BORDERCROSSING LAOS-CAMBODIA

That was one of our worse border crossings, the road into Cambodia. First we were charges $1 at every administration point, right into the pocket of the officials, and there were three all together. We’ve got overcharged for our ongoing bus ticket but at least we were able to leave. That wasn’t the end of the trip. Supposedly changing our bus in Stung Treng, we were left there to wait for 5 hour. Still asked to wait but with no hope of any connection we finally took a taxi and paid again. We lost $20 but we could have lost even more, our time and patients. We learnt to forget about disappointments quickly in order not to ruin our travels.

LAOS TRAVEL MAP

DON KHON-4000 ISLANDS (LAOS)

4000 Islands is a group of islands in the Mekong River, a relaxing spot to hang out for a few days. We’ve got ourselves a cheap hut along the riverside on Don Khon with a rather unenthusiastic host. We always felt asking for food in the most inconvenient time of her day, which seemed all day long. At least we could taste some of her family meal: SNAKE, more precisely it was python. We don’t really know what it really tasts like as it was subsidized by too much pepper and chilli.

We also hired bicycles to cruise around Don Khon and Don Det, nearly unbearable in the heat but the dounut was a treat.

Please click here for more photos.

PAKSE (LAOS)

We met a lovely Belgium couple while searching the streets for a good deal on motorbikes for the day. We joined them to visit nearby ruins of Champasak. The ferry ride over the river was a quite unique experience, a platform built across a few boats to ship anything from a single person to a tractor.

We also had a puncture on the way, nothing dramatic in Vietnam. We soon found a repair shop and the woman there changed the inner tube quicker then we could even finish our beer Lao.

We also went to see a couple of waterfalls but the access roads were more dramatic than the waterfalls itself. We nearly fell of the bike a few times.

For more photos please click here.

SAVANNAKHET (LAOS)

We arrived late in Savannkhet and all banks were shut. Luckily we had a few dollars on us which bought us a meal and a few beer Lao. We were stuck here for another day as buses leave early morning and we were in urgent demand to get money from the bank (no ATMs). The highlight of our stay was dinning along the Mekong River. We were very curious about locals sitting there on the floor cooking and eating so we joined in. not knowing what to expect we were given a stove and a bowl, herbs, vegetables and raw meat and had to cook the soup ourselves. It was so much fun for so little money.

For more photos please click here.

BORDER CROSSING LAO BAO (VIETNAM - LAOS)

Getting to Savannakhet in Laos sounded not to bad when we booked it, included a 20 hour journey overnight. It wasn’t quite like that. First we arrived in Hue in the evening and where told our connection bus was early morning the next day. Quickly getting our belongings together we jumped of the bus and followed a motorbike that was suppose to bring us to our free accommodation. After 30 minutes walking and not knowing where we were, we arrived at our destination. We double checked if it really was free (you never know!) but it was. Next day we were picked up by minibus who still didn’t take us all the way. He dropped us off at the border and that was it. We demanded our ticket; instead he referred us to a woman to follow her. After 2km walking she took over all formalities at the border and overcharged us for our visa. There was nothing we could do, she was our connection to get us on our connection bus and there is only one a day. Later on we heard is was a charge by the officials rather than her and as long as that border crossing is smoothly we can call ourselves lucky. So we did and enjoyed the ride of our first few hours in Laos.

For more photos please click here.

TRAVEL MAP OF VIETNAM

VIETNAM AS WE SAW IT

There are a view clips put togethet as we saw Vietnam, enjoy.

HOI AN (VIETNAM)

Hoi An is the place for tailors and around 200 are trying to make a living of making suits, dresses, trousers or whatever you require in less than a day. We joined the experience, got measured, chose material and had clothes made we wanted.

We also visited the ruins of My Son nearby on a motorbike we hired and we saw some beautiful little villages along the 34km ride.

We decided Hoi An was the last destination on our travels in Vietnam as we were getting tired of bargaining for everything (even bread!), being constantly approached to eat, buy or get a ride and the frequent feeling of being ripped off. We were losing faith of meeting honest Vietnamese people and even the honest ones you didn’t trust.

The food will stay memorable forever. They do know how to serve some tasty dishes and our favourites were BBQed pork or freshly cooked hot Vietnamese spring rolls. Good bye VIETNAM.

For more photos about Hoi An and nearby My Son please click here.

NHA TRANG (VIETNAM)

A beautiful bus ride from Dalat took us to Nha Trang, a town on the coast of Vietnam and a popular destination for Vietnamese people and Westerners. Our “hotel shopping ” was pretty useless, they all charge the same and offer the same. Same, same but different (Vietnamese saying)? So what exactly is the difference? They don’t understand that concept of question either so there is no answer. In general you always get an answer as long as you ask the common question, anything beyond is foreign.

We visited the site of the Giant Buddha and experienced the madness off rush hour on the way back. We managed to find a great fish restaurant where it was freshly BBQed before serving.

We also booked a cheap boat tour with entertainment and snorkelling along the reef. Our expectations weren’t high but we were positively surprised by the majority of Vietnamese people on our boat and had fun with free wine at the floating bar. It was a fun day out before heading to Hoi An on a night bus.

For more pictures please click here.

DALAT (VIETNAM)

Dalat is situated in the highlands of Vietnam and it was nice to experience a little cooler climate and even nicer having a hot shower. We hired a motorbike for the day and drove to nearby Lang Bian Mountain. After about 20 minutes walking up the road to the peak, we were invited by forester workers to join in their lunch break. It’s considered rude not to drink if it’s offered to you and we had to have some rice whisky out of a plastic bag. They enjoyed practicing their English but we had to leave after a while to make the climb up the peak. Even that we did not see any people on the track, it was the dirtiest we’ve ever experienced. There were hundreds of empty plastic bottles and empty food wraps even on the very top. The last 30 minutes were very hard, it was so steep and slippery after the heavy rain few days ago and on the way back we used our bum more than our feed to balance.

