Home Time 
New York, USA, 24th July 2005
So this is it. The trip is over and I am coming home. I am all done but will be happy to see you all, have a beer and catch up. My flight home gets me into Heathrow on Monday 25th of July at 7.10am, flight number VS004, flying Virgin.
This will be the last email of my trip and will not look at my emails again until I am back home. My (same old) Orange UK mobile will be on after a few hours. Mobile: 07980 885595 or Home: 01737 247603
I have had a great time in New York over the last few days. I've just finished a 17 hour tour run by the hostel around the city. I'm going to bed for the last time in a dorm room so that's great.
Take care and talk/see you all soon. Simon
Moving Islands
New Zealand, 4th July 2005
I am moving on from the south to the north island tomorrow. I have spent the last six days in Nelson with an old friend called Annetta. For those who do not know who she is, Annetta is Rowena's sister. Most people know Rowena - she is unforgettable. I am travelling to the city of Wellington by ferry and the weather is not looking good for the crossing so it should be an interesting trip. I will be there for about three days then travel slowly northwards to Auckland for the 18th of July when I fly to Los Angeles.
The weather has been very good lately and I have been to some nice places. The other day I did a fab trip to Able Tasman national park. My day started with a 6am wake-up with a bus pick-up at 6.45am. We went to a place just outside of the park town of Motueka. When we got there we were asked to get into the Aqua Taxi and put on life jackets. The very strange bit is that the boat is on a trailer being pulled buy a tractor. This drove about a kilometre down the road and into the sea to let the boat float off the trailer. The boat trip lasts about an hour and we went past a seal colony before being dropped onto the beach.
I was dropped off at Big Tonga, (Onetahuti beach), with four other people for a walk back along the coastal track. This is a long hike which takes four to five hours but it is the best bit of the park. We got picked up at Anchorage Bay and a boat took us back to the start. It was an amazing walk as the place is very beautiful and peaceful. The track is very hard work, from sand to mud to large rocks and steep sections but so worth it. I was very lucky with the weather as it was a nice day and the sun was out. There was a great bridge along the track - not that high and over a river, but it was a cable bridge and you are only allowed five people on it at one time as it bounces and moves around a lot, (fun).
After finishing the walk I had about half an hour to wait for the taxi back, so I lazed in the sun on the beach. When the water taxi arrived I had to take off my boots and socks as the bay was too shallow for it to get close enough to shore. When we got back to town the tractor was waiting with the trailer and the boat got picked up and driven back to taxi's office. By the time I got back to town it was after 6.30pm so it was a long day.
Any way that's enough about me; what have you all been doing ? See you soon. Simon
Bad Game
New Zealand, 26th June 2005
I was in Christchurch for the first Lions rugby test game against the All Blacks. The Lions played very badly, but then again, the All Blacks were not great either. The town was heaving with Lions supporters and there was a great buzz until after the game when it was a bit of a let down.
Leaving here tomorrow and heading up towards the north Island but I will not cross until after the second test in Wellington as accommodation is full and costs more. New Zealand is an amazing place and is so wonderful to look at. My photos do not do it justice and I have taken a lot of them. Sorry.
I'm having strange feelings at the moment as I would have liked more time in NZ and the US but time and money are running out. I am looking forward to seeing you all to find out how you are and what has happened since I have been away. Seeing everyone again will be so great and fun as it has been so long. I have spoken to a few of you on the phone but this is not the same as seeing you in person.
Talk/see you soon. Simon
Queenstown
New Zealand, 16th June 2005
I'm having a great time in Queenstown. There is so much you can do here from skiing to skydiving.
I went out last night with Will, Gareth and Steve to a place called the World Bar. I am going to be sitting next to Will and Gareth at the rugby game in Dunedin on the 18th. They are nice guys out for a good time. I've been drinking a good pint called Monteith's Black by the Monteith's Brewing company. Actually, it's just under a pint as they have strange size glasses here like in Oz. Monteith's also do a beer called Celtic Red, which is an Irish type of beer - not a real bitter but that style. This is the best beer I have found so far in New Zealand. Monteith's have a great saying: "The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer".
There were lots of people at the bar wearing Lions shirts for the rugby game. I have a replica of the players shirt as one of the shops in town was doing a deal. I got it for $152 (£60) and most places were selling them for $160. There was also a voucher in a local free paper: spend over $99 on Adidas clothes you get a free cap. I got the cap with half Lions and half All Blacks worth $40. So a big winner.
After the bar we went to a place called Fergburger. They have great chips and big burgers with great names. I had one called Sweet Bambi. It was fab but you had to stand around the outdoor seating area as the heaters were on the walls and it is below freezing at night.
The other day I went, with a couple of guys, up the Skyline Gondola to the top of one of the mountains. We went down the Luge Runs on a plastic sledge. It had a wheel at the front and two at the back. The bicycle handle bars were for steering and braking. The first time you go down the easy run to get used to the sledge. Then you can go down the fast run and this is when we got very competitive. Mark was a bit slow to start with whilst Captain Jack and I were about even. We started to go a bit mad and tried to run each other of the track. I side-swiped Captain Jack and he went off the track onto the grass.I overturned my sledge and had to get out of the way before Mark came around the corner. On one run we all went at the same time so we would be next to each other at the first corner. Unfortunately, the girl running the track gave me a big push off causing me to lead by miles but I slowed down so we could race. We had five runs and the last race was the best with all the ramming and bumping. All of us went off the track at some point. There was a lovely steep bit with a double bump then a hard left turn and by the last run the track had started to freeze and we were skidding sideways to slow down enough to get round the corners. It was so funny - you have to go with friends as it is much better.
I have emailed out photos of the Canyon Swing in Queenstown. It is the biggest swing in the world. You jump off the platform and freefall 60 metres before going into the 200 metre arc swing. This is very smooth and is a big rush. It is like a bungee without the bounce back up. I thought I would find it easy to jump off as I have done a number of bungee jumps. However, the last one was over six years ago. Now I am older I found my mind saying, "What are you doing ?". I felt very strange, so I did it the easy way. They rig you up as if you are sitting down and swing you out over the edge. Then they pull a cord which lets you drop like a stone and go into the swing. It's amazing and I felt so relaxed when control was given over to someone else. It's a rush and even better in the winter as the air was so cold when I tried to breathe in on the way down. I got a t-shirt and four photos. On the back of the t-shirt it says "Even my sh*t was scared".
