Mind the Gap

London has been a breath of fresh air! We have really enjoyed the time that we've spent here and could see ourselves coming back for another vacation in the future. There is so much to see here that it is impossible to walk down the street without seeing something amazing and there is no way for us to take it all in during such a short trip.

As soon as we got to Heathrow Airport we were impressed by how easy it was to get around the city. We took the train from the airport into town and got off at Paddington station. We knew that our hotel was near by but had no idea which way to go as we left the station. That is when Ryan's excellent sense of direction kicked in. He picked a direction and basically headed straight to our hotel which was no small feat considering how many little hotels are squished into the row houses in this neighborhood.

As we walked we were pleased to pass many restaurants, pubs and corner stores. We stopped to get some snacks and then settled in our hotel room for the night. We crashed really hard after a long day of excitement and travelling.

Our first tourist trip was to head to the British Museum. We went to Paddington station and bought our Oyster cards which are a pay as you go cards for travelling on the underground and buses in London. Once we figured out which tube line and direction we needed to go it was quite easy to figure out where we were going. The bonus of being here in London is that we can ask for directions without the potential of a massive language barrier.

There was so much to see at the museum that we weren't able to see it all with one trip. We were very surprised to learn that there is no admission fee and we were allowed to take pictures! The highlight for me was definitely the Rosetta Stone which I have wanted to see since I was little. The Roman and Greek sculptures and artifacts were very impressive as was the clock room. There were many shiny pieces of jewelery and old weapons that were in varying degrees of degradation. Unfortunately we both developed intense headaches and after grabbing a hot dog from the cart (which turned out to be more like a sausage in a bun) we decided to head back to the hotel to try to relieve our brain pain.

After reviewing our wardrobe for our upcoming trans-Atlantic cruise we realized that our warm weather clothing was severely lacking. This was never a problem during our time in Asia and Egypt but the winds off the Atlantic during September can get awfully chilly. So after getting some advice on where to shop in London on a Saturday without getting run over by crowds we headed to High Street Kensington.

Our shopping went really well so after having lunch we took a double decker bus to Trafalgar Square which is the 4th most visited tourist site in the world. It was a busy place on the weekend with many tourists and visitors to the National Gallery. We did not intend on going to the gallery while in London but since we were there (and again the admission was free) we decided to head in and check it out. I am so glad that we did! I have a much greater appreciation of fine art after seeing the amazing paintings that were housed there. I have never seen anything like it and we were both awestruck. Monet, Picasso, da Vinci, Van Gogh and Ryan's new favorite Rembrandt were all there and we spend more time than I would have thought wandering around in a mind blown stupor.

After a long day of walking we decided to take it easy the following day. We headed to Hyde park in the afternoon which is very close to our hotel. Proms in the Park was going on which is a classical concert held by the BBC so there was many people in the park on their way to the concert. We stopped and listened at speakers corner to the brave people who stand on their soap boxes and spout on about almost any topic, with the main themes being religion and politics. The lady with the largest crowd was annoying and egging the crowd on with a racist theme which encouraged many audible and passionate retorts. It was quite the sight to see and although we did not agree with most of what any of the speakers were going on about, it was excellent to see everyone being able to speak their mind and spark a discussion.

Trots and Farts

A couple days after our trip to the museum we decided to head off the see the pyramids that had been teasing us from our hotel room. We were really excited about this adventure and the day did not disappoint us. We got up early so that we could avoid the heat and the crowds. After a mediocre breakfast at the hotel (the food here has not sat well with our tummies) it was time to negotiate a price for the days taxi ride.

The hotel we are staying at is fancier that what we are used to, so the taxi prices are also equally as fancy. Unfortunately there are no cabs that come to this area and most taxi drivers don't know where the hotel is, so we were stuck taking the hotel car. On the upside our driver is excellent and we have a lot of fun with him while he is chauffeuring us around.

Our original plan was to go walk around the pyramids but we were convinced that the trip might be better on the back of a camel and we are very glad that we let ourselves be convinced. We arrived at the camel stable and negotiated the price of our tour around the pyramids and the sphinx. Once we came to a reasonable (cough, cough) agreement we met our camels and swung ourselves on. They instruct you too lean back really far as the camel stands up so that you don't biff it over the front. Camels are much taller than I was expecting so falling off was not something I planned on. I felt huge on the back of mine as we sauntered and bumped towards the pyramid entrance.

The entrance was not the main gate as I had expected. Instead we were ushered with our guide through a side gate and since we never received an official ticket I have a feeling a little baksheesh cleared our way through the gate.

The ride was bumpy, I had expected a smooth swaying action but instead it was a jolting up and down motion that had my butt and back aching. Our first stop was an excellent photo opportunity where we climbed off our camels and the guide took some of the best photos that we have gotten on this entire trip. You could tell that he had done this before as he set us up in front of the pyramids in great poses. After admiring the view for a little while we climbed back aboard our camels and headed to the next photo opp.

