The Lonely Planet recommended Yuliang village as a nice day out. The girls at the hostel wrote out the instructions for the bus drivers in both English and Chinese and off I went to the long distance bus station with it clutched in my hot sticky hand. First I had to go Shexian and then get a tuk-tuk to the village. The ticket collector pointed to the ticket office where I bought the ticket with no hassle and then showed me to the correct bus – easy!
That’s when the fun started. The price had doubled in the last month although I asked for and got a discount because I was old. The girl then took me down to the river where the boat man asked for 40 yuan – the LP said 15. As I walked away, they called out 20 so I thought that was OK. Getting on to the boat, my purse dropped into the water. Luckily it wasn’t deep and it was rescued. The guy rowing me must have been 95 if he was a day, the boat was rather big and it was very hot. I felt a bit sorry for him but as he had tried to rip me off, the sympathy didn’t last too long. It was nice on the water but got a bit boring after ten minutes. When we got back, he asked me if I wanted to eat and took me to a place in the village = probably his daughter. I ordered pork and vegetables plus a beer (as always). The pork was just chunks of fat with a small amount of meat and the greens had just about been dipped in lukewarm water! The beer was fine though – she couldn’t spoil that. I asked for the bill and she demanded 50 yuan. I’ve never paid that in the city, never mind in a tiny village. I only had a 50 note otherwise I would have given her 25 and left it at that. I settled for 35 and got my change. As you can imagine, I was not impressed.
While I was walking down the main street (I’m not sure if they had more than one), I met a woman priest in white robes and a young man. We said hello and passed by. When I got to the bottom of the street, it was the way into the village off the road and I needn’t have paid.
I was walking down the road when a car stopped. It was the boy and the priest, offering me a lift. I got in and he spoke to someone on his mobile. We stopped near some apartments and he asked if I would like a drink of water. Now I have been had before by people offering drinks and services then demanding payment. I asked what is would cost me and he said nothing and his family would like to meet me. I could have been used for a ritual sacrifice for all I knew but it would not have been as a vestal virgin that’s for sure!!!
Anyway, I was made most welcome and I was told that the priest was their master. Next thing the table had been laid and I was invited to join them. The food was delicious as was the beer. It was only the young man who could speak English but the family came from Shanghai and from what I could gather were importers and exporters. I asked if I could take some photos and was told it was OK so we had groups with them and them with me. I said I would send them on when I could. I did try from Luang Nam Tha but the internet was too slow. I then sent an email saying I would forward them on from England and the young man has replied.
The uncle offered to drive me to the bus station and then paid my fare. What had been a really bad day had turned round into an excellent one.
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Luang Nam Tha to Luang Prabang Friday 06-08-09
Luckily for me the rain kept bouncing down so I didn’t hire a motor bike after all – probably saved me from killing myself!! My feet have been blistered and then more blisters on top so doing nothing has given them the chance to heal up. None of the shoes are new so I don’t know why that happened.
I’d had a meal with Gutcher, the Korean guy the night before. He’d said he was hitch-hiking to Thailand the next morning. I met him again while I was having breakfast and he said because of the rain he would be catching the bus with the two boys from Hong Kong.
The bus from Nam Tha to Prabang left from the bus station at the end of town so we had to get on the pick-up truck bus. I was afraid I would show myself up but it was a lot easier than I thought.
There were several Europeans on the bus so at least it helped the time pass quickly. The bus was a real old bone-shaker with really hard seats and the roads are not the smooth tarmac I am used to!!! However, it was a beautiful day and the scenery was spectacular again as we went up and down mountains and through tiny villages with houses on stilts. The air conditioning was open windows and huge fans on the ceiling of the bus. It was really noisy.
A lorry had gone over the edge of the road but luckily for the driver, he only went into a ditch and it was lying on its side. About two hours into the journey, the bus stopped at the top of the hill for a toilet stop. The men all lined up by the side of the road while the women went into the bushes! An hour later we stopped at Oudomxay where there were proper toilets for me (when I say proper, I mean the squat type) and they were absolutely spotless. We stayed there to get some lunch but I passed on that as did all the other westerners. The offerings were barbecued parsons' noses on sticks or roast intestines from God knows what!