Cold New Zealand
Greymouth, New Zealand, 4th June 2005
I am now in New Zealand and for the first time I am feeling the cold as I have not been away from the hot sun for 10 months - it is bad. I landed in Christchurch and spent three days there sorting out my bus ticket, where I was going and the best way to do it. Christchurch is a nice city and some of it looks very English. The rest looks Australian or American, but I had fun walking round looking at the sights. The art gallery is not bad and there is a nice river that runs through it where you can go punting.
My bus ticket is with the Magic bus group. It covers both the south and north islands and cost $527 NZD (£200), so is very good value. The first leg was on the amazing Tranz Alpine train which is rated as one of the top 10 rail trips in the world. I travelled from Christchurch to a small town called Greymouth on the coast of the Grey, river hence the name. Today was about 10 degrees Centigrade and tonight I could see my breath. We stopped at a town called Arthur's Pass, 737 metres above sea level, in the snow topped mountains where the platform was covered with ice.
I went out for a few beers last night with a few guys from the Neptunes hostel. For my birthday I chilled out during the day then went out to a bar called the Railway Hotel as they had a big screen showing the first Lions rugby game. I talked to a English couple called Janet and Jeff that now live in New Zealand. I have managed to get a ticket for a Lions game, (not a test game), with a local team in Dunedin on the 18th of June. That should be good as this is the best ground to watch rugby at. The ticket has a face value of $70 NZD and only cost $75 NZD (£30) so it is good value.
I will be leaving Greymouth on Monday morning and going to Franz Josef glacier next so lots of amazing photos to come. Still having fun but missing Dany a lot. It seems strange her not being there when I do things, plan things or see amazing sights. Will be home soon so will be able to bore you all with my stories and 'photos. Talk soon.
Dany and Simon
Australia, 31st May 2005
Photos available of Dany - the special lady in my life.
Life,Love and Oz
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 30th May 2005
Tomorrow I am leaving Oz to go to New Zealand for about two months. In some ways I will be glad as Oz is starting to look the same and it does not feel the same without Dany. We had a great time travelling up the east coast together. Our final days were in Sydney but before that we had some amazing times. We went to Cairns and out to the great barrier reef. This was fantastic - we went snorkeling and at the second site we went on a semi-submersible, but we did not see Nemo.
Before a 10 hour bus ride we were in Airlie beach. We did a days sailing on an 80 foot maxi racing sailing boat called Ragamuffin, from Airlie beach around the Whitsunday islands. There was not much wind but it was very good fun. We went to Whitehaven beach where it is very relaxing with beautiful white sand and the sea is very clear with lots of fish swimming about. There were not too many people. We played Frisbee and had lunch before Dany and I walked down the beach to an area of small rocks where we sat down and had a chat. Then I went down on one knee and asked Dany to marry me. She said yes and I gave her the ring we had chosen. The engagement ring has a square diamond which tapers in where it meets the thick band. A photographer on the boat took some photos of us so we can remember the day. When we sailed home we were given a bottle of Jacobs Creek sparking wine which we enjoyed on the open deck above an amazingly calm sea. As we had met on a beach it seemed the right place to ask her.
This is why I was so sad when Dany went back to Cambodia. If you want more information please let me know. See you all soon.
Hervey Bay
Queensland, Australia, 13th May 2005
Photos available of Noosa River and Hervey Bay, (select the camera icon above).
Fraser Island
Queensland, Australia, 25th April 2005
Photos available of Surfers Paradise, Brisbane and Fraser Island, (select the camera icon above).
The Big Oz
New South Wales, Australia, 18th April 2005
Life is still a beach. We are in a small town called Byron Bay, which is a real mixture of party and chill out so we are staying for just over a week at a place called J's hostel. The accommodation is quite nice with a pool and good rooms. The town is not a cheap place to stay so we are sharing a room with two other people. It's $25 a night each. The beach is very nice. It's a real surfing town - lots of people with surf boards but half of them carry them around just to look cool and everyone is buying the latest surf fashion ware just to look even cooler. It's a bit sad.
Sydney was great with so much to see and do. The opera house is amazing to see but we did not go in on a tour as half of it was closed so we'll have to go when we return. I would have liked to have done the harbour bridge climb but it costs over $160 each which is a lot of beer money so we are drinking the money. We had a great night at the theatre and Dany was sitting on the edge of her seat the hole time. We went to see "The Lion King" which was fabulous - the music, costumes and the songs, you all have to go and see it - it was well worth the money.
Travelling up the coast heading towards Cairns by Greyhound bus we have until the 28th of May to get there and be back in Sydney as this is the day Dany has to go back to Cambodia. We have been to several towns on the way. We first went to Port Macquarie which is a nice town but when we arrived at the hostel I had booked two beds two days before, they said they did not have a booking for us and they were full. We were left stranded at 9.45pm with nowhere to sleep. We now know a lot of people have said they over-book all the time and the staff don't care. Luckily a place called Ozzie Pozzie had beds for us. This was cheaper and a better place to stay. In town we went to a Koala hospital. It was great to see them up close and hear all about them. They sleep for about 18-20 hours a day and are not bears. Everyone got bitten by so many mozzies there.
Next stop was Coffs Harbour and a brand new hostel with lovely surroundings and great facilities. I would recommend anyone to stay there. Coffs is a bigger town than Port Macquarie but is so spread out that we only walked on the beach rather than around town. We walked around the very nice harbour and on to Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve with great views of the town, harbour, beach and sailing ships.
When we move on from Byron Bay we are going to Surfers Paradise, Brisbane then north to Fraser Island, Airlie Beach, Mission Beach and then Cairns and maybe a few more towns in-between.
I'll tell you all more when I have time in-between chilling and chilling.
Dany is amazed at how big Oz is and how long it takes to get anywhere but she is having fun and does not want to go home. She wishes she could stay with me.
Long Time no eMail
Southern Australia, 14th March 2005
Well, what can I say. It's been a long time since the last email. Sorry, but lots has happened. A few of you know what I have been doing but for those who don't this is what has happened over the last few months.
Going north from Perth was great. I stopped at the Pinnacles, (desert full of rocks), then a town called Geraldton. A few guys from the hostel took me to a bar with a bikini-wearing bar-maid We had a fun night.
It was a long way to Monkey Mia to see the dolphins but worth it. I stayed a few days. The dolphins were great to see - clear water so great photos, (pics on the way). Seven came in at one time.
On the way back I stopped at Kalbarri - a small town with lots to see - a gorge, natures' window and so on. I spent one night there then drove back to Perth. After 600km I got stopped, by the Police, in the middle of nowhere, to be breathalysed. In total I drove over 2,200km.