Our camels deserve a description as they had so much personality. Ryan's camel was leading the way and had quite a flatulence problem. My camel was so bouncy that I was afraid if I let go for just a moment I would be bounced right off his back. He also peed on his own foot while we were getting our photos taken at our first stop. I asked our guide what their names were and he told me 'Micheal Douglas' and 'MacGyver' which was hilarious and not what I was expecting at all. We decided to rename them for the course of our short journey and 'Farts' and 'Trots' seemed appropriate.

Onward to the next stop where we got a stunning photo of the Pyramid of Khafre as well as some more well placed photos courtesy of our excellent and funny guide. After this stop, our guide asked Ryan if he wanted to drive his own camel. Up till this point Ryan and the guide were on the same camel in front with me on my own camel tied behind to follow. After some quick instruction Ryan was on his own, cruising with a camel and a huge grin on his face.

As we continued touring the pyramids our guide was cracking jokes, pointing out items of interest and giving us really good information about what we were seeing. He told a story about why the sphinx is made up of a lion, an eagle and a women's head as well as talking about the destruction of the nose of the Sphinx which he attributed to Napoleon as most people do but there is also some evidence that Turkish soldiers shot it off.

The Sphinx was smaller than I expected (at 65 feet high and 250 feet long) but almost anything is small in comparison to the overwhelming size of the pyramids (at 450 feet high) which were the tallest man-made structures in the world for over 3800 years. We were also surprised to learn that it only took 20 years to construct the pyramid. Unfortunately all the slaves who worked on the pyramids were killed after their completion which will leave us all wondering how they were able to construct such an amazing and awe-inspiring wonder of the world.

For more photos of Cairo and our trip to the pyramids click here...

ATM where are you?

Our transition from Thailand to Egypt came as a shock to both of us. Our flight came to a rough and bumpy stop in Doha, Qatar for a three hour layover before continuing on to Alexandria. The landscape was so unbelievably different that we could have been on another planet. Sand as far as the eye could see and the sky was a blue that faded into a dusty brown as it got closer to the horizon. As we stepped out of the terminal to board our next flight we were heat by an intense wall of heat.

The flight to Alexandria was uneventful but the airport that awaited us as we left the plane was not what we were expecting. A large UN helicopter was sitting on the runway accompanied by a few fighter planes of various ages. The terminal was tiny and looked like it hadn't been repainted or cleaned up for decades. The scene inside was one of chaos since lining up in an orderly fashion is just not what Egyptians do. We waited patiently and made it to the official who took our passports and then directed us to a small kiosk across the airport to purchase our tourist visas. We brought the visa stickers back to the official who put them in our passport and then we headed to the one rickety luggage turn-style to see if Ryan's bag had arrived. Luckily it had and the only stop we had left before exiting the airport was to talk to customs. The customs area consisted of two tables, one with a group of Egyptian men arguing very loudly over a large piece of metal that one of them was trying to leave with. We were asked what we had in the bag to which we replied 'clothes' and then we headed out.

The air was hot and dry and we could hear the melodic and exotic call to prayer in the background. There was a row of Egyptians waiting outside the airport for friends and loved ones to arrive so we, being the only obvious foreigners on the plane, caused quite a few funny looks and blatent stares. After sitting down for a moment and trying to regroup we set out to try to get a taxi.

At this point we had spent most of our cash. Before we left Bangkok we didn't take any more out. We thought that the airport in Doha would have an ATM, unfortunately both the ATM's at the airport were out of service. Not knowing the state of the Alexandria airport we mistakenly thought that there would be an ATM there, but there was not. So as we tried to get a taxi to our hotel we had $10 US and $5 Canadian and a little bit of Thai baht. This was not looking good. We found a taxi and luckily for us he wanted $15 US to take us to our hotel. After talking to him for a bit we convinced him to take five of the amount in Canadian dollars. So much for that five that I had been saving to buy a timmies when we got back, but at least it came in handy.

The drive to our hotel was like something out of a movie. It was dusk and it is Ramadan which means that everyone can finally start to eat, drink and smoke after fasting all day. There were people all over the sides of the road but hardly any cars. Young men and boys were standing on the curbs passing juice in disposable cups to people in cars passing by and at one point our taxi driver stopped and grabbed one. We sped through the streets in a old car that was missing windows and door handles, quickly passing apartment blocks that were beyond run down, some with gapping holes in them. There were bonfires on the side of the road and we had brief moments where we wondered if we were actually going to make it to the hotel.

Finally the Mediterranean Sea came into view and we knew that we were on the right track. I have never been so happy to smell that salty air as we turned into the hotel parking lot. The bellboy came and got our bags and in true Egyptian fashion, ran them through the metal detector. Our turn through the metal detector came next. Once we checked in we headed up to our room and crashed for the night.

