Monday, December 28, 2009
Koh Lanta, southern Thailand
Arrived here yesterday after 4 nights on Koh Phi Phi. Everyone had told us Phi Phi horrible, Lanta good, so its a surprise to find that Lanta has its downsides too. No central place to spend the evening, just a 20 km strip containing (perfect white) beaches, resorts, bars, restaurants etc. On Phi Phi, which is Party Island (a downside or an upside depending on your point of view and the location of your bungalow), you can at least walk everywhere and there are no vehicles. Good climbing too, and but few climbers due to the slightly costlier accommodation versus the nearby Railay. Very hot in the sun, climbing possible only in the shade. Snorkelling good (saw 2 sharks and a Moray the other day). Tan consequently rather neglected and patchy.
Thought it wise to go for the first of five rabies jabs today after being attacked by three male macaques on Monkey Beach, Phi Phi. I stood ground but on they came. Nothing but a small scratch, but you never know.
Here there is some caving, complete with bats. Went on a rented a motorbike (with proper manual gears...!!), then on to the cave and also to Lanta Old Town and almost down to the end of the road and the National Park, but the offroading on sand got a bit too technical. Linda bored with beach...first it was shopping, now this. She may be changing. Curly mop too, and I thought she had straight hair until we arrived in Bangkok.
Moving on tomorrow. At least it is only a few hours boat or bus to the next stop, Krabi or Railay, so no need for a multiday epic.
Arrived here yesterday after 4 nights on Koh Phi Phi. Everyone had told us Phi Phi horrible, Lanta good, so its a surprise to find that Lanta has its downsides too. No central place to spend the evening, just a 20 km strip containing (perfect white) beaches, resorts, bars, restaurants etc. On Phi Phi, which is Party Island (a downside or an upside depending on your point of view and the location of your bungalow), you can at least walk everywhere and there are no vehicles. Good climbing too, and but few climbers due to the slightly costlier accommodation versus the nearby Railay. Very hot in the sun, climbing possible only in the shade. Snorkelling good (saw 2 sharks and a Moray the other day). Tan consequently rather neglected and patchy.
Thought it wise to go for the first of five rabies jabs today after being attacked by three male macaques on Monkey Beach, Phi Phi. I stood ground but on they came. Nothing but a small scratch, but you never know.
Here there is some caving, complete with bats. Went on a rented a motorbike (with proper manual gears...!!), then on to the cave and also to Lanta Old Town and almost down to the end of the road and the National Park, but the offroading on sand got a bit too technical. Linda bored with beach...first it was shopping, now this. She may be changing. Curly mop too, and I thought she had straight hair until we arrived in Bangkok.
Moving on tomorrow. At least it is only a few hours boat or bus to the next stop, Krabi or Railay, so no need for a multiday epic.
Friday, December 18, 2009
It seems that Canyoning in Southern Europe is to be translated into Polish. According to Poltran.com it could translate as *Canyoning* w Południowej Europie by *John* Spekulant (zwyżkowy; grać na zwyżkę).
It will be interesting trying to keep on top of abbing, rapping, Farmer Johns and shorties without an international misunderstanding.
It will be interesting trying to keep on top of abbing, rapping, Farmer Johns and shorties without an international misunderstanding.
Today I've been motorbikin' around Cat Ba Island, and taking in a bit of the National Park where you can hike up to a rickety watchtower in the jungle and go up six flights of rusty stairs to a viewing platform. No sign of the endangered monkey species of Cat Ba Langurs though: apparrently there are only 60 left. Linda took a boating option to rest her still-swollen ankle following the motorbike tumble, but it's been a cold day and it can't have been much fun.
We're a little bored with the food. You can have anything you like so long as it's spring rolls + beef/pork/chicken +/- stir fry/noodles/fried rice or noodle soup or fish +/- chilli or soy sauce. Looking forward to the culinary variety available everywhere in Thailand.
I have a theory that they invented the Pot Noodle in Vietnam, and will be investigating.
We're a little bored with the food. You can have anything you like so long as it's spring rolls + beef/pork/chicken +/- stir fry/noodles/fried rice or noodle soup or fish +/- chilli or soy sauce. Looking forward to the culinary variety available everywhere in Thailand.
