bates is nowhere to be seen lol.

We went in search of some thick socks and tights thankfully they sell many. They also sell many copies of things aswell. It's copy central here.

17/02/2011

Off to a little village just 3kms away called Cat Cat. Even tho it was so foggy it was still enjoyable. We followed this winding path down the valley. We went past many terraced rice paddies and houses and many woman working away on their crafts and cooking food. The path through Cat Cat had been beautifully cobbled, it went on for miles. The mist and fog added to the mystic, it kind of suited the place.

Back to Hanoi on the train the damp fog has been enough. This time the train was way quieter we may get some sleep.

Well we got to Hanoi about 4am, not much sleep, and after sometime we found a taxi driver who agreed on a price. It took awhile they were all trying to charge double the price I had paid previously. You need to bring lots of patience and a good sense of humour to Vietnam!!! Something that runs a bit thin at 4am with hardly any sleep. Well do you think our driver knew where to go!!! Our hotel was opposite the lake Hoan Kiem which is a considerable landmark. We could've got us back in no time. Well he got completely lost and after about 45mins he eventually dropped us off. Thankfully our wonderful hotel let us in and gave us a room straight away. Time to get some sleep.

Tramping and Elephants

4/02/2011

Headed off today for Luang Prabang, a 6 hour bus ride with not one straight piece of road in sight. Amazing views. We passed so many villages where the people literally have their houses built on the edge of the road.

Luang Prabang is a gorgeous town nestled around the Mekong and Nam rivers. The streets are peppered with gorgeous shuttered french mansions villas with rambling bright orange honey suckle vines. I think it's honey suckle it looks very similar.

We quickly found somewhere to stay and ventured out into the streets where they have every night a street market. It is a delightful feast for the eyes, ears, nose and the stomach. Gorgeous textiles, jewellery, traditional medicine, hand made papers, lanterns, t shirts, shoes, coffee you name it is sold here. We are in heaven!!!!!

6/02/2011

Today we started on a 3 day trekking tour. We met our guide Gnod and began by travelling along the Mekong river road, from there we drove 60kms out of town. We were dropped by the river where we were taken across by boat to begin our tramp. By lunch time we had arrived at our first village. It was a Khamu village called Pha Phong. There are many different tribes in Laos and many speak different dialects. We stayed there for lunch and handed out pens and books for school. They have to board at school during the week because it is too far to walk each day. We were on the tour with a French couple. They had brought balloons with them which went down a treat.

our pad for the night

We arrived at our village to stay the night, Houay Wai, a small Hmong village of only 4 families. They had many turkeys, hens and roosters. The sun goes down at 6pm so we spent the night in darkness apart from some torch light. They cook on an open fire inside their house. There is no chimney so the house gets full of smoke. One bonus it keeps the mosquitos at bay!! The houses are very very basic, they have a dirt floor and the houses are made from bamboo and wood. They have no windows and have two doors, this is traditional for a Hmong house. We slept the night on a bamboo bed which wasn't too uncomfortable. We were woken about 4am to roosters. It sounded so funny we all cracked up laughing!!!

family we stayed with

impressive spring onions

                               

07/02/2011

Rise and shine up early for another day tramping. We tramped mainly under the cover of the trees. We arrived at our village at about 3pm. This was another Hmong village called Bouk Khay which means buffalo water. It was a big village consisting of 48 families.

The tragedy here is that a Laos company has put in a road for the people but is taking all their trees. Our guide was saying that the people do not understand that they are just happy to have the road.

                                                                                                        

We spent the afternoon walking though the village and acting the fool with the kids. It was so much fun. This village had many pigs, chooks, roosters and dogs. The pigs and other animals just come into the house as they please. Once again we were smoked out by the fire. Our bed for the night consisted of a similar bamboo structure but it didn't seem to be as comfortable as the one the previous night. Apart from really smelly blankets and being kept awake all night by yapping dogs it wasn't too bad. You have to bring along with you a sense of humour and tolerence.

The pied piper

08/02/2011

Our last day consisted of walking down quite a steep hill for about 4 hours. We all found this to be rather hard on the joints. We were looking forward to a shower and a comfy bed. Things you take for granted!!! We only walked about 45kms but it felt so much more.