Then there were the missing three weeks. I decided to leave Oz and went back to Cambodia to see Dany. During this time we managed to get her a three month visa to Oz. It was very hard work and we had to go for an interview at the Oz embassy.
Dany and I landed in Melbourne to meet my parents, (who are on holiday here), but we missed them as our flights had changed. We had a good hunt around the airport for them and it was Dany who spotted them first and said hello. It was a big surprise for them as they did not know she was coming back with me.
My dad and I spent four days at the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix. This was great and just like old times when we used to go to the British GP. We had a good week together shopping, sight seeing, dinners etc. Time to catch up.
We then left Mum and Dad as they have moved on to Sydney. We drove the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne to Adelaide. It took us about six days in our hire car - a Ford Falcon 4.0l auto - a bit old, but cheap.
Adelaide seems nice so we are going to stay a few days before going on to Kangaroo Island and then Port Augusta, Coober Pedy, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Flinders Ranges, Broken Hill and then back to Melbourne, (with about 100 stops ).
So I will now say goodbye as you have spent three hours reading this mail and will want a lie down. Let me know what you have been up to. Talk soon.
Simon & Dany
PS. Dany says she would like to meet you all one day as I talk about you to her.
Cambodia II - The Return of Si
Cambodia, 13th February 2005
Photos available of Dany's home town of Kampong Cham, Phnom Penh, Angkor and Sihanoukville.
Photos
Western Australia, January 2005
New Year Plans
Western Australia, Wednesday 5th January 2005 13:21
I just got back from the Mustang Bar after several Tooheys New beers. I'm having a sit down before I lie down. Plans for the new year are as follows:
Write better emails and try to speel cheque them!
I should have a few weeks more work at Rovacraft, then I will be on the road again.
My mum and dad are coming over at the end of February for a number of weeks. We are planning to go to the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix on the 6th March, which should be great.
I am sending over some more photos for inclusion on the website. There are some from Cambodia and the start of Oz, including Xmas day. I also have another CD of Cambodia photos to sort out.
Xmas
Western Australia, Tuesday 4th January 2005 02:45
So what have I done over Xmas ? Well, lots. So take some time, get a cup of tea and some snacks and I shall tell you a story.
24th December. Xmas Eve involved some partying at the hostel.
25th December. Xmas day was a late start at about 10am. We went over to the Witch's Hat hostel for Champagne and fruit, then a bit of a chill-out before a BBQ lunch, (shrimp on the barbie). At about 3pm about 30 of us went down to Cottesloe beach. The sun had gone in by the time we had arrived but it was still warm so we went into the sea for ages. Big waves and a ball to throw around. We left the beach about 7pm and headed back to the hostel for leftovers and a party. We all ended up dancing on the tables until about midnight.
26th December. I headed off south with Brigitta, a German girl from Berlin. We hired a cool Hyundai coupe. We passed through a number of towns like Rockingham and Mandurah on the coastal road before arriving in Bunbury for early evening. We checked in to a hostel called the Wander Inn - nice place. We watched the sun go down, (more photos taken), before going to see Ocean's 12 at the cinema. I did not think it was as good as the first movie but it was ok.
27th December. We got up early to visit the dolphin discovery centre in Bunbury which opens at 8am. When we arrived they said we might not see any dolphins as the tide was very strange due to the tsunami. The dolphin centre is in the harbour and the tide was going in and out every 20 minutes. The short tide was amazing to watch but it scared off the dolphins. They said it is vary rare that no dolphins come in and it was one of the few times it the centre's 20 year history. At lunchtime we went to a nice beach town called Busselton that has a two kilometre long jetty. We did not walk down it but swam in the sea for ages. We then went to a town called Margaret River. This is a lovely town with one main road and about 25 vineyards, (wineries), around it. We followed the river down to the sea to a small beach town set in the sand dunes called Gnarabup, (no, really). We stayed at a hostel called Surf Point Lodge and were told it would be full of surfer types, but when we got there it was full of families. We headed down to the river mouth beach to watch the sunset. I have really got into seeing the sunset.
28th December. We set off and went to a place called Lake Cave. This is a big hole in the ground with about 250 steps to the bottom before going down another 130 steps to get into the cave. It is amazing inside and when they switched off the lights it was so dark you could not see your hand in front of you face. Hamlin Bay consists of amazing white sandy beaches and an old jetty with only a few posts left. There is a real postcard type of beach with a small area of coral and when we arrived the locals were feeding some manatees, (sea cows or dugongs), which are great to look at. We went into the sea and got some great photos and even touched one - it was soft and rubbery. We then set off to Augusta a small town with not much there other than a lighthouse and the point where the Indian and Southern oceans meet.
We had a long drive over to Pemberton. Just before we got into town we stopped at Beedelup waterfall which was not much of a waterfall as there was no water. There was, however, a great bridge to play on. They have this thing that if you tune your radio in they give a commentary about the place before you go in. We went into town and checked in to the Pemberton Backpackers Hostel before going out to the Gloucester Tree as it is free to get in after 6pm. It is a big lookout karri tree not used any more for fire lookout as they now use helicopters. It is 60m high and you climb up using metal bars pushed into the tree. It is quite steep and there is a mesh on the outside to stop you falling off sideways but if you slip you would be in big trouble. There are some amazing views and you can see for miles. We were joined by an Oz couple at the top and it did not move around too much as there was no wind. They only let six people at once at the top. The climb back down was easer.
29th December. We went into town to a fine woodcraft gallery. It was fab to walk around with some great things to look at including a clock made completely of wood that costs $8500. Out of town we went to Big Brook Dam. We missed the turning on a gravel road so I performed a big hand-brake turn which Brigitta disapproved of. The dam is only small but has a nice country walk around it, (four kilometres), and a sandy beach so you can swim if you like. There were some big old trees as well. We had lunch at a place called the Lavender and Berry Farm. You can pick your own fruit or buy the great jams and honey. They have a small cafe that does the best pancakes with ice cream and hot berry sauce. They also have a table where the birds eat only about 1.5m from where you are sitting. On the road again back to Bunbury, we stayed at the same hostel and went to see another movie - The Incredibles. What a funny film. Go and see it if you have not already.