Again we stopped on the top of a mountain, this time for everyone to buy cucumbers! There were about six stalls all with just cucumbers and one with some furry animals. They were about the size of a large guinea pig with wicked looking buck teeth and a hairless tail which was quite broad at the base then looked like a rat’s tail but not as long. A man bought one and took it on the bus in a wicker basket. I asked him if he would eat it and he said yes. Speaking to someone on Saturday, he said it was probably a mole.
When we arrived at Luang Prabang, the tuk-tuk drivers just descended on us, asking ridiculous sums to drive us into the city. The Austrian guy decided all ten of us would fit in one. He was right but it was a struggle!!!
I walked round to the guesthouse I had chosen from the Lonely Planet, asked if they had a room and was shown one on the ground floor with fan and hot water shower in the bathroom and it cost 60,000 kip, about five pounds. It was a nice quiet location, one street back from the Mekong River. Perfect. The owner said that there was free tea, coffee and water plus free bananas! What more do you want for your money? The bed was comfortable too.
I walked back through the night market to get something to eat then went back, had another beer and was in bed for 10 pm.
Saturday
Early to bed and all that jazz – my eyes pinged open at 5 am. I got up, showered and went out. The owner was already up and showed me where to go on the map. I walked to the Mekong than along and round the peninsula, found JoMa café and had some proper bread for breakfast. I got talking to a man near the temple who was fixing a racing boat for the festival later this month. Apparently it’s a really big thing but not until the 20th but I cannot stay here until then. I passed the museum where they were selling tickets for the Royal Ballet’s performance that evening so I booked a ticket and then carried on until I got to where the Nam Khan flows into the Mekong. A short stroll by the Mekong brought me back to the guesthouse. The place is quite small.
The daughter at the guesthouse is starting to do breakfasts from next week and had written out a menu. She asked me what I thought about it and as there were a couple of minor mistakes, I asked if they would mind it I corrected them? That was fine, so I also showed her how to format it and it looked even better! I’ve got to stick my nose in!
I was undecided whether to go to the waterfalls that afternoon or go for a massage. It started raining so massage it was! I went to the Lao Red Cross for the massage. All proceeds go to helping train people in the villages to do first aid and also to improve water and toilet facilities. A very worthy cause and an excellent massage too! The girls on the ticket desk were killing themselves laughing at me as I climbed the steps up. I must admit I felt so much better after an hour’s pummeling!
I went back to the guesthouse to get ready for the theatre and was sitting having a beer (like you do) when a really excited Dutch girl came rushing up. She’d been on an afternoon’s weaving course and had made a patterned silk scarf and she had had ‘the best time ever’. She was absolutely full of it. They also do cookery classes and tie-dying, with all the proceeds helping to keep the traditional skills going.
I went to the theatre and luckily the performance was fairly short. I have no doubt that they were very good but I didn’t really understand it. It looked very Siamese style with temple music consisting of about six notes.
I bought a sandwich off a stall on my way back as I couldn’t be bothered to get a proper meal.
Sunday
I got up very early (4:15) to see the monks’ procession where they receive alms from the local people. As it is a religious ceremony, tourists are asked to respect this and keep their distance and not use flash. I was standing a fair way back when this German woman rushed up to the monks and proceeded to flash away. Obviously the rules didn’t apply to her!
As it was still reasonably cool so I walked up 328 steps to see the view from the top of Phu Si, where there is a small temple. Although I took it very slowly, it was still a hot, sweaty climb to the top. It was well worth all the effort as there was still some early morning mist around the mountains although the sun was well up by that time. I had breakfast at one of the cafes nearby – just a continental breakfast but the small baguettes came warm and sliced and Lao coffee, although very dark, is not as strong as it looks and is delicious.
Fed and watered, it was on to the Royal Palace museum and then to Wat Xieng Thong, the largest in the town. It was getting pretty warm by now as the sun was well up so it was slowly back to the guesthouse. I don’t have a watch as I lost mine at the Tropical Botanical Gardens in China so I was really surprised to find out it was only 10:30 am!! I went back to bed for a couple of hours!!!