I have a theory that they invented the Pot Noodle in Vietnam, and will be investigating.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Cat Ba Island, Vietnem
This place at first seemed surreal, as we found ourselves in the kind of off-season resort that we often frequent in Spain for a quick shot of good weather and climbing. But we're in Vietnam in December, and the place is strictly locals-plus-travellers only at the moment as all the Hanoi residents are staying at home. On arrival we found ourselves a decent hotel ($10/night); since then the weather has been mostly warm and pleasant. First day: we booked a boat trip out to some islands, including stops for kayaking and climbing. All good stuff.
Things got a bit less surreal when, next day, we hired motorbikes to get around (when in Rome and all that) on an island on which, rumour has it, there are only four cars (I believe it - I've seen one of them!). Linda took a skid and lost her balance - nothing broken, but a bad graze and a swollen ankle were sustained. Back to base for some First Aid and a rethink.
Fortunately, they have 'motorbike taxis', and we've been getting around with one of those plus one normal bike for me (easy: automatic gears, I'm getting the hang - a 'girls bike' according to Linda's taxi-driver Antoine). Thus making our way to-and-from an inland crag at the idyllic Butterfly Valley, we have had two fantastic days' climbing. Tomorrow I'm heading to the National Park for a trek while Linda rests her ankle and takes a boat cruise around the sticky-up limestone islands that you've seen in the brochures. Having a truly fab time.
We plan to head back to Hanoi on Sunday in time to take another look around; fly to Bangkok on Monday, and down to Phuket on Tuesday. Then the plan is to aim via boat and via Kho Phi Phi for the island of Kho Lantau on 24 Dec.
This place at first seemed surreal, as we found ourselves in the kind of off-season resort that we often frequent in Spain for a quick shot of good weather and climbing. But we're in Vietnam in December, and the place is strictly locals-plus-travellers only at the moment as all the Hanoi residents are staying at home. On arrival we found ourselves a decent hotel ($10/night); since then the weather has been mostly warm and pleasant. First day: we booked a boat trip out to some islands, including stops for kayaking and climbing. All good stuff.
Things got a bit less surreal when, next day, we hired motorbikes to get around (when in Rome and all that) on an island on which, rumour has it, there are only four cars (I believe it - I've seen one of them!). Linda took a skid and lost her balance - nothing broken, but a bad graze and a swollen ankle were sustained. Back to base for some First Aid and a rethink.
Fortunately, they have 'motorbike taxis', and we've been getting around with one of those plus one normal bike for me (easy: automatic gears, I'm getting the hang - a 'girls bike' according to Linda's taxi-driver Antoine). Thus making our way to-and-from an inland crag at the idyllic Butterfly Valley, we have had two fantastic days' climbing. Tomorrow I'm heading to the National Park for a trek while Linda rests her ankle and takes a boat cruise around the sticky-up limestone islands that you've seen in the brochures. Having a truly fab time.
We plan to head back to Hanoi on Sunday in time to take another look around; fly to Bangkok on Monday, and down to Phuket on Tuesday. Then the plan is to aim via boat and via Kho Phi Phi for the island of Kho Lantau on 24 Dec.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Good Morning Vietnam!
Looks like I was wrong about the hassle factor - it's low, and we seem to have survived scam-free so far.
People seem a little more reserved than Thailand. Everything's very cheap. Hanoi's Old Quarter has a slight French feel that I wasn't quite ready for, but seems obvious really when you get your facts right.
Looks like I was wrong about the hassle factor - it's low, and we seem to have survived scam-free so far.
People seem a little more reserved than Thailand. Everything's very cheap. Hanoi's Old Quarter has a slight French feel that I wasn't quite ready for, but seems obvious really when you get your facts right.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Chaing Mai, Northern Thailand
This is a place I find hard to leave, the food is fantastic, there's plenty to do and the climate is perfect. But time is finite and we're catching the sleeper back to Bangkok this afternoon. Been jungle trekking, where we had a social with the varied travelling types of assorted Western nations. And climbing at Crazy Horse where I finally achieved a long-held ambition to climb Blood, Love, and Steel (6c+/5.11c, 27m), which has a technical first half, a sketchy crux, then a steep haul to enter an easier 15m tube-like feature followed by some very steep jug pulling to finish. It's been bugging me for the 3 years since I was last here, when sticky heat added to the difficulty and I fell off the crux half-a-dozen times. This time I wasn't sure if I'd be going well enough, but it had to be tried and now it's in the bag, first time too. Relief.
