Our first full day in Siem Reap started early with a 4:30 am wake up so we could get to Angor Wat in time to see the sunrise. Sadly, this came just at the point in the trip where we were learning to sleep past 4:00 in the morning. Everything went according to plan and... Continue Reading →
The Adventures of Pickpocket Pam and Driver Dan
So, it turns out that when your Gap Adventures guide warns you that there is a risk of people trying to rob you while driving by on a scooter, they aren't kidding. To prove this point our fearless leader Shane subjected himself to just such an incident. At about 10:30 in the evening, while walking... Continue Reading →
Ôi Chúa ơi the Cu Chi tunnels are tight.
The focal point of our second day in Saigon was a trip to see the Cu Chi tunnels. Dug between 1948 and 1968 the tunnels were used by the Vietcong while fighting the Americans. The site seems to be very well preserved and set up to give you a taste of what it must have... Continue Reading →
One goes down, the other six million keep on rolling.
After a short flight from Hoi An, via Danag airport, we arrived in Saigon, a.k.a. Ho Chi Minh City. So, the name thing. Let's deal with that first. I think we can all agree, Saigon is a much better name than Ho Chi Minh City. I know the communists won, but they don't exactly show... Continue Reading →
Amazing who you meet on the street in Hoi An
There's more to Hoi An than shopping. While we definitely took advantage of the opportunity to have clothes custom made, we also made time to enjoy the town. With everything moving at a much slower pace, and the Old Town district closed to scooters, it was a great place to just walk around and explore.... Continue Reading →
Stimulating the Vietnamese Economy
Hoi An has been our favourite stop so far. It's smaller with a pedestrian friendly old town that you can wander around comfortably. It doesn't hurt that it was warmer. We were in shorts and t-shirts pretty much the whole time. Our drive from Hue to Hoi An included a quick stop at the Marble... Continue Reading →
Peeing in the corner – The importance of reading the fine print
Some downtime at the airport means a chance to catch up on these posts; we've been busy. Hue, a town in central Vietnam, is the centre of Buddhism in Vietnam. Once the seat of Vietnam's royal family it's also full of history. We were only there for two days and one night, but managed to... Continue Reading →
Same, Same, Different
Made it to Hoi An today. The drive from Hue to Hoi An was an interesting one, full of honking and swerving into oncoming traffic. I find driving along the highways in "developing" countries really interesting. It gives you a feel for the scale of the country, let's you see how people get around and... Continue Reading →
Tragic news from Halong Bay
Shocked to hear about the news from Halong Bay (http://bit.ly/hSYzZv) just a day after having been on a boat very similar to the one that sank. I can only imagine how quickly it happened and feel for the families of those lost.
Somewhere between Hanoi and Hue…
So, I'm not that old, but it's amazing how the technology side of travel has changed. I remember standing in random phone booths in Europe to be able to check in with home. Now, I'm lying on an overnight train from Hanoi to Hue updating a blog. Despite the uncooperative weather, cold and rainy, Halong... Continue Reading →
192 Reasons 