I have booked a trip the waterfalls tomorrow and then I will leave for Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars on Tuesday before heading south to Vientiane a couple of days later (unless someone tells me of a fantastic place I really must visit).
I’d had a meal with Gutcher, the Korean guy the night before. He’d said he was hitch-hiking to Thailand the next morning. I met him again while I was having breakfast and he said because of the rain he would be catching the bus with the two boys from Hong Kong.
The bus from Nam Tha to Prabang left from the bus station at the end of town so we had to get on the pick-up truck bus. I was afraid I would show myself up but it was a lot easier than I thought.
There were several Europeans on the bus so at least it helped the time pass quickly. The bus was a real old bone-shaker with really hard seats and the roads are not the smooth tarmac I am used to!!! However, it was a beautiful day and the scenery was spectacular again as we went up and down mountains and through tiny villages with houses on stilts. The air conditioning was open windows and huge fans on the ceiling of the bus. It was really noisy.
A lorry had gone over the edge of the road but luckily for the driver, he only went into a ditch and it was lying on its side. About two hours into the journey, the bus stopped at the top of the hill for a toilet stop. The men all lined up by the side of the road while the women went into the bushes! An hour later we stopped at Oudomxay where there were proper toilets for me (when I say proper, I mean the squat type) and they were absolutely spotless. We stayed there to get some lunch but I passed on that as did all the other westerners. The offerings were barbecued parsons' noses on sticks or roast intestines from God knows what!
Again we stopped on the top of a mountain, this time for everyone to buy cucumbers! There were about six stalls all with just cucumbers and one with some furry animals. They were about the size of a large guinea pig with wicked looking buck teeth and a hairless tail which was quite broad at the base then looked like a rat’s tail but not as long. A man bought one and took it on the bus in a wicker basket. I asked him if he would eat it and he said yes. Speaking to someone on Saturday, he said it was probably a mole.
When we arrived at Luang Prabang, the tuk-tuk drivers just descended on us, asking ridiculous sums to drive us into the city. The Austrian guy decided all ten of us would fit in one. He was right but it was a struggle!!!
I walked round to the guesthouse I had chosen from the Lonely Planet, asked if they had a room and was shown one on the ground floor with fan and hot water shower in the bathroom and it cost 60,000 kip, about five pounds. It was a nice quiet location, one street back from the Mekong River. Perfect. The owner said that there was free tea, coffee and water plus free bananas! What more do you want for your money? The bed was comfortable too.
I walked back through the night market to get something to eat then went back, had another beer and was in bed for 10 pm.
Saturday
Early to bed and all that jazz – my eyes pinged open at 5 am. I got up, showered and went out. The owner was already up and showed me where to go on the map. I walked to the Mekong than along and round the peninsula, found JoMa café and had some proper bread for breakfast. I got talking to a man near the temple who was fixing a racing boat for the festival later this month. Apparently it’s a really big thing but not until the 20th but I cannot stay here until then. I passed the museum where they were selling tickets for the Royal Ballet’s performance that evening so I booked a ticket and then carried on until I got to where the Nam Khan flows into the Mekong. A short stroll by the Mekong brought me back to the guesthouse. The place is quite small.
The daughter at the guesthouse is starting to do breakfasts from next week and had written out a menu. She asked me what I thought about it and as there were a couple of minor mistakes, I asked if they would mind it I corrected them? That was fine, so I also showed her how to format it and it looked even better! I’ve got to stick my nose in!
I was undecided whether to go to the waterfalls that afternoon or go for a massage. It started raining so massage it was! I went to the Lao Red Cross for the massage. All proceeds go to helping train people in the villages to do first aid and also to improve water and toilet facilities. A very worthy cause and an excellent massage too! The girls on the ticket desk were killing themselves laughing at me as I climbed the steps up. I must admit I felt so much better after an hour’s pummeling!
