Scotters - Yes! Isn't Poipet a wonderful place! The road to SR is indeed in dire need of some repair/contructing, we were told that this is like to happen by the end of 2008 (about as likely as me getting ajob as Brad Pitt's body double!). Still afters pending a couple of months in Sierra leone recently, I vowed I would never, ever complain about roads again.
We now been in Asia for almost three weeks. We spent our 1st week in Bangkok see the usual sights, went on a days bke ride in the countryside, had a few massages etc. and then caught the train to Aranyaprathet, a town on the border with Cambodia - a 6 hour journey that cost a massive 80p! Not the most comfortable train journey i've experienced!




Angkor wat was as spectacular as I remembered it from 4 years ago, however, it now seems over-run with tourists and the town itself ihas grown immensely! It is in danger of quickly being ruined by over touristing.

We found a couple of good palces to eat - the Red Piano near Pub Street does an amazing Amok and also teh Queens BBQ does a great korean Ttype barbeque fro $4.



5 days in SR was enough so we moved on by bus to Phnom Pehn (6hrs), which is where we are now.
A v. busy city (a lot busier than I remember it). It is worth spending a couple of days which is enough to take in all the sights. It is possible to hire aguide and car but you really dont need one, a guide book nad Tuk Tuk ($12) is all you need. We stayed in the Sunday guesthouse a small place but v. clean with aircon and hot water for $11 - very helpful staff who can sort out visas, onward travel etc at really good prices with no hassle.
One problem with PP is the constant hassle from tuk tuk drivers - seriously consi9der having a tee shirt printed say " no I don't want a *** tuk tuk!".

We were due to move on to the Laos border yesterday, but I have picked up a stomach bug and don't really want to move more than a few yards from the bathroom! Cipro does not seem to be working so carolyn has gone off to the pharma for something stronger.

Will probably posy separately for this but any tips for Japan would be welcome. We have 15 days and have so far booked 3 days Tokyo and 5 days Kyoto. Any ideas as to where else to visit? We will be getting a Japan Rail pass fro most of teh transport

crellston, re: your stomach bug

There are reports that GI bugs in Thai-Laos-Cambodia are developing resistance to Cipro. Hopefully, the pharmacist will have a different antibiotic to recommend. By the way. Bumrungrad in Bangkok prescribed "omnicef" for a GI bug Cheryl picked up in Sri Lanka.

The bug I got in Laos was well-behaved and responded to Cipro. Nice bug.

Kathie - I cant say I am surprised that the bugs are developing resitance to Cipro. There seems to be a pharmacy on every street corner in Phnom Penh all sell antibiotics like sweets over the counter! Cipro cost me 80cents! Anyway all is well now!

So glad you're feeling better, Crellston. I'm looking forward to more reports of your adventures!

An update

Having recovered from the stomach bug and having seen all of the usual sights in Phnom Penh in we decided to travel overland to southern Laos. We left PP by minibus ($10 pp) in the morning for the 3.5 hour trip to Kratie, a small town on the banks of a river in the north of the country. Kratie is a very quiet and tranquil place on the banks of a river which makes for fantastic sunsets, not a great deal to see apart from the local markets but a great place to chill out which we did for a couple of days before moving on by (a very crowded) bus to Stung Treng where we had to hang around for a few hours before catching a ferry across the river to get another bus to the border crossing to Siphandon 94000 islands) in Southern Lao. Once at the border and having paid the $1 bribe to get out of Cambodia, we got a Sorngthaew through no mans land to the Lao immigration point and paid another $1 bribe to get our Lao visa stamped. (considering the number of people making this crossing, it is quite a lucrative occupation for the border police!!)

Finally we reached Laos and another bus and boat to our final destination of Don Khong, the largest of the 4000 islands but still very quiet. After walking around looking at a few guest houses, we settled on Pon's Guesthouse at $10 per night, not bad for a decent sized room with aircon, hot water etc. Don Khong is, again, a great place to chill out and the sunsets across the Mekong are truly spectacular. We rented a couple of bikes to cycle around the island and also did some trekking up the mountain in the centre of the island to see the “Buddha cave” – the walk was great but the cave was more of a small hole in the rock. Also worth seeing are the nearby waterfalls close to Don Deth and Don Khone.

After a few days we decided to head off to Pakse by bus where we stayed for a few days before heading on to Vientiane, this time by plane.

Seeing Vientiane, again after 8 years it was quite a shock to see how much busier the place had got. It is now much more geared towards the tourist trade but still a reasonable place to stay, if much more expensive than we had become accustomed to! Some very good restaurants to be found in the centre of town, especially if you are in need of a change from noodles! The area along the riverside however is IMO best avoided as it is overpriced and under-spiced! We did ponder for a while about heading on up to the far north via Luang Prabang but as we had already been there a few times previously we decided to head back to Thailand.