Phase I complete. Or will be when we wake up in Bangkok. Incidentally, the trains are cheap and efficient: the sleeper train journey is clean, comfortable and pleasant (if a little slow and punctuated by stops - there's only one line) and costs only around 20-35 pounds return (Postscript: pay the higher fare ane avoid a potential bedbug incident); and from Bangkok we took a train to the old capital city of Ayatuyya, a 30km journey, for 15p. We also went on a trip from Bangkok to the River Kwai and travelled on the 'Death Railway' - well, you have it to do.
On the public transport theme, in Bangkok it's easily possible to use five different modes of transport in a day, e.g. bus, tuk-tuk, river ferry, underground and Skytrain, for example. The bus system is especially baffling, but practicable if you procure the right map. Everyone drives as if they own the road. Literally.
Phase II will be a return trip to Cat Ba island in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam (where, incidentally, there is plenty of climbing, canoeing, mountainbiking and hiking) via Bangkok and a flight to Hanoi. Phase III will be a flight from BKK to Phuket on Dec 22, and a poke about the southern Andaman coast. There will follow Phase IV and V, one of which will involve a hop from Malaysia to Sumatra and back, and the other will be climbing at Krabi.
Next door to the Internet cafe from which I write there is a TV repair shop - you don't see many of them back home. Other signs of a totally different economy: gasoline is 50p/L, Internet is 20p per hour, a decent meal for two with beers costs about 3-6 quid, and a clean, double ensuite room with a balcony is 8 quid/night. You can easily grow to like it here. We'll see how Vietnam compares - expecting scamming and hawking for sure.
Most shops, cafes and bars are open to the elements here, and you wonder how they cope with the torrential rain that must come at other times of year...
This is a place I find hard to leave, the food is fantastic, there's plenty to do and the climate is perfect. But time is finite and we're catching the sleeper back to Bangkok this afternoon. Been jungle trekking, where we had a social with the varied travelling types of assorted Western nations. And climbing at Crazy Horse where I finally achieved a long-held ambition to climb Blood, Love, and Steel (6c+/5.11c, 27m), which has a technical first half, a sketchy crux, then a steep haul to enter an easier 15m tube-like feature followed by some very steep jug pulling to finish. It's been bugging me for the 3 years since I was last here, when sticky heat added to the difficulty and I fell off the crux half-a-dozen times. This time I wasn't sure if I'd be going well enough, but it had to be tried and now it's in the bag, first time too. Relief.
Phase I complete. Or will be when we wake up in Bangkok. Incidentally, the trains are cheap and efficient: the sleeper train journey is clean, comfortable and pleasant (if a little slow and punctuated by stops - there's only one line) and costs only around 20-35 pounds return (Postscript: pay the higher fare ane avoid a potential bedbug incident); and from Bangkok we took a train to the old capital city of Ayatuyya, a 30km journey, for 15p. We also went on a trip from Bangkok to the River Kwai and travelled on the 'Death Railway' - well, you have it to do.
On the public transport theme, in Bangkok it's easily possible to use five different modes of transport in a day, e.g. bus, tuk-tuk, river ferry, underground and Skytrain, for example. The bus system is especially baffling, but practicable if you procure the right map. Everyone drives as if they own the road. Literally.
Phase II will be a return trip to Cat Ba island in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam (where, incidentally, there is plenty of climbing, canoeing, mountainbiking and hiking) via Bangkok and a flight to Hanoi. Phase III will be a flight from BKK to Phuket on Dec 22, and a poke about the southern Andaman coast. There will follow Phase IV and V, one of which will involve a hop from Malaysia to Sumatra and back, and the other will be climbing at Krabi.
Next door to the Internet cafe from which I write there is a TV repair shop - you don't see many of them back home. Other signs of a totally different economy: gasoline is 50p/L, Internet is 20p per hour, a decent meal for two with beers costs about 3-6 quid, and a clean, double ensuite room with a balcony is 8 quid/night. You can easily grow to like it here. We'll see how Vietnam compares - expecting scamming and hawking for sure.
Most shops, cafes and bars are open to the elements here, and you wonder how they cope with the torrential rain that must come at other times of year...
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
It seems the only way I can blog currently is by uploading pics, and even then only sometimes. And I have no way to edit posts, which means I can't correct mistakes.
Woeful ineptitude is the only excuse I have. One day I'll get it sorted, then I might actually write something.
In the meantime, here's a pic of a shadow on a wall.
Woeful ineptitude is the only excuse I have. One day I'll get it sorted, then I might actually write something.
In the meantime, here's a pic of a shadow on a wall.
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