30th December. We got to the dolphin discovery centre and there was a dolphin present so we went straight to the beach and into the water. They line you up and the dolphins come in and swim up to you and look at you. This is just amazing. We had two dolphins in at one time and they swam round us for over an hour. I got some good photos but they would have been better with a shorter shutter delay on my digital camera, (not complaining Kes - this thing is just the best - a few marks, but what do you expect for carrying it 24/7). It cost us $2 to be with the dolphins and if you had swimming goggles they take you out deeper and the dolphins swim around you. They come within half a meter of you but you cannot touch as this is not allowed. Most of the people working there are volunteers.
On the way back to Perth we stopped at a cheese factory and tasted lots of cheese before buying some and some crackers for lunch. We ate lunch in a small town called Pinjarra (). There was a nice river and wooden road bridge which was relaxing after all the driving. We arrived back in Perth at the hostel to have a big BBQ - as much as you can eat for $5.
31st December. I took Brigitta to the airport at 4am as she was going to Adelaide to spend New Year with old friends. I had a lay-in before going over to see Dave at Rovacraft to see if I could wash and vacuum out the hire car. It was in a bad state and if it went back messy they were going to charge $25 to clean it. It took ages to clean and I found a few scratches and a mark on the front bumper. I polished out the scratches and covered the mark with correction tape as the car was white. When I gave the car back they did not notice the mark so I got back my $500 deposit.
New Year's Eve was spent on Cottesloe beach and the trains were free all night everywhere. I was with with some people from the hostel - Mick, Linda, Mer and Frank - and several thousand others. At midnight there was a big cheer and then some flares were let off. We got back to the hostel at 2am and there was a party happening in the kitchen, (where all the best parties happen). We did beers and shots until 4am.
1st January. I got up at 8.30am and rang a few people back home as it had just gone midnight with you. Sorry I did not call you all but my phone ran out of money. I spent most of the day in bed as I was so tired and a bit hung-over.
2nd January. I had a bit of a cultural day by going to the Art Gallery of Western Australia and found an artist called Samuel Palmer from Redhill.
Well after all that I am going to have a break, like you guys reading it. It was long and took time. Be ready for my next instalment soon. Happy New Year.
Fremantle
Western Australia, Thursday 23rd December 2004
I visited the Maritime Museum Shipwreck Galleries in Fremantle. I have very little to say about it but did take some photos.
The Crown, Perth
Western Australia, Monday 20th December 2004 13:30
Oz so far is great. Perth is a city spread over a large area but the centre of town is small; no bigger than the centre of Croydon's shopping area. There is a great, free bus which goes around it and to the Swan river and parks. The beer here is not that cheap - about $6 or £2.40. There are some great places to eat for very little.
I have not been far yet as I have been working for my mate's company for a week. He is currently in the UK but will be back soon. The company is called Rovacraft which sells Land Rover parts to the whole of Oz. I have no idea how much they are paying me but I am not too worried as I know they will look after me. I have been out with Stewart, from work, for beers a couple of times and have been to the boss's house for dinner with his wife and the two other guys I work with. At work there is Stewart, Mike, Ian, Miranda and me. They are a great bunch and we have had some great fun. They keep buying me lunch and giving me lifts home. I catch two buses in to work which takes about half an hour and costs $3.50.
I will be in Perth for about two months, but will be doing weekend trips to different places. I have moved from the Witch's Hat and I am now at their sister hostel called The Emperor's Crown. This is a modern place like a hotel - very flash. On Christmas day they are having champagne and fruit followed by a big Christmas dinner. Then, at 3pm, I'll go back to the Witch's Hat for a bus to the beach which will return at 10pm to bring us home. It should be a good day.
After Boxing day I will travel south to the vineyards and other places of interest. On New Year's Eve a few of us are going camping in the outback under the stars to celebrate near a place called The Pinnacles - lots of rocks sticking out of the sand dunes. I hope Santa will find me. It does not feel like Christmas as the weather is so nice and I have written no cards and bought no pressies for anyone. Oh well, there will be next year, if I come back. I have not found any good black stuff here yet, (Guinness), but I'm still looking. Happy Xmas to you all.
Editor's note: original email with Xtra spelling also available.
The Witch's Hat, Perth
Western Australia, Thursday 16th December 2004 08:45
I am now in Perth which is a great city with lots to do and quite chilled out so I can relax (some more). I will be staying in Perth, (see map), for some time and am currently at a hostel called the Witch's Hat which is very nice. They have arranged a BBQ for Christmas day on the beach so that will be cool.
I have a mobile phone in Oz as it is so cheap. I have lots of free texts so I can text you all, but I need your numbers. See my main page for the mobile number.
Kampot and Sihanoukville
Cambodia, Friday 26th November 2004 06:00
I'm hanging out at the beach again after another fun-filled trip on a bike. I visited the town of Kampot with a girl called Dany who works at one of the beach bars. The road started off okay but by the end it was gravel, pot holes and dodgy bridges - all good fun. The trip was long but we made it. Kampot is a small town with not much happening but is nice as there is a river running through it and the sunset was great with the sky all red and orange.
The next day we went to the local waterfall which turned out to be a long area of rapids. We had a snack and a walk in the cold water. We went back to the Little Garden guest house, which has a rooftop bar with seating. We grabbed our bags and headed off to Bokor national park. On our arrival it started to rain hard so we got a little wet, but we waited to see if the rain stopped before going up the hill to the town. We chatted to some workers there who said it would take nearly two hours to get to the top but we could stay at the ranger station there and come back tomorrow.
So we set off up the track with lots of potholes, rocks and gravel. It was a bit of hard work with two people on the bike. We had been going for about 25 minutes with a few hairy moments but not too bad when we went round a hairpin bend and the back started to steer. I knew we were in trouble and it turned out to be a puncture in the rear tyre. We had to turn back and had a long walk as I did not want to damage the rear wheel and tyre. The walk took about 1 hour 20 minutes. It was awkward pushing the bike but at least it was downhill. The ranger station at the bottom directed us to a local down the road who could fix the tyre. We found the guy and he came out with tyre leavers and a foot pump. He had fun taking off the tyre to get to the inner tube but he found the hole and fixed it. It was hard work and took three of us to get the tyre back on. We found a nail in the tyre so it was not a rock that caused the hole. We headed back to the beach at Sihanoukville and on the way back we were passed by about 12 old classic bikes ridden by a group of Germans. They waved and said hello as they passed by.
