In addition to this blog, you can read my book here ...
http://boybucket.blogspot.com.au/
To read the travel blog starting with the very first post - click here
I am planning on making a movie - See here for the Movie Trailer
Just want to see the best photos - click here
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
In Prison ... it had to happen !
From the Temple I wandered on toward the Lake area. I soon noticed that I was within a short walk of the infamous "Bangkok Hilton". The former french prison for "political prisoners" and later the hell-hole for Americans during the Vietnam war. For the 30000 vnd, it was well worth the visit. It was full of Vietnamese propaganda designed to offset American propaganda of course ... so I found the War of words and figures most interesting.
While there I could not resist the urge to message close family back home and let them know I was "in prison" ... I expected more surprise from them quite frankly ;-)I wandered back to the hotel to collect my backpack, and booked my cab from the Old Quarter to the airport for 300,000.
 |
 |
The Mausoleum...where size does matter!
So I walk all the way to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum.
I get to the gate and after passing everything through an airport scanning machine, I'm asked to leave my knapsack at a bag holding place at which time I'm given a ticket to get my back back later. However I'm also asked to remove and carry in a supplied red bag my camera, tablet and wallet.
This is when the armed guards were called. I eventually emptied the bag, kept the ticket and and carried all my stuff via a short cut (garden) back to the entrance. Got my knapsack bag and left. Very very odd.
Annoyed, I then went to the Temple of Literature, and took lots of photos.
I get to the gate and after passing everything through an airport scanning machine, I'm asked to leave my knapsack at a bag holding place at which time I'm given a ticket to get my back back later. However I'm also asked to remove and carry in a supplied red bag my camera, tablet and wallet.
Ok...so I do this ... I'm then instructed to join a group of other visitors who are doing the same, and we walk some 300 mtrs or so, and at the next check point our camera size is checked...WTF? The other 40 or so people I had joined were let through, and I was singled out based on the size of my camera only. I was told to leave it there and join the group. Big cameras are not allowed. I had come to take photos, and you are supposed to be allowed to. But due to the size of mine bizarrely I was not allowed. So I opted to skip the mausoleum and leave... but this is where it got really odd. Was not allowed to. They did not have a process for this, and I was asked to hand the red bag and ticket back right there. Given that my knapsack was back at the other checkpoint and I would need my tickets to get it back I refused. |
 |
This is when the armed guards were called. I eventually emptied the bag, kept the ticket and and carried all my stuff via a short cut (garden) back to the entrance. Got my knapsack bag and left. Very very odd.
Annoyed, I then went to the Temple of Literature, and took lots of photos.
|
|
|
Back in Hanoi - Final day plans
Had a good bus trip back last night. As usual the bus stops so you can spend millions of vnd on food and stuff - just in a six hour bus trip, stopping 20 kms outside of Hanoi just seemed a bit stupid.
The only other stop was when out bus stopped so the driver could take a piss on a tree !
I'm not sure that would happen back home in Brisbane ... or would it ???
We were all dropped some blocks away from our hotels, so I walked about a km ỏ so, and got in very tired after 10pm.
I had a good nights sleep, woke and went down for breakfast (yummy egg omelette). I got talking to maria who works here at the "Charming Hotel" .. she is so lovely. She made a point of talking to all the guests individually at breakfast about their plans and gave them lots of tips.
My plan is to walk to the Temple of Literature (a 1000+ year old university), with the hope of some last photos. Then to Ho Chi Minhs mausoleum.In talking to Maria, I find I need to get to the Mausoleum early as if closes at 10:30 am, and there is a nice park on the way from there to the Temple.
So now a quick shower, check out, and hit the road :-)
My flight is 8:25 pm, and its 45 mins to the Airport. So back here (to collect my pack) and out about 5:30pm to be safe.
The only other stop was when out bus stopped so the driver could take a piss on a tree !
I'm not sure that would happen back home in Brisbane ... or would it ???
We were all dropped some blocks away from our hotels, so I walked about a km ỏ so, and got in very tired after 10pm.
I had a good nights sleep, woke and went down for breakfast (yummy egg omelette). I got talking to maria who works here at the "Charming Hotel" .. she is so lovely. She made a point of talking to all the guests individually at breakfast about their plans and gave them lots of tips.
My plan is to walk to the Temple of Literature (a 1000+ year old university), with the hope of some last photos. Then to Ho Chi Minhs mausoleum.In talking to Maria, I find I need to get to the Mausoleum early as if closes at 10:30 am, and there is a nice park on the way from there to the Temple.
So now a quick shower, check out, and hit the road :-)
My flight is 8:25 pm, and its 45 mins to the Airport. So back here (to collect my pack) and out about 5:30pm to be safe.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Sa Pa Day 4 - Leaving Day
Bit of mist around the mountain, but a clearing day.