Alexandria didn't get much better as the days went by. The view of the sea from our balcony was amazing and the staff at the hotel were very friendly but we just didn't feel comfortable there. Our train ride to Cairo couldn't come soon enough for us. The concierge at the hotel helped us to book two first class tickets on the twelve o'clock train and also arranged a taxi to the station. Getting to the train station was easy, making sure that we got on the right train was the tricky part. The numbers on the train and the announcements are all in Arabic but thankfully a nice man made sure that we got on the correct train, although in true Egyptian style he asked for some baksheesh (a tip) in return.

Cairo has been amazing so far. We were picked up from the train station by a driver that worked for the hotel. He was very proud of his city and boasted that Barack Obama had been here to see the pyramids. The hotel is a five star with an amazing pool (I already have a sun-burned forehead), an excellent breakfast buffet, and a bedouin tent area where you can smoke flavoured sheesha (the apple flavour is very tasty). You can see the tip of one of the pyramids from our hotel room!

Yesterday we went to the amazing and overwhelming Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. Unfortunately but understandably we were not allowed to take pictures inside and I don't think I will be able to adequately describe the treasures that they hold in that building but they will forever be etched in my memory. The section on King Tut was our favorite. They had his death mask which was 11kg of solid gold inlaid with lapis lazuli, cornelian, gems and colored glass. The 71" long solid gold sarcophagus was equally as impressive, the detail was astounding. Seeing the mummy room was also an intense experience. They have the recently identified Queen Hatsheput on display and because I have read to much about her I was really moved by being able to come face to face with one of, if not the, most successful female Pharaoh ever.

For more photos of Alexandria and Cairo click here...

Skytrain to Paragon

We have had alot of fun in Bangkok while waiting for Ryan's kidney stone to pass (and I am happy to report that the stone has passed as confirmed by the follow up doctor's appointment today). We love hoping on the skytrain and heading to Siam Paragon because there is so much to do there and we've had some interesting experiences.

Siam Paragon is only two stops away on the skytrain so it doesn't take to long to get there but the train is usually very crowded to the point where we are barely getting all our appendages into the car before the doors close and we're whisked away.

The mall is attached to a few other malls which makes it seem like you could walk through area after area for days, eating and shopping to your hearts content without ever going outside. We've gotten lost more than once during our wandering. Most of the stores located there are definitly out of a meer mortal's price range and include Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Jimmy Choo... The jewellery store section is amazing and we also really enjoyed window shopping at the Lotus and Maserati dealerships.

In the basement is the largest aquarium center in southeast Asia, and I've heard that it's also the largest in the southern hemisphere. It was a little expensive to get in but included in the admission price was a glass bottom boat ride, a ticket to the 4D show and the cutest mini photo of us with a sea scape green screened in behind us. There were animals there that we've never seen before anywhere including water rats (really cute) and a whole section on unclassified fish from the deep ocean that were incased in creepy red colored globes.

Last night we headed back to go see what a Thai movie experience would be like. We were hoping to go see Transformers in IMAX but due to a scheduling error we ended up seeing Inglourious Basterds instead. Neither the theatre nor the movie dissapointed. The seats were huge, comfy and reclined nicely. There was assigned seating and you have to pay more depending on where in the theatre you want to sit.

A couple very interesting events happened on the same night as our movie outing. We were outside of the mall just after eating dinner, but before the movie, when we were escorted down the sidewalk away from the road by an official security military type. Then we noticed that the traffic was all blocked and no one was being allowed to go anywhere near the road. Soon after we saw the largest military motorcade we've ever seen. A line of very nice BMW's with flashing lights came down the road and stopped at one of the entrances to the mall. From the way the Thai's in the area were behaving (removing their hats and not minding the delay) we figured out that this must be the royal Thai family. We got a small peak in the back of one of the cars but it was fairly tinted. Our suspicions were confirmed when we went back into the mall to find an area closed off from onlookers with a sign saying there was a royal function in progress. We tried to get a better view but loitering was not being looked kindly upon so we headed up to our movie.

After the movie we had another run in with celebrities. The movie let out so late that the mall was closed. We tried to head to the escalators to leave but were bombarded with a large group of teenage Thai fangirls coming straight at us. They had surrounded the South Korean boy band, Xing and were following them around in quite the pack. During the rush to the elevators that ensued I was almost stampeded and crushed into a sign trying to get out of their way! Ryan bumped into one of the boy band members and I don't think he will ever wash that shoulder again (kidding!).

For more photos of Thailand click here...

Thailand Rocks!

The problem started a little over a month ago while we were on the train to Hanoi in Vietnam. Ryan woke up with severe cramping in his back but since the bunks on the train aren't all that comfortable he thought that he had slept funny and that the pain would go away. Unfortunately by the time we got to our hotel the pain had only grown more intense. The worst part was that since we had arrived so early in the morning (4am) our hotel room wasn't even ready yet so Ryan had to hang out in the lobby and wander the streets of Hanoi while enduring really bad kidney cramps.