Unfortunately we had to spend a few days in Dalat due to ill health. Was it the food or the rice whisky, we are not sure but we recovered after emptying our bowels completely.

For more photos in and around Dalat please click here.

PHU QUOC ISLAND (VIETNAM)

We reached Phu Quoc Island from Rach Gia on a speed boat ferry in 2 1/2 hours. It was actually quite comfortable with enough leg room and air con.

We had to take a bus to get into the main town of Duong Dong with a lively harbour and market. We gave the chicken, goose and fish a miss and bought some fresh fruit instead. We ended up playing cards with some Vietnamese people in our Guesthouse as it was too hot to carry on walking around.


Next morning we hired a motorbike to explore the island. It started off that we soon recognised that sealed road on our map were gravel, signposts seemed to disappear and after 1 hour driving and asking for directions we suddenly ended up in Duong Dong again. Nevermind, we started a second attempt, this time taking a different route but after driving another hour it started raining heavily. Already soaking wet we found a little place to sit for a coffee. There was thunder, lightning und it hit somewhere really close to us and blow out all the electricity. It settled after a while and we carried on driving. The rain made the road very slippery and we had to drive so careful. After about 40km the road was getting really bad and we nearly fell of the bike. We decided to turn back as it already started raining again. We arrived safe back in town and spend the rest of the afternoon drying off.


We left the island the next day and if you wish to see more photos of this trip, please click here.

CANTHO (VIETNAM)

After we arrived in Cantho the same happened to us as in Mytho, we were surrounded by motorbike taxi wanting to take us into town. As we had no idea where we were we bargained a good price and took the ride.

Again we hired a boat to take us up the river to see the floating markets. It was an early start, 5.30am, but how nice to get coffee served on the river from the floating cafe. Even that our guide could hardly speak any English you don’t need a translator to see what is happening. It was fantastic to see the busy trading on the river. Some of the houses looked rather poor along the river and some of them we were surprised they were still standing.

At about 10am it was getting unbearable hot on our little boat and we could not wait getting back on land and have a refreshing cold shower.

For more photos please click here.

MYTHO (VIETNAM)

We found our way out of Saigon to the long distance bus terminal. The bus ride was not too bad but we got dropped off a little outside from town. Getting off the bus we were surrounded by motorbike taxis wanting to give us a lift. We didn’t think it was possible but they do anything for a bit of money.

We hired a boat and a guide to show us around the Mekong Delta. It’s rather dirty everywhere and the attempt by Phil to fish in the Mekong River was not very successful.

We had a look around town for something to eat. There were no restaurants, just street food or eating halls where they serve one dish only. I ended up eating a lovely fish soup and Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimps for $1. Phil didn’t trust in the fish of the street so we found another little place where they sold bbq pork and they gave me a plate too, 2 meals for Petra.

We visited Vinh Trang Pagoda the next day and headed off to Cantho afterwards.

Please click here for more photos.

SAIGON (VIETNAM)

We arrived late at the airport, took a taxi and stayed in a guesthouse in a side street off Pham Ngu Lao, the backpacker land of Saigon. We had a brief look around the centre and Saigon River the next day, visited the war Remnants museum and booked a tour to see Caodai Great Yemple and Cu Chi Tunnels. The guide was quite annoying after a while trying to be funny, we stopped at a factory with overpriced art craft and stopped at a cafe for food with no choice of choosing a different place. We decided to try to travel more independently to avoid the crowds of tourists and to see the real life of Vietnam.

For more photos please click here.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Our trip to Darwin didn’t start well. First we nearly didn’t catch our flight. Assuming we have to catch it from the domestic airport we realized quickly it was departing internationally as it carried on to Asia. We quickly made a move over the road. We had 10kg overweight with would have cost us $90. Instead we repacked und just got away with paying. The hostel in Darwin was expensive, awful and packed with travellers. Car hire companies charged a daily rate of $70 for a tiny car, well over our budget. Things weren’t all bad. We were lucky to get a wicket camper for a reasonable rate and a jug of beer was $8.

Before entering Kakadoo NP we made a stop at Foggs Dam, a bird’s paradise for royal spoonbills, egrets and jabirus. We carried on 50kms on gravel road to reach Shady Point. Our camp for the night a good fishing spot for barramundi. There was a salt water crocodile cruising around but we kept an eye on him. The night was hell. We had to make a decision to keep windows open and get eaten alive by mosquitoes or shut everything and die on a heat stroke. Next day we bought a mosquito net.

We saw different points of interest in Kakadoo NP but were very disappointed by the state of the tracks. Many were not cleared or were still completely closed. Aboriginal Art sites at Ubirr and Nourlangie were really worse the visit.

Lichtfield NP is much smaller but has a few waterfalls with swim holes for refreshment. On our way to Berry Springs we saw 3 frilled lizards on the way but as soon we stopped the car to take photos they were gone. We also met some of the strangest people in the local pub, mostly Aboriginals, some of them pretty drunk.

Berry Springs has a hot spring which was wonderful at 7am in the morning. We stayed most of the day in the Territory Wildlife Park where you see most of the animals of the Northern Territory. It’s one of the best wildlife parks we have seen and it gave us the opportunity to see the animals we did not spot in the wild.
We headed back to Darwin to join the reopening of the Mindil Beach night market with fireworks. There was a brilliant band playing with crazy didgeridoo sounds.

If you would like to see any more photos, please click here.