Got up and had a good Breakfast this morning, with an awesome view. Really could not be bothered grabbing motorbike for the day in the end. I have head cold which is certainly slowing me down. I'll just chill and take it easy.
Went across the road had had a goodbye coffee with Angelique and Shanine. As we always do we had a few more crazy laughs, then a sad good bye. They've really made the past week or so a lot of fun. And we've shared some really crazy times. I wish the two of them a fun and safe trip forward.
Looking forward to hosting them in Aussie really soon, and we'll really have to go see Holland now.
I wandered about town taking in a few last photos.
:
Got back to the hotel (which had more beggars waiting at the door), packed up my stuff, checked out of the hotel (stored my backpack with them, and will collect about 2:30p) and headed up into town to see what was happening. The Bamboo Hotel came to US$141 for three nights. Not too bad.
My bus is at 3:30pm (due in Hanoi about 9:30pm) , so I may just find a nice place by the lake and have a snooze :-)
I had a nice little snooze and caught my bus. I was quite early so I secured a nice comfy seat :-p
Got up and had a good Breakfast this morning, with an awesome view. Really could not be bothered grabbing motorbike for the day in the end. I have head cold which is certainly slowing me down. I'll just chill and take it easy.
Went across the road had had a goodbye coffee with Angelique and Shanine. As we always do we had a few more crazy laughs, then a sad good bye. They've really made the past week or so a lot of fun. And we've shared some really crazy times. I wish the two of them a fun and safe trip forward.
Looking forward to hosting them in Aussie really soon, and we'll really have to go see Holland now.
I wandered about town taking in a few last photos.
 |
 |
 |
Got back to the hotel (which had more beggars waiting at the door), packed up my stuff, checked out of the hotel (stored my backpack with them, and will collect about 2:30p) and headed up into town to see what was happening. The Bamboo Hotel came to US$141 for three nights. Not too bad.
My bus is at 3:30pm (due in Hanoi about 9:30pm) , so I may just find a nice place by the lake and have a snooze :-)
I had a nice little snooze and caught my bus. I was quite early so I secured a nice comfy seat :-p
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Sa Pa Day 3 - Just laxing about really
Last night I decided to by a pizza and take it back to my room. It was nice to have a quiet night in.
This morning I woke with a sore throat, but it was feeling much better after breakfast and by 10am-ish. Just the cold mountain air on the motorbike I figure.
No big plans today. I'll skip the trip to the border at this stage. If the girls are keen (and have time) tomorrow, will revisit it. On the map, it looks to be two or three times the distance that the waterfall was - so a nice day trip I reckon.In the mean time we'll catch up for lunch. Its quite nice just to be "blobbing" really ... its been a very tiring six weeks or so.
I've been so lucky with the weather here in Sa Pa, it was really bad when I arrived, and its very cold at night, but despite a chill in the air the days are sunny and very clear (for photos !)
Really, just a lazy day we walked around town taking photos and sat by the lake laughing.
We met again for dinner at "Good Morning Vietnam Restaurant", and had and "Amaaaazing" dinner. I had chicken curry inside a coconut ... which was to die for!
If you come to Sa Pa you have to come to this place - every night! - all the people in here had eaten here every night. The owner (Sonny) has exceptional service skills.
Not sure on plans tomorrow. The girls are booked to catch a bus at 11 ish, I'm off at 3:30ish. I've got a solid head cold coming on from the mountain air ...will take it as it comes.
This morning I woke with a sore throat, but it was feeling much better after breakfast and by 10am-ish. Just the cold mountain air on the motorbike I figure.
No big plans today. I'll skip the trip to the border at this stage. If the girls are keen (and have time) tomorrow, will revisit it. On the map, it looks to be two or three times the distance that the waterfall was - so a nice day trip I reckon.In the mean time we'll catch up for lunch. Its quite nice just to be "blobbing" really ... its been a very tiring six weeks or so.
 |
 |
 |
I've been so lucky with the weather here in Sa Pa, it was really bad when I arrived, and its very cold at night, but despite a chill in the air the days are sunny and very clear (for photos !)
Really, just a lazy day we walked around town taking photos and sat by the lake laughing.
We met again for dinner at "Good Morning Vietnam Restaurant", and had and "Amaaaazing" dinner. I had chicken curry inside a coconut ... which was to die for!
If you come to Sa Pa you have to come to this place - every night! - all the people in here had eaten here every night. The owner (Sonny) has exceptional service skills.
Not sure on plans tomorrow. The girls are booked to catch a bus at 11 ish, I'm off at 3:30ish. I've got a solid head cold coming on from the mountain air ...will take it as it comes.