I went back to the guesthouse to get ready for the theatre and was sitting having a beer (like you do) when a really excited Dutch girl came rushing up. She’d been on an afternoon’s weaving course and had made a patterned silk scarf and she had had ‘the best time ever’. She was absolutely full of it. They also do cookery classes and tie-dying, with all the proceeds helping to keep the traditional skills going.
I went to the theatre and luckily the performance was fairly short. I have no doubt that they were very good but I didn’t really understand it. It looked very Siamese style with temple music consisting of about six notes.
I bought a sandwich off a stall on my way back as I couldn’t be bothered to get a proper meal.
Sunday
I got up very early (4:15) to see the monks’ procession where they receive alms from the local people. As it is a religious ceremony, tourists are asked to respect this and keep their distance and not use flash. I was standing a fair way back when this German woman rushed up to the monks and proceeded to flash away. Obviously the rules didn’t apply to her!
As it was still reasonably cool so I walked up 328 steps to see the view from the top of Phu Si, where there is a small temple. Although I took it very slowly, it was still a hot, sweaty climb to the top. It was well worth all the effort as there was still some early morning mist around the mountains although the sun was well up by that time. I had breakfast at one of the cafes nearby – just a continental breakfast but the small baguettes came warm and sliced and Lao coffee, although very dark, is not as strong as it looks and is delicious.
Fed and watered, it was on to the Royal Palace museum and then to Wat Xieng Thong, the largest in the town. It was getting pretty warm by now as the sun was well up so it was slowly back to the guesthouse. I don’t have a watch as I lost mine at the Tropical Botanical Gardens in China so I was really surprised to find out it was only 10:30 am!! I went back to bed for a couple of hours!!!
I have booked a trip the waterfalls tomorrow and then I will leave for Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars on Tuesday before heading south to Vientiane a couple of days later (unless someone tells me of a fantastic place I really must visit).
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Updates
Tuesday 07-07-09
As the rain is absolutely bouncing down, I have decided to update the blog from the beginning. Luckily I kept a diary as I couldn't access the blog.
I will start with Manchester to Shanghai.
The flights were pretty good although going via Qatar is quite a long way round. Somehow or another it seems that I ordered low sodium meals so all in all I had four of them during the 19 hours. Their idea of low sodium certainly isn't mine but as it was sort of special, you do get served first!
When we arrived at Shanghai we were told to keep our seats as a medical team were coming to check everyone's temperature due to the swine flu epidemic. When they got on they were all dressed in decontamination suits complete with masks and headgear. I have a couple of photos on DVD but seem unable to access them at the moment. It took ages before they finished but by the time we had cleared the Health Check desk and Immigration, the baggage was on the carousel.
I had decided I would take the maglev train which was a mistake really as I should have chosen the hotel bus. However, I knew best!! As well as the maglev I had to transfer to the metro. By this time it was rush hour so when I tried for a taxi after the metro there was no chance. I asked for directions and was told it wasn't very far to walk. No it wasn't very far if you were not carrying a backpack and pulling along a small case and the temperature wasn't 90C!! I was absolutely wet through to my money and passport in my moneybelt! I had warned the hotel that I may be later than 6 pm so that wasn't a problem. I checked in, had a shower, put my clothes in the hotel laundrey bag and went looking for something to eat. The only place open was KFC so that had to do. Although Yu Gardens, where the hotel was, is a famous tourist spot, everything closes at 9pm. again, I have photos but cannot access them.
Wednesday 08-07-09
I got up bright and early to go and people watch on the Bund. Wrong!!! Shanghai is hosting Expo 2010 next year and everything is being rebuilt, renovated or new buildings going up - and no access to the Bund. My love affair with Shanghai is definitely over, at least until after Expo 2010, when hopefully the city will go back to a place I enjoy.