Ryan has had kidney stones before and it wasn't long before he determined that he was having the same pain as last time. When we went to the doctor in Canada they just gave him pain killers and sent him home to pass the stones by himself. We figured since we knew what it was that we would try to just let them pass and not worry about going to the doctor. The idea of going to the hospital in Vietnam was not very appealing anyway.

Fast forward to a week ago when we were in Chiang Rai. The pain still had not gone away. There were good days and bad days but the bad days were becoming the more frequent of the two. One day the pain became unbearable and we decided that a trip to the hospital was in order. We knew that there was one close by as we had passed it many times on our way to the night market on our bicycles. Unfortunately none of the English speaking staff was on hand at the hotel at the time of our emergency but they knew the word 'hospital'. The hotel that we were staying at was a ways out of town and no tuk tuks ever came down that far so the staff grabbed their scooters and we hopped on the back for the trip.

We raced down the road and made it to the hospital but when we entered the emergency room the nurse told us that there were no doctors there at the moment, they were all in a meeting and that we should go to the main hospital further into town. No problem, we all got back on the scooters and raced away again.

At the main Chiang Rai hospital, Ryan was immediately put on a stretcher and taken into the emergency. We became instant celebrities due to being the only foreigners in the place at the time. Ryan was poked and prodded in some very unpleasant places (I won't go into detail), sent for an x-ray and saw a specialist. The staff from our hotel waited patiently with us the entire time and helped guide us to the different departments that Ryan required. One of them even took his urine sample to the lab for us! We left the hospital with Ryan feeling slightly better and some medication to take but his pain soon returned as bad as it was before.

Our flight to Bangkok was the next day so we made the decision to get to the hospital here as soon as possible once we arrived so that these kidney stones could be taken care of once and for all. Luckily for us our hotel is right across the street from Bumrungrad International, the largest private hospital in south-east Asia. After speaking to the doctor in emergency and having an ultrasound done it was decided that Ryan should stay overnight so that they could keep him hydrated with IV fluids. I ran back to the hotel to pack him an overnight bag and call our travel insurance company while Ryan picked his room (you get a choice from 4 bed shared room all the way through to a royal suite, we went with a 2 bed room) and settled in.

The hospital was absolutely amazing. It felt more like a 5 star hotel than a medical facility and Ryan received amazing treatment the entire time he was there. The specialist came and saw him the day after he was admitted and set up a follow up appointment with us. He was discharged with a gift bag of medications and told that if he has any pain or complications to come back as soon as possible. Since then he has been keeping himself as hydrated as possible, staying away from cola beverages and waiting for the stone (which Ryan has named Scrapie) to pass. He has felt better in the last few days than he has in a long time and now all we can do is wait.

Night out with Family

After a couple amazing dinners at our hotel our hosts decided to take us out in the family station wagon for a night on the town. The whole family piled into the car with us in the back seat and we headed to a roadside vendor/restaurant to have an amazing meal. The owner and father of the family ordered for us and while we sat down to eat we tried to overcome our language barrier as much as possible and chat. When we tried to pay for dinner he insisted that it was his treat. Our night did not stop there.

We left the restaurant and strolled down the street a little ways until we came to a dessert place where we ate yummy little snacks made from taro and egg. Then we walked to the amazingly beautiful clock tower and while we waited for the show to start, the owner and his wife bought us warm soy milk which was very tasty.

We had no idea that there was a clock tower like this in the middle of town. At 8 and 9pm every night there is a light and music show that is spectacular. We sipped our warm milk and enjoyed the show. Afterwards we were dropped off at the night market and told just to give them a call whenever we were ready and they would come pick us up. It was an amazing night and we really felt like part of the family.

The next day I got a little over ambitious and decided that we should bike all the way to the hot springs which are about 25km away. I figured that it would be a long way and that we would be tired by the time that we got there but I hadn't counted on all the hills. After we made it about 15km I was totally pooped out. I knew that even if I made it all the way there that there would be no guarantee that I would ever be able to pedal back. As soon as we made the decision to turn back it started raining. At first it was a lovely little drizzle but soon it was a downpour and we needed to find some shelter before becoming completely soaked. There was a little bike/small engine repair shack on the side of the road so we pulled in and the owner did not mind us hanging out under his roof for a while until the rain died down. Unfortunately after the rain the roads were really wet and by the time we got back to the hotel we had strips of water and gunk up our backsides and of course I had a white shirt on.

We are getting very comfortable riding around town on the bikes. We can make it to the night market and back no problem, we just avoid making right hand turns as much as possible. Traffic is usually light and they are so used to having bikes and scooters on the road here. We've also biked to the Hilltribe Museum in town which is a small but very informative place which has displays on farming techniques, costumes, traditions and the history of the opium trade. After going to the museum we've decided against going on a hilltribe tour because it seems to do more harm then good to their culture and way of life.

More photos of Chiang Rai...

Step Over Chicken Noodle

After talking to a couple people about bus tickets to Chiang Rai (including a really nice man who drew us a map of northern Thailand) we found out that the easiest and cheapest way to book seats was to head to the station the day we were leaving. Buses leave Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai every half hour and for a VIP a/c bus it only cost about 6 bucks each.