Again we decided to travel overland this time by train (1600 baht) from the Thai border town of Nong Khai which is about 30 mins by Sorngthaew (or should be if the driver hadn’t got a call when we were halfway there to go back and pick up some more passengers!). The border crossing, by the Friendship Bridge, was easily the most chaotic yet! After standing in line at Lao immigration for about 3 minutes we were through to the Thai side where we waited for about 15 mins with no movement in the queues whatsoever, then, all of a sudden the Thai immigration gut began walking along the queue grabbing our passports and disappeared into an office. We waited and waited and eventually after about 45 mins passports began reappearing but slowly. At last we got ours back and were back on the bus to the train station to catch the 18.30 train to Bangkok.
Our 1st Class soft sleeper was not as palatial as it sound but was comfortable enough with 2 berths and air-con. Food was deliver to the compartment but was over priced and very expensive – in hindsight we should have gone to the restaurant car.

The overnight journey was comfortable if we ignored being woken at 4.00am by the loudest child in the world in the next cabin. At 7.30 we were pulling in to Huamlampong station. Not an altogether bad way to travel if you have the time.

We stopped for a coffee in the station and to watch everyone stand to attention when the national anthem was played. Imagine my surprise when my name was announced over the PA. asking me to go to the information desk! I had left my card in the ATM after withdrawing some cash. Some kind soul had handed it in. My faith in human nature has been restored but Carolyn still has not let me forget it!

We had decided to rent a car in Bangkok for a week and so stayed close to the station at the Train Inn for 950 baht per night. (good place if you are getting an early morning train as it is only a minute or so from the station).
Back in BKK we had to pay a visit to my spiritual home the Hard Rock Café, for a drink with Eric and Bruce (Clapton and Springsteen) – unfortunately it was only their photographs and guitars present!

More to follow later.

Clive-sounds like you and Carolyn are having a great time. My way of looking at things like the ATM card issue is that it is better to be ridiculed for something specific than all things general. The specific allows for easier agreement and thenyou can move on. The general is more troublesome.

Thanks for the update. I'm enjoying your trip.

are you sure that you are trully english?? all this roughing it is so unusual.....and no complaints...were there "proper" napkins (serviettes) with the meals on the train??

i put my foot down...i will never stay in a thai room for less than 1000 B.....

anxious to read more....AND WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT AFRICA...

b&k

Bob, I most definitely can confirm that I am English (and a Cornishman as well!). There are indeed no "proper" nor have I come across many serviettes. The tissue supplied on the table comes in the form more usually found in the bathroom!! I do however console myself with the knowledge that we can stay for a month for the cost of one night in the Marriot!!

i thought I had included you address on my emails from Sierra Leone - obviously not. However, I am editting down those emails and will either post here or on the blog that Carolyn is working on.

clive...if you do not have my regualr e address, send anything you have to my 'fodors' address:

[email protected]

i have reserved a "proper" napkin for you upon your return to "civilization"...

CENTRAL THAILAND

We rented a car for a week from Thailand Rental Car at Suvarnabumi airport (950 baht per day for a Toyota pick up) with the vague idea of driving to Ayuthaya, Bang Pa In , which indeed was what we did. The roads around are improving the whole time with lots of new multi lane highways around the new airport. We were not terribly impressed with Ayuthaya so we moved on through Lopburi and on to Kanchanaburi. After checking out a few of the raft type huts, we decided upon a very nice hotel, the Inchantree, a new modern hotel in the style of Aman (but only 950bht per night!) and a short walf from the famous bridge. I have to say that Kanchanaburi was a bit of disappointment and is very, very busy with lots of buses &tour groups etc. It was quite difficult to find somewhere to stay.

We moved on to towards Three pagoda pass and stayed overnight at Thang Pha Prom , a small town, near thebNational Park and lakes. Very quite and very local and we found a great little hotel in the centre of town for 500bht (v. nice split level bungalow.) the hotel recommended a restarant on the river and we got there just at sunset and the monks began their evening chanting in the Wat on the hill top across the river. When it was dark the wat was floodlit – a truly magical sight!

We continued back along the banks of the river Kwai, stopping off at Hellfire pass to visit the Railway?POW museum and to walk through the cuttings dug by the POWs.

We continued back to Kanchanaburi – there are some really nice places to stay along the river outside of the town itself at all levels, but a bit out of our price range so we elected to stay in town before heading down south.

HUA HIN

We drove south past Hua Hin to Khao Saam Rod Noi National park and had intended to stay there but could really find anything suitable in our price range (& it was raining v, heavily) so we headed back to Hua Hin for a few days at the “Aman” guesthouse – a private house with very nice rooms and a very helpful owner. It is in the next street to the HH shopping plaza and comes highly recommended if you want something other than a chain type hotel (even has a small swimming pool).

DAMNOEN SADUAK

Rather than drive back to BKK we stopped overnight in DS so we could take a look at the floating market – total waste of time! It is now a pure tourist attraction with virtual no market at all.

BANGKOK

Onwards to Bangkok for a couple of nights at the Amari Atrium – In my excitement of finding a decent hotel for $55 pn I forgot that it is a nightmare to get to! Never mind, it was good to hacve a decent shower for a change. With the help of Fodors we managed to locate the Jalpack offices and book our Japan Rail Passes (but where to go?).