I decided to move on to Tun Xi as soon as I could find the correct bus station to book a ticket. That was a task and a half too! I was told it was 'just around the corner' - yeah right! Luckily a nice policeman collared a young man and asked him where he was going and as he was passing the bus station he took me to it. I would never have found it on my own. Anyway, mission accomplished I could relax for a couple of days and wander around the city. I'd already done the touristy things the other times I had been so I decided to look at the shops. I enjoy getting on buses (they usually cost about 20p) and just ride to the end, have a wander round and then come back. This is fine if you don't wander too far from the bus route, but taxis are quite cheap to get you back to where you started! I've found some really nice places doing that (as well as some really grotty spots!) Plus the buses are air-conditioned which is a bonus when it is so hot outside.
Next instalment
Shanghai to Tun Xi 10-07-09
Finding the bus station was easy this time - I took a taxi although he dropped me quite a way off due to the one way system.
The bus journey took about six hours and I bet two of those was to get out of Shanghai. It just seemed to go on forever.
When we arrived at Tun Xi dus station I was told that was as far as it went. I said it was supposed to go to the long distance bus station. A woman who spoke reasonable English asked where my hotel was? I said I wanted to go to the Koala Hostel in the old town. She said it was very far away and it would probably be full. However, lucky for me she had a room for 80 yuan and it wasn't far. It was mentioned in the Lonely Planet so it cannot be too bad. She showed me three rooms - all had air-con and a TV. The first had no loo, the second had a squat one and the third, which I took had a proper one, all be it in a miniscule bathroom. It was in need of a coat of paint but it was absolutely spotless, unlike the Classical Hotel in Shanghai which was four and a half times the price. That was in need of a real good bottoming (as you all know, I am so houseproud!). I spilt some water on the carpet and mopped it up with the bath mat. Wrong move as I then had to wash the bath mat out.
The woman took me to a restaurant nearby and I had a good meal for pennies as well as a Snow beer - the local brew.
I got up early the next morning and walked into town. I eventually found the Koala Hostel and booked in from Sunday. All the staff spoke very good English as university students all sign up with the hostels during the summer holiday so they could practice there English. The old town was pretty interesting but I thought I would save the bulk of the exploring until I was actually staying there. The staff told me which bus to catch to the first hotel and that it would cost me 1 yuan.
As it was pretty hot I went back to pack and have a siesta - what else can you do?
Sunday 12.07.09
I walked round the corner and got a taxi to the old town. First thing I had to do at the hostel was book a trip for the following day to the ancient villages of Hon Cun and Xi Di. I'd seen Xi Di on a Chinese TV programme and it looked really interesting but it hadn't been in any of the guide books. It was cheaper and certainly a lot easier to book the trip through the hostel and I even got a discount because I am old!! There are some advantages.
The laundry had been building up so I used the hostel washing machine and hung it on the roof terrace. You would think that because it is so hot, things would dry quickly. They take two days because of the humidity. I finally managed to get on the internet that day too.
The hostel was really nice. There were two sets of bunks (with softish mattresses) in the room and a locker each with a shower room was bigger than my bathroom. I managed to get a bottom bunk as I am know my mountaineering days are over.
Monday
All ready for the trip out. It was in a seven seater car and they let me sit in the front. That was a waste of time as I promptly fell asleep and only woke up when we got to Hon Cun. We had about one and half hours to wander round which was long enough in the heat. I filled in a visitor questionnaire when asked and then had my photo taken with some young boys. This happens quite a lot as they all want there pictures taken with foreigners. Why I don't know.
We had a lunch booked at 12 noon so it was hurry hurry to get there and then it was off to Xi Di. Yixian has a river and you could see all sorts of people going down it on rubber dinghies. It looked really good, especially in the heat but I have no wish to do it.
Xi Di was every bit as attractive and interesting as I expected so it didn't disappoint me. On the way back to Tun Xi we made a stop at a Chinese herbal medicine factory - it sure beat the usual tourist tack places! A good day was had by all.
As the rain is absolutely bouncing down, I have decided to update the blog from the beginning. Luckily I kept a diary as I couldn't access the blog.
I will start with Manchester to Shanghai.
The flights were pretty good although going via Qatar is quite a long way round. Somehow or another it seems that I ordered low sodium meals so all in all I had four of them during the 19 hours. Their idea of low sodium certainly isn't mine but as it was sort of special, you do get served first!