The bus ride was very smooth and went through gorgeous forested areas on a windy, hilly road. We arrived in Chiang Rai and since we booked our tickets that morning we were not able to arrange pick up with our hotel. No worries though, we had the phone number written down and our tuk tuk driver called and got directions.

The hotel is a little ways out of town but very close to the Chiang Rai beach on the banks of the Kok river. Our hosts at the Baan Nattawadee resort are charming and wonderful. As soon as we got out of the tuk tuk they offered us a welcome coffee and some dried bananas (which were very yummy). They showed us to our room which is spectacular and the grounds of the entire hotel are lush and full of flowers.

After getting settled in and relaxing for a little while we hopped on the bikes that are provided to us by the hotel and headed out to find a store which the hotel owner told us was about 2km away. We found it no problem and grabbed some snacks before heading back to have dinner.

Our first dinner at the hotel was an amazing experience. We weren't sure what to expect because there are no menus however we were in for a treat. Ryan went to ask how we go about ordering food and he was then invited into the kitchen. He came out to grab me to go in too and then we watched and learned how to make our own dinner. Ryan was given the job to chop up the chicken. He started chopping but apparently it was not quite right because the owner (who was cooking) grabbed the knife from Ryan and said "Farang chop (shakes his head), I chop". The entire time we were in the kitchen helping the staff would pop their heads in and giggle at us. The food was amazing and it wouldn't be the first time at this hotel that we will be amazed at the food.

The next morning we got up late and went out to see if there was any breakfast still available. There was coffee and toast so we figured that would do. As we snacked on our toast the staff came to our table with some tasty little cakes. We thought that was quite a bonus and a wonderful addition to our toast and coffee. Little did we know that they were preparing an entire Thai breakfast for us that arrived shortly after the cakes. We ate until we were totally stuffed and then there came - mango! Well, as we've said there is always room for mango so we finished that off as well.

The owner of the hotel supplied us with a map of the area and pointed out some sights to see. We hopped on the bikes and headed into town to get some errands done before going to the Rai Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park. We rode up to the gates and paid our admission. The lady at the counter told us that we could take our bikes around the whole park. We rode around for a couple hours looking at all the amazing flowers and picturesque scenery. The museum that is on site was a definite highlight. It was a large teak building filled with items that had been collected from temples around northern Thailand. It was wonderful and we pretty much had the entire place to ourselves.

We pedaled back to the hotel and were treated to another amazing dinner experience. The soup that they served was way too spicy for me. It was very tasty but it was making my eyes water, nose run and eventually I had to give up on it. Lucky for Ryan though, he can handle spicy way better that I can but it still packed a punch for him too. The owner told us that Thai people have this soup when they are stuffed up or have a cold because it really clears out the sinuses. Step over chicken noodle soup!

More photos of Chiang Rai...

No, not big bird!

There is a saying that you don't know what you've got till it's gone. Well I would like to add that sometimes you don't know what you were missing until you get it back. That is how we feel about coming back to Thailand. There is a friendly relaxed vibe here that we felt as soon as we landed back in this paradise.

Our day of travel to Thailand started with a taxi to the Hanoi airport which is about 45 minutes out of town. Once we arrived we had some time to kill so we ordered some breakfast from the airport cafe. Well I ordered breakfast, Ryan tried to calm his apprehension of flying by ordering a coffee with baileys which turned out to be more like a baileys with coffee or possibly just some warmed up baileys. It was strong!

The flight to Bangkok went well, as did our entry through customs. Our next flight to Chiang Mai was delayed by an hour but our hotel pickup was still waiting for us when we got to the airport. As soon as we walked into the Aitsawarisa Hotel we knew that it would be difficult to leave. We were greeted with a welcome drink while we checked in and then brought up to our amazing room with the most stunning hotel bathroom we've had so far on our trip (I know, an odd thing to get excited about). The pool at the hotel is quite spectacular and is also environmentally friendly. It is a salt water pool that is heated by the waste energy from the air conditioning. We headed down for a dip as soon as we'd gotten settled in our room because it had been a little while since we've had the luxury of a pool.

Our first adventure out had to be the Chiang Mai Zoo and Aquarium. Neither of us knew what to expect but it turned out to be the nicest zoo facility that we have been to on our trip so far. The area that the zoo is located on is gigantic so there is a monorail and a tram to take you around the park. We figured that we hadn't done enough walking lately and decided to hoof it. There was so much to see in this lush and hilly zoo including elephants, lions, penguins, and many different species of gibbons and monkeys. Ryan had the pleasure of feeding one of the elephants some bananas and sugercane and then we both had our picture taken with it. The walk-in aviary was also very well done. After walking for a few hours and many kilometers it was time to head back to the hotel for some dinner.