I'm having a good time going around with Dany who is a local and knows all the good places and short cuts. She is very nice; shy but sweet. She likes to dance a lot and loves my CD player and CDs as she is really into western music. The other night a big group of us went out - a mixture of locals and travellers. We first went to a disco called Bluestone but this was empty as it was nearly midnight. The next place was way out of town and through the red light district. It was called the Be Bar and was a mix of club, karaoke bar and brothel all in one. The male travellers were given two menus - one for drinks and one for girls so it was instantly obvious what type of place we were in. We had a few drinks and a dance too with the young ladies singing karaoke. We left about 1.30pm and returned through the red light district with lots of girls calling out for the guys to stay and spend their money on them. We did not want to stop as it is a bad area and some of the girls looked very young. It was a fun night with places I would not have gone to if I had not known the locals at the beach bar.
The beach has lots of bars and restaurants so you do not have to leave all day and night except to sleep. All the places are made of wood and have massive ice boxes to keep the beers cold. People come round to deliver massive blocks of ice for the boxes. They cook on barbeques and small burners attached to gas bottles. The food they cook is amazing and better than you would ever think they could do on the beach. There is a dish called Amok which comes with either fish or meat and is served with rice. It has a coconut / nutty taste and is my favourite.
I have only 10 days left until my flight from Phnom Penh to Bangkok and then to Aus. I will miss this place, the friends I have made and Dany the most as we have had such a good time together. She is such fun. I will be coming back to this place so I can see everyone again, and also it is such a chilled place.
The Beach
Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Saturday 20th November 2004 09:45
The weather is great - hot and sunny and even when it's cloudy it's still hot. You know it's a hot day when some of the Cambodians are sweating.
I have hooked up with a few different people but noone in particular. I'm just meeting new people all the time. Last night I was with three guys from Ireland and they could sure drink and swear a lot. We went to a concert in town with a couple of people from the bar. It was held at the bus station - they sang lots of songs and although we understood only one or two words it was fun when you have had a few beers. They make two main beers in Cambodia. Angkor beer is okay, a bit hoppy and made in town. Anchor beer is the better of the two, but I still drink Lao beer from Laos.
I have been up to the capital for a few days then further north to a small town with very few tourists. I was there for three and a half days and got to meet a number of locals. One night I was lent a local's motorbike to get back to my hotel, this bike was so bad. 1. It took about 10 kicks to kick start it. 2. If you did not pull away strait away it would stall, so go back to number 1. 3. The front brake did not work. 4. The front wheel was buckled. 5. The handlebars and front wheel were not in line. and so on.
It was not a hard choice to skip Vietnam as I have had enough of running about all over the place just to say I had been there. I'm going to a place for a few days you do not always get to see everything and have a chance to appreciate things. After just over three months of running I wanted to slow down and have time to relax, and this is a great place to relax with the beach, the food and so many people wanting to have a good time. I have worked out that saying I had been to all of these places was not enough for me. I am travelling to have fun and if you are moving all the time to see as many places as you can in the amount of time you do not always have time to have fun. This is one place I will remember for a long time so I do not want to rush things.
Phnom Penh (still)
Cambodia, Saturday 13th November 2004 07:30
I am still in Cambodia and will not move on as I like it too much and am having such a good time. George left four days ago and is now in Vietnam. I will not be joining her as I intend to stay in Cambodia till the 6th December when I fly to Bangkok to get my flight to Perth on the 7th.
I have left the beach for a few days but I will be going back. I travelled back up to the capital with a few people from a bar on the beach. One of the girls is in town with lots of other people to practice fire spinning for a water festival in 10 days. They will be performing at night for the people coming to the festival. It is a three day event with boat racing on the Mekong river, like we saw in Batambang a few weeks ago but on a much larger scale.
If you ever get a chance to go to Cambodia it is well worth it as it is an amazing place. I did not like it to much at first as we were robbed, but this place has grown on me lots and I would like to come back.
Phnom Penh
Cambodia, Monday 1st November 2004 12:00
Yes it has been three months since I left, not including my quick trip home. You must be sick and tired of all my emails saying what a good time George and I are having. It is fun for me and will keep happening for the next 10 months. I have to be back for Saturday 3rd September as two of my best friends, Jane and Matt, are having their wedding that day.
We are finding Cambodia a nice place to be but there are lots of down sides. There are lots of beggars and they do not mind robbing you when you travel. We have heard lots of stories of people losing things on pick ups and buses. The capital, Phnom Penh, is great as we are here during a big three day party. They are celebrating the new king's coronation and the old king's 82nd birthday. There are lots of things happening and all the locals are very happy .We have had fireworks for the last three days at 6.30pm on the river outside the royal palace.
We have visited the killing fields and the S21 prison where 17,000 people were torched, killed and buried in mass graves. This is probably the saddest places I have ever been to in my life, but amazingly the Cambodia people have moved on. They see it as part of the past and want to look to a new future. It is hard to believe it only took place 25 years ago.
George and I had our hair cut yesterday and it was the longest I have ever spent in a hairdressers. It takes about five minutes, max, in the barber's chair back home. We went to a nice salon and they washed our hair and massaged our heads whilst we rested on vibrating beds. I was then shown to my chair for a back and neck massage before the the guy asked how I wanted my hair cut. He was a bit disappointed when I said number two up the sides and number seven on top but he did a good job and took his time - it looks good. George had a makeover - the guy cut it differently from how she has it cut at home and she came out looking more like a film star than a backpacker. I took some pics to show everyone but now she has it tied up under her bandanna so it looks no different to before - a real shame
George and I are moving on tomorrow to the beaches at Sihanoukville to have a rest from rushing about looking at museums, buildings, wats, temples etc. It will be nice to slow down and read my book, look at the sea or just go for a swim. We have said we would like to stay there for about a week before we move on to a couple of other places in Cambodia. Then it's on to Vietnam before splitting up on the 7th December at Bangkok airport when I go to Aus and George goes to India.
I hope to hire another dirt bike when we are at the beach to go and have a play for a day. I miss my bike so much. I would love to just get on and go ride with my old boss Andy. Let me know what you have all been doing as I miss not hearing what is happening and all the gossip.
Hope to hear from you all soon.
Siem Reap
Cambodia, Monday 25th October 2004 13:20
It took about two hours to cross into Cambodia and standing in the hot sun with all your bags was no fun. We found a pick-up truck to take us to the next town. It was a mad trip with bad roads, an insane driver playing chicken with buses and cars coming the other way, seven people in the cab and 19 more on the back with bags. We had to hang on all the way. At the next town we changed pick-up trucks and there were only 10 people on the back of this one so it was not so bad. After 20 minutes the passenger side rear leaf spring snapped and we came to a stop - fast. After a short time a bus stopped by and took us the rest of the way to Siem Reap.