When we arrived at Shanghai we were told to keep our seats as a medical team were coming to check everyone's temperature due to the swine flu epidemic. When they got on they were all dressed in decontamination suits complete with masks and headgear. I have a couple of photos on DVD but seem unable to access them at the moment. It took ages before they finished but by the time we had cleared the Health Check desk and Immigration, the baggage was on the carousel.
I had decided I would take the maglev train which was a mistake really as I should have chosen the hotel bus. However, I knew best!! As well as the maglev I had to transfer to the metro. By this time it was rush hour so when I tried for a taxi after the metro there was no chance. I asked for directions and was told it wasn't very far to walk. No it wasn't very far if you were not carrying a backpack and pulling along a small case and the temperature wasn't 90C!! I was absolutely wet through to my money and passport in my moneybelt! I had warned the hotel that I may be later than 6 pm so that wasn't a problem. I checked in, had a shower, put my clothes in the hotel laundrey bag and went looking for something to eat. The only place open was KFC so that had to do. Although Yu Gardens, where the hotel was, is a famous tourist spot, everything closes at 9pm. again, I have photos but cannot access them.
Wednesday 08-07-09
I got up bright and early to go and people watch on the Bund. Wrong!!! Shanghai is hosting Expo 2010 next year and everything is being rebuilt, renovated or new buildings going up - and no access to the Bund. My love affair with Shanghai is definitely over, at least until after Expo 2010, when hopefully the city will go back to a place I enjoy.
I decided to move on to Tun Xi as soon as I could find the correct bus station to book a ticket. That was a task and a half too! I was told it was 'just around the corner' - yeah right! Luckily a nice policeman collared a young man and asked him where he was going and as he was passing the bus station he took me to it. I would never have found it on my own. Anyway, mission accomplished I could relax for a couple of days and wander around the city. I'd already done the touristy things the other times I had been so I decided to look at the shops. I enjoy getting on buses (they usually cost about 20p) and just ride to the end, have a wander round and then come back. This is fine if you don't wander too far from the bus route, but taxis are quite cheap to get you back to where you started! I've found some really nice places doing that (as well as some really grotty spots!) Plus the buses are air-conditioned which is a bonus when it is so hot outside.
Next instalment
Shanghai to Tun Xi 10-07-09
Finding the bus station was easy this time - I took a taxi although he dropped me quite a way off due to the one way system.
The bus journey took about six hours and I bet two of those was to get out of Shanghai. It just seemed to go on forever.
When we arrived at Tun Xi dus station I was told that was as far as it went. I said it was supposed to go to the long distance bus station. A woman who spoke reasonable English asked where my hotel was? I said I wanted to go to the Koala Hostel in the old town. She said it was very far away and it would probably be full. However, lucky for me she had a room for 80 yuan and it wasn't far. It was mentioned in the Lonely Planet so it cannot be too bad. She showed me three rooms - all had air-con and a TV. The first had no loo, the second had a squat one and the third, which I took had a proper one, all be it in a miniscule bathroom. It was in need of a coat of paint but it was absolutely spotless, unlike the Classical Hotel in Shanghai which was four and a half times the price. That was in need of a real good bottoming (as you all know, I am so houseproud!). I spilt some water on the carpet and mopped it up with the bath mat. Wrong move as I then had to wash the bath mat out.
The woman took me to a restaurant nearby and I had a good meal for pennies as well as a Snow beer - the local brew.
I got up early the next morning and walked into town. I eventually found the Koala Hostel and booked in from Sunday. All the staff spoke very good English as university students all sign up with the hostels during the summer holiday so they could practice there English. The old town was pretty interesting but I thought I would save the bulk of the exploring until I was actually staying there. The staff told me which bus to catch to the first hotel and that it would cost me 1 yuan.
As it was pretty hot I went back to pack and have a siesta - what else can you do?
Sunday 12.07.09
I walked round the corner and got a taxi to the old town. First thing I had to do at the hostel was book a trip for the following day to the ancient villages of Hon Cun and Xi Di. I'd seen Xi Di on a Chinese TV programme and it looked really interesting but it hadn't been in any of the guide books. It was cheaper and certainly a lot easier to book the trip through the hostel and I even got a discount because I am old!! There are some advantages.