On the way to the zoo we took a tuk-tuk but on the way back we used a songthaew (Thai for two benches) which is a pick up truck with benches in the back that drive around town. You hail them from the side of the road and then ask them if they are heading where you need to go. If so, you hop in the back and then when you are nearing your destination you hit the button that is on the roof and he will pull over and let you out. It's the Chiang Mai version of the bus.

Our second adventure was a gastronomical one which we could have easily done without. There is a restaurant a couple blocks away called The Big Bird Kitchen. They serve nothing but turkey and ostrich dishes. Since neither of us have ever tried ostrich we figured why not, can't be that bad right? Probably tastes like chicken right? Nope! Ryan had the big bird taco and I had ostrich curry and they were both really bad. Ah well, never try, never learn.

For more photos of Chiang Mai click here...

Amazing Indeed!

Our arrival in Hanoi was 1 and a 1/2 hours earlier than expected which meant that we were hanging out in front of the train station at 4:30 in the morning. This caused a small problem because our pickup from the hotel was not due come until 6. So after waiting in the rain (we heard it had been raining for 3 days straight before we got to Hanoi) for a little while trying to figure out what to do we decided to get a taxi.

The taxi seemed great at first. He had some great techno beats going and we zipped around the empty streets of Hanoi. Then we noticed that his meter was jumping up quite quickly. We probably should have got out of the taxi but it was really early and we weren't sure that we'd be able to get another one so we sucked it up and paid. Oh well, lesson learned.

Our hotel is located a couple blocks away from Sword Lake which is a gorgeous place to go for a walk after dinner or have a coffee at the cafe. Our first day we just wandered around the lake taking in the scenery and relaxing in the room after the long train ride. The next day we headed out to the Temple of Literature which is Vietnam's oldest university. There are turtle statues that have the graduates of the university's stories inscribed on them and we went up and down the isles of turtles petting their heads for good luck.

We grabbed a taxi back to our hotel and stopped on the way to buy tickets for a very Vietnamese art form, Water Puppet Theatre. The show started at 5pm the next day and although Ryan thought that there needed to be more explosions and some puppet ninjas it was very cool. After the theatre we went back to the room and started packing for our Halong Bay tour that was scheduled for the next day.

The bus that was due to pick us up and take us to Halong Bay arrived a little late because we switched hotels and although we informed the tour company the message did not get passed on. After a 15 minute delay they found us and we were on our way out of the city for the 3.5 hour drive. We arrived at the our amazing boat and had a wonderful lunch before checking into our cozy little room. Words cannot even begin describe Halong Bay. It was way more impressive and awesome than either of us could have ever imagined.

The tour's first stop was Amazing Cave and it was indeed amazing. As we walked in it was a little underwhelming because the first area in the cave was a little small but each area got bigger until we were in a huge cavern that was stunning. They had some of the spots lit up with colored lits which gave the cave a very surreal feeling to it.

Once we got back on the boat we had a little time to change to get ready for kayaking. We hopped into a tandem kayak and paddled into a small cave which had a roof about 6 feet above you. At the other end of the cave, it opened up into a lagoon and the only entrance to the lagoon was the cave that we had just passed through. It was beautiful so we took our time and slowly paddled around enjoying the scenery and watching the birds circle over the large peaks jutting out of the water. I must admit that Ryan did most of the hard work during the kayaking and I'm really glad that he knew how to steer and has such strong arms!

We were quite hungry after our (well Ryan's) strenous excercise but the tour schedule allowed us a little free time before dinner to swim or take photos. Swimming would have been nice because it was crazy hot on the boat but when we looked down into the water we noticed that it was teeming with jellyfish. These jellyfish were not the harmless little kind either, they had tentacles about 5 feet long and looked painful. We decided that maybe swimming wasn't the best idea especially after we heard that one of the other guests on the boat had been stung a little earlier and did not enjoy the experience.

Dinner was served at about 7:30 and there must have been about 8 courses of the tastiest food that was so well presented. There were fruits that were carved in the shape of the boat and a pineapple that was hollowed out with a candle in it like a little pineapple jack o lantern. We were so full after the meal so we went up to the top of the boat and watched the stars from the sun deck. We hadn't seen so many stars in the sky since we were kids and it was truly an epic and romantic evening.

Click here for more photos of Hanoi and Halong Bay

Hot Days in Hue

Our time in Hue has been absolutely amazing! We are a little sad to be leaving here tommorow to head to Hanoi but we are excited for the new adventures that await us. If it is anything like what we experienced in Hue then I am sure that we will not be disappointed.

We are headed there by train which is the same way that we arrived here in Hue and a 18 hour train ride is an adventure in and of itself. We arrived at the station in Ho Chi Minh at around 11am and had a coffee while we waited to board the train. Once onboard coach 10 we headed to our cabin and found our soft sleeper bunks. I had top bunk which I later came to regret because the air conditioning vent was right above me making the bunk very cold. As well, the overhead light stayed on all night. No worries though, I still had a decent sleep considering the swaying from the train that ensued all night as well as the jarring stops when we arrived at stations along the way.