09/02/2011

Very excited today as we went on our way to experience the life of a Lao Mahout (elephant trainer) at the elephant park project.

Firstly we got to ride on the elephants for about an hour through the river and around a surrounding village. Our elephant was called Mae Nam, which means mother. After our ride we bought some bananas and feed them by hand. What an experience. They are such majestic amazing creatures. This elephant park rescues elephants from a hard and abusive life in the logging industry. They only own one and the others are rented. To buy an elephant it would cost about $50,000 NZ dollars. I'd loved to buy, may have to win lotto first!!!! They are well looked after and they seem really happy.

lunch time

After lunch we were given some Mahout training. We were taught some basic instructions as to handling our elephant. We climbed on our elephants bareback and went through our lessons. Pie means move forward, how was stop and sohm was bend down and that is about it I can't remember any of the others. Later on in the day we each got an elephant each to ride back to the jungle. We then got the chance to go up the river and tube down to our lodge. Our guide said it would only take 20mins and it was getting really cold and dark. It would've taken at least two hours as the current was really slow. We tubed down for awhile and then thankfully the boat picked us up. It was so cold!!!

10/02/2011

Up at 6.30am to collect our elephants to bring down from the jungle and have a bath in the river. It was so much fun. The river was really warm. We were given a scubbing brush each to gave them a good old scrub. So much fun my elephant splashed me heaps with it's trunk.

We had a great time many meomories to cherish for a lifetime!!!

scrub a dub dub

The Journey continues ........

19/01/2011

Ventured out into the busy streets of Phonm Penh today to visit S21, the prison and torture camp of the Khmer Rougue. Well what can I say I felt physically ill and it was so emotional. There was such a heavy energy there, you could almost sense what had gone on. It was so unbelievably sad. What they did to these poor poor people was just so sick.

We were suppose to go to the Killing Fields aswell but we decided to do that the next day. S21 was enough for one day!!!!!                                               

says it all

torture rooms

                                                                         

20/01/2011

Hired Mr Tuk Tuk and headed off to the Killing Fields. The energy here wasn't as heavy but it was still pretty full on . The place had once been an orchard but now, a mass grave site.

They have built a huge memorial which holds hundreds and hundreds of skulls and bones behind glass cabinets. There was bits of clothing and bones still lying around.

I just hope that all the poor souls that perished under Pol Pot are at peace.

21/01/2011 - 24/01/2011

Caught a bus for another long journey to Sihanoukville which is small town by the sea. It took 6 hours aaaah. I had booked a place right by the sea and miles awy from the tourist area. Getting there was an interesting ride, the tuk tuk man tried several times to take us somewhere else but I persisted on him taking where I had booked. Lets just say the road wasn't really a road just a bit of dirt carved out of the ground full of every bump you can imagine. I'm glad the seat was padded!!!

We are staying in this beach bungalow practically right on the beach. Thailand eat your heart out this place is paradise!!! The view is to die for.

As soon as we had arrived we jumped in the ocean. Yay it's just like bath water, so so warm this is just luxary, don't get sea water like this back home.

It's very primitive here, but there is a flush toilet except ours doesn't flush and they have a generator for power which only goes on from 6pm – 10pm. It's just like camping!!!!

We moved on from our accomodation after two nights. Shame the scenery was magic but the energy of the place wasn't right so we just moved down the beach to a great place called Shanty Shanty.

Over the next couple of days we went swimming, kyacking, swimming, snorkelling, swimming. Rather quite lovely.

our pad

                                                                        

Mr boatman

                                                                    

25/01/2011

We left Cambodia today. Thank you Cambodia for having us. You have a huge spirit. After all that this country has endured, the people of this country have huge hearts. They seem to be able to still smile and laugh. They are extremely poor and yet they can still raise a smile. They could teach us a thing or two that's for sure. They could teach us how to live and we could teach them how to respect the environment. It's not until you visit these countrys that you learn to have such huge respect and gratitude for your own country. We grumble about the silliest smallest things and then you see how these people live and you go 'What do I have to grumble about' .

With all my heart thank you Cambodia xxxx

aw kohn ( thank you )

25/01/2011 - 27/01/2011

Sabai-dii (hello)

We arrived in Vientiane the capital of Laos, it is now the 27^th Jan and we haven't seen anything as of yet as I have had major food poisoning. I am coming right but it's been really awful!!!