Once we had arrived at Siem Reap both George and I found that our money had been stolen from us. George had money taken from her bag and my money belt was cut open with about 30 quid taken. It must have happened on the first pick-up truck when we were all squashed together. We live and learn - it has not put us of travelling in Cambodia.
Siem Reap is nice and we have spent two days going around the massive site of Angkor. It is in the jungle and has lots of temples, wats and buildings of great size and architectural importance - Tomb Raider was also filmed here. Angkor wat is massive it has a moat around it 100m wide. Once you have crossed this you go through the first building to cross a second open area on a raised walkway about 150m long before you get to the outer buildings. Pass through these and you get to the main structure about 100m wide and on several levels with some high towers. The place is made of large stone blocks so it looks like Lego. I watched the sun go down over the jungle from the highest part of building. It was amazing to see and I wish you all could have seen it. I now love to watch the sun go down and it seems much better in these parts of the world than at home. It is one of the things I will remember when I get back - that and watching a small gecko licking the condensation from the bottom of my beer bottle one night.
We have spent two days going around Angkor and will still be here tomorrow. After that, we will travel by boat to Battambang. We have a new currency to deal with called Riel and there are 4000 to the US dollar.
Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya and Aranya
Thailand, Wednesday 20th October 2004
I had a week by myself, except it was not like that at all. After two days I hooked up with a Thai girl called Anna who was staying at the same guest house as me at the death railway in Thailand. We had some great days together, seeing the sights, waterfalls, the death railway, hellfire pass and so on. I hired a mountain bike, a motorbike and a ten year old Honda Accord (car) with over 250,000 km on the clock which was still okay to get about in. We went to Kanchanaburi and saw the bridge over the river Kwai.
When George came back from the UK Anna and I went over to meet her at Ayutthaya and spent two days there before heading off to Cambodia. I said goodbye to Anna at Bangkok station and I will not be seeing her again as she is totally mad - she wanted me to stay in Thailand and not go to Cambodia or on the rest of my trip. We got the train to the border town of Aranya Prathet which took five hours and was third class only with hard seats. We stayed the night and went to the border the next day.
Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi
Laos, Sunday 10th October 2004 15:30
I will have been travelling with George for two months tomorrow. It is a strange feeling as it does not feel like I have been travelling for more than a few weeks.
We left Luang Prabang by boat and after seven hours on a hard seat with some amazing views we arrived in Nong Khiaw. This is a small town straddling the river with a bridge connecting the two halves. There were five of us on the boat - an Aussie called Peter, an American girl called Nicky and a big Canadian guy called Yaron. We all went to the same accommodation as we were told it was very good. It was called the Sunset guest house and guess what - it had a good view of the sunset. They were a great bunch of people at the guest house and we had a fun night talking, playing cards and me drinking.
Peter, George and I headed further north to the village of Muang Ngoi that can only be reached by boat. A nice trip in a cramped boat with planks of wood as seats and there were some rapids to go through. We met two great people on the boat - an Aussie guy called James and an English lady called Chrissie. Chrissie goes to the village for about a month every year and has been going to the village of Muang Ngoi Neua for the last eight years. When we arrived at the village Chrissie said she knew a good guest house so we went there. It is a nice place by the river, with bamboo huts costing $1 a night. The down side is that the toilet and shower are in a small hut and the shower is a tap and a small bucket of ice cold water. We spent some good times with Peter, James and Chrissie, exploring the local caves, paddy fields and going to the next village. The are very cut-off with no power and have to get everything from the village we were staying at, up a thin path sometimes thick with mud. We also went tubing again, this time a lot slower and a shorter time but still fun.
We met a guy called Tom and went to climb the mountain on the opposite side of the river. We hired a boat and went for a walk but after about an hour we could not find the path we needed so we went up the river by boat and stopped on an island made of sand. It was like being on the beach and we made faces in the sand.
One day we were at the place where the boats come in when all these people got off the boat and started to cheer. Their original boat started to take on water and sink so they got to the river bank and most of their stuff stayed dry. They had to spend the night on the river bank before a new boat was found to take them the rest of the way. They were a great bunch of people and I chatted to them and got invited to a stag night as two of the party were getting married in Laos in about a months time. It was a great night of drinking Lao beer and Lao Lao whisky, cards and bad stories. The girls were having a hen night in the bar next to ours so when I walked through they said I had to do a forfeit. I had to put makeup on the bride, so I had fun, but they said the other half of the forfeit was for her to put some on me. Some lipstick and eyeliner later, I went back to the boys bar. At 10.30pm the bar closed and at 11pm we joined the girls. We ran out of drink by midnight and we were thinking about what to do next when the police arrived and told us to go home.
The town is up at the crack of dawn, (5.30am), works until lunchtime, has a rest and goes back to work for a few hours in the late afternoon. It has power from 6.30pm until 10.30pm when the town goes to bed, unlike the tourists who go to bed when they run out of beer. We spent five nights at the village, George and I both think it is the best place in Laos we have been to.
We have now moved on and spent another two days in Luang Prabang then got a bus back to Vientiane. The bus should have taken nine hours but it broke down just after nine hours when we were 10 kilometers short of the city. The starter motor was jamming so we found a Tuk Tuk and six of us got to town that way. We had been on the road for 11 hours so we were very tired.
Tomorrow we travel back to Thailand as George is returning to the UK for a week so I will have to fend for myself, i.e. find the nearest bar and stay in it until George gets back.
I'm a millionaire !
Laos, Wednesday 29th September 2004 14:40
I changed some money today at the bank and money is mad over here. 1US$ = 10,800 kip. I changed $100 for 1,080,000 kip so I am a millionaire! The money comes in 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 1,000 and 500 bills so you can imagine the piles of cash we have to carry. Lao beer is between 8,000 and 12,000 kip for a big 660cl bottle so it is cheap.
George and I are now moving on to the next town by boat up the river. This should take about five hours and would have been four hours by bus but not so nice. Nong Khiaw is a small town and only has electricity between 6pm and 10pm according to the guide book which has not been updated for a year. We will only stay a day before going further north to the next village up river, called Muang Ngoi. This is the only way to get there and we don't know if they have power. We may do some more trekking, or I might do some mountain biking.
We had thought to go to the 4000 islands to the south of Laos but this is out as it will take too long. At least three days and some bad bus trips to get there, at least two days to get back and we still have to travel back to Bangkok by the 13th October for Georges flight back to the UK. Travelling for five to six days just to go south is not a good thing to do.