We had booked our flight with Air Asia TO Hanoi online for 990bht + tax of 1440bht. + 400 for early boarding We were a little concerned that the baggage allowance of 15kg and had stuffed our hand baggage with all the heavy stuff. We need not have bother as everyone was checking in with way more and everyone’s bag checks said 15kg!

I have to say I was very impressed with the Air Asia flight and would definitely use them again (unfortunately they don’t fly from HMC which is proving expensive).

Bob, I emailed the Sierra Leone stuff to you a few minutes ago.

Thanks for a great report. We stayed at Ibis Siam in January too following your report.
Just to mention soon Air Asia will do KL to Ho Chi Minh route. We used 5 Air Asia flights this January - and all were good.

clive----a rental car around bkk???....now are you sure you did not catch some weird fever in SR??? no one drives around bkk!!!

so honestly how was it?? could you manage the signs, etc?? did you ever get lost on those freeway interchanges??

Crellston - I've posted elsewhere on the forum for suggestions for our day with Tong around Kanchanaburi and am afraid your time there doesn't make it sound like there's much you would recommend between BKK and Kanchanburi. Was there anything in the area that you found at all interesting for approx. a half day?

i agree with him....i would not go further than the floating market...its not worth your time...

clive...i am sitting here in shock after reading your e mail....WOW

susncrg - IMO kanchanaburi is not worth the distance/time it is v. busy with busloads of tour groups (and at the weekend Thai student having VERY good time!) the only place worthwhile was Hellfire pass (but then again I am a Brit!)

Bob - Your right about driving in BKK - Sierra leone has obviuosly addled my brain! Seriouly, i did not have too many problems driving or following the road signs in and around BKK although most of the credit should go to Carolyn's navigational skills! Outside of BKK there are fewer English direction signs so it gets a bit more difficult. the secret is a good and up to date map as their are so many new roads being built.

As you can see from my email, SL prepared us for just about anything!

HANOI IS CLOSED!!
Arrived in a very cold Hanoi on what we thought was the last day of Tet, unfortunateklly we didn't realise that the unoffical tet goes on a lot longer. Most(c 80%) shops and restaurants (and the main sights) were closed and it was a bit quite to say the least. We stayed at the Jysk Hotel ($14pn) for 5 days in the old quarter. A good budget place, although we could have used an elevator to our 4th floor room.
Eventually, after 3/4 days places started to open up although it was still cold and wet. We toyed with the idae of a trip to Ha Long bay but decide that it was to cold and so we opted for a homestay and some trekking around BA BE LAKES.

This proved an excellent decision. the drive up there was long (6 hours) and for the first two thirds was pretty dull but as we approached ba be tand teh mountains the sceneary was reall beautiful. We stayed in the National Park lodge for a first night, a truly awful place with no heating and and an open air restaurant, we managed to persaude them to find us a 2 bar electric heater but this had little effect on the temepature in the room (as we could see our own breath I estimate 5/10c).

The next day we drove to our homestay right by the lakes droppped our bags and then took a boat trip along the lakes and although it was very misty, the views were spectacular and the water in the lakes is a deep green colour (copper in the mountains I guess?). Towards the end of the three lakes the river flows through a large cave where we turn around and headed back to a village on for lunch (excellent food inc, fresh lake fish). We arived back at teh homestay for about 4.00 and were immediately offer some rice wine by our landlord and sat around the open fire in the middle of teh house until dinner which was served in the main guest area.

The next morning we again, sat around teh open fire whilst the daughter ofteh house cooked our breakfast - a choice of soup or eggs. We tahen set out on our trek through the mountains. We were offered a choice of 7 or 14 miles and as the weather look a bit doubtful we chose the shorter route - at teh end of teh day my legs told me we had made the right decison! Back at teh homestay we went fishing in teh lake accompanied by d\some local kids and then back to the homestay in our very basic but comfortable room.
It is very cold at this time of year butthe fire in the middle of the house takes the chill off and they do supply lots of blankets (much needed).

We saw knowe other westerners on this trip, presumably it takes second place to Halong in the tourism stakes, but I would hioghly recommend it for somewhere off the beaten track and an insight into a different side of Vietnam. Great people and some of the best food we have eaten in Vietnam.

Next stop Hue

Really enjoying your trip report, thanks.
We were in Hanoi 2-4th Feb and it was very cold!!! Few places have heating and our friends there don't have any heating in their houses (other than 2 bar electric heaters) as normally they don't need them. When we were there it was different though as Hanoi was very much open - too busy - it was horrible as everyone was getting ready for Tet. In the old quarter it was very difficult to walk as all bikes were parked on the pavements and you were forced to walk in the road a lot of the time which was so busy and awful. If there was space on the pavement people would drive there too just so that they could get moving. I thought how awful it must be if you were a tourist with children as it really was hard to move and be safe. I've been to Hanoi several times before and so wouldn't recommend before Tet either. The only wonderful part of it was seeing people on bikes balancing their large (& by that I mean sort of 5ft) orange trees (bought rather as we'd buy Chrsitmas trees in the west).