Feeling rather homesick but we have to push on through. Oh well it had to happen sooner or later. It's all part of travelling. At least I made it to the hotel in time. We are making good use of the room that's for sure and I'm making good use of the toilet!!!! Lah gorn (goodbye)

28/01/2011

I'm feeling much better time to get some sunshine and check out Vientiane. It's a lovely quaint town right on the mighty Mekong, not so mighty at this yime of the year as it's the dry season. It lokks quite dismal when the water level is low.

We hired some trusty bikes and set out to explore this interesting town. Don't know if you could call my bike trusty after about half an hour it developed this interesting creaking and rattling sound. But hey it stayed together for the day and never fell apart!!

We entered a park where they have gym exercise equipment for anyone to use. No going to the gym here it's all entirely there to use for free for anyone. It did say on the instructions if you are elderly please have a caregiver to assist you!!!!                               

let's get physical

lotus

After biking around for the day we were in need of a massage. My body felt like it had been run over by a bulldozer after this sickness. We both had a Laos herbal massage. It was really good. It was a mixture of Laos traditional masssage combined with hot herbal pultices. We felt so relaxed after.

This of course got the digestive system working so off we went in search of food.

29/01/2011

Left today for Veng Vieng 3 1/2 hr bus ride north. Hey it actually took that long!!!

This place is stunning. It is a cute wee town nestled opposite limestone karsts rising out of rice paddies. Hey they probably call them mountains but by New Zealand standards they are hills!!! This place is popular for it's tubing down the river, correction, getting drunk tubing down the river. Popular for lots of young 18-20yr olds mostly Australians getting drunk tubing down the river.

laundry time

                                                              

30/01/2011

Hiring some more trusty bikes we headed out to explore beyond the town. Along the way we passed several signs indicating caves to explore, great swimming holes and fishing. One sign got us interested. We decided to explore an area that had a cave called Phadeng Cave and a swimming hole to have a dip in after. The small hike up the hill was worth it for the view, the cave was a cave and the swimming hole no where to be found. I think these signs are directed for the rainy season.

Further on we turned off to where indicated on our map there was a lagoon. Sounded lovely. Would be lovely in the rainy season!!! Eden was brave enough to get in I miss chicken decided to spectate.

After a lovely break as it was stinking hot we ventured back to town.

31/01/2011

Today we had arranged to go on a tour which included 4 caves, tubing, villages and kyacking. Our first village we passed through our guide said was a 150 years old. Most of the houses were being reconstructed but there was one original house left standing. It was built on stilts people living upstairs animals under the house.

original house

                                                                      

                                                                     

Our first cave we arrived at was named Elephant cave due to an elephant shaped stalacite and containing a few Buddhist statues.

The second cave called Tham Loup, WOW!!!! Our favourite. A jewellers paradise, a crystal palace!!!! Hundreds upon hundreds of stalicites, sparkling and erupting out of the ground like tubular bells. Sounding like them too, they made a great sound when you banged them.

Onto the third cave called Tham Hoi. Tham means cave, nam is river and pha is mountain. Apparently this cave goes on and on and for days, no end as our guide put it. We only went in 200m.

Last but not least our final cave. Tham Nam, river cave. We were put into rubber tubes and we pulled ourselves along by a rope into the cave for quite a distance. Beautiful blue water, dam cold but worth every shiver!!!!

After lunch we headed off to the river passing through a number of villages and a school. We then kyacked our way back to the town. We passed through what seemed party central. On either side of the river there were places you could swing and slide into the river, and drink!!!!! We passed many who looked like they had had either too much sun,or too much to drink or both!!!!! We stopped off at one place and Eden plucked up the courage to swing off this plateform and then jump into the river. She certainly has more courage than her mother!!!!

aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

                                                                     

02/02/2011

We headed out once again on our trusty bikes and went on a mammoth bike ride for about 6 hours in and around the limestones hills. We ventured into numerous caves and passed through many villages.

It was a great day. Our road was very very bumpy we arrived back at our cabin rather sore and tired. Ouch our bums!!!!!!                                                  (water buffalo)

our accommodation, comes with plenty of ventilation lol