The laundry had been building up so I used the hostel washing machine and hung it on the roof terrace. You would think that because it is so hot, things would dry quickly. They take two days because of the humidity. I finally managed to get on the internet that day too.
The hostel was really nice. There were two sets of bunks (with softish mattresses) in the room and a locker each with a shower room was bigger than my bathroom. I managed to get a bottom bunk as I am know my mountaineering days are over.
Monday
All ready for the trip out. It was in a seven seater car and they let me sit in the front. That was a waste of time as I promptly fell asleep and only woke up when we got to Hon Cun. We had about one and half hours to wander round which was long enough in the heat. I filled in a visitor questionnaire when asked and then had my photo taken with some young boys. This happens quite a lot as they all want there pictures taken with foreigners. Why I don't know.
We had a lunch booked at 12 noon so it was hurry hurry to get there and then it was off to Xi Di. Yixian has a river and you could see all sorts of people going down it on rubber dinghies. It looked really good, especially in the heat but I have no wish to do it.
Xi Di was every bit as attractive and interesting as I expected so it didn't disappoint me. On the way back to Tun Xi we made a stop at a Chinese herbal medicine factory - it sure beat the usual tourist tack places! A good day was had by all.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Back on line
At last I can access the blog. I am in Luang Nam Tha which is about 70 kms into Laos (or I should write Lao as that is what everone calls it). It is town of 350,000 people but I do't know where they are all hiding! The journey from Jinghong was through some pretty spectacular countryside. Leaving China, it took quite a while to check my passport and I was getting quite worried but it seems there was a problem with the scanning machine and they finally let me go!
This keyboard is worse than the one which kept lapsing into Chinese!!! It keeps missing letters and spaces and I have to go back to fill them in.
The Lao border was bit of a nightmare and they demanded $37 although it was posted as $35.
The bus driver asked if I wanted dropping at the bus station or in town. I said as I had no Lao kip it had better be the town. Luckily for me, he stopped outside Manychan Guest House where I wanted to stay. I paid on my Mastercard for three nights at $8 each night and changed 100 yuan into kip so could buy a meal. I have a huge bed with a comfortable mattress topper on it - sheer bliss after the hard Chinese beds! The cicadas were chirping all night and the cockerels started at 6am!
This morning I spotted an ATM across the road and it actually gave me money on my cash card. I couldn't access my account in China but managed it in the back of beyond!! I was only allowed o withdraw 700,000 kip which is about 50 pounds (no pound sign on the keyboard).
This place is so laid back it is nearly horizontal. I hope the rest of Laos is so easygoing!
I'm going for a wander round the town and will try to find out the price of a ticket to Luang Prabang. There are many rice paddiesaround and an Australian man said I should rent a motorbike a go round them. We will see!
This keyboard is worse than the one which kept lapsing into Chinese!!! It keeps missing letters and spaces and I have to go back to fill them in.
The Lao border was bit of a nightmare and they demanded $37 although it was posted as $35.
The bus driver asked if I wanted dropping at the bus station or in town. I said as I had no Lao kip it had better be the town. Luckily for me, he stopped outside Manychan Guest House where I wanted to stay. I paid on my Mastercard for three nights at $8 each night and changed 100 yuan into kip so could buy a meal. I have a huge bed with a comfortable mattress topper on it - sheer bliss after the hard Chinese beds! The cicadas were chirping all night and the cockerels started at 6am!
This morning I spotted an ATM across the road and it actually gave me money on my cash card. I couldn't access my account in China but managed it in the back of beyond!! I was only allowed o withdraw 700,000 kip which is about 50 pounds (no pound sign on the keyboard).
This place is so laid back it is nearly horizontal. I hope the rest of Laos is so easygoing!
I'm going for a wander round the town and will try to find out the price of a ticket to Luang Prabang. There are many rice paddiesaround and an Australian man said I should rent a motorbike a go round them. We will see!