Vang Vieng, Phonsavanh and Luang Prabang
Laos, Monday 27th September 2004 07:40
We have moved on lots of times and we have now made it to Luang Prabang in the north of Laos.
Vang Vieng
We left Vientiane and arrived four hours later in Vang Vieng which is a small and strange town. We had great fun one night when we had a few Lao beers in a bar and then headed to the local night club. Yes, we had too much to drink, so George and I both had hangovers the next day.
We went tubing down the Nam Song river. This meant being driven out of town and dropped at the river with a tractor inner tube, jumping on and floating down the river. This took three and a half hours including beer stops, caves and rope swings for George. Oh, and yes, a big bush full of flies - I was covered with them.
Phonsavanh
We took a six and a half hour bus ride to the town of Phonsavanh which is so small it only has one main road. People come here for the Plain of Jars. This consists of about 14 sites with massive stone jars on them. There are three main sites you can visit, which we did. The jars mostly weigh between 600 Kg to a tonne each and the biggest weighs six tonnes. The first site is the biggest and has a good cave with a hole in the roof which looks amazing when the sun shines through. The Mine Advisory Group is clearing all the unexploded ordinance from the site. The workers look for mines and UxO by site and get paid $3 a day. The guys with metal detectors get paid $5 a day - bad pay for an amazing job. We gave a donation at their shop in town. Site two is on two hills and site three is a nice walk across paddy fields and up a hill, set in trees. The pots have been there so long the trees have grown in and around the jars. Some of the jars were damaged when the USA dropped lots of bombs on Laos during the secret war, (at the same time as Vietnam).
We only stayed in Phosavanh for two nights as there is nothing to do. We moved on again, getting the local bus at 8.30am. This is the worst bus we have been on so far. The seats are so bad and small I had to crush my knees into the seat in front. We had this for eight hours and only one stop for 15 minutes after six hours on mountain roads. Loads of ups and downs, hairpin turns and overheating brakes.
Luang Prabang
We finally arrived in Luang Prabang where we found a guest house and had a walk round town. It has one main street and a great night market, but that closes early as it has rained at about 9pm most evenings here.
We walked around the royal palace museum yesterday. There was some good information about Laos's royal family. We chatted to a girl called Rebecca about the places she had been and told her about the what we had seen in Laos. We then climbed the hill in the middle of town which had a temple on the top and great view of the town and the Mekong river. I met up with Rebecca and her friend Holly at a chilled-out book shop. They were watching a film and I arrived at the end. After a quick chat we went to the Hive bar next door for a few drinks as we did not want to go back when it was chucking it down with rain. The Hive bar is a cool place with some great music. We left about 11pm and headed back to our guest houses. I got back to mine about ten minutes later and it was all locked up as they close the doors at eleven. I had to bang on the door to get in.
We tried to get a boat trip to the Pak Ou caves today but we were too late so we will go tomorrow. Instead we walked around town looking to hire mountain bikes but only found one so George is in the book shop chilling out and I am here Emailing you lot.
The days are very hot and sunny but it gets dark at 6.30pm and has rained the last two nights. It is still warm at night and you have to have the fan on.
Vientiane
Laos, Thursday 16th September 2004 15:20
I travelled by taxi from Bangkok airport to Tony's guest house in Ayutthaya and finally met up with George and Olly. We sat round chatting for hours until it started to rain and we were joined at our table by a Dutch couple, a Brit called Lee who lives in Thailand and a Thai girl called Amy. Amy is a travel agent who had come from just south of Bangkok to find out about the history of Ayutthaya.
We left Ayutthaya by night train, (11 hours), to Nong Khai and crossed the border into Laos over the friendship bridge. Then we took a taxi into Vientiane, the capital city. We are staying at a place called Vannasinh guest house at $7 a night - it's ok. Vientiane is a small capital city, nice and relaxed with just enough to do.
Changi airport
Singapore, Sunday 12th September 2004 02:20
I am stuck in Singapore airport as my flight was an hour late leaving the UK and there was only a 50 minute change over here for Bangkok. I am now here for about three hours but the airline gave us a food voucher and the airport gives free internet for 15 minutes.
So this is it; I have left for my big trip. My phone is off so you can only email me now. If you would like a postcard then send me your address and I will see what I can do. In a few hours, I will see George and find out how much fun she has had without me.
Reigate
Wednesday 8th September 2004
to the pub, to the pub, to the pub pub pub!
Rhodes
Greece, Wednesday 1st September 2004
A four minute wedding - now that's what I call service.
Reigate
England, Sunday 29th August 2004
I'm baaaaack ! Well, at least until Wednesday morning when I fly off to Rhodes. I've been down the pub for a lovely pint of the black stuff.
Ayutthaya
Thailand, Thursday 26th August 2004, 13:10
It is getting very hot here. We got up late today, having had a just-good-enough night's sleep after are train trip. We went to the Chandrakasem palace museum this morning to look at the history of the place. It was very nice and relaxing as we were the only people there. We found a stray dog, (one of thousands in Thailand), with seven puppies who still had their eyes closed. George fed biscuits to the mother and it was very grateful and started to follow us.
In the afternoon we went on a boat trip around the island and saw some amazing temples. Some were in ruins and great to walk round. We had a very bad trip back when we thought a snake was going to get into the boat. At the last second the snake went under the water and was hit by the the boat. It made the six people in the boat jump but the driver was unfazed. So, we've had the army, drug smugglers and now a big snake - I think I might invest in some better insurance.
I hope all is well back home and the weather does not get any worse. For us, it is getting hotter and hotter. No real sun tan yet but there is still time; even for George who still looks very pale. I have loads of photos to show you - no, don't run away, there are some funny ones.
Pai
Thailand, Wednesday 25th August 2004, 10:50
We left Chiang Mai and have moved on again, (and again), to a small town called Pai, in the north west. It's a funny town with not much to do, but people stay here for ages. We rented a dirt bike and went for a good look around, both on and off-road. We regularly had to bump start the bike as it's battery was flat. We found some waterfalls, hot springs and loads of temples. We went into the mountains, to the national park, and went for miles off-road. When we got back we were told that this was a big drug smuggling route and a bit of a bad place to go; the army were all over the place.
The next day we went off to another village and the road became a dirt track. After about 20 to 30 miles the road got too steep for both of us on the bike. We tried to turn back but the bike cut out again and would not bump start on the gravel. It took us about 45 minutes to push the bike back up the hill and restart it on the smooth ground at the top. The sun got to George and she has been unwell for the last two days. This was not helped by a 15 hour bus and train trip to get to our latest location of Ayutthaya, just north of Bangkok. George is now eating ok and is sitting in a nice leather armchair reading her book.
