Latest Update
Ok Sorry all for not updating. We have not been near any decent net connections in a long time. As I let you know we are still alive after earthquakes and bombing attacks etc..
Ok scary photo from Bangkok first, yes it does exist
So once we left BK we went to the peaceful Chang Mai in North Thai and spent a few days there mainly relaxing and doing little else. We went on the most amazing day ever, a one day trek which was a 2hr walk to visit a hill tribe, then we went off on a 1hr elephant ride, lunch, a bamboo ride, a loverly swim in a postcard waterfall and another hill tribe.
We then headed off to Pai further north for my birthday and stayed in a fantastic place called the Blue Lagoon, swimming pool et all,we intended to stay there for 2 days but ended up staying for 5, its so relaxed and sleepy it really is a one street town personified.
And now onto the fun part, TRAVEL, yes I know thats what we came to do but still. We left Pai to get to the Thai/Laos boarder at 4.30am, We travelled via Moped, cramped "air con" mini van, Pick-up truck, local bus (very old bus with open windows), Tuk Tuk (Motor bike with carriage on back), and then small boat over the mekong into Laos, taking a total of 12 1/2 hrs. Tiring we thought. So the next morning at 9.30 am we get on the slow boat which takes 2 * 8hour journeys to get us to Luane Prabang. That was tough at times but was made much easier by the great crew of people we met, 4 other Irish, and then many other nationalities.
We went out for dinner with them that night and drinks sent the next day trying to figure out a way to get to Vientienne (Lao capital)and then to Vietnam, got that sorted and stayed up till 3am drinking by the mekong, all bars shut at 1030/11pm.
The following day was up there with the Trek, we went to see some waterfalls in Luane Prabang these cannot be described in words, they were so big, beautiful and any other words you care to use to describe nice things. To get to the very top was a sheer 200m asscent through a jungle a walk across some mini ponds and rivers then a very dodgy climb down to the top pool. But once there you dive into the pool, swim to the waterfalls edge and look straight across at the forest and the many other levels of falls.
So then once again to the travelling, we go straight from the falls to LP bus station and get a 12 hour bus journey to Vientienne through the coolest thunder storm, 0 seconds between lightning and Thunder bouncing right beside the bus, so we arrive in Vientienne/Venice there is that much water around. Get ripped off for a room and decide after we arise not to stay and just start our trip to Vietnam. We pay a Tuk Tuk to drive us around the major sights and start a 22 hour bus trip to Danang in Vietnam. 28 hours later we arrive there, met a great group of people on the bus from Donegal sp had the crack with them. We all arrived in Danang starving @ 11pm a everything closed, so head off to a street vendoy for ropey noodles and chicken, never again, and then to bed.
When we all get up the next day we realise there is actually nothing at all to do in danang and the weather is raining and miserable so we meander off to find a train to Nah Trang further down the coast and closer to Saigon. No trains so yet another bus. So thats where I am now sitting after a 13 hr bus trip, god sleeping tabs are great, wide awake at 8am uggghhhhh.
Im going to try and get some photos up in a few minutes, ok thats now done. There is very little in the way of sights here apart from temples but luckily for you I havnt got to uploading those yet, but the will come soon.
We will be in touch soon, keep the emails coming, but not the forwards as we dont really have time to view them.
Ger + Shiv
Nah Trang
Vietnam
Ok scary photo from Bangkok first, yes it does exist
So once we left BK we went to the peaceful Chang Mai in North Thai and spent a few days there mainly relaxing and doing little else. We went on the most amazing day ever, a one day trek which was a 2hr walk to visit a hill tribe, then we went off on a 1hr elephant ride, lunch, a bamboo ride, a loverly swim in a postcard waterfall and another hill tribe.
We then headed off to Pai further north for my birthday and stayed in a fantastic place called the Blue Lagoon, swimming pool et all,we intended to stay there for 2 days but ended up staying for 5, its so relaxed and sleepy it really is a one street town personified.
And now onto the fun part, TRAVEL, yes I know thats what we came to do but still. We left Pai to get to the Thai/Laos boarder at 4.30am, We travelled via Moped, cramped "air con" mini van, Pick-up truck, local bus (very old bus with open windows), Tuk Tuk (Motor bike with carriage on back), and then small boat over the mekong into Laos, taking a total of 12 1/2 hrs. Tiring we thought. So the next morning at 9.30 am we get on the slow boat which takes 2 * 8hour journeys to get us to Luane Prabang. That was tough at times but was made much easier by the great crew of people we met, 4 other Irish, and then many other nationalities.
We went out for dinner with them that night and drinks sent the next day trying to figure out a way to get to Vientienne (Lao capital)and then to Vietnam, got that sorted and stayed up till 3am drinking by the mekong, all bars shut at 1030/11pm.
The following day was up there with the Trek, we went to see some waterfalls in Luane Prabang these cannot be described in words, they were so big, beautiful and any other words you care to use to describe nice things. To get to the very top was a sheer 200m asscent through a jungle a walk across some mini ponds and rivers then a very dodgy climb down to the top pool. But once there you dive into the pool, swim to the waterfalls edge and look straight across at the forest and the many other levels of falls.
So then once again to the travelling, we go straight from the falls to LP bus station and get a 12 hour bus journey to Vientienne through the coolest thunder storm, 0 seconds between lightning and Thunder bouncing right beside the bus, so we arrive in Vientienne/Venice there is that much water around. Get ripped off for a room and decide after we arise not to stay and just start our trip to Vietnam. We pay a Tuk Tuk to drive us around the major sights and start a 22 hour bus trip to Danang in Vietnam. 28 hours later we arrive there, met a great group of people on the bus from Donegal sp had the crack with them. We all arrived in Danang starving @ 11pm a everything closed, so head off to a street vendoy for ropey noodles and chicken, never again, and then to bed.
When we all get up the next day we realise there is actually nothing at all to do in danang and the weather is raining and miserable so we meander off to find a train to Nah Trang further down the coast and closer to Saigon. No trains so yet another bus. So thats where I am now sitting after a 13 hr bus trip, god sleeping tabs are great, wide awake at 8am uggghhhhh.
Im going to try and get some photos up in a few minutes, ok thats now done. There is very little in the way of sights here apart from temples but luckily for you I havnt got to uploading those yet, but the will come soon.
We will be in touch soon, keep the emails coming, but not the forwards as we dont really have time to view them.
Ger + Shiv
Nah Trang
Vietnam
posted by gerire @ 1:31 AM
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