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Still counting down (but not long now!)
Now down to forty two hours to go. The birds and house plants have gone to stay with Daphne, the rest of the tomato plants are going next door but one to Bernie’s and the blueberry bush is being looked after by my granddaughters, Lily and Anja and their father.
I’ve confirmed my flight and I have to check in on line thirty six hours before. That makes it 02:30 and I very much doubt if THAT will be happening!!! They will have to wait until at least 07:00 and I bet all the best seats will have gone by then.
I did have my holiday clothes ready to pack but as it has been so warm and humid this last week I had to wear it. I washed everything through on Friday morning and of course it rained most of the day. Luckily the weather today (Saturday) was much better so it is all ready now to iron. I had also weeded the garden but with the rain the weeds are now twice the size they were. I don’t think there is any time to weed again though.
The front bedroom is the dumping place for all the holiday stuff and the bed is already covered with essentials. I don’t think there will be any room in my rucksack for clothes!
I must get on with the ironing and then there is the cooker and house to clean, then I can pack.
I’ve confirmed my flight and I have to check in on line thirty six hours before. That makes it 02:30 and I very much doubt if THAT will be happening!!! They will have to wait until at least 07:00 and I bet all the best seats will have gone by then.
I did have my holiday clothes ready to pack but as it has been so warm and humid this last week I had to wear it. I washed everything through on Friday morning and of course it rained most of the day. Luckily the weather today (Saturday) was much better so it is all ready now to iron. I had also weeded the garden but with the rain the weeds are now twice the size they were. I don’t think there is any time to weed again though.
The front bedroom is the dumping place for all the holiday stuff and the bed is already covered with essentials. I don’t think there will be any room in my rucksack for clothes!
I must get on with the ironing and then there is the cooker and house to clean, then I can pack.
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Still counting down
Now down to three weeks and four days - how time flies! I went to the Chinese Consulate in Manchester last week and got a dual entry visa for China which allows me to spend two lots of thirty days in the country.
I had the last of three Japanese B Encephalitis on the 10th. Not only does it cost for the private prescription and the vaccine, the doctor also charges £50 to administer the vaccine! I must get the malaria tablets ordered before I forget. The youth hostel card was ordered on line and came within a week.
I bought the latest Lonely Planet last week and I am now busily sticking post-its in the relevant pages. There is no mention of the solar eclipse which really surprised me. I am still planning the route and each time I think it's sorted, I read another page with something absolutely unmissable to see or do. I really must knuckle down and get planning for the ten days between Shanghai and Hangzhou if nothing else.
Most of my travel essentials stay in the rucksack from trip to trip. My small water heater and a nice china mug (for my Horlicks and cup-a-soups), a nine peg rack (for drying my not-so-smalls!), sewing kit with lots of safety pins (these came in extremely useful when I got too close to a cage in Sumatra and a monkey ripped my skirt to shreds) and a tube of super glue (which has come in handy for such diverse uses as gluing on a broken teapot spout on the Trans Siberian train and soles of shoes in Spain!
I had the last of three Japanese B Encephalitis on the 10th. Not only does it cost for the private prescription and the vaccine, the doctor also charges £50 to administer the vaccine! I must get the malaria tablets ordered before I forget. The youth hostel card was ordered on line and came within a week.
I bought the latest Lonely Planet last week and I am now busily sticking post-its in the relevant pages. There is no mention of the solar eclipse which really surprised me. I am still planning the route and each time I think it's sorted, I read another page with something absolutely unmissable to see or do. I really must knuckle down and get planning for the ten days between Shanghai and Hangzhou if nothing else.
Most of my travel essentials stay in the rucksack from trip to trip. My small water heater and a nice china mug (for my Horlicks and cup-a-soups), a nine peg rack (for drying my not-so-smalls!), sewing kit with lots of safety pins (these came in extremely useful when I got too close to a cage in Sumatra and a monkey ripped my skirt to shreds) and a tube of super glue (which has come in handy for such diverse uses as gluing on a broken teapot spout on the Trans Siberian train and soles of shoes in Spain!
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