Chiang Mai
Thailand, Tuesday 17th August 2004, 06:10
We are staying in place called "the little home guest house" in Chiang Mai. This is a great place to stay and always full.
We haven't done much shopping yet - just a pair of Teva sandals costing about four to five pounds which even came with all the labels on them. Maybe we will buy a few things from the night bazaar tonight.
Food-wise, we have tried most things including the local Chiang Mai sausages and a great dish of fried egg noodles with chicken and curry sauce with red chillies - just fab.
Health-wise, we are both fine. George had a bad time yesterday after taking her malaria tablet, but she is ok now. I miss seeing everyone, my bike and Guinness.
We had a good two days trekking in the jungle and meeting the hill tribes. The first day was the hardest of the two. We got picked up from the guest house and driven to the market to get supplies and meet our guide. We drove to the elephants and had a ride - they were ok but nothing great. We were driven to a dam and then had a 25 minute hike to some waterfall magic. We had lunch then hiked uphill for about 40 minutes - hard work but ok. We rested then walked to some paddy fields, played with some catapults, then hiked up and downhill for about one and a half hours to the village we were staying at. We had dinner then the local children sang for us and then we sang for them. They knew most of the songs we sang - "twinkle twinkle little star", "if you're happy and you know it" and "head, shoulders, knees and toes". We went to bed at about 10pm and had a good night's sleep.
The next morning we got up at 8 a.m. and had some breakfast, tea and toast, (so much toast). We hiked for a couple of hours mostly downhill. Although the sun was not out, the humidity was very high so it was hard work hiking. Bamboo rafting was fun but hard work. The guide stood at the front pushing us along with his pole; I was at the back doing the same and George was sitting in the middle relaxing. The sun came out and we both got a bit burnt. We got back to have a nice warm shower and the food they gave us was just wonderful.
Tomorrow, (the 18th), we are going, by bus to a small place called Pai, north-west of Chiang Mai . We intend to hire a trials (dirt) bike to get around. We will stay for a number of days and then go back south to Ayutthaya, just north of Bangkok for a few days before I come back to the U.K. on the 28th.
George says:
I've had the most wonderful Thai massage today, (all above board), with our travelling buddy Jackie. Simon wasn't keen so didn't join us; I think he may be wondering round Chiang Mai as I type. It certainly stretched away the aches and pains from the two day trek. Imagine Simon punting a bamboo raft down a river in a dense jungle and me catapulting stones from a handmade catapult, then walking up hills with waterfalls and loud jungle creatures. I'm averaging about one cake a day here - yum !
Koh Chang and Chiang Mai
Thailand, Wednesday 11th August 2004, 11:10
On Koh Chang we stayed for two days at one nice beach and then moved down the island about four miles to a chill-out beach full of backpackers. We met this guy called Ian from Manchester and stayed at a place called the nature huts, (on nature beach). It was really cheap - we paid about four pounds to rent a hut for two nights. One night we stopped off at the nature bar on our way to a party at a bar just up the road. It was very lively so we stayed and I started to dance, (I had been drinking for a number of hours). Pretty soon people started to join me and we never made it to the other bar. We were drinking party buckets - you get a child-sized bucket and fill it with ice, then a couple of bottles of coke, a 250ml bottle of Samsung whiskey, (or it could have been rum), Thai-style Red-Bull, (non-fizzy, sweeter and treacle-like), then straws to share. A cool night but I didn't feel so great later.
One day, we hired a motorbike for a few hours. It was mad up the steep hills with George on the back, but a good way of seeing the island. At one point we got the front wheel of the ground and George had to jump off when the bike started to roll backwards as it ran out of power on a steep hill. We must have looked so funny as we were following a taxi and the people in it took a photo of us.
We returned to Bangkok via boat and six hour bus ride. We then took an overnight train from Bangkok station to Chiang Mai in the north, which was 13 hours - a lot of moving about - so we are going to stay a number of days here to rest. Chang Mai a cool town and more chilled out than Bangkok. Everyone here is celebrating the eve of the (Thai) queen's birthday tomorrow. On Sunday we plan to go on a two-day hike into the hills to look for hill tribes.
We're having a great time in Thailand and have moved around a lot but we're going to slow down soon.
I found I can receive incoming calls on my mobile, (at a cost), but I can't make outgoing calls.
PS. everyone we meet is a school teacher.
Koh Chang
Thailand, Sunday 8th August 2004, 09:10
Koh Chang is great - a place to chill and a place to party. I met some nice people on the boat over to the island. We found a nice beach hut on the beach, about five meters from the water. The accommodation is called Cookie ! It is nice to get away from Bangkok as it is just too crowded for me.
The huts are basic but ok; toilets are ok; the bars are cool and we have spent the last two evenings in a bar called the Treehouse.
The beer is good but I have to drink Singha as the Chang beer gives me a bad head.
We are heading back to Bangkok on Tuesday as we are going to the north to do some hiking.
Bangkok
Thailand, Wednesday 4th August 2004, 16:30
(10:30 UK time - we're six hours ahead here in Thailand)
I didn't get any sleep on the 11 hour flight but have been sleeping late at our amazing hotel - accommodation quality is all downhill from here. Bangkok is ok but there are too many people and the traffic is very bad. A lot of people like the tuk-tuk drivers try to rip you of but you just have to be careful. I'm currently in an internet cafe above a bar on the Koh Sang road in Bangkok. It's a big hang-out for backpackers. It is hot (32 degrees centigrade) and wet - sunny and overcast with a small amount of rain. Most places so far have had air con. I've been checking my emails and have had an online conversation with Steve (and his webcam) using MSN Messenger.
We had a great night last night - Singha lager (a pound for a 330ml bottle) and pool at 30p a game - they rack for you too ! The beer is getting cheaper at each new bar we find.
We've seen the grand temple which was very impressive. We missed out on seeing the golden Buddha as the monks were at prayer. The Thai boxing was OK but I found the rules a bit funny - punches give the most points. I've only taken about 10 photos so far on my new Sony CyberShot DSC-P72 digital camera.
Off to the island of Koh Chang tomorrow, (Thursday), to chill out on a beach for a week. We may hire bikes to ride round the place. I'll let you know how we get on with the 6 hour bus ride and 1 hour boat ride.
I have seen no sheep here.