It was about 6am when we got to the train station in Hue. The boss of the hotel that we are staying at was there with a sign to pick us up. Since he came on a scooter he arranged a taxi for us and then paid the tab when we got to the hotel. We were then treated to a surprise. Since the hotel was booked up we had been upgraded to the family suite. We had a living room, 2 beds and a flat screen television that swivels between the two areas. It is a gorgeous room!

We headed out to find a close restaurant and realized that we were no where near the tourist area of town and the eating options with English menus or staff are pretty much non-existant. There is a supermarket close by so we headed there and stocked up on snacks, drinks and got a few slices of pizza. The lack of English on menus didn't stop us when we went to have a coffee at the Violet cafe. Ryan figured out where the section of coffees was on the menu but there were many options to choose from. He picked one at random and we were pleasantly suprised when we got Vietnamese coffee with milk. This wasn't ordinary milk but condensed sweet milk. This is a treat that we will be taking back with us for sure, it was so tasty!

A couple days later we went on a whirlwind tour of the sights in and around Hue. The tour started with a trip to the Imperial Citadel. Next was the garden house where the grandfather of the emperor once lived. Afterwards we were off to the Thien Mu pagoda which sits on the top of a hill and has amazing views of the perfume river and the surrounding area. We flew through these sites very quickly so it was a welcome treat to relax for a little while and have lunch. The meal was done buffet style with many yummy options and we ate our fill before hopping back on the bus and head to the tomb of emperor Minh Mang.

The tomb was on expansive and beautifully treed grounds. Our tour guide gave us a little information about the emperor, he had 400 wives and supposedly got 4 of them pregnant in one night! Our guide joked that the reason this emperor died so early at the age of 50 was due to the fact that he had so many wives (and concubines) and about 160 children.

Tu Duc was the next emperor's tomb that we visited. He was the emperor that was in power when the French took control of Vietnam. He felt that he was not a good emperor because of that as well as the fact that he was not able to have any children due to getting smallpox when he was a child. The stele where the emperor's record their autobiography was self critical and the pond near his tomb that is normally full of water was left empty at his request to show his remorse for what he felt was a poor rule by him. The area that this emperor was buried on was even larger than the last tomb that we visited and we took some time to wander around before getting back on the bus with the rest of the tour group.

On the way back to the city we ditched the bus and instead travelled by dragonboat down the perfume river. It was a very calming way to end a whirlwind trip around Hue.

Check out more photos of our time in Hue here

Lions, Tigers and Bears! Oh my!

The bus ride from Sihanoukville to Ho Chi Minh city was the longest one that we have been on yet. We left Cambodia at 8am and did not arrive at our hotel in HCMC until 9pm. We may have been able to shed an hour off that time but we had a small complication when we got to the Cambodia-Vietnam border. Our passports and visas checked out just fine but when the health officials boarded the bus to check for swine flu symptoms one of the passengers on the bus had a fever. This caused a chain reaction of officials getting on the bus, then off, then back on, then the traveller with the fever got off, then back on with a mask. After about an hour of being held up and not being allowed to get off the bus we were on our way.

The bus pulled up in Ho Chi Minh city and since we had done a little research before we showed up, we found our hotel just a block away from where the bus dropped us off. The Elios Hotel is gorgeous and we have completely enjoyed our stay here so far. Free breakfast at the rooftop restaurant is very tasty and the view from the outdoor terrace is amazing. There is a great park across the street from the hotel. After dinner the park is a hive of activity. Vietnamese people use the park for large aerobic sessions, walking, stretching, and all types of exercising.

Our second full day in Ho Chi Minh was spent at the Saigon Zoo which is one of the oldest zoos in the world. It was built in 1865 and was much better than we had anticipated. There were lions and tigers and bears! Also, hippos and pygmy hippos, rhinos, crocodiles, and giant squirrels. Our favorite by far were the Asian leopard cats. These are the cats that form the wild percentage of our cat at home, a Bengal named Naji. I could have stayed and watched them all day. Their mannerisms were so similar to our cat that it was like being with her for a little bit.

After the zoo we hopped in a cab and headed back to the hotel so that we coud find a nice place for dinner. I must add that the cabs and the cab drivers here have been phenomenal! They always put the meter on and the prices are very reasonable. Many of them don't speak any English but our hotel staff have been very helpful translating which was required yesterday when we tried to get to the Independance Palace.

Going to the Independance Palace was like going back in time to the 70's. They have left the palace in much the same condition that it was in when tanks broke down the gates and ended the war in 1975. There was a replica of that tank in front as well as an american plane and helicopter. The highlight for me was the basement which housed the command center and radio equipment. The presidents office and reception room on the second floor were also magnificent. There was also a gambling room with a round sofa, mahjong table and barrel bar and a private movie theater.

Our next stop in Vietnam is Hue (which we have mispronouced many times to the travel agents amusement) and we will be travelling there by train on Tuesday. It is about a 20 hour train ride and we have soft sleeper seats booked. I'm so excited, I've got dibs on the top bunk!

Want to see more photos of HCMC? Click here!

Cows Have the Right of Way

We haven't been in a car for about a month at this point so it was a bit of an odd feeling when we hopped into the late 80s model Camry with our driver to head to the Kbal Chhay waterfalls located about 30 minutes outside of Sihanoukville. Our driver brought his daughter with him which was appropriate since it was Father's Day back home in Canada. The falls are a very popular spot with the locals to have a weekend picnic and this day was no exception. There were families everywhere enjoying the wonderful weather and cooling off in the water.

Two boys that were hanging out in one of the tiers of the falls almost got more than they bargained for and were in a tough spot when we saw them. They had been swimming and clamouring around when the smaller boy slipped and ended up in a precarious position. The older boy tried to save him but you could tell they both needed some help. They were in very real danger of being swept over the last tier of the falls and down a long drop. Luckily there was a well placed rock that they were able to grab hold of.

At this point there was a crowd on both sides of the waterfall watching the drama unfold. The boys looked like they wanted to try to get back to shore by themselves but everyone was motioning for them to stay where they were. One wrong move by them and they would go over. People started searching for something they could reach the boys with and eventually a man came down with a long stick and another found a harness. The rescuers slowly made their way out while trying not to slip themselves. Once they got close enough they formed a human chain and grabbed the boys, first the younger one and then the older boy. Both boys made it back to shore much to the growing crowd's relief. It was a very dramatic way to start our trip to the waterfall.

We decided to check out the other side of the falls and headed over to the narrow rickety bridge that went over one of the streams feeding the falls. On the other side were Cambodia style picnic areas and vendors selling drinks and snacks. A little ways past some of the picnic spots was a smaller stream with many levels of smooth rock and tiny rapids. There were lots of Khmer people hanging out in the water, splashing each other and just having a good time. Ryan and I both waded into the water and wandered around a bit enjoying the coolness. The rocks underneath were very slippery and unfortunatly I was not careful enough and fell on my butt. I scrapped up my hand a little but it was nothing serious. My pride was injured more than anything else.

On our way to go back over the bridge Ryan peered into the trees and saw the biggest spider we have ever seen. This spider had a leg span as wide as my face. Once we had gotten over the shock of that we started to go over the bridge. It was at that point that I noticed that a cow had decided to cross the bridge coming right at us. We both figured that the cow had the right of way there and backed off to let him pass.

We got back into the car where our driver and his daughter were waiting to take us back into Sihanoukville. He decided to make a little tour out of it on the way back and took us up to the top of Sihanoukville mountain which was really more like a big hill. On the top was an amazing temple and an excellent view of the city spread out in front of us. There was a sense of peace on the top of that mountain and we strolled around the temple grounds enjoying the silence.

Life's a Beach!

Since our trip on the boat we have been just relaxing and enjoying all that staying near the beach has to offer. I have been reading alot while chilling by the pool and we go for wonderful walks down the beach when it's not raining. The rain comes and goes here at this time of year. It's not quite the true rainy season yet so we still get many hours of sunshine. When the rain does come it is usually a heavy downpour that is over quickly.

The power sometimes cuts out due to a storm but it's usually restored pretty fast and since they use propane to cook here we were still able to get a tasty Indian meal the other day while the power was out. The only part of our order they were unable to make was the lassi because they needed the blender for that.

We eat amazingly well for very little money. Our typical dinner costs less than ten dollars for food and drinks for us both and there is so much food that you can hardly finish what's on the plate. Highlights include pork and chicken schnitzel, coconut chicken curry, and chicken barbeque with baked potatoes. One exception to our tasty meals was when we went for an early dinner at the Twin Baby restaurant. Ryan had a cheeseburger that left much to be desired.

Our breakfasts have been excellent too. About a block away is the Cinderella cafe which has the best coffee and yummiest bacon we've had since we arrived in Cambodia. They make an excellent ham and cheese omelette and apple strudel with ice cream too.

We do more than just eat (occasionally, lol). There are always some errands to run. We found a little used bookstore within walking distance which is very handy considering I've read 9 books since we arrived in Cambodia. We also went downtown to a computer store to buy a mouse. It was getting tricky updating the blog and preparing photos without one. The computer store was definitely no Future Shop or Best Buy but they had everything that you could need.

At night after dinner we come back to the hotel and sit on the balcony facing the street watching the world go by. The smells from the barbeques that go on all down the street waft up to us. Last night we finally saw our first Cambodian convertible (a red Lexus at that). I would have thought convertibles would be more popular in this climate. We also saw a Aston Martin Vanquish which seemed very out of place in this impoverished country.

Tomorrow we are off to get our visas for Vietnam and we should be heading to Ho Chi Minh next week. It's funny that the only reason that we came to Sihanoukville in the first place was to get those visas but instead we have fallen in love with this little Cambodian beach town and are finding